Bio Mass Is a Terrible Boss fight!

[Semisoulus]

Normally games are supposed to be fun, Right? So what am I missing with this Bio mass Boss? Cause nothing about that was fun at all. Any one thing or even a couple of things together I could see, Swamp+ Adds... Poison +Adds... SWAMP BY ITSELF. But all of it put together is outrageous. Did the Devs even test this dumb fight? Do they enjoy suffering? I don't think I have had this much fun since my last dental appointment. But I digress, BOI MASS is a STUPID fight!! Here are some reasons:

1: The stamina system is straight busted

Literally everything makes your stamina go down and one of the worst things in the game is water.... and your fighting Bio Dink in a swamp the whole time!

2: Poison is broken beyond belief

Not only does it last forever but the tick on it is huge for the life you have. And is it just me or in a game that is trying to be SO realistic with it's features (letting you lvl up skilz via use) one would think that if you were going to make things like stamina and poison such big issues then you would make it so that over time you lvl your stamina and poison Res or at the very least you would make poison potions actually affects POISON in a meaningful way. Especially when you consider how much of the games resources are in the swamp where you are going to be poisoned by just about everything that touches you.

3: Bio Mass is a Stupid Boss for this game

Yes this has to be one of the most unimaginative bosses I have ever played. I am pretty sure this is just a remake of that stupid sludge boss in Dark sous 2 (I think it was 2) and all they did was make him spawn adds at an exceedingly stupid rate. I mean he chucks a ball of armpit at you (no joke) and 4-6 slimes plus skelly's pop out, and this is on a regular rotation during the fight, like every 20 seconds or so and you still have to contend with the normal mobs in the surrounding area (Draugers, Leaches... more slimes and skelly's). It's not hard to put a big enemy in a game and just have the adds do the work for it. More importantly.... it's not fun!

In conclusion, I hated every second of this fight. It's not difficult, I can deal with difficulty. It's just not an engaging fight. I feel ripped off right now. Like when we used to play arcade games and they deliberately put a boss in that was guaranteed to kill you 30 times so you had to keep pumping quarters into the machine to beat it. This boss is the same thing. He is not designed to be engaging or make you think or stategize or get better at the combat. He is simply there to suck resources and fun out of this game.

Despite this rant though, I really do enjoy this game. Especially the building mechanics. But, and I know it's early access, BUT... they seriously need to fix the stamina and poison as they are way too much of an issue, and either rethink that crappy boss or replace it completely. I want to see this game succeed I really do but I will not play through a second time because I refuse to go through that terrible fight again.

[Manwith Noname]

I never bother with stamina potions or tasty mead. They might help but they're not required.

[Amos]

I don't want to force people to play in a certain way, do whatever you think is fun. But I see so many recommendations and videos about fighting Bonemass with a bow, when meleeing him is so much more effective. Going the bow route just extends the fight for no reason...

If you have trouble and die a lot during the fight you were probably underprepared. A simple guide for easy solo Bonemass would go something like this:

1. Make poison resistance mead. You need exactly 1 since the fight takes about 5 minutes or less.
2. (Optional) Flatten the ground around the skull.
3. Wear appropriate armor and weapons. An iron mace is the best. Preferably level 4. Also grab an iron sledge or the Stagbreaker for adds. I went with troll armor rather than iron because I value mobility. Upgraded iron shield or bronze buckler.
4. Get the rested buff, eat a sausage, a turnip stew and a carrot soup, and drink mead.
5. Spawn Bonemass.
6. Get in melee range and watch out for his animations, do the following until dead.
A. Bonemass stretches arm backwards = melee hit incoming, parry with shield and follow up with two full melee chains (6 hits).
B. Bonemass retches = poison cloud incoming, run out of cloud range and let him follow you.
C. Bonemass reaches into armpit = add spawn incoming, run towards spawn point and AOE slam with sledge.

Last time I fought him I didn't flatten ground, didn't need healing or stamina mead, didn't have to build any tree houses and never went below 100 HP. Had about 5 minutes left on the poison resist mead when Bonemass went down. And club skill was in the low teens since I had mostly been using swords.

Not writing this up to pat myself on the back, just saying that this is a much easier fight than various guides make it out to be (I.e. don't complicate it by building archery platforms, going to the mountains ahead of time to get a Draugr Fang/frost arrows, etc... unless that's your thing, then go ahead. Play the way you want).

[Ptolemy]

Originally posted by Manwith Noname:

I never bother with stamina potions or tasty mead. They might help but they're not required.

If you can manage your stamina without them then more power to you, but my question is directed at the people who are hollering about the game's stamina system. The tools do exist within the game to replenish your stamina easily.

