The bosses in Diablo 4 aren't supposed to be easy to beat, but there's one fairly early on in the game that's quite possibly driving you mad. At the end of Act 2 you come up against Astaroth mounted atop the Amalgam of Hatred, aka, a triple headed giant demon dog.
You've already faced the Amalgam of Hatred in the events preceding the final Act 2 boss fight, but this is a whole different kettle of fish. There are multiple phases, and in each one Astaroth can deplete your life almost entirely with a single hit. It took me three attempts to defeat him (score one for not playing hardcore) so I'm going to offer some advice that may well save you from banging your head against the wall.
Preparing to fight Astaroth
Since you'll be coming to Astaroth at the end of Act 2 there's no way around it; This is a challenging fight. Be prepared for a lengthy encounter and make sure you're carrying the right gear.
An essential you should take if at all possible is an Elixir of Fire Resistance. How far you've progressed in the game at this point will determine its strength. At Level 29, for example, I could only craft a weak elixir, but it's better than none. You'll need some Gallowvine and Lifesbane to mix one up.
You can craft Elixirs at the Alchemist in the major settlements.
It also goes without saying, but make sure you have all your absolute best gear equipped. That's not necessarily just the most damage, most armor etc, be mindful of your perks.
For example, after failing a couple of times I switched to a pair of boots which offer a reduction in the cooldown time for Evade. You're going to be doing this a lot, so if you have something similar in your inventory, I'd definitely recommend using it.
It's also worth examining your skill tree for anything that might give you an edge against a tough enemy. I fought Astaroth as a Necromancer and because of the damage output the minions don't last very long. So, I swapped out a skill point on the tree to enable corpses to regularly drop so I could keep summoning new ones.
Tactics to beat Astaroth easier
So, to the business end. This is a fairly tough boss fight and it's going to take some time to wear him down. Astaroth has three main attacks you need to be wary of.
- A staff swing that can deplete most of your life in a single hit.
- Fire breathing from the Amalgam of Hatred.
- A fireball AoE attack.
You'll also come across enemy minions called into battle at certain stages of the fight. And, like all bosses, Astaroth has multiple sections to his health bar. When you deplete each, you'll get some healing potions drop. But unlike previous boss battles, Astaroth doesn't stay in one arena, instead running off to new sections after the first few times you hit the markers on the health bar.
The rotation speed of the different attacks will also ramp up the further you get into the fight, so there's a lot to be mindful of. There's no cheese to beat Astaroth easily (certainly not when you're playing through the campaign) but beyond having the best gear you can and the right Elixir, these tips will also help you succeed.
- Stay away from the head end of the mount. You'll survive a lot easier if you evade either underneath or behind Astaroth. Don't attack from the front because this is how you get annilihated by two of the attacks you'll be facing.
- Keep moving at all times. You'll see markers for where the AoE attacks will land, so it goes without saying to avoid those spots. The burning will linger, so try not to get caught, but this is where the right elixir comes into play. But Astaroth will also jump which will put you in a daze. Only use Evade when you need to, but don't stay still too long.
- Patience is key. If you try too hard to get the fight done quickly, you'll lose. Keep in mind the rotation of the attacks and make sure you're either moving the right way or using Evade at the right time to position yourself best to attack.
Take your time. keep moving, and attack from the rear. The key is patience and staying away from the fairly devastating attacks, and there's no cover offered in the arena. It's all on you.
But you've got this. Get prepared and emerge victorious.
