Bosses

Once the hero is at least level 10, he or she can enter a blue portal in a portal room to challenge a final boss. The choice of the boss is randomly determined between one of two creatures, Kourok or Ghidraak, each time the portal is activated. If a player defeats the final boss, they escape the dungeon alive, and win the game. Otherwise, they will be sent back to the portal room, severely injured but still alive. The hero (or another player who kills them and becomes the hero) must exit the dungeon level in order to re-attempt the boss battle.

There are only three attempts allowed per game between all the players. On the third attempt, the final seal is broken which destroys the confinement ritual, essentially removing the safeguard keeping the boss creature from escaping the dungeon itself!

The third attempt is called "The Final Struggle" and (if unsuccessful) will cause the player to be devoured by the boss as it is unleashed upon the earth. That player's save record is deleted ("lost forever / consumed," as described in-game), and they are removed from scoring contention.

Whether or not the boss is defeated, the 3 remaining ghosts "lose favorably" and are ranked in order of XP earned.

As of the current build, there are only two bosses. A third boss is in development and will take the form of an animated golden statue partially buried in the ground.

Kourok

Kourok is a boss monster that is controlled by three ghosts. If you do not have four players in your game, extra ghosts will spawn in during the battle to help during the fight.

Kourok is a large green monster with tentacles for arms, four eyes and a mouth with rotten teeth. Its brain is covered by a translucent glass casing and is always visible during the fight.

• Anteroom: To get through the door to the boss, the hero must attack an explosive grub so that it hits the door and explodes, blowing open the door. There are several small red bubbles that will float in place until the hero touches them, upon being touched they will give the hero health. There is nothing for the ghosts to do here except collect ectoplasm.

• Cutscene: When you enter the boss fight room the view moves to a pool of water at the top of the room. Kourok bubbles up out of the water, screeches, and then the fight begins.

Playing as Kourok

Each body part has a unique ability:

• Left Tentacle: Shoots a bubble that traps the hero on contact, leaving him only able to float around very slowly. The hero won't be able to attack or use abilities while trapped in the bubble, which lasts for a few seconds.

• Head: Fires a laser beam out of the biggest eye. While Kourok uses this attack, his mouth is opened, leaving him much more vulnerable to the explosive grubs (see below). However, if one does not use this attack for a long enough period of time, Kourok will open his mouth automatically.

• Right Tentacle: Shoots toxic pink goo that covers part of the ground. It damages the hero on contact.

• If you have saved up ectoplasm, slime blobs can be deployed here before or during the boss fight, possibly dealing residual damage to the hero over time.

Fighting Kourok

• Kourok can be hurt by any ranged attacks or abilities that strike its face, such as a bow or a follower cyclone (Fetid Discharge cannot extend across the water, however). These attacks do little damage on their own, but can be used to hurt Kourok at any time.

• Throughout the fight, explosive grubs will plummet to the ground (preceded by a whistling sound). They explode shortly after being touched, launched by a weapon attack, or on their own after a few seconds. Driving grubs into Kourok's face is the primary way to damage it...

• ...and if timed correctly, an explosive grub can be launched into Kourok's open mouth. Kourok will collapse, leaving its brain exposed for a few seconds. Attacking Kourok's brain will deal massive damage. During this time Kourok won't be able to use any of its attacks, regardless of what the ghosts do, until it recovers.

Once you have defeated Kourok, it will bloat up and them explode into a huge pillar of blood while tiny chunks rain down onto the ground (shown in the gif above). Defeating it is followed by the message: "Salvation." However, if you lose during "The Final Struggle," a different message will follow: "Humanity Stolen," along with: "Kourok is unleashed."

Ghidraak

Ghidraak is a three-headed hydra boss monster, fought in an arena with broken columns lying around. A friendly monk will regularly teleport in and spawn a small amount of healing orbs for the hero. Ghidraak's three heads can be possessed, each one using different attacks.

• Anteroom: A friendly monk teleports in, throws out a massive amount of red healing orbs, and then teleports away. The door to the boss opens as soon as he leaves. There is nothing for the ghosts to do here besides collect ectoplasm.

• Cutscene: The scene opens with Ghidraak sleeping in the arena as the helpful monk from the anteroom teleports in. He attempts to strike the hydra with his sword only to have it comically bounce off, which rouses the beast awake and into a barking rage. The monk teleports away as the hero enters to do battle with a freshly pissed-off Ghidraak.

Whenever the body is reduced to 50%, 25%, or 0% of its full health, Ghidraak will lose a head. This head now becomes its own monster entity that is free to bounce around and attack the hero. Ghidraak is not defeated until all three heads have been severed from the body and killed individually.

Playing as Ghidraak

• The three players controlling the heads must co-operate to make Ghidraak's body move. The direction he moves is the sum of the direction vectors coming from each head-controller. Two moving in opposite directions will cancel each other out, but the third can tip the balance - or move in a different direction entirely.

• The left head has a fire breath weapon. The direction it faces can be changed in the middle of the attack, though it is limited to a certain angle.

• The middle head spits an ice bubble that rebounds off of walls and freezes the hero if it hits.

• The right head spits out acid globs that create damaging puddles of sludge.

• When the monk teleports in, attack him directly. This will cause him to flee immediately before he can create healing orbs for the hero.

• When your head is detached, chase the hero. You will have the speed to catch up to him and corral him in tight places.

• The area in the upper left and right corners are bounded by the arena wall and broken columns. Using a combination of ice and acid (and physically blocking the exit from this area with Ghidraak's body) can trap the hero in these places long enough for the fire-breathing head to do serious harm.

Fighting Ghidraak

• Hurting him isn't hard. He's large and slow and vulnerable to area effects and easy to hit with ranged attacks and AoEs. The difficulty is that the heads synergize very well.

• Despite what your instinct may be, it's easier (if more time consuming) to kill the detached heads one at a time. If all three are loose, two can hunt you and the third can keep the monk from spawning health for you.

• Use the ruined columns as cover from all three attack types. Some of your own attacks--like javelin strikes and the Floating Beam item--will bypass the pillars letting you damage Ghidraak from behind cover.

• You want a fast-striking weapon to hit and run if you try melee, or an outright ranged weapon--such as a bow or magic staff--if you're going to use a ranged strategy. Never stay close to Ghidraak; if all three heads focus on you, your health bar will disappear swiftly.

Similar to Kourok, once you have defeated Ghidraak, it's body will stay on the ground, bleeding out. Defeating it is followed by the message: "Salvation.: However, if you lose during "The Final Struggle," a different message will follow: "Humanity Stolen," along with: "Ghidraak is unleashed."