Armored Core 6 is full of tough boss fights, one of which is the formidable Balteus. These huge boss battles, along with other enemies that serve as quite a skill check for many new players of the franchise, have a fair number of players raging. But the final boss of Chapter 1, Balteus, can certainly be beaten if you know how.
You will have a hard time overcoming this challenge without the proper knowledge of the boss mechanics and a good enough build. If you find yourself struggling with this boss, then be sure to read on to find out how to defeat Balteus in Armored Core 6.
While you're here, also check out our full list of bosses and every ending in Armored Core 6. We've also got a look at all Armored Core 6 difficulty settings.
How to beat the Chapter 1 boss Balteus in Armored Core 6
Balteus is a capstone boss for Chapter 1 and a roadblock for many new Armored Core 6 players. A good strategy for this fight is to stay close to the boss and be highly aggressive with your attacks. We have compiled a full breakdown of this boss fight in terms of what type of mech build you should use, plus the different phases of the boss.
Best build for the Balteus boss fight
Movement is the key to defeating Balteus, so a lightweight and fast-paced Armored Core would work the best in this fight. You want to make sure your mech has plenty of manoeuvrability and evasiveness. When it comes to the weapons, we highly recommend equipping the Pulse Gun HI-16: GU-Q1 in your R-ARM unit, as Balteus uses the Pulse Shield. For the best weapon, you can try out different guns, but we suggest the Pulse Blade HI-32: BU-TT/A as a solid choice.
- Read more: How to save in Armored Core 6
When it comes to the back-mounted weapons, equip any decent missile launcher that can deal tons of damage quickly enough. For the rest of the Armored Core components, prioritise the mobility of your unit to efficiently dodge the barrage of missiles that Balteus launches at you.
First phase
The first phase of the boss fight with Balteus doesn’t have a ton of attack, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to deal damage to it. You should mainly look out for the following attacks in this phase:
The missile attacks of Balteus are the most annoying part of this fight, and most of them don’t have a set pattern. In one particular attack, the boss launches missiles at you from three different directions. Although it can easily overwhelm you, this attack is avoidable if you dash just before the missile impact. Generally, dashing towards the direction of the boss is more favourable, even if it seems counterintuitive.
Secondly, watch out for the single-shot lock-on attack by Balteus. You will have to practice your dodge timings to avoid this attack. Moreover, the boss might follow it up with machine gun fire, so be prepared to dodge that as well.
Second phase
As soon as Balteus drops down to 50% AP, he will start the second phase with an AoE attack. Make sure you are out of its range to avoid getting demolished. The second phase has some new attacks, which are mentioned below:
The first attack is a single or a double flamethrower arm swipe. It has quite some range, but you will be unharmed if you maintain your distance. If you find yourself within the range of the attack, dodge towards the boss to avoid getting hit.
When Balteus does the second flamethrower attack, it will start moving in your direction, spreading fire on the way. As soon as you see the boss move, boost yourself upward to escape the reach of the flames.
Finally, there’s one target-lock attack where the boss shoots a ball of fire at you. Make sure you move upwards to dodge the fire blast. If you’re at the medium-to-close range, your best shot is to again move towards the boss and pass right under the flame.
Avoiding the flamethrower attack gives you ample opportunity to get some damage in. Keep in mind that this fight usually ends up being a DPS check. Since the arena will be covered with missiles, you can’t realistically dodge all of them. So, you’re going to have to deal more damage per second and reduce Balteus’ AP to 0 before your own Armored Core gives in.
But there you have it - that should cover everything you need to know on how to beat Balteus in Armored Core 6. We've put together even more handy guides for Armored Core 6, so be sure to check out our guides on all the weapons and New Game Plus.