Welcome to the guide for fighting against one of the Elder Guardians – The Constrictor. All four must be defeated before you can fight The Elder.
Fighting Mechanics
The Constrictor is a hybrid melee and ranged elder guardian which deals physical damage that always poison. The Constrictor’s poison are very strong and can stack very quickly with certain moves. You should definitely watch out for this elder guardian, it is one of the most difficult ones.
There is a special debuff that is applied on your character when you have enter the Arena which is called Crippling Vines. While not moving, you will receive a stacking Crippling Vines debuff which slows movement speed. Vines are removed gradually while moving.
Basic Melee Attack
A physical basic melee attack by the Constrictor. There is nothing much you should worry about, it deals average damage but nothing that should be concern of.
Dash Attack
The Constrictor dashes forward towards to you, dealing physical damage. It looks very alike with Shield Charge but instead with his blades. Can be easily dodged, simply by moving around. It does not deal a lot of damage, you do not have to waste your flask charges for this.
Strafe Arrow
The Constrictor forms a bow with both of his blades and dashes sideways or sidesteps while firing multiple arrows. Does not deal a lot of damage, nothing much to be concern of. The projectiles are quick and you cannot dodge them if you are in a close range.
Charged Shot
The Constrictor stood still and starts charging to fire a very quick green beamed arrow in a straight line, focusing on your character. The arrow’s hit-box is quite small and it is very easy to avoid taking damage, simply by running when the Constrictor is charging.
Arrow Volley
When the Constrictor falls below 90% health, he begins to cast this ability. The Constrictor can begin to cast an Arrow Volley which is very similar to Blade Flurry skill but has longer and wider range. Fires multiple arrows several times, firing in varied patterns. This attack covers a large area in front of him.
When the Constrictor begins casting this ability, he does not change his direction, you can run behind him to avoid these attacks. This ability can stack poisons really quick if you decided to face-tank it.
Combo Rush
By 75% health, the Constrictor can begin to cast this ability. The Constrictor performs a melee attack twice and maims when hit. This maim reduces your movement speed by 30%. After the melee attacks, the Constrictor jump backwards in the air and fire multiple lines of arrows on the ground in quick succession. When the arrows hit the ground, they explode in a small area of affect that can stack or overlap.
Sundering Shot
The Constrictor will only cast this below when his health is below 50% health. The Constrictor jumps into the air, raises his bow down fire a large area of effect damage which split into eight projectiles that travel across the ground. There is an initial hit and projectiles which also hits. If you are standing in the center, you can be hit by both damage at the same time.
It can be very dangerous if you got yourself into a bad position.
Mirror Arrow
Once the boss reaches below 50% health, he can cast Mirror Arrow. The Constrictor disappeared for a short time and spawns four mirror cocoons which spawns four mirror of the Constrictor himself. These mirror monsters attack with melee blades, dealing minimal damage and gain flask charges if they are killed. These monsters will disappear after 10 seconds if they are not killed.
Arenas
Elder Guardians replace the map boss of the map it is occupying. A portal will appear in the boss arena leading to a side zone which contains the Elder Guardian. Their monster level matches the base map of where the Elder is occupying.
The Constrictor can randomly spawns in one of the three arenas. All three arenas has different mechanics that players are required to dodge the attacks. In Tiers 6 to 11 maps, at 1/2 health you will be teleported to another arena with different stage hazards, and the same applies for Tier 11+ maps at 2/3 and 1/3.
Ruins of Despair
- Pools of poison spawn on the ground at one corner, dealing poison damage.
- Summons frogs that chase the player and detonate for cold damage when touched.
- Summons Giant Gladiator Statues to the arena. They can be killed and do not respawn but have high damage and health.
Island of Devastation
- Spawns small green plants that explodes and deals damage
- Frozen flowers that explodes and deals cold damage
Sea of Isolation
- The hardest compared with Ruins of Despair and Island of Devastation
- Multiple frost bolts slowly chase the player, dealing cold damage over time while touching the player
- Pillars of water shoot from the ground, dealing cold damage
- Waves of water jump across the stage
Preparing against the Constrictor
Since the Constrictor deals physical damage and chaos damage (Poison), you would want physical damage mitigations. Here are some of the items you should prepare to further mitigates damage against him.
Arctic Armour
Arctic Armour is a very good buff to reduce physical damage taken. It can reduce up to 13% physical damage taken at Level 20 skill gem.
Basalt Flask
Basalt Flask can reduce up to 15% physical damage taken while on use. One of the best and cheap defensive flasks in the game against physical damages.
Fortify
One of the best defensive buffs in game which reduce damage taken by 20%. If you are a melee build, feel free to remove one of your melee attack supports with a Fortify Support.
Poison Removal Flask “of Curing”
You can get this mod on any of your flask, especially better on a health flask if you are HP-based build. It can quickly removes the poison stacks dealt by the Constrictor.
Fighting Strategy
Whenever the Constrictor begins to cast strong attacks like Sundering Shot, use your Basalt Flask. Remember to keep moving around the map so you do not get the Crippling Vines debuff. Most of his skills are manageable and easily avoided but you should also watch out for the arenas, especially the Sea of Isolation.
Do not stand in front of the Constrictor whenever he begins to cast Arrow Volley. You should be good to go by now.
Item Drops and Rewards
Tier 6 and up:
Tier 11 and up:
