Mining crews operating along the north of The Pathways have reported the discovery of ancient ruins buried deep within the cave systems. The structures were first uncovered during routine excavation for materials. While the ruins appeared unstable, workers were able to reinforce several sections and ensure the surrounding tunnels remained safe for continued operations.
However, after scouts discovered a way to open the final sealed area, a burst of corrupted energy erupted from within the chamber. Numerous skeletons of ancient warriors have been observed roaming the ruins since, picking up their rusted swords or using magic stained with corruption to attack anyone who comes within range. Stone golems have also been observed.
In the deepest chamber, a gigantic golem appears to be guarding something. Unfortunately, scouts were unable to determine anything about that room, except that there were four pillars, each overflowing with strange magical energy.
Proceed with caution.
Hello, Solo-raiders! 👋
Welcome to our first Raid Prep! For Raid Prep, we’re taking a closer look at one of the raids you’ll be able to tackle in the game, and for today we’ll talk about something that ISN’T available for you yet: The Dunevault. The Dunevault starts deep underground, with you making your way through a network of caverns and tunnels. At first, it might look like another forgotten cave system, but as you make your way through the caves, you'll start encountering the skeletal warriors who once protected this place, and have now been called once again to continue their duties. The corruption has also taken hold of the stone itself, animating ancient rocks and forming them into Stone Golems who patrol the tunnels alongside the reanimated warriors, making navigating the caves a much more dangerous proposition than it first appears.
Eventually, you'll make your way out of the caves and into the real heart of the raid: An ancient vault, long forgotten and buried beneath the earth.
The workers who originally discovered the area had already started reinforcing the unstable stone walls, trying to keep the ruins from collapsing around them, and make the area safe enough for excavation before the monsters were reanimated.
One of the things we really wanted to capture with The Dunevault was a very specific feeling: claustrophobia. The entire raid takes place inside a network of tunnels and caves, so you’re rarely going to feel like you have a lot of room to breathe. The paths are narrow, and the walls constantly surround you. Add in the general feeling that there probably hasn't been much fresh air down there in a very, very long time, and you get an environment that feels stuffy, dirty, and uncomfortable.
The idea is that the area was discovered by workers who were mining the surrounding tunnels for materials. They dug deeper, and eventually uncovered structures that clearly didn't belong to the caves they were working in. It feels like you're walking through a place that was being actively worked on right up until everything went horribly wrong.
And then there's the raidboss. The Guardian of the Vault is isolated in its own area. It doesn't seem particularly interested in leaving. Almost as if it's guarding something. Once you defeat it, you'll finally get a better look at what those elemental pillars are actually connected to. The pillars extend much, much farther than they initially appear to, reaching deep into the ruins and eventually leading toward a very suspicious platform.
Giving you access to something even stranger: A giant sword and a monument. It's ancient, it's clearly important, and it's emanating some kind of strange magic.
Maybe it would be good for it to be studied… Guess you’ll have to clear the dungeon to allow that to happen, huh?
As you make your way through The Dunevault, you’ll encounter four different types of enemies, each bringing something different to the fight. Most of them are the remains of warriors who once fought in these halls, now reanimated by the corruption and ready to fight all over again.
You’ll find Skeleton Warriors wielding swords, Skeleton Archers attacking you from a distance, and Skeleton Mages using corrupted magic to make sure you’re never completely safe. Then there are the Stone Golems. They're slow, but they pack a BIG punch, so getting caught by one of their attacks is going to hurt. A lot.
Here’s a chart for the types of damage you can expect from the enemies in the raid:
So, be prepared: gear that can deal with poison can be very effective for the average enemies here, however, it may not necessarily be the most effective for dealing with the big fish of the raid. Maybe some more elemental protection perhaps…
At the very end of the raid, you'll come face-to-face with something considerably larger than the previous enemies you've been fighting along the way. At the center of the vault stands a massive Stone Golem, much larger than the Golems you’ve been fighting along the way. Surrounding the Golem are four strange pillars, each one radiating a distinct magical energy: Fire, Ice, Poison, and Lightning.
During the fight, the Golem can use them to empower itself with their elemental magic, changing the threats you'll have to deal with as the battle progresses. So while you're fighting the Golem itself, you'll also have to pay attention to the powers surrounding the arena and figure out how to deal with the different elemental effects being thrown your way.
This will be most dangerous with the Mythic version of this raidboss, where attack patterns can change and the destruction the Golem will cause is much, much more dangerous… Just keep an eye out for the pillars, okay?
Look at that, you made it to the end! Are you interested in participating in playtests and getting to know more about what the devs are doing? Check out our discord!
Thanks for the support and see you in the next one 😉