Moon Temple

Spoilers

This page may contain spoilers regarding Heroes of Hammerwatch. Continue on if you have already seen these bosses or do not mind spoilers.

Overview

The Moon Temple is the new dungeon added in the Moon Temple DLC and is what the Moon Temple DLC is named after. Unlike the Forsaken Tower or the Pyramid of Prophecy, it is essentially a series of arena-like rooms connected by teleporters. As of Patch 113 and later, you can freely move between rooms before defeating all enemies in the room. The temple itself contains a powerful artifact known as the Orb of Night and is under siege by an army of vampires led by the "Four Magi". While not as long as the Forsaken Tower, this DLC is still filled with large amounts of treasure chests, so bringing a decent amount of keys is a good way to keep ahead of the power curve.

The Moon Temple is an ancient and mystical site central to many significant events in Hammerwatch's history. Originally a place of worship and power, it has a rich and tumultuous history. The temple was overrun by creatures and agents of Blight the Horrible after Thundersnow's ice rain caused the gates to crumble. These agents aim to seize the powerful Orb of Night, which is safeguarded deep within the temple by its priests. The lore of the Moon Temple reveals its importance as a site of significant conflict and magical activity.

Throughout the Moon Temple, players will encounter increasingly challenging levels filled with interconnected chambers and magical gateways. Each area is populated by a variety of enemies, including undead vampire guards, moon guardians with powerful melee and ranged attacks, moon wardens with formidable defenses and offensive spells, and shades that use dark magic to drain mana and cause bleeding effects. The enemies grow tougher, and traps and puzzles become more complex as players progress through the temple.

The Moon Temple's design challenges players with its unique enemies, intricate traps, and puzzles, requiring both combat prowess and problem-solving skills to overcome. High-quality loot and valuable treasures make the journey through the temple a rewarding yet perilous adventure.

The Moon Temple has a unique mechanic not seen anywhere else in Heroes of Hammerwatch: Slippery floors. Slippery floors create "Ice physics" that causes players to slide and makes it very difficult to speed up or slow down quickly, many of the challenge rooms use these floors alongside it's other obstacles. These floors can be countered with the uncommon 'Spiked Boots' item, which renders the player immune to slippery surfaces.

Act 1 - Outer Halls

The Outer Halls are the first area of the Moon Temple, serving as an introduction to what lies ahead. This large area is divided into multiple chambers connected by magical gateways, with some leading to dead-ends containing treasure rooms and at least one leading to the actual exit. Each room is filled with enemies, primarily undead vampire guards, that you need to defeat. Once all enemies in a room are dead, the room will light up. If the room does not light up, check your map to see if any enemies are still lurking. You will often find piles of cube-like ice in different rooms; destroying this ice is your main source of currency, ore, keys, and health and mana. To make navigation easier, teleportation gates are placed around the area, allowing you to teleport between them once you reach two or more gates. Treasure rooms with traps and challenges will also include a teleporter at the end to easily resume the main path. The 'Great Threat' in this area will summon a small horde of Wisps, but you will not be trapped in the room during this event.

Starting with patch 113, you are no longer trapped in rooms during a 'Great Threat' or while fighting enemies; you can freely roam like in other areas of the game, though enemies will not spawn until you enter a room for the first time.

Boss: Elder Wisp

Monster type: Aberration

Elder Wisp

The Elder Wisp is the first boss found in the Moon Temple and typically stands before any available resource drop-offs, so care needs to be taken when facing it. At the start of the battle, the Elder Wisp will be surrounded by six or so giant magic crystals. These crystals will connect to the Wisp and each other, granting a series of unique attacks.

Abilities

• Wisp Bomb: A powerful explosive attack that deals hybrid damage.
• Ice Projectiles: Fires a barrage of ice projectiles dealing hybrid damage.
• Exploding Frost Wisps: Summons smaller frost wisps that explode upon contact, dealing hybrid damage.

