As a seasoned gamer with decades under my belt, I can confidently say that Esther, AKA “The Vulture,” is one of the most peculiar bosses I’ve encountered. Known for her evasive tactics, she’s more of a moving target than a formidable foe, which is both amusing and frustrating at the same time.

Esther, nicknamed “The Vulture,” is a notable figure who heads the Coyote group within the universe. In the primary story of chapter X, she served as the main boss character. Unlike most other bosses, she predominantly uses her mobility for defense rather than relying on other abilities. However, this approach doesn’t prove to be particularly effective in practice.

Attacks and Behaviour

As a gamer, I’ve noticed something intriguing about Esther. At higher difficulty settings, she seems to skip right to Phase 2 without going through Phase 1, which is unusual for most characters I’ve encountered in the game.

Indeed, that scenario isn’t typical. Regardless of the highest level set, she initiates from phase 1 consistently. Interestingly, this turns out to be beneficial, and you’ll comprehend its significance soon enough.

Phase 1

Strafe Shot

Esther quickly moves towards you before unleashing a barrage of bullets. The damage isn’t substantial, even when amplified at higher difficulty settings, but the real hassle is trying to keep tabs on her when she dashes. Since the attack doesn’t cause much harm and its erratic spread makes it challenging to dodge consistently, evasive actions might not be particularly effective. This seems to be her go-to move in phase 1, so brace yourself for seeing it frequently.

Ground Shot

Esther swiftly whirls in a spiral pattern, stopping only to unleash a rapid succession of bullets toward you. Afterward, she ascends again in another spiral. Much like her strafing attack, the harm isn’t significant, and the bullets are scattered widely. Therefore, it is more advantageous to attempt to follow her during her landing and takeoff phases, concentrating fire on her when she’s stationary instead.

Missile Strike

Esther launches a barrage of missiles aimed at your ground position. While each missile doesn’t cause significant harm, you can handle being hit by one or two without much concern. You also have the ability to quickly escape the targeted zone with a dodge, even at higher difficulty settings where Esther will shoot more rapid and swift-flying missiles. Keep in mind that the missiles’ visual effects might obstruct your view of Esther’s location, so stay vigilant about that.

Ground Strike

Esther rushes towards you, slamming an attack into the ground nearby, pushing you away if it connects. Keep your distance from her circle, and you can strike without consequence. She lingers in that spot long enough afterwards, allowing you to make additional attacks at will.

Whirling Bombardment

Esther swiftly approaches and passes by, scattering explosive mines behind her which burst a moment after touching down. At tougher settings, the detonation is delayed, but they will explode instantly upon collision as well. Contrary to appearances, Esther doesn’t physically collide with you during her charge, but if you’re near when the mines go off, they’ll knock you back, so it’s best to avoid her charging path.

Phase 2

When Esther’s Health Points (HP) drop to 70%, she will transition into an incapacitated condition, halting any ongoing attacks or activities instantly.

During about five seconds, there’s no danger for you to launch an unhindered attack on her. After regaining, Esther shifts into phase 2. Her basic set of moves remains similar, yet some adjustments have been made.

New(ish) Attacks

Esther’s strafe shot comes in two types now. One is similar, but it includes a salvo of missiles that home in on the ground. The other has Esther perform a longer dash, releasing a continuous burst of bullets four times over. The first one functions much like the phase 1 version, but the second can be harder to keep up with due to its extended duration. Neither variation is particularly dangerous.

Instead of launching a ground assault, it now unleashes a trailing explosive burst that ignites upon impact, momentarily disorienting you. While it may seem insignificant individually, don’t underestimate its ability to catch up and blindside you if you focus too narrowly on Esther or her attacks. Stay vigilant.

In summary, Esther’s final ground attack now consists of three consecutive spinning dashes. Upon impact, these moves push you back and cause significant damage. Interestingly, after the initial spin, Esther appears to lose track of your location, continuing in one direction for the remaining spins. This can seem quite amusing but also creates an opportunity for you to deal extra damage without interference.

Strategy

HP: 1,287,354

In a nutshell, Esther, one of the Neural Sim bosses with a low health point (HP) value, lacks mechanisms to reduce incoming damage and primarily evades attacks by darting around. Her attacks are generally harmless but can be harmful in prolonged battles due to accumulating chip damage. This makes her an ideal target for the classic strategy of “shoot more intensely.”

Team Building

As a soft-target boss, Esther is vulnerable to high damage-per-second (DPS) champions. Although certain choices like Lyfe with Infinite Sight may be quicker than others, it’s feasible to utilize any capable DPS character from your team, provided you can maintain line of sight to inflict damage effectively. While it might appear ineffective for characters such as Fenny – Coronet, there are strategies you can use to circumvent this issue:

As a long-time gamer who has spent countless hours honing my skills in various online battle arenas, I can confidently say that Mauxir – Shadow Ka’s support skill is one of the most game-changing abilities I’ve encountered. This stationary target creator allows me to focus my attacks on a specific enemy, bypassing their evasive maneuvers and dealing direct damage. It’s particularly effective against opponents who rely heavily on dodging and movement to stay alive.

If Mauxir – Shadow Ka isn’t available or is busy on another Sim boss, don’t worry! Acacia – Redacted can slow her down, making movements less of a problem. Additionally, you can stun Esther using Haru – Absconditus or Eatchel – The Cub, which will temporarily immobilize her. Remember to bring enough damage to exploit these moments of vulnerability effectively, and most standard damage support units should do the trick.

2024-07-31 03:41

Snowbreak: Containment Zone Esther Guide