Raiden

Cryptic Seal

Damascene Cloth.

### The Wielder of the Shin-Zantetsuken

Raiden is the second boss of the Baldesion Arsenal, fought in the Shin-Zantetsuken Containment Unit.

Raiden has access to many instant-kill mechanics, and can do a lot of damage to the entire expedition if not handled properly.

Like the other bosses of the Baldesion Arsenal, Raiden has a set path of abilities that he will use, eventually reaching a point where his attacks will loop until either he or the expedition is dead.

Raiden is elementally attuned to Lightning, as befits his name, making him elementally weak to Earth, as it grounds Lightning.

### List of Abilities

* **Spirits of the Fallen**: Raiden and his steed let out a burst of energy, damaging everyone inside the Containment Unit.
* **Shingan**: Raiden strikes his current target with a mighty slash, dealing heavy damage.
* **Thundercall**: Raiden calls down lightning to cover the outer parts of the Containment Unit.
* **Ame-no-Sakahoko**: Raiden prepares to unleash lightning from his position, in a large circular AoE. The telegraph for this attack only shows up near the end of the cast. Applies paralysis on hit.
* **Whirling Zantetsuken**: Raiden lifts the Shin-Zantetsuken to the sky and strikes the entire arena, with the only safe zone being right underneath him. Getting hit by this mechanic is an **Instant K.O**.
* **Lateral Zantetsuken**: Raiden disappears from the Containment Unit, and reappears at either the east or west side with a strike of lightning. He will then point his blade towards either the north or the south side of the Containment Unit. Getting hit by this ability is an **Instant K.O.**
* **Ball Lightning**: AoE puddles that appear as Raiden finishes telegraphing **Lateral Zantetsuken**.
* **Lancing Bolts**: Raiden throws a spear into the air, splitting into six and marking six players with a circular AoE. These AoE's will leave behind a **Streak Lightning** spear that must be killed to prevent his following mechanic from killing the entire expedition.
* **Ultimate Zantetsuken**: Raiden disappears and reappears in the middle, following **Lancing Bolts**. This ability will, if not prevented, kill the entire expedition. To prevent it, you must destroy the six **Streak Lightning** spears left behind by **Lancing Bolts**.
* **Booming Lament**: AoE puddles that appear in conjunction with other mechanics, right afterwards.
* **Cloud to Ground**: Exaflares that spawn around cardinal directions, and go across the arena.
* **Bitter Barbs**: Pairs of players will be tethered together, dealing heavy damage until broken. The tethers break by creating distance between each other.
* **Silent Levin**: Repeated AoE puddles that appear near players in conjunction with Bitter Barbs.
* **Levinwhorl**: Proximity AoE focused on Raiden - Deals heavy damage.
* **For Honor**: The inverse of **Whirling Zantetsuken**, the area around Raiden instead becomes an **Instant K.O.**

### What to Watch Out For

The main mechanics to watch out for are:

1. **Ame-no-Sakahoko** into **Whirling Zantetsuken**.
2. **Lateral Zantetsuken** & **Ball Lightning**.
3. **Cloud to Ground**, **Bitter Barbs**, and **Silent Levin**.

The first mechanics are very simple, but as there is an instant-KO, it is important to deal with it appropriately. Once you see Ame-no-Sakahoko being cast, you can start running away from Raiden. After the cast, he will do a backflip, repositioning himself somewhere else in the arena, following it up immediately with a **Whirling Zantetsuken** cast. Simply step into his hitbox to be safe.

**Lateral Zantetsuken** and **Ball Lightning** are where most deaths happen, mostly due to fearing the instant K.O. more than the Ball Lightning damage.

How many people deal with this combination of mechanics is as such: Go to the middle of the arena and look for Raiden, his reappearance will be marked with the sound of lightning striking. Face towards Raiden, and as soon as you see the **Ball Lightning** puddles appear, run towards him. After dodging the puddles, you will have ample time to look at where he is pointing his sword for **Lateral Zantetsuken**, and run the opposite direction of that.

For the final three mechanics, it's quite simple as well.

Look for the first **Cloud to Ground**, and move towards where it is. Wait for it to move a little, then stand where it spawned. After this, the first **Bitter Barbs** and **Silent** **Levins** should start appearing. Simple dodge and break the tethers, but don't move too far from Raiden, as he follows up with a **Whirling Zantetsuken.**

### Trivia

* Raiden is a name oft-given to the Japanese god of lightning, also including: Raijin, Kaminari-sama, Narukami, Raikou and Kamowakeikazuchi-no-Kami, and is in general a common name used for Lightning deities in pop culture.
* Raiden is often depicted alongside Fujin, the Japanese god of wind.
* Ame-no-Sakahoko is regarded as another name for Ame-no-Nuhoko, the spear used to create the first island in Japanese creation myth.
* Raiden mentions Odin in his aggro shout, "O mighty Odin - forlorn hero! In thy hallowed name, I shall strike at the wicked empire!", likely referring to the Allagan Empire.