Lost Ark Kakul Saydon Gate 1 Guide | RPGStash

This guide is one of the 3-part Kakul Saydon Gate Guides. For Gate 1 check this link, for Gate 2 check this link, and for Gate 3 Check this link.

Lost Ark Kakul Saydon Legion Raid Gate 1 Guide

Kakul Saydon Legion Raid in Lost Ark is the 3rd end-game content and the latest raid that was released in the western version of the game. Aside from this raid, AGS also released the Machinist class (aka Scouter in Korea), New Progression Event, and UI improvement of the game. Like Vykas, this raid consists of three gates that drop relic-grade accessories, ability stones, engravings, and materials to upgrade your relic-grade sets.

Requirement:

The Required item level for Kakul Saydon Raid is at least iLVL 1475 (Normal) and 1385 (Rehearsal Mode). Unlike the two first Legion Raids in Lost Ark, Kakul Saydon has only normal and rehearsal modes to practice difficult mechanics and form a strategy to beat this mad clown.

Equipment

You will want to focus on having the maximum attack power output as well as maximum survivability in the party. To achieve this, you will need to have at least 5 level 3 engravings, level 7-8 gems, and level 3-4 tripods.

Party Composition

• Ranged DPS
• Ranged DPS
• Melee DPS
• Support

Any party composition will do as long as they synergize with each other, but in this raid, it's an advantage to have ranged DPS so that you can have an easier time beating this raid.

Recommended Combat Items

Combat items are essential and can be helpful when you're caught in a tight situation. Below are the items that I highly recommend using in this raid.

• HP Potion: This is mandatory, and I recommend you bring Blue Potion for progression and Purple Potion if you're going for a kill.
• Whirlwind Bomb: There will be a stagger mech in some parts of the raid, and you need to succeed to avoid getting wiped out.
• Panacea: This item removes debuffs from your character and is recommended since Kakul's fire can deal with punishing DoT (Damage over Time).

Sidereal Skills

All Legion Raids require you to optimize your sidereal skills to help you get through a given boss pattern. As for this raid, you will only need one particular sidereal skill: Nineveh. Remember that only the raid leader can activate these skills, and timing is the key. 

Nineveh (CTRL+Z)

Nineveh is similar to Thirain's sidereal, which deals at least 10-15 HP bars to the boss.

Wei (CTRL+X)

Wei can be used for stagger checks, but I highly don't recommend it unless you're in Gate 3.

Azena/Innana (CTRL+C)

This serves as a defensive skill that is quite similar to Balthorr. This will heal you over time and decrease your Madness Meter, which will be discussed later in this guide.

Position

This raid is not as positon-heavy as the previous Legion Raids yet requires good mechanical skills and a wide understanding of the mechanics. The position you need to remember in Gate 1 is 1,4,7 and 11 o'clock. You can do it with the classic position equation: (Party number) x 3 +1 = position.

Mechanics Overview

• x130 HP - Reverse Stagger
• x110 HP - Find the Real Saydon
• x85 HP - Simon Says
• x65 HP - Reverse Stagger
• x45 HP - Roulette
• x25 HP - Find the Real Saydon

Main Mechanics

Madness Bar

The Madness bar is shown under each player's character. It fills up when hit by Kakul Saydon's Attacks. Depending on which percentage of your bar, certain things will likely happen.

0%=Nothing

50%=Upon hitting 50%, a cross laser will shoot out from you. If this thing hits your party member, it will fill up their meter. Always remember if the cross laser spawns on your character, make sure to go far away from your teammates.

100%= You will turn into a clown. The boss gains an armor buff, reducing damage taken by 3% per stack. You will also gain access to 3 skills that you will need to optimize to help your party member.

Puppet Skills

Q Skill: You will throw a bomb that removes the armor buff to the boss

W Skill: Reduces the Madness Bar for party members within the area around the user. However, the party member that is not within the area will have their Madness Bar slightly increased. 

E Skill: Leaves a gift box on the ground, and whoever takes it will have their Madness Bar reduced.

Reverse Stagger (x130 HP and x65 HP)

Kakul Saydon will summon a pentagram in the arena and will spawn a purple shield that blocks incoming attacks. In this mechanic, you must use your high stagger skills while avoiding attacking the purple shield in a certain direction. In turn, you can use a whirlwind grenade to deplete the bar faster. Failing this mechanic will lead to a squad wipe.

Find the Real Saydon (x110 HP and x25 HP)

Remember the positioning earlier? Clowns will appear at the 1,4,7, and 11 o'clock. Your squad's goal is to find the real one to prevent from dying. To do this correctly, you need to:

1. Ping your corner if you see a heart.
2. If you only see one ping, look toward the direction of the ping.
3. If you see three pings, look towards the direction of no ping.
4. After completing this mechanic, the boss will TP back to the middle.

Simon Says (x85 HP)

The curtain will close and re-open with everyone transformed into a clown, but this time four different skills appear randomly to each player. Everyone should move to the spot that matches their card. Play a simple game of Simon says by looking closely at the boss and imitating his actions. However, if he turns his back on you, you must do any animation except the one he is doing. This happens at least four times, and failing one will deal a chunk of your HP.

Roulette (x45 HP)

As with Simon Says mechanic, this will start with the curtain closing and re-open, revealing a giant roulette in the center of the arena. Look at the card on top of your character, and you must match it with the correct roulette slice three times. With each roll, your card sign will change. After the 3rd one, run out of the roulette since the wheel will explode, dealing fatal damage and will increase your madness gauge.

Dice

This is a notable mechanic since this happens randomly and is not tied to any HP mechanic. One or three players will be imprisoned, and Saydon will start firing cards at a player. If a player takes the wrong card, it will deal damage and fill his madness gauge. Failing 3x on this mechanic will result in a squad wipe. Here's how to do it easily:

1. All players must stand a decent distance away from the boss in a horizontal line. I highly suggest that you position yourself at 6 o'clock horizontally.
2. Players with black cards stand on the left, while players with red cards stand on the right.
3. The player that is free to move must lead each card into the player that matches the suit/symbol of the card.
4. The 1st card will always match the targeted player, and the 2nd card will be the other symbol of the same color.
5. The 3rd card will be the opposite color and has a random symbol.
6. The 4th card will be the same color as the 3rd card.

Minor Mechanics

