Corypheus (strategy)

This page contains detailed tips on how to fight Corypheus in Legacy for Dragon Age II.

Tactics #1
Corypheus is one of the most difficult bosses in Dragon Age II and you will need to carry enough potions for this battle. The battle consists of two phases that switches between them when the boss' health reaches 75,50 and 25%. In the first phase, Corypheus will teleport around the battlefield and start dealing moderate ranged damage to random party members, much like the Ancient Rock Wraith. His melee attack is powerful and his attack will damage and knockback anyone within the sweeping radius. If engaged in melee he will generate a bubble that knockbacks and dispels any effect on him.

Phase two starts when Corypheus is down to 75%, after that he will teleport to the middle of the room and start channeling two rotating walls of fire, in front and behind him, while drawing power from the 4 pillars in the room. In this phase you will have to interact with each pillar, at which moment it will summon two shades that you will have to defeat, but with a 90 elemental damage bonus from the pillar, depending on which you just touched (Nature, Fire, Lighting, Cold).

Corypheus will create a maze at the 50% health mark, and start channeling the walls of fire. Bear in mind that the maze will remain placed during the rest of the fight. At the third phase switch(25% of his health remaining), he will create a thunderstorm and start summoning falling icicles, making an ice patch in the place that they'll fall and slowing anyone damaged by it. The lightning will close any passage through the maze and deal a moderate amount of damage to anyone who pass. The pillars will now spawn two lieutenant ranked shades, so they will have to be dealt with quickly to avoid being damaged by the fire. When the pillars are turned off, blow all cooldowns on Corypheus while avoiding the icycles and lightning when he teleports.

Having Rune of Fire Warding is very useful, as the walls deals heavy damage even with them, and will help in resisting the balls of fire he throws during phase one. The shades are best handled in the same place they appear, as the wall will do less damage while being on the stairs of the niches. Also, your party will gain health by killing the shades, possibly because of the effects of the pillars while being near them.

Fight with Carver/Bethany in the Party
Note: Works only if you have reached Act 3 already.
 * Carvers Templer Specialization works very well on Corypheus, stunning and dealing great damage on him.
 * Bethanys Force Mage Specialization by the use of Fist of the Maker and Gravitic Ring helps to bind Corypheus down, even when he is using his AoE spells.

Preparation

 * Have at least 1 Spirit Healer in your party and many health potions, as you will need them when Corypheus uses his AoE attacks
 * At best, have Carver (at Act 3) or Fenris in your team as tank, since they have a higher resistance against magic. Hawke with the templar specialization is also very effective as a tank.
 * Control your party as soon as Corypheus uses his AoE, so that none of your companions walks around alone and gets caught by the AoE.
 * Be sure to use Crushing Prison as often as you can.
 * Hold most of your characters, except your tank, out of Corypheus' range and let them deal range attacks. Varric is especially effective, so make sure to keep him alive.

Engagement
Start the fight with range attack which stuns Corypheus, giving your tank time to use Tremor or Templer Skills to stun him even more. Corypheus will mostly counter it with skills which deals elementar and ghost damage on the party. As soon as Corypheus is down to 80%, he teleports to the middle of the prison and starts AoE attacks, while you have to activate the Warden Statues once again. Each time you activate one, 2 Shades will appear and engage you. Becarefull while moving arround or fighting, Corypheus will spin arround and deal AoE damage in every direction. Let your Spirit healer in this time mainly heal instead of fighting. As soon the 4 Statues got activated you have to engage Corypheus again. He will teleport hisself into the middle of your party by using stunning and AoE skills to damage your party before attacking directly again. Keep your distance and attack like before. When Corypheus health reach 50% he teleports to the middle again and you have to activate the statues again. This time, Corypheus will summon a labyrinth while causing AoE damage again. This time move your characters as group through the stone walls to each statue and fight the shades again. After it is done, Corypheus teleports hisself again, summing by it a huge AoE storm, simular to the Storm of the Century. When his health reaches 25% he summons an other labyrinth with AoE, but this time will the stones cause electric damage aswell, when you move to much between them. As soon the 4 statues are done again, Corypheus will teleport hisself again and attack with a Telekinetic Burst and stuns you. He will use now more skills which deals damage over time.

AoE Skill
Corypheus will use everytime he ports hisself into the middle, 2 kinds of AoE spells, each of an other element. Be sure to use armors and protections which give resistence to every element aswell as to ghost and magic damage.