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Armored Core 6certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to difficulty, throwing challenging encounters at the player from the very beginning. Chapter 1 begins with a tricky boss fight designed to test player’s skills with the controls, so it’s only fitting that it ends with a similarly challenging fight that tests their skills.
Unlike the first boss ofArmored Core 6, Balteus allows players to customize their AC before facing it. This is crucial, as Balteus can be very difficult when piloting an AC ill-suited to facing it. This makes assembling an AC that can handle it a part of the challenge, alongside the usual routine of learning its attacks and how to avoid each of them.
Updated September 13th, 2023:Balteusserves as one of the most punishing bosses in all ofArmored Core 6, especially for players who are unfamiliar with how the fight works. There are some solid builds out there to help deal withBalteus in AC6but even with a proper build, the boss can still be rather imposing thanks to its many damaging attacks. To better help playersbeat Balteus in Armored Core 6, the following guide has been updated with a video showcasing the fight, to give players an example of the build in action as well as some of Balteus' attacks and how to avoid them.
Attacks
Phase 1
Balteus usually begins the fight with a Tri-Directional Missile Salvo, unloading missiles in three different directions, which will home in on the player after a short delay. These can be dodged almost entirely by boosting forward, up, and to the left or right. It can also lock the rings orbiting it into a horizontal position and fire missiles to the left and right in a pincer movement. This is best dodged by jumping and boosting directly towards Balteus.
If Balteus locks its ring vertically, it will fire homing missiles directly upward. Players should wait and then dodge to the side shortly before the missiles land to dodge this one. When Balteus fires missiles in a sphere shape around itself from all its rings, players should move as far away as possible to get the missiles to group up. Once the missiles are grouped up, players should dash diagonally forward as they get close so that they smash into the ground behind the player.
If Balteus boosts away from the player, it will sometimes fire a spread of high-impact missiles that move faster but don’t have any homing properties. Players can evade this by boosting into the air.
Along with its wide array of missiles, Balteus can also use a bazooka, shotgun, and gatling gun to attack. The bazooka shots can be dodged by quick boosting to either side just as it fires. The shotgun always fires in groups of three, with two shots back-to-back followed by a third shot after a short delay. Players can dodge the shotgun by quick boosting to the side twice, then pausing for a moment before quick boosting again to get out of the way of the final shot. When Balteus fires the gatling gun it will also strafe, so players can dodge this by strafing in the opposite direction.
Phase 2
Balteus will start phase 2 by charging up a massive electrical explosion centered on itself, which can be avoided by moving as far away from Balteus as possible when it begins gathering energy. After this attack, Balteus will start using some new moves in addition to its tricks from phase 1. The first new attack is a variant of the vertical missile attack, which flies higher before homing in on the player, making it harder to keep track of and dodge effectively. Quick boosting away as they begin to impact is the way to go here.
Balteus also begins using a variety of slashing attacks with its flamethrowers, drifting toward players and slashing at them with its arms. It can follow up a single slash with another using the opposite arm. Players should boost towards the arm it isn’t striking with and then continue past it to create some distance and avoid the potential second slash.
Balteus can perform upward swings instead of its normal slashes, which can be dodged in the same way. Balteus can also perform a cross slash with both arms, which can be dodged by launching into the air above it and keeping out of range of the blades. Finally, Balteus has a spinning attack that can only be avoided by boosting away and staying out of range until it stops spinning.
Balteus will also periodically create a blast of flames in front of it, which can be avoided by jumping and hovering. Balteus will often use these attack combos:
Phase 3
During Phase 3, Balteus will continue using all the attacks from the previous phases but also start using its flamethrowers in a more typical way. It will sweep towards the player while firing them, leaving lingering flames on the ground and aiming upward if the player is in the air. Players can avoid this by jumping and hovering away until it stops. It can also aim them at the ground and create a widespread flame wave, which can also be dodged by hovering.
Strategy (How to Beat Balteus in Armored Core 6)
Balteus can be a difficult fight,but it leaves itself open to counterattack after most of its missile salvosand also after firing the Bazooka. As long as players pay attention to its attacks and strike back during these moments when it stops to recover, they’ll be able to chip away at its shield and health bar. It also has to recover after boosting away, leaving it open if players are able to dodge the pincer missiles.
The trick to Balteus is to avoid getting greedy and exploit those vulnerable moments when possible. It can take some time, but it is safer to focus on defense while evading its more dangerous attacks. Mid-range and long-range weapons can be good for chipping away at it while dodging, and the pulse blade can tear its shield down up close when it stops to recover. During Phase 2, players can get underneath the boss while it performs some of its slashing attacks, offering an opportunity to hit it with melee weapons.
Certain other weapons are also very effective at tearing down pulse shielding, especially laser weaponry and the pulse gun.
RELATED:All Chapter 1 Combat Log Locations
Build Recommendations (Best Build)
When building an Armored Core to fight Balteus, there are two ideas that can work well. Players can either build for speed and outmaneuver the boss or build for defense and armor to reduce the impact of its attacks and try to overpower it. Building for speed is preferable here, but both methods can work well. Here’s an example of a lightweight AC that can handle this boss well (This requires the “Weapon Bay” OS Tuning upgrade to work):
Generator
VP-20S
With this build, players should focus on evasion while firing with both guns and using the sword when possible to deplete Balteus' pulse armor and deal FCS strain to stun it. Repeatedly stunning it will prevent it from replenishing its pulse shield until it hits phase 2. During Phases 2 and 3, the same strategy applies.
Armored Core 6is available for PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
