How to beat the Architect boss in Saros

In Saros, the Architect boss is a flying monstrosity that awaits you at the top of the Desecrated Fortress. Instead of pushing you to the limit by firing nearly impossible-to-dodge attack sequences, the Architect turns the environment into one of its strongest weapons.

Prepare to chase a flying target while standing on a platform that becomes smaller as the fight progresses. If the prospect of such an encounter seems too daunting, don't fret. We've prepared this guide on how to beat the Architect in Saros to help you on this mission.

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How to prepare for the Architect in Saros

The fight against the Architect starts at the end of the Desecrated Fortress and takes place at the top of a tower in a circular arena. Fighting it requires not only the usual reflexes to dodge the waves of orbs, but also quick thinking to use the grappling hook and return to the arena on certain occasions. Be sure to practice parrying Nova orbs and using the hook so you can quickly respond to the enemy's moves.

As for your proficiency, it's best to get it upwards of 30, but it's still doable in the 20's. For example, our proficiency level was 23 when we faced off against the Architect. Aim to complete the side paths and collect as much lucenite as you can.

For your weapon, we recommend a long-range weapon with autohit as the Architect is constantly moving and stays at a distance most of the time. However, if you're confident in your aim, non-autohit weapons are also viable, as the Architect's eye is its weak spot can be fairly easy to hit during certain portions of the fight.

When it comes to power weapons, we used dispirator because its projectiles follow targets, which is great while the Architect is flying around. Prominence is also a solid option, particularly in the final phase of the fight when you have a clearer view of the boss and can land hits more consistently.

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How to beat the Architect in Saros

In general, the fight against this boss follows the basic concepts the game has introduced since the beginning. Dodge corrupted (yellow) attacks, avoid nova (red), and shield the blue projectiles. Above all else, do not stop shooting! As you can imagine from its design, the boss's weak spot is its large eye. Hitting it during the first two phases is difficult because the Architect stays in the air, but it should be your priority in the third phase.

Here's a more detailed explanation of each phase:

First phase

During most of the first phase, the Architect will fly around the arena, firing waves of orbs. Its main attack in this phase is a red laser torrent that it fires while flying. Avoid the waves that originate from it by jumping over them, but you must also always move away from where the laser initially hit, since the boss leaves a trail of nova orbs there.

In the early stage of the fight, the Architect will also constantly shoot funnel-shaped groups of blue orbs at you that travel quite quickly. This is one of the few opportunities you have to absorb energy to recover power.

Another of the Architect's attacks involves sending a wave of corrupted orbs with a single line of nova orbs on top of it. Focus on using your dodge to pass through the corrupted ones and avoid the red line.

After reaching 50% of its first health bar, the Architect's attacks slightly change. It will start performing two of the nova laser attacks in sequence and firing volleys of corrupted orbs along with nova orbs. The best way to avoid the latter is to distance yourself from the boss, so the orbs spread out, giving you more space to dodge them.

Second phase

As soon as you deplete its first health bar, the Architect shifts to its second phase by landing on the platform, destroying its outer ring, and pushing you off the stage. You'll need to quickly grapple back to the platform, which is now considerably smaller. The boss will repeat this a few times, with the area getting smaller every time. If you fall, don't worry as you won't die, but you will lose a bit of health.

Most of the time, the Architect — who will still fly around the arena — will fire sequences of square nova formations followed by regular blue orb formations. The easiest way to dodge this attack is to dash to the side, but, if you're confident in your dodging skills, you can try dashing through the space in the middle of the initial formation, then activate your shield to absorb the blue orbs coming right after.

In this phase, the Architect has two attacks that cover almost the entire platform. In one, it drags its arm on the ground while flying over the platform to create two large waves of blue orbs, which you can use your shield to avoid. The second attack is when the boss flies over the arena, dropping a trail of nova orbs which, once they hit the ground, spread outward sideways. Stay on the opposite edge of the arena as the orbs will dissipate before they reach you.

A tricky move added to the boss' moveset in this phase is when it lands on a peak beside the arena and fires five corrupted orbs onto the platform. When they hit, the orbs explode, scattering orbs in all directions and covering the entire arena. Prepare to jump as they land and go to the edge of the arena to give yourself more space. You can also jump off the arena and grapple back if you can't avoid the attack in time.

Third phase

Once again, when changing phases, the boss will jump onto the arena and destroy its outer area while pushing you out. Use the grappling hook to get back and prepare to dodge a triple-ring corrupted wave that the boss leaves behind after this attack.

The third phase is more intense than the previous ones because you must dodge the boss' attacks while staying on top of a relatively small arena. A good strategy is to position yourself near the edge and try to always dodge toward the center of the platform, reducing the chances of falling off when dodging backward or sideways.

Unlike previous phases, the Architect will stay closer to the arena, making this the best moment to use Overdrive, your power weapon, and focus on hitting its weak spot. On the other hand, the time between attacks is reduced, forcing you to be more mindful about dodging. The Architect will start using a triple attack where it strikes the ground once with each hand, then finishes the sequence by pounding both hands at the same time. For each hit, a circular wave of corrupted orbs will appear and expand outward.

The boss will also begin using two types of nova laser attacks. One comes from the side of the arena, when it sweeps the laser horizontally across the entire platform. The second version is used only when the boss is standing on the main building beside the arena. In this case, it fires the laser along the ground, creating walls of nova orbs that move outward to the sides of the area. You must be careful when dodging the next attacks, because the trail left on the ground from the laser takes some time to disappear as the orbs rise and form a wall in the middle of the arena.