Strategy

1. Phase 1 - Crystal Destruction: At the start of the battle, focus on destroying the giant magic crystals surrounding the Elder Wisp. Each crystal enables the Wisp to perform unique and powerful attacks, such as the Wisp Bomb and Ice Projectiles. Destroying these crystals will disable these attacks and make the Wisp vulnerable. Use ranged attacks to keep a safe distance while targeting the crystals.
2. Phase 2 - Projectile Avoidance: Once all the magic crystals are destroyed, the Elder Wisp will start firing a large number of magical projectiles in a pattern around it. These projectiles deal hybrid damage, so avoid them by moving in a circular pattern around the Wisp. Look for breaks in the projectile pattern to safely approach and attack.
3. Melee Attacks: When engaging in melee combat, be cautious of the Elder Wisp's close-range attack, which can deal significant damage quickly. Land a few hits and then retreat to avoid getting overwhelmed. Timing is crucial; wait for a break in the projectile attacks before moving in.
4. Exploding Frost Wisps: Throughout the fight, the Elder Wisp will regularly spawn Exploding Frost Wisps. These wisps will move towards you and explode, dealing hybrid damage. Keep moving to avoid being caught in their explosions and eliminate them quickly if they get too close.
5. Final Explosion: When the Elder Wisp dies, it will explode, causing damage to anything close to it. Make sure to retreat as its health gets low to avoid taking potentially fatal damage from the explosion. Characters not focused on ranged attacks should especially plan ahead to ensure they are at a safe distance when the Wisp dies.

New Game Plus Changes

In New Game Plus (NG+), the Elder Wisp's abilities become more dangerous:

• Wisp Bomb: Deals increased damage and has a larger explosion radius.
• Ice Projectiles: Fires more projectiles in a denser pattern, making them harder to dodge.
• Exploding Frost Wisps: Summons more frost wisps that deal increased damage and have a wider explosion radius.

Multiplayer Changes

In multiplayer, the Elder Wisp gains additional health and its abilities become more challenging:

• Wisp Bomb: Targets multiple players, increasing the likelihood of hits.
• Ice Projectiles: The number of projectiles increases, creating a more challenging environment for all players.
• Exploding Frost Wisps: Summons more frost wisps, requiring players to manage adds effectively and avoid being overwhelmed.

Stats

Health	Armor	Resistance	XP
2500	40	50	4500

Act 2 - Inner Halls

The Inner Halls of the Moon Temple are deeper, more challenging levels filled with interconnected chambers and magical gateways. Essentially a more difficult version of the Outer Halls, these areas feature tougher enemies, including mini-bosses, and more complex traps and puzzles. Players can find higher-quality loot and valuable treasure rooms, often guarded by powerful foes. Teleportation gates facilitate navigation, but be prepared for 'Great Threat' events that summon alien-looking soldiers. The Inner Halls consist of two floors.

The monsters in the Inner Halls include:

• Vampires: Use lifesteal abilities and dark magic to drain health.
• Moon Guardians: Employ powerful melee and ranged attacks.
• Moon Wardens: Known for their formidable defenses and offensive spells.
• Shades: Use melee strikes and dark magic, causing mana drain and bleeding effects.

Boss: Krilith's Wolf

Monster type: Beast

The Giant Ice Wolf was the pet of a wizard named Krilith, who escaped when the Sun Gate was destroyed. This boss makes great efforts to attack you one-on-one and will jump and pounce around the arena to reach you. The arena is filled with large chunks of destructible ice that can block your movement, making the battle more difficult. The best course of action is to dodge out of the way of its pounces and keep a small distance away, dodging between any projectiles it launches when it attacks. Unlike the Giant Wisp, there are no surprises, and when it dies, it simply dies. Be sure to collect any items it drops before moving on.

Abilities

• Pounce: Jumps at the player, dealing significant damage on impact.
• Ice Breath: Breathes a cone of icy wind that slows and damages players caught in it.
• Frost Nova: Emits a burst of frost that freezes and damages nearby players.
• Summon Frost Wolves: Periodically summons smaller frost wolves to aid in battle.

