How to beat the First Descendant Hanged Man boss easily

Defeating the First Descendant Hanged Man boss requires a well-coordinated team effort and strategic execution. The Hanged Man is a raid boss located in an arena centered around a statue with three tubes. These tubes gradually fill up, leading to a devastating team wipe if left unchecked. Your primary goal is to manage these mechanics while dealing significant damage to the boss.

How to beat the First Descendant Hanged Man boss

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to achieve victory:

Team composition and roles

• Team Structure:
  • Assemble a team of four players.
  • Designate one player as the “Runner” responsible for handling the central cube.
  • Assign the remaining three players as DPS (Damage Per Second) to focus on attacking the First Descendant Hanged Man boss.

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• Runner Setup:
  • Choose a character with speed-enhancing abilities such as Bunny, Freina, or Viessa.
  • Equip abilities that prolong speed boosts and reduce casting costs.
  • Use mods that enhance health, defense, and shields, and consider electric resistance mods to mitigate lightning attacks.
• DPS Player Setup:
  • Equip weapons effective at medium range and mod them for toxin damage, exploiting the Hanged Man’s weakness.
  • Ensure weapon mods are upgraded to optimize damage output.
  • Prioritize health and defense scaling to withstand the boss’s attacks effectively.

Battle strategy: Phases and execution

Phase 1 – Non-Enraged:

• Coordinate DPS efforts to target the Hanged Man’s weak spots, such as its face plate.
• Be prepared for the First Descendant Hanged Man boss to switch targets quickly, requiring flexible tactics.
• Clear lesser enemies to increase the chances of obtaining mana box drops.

Managing the Central Statue:

• Monitor the tubes filling at the central statue; if they fill completely, it triggers a lethal team wipe.
• The Runner must retrieve the cube before the eight-minute mark to prevent this catastrophe.
• Exercise caution around the statue’s area-of-effect attacks when approaching it.

Transitioning to Enraged Phase:

• Upon securing the cube, the Hanged Man enters an enraged state, becoming invincible.
• The Runner protects the cube while DPS players focus on disrupting the boss’s preparations for its “melt cannon.”
• Failure to disrupt the cannon in time results in devastating laser attacks, requiring precise timing and coordination.

Phase 2 – Enraged:

• Every 15 seconds, the First Descendant Hanged Man boss targets non-Runner players with its “melt cannon,” necessitating swift responses.
• DPS players must destroy the cannon quickly to stagger the boss and drain 40% of the fluid from the central tubes.
• Aim for two successful DPS checks per enraged cycle (80% fluid drain) to maintain control.

Returning to Non-Enraged:

• After successful DPS checks, the Runner returns the cube, reverting the boss to its vulnerable state.
• Repeat the cycle of alternating between non-enraged and enraged phases while managing team survival and DPS output effectively.

Tips to beat the First Descendant Hanged Man boss

Successfully defeating the Hanged Man boss in The First Descendant requires a cohesive strategy that integrates several critical elements.

Firstly, survival is paramount, particularly during the boss’s enraged phases. DPS players should stick together to facilitate coordination and mutual support, crucial for managing the boss’s attacks and the fight’s mechanics effectively. This unity minimizes individual vulnerability and ensures the team can respond swiftly to threats.

Secondly, supporting the Runner is essential. The Runner plays a pivotal role in managing the central cube, crucial for preventing a team wipe triggered by the statue’s filling tubes. Protecting and reviving the Runner during critical moments, such as cube retrieval, maintains the team’s strategic continuity and prevents potential setbacks.

Time management is another key factor. Teams should aim to defeat the First Descendant Hanged Man boss within a ten-minute window, balancing sustained damage output with strategic phase transitions. Efficiently alternating between non-enraged and enraged phases optimizes the team’s chances by maximizing damage opportunities while minimizing exposure to the boss’s devastating attacks.

Lastly, leveraging character-specific abilities strategically enhances the team’s adaptability and effectiveness. Characters with speed-enhancing abilities, like Bunny, can maintain momentum and control throughout the fight. Using these abilities at opportune moments, such as before retrieving the cube or during critical phases, empowers the team to dictate the pace of the battle and respond effectively to the boss’s dynamic behavior.

By integrating these strategies—survival priorities, runner support, time management, and advanced tactics—teams can enhance their coordination and resilience, improving their chances of overcoming the Hanged Man in The First Descendant and achieving victory in this challenging raid encounter.

Looking for more? Check out these the First Descendant guides:

• The First Descendant Follow Their Traces questline explained
• All The First Descendant characters and how to unlock them
• Is The First Descendant Caliber missing? Here is how to fix and get it!

Featured image credit: WolfNu Beast/YouTube