The N’Erudian Reaper in Remnant 2 presents a formidable challenge, particularly due to its powerful attacks, unique mechanics, and the tight combat arenas where the battle takes place. This boss fight is part of the Dark Horizon DLC and can be found in the Dormant N’Erudian Facility located on the moon N’Erud. To succeed in defeating this boss, you’ll need to be strategic, make the most of your equipment, and master its attack patterns. Below is a comprehensive guide to help you beat the N’Erudian Reaper and emerge victorious.
Preparing for the Fight
Before you face the N’Erudian Reaper, ensure that your gear is upgraded and your weapons and armor are tailored for high-mobility combat. Since the boss can deal significant damage with its energy-based attacks, prioritize armor that offers good protection against energy damage. Equip healing items, buffs, and mods that enhance your survivability and damage output.
Key Mechanics and Attack Patterns
- The Scythe Attack: The N’Erudian Reaper’s primary weapon is a massive scythe, capable of delivering devastating melee attacks. These sweeping blows can hit a wide area, so keeping your distance is crucial. The scythe strikes are telegraphed, meaning you’ll have a brief moment to dodge when you see the boss raising its weapon. Time your dodges carefully to avoid being caught in its long-range swings.
- Energy Waves: Periodically, the Reaper sends out energy waves across the battlefield. These can either be in a straight line or cover a broader area, forcing you to either dodge through them or move laterally to avoid taking damage. Being able to predict and react to these waves is key to survival, as being hit by multiple waves in quick succession can quickly drain your health.
- Summoning Minions: During the fight, the N’Erudian Reaper will occasionally summon smaller, weaker enemies. These minions may seem insignificant but can overwhelm you if left unchecked, especially when combined with the Reaper’s powerful attacks. Take a moment to clear out these smaller enemies using AoE (Area of Effect) abilities or mods that can deal with groups efficiently. Clearing the minions will also give you much-needed breathing room to focus on the boss.
- Poison Clouds and Traps: The battlefield often features environmental hazards like poison clouds that can quickly deplete your health if you remain in them for too long. The Reaper can also create traps around the arena. These traps restrict your movement and leave you vulnerable to the Reaper’s heavy attacks. Stay on the move and be mindful of your surroundings to avoid getting caught.
Strategy to Win
- Stay Mobile: The N’Erudian Reaper is slow but relentless. By staying mobile and constantly circling the arena, you’ll be able to dodge most of its attacks and avoid getting pinned down by its minions. Use quick bursts of damage in between dodging its scythe attacks and energy waves. Equip weapons that allow for swift movement while aiming to make it easier to dodge and attack simultaneously.
- Manage Resources: Conserve your ammo by using melee attacks on weaker enemies and only using your firearms when absolutely necessary. This strategy ensures you don’t run out of firepower when you need it most. Mods that regenerate ammo or improve your melee capabilities can be useful in this fight.
- Use Mods and Abilities Wisely: Choose mods that increase your damage output or provide healing over time. For instance, using mods that deal with crowd control can help with the Reaper’s summoned minions, while healing mods like Rallying Cry or Regeneration Field can give you a critical edge during extended battles. Offensive mods like Hot Shot that add fire damage or other elemental effects will help you burn through the Reaper’s health more quickly.
- Timing is Key: The N’Erudian Reaper has windows of vulnerability between its scythe swings and when it’s summoning minions or energy waves. Take advantage of these brief moments to land heavy hits on the boss. Using charged or heavy attacks during these windows can chunk significant amounts of the Reaper’s health.
- Upgrade Your Gear: Before even attempting the fight, ensure your weapons and armor are sufficiently upgraded. Stronger gear will allow you to withstand more damage and deal higher output. In Remnant 2, having optimized and upgraded gear can make the difference between a close defeat and a hard-fought victory.
After the Battle
Upon defeating the N’Erudian Reaper, you will be rewarded with several valuable items. One of the key rewards is the Replication Pod, which you can use to craft unique gear at Ward 13. You may also receive Memory Core II and other crafting materials, which can be used to further enhance your equipment.