Strategy

When fighting Krilith's Wolf, prioritize dodging its pounce attacks and projectiles. Use the destructible ice chunks to your advantage by breaking them to create space and avoid getting cornered. Maintain a safe distance and use ranged attacks if possible. Be aware of its quick movements and adjust your positioning accordingly. Focus on dealing consistent damage while avoiding its high-damage attacks.

Here are specific tactics:

• Dodging Pounce: Stay mobile and be prepared to dodge as the wolf frequently uses its pounce attack.
• Managing Ice Breath: Keep moving to avoid the slowing effect of the Ice Breath, which can severely hinder your mobility.
• Handling Frost Nova: Watch for the telltale signs of a Frost Nova and move out of range quickly to avoid being frozen.
• Dealing with Adds: Eliminate the smaller frost wolves quickly to prevent being overwhelmed.

New Game Plus Changes

In New Game Plus (NG+), Krilith's Wolf becomes more challenging:

• Pounce: Increased damage and shorter cooldown.
• Ice Breath: Covers a wider area and applies a stronger slowing effect.
• Frost Nova: Freezes for a longer duration and deals more damage.
• Summon Frost Wolves: Summons more frost wolves with increased health and damage.

Multiplayer Changes

In multiplayer, Krilith's Wolf gains additional health and its abilities become more dangerous:

• Pounce: Targets multiple players and deals increased damage.
• Ice Breath: Affects a larger area and has a higher chance of hitting multiple players.
• Frost Nova: The freezing effect lasts longer, making coordination crucial to avoid getting frozen.
• Summon Frost Wolves: Summons a greater number of frost wolves, requiring players to manage adds more effectively.

Stats

Boss	Health	Armor	Resistance	XP
Giant Ice Wolf	15,000 HP	100	50	3,000

Act 3 - Inner Sanctum

The Inner Sanctum of the Moon Temple is a golden, well-lit area that presents a stark contrast to previous acts. This section consists of two floors, each more challenging than the last. As you delve deeper, you'll face increasingly formidable foes, intricate traps, and complex puzzles that demand strategic thinking. The first floor is populated with alien-looking soldiers during 'Great Threat' events, while the second floor is guarded by purple shade-type enemies.

Navigating the Inner Sanctum requires players to utilize teleportation gates scattered throughout the area. Secret puzzle rooms, identifiable by squiggly teleportation gates, appear to go into walls rather than opening into new rooms. The main stairway room on both floors requires three keys to proceed, with each key located in a mini-boss room scattered across the level. These artifact keys only need to be collected by one party member, and placing the first two keys unlocks hidden chests on either side of the stairs. The third key unlocks the stairs themselves, allowing further progression.

The monsters in the Inner Sanctum include Moon Guardians, who employ powerful melee and ranged attacks; Moon Wardens, with their formidable defenses and offensive spells; Vampires, which use lifesteal abilities and dark magic; and Shades, who use melee strikes and dark magic to drain your resources. These enemies are designed to challenge players with their unique abilities and coordinated attacks, making each encounter a test of skill and strategy.

Overall, the Inner Sanctum is designed to test the limits of players with its enhanced difficulty, offering high-quality loot and valuable treasure rooms guarded by powerful enemies. This section of the Moon Temple not only demands combat prowess but also keen problem-solving skills to overcome the challenges within.

Boss: Agents of the Four Magi

Monster type: Undead

A confusing and chaotic battle awaits in the large circular arena with the Moon Orb located on a central plinth. Upon descending the steps, you will find the four vampire agents—Lisard, Erris, Isadora, and Shaden—surrounding the orb and performing a ritual. Attacking any of the vampires will cause them to break off and engage you individually. The Moon Orb then becomes unstable, emitting harmful energy that engulfs the entire room except for a few safe spots behind pillars. The energy rays from the orb cause bleeding and mana drain, making the fight even more perilous.