[Manwith Noname]

Originally posted by Amos:

Get in melee range and watch out for his animations, do the following until dead.
A. Bonemass stretches arm backwards = melee hit incoming, parry with shield and follow up with two full melee chains (6 hits).
B. Bonemass retches = poison cloud incoming, run out of cloud range and let him follow you.
C. Bonemass reaches into armpit = add spawn incoming, run towards spawn point and AOE slam with sledge.

I would add to this, if you do get poisoned, just wail on him relentlessly until the poison debuff is about to wear off. Still keep an eye out for the melee attack and the adds getting thrown but completely ignore anymore poison attacks and just keep smashing his face in.

Carrying one medium healing potion can be helpful too.

[ec928]

Originally posted by Amos:

I don't want to force people to play in a certain way, do whatever you think is fun. But I see so many recommendations and videos about fighting Bonemass with a bow, when meleeing him is so much more effective. Going the bow route just extends the fight for no reason...

If you have trouble and die a lot during the fight you were probably underprepared. A simple guide for easy solo Bonemass would go something like this:

1. Make poison resistance mead. You need exactly 1 since the fight takes about 5 minutes or less.
2. (Optional) Flatten the ground around the skull.
3. Wear appropriate armor and weapons. An iron mace is the best. Preferably level 4. Also grab an iron sledge or the Stagbreaker for adds. I went with troll armor rather than iron because I value mobility. Upgraded iron shield or bronze buckler.
4. Get the rested buff, eat a sausage, a turnip stew and a carrot soup, and drink mead.
5. Spawn Bonemass.
6. Get in melee range and watch out for his animations, do the following until dead.
A. Bonemass stretches arm backwards = melee hit incoming, parry with shield and follow up with two full melee chains (6 hits).
B. Bonemass retches = poison cloud incoming, run out of cloud range and let him follow you.
C. Bonemass reaches into armpit = add spawn incoming, run towards spawn point and AOE slam with sledge.

Last time I fought him I didn't flatten ground, didn't need healing or stamina mead, didn't have to build any tree houses and never went below 100 HP. Had about 5 minutes left on the poison resist mead when Bonemass went down. And club skill was in the low teens since I had mostly been using swords.

Not writing this up to pat myself on the back, just saying that this is a much easier fight than various guides make it out to be (I.e. don't complicate it by building archery platforms, going to the mountains ahead of time to get a Draugr Fang/frost arrows, etc... unless that's your thing, then go ahead. Play the way you want).

That's sensible advice. I also don't understand why people are using a bow on him since he's very resistant to arrows and they're almost useless. He's extremely weak to blunt to that means melee should be used.

I'm not sure the OP is really looking for advice, but what you wrote is a good guide and would just also add triggering the elkthyr power for the people having trouble managing their stamina (but even that's optional) and carrying healing meads as well.

[Raviel]

Originally posted by ec928:

Originally posted by Raviel:

Bonemass is probably the best boss in the game currently.

It isn't too easy to cheese and can be a treat.
4rth boss is so bugged it's easier than the first, and first is easy as hell...

Haven't fought the 5th, but sounds like its bugged too, so, yeah :/

Bonemass is the only boss that fights back, and not just waits to die.. even so he is completely helpless in coop.

It's freaking sad when a 0 star goblin is more challenging than a dragon boss...
Not even talking about 2 stars...

The 5th boss was actually decent as well. You'll need to get in close and melee him and he hits very hard so you have to be careful as you have a real chance of dying, especially if furlings and deathsquito's sneak in behind you while you're melee attacking him (yeah I died once that way).

You really need fire resistant potions and bonemass and healing meads and the top foods. But the key really is fire resistant meads.

Just avoid cheese strats as that takes away the challenge and feeling of accomplishment IMHO. And finding 5 totems to unlock it may take a lot of exploring. Either way good luck.

I got the totems, cleared a couple plain areas, got his location.
Just feels pointless to kill him if i don't get access to new technology and he might be bugged, like moder.

I tryed fighting moder in melee, had to force miself on her, as she would mostly run away when on land, and her damage seems barelly comparable to 0 star fulling. I've killed a bunch 2 stars, before i even got her location...
It's just sad. Bow or not bow, this isn't how a boss fight is supposed to look like..

[dancodan]

I have no problems at all. Maybe Semisoulus should stick to other games with a more flat learning curve.
Keep the game hard or make it even harder. The fun of the game lays within overcoming obstacles.

Game developers, please don't listen to cries like this.
The harder you make the game, the more people will try to overcome it.

[SMALLKILLING]

hahahahaha seems it may just be on your end buddy. you sure do talk alot of crap about the devs but little do you know...... it seems you struggle the most. many other people found out by paying attention to how much damage is done with each weapon................ plus they figured out that you have to deal with the adds. also many other people found that leveling the ground "using tools provided in the game" also helped. i fore one do not like a game where i stand still and attack until the "boss" dies...OH level the stamina and whoa!! but seems linear simplistic games made for children may have a life in the adult world. i hope this post helps paint a perspective on the down right rude post you left based on your lack of information. vote this up if anyone agrees keep up the great work devs! you have many people waiting for more content. but keep the level of quality you bring to the table and dont let anybody get ya down! we NEED VALHEIM

[Raviel]

Poison mead + iron mace + snake shield and you can block bonemass attacks.

