Broodmother (strategy)

The Broodmother has five different skills, and like party members has conditions for Combat Tactics; Surrounded by at least 3 enemies ~25% chance. Surrounded by at least 4 enemies ~50% chance.
 * Gas
 * HP < 25% ~100% chance.
 * Ranged Spit
 * Target between short and medium range ~25% chance.
 * Target between medium and long range ~25% chance.
 * Scream
 * HP < 25% ~0% chance.
 * HP < 50% ~0% chance.
 * Sweep
 * Target at front flank ~100% chance.
 * Vomit
 * Surrounded by at least 2 enemies ~15% chance.

The broodmother guarding the Anvil of the Void is a dangerous opponent, despite her immobility. She has the following known attacks and abilities:
 * Spit: The broodmother expectorates a vile toxin, which splashes a moderate area around its target for high nature damage. Spit requires line of sight.
 * Broodmother Tentacles: The broodmother has four Elite tentacles, which protrude from the ground. Each tentacle can make melee attacks for moderate damage. The tentacles can retreat back into the ground and emerge anywhere that is coated in the broodmother's ooze. The tentacles have high health, and maneuver themselves to avoid Area of Effect attacks by surrounding a character so that AoE damage abilities must hit that character as well as the tentacles.
 * Summon Darkspawn: The broodmother is able to summon a raiding party of darkspawn at least once during the encounter. This group consists of several genlock rogues and archers.
 * Crush: The broodmother will lift a character into the air if that character is standing directly in front of her. She will crush them and most likely kill them with this attack.

The battle area has three critical terrain features. First, all exits from the room are blocked by additional tentacles, making retreat impossible. Second, the broodmother's ooze covers the floor. The tentacles can only emerge from ooze-covered areas. Third, on either side of the broodmother are two stone paths which lead up and behind her. She cannot be attacked directly from these paths, but she also cannot attack anyone standing there, and her tentacles cannot emerge from there.

One easy strategy for this fight involves the use of large-area damage spells such as Tempest, Blizzard, or (in a pinch) Fireball. Stand on one of the stone paths and cast these spells down. The darkspawn will have to come up the path to attack the party, who will be beyond the reach of the broodmother's spit and tentacles. Though time-consuming, this is a safe and easy way to win a very difficult battle.

Another strategy is to keep your player controlled character to the right or left of the broodmother's body. This will ensure that she cannot lift the character into the air but will give direct access to the broodmother herself rather than a focus on one of the tentacles. You should also make sure that all of your active party members have one of their tactics changed to allow them to heal themselves should their health drop below 50%. Make sure you have a lot of health poultices available for this battle.

And another strategy is to position all your group members on stone platforms, where tentacles can't reach them and switch everyone to ranged weapons. Make some distance between characters so that spit won't splash them and put your tank on the closest platform to the Broodmother, so that he'd be a desired target. Once this is done, focus on Broodmother, while keeping an eye on group's health and throwing a heal or two when needed (or use poultices). Save your mana or just use potions. When the darkspawns come do NOT leave the platforms and instead control/focus them down one by one. Once they're dead, continue to damage Broodmother. Rinse and repeat until she drops dead.

The broodmother has a special execution animation if killed by a melee attack.