Here’s a compressive guide to Defeating the Dreaming General who is a lair boss of the Tangle in Darkest Dungeon 2.
He is capable of inflicting stress along with high damage single, multi target attacks. He is accompanied by the Tap Root which also has attacks that deal considerable damage over time defending which incurs additional stress on your party.
Party Composition:
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- Include at least two characters who can target the Tap Root in rank four.
- Use heroes with damage over time (DOT) abilities, dodge, or block capabilities.
- Recommended heroes: Man-at-Arms, Plague Doctor, Jester, and Dismiss.
Mechanics and Strategy:
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- The main focus of the fight is the Tap Root, which cannot be killed but can be targeted.
- The Tap Root will cast Creeping Growth, summoning vines above your heroes’ heads, eventually strangling them and causing stress to the party.
- Attacking the Tap Root forces it to recoil and reset the vine sequence, but also adds a token to it.
- After two tokens, the Tap Root will cast The Soil Stirs, and after three tokens, the Dreaming General will use his powerful attack, Waking Dead.
- To avoid vines, consistently hit the Tap Root twice per turn, starting from round two.
- Use non-damaging attacks or combat items like crow’s feet or linseed oil to force the root to release vines.
Dealing with the Dreaming General’s Attacks:
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- Be prepared for the General’s Whisper attack, which causes small damage and party-wide stress.
- Manage the General’s powerful Waking Dead attack by utilizing dodge, block, or weaken tokens.
- Be aware that the General has a 50% Death Blow resist, so DOT abilities are crucial.
Tactics:
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- On the first turn, focus on dealing damage to the Dreaming General and setting up your tanks.
- Stack DOT abilities on the General while managing the Tap Root mechanic.
- Utilize AOE attacks like Abyssal Artillery and Plague Grenade, but prioritize direct damage to the General if possible.
- Bring as many combat items as possible to deal with the Tap Root, allowing you to focus on damaging the General.
- Gauge when to stop attacking the Tap Root and focus on finishing off the General, as timing is crucial in this fight.
- If needed, allow a less important hero to be immobilized to rush the General, but have a plan to free them before full party immobilization occurs.
In summary, the key to defeating the Dreaming General is to balance dealing damage to him while managing the Tap Root mechanic. A well-constructed team and the effective use of combat items should allow you to defeat the boss in 4-6 turns.
Here’s a video showing the entire process courtesy of Youtube user: Adam Ninja