To succeed, focus on eliminating one agent at a time while avoiding the deadly energy from the Moon Orb. Each agent's unique abilities and coordinated attacks require careful planning and strategic movement. Collect any items dropped by the agents before exiting the arena.

Strategy

When you first enter the arena, the four vampire agents will be performing a ritual. Focus on one agent at a time, using the pillars for cover from the Moon Orb's energy rays. Here are specific tactics for each agent:

• Lisard: Avoid his poison attacks by staying mobile. His Poison Shot deals magical damage and applies poison. Lisard can be identified by his green aura and poison-themed attacks.
• Erris: Dodge the fireballs and aim to disrupt his casting. His Fireball causes burning and buffs other agents. Erris has a fiery aura and uses fire-based attacks.
• Isadora: Keep clear of her ice spears and manage crowd control. Her Ice Spear deals hybrid damage and can freeze you. Isadora is surrounded by an icy aura and uses ice-themed attacks.
• Shaden: Watch out for starburst attacks and maintain distance when necessary. His Starburst deals magical damage and buffs other agents. Shaden has a dark, shadowy aura and uses dark magic attacks.

All four agents use Sword Strike, Charge, and Whirlwind:

• Sword Strike: A basic melee attack dealing physical damage with armor penetration.
• Charge: A fast, linear attack that closes the distance and deals physical damage with armor penetration.
• Whirlwind: A spinning attack that hits all nearby players, dealing physical damage with armor penetration.

Additionally, each agent can use a potion of invulnerability, making them temporarily immune to all damage for 3 seconds, with a 45-second cooldown. They will only use the potion between 70% and 30% HP. They also use a health potion at less than 15% HP. Each agent has one charge of invincibility and healing pots except for Erris and Shaden, who have two invincibility pots with a 45-second cooldown.

When the Moon Orb is activated, all their abilities, including the unique ones, deal more damage and can buff all the agents if they hit you. Be sure to manage your health and mana efficiently as the orb's emissions can drain them. Collect any items dropped by the agents before exiting.

Additional Tips

• Prioritize Targets: Focus on taking down one vampire at a time to reduce the number of simultaneous threats.
• Use the Pillars: Utilize the pillars to block the Moon Orb's energy rays and avoid taking continuous damage.
• Manage Debuffs: Be mindful of the debuffs each vampire can apply and manage them promptly to avoid being overwhelmed.
• Mobility: Keep moving to avoid area-of-effect attacks and position yourself advantageously against each vampire.
• Cooldowns: Use your cooldown abilities strategically, focusing them on the most dangerous vampires first.
• Watch for Invulnerability: Be aware of when agents use their potion of invulnerability and adjust your strategy accordingly.

New Game Plus Changes

In New Game Plus (NG+), the Moon Orb's effects and the abilities of the vampire agents become more dangerous. The duration and cooldown of their invulnerability potions are modified but not clearly defined. Additionally, the following changes occur:

• Lisard: Poison Shot and Night Poison Shot deal more damage and apply stronger poison effects.
• Erris: Fireball and Night Fireball deal more damage, and burning effects last longer.
• Isadora: Ice Spear and Night Ice Spear deal more damage and freeze for longer durations.
• Shaden: Starburst and Night Starburst deal more damage, with increased buff effects on other agents.

Multiplayer Changes

In multiplayer, the vampire agents gain additional health and their abilities become more dangerous. The Moon Orb's energy rays cover a larger area, making it more challenging for multiple players to find safe spots. Coordination and communication become crucial to avoid overlapping abilities and to manage debuffs effectively.

Stats

Vampire	Health	Armor	Resistance	XP
Lisard	10,000 HP	100	100	2,500
Erris	10,000 HP	100	100	2,500
Isadora	10,000 HP	100	100	2,500
Shaden	10,000 HP	100	100	2,500