Broodmother (strategy)

The Broodmother guarding the Anvil of the Void is a dangerous opponent, despite her immobility. This page may offer some tips and insight on defeating her if you are having trouble.

Abilities
The Broodmother has the following passive abilities: +75% mental resistance, +75% nature resistance, +2 armor.

The broodmother 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. The first group consists of several genlock rogues and archers, and hurlocks. The second group consists of Shrieks.


 * Grabs:
 * Crush: The broodmother will lift a character into the air if that character is standing directly in front of her. She will squeeze and shake them, and most likely kill them with this attack unless they have adequate armor and healing. This grab can be interrupted via attacks which knock back or stun, but this is unlikely to succeed, due to the Broodmother's high physical resistance.
 * Vomit Grab: The broodmother will lift a character into the air if that character is standing directly in front of her. She will vomit on the character, but this is less dangerous than Crush. The character will likely still be killed without adequate armor and healing. This grab can be interrupted via attacks which knock back or stun, but this is unlikely to succeed, due to the Broodmother's high physical resistance.

Combat Tactics
The broodmother has five different skills, and Combat Tactics just like party members:


 * Gas
 * HP &lt; 25% ~100% chance.
 * Ranged Spit
 * Target between short and medium range ~25% chance.
 * Target between medium and long range ~25% chance.
 * Scream
 * HP &lt; 25% ~0% chance.
 * HP &lt; 50% ~0% chance.
 * Sweep
 * Target at front flank ~100% chance.
 * Vomit
 * Surrounded by at least 2 enemies ~15% chance.
 * Surrounded by at least 3 enemies ~25% chance.
 * Surrounded by at least 4 enemies ~50% chance.

Terrain
The battle area has three critical terrain features. First, all exits from the room are blocked by additional tentacles, making retreat impossible and trapping any Ranger pets called before the pre-battle cut scene. 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 her tentacles cannot emerge there, either.

Shale
If you do not have Shale, I find it easy to have all your party but the tank to do ranged on the broodmother and let your tank keep the darkspawn when they enter off the ranged attackers if you have 2 or more tankers have them rush the broodmother while the others do ranged attacks
 * For this purpose, Shale is an excellent choice. With Large Natural Crystals Shale has extra resistance against the Broodmother's spit attack. Also use Stone Roar as frequently as the cooldown will allow to keep the big monster's attention on Shale and away from your other ranged attackers.
 * If you have Shale in your party and another member capable of acting as tank (Alistair, The Warden), an alternative is to use Shale's Stone Aura ability (best if Shale has all aura talents including Supernatural Resilience) to provide an excellent party buff. Shale's aura will reach all parts of the Broodmother's main chamber. All other party members can focus on damaging the tentacles, darkspawn, and the Broodmother herself, though Shale will need the occasional heal thrown her way. Shale's aura is also effectve if the party has a mage but is low on lyrium potions.
 * Rock Barrage - the rocks will all hit and trigger physical resistance checks due to Broodmother's enormous hitbox

Equipment Recommendation
Being a darkspawn, the Broodmother has a weaker Fire resistance. Use weapons with fire damage or runes. Outfit tanks with massive armor. Equip archers with fire arrows if you don't mind using the ammo. Items with nature resistance are particularly useful, especially for tanks, as the Broodmother deals hefty nature damage.

Spellcaster

 * Glyph of Paralysis
 * AOE spells like Blizzard and Tempest can work wonders, but be very careful when using Storm of the Century because the chamber is not very large. A misplaced storm can easily kill your own party by friendly fire.
 * Storm of the Century might be viable, if you have Anti-Magic Ward. Just make sure your party isn't moving (toggle with H), and as soon as you cast Storm of the Century, cast AMW in a way that your party is standing on it. You should be immune to the damage.
 * At least on PC, if you place your party right against the wall on the sides of the rock plate opposite the Broodmother, 2 on the left and 2 on the right side, the characters are just out the Storm of Century area.
 * Spellcasters (except Arcane Warriors who are meleeing/tanking) should stand on the bare rock where tentacles cannot emerge, as they tend to take high damage from them should they get surrounded.

Melee

 * Put your tank on the closest platform to the Broodmother, so that s/he/it'd be a desired target.
 * Melee attackers should focus on spawning darkspawn as they appear because the Broodmother has a Sweep attack that deals moderate damage and makes it harder to damage her from melee range. The tank is the exception, and even then, with a Greater Nature Salve, may wish to step back from the boss. The Broodmother's spit isn't as damaging as her melee attacks are with high Nature resistance.

Archery

 * Position all your group members on stone platforms, where tentacles can't reach them.
 * Ensure you are controlling any ranged assault characters such as the mage or they will likely be targeting the tentacles and not the Broodmother herself. It may be helpful to simply ensure that a tactic is in place to ensure all characters attack the enemy which is the target of the controlled character.
 * Archers are pretty effective at removing any summoned darkspawn while another party member continues to tank the Broodmother. However, melee attackers may be a better choice, since they tend to have more health and aren't as effective at damaging the boss anyway due to Sweep.

General Advice

 * Put some distance between characters so that spit won't splash them all.
 * Place ranged characters and mages on the stone platforms to avoid the tentacles.
 * When the darkspawn come, do not leave the platforms, but instead focus on them one by one.
 * The second wave of darkspawn is especially dangerous, as it has Shrieks, who move and attack fast and can get to your casters quickly.
 * If the broodmother tries to crush one of your party members, a force shield seems to free your party member (and puts the broodmother temporarily out of the fight).
 * Having a Rogue capable of summoning a Great Bear or Poisonous Spider is helpful for this tactic as, like Shale and Dog, summoned animals are not targeted by the Crush attack.
 * Keep characters near the Broodmother topped up with health so if they are grabbed they are more likely to survive.
 * Patience, patience, patience. Keep your party clear and cast area spells like Blizzard. While the broodmother takes damage, kill tentacles and summoned darkspawn.  When the area spell clears, send your tanks in for some melee carnage.  Once their health starts getting low, pull them back and repeat the area attack while your tanks heal up.