Gerrod

**Gerrod,** also known as the **Elder Warrior**, is one of the bosses the player encounters.

## Lore

One of the Knights devoted to protecting the people of Land's End, Gerrod became famed for his massive stature, indomitable strength, and unfailing altruism. He was dubbed the finest knight in all the kingdom, and was considered both a hero and a symbol of glory to his home village.

Eventually, Gerrod drank the Deathless Elixir and became an Immortal Knight to better defend the kingdom from the Blighted. Returning from a fierce battle, Gerrod was dismayed to see that the people of the village were afraid of what he had become as a result of his decision. At one point, Fretia and a small White Priestess visited Gerrod to comfort him.

Even as he became Blighted, Gerrod refused to be purified by the White Priestess, knowing well the immense pain it would put them through. Devoting his final moments to protecting his people, Gerrod eventually lost his sanity from the Blight and descended into madness.

## Battle

In battle, Gerrod uses the following attacks:

* An overhead swing with his hammer. This will often be followed by an underhand swing.
* Leaps above Lily and slams down, creating a large explosion on impact.

At ~66% HP, Gerrod briefly goes invulnerable and gains the following attacks:

* Slams his hammer into the ground, creating a shockwave that travels along the ground in both directions.
* Winds up, then swings his hammer in an overhand swipe that hits everything around him.

At ~33% HP, Gerrod becomes enraged and gains the following attacks:

* Loses his regular hammer swings.
* The leap attack is now performed 2-3 times in succession.
* Braces himself and dashes towards Lily.

NG+ brings in some changes to his behavior:

* Starts combat in 2nd phase.
* Shockwave attack from 2nd phase creates two sets of waves instead of one.
* Transitions to 3rd phase when he should've transitioned to 2nd.
* Transitions to "4th" phase when he should've transitioned to 3rd.
* In "4th" he loses swing attack gained in 3rd.
* With the overall increase of attack rate for all enemies that NG+ provides and lack of attacks on Gerrod's side (only 3 types left available to him), leap attacks in "4th" phase can turn into long spam, up to 8 in a row.

## Spoils

The player gains access to Gerrod, the Elder Warrior, a short-ranged primary combat skill.

The player gains the Giant's Hammer action, alllowing Lily to use a falling attack which deals significant area damage and can break pustulant ground.

Damage dealt by the shockwave upon landing depends on height at which it was initiated:

* Diving from the height of a double jump will deald damage with 80% scaling.
* Diving from the height of around three to four jumps will deal 160% damage.
* Height of around five jumps and more yeilds 240% damage.

These scalings do not increase with the level of the spirit.

## Spirit

Gerrod, the Elder Warrior is a short-ranged combat spirit that swings a massive, heavy hammer. Although it is slow, the hammer deals tremendous damage to both an enemy's HP and posture, as well as sending staggered enemies flying.

At levels one to two, Gerrod swings his hammer once.

On the ground, damage scaling for the swing is 200%.

In air, it is 180%.

At level three Gerrod will also perform second attack:

If standing on the ground, he will slam his hammer downwards in front of him. Scalings are 180%, 140%.

In air he will swing it upwards while also moving forward. Scalings are also 180%, 140%.

Gerrod's Last Rites will cause him to emit a deafening roar, dealing damage to all enemies within a certain radius of Lily. The damage dealt by the roar cannot be blocked.
Damage scaling is 200%.

## Dialogue

### After Defeat

GERROD: The Blighted scum! How could they? How dare they!

### Cutscene

"I hear the muffled voices of the villagers outside my shack."

"They fear what I have become upon my return from the fortress battle.."

"I chose to become an Immortal Knight to protect them all."

"There are days I wish I would be purified, but..."

"The Priestess of the Fount must not be made to carry that burden any longer."

"After some time, I hear voices again."

"But this time, they belong to the White Priestess and a child."

"The Priestess, once but a child herself, now cuts a radiant figure."

"I no longer know the pleasures of joy, but despite this, my cheeks widen in a grin."

"When madness takes me, will this little one be made to carry the burden?"

"I don't know how long my consciousness will hold out."

"But as long as I am myself, I will be a shield to protect them from harm."

"The pain I will endure is nothing compared to their suffering."

### After Cutscene

UMBRAL KNIGHT: He protected the village to the very end. A brave warrior, indeed.

UMBRAL KNIGHT: You were in his memory...did you two visit him often?