The Shadow Lord

category:MissionsShadow Lord, The
de:San d'Oria-Mission 5-2
 
Note: Helpers with this fight must be on 5-2 or higher in their own nation.
You need to be able to deal both physical and magic damage.
*This mission requires a certain level of Rank Bar for it to be offered. Complete Bat Hunt several times, or trade 3 crystals to a Temple Knight gate guard.
**Note: you might be able to flag this mission after completing Bat Hunt 5 times after Mission 5-1 is completed.
** If you have previously accepted the quest Under Oath, you will be unable to speak to Trion about the mission. You must complete the first portion of Under Oath that involves talking to various people in Southern San d'Oria.
== Walkthrough ==
# Accept the mission from a San d'Orian Gate Guard.
# Chateau d'Oraguille - 
#* Trion: click on Door: Prince Royal's Rm @ H-7 for a short cutscene.
# - Travel to Xarcabard.
#*Xarcabard is in the 
#*You can warp to the outpost (tower 4 if you're walking) and go north then up a slope and west to Xarcabard.
# - After zoning in from Beaucedine, go west-Northwest to reach and enter Castle Zvahl Baileys.
#*If you have already gotten the Home Point #1 near the Throne Room, you can go straight to it.
#*Note: there is no cutscene upon entering Castle Zvahl Baileys or Castle Zvahl Keep. The next cutscene is when you start the fight.
#*Deliver supplies if you have them here, and also pick up the Teleport crystal if you haven't yet already.
# Move westward to the 4-way intersection.
#* - To reach (A), head south from here, down the stairs that you will soon come to onto a lower path, and then on to the second map through the border of E/F-8.
# - From (A), move south to the bottom of (I-9) (Orcs), then go up the stairs here.
#* (Yagudo) and go back down the stairs there (bottom-right corner of G-9) to the lower path
#**be careful to not fall into the big hole right before the down stairs
#**If you fall down the giant holes, you will have to look at Map 3 to reach either or back to Map 2.
#*On the lower path again, turn left from the staircase, heading east.
#*when you reach a gate, turn left again (going under the path you walked above earlier)
#*take the next right turn (located at )
#*Reach and go up another short stairway, appearing on your right (located at )
#* - Move west/left to zone into Castle Zvahl Keep
#- Once you enter Castle Zvahl Keep, you will have to open several gates/doors, very often in front of mobs that detect by sight.
#* or - Get to Map 2 via either spot.
#* - From (A)/(B), strut through a few more doors and gates to reach (C).
#* (E) - teleport devices.
#**Use middle device up to go up north, go south to use a device to go more south, go into the center room to use device and go southwest, go back northwest into center room again to enter Map 4 via (E).
#***These devices will cancel the Invisible effect after they are used.
#***They will turn on and off from time to time, so you may have to wait on one before it teleports you. 
# - Make your way west, across the bridge, to reach the Throne Room. Examine the Ore Door to view a cutscene.
#*When ready, examine again and select "The Shadow Lord Battle" to enter the BC battle.
#*Ore Door is next to Home Point #1. 
== BC Battle ==
When ready, gather in front of the door. When you enter, a cutscene will happen and the fight begins:
:* This fight is still classified "level capped" (with the previous level 50 cap restriction removed), which means buffs will wear upon entry.
:* You have 30 minutes to complete this battlefield event.
:* The Shadow Lord does not attack until you approach, so cast pre-fight buffs before getting closer.
:* The Shadow Lord has 2 phases. In the first phase, he alternates between physical and magic immunity. He has magic immunity until around 50% HP, then starts to switch to physical. From this point he will switch about every 5 minutes or 1000 damage. In this phase he has 9,000 HP. 
::* When he's in his magic stance, he's immune to magical damage, and will mainly cast BLM spells such as elemental debuffs and tier 2 AoE nukes. He also has a weaponskill, Dark Nova (AoE dark damage).
:::* Dark Nova seems to indicate that he will switch to melee stance very soon, after casting a spell or two. So use your TP quickly.
::* When he's in his melee stance, he's immune to physical damage, and uses a variety of weaponskills: Giga Slash, Kick Back, Umbra Smash. Mages should start dealing magical damage during this stance. Monks can use Formless Strikes to bypass the immunity.
:* After the first phase is defeated, a brief cutscene will occur as he switches to phase two. He will immediately attack after this cutscene, so there's no time for rest.
::* In this phase, the Shadow Lord will do nothing but his Implosion attack (which hits almost everywhere in the battlefield), but he only has 4000 HP and should go down quickly.
::* Melees should use their two-hour abilities, and Icarus Wing, if possible, to have TP for their best weaponskill. Mages should cast their Curaga spells, and try to keep Stoneskin (and Phalanx, if available) up.
::* Since hate is mostly irrelevant in this phase, mages should feel free to spam spells. 
:* The battle ends after the second phase. The Shadow Lord gives experience points for a Level 60 mob.
* After the Shadow Lord is defeated, another cutscene occurs. Once the cutscene ends, you will be transported back to the entrance of Castle Zvahl Baileys. You will also receive the key item Shadow Fragment.
* Speak to Halver, who will promote you to Rank 6.
* Report back to the Great Hall for a cutscene.
* (Optional) Talk with Rahal, Milchupain, Aramaviont, Curilla for additional dialogue.
== Upon Completion ==
* You can now take Lion's offer and visit Norg to begin the Zilart missions.
* If you are lv.65+ you may return to Xarcabard for the initial cutscene to begin Dynamis.. 
* Depending on your progress in the Rhapsodies of Vana'diel Missions, you may get a cutscene when you zone to San d'Oria to see Halver reminding you that you can now progress to the mission What Lies Beyond.