Plotting the Ultimate Defense

Plotting the Ultimate Defense
Quest Type	Story Quests
Difficulty
Casual	Enemy: Level 35
Hardcore	Enemy: Level 80
Quest Details
Location	Lillipa
Allies	None
Save Points	None
Restrictions
Time Limit	00:15:00
Half-Scape Doll	Prohibited

Plotting the Ultimate Defense is a Story Quest from EPISODE 3. It consists of a unique boss-only version of the Mining Base Defense Operations: Ending quest for Story Mode, designed to be a challenging piece of content.

Quest Description

Our heroes faced eradication in response to Aurora and Euclyta's request that Apprentice, the Vernal be slain.
This is a high-difficulty quest.
Use of the Scape Doll or Half Scape Doll is prohibited.

Strategy

If the player wishes to proceed with the story, it is strongly recommended that one plays this mission for the first time on the Casual difficulty, since this Story Quest was designed as a challenge, in the same vein as The Significance of Being Here. Completing this quest on Hardcore without an S-Rank will grant the player nothing.

Unlike the Urgent Quest it's based off, there are no towers to defend (despite the towers still being present, but are either destroyed or invulnerable), so the main focus is to defeat Dark Falz Apprentice Zia.

There are no requirements to meet to summon the AIS from the floor pads. However, the quest has a limit of 3 AIS summons. Once a player summons a third AIS, they are unable to summon anymore AIS for the duration of the quest.

AIS Exoda

At the start of the fight, two AIS Exodas will spawn alongside a few other Falspawn surrounding them. The player must eliminate the AIS Exoda on foot and not within a AIS of their own, as AIS Exodas become more aggressive and take less damage from player AIS'. The Exodas can easily destroy a player's AIS. However, Exodas take much more damage from non AIS sources: you should be doing more damage than an AIS even if you are using a weak weapon.

One must also be aware of the Vidrolas that spawn alongside the AIS Exodas: their attacks can often stun the player and leave oneself vulnerable to the powerful attacks of the AIS Exodas. Eliminate them first before tackling the Exodas, but try to keep a distance from them if possible.

If one has difficulty confronting the falspawn/AIS Exodas directly from where they spawned, seek shelter behind one of the three destroyed towers, preferably the central one, behind the location you're spawned in. This will let you have better control of the terrain as the Carthagos will have a tough time following you, letting you avoid being blindsided by one of their beams.

To eliminate an AIS Exoda, attack it's legs, and prefer using techniques/photon arts that deal damage based on damage dealt by other sources, such as the Partisan's Volkraptor, as their effects are doubled on the AIS. If one AIS is knocked down but not defeated yet, prioritize on knocking down the other AIS Exoda to reduce the chance of being attacked by the other AIS. Just remember to finish off the other knocked down AIS or it will get back up.

If one has trouble with dealing with this phase of the fight by being repeatedly killed, it might be a good idea to use Hunter as a Sub-Class (if it isn't one's main) and invest points into Iron Will, Auto-Mate Half, and even Hunter Physique, since dealing with Apprentice is more often than not dealt with using an AIS rather than on foot.

Apprentice Zia

It is strongly recommended to jump into an AIS after the two Exodas have been defeated. At this point, your main objective is to defeat Apprentice, but enemy reinforcements will keep spawning. If you defeat a certain amount of enemies however, there will be a brief period where no reinforcements would appear.

Apprentice has two spots that take normal damage (the left and right orbs), and one guarded weak spot (the red central core).

Keeping your AIS alive for the entirety of its duration (240 seconds) is your top priority: the amount of AIS summons is limited. The second priority is managing the AIS' Photon Laser cannon, the strongest attack the AIS can perform. Each laser has a 120 second cooldown, meaning each AIS can use their laser twice before its timer runs out. After entering the AIS, make sure you are properly positioned to be able to aim at both the standard orbs and the protected weak spot, and use the Photon Laser. Aim at the left and right orbs using Over-The-Shoulder view, and occasionally move the reticule towards the protected cental weak point when it gets exposed, and if possible, get the enemies hit by the laser at the same time.

Close the gap and approach the left or right side of Apprentice, and start attacking the side orbs of Apprentice, using the Dash Sword attack as much as possible (the most damaging standard action for the AIS). If it is safe, move to the center if Apprentice exposes it and attack it until it covers it up again.

Be wary of the Goldrahda: their kicks can deal some hitstun to the AIS and can close the gap. Remember to back away from them and the cores if needed by boosting backwards to gain some distance quickly (at the cost of PP) and keep shooting to regain PP. The dashing sword attack should deal a significant amount of damage to them and often destroy the destructible part behind their head, stunning them for a bit.

Apprentice is mostly a threat while on the ground, so it's recommended to use your hovering abilities to use to stay off the ground for certain attacks, like Apprentice's arm sweep or the red circles all over the floor attack. While you could float above Zia forever and not get hit, the rockets are weak compared to the sword dash and you might not deal enough damage to defeat it within the time limit.

Apprentice's Laser

Just like in the Mining Base Urgent Quest, when Apprentice has taken enough damage, a screen-wide deep red effect will appear on screen, signalling Apprentice is going to use its laser.

Failing to stop Apprentice's laser will not end the quest since the towers are invulnerable. However, due to the fact this was coded for the Urgent Quest as a failure condition, Apprentice will only perform this action once for the entirety of the quest. It is also the only reliable way to stun Apprentice and opening it up to severe damage.

If your AIS has the laser on cooldown or the AIS' timer is nearly over, one should eject and take a new AIS as soon as possible, since the new AIS has a laser ready to be fired.

Only fire the AIS Laser when the Core has fully exposed it's cannon and it has begun charging it (Apprentice will be stationed at either the left or the right of the stage). You'll need to deal additional sword dashes in order to deal enough damage to stun Apprentice. Then deal as much damage as possible during this period using Sword dashes.

Apprentice will get back up, and the battle will continue as normal. Make sure you keep your AIS for as long as possible and watch out for enemy reinforcements.

Enemies

• 

  Dark Falz Apprentice Zia
  

• 

  AIS Exoda
  

• 

  Vidrola
  

• 

  Carthago
  

• 

  Goldrahda