By that time you should have killed atleast 1 sea snake. There really is no better place to use snake soup.

So you should have 200+ hp in that fight 80 + 60 + 50 + 25 = 215
Snake soup + sausage + turnip soup.
You would have a bunch of stamina too. Obvioisly need to be rested.
Can get medium healing potions and stamina potions if you struggle with stamina management or just want to smash attack button or something.

Since you can tank bonemass with this setup, you don't really need to flatten anything or run much. Maybe just dodge the poison cloud attack..
(Might be optional, if you can kill him before poison starts to be dangerous, didn't really research this fight much)

[Dialtone]

Originally posted by Silberfuchs:

Originally posted by Dialtone:

4. I should have wrote a rant about fall damage, but laughing about it and learning from our mistake is better.

Fall damage can't do more then 100 damage at once, bouncing a few times in a row is what kills us (and forgetting to eat something).

I know. We was at around 100 health, on our way out of the mountain towards the end of the day. Might have taken damage twice in rapid succession on the way down the slope. When you eat turnip stew, sausages and carrot soup you have a period of time where your health goes lower than optimal and large falls can be very bad. Our mistake was misjudging the angle of that slope, it looked like any other slope where you can slide all the way to the bottom, but it had one of those stone keeps at the bottom. I think where the terrain was deformed to smooth the land for the keep, the slope had a tricky angle at the bottom that let us take fall damage.

The part of #4 that's relevant to the thread is, laugh and learn. If you can't do that with Valheim, then even when you can go months without dying, there's eventually going to be a moment that feels unfair. How you react is what's important.

Edit: Also I should have wrote number 4 as. "4. I should have wrote a rant about tricky angles in mountains, but laughing about it and learning from our mistake is better.", but then I would have had to explain what I meant about tricky angles, which I've now done, but that wasn't my point anyway.

[The Big Brzezinski]

Bonemass is the only boss in this game that presents a real challenge. Not only that, but it also uses real, properly-layered mechanics instead of scripted cheese. You block his swings, kill his adds, and run out of the poison cloud. All this goes on top of basic skills, like stamina management and positioning. It's an interesting and satisfying encounter. I wish subsequent boss fights were up to Bonemass' level of quality.

[GunsForBucks]

Bonemass wasn't too bad for me but we had cleared out the swamp area fully before even thinking of starting the fight so the only adds were his blobs... and those are pretty much nothing.


The first time doing Yag was crazy though. 3 days and two nights the fight raged on. <seriously not even exaggerating here> Those meteorite hits really stack in a nasty way. Much easier the second time using bonemass and yag powers, just a matter of mins.

[Amos]

Originally posted by Anarchist Jurisdictor:

you can parry all of Bonemass's attacks with a new bronze buckler

That's right, I should have added that to what I wrote above. A lvl 1 bronze buckler has a parry block power of 90 and Bonemass' melee swipe does 80 damage.

On the other hand, a lvl 3 banded shield has a base block power of 70 so for people with bad reflexes (horrible reflexes, considering how well telegraphed the swipe is) you can still soak up most of the attack, and armor reduces the excess 10 damage further. So you can quite comfortably survive the fight without even parrying...

A serpent scale shield or a lvl 2 iron tower shield can completely negate the damage as well but that movement speed penalty is too much for me.

[ec928]

Originally posted by GunsForBucks:

Bonemass wasn't too bad for me but we had cleared out the swamp area fully before even thinking of starting the fight so the only adds were his blobs... and those are pretty much nothing.


The first time doing Yag was crazy though. 3 days and two nights the fight raged on. <seriously not even exaggerating here> Those meteorite hits really stack in a nasty way. Much easier the second time using bonemass and yag powers, just a matter of mins.

Yeah Yag was crazy for me too and took me a few days. First day I went in pretty confident. Thought I was pretty OP'ed with my huge health and stamina bar from the top foods, along with end-game gear and healing meads and bonemass. And ready for anything.

But NO fire resistance as I didn't realise he shot fire meteors (because I prefer not to look at the WIKI's and discover things for myself). And when I was on fire and in melee, a couple of weak furlings got behind me along with deathquitos. Not good being on fire, Yag hitting you, Furlings blocking and hitting you and the Deathquitoes stinging you. All at the same time. Anyway I died. So much for being OP'ed.

So then I went away for a few days and brewed fire protection meads and tried again. Went way better this time but bonemass expired and I played it safe and retreated.

Third time I got him.

[PakaNoHida]

I've solo'd all bosses in game, your problem with BONEMASS is 110% user error. You were not prepared as a Demon Hunter I once knew would say.