Armored Core 6 AAP07 BALTEUS Boss Guide

Armored Core 6 features some challenging bosses. That is definitely a fact. However, AAP07: BALTEUS (or Balteus for short) is the first fight where things get serious. Balteus is the dreaded FromSoftware skill check boss. Balteus is more than capable of destroying most ACs with just one or two attacks. They are highly agile, can effectively fight from any distance, are comfortable engaging you in the air, have a pulse shield that must be destroyed before they can take damage, and have a second form where they increase the heat. Le GASP!

AC Build

To know how to approach Balteus, we need to clarify a few things. Firstly, some of Balteus' attacks are significantly less effective when used against airborne opponents. Secondly, Balteus is extremely adept at capitalizing on temporary pauses (such as recovery and the initiation of a heavy weapon) when not using its rocket barrage attack.

Also, what we need is an AC that can spend a lot of time in the air and doesn't heavily rely on weapons that would immobilize it. For the legs, we recommend using a pair of reverse joints. Although tetrapod legs can stay in the air better, their weight makes evasion less effective, and multiple panic evasive maneuvers will be necessary in this battle.

We hate to have to come back to it, but we really strongly recommend that you have a Vvc-760PR plasma rifle. Firstly, this rifle hits hard and allows you to skillfully dodge around the arena. That's already great, but what's even better is that it deals significant damage to Balteus, even if he doesn't falter! You can still win this battle without the Vvc-760PR, but we believe you'll be making your life harder.

Do not charge the Vvc-760PR plasma rifle. You want to use the standard shot! The charged shot will pause you for a moment when you fire it, and that's exactly what you don't want in this battle.

As for your other weapons, you'll want to equip your shoulders with guided missile launchers. This is a significant part of your ACS damage, so make sure to choose missiles that prioritize impact. Lastly, and we suspect this might be somewhat controversial, but we believe the plasma blade tool works well in this battle. After evading a missile barrage attack, Balteus will be vulnerable to a plasma blade strike. However, you'll need to choose your attacks wisely and feel comfortable landing an Assault Burst plasma blade strike (which is a matter of timing).

A simpler option would be a second plasma weapon. Alternatively, you can use a heavy-hitting weapon like a bazooka, but be sure to use it only when Balteus falters or executes a slow-start attack (such as their missile barrage attack).

AAP07: Balteus's Attacks

Missile Barrage

Balteus likes to unleash salvos of rockets. This attack comes in various forms. Sometimes Balteus sends a vertical pillar, other times it's a pincer wave attacking you from both sides. Occasionally, they shoot a rocket in every direction, pausing briefly in the air before targeting you. You can gain some distance and move sideways at the last moment while the rockets converge in a (relatively) straight line. This approach works, but we have often found that timing led to us getting caught during the encounter. That's a significant problem as the full rocket barrage can deplete the majority of your AP.

Instead, we found that a much more reliable strategy was to use the Assault Burst and rush towards Balteus while the rockets rain down on us. As you charge towards Balteus, move left and right to divert the rockets. With this method, you may occasionally collide with a few stray rockets here and there, but it's the most repeatable way to avoid heavy damage.

Machine Gun Burst

This is one of the many attacks that Balteus will use in the mid-range. It's nothing special, but it's fast, and if you don't move, it will hit you.

Rocket Cluster

Unlike the massive rocket barrage attack, this is just a small cluster of rockets. They have relatively weak targeting ability, so they can be easily defeated by evading sideways. They are primarily used to keep you on your toes in the mid-range.

Shotgun Blast

If you get too close to Balteus, they will fire a shotgun at you. Like most shotguns, it deals significant damage and has high impact. If you get hit multiple times, there is a risk of overload. However, Balteus struggles to hit you with this attack if you dodge sideways. So make sure to keep moving when you're in close proximity. Taking off into the air is also a good solution in this case.

If you get hit by the shotgun while evading sideways, it's likely that your AC is too heavy.

Shoulder Cannon

When Balteus takes to the air, he will most likely unleash his shoulder cannon attack on you. This attack deals tremendous damage and is impressively fast. Pay attention to the warning signal and immediately evade as soon as you hear the beep. You will also see a rectangular targeting reticle blinking over Balteus' shoulder. If you're stunned by Balteus' shotgun salvos, he will often finish you off with this attack. At that point, you can say goodbye.

Giant Energy Pulse

This will happen once in every round. It's a massive explosion that will damage anything even remotely close to Balteus. It also regenerates her energy shield. Once you bring Balteus down to about half of her total AP, hold back a bit. This causes massive damage, so you don't want to get caught in it.

Flaming Sword Attack

This will likely be the attack that sends shivers down your spine. This attack varies depending on where you are when Balteus executes it. If you're on the ground, this attack will strike all around Balteus. If you're in the air, Balteus will deliver a powerful horizontal strike towards you before following up with another massive horizontal strike downwards. The solution to dealing with these strikes when you're on the ground is to ascend. When they use the aerial strikes, you should deactivate your thrusters and drop to the ground when Balteus is above you. This usually causes the sword to slide past you.

Flamethrower Attack

This attack is actually more of an opportunity. Balteus will ascend, charge up their flamethrowers, and then fire at you, but that means you can simply fly directly upwards and leave Balteus vulnerable like easy prey. This is a great opportunity to hit them with all your long-range weapons.

Flaming Scissors

When Balteus ignites both flamethrowers and extends them sideways, they will move towards you until they converge in the middle. They execute this attack while airborne. If you ascend and move away from them, Balteus will completely miss you.

AAP07: Balteus Strategy

At the beginning, Balteus will initiate the battle with a massive barrage of rockets. Since this attack takes a while, you have time to fire your weapons at them. Once the rockets are incoming, dive directly towards Balteus at full thrust. If you use a plasma blade, you should conclude your thrust with a powerful strike. Balteus won't take any damage unless you eliminate the pulse shield, so your strategy should involve leaping into the air at a moderate distance and maneuvering around them. You should constantly hop in the air to evade numerous attacks. It will also be easier to hit Balteus with your plasma rifle while you are above them.

Maintain your aim with the rockets and keep evading. Keep jumping around and tagging them with your plasma rifle. Whenever Balteus unleashes another rocket barrage, unleash your most powerful weapons at the beginning of the animation and then dive in with an attack boost to dodge the rockets. After that, ascend and fly away. We won't spend much time in close proximity since Balteus is dangerous there.

If you remain faithful to this strategy, you will eventually bring them down to half of their health. That's when the massive energy vortex comes into play! Do not be near Balteus when they are at about half of their health! Now they will also unleash their fire-based attacks. Although these may be extremely intimidating at first, it's actually a good thing because some of these attacks will make Balteus vulnerable.

First and foremost, when Balteus does something with fire: jump! This will allow you to evade most of their fire-based attacks. When they use the flamethrower attack, where they hover in the air and ignite the ground, fire at them with your weapons from the air. They can't do anything against that. The same principle applies to the attack where Balteus closes the blades, although the timing here is a bit tighter.

Their most challenging attack to dodge is the massive flaming vertical strike. We won't lie, it requires some skill and finesse to completely evade it. The first one is usually easy enough to avoid by going airborne, but the subsequent strike is definitely trickier. To dodge it, you should drop down while moving towards the direction the blades are coming from. You're trying to dive beneath the blade. Sometimes, if you're super close, you can glide right over Balteus. Again, you'll need to intuitively grasp some of these situations.

Otherwise, your method of hopping and evading while circling remains relatively unchanged. Eventually, Balteus will fall.