At the end of the first chapter of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, players are faced with their toughest challenge yet: Balteus. Encountered during the “Attack the Watchpoint” mission, which sees players taking on a PCA facility at the behest of Handler Walter, Balteus has gained a reputation for being one of the game’s first major skill check after players have already taken on such formidable foes as Juggernaut. With that in mind, here’s our strategy for beating Balteus in Armored Core 6. However, before we give you our best build and strategy, be warned: Balteus is tough, and there’s a good chance it’ll take a few tries. It’s important to experiment and see what’s working best for you.
Best Build to Beat Balteus in Armored Core 6
When I took on Balteus, the build that worked best for me featured the HI-16: GU-Q1 Pulse Gun as my R-Arm Unit and the HI-32:BU-TT/A Pulse Sword as my L-Arm Unit. On my back, I had the most expensive missile launchers I could afford, which at the time were BML-G1/P31DUO-02 and BML-G1/Po3VTC-08. For my frame, I used a mix of medium and light armor to give me a solid AP boost without compromising my speed too much. Play around with your build a bit to find what works best for you. Armored Core 6 is fundamentally a game about trying, failing, and making adjustments to find out what works. In terms of alternative builds, I was also able to successfully take Balteus down with an SG-026 Haldeman Shotgun, though this sometimes made dealing with its pulse shield more frustrating. The game wants you to use the Pulse Gun, so use the Pulse Gun.
The Strategy for Beating Balteus in Armored Core 6
The actual battle with Balteus is genuinely quite frenetic, and it’s a fantastic test of your ability to dodge and cope with a lot of different things being thrown at you at once. The general strategy for taking on the boss is to use your Pulse Gun to break through its shields and then hit it with your Pulse Sword to stagger it. Use your missiles to add damage. In general, you’ll want to make sure your conserving your boost as best you can while keeping close to Balteus, preferably above it. Outside of that general strategy, here are Balteus’ attacks and how to deal with them.
- Balteus frequently launches a ton of missiles at you. Dodge where you can, but for the most part, keeping just above or below the boss will neutralize these. If he’s gotten away from you, do your best to find a gap in them and boost through. At the very start of the battle, Balteus unleashes one of these barrages, and once you’re used to getting through it, it’s very easy to break its shield early.
- After rushing across the arena, Balteus will sometimes fire a cannon at you. Make sure to dodge this, as it does a ton of damage. In general, Balteus likes moving across the arena, so it’s important to use Assault Boost and other skills to close the gap quickly.
- At half health, Balteus unleashes a pulse wave that does a ton of damage. Armored Core 6 will give you ample warning this is happening, both visually and auditorily, so back away as quickly as you can.
- Below half health, Balteus uses a flamethrower that can be absolutely devastating. When that weapon comes out, once again give Balteus space. Circle around and take to the air as necessary to avoid the attack.
- Once Balteus isn’t using its flamethrower anymore, return to the original strategy of keeping above it, dodging around, and staggering it.
Even when you know exactly what Balteus is going to do, it can still be a genuinely tough fight. Keep at it, and eventually, you’ll adapt to the rhythm of the battle. It’s easy to get discouraged when you’re losing, but learning to love loss is a massive part of what makes Armored Core 6 so great. In many ways, it’s a puzzle game where you find the loadout that works for you and lets you win.
The first chapter of Armored Core 6 is definitely still a learning experience, and that means reviewing the basics can be helpful. Check out our guide on how targeting works in Armored Core 6, if that’s something you’re struggling with.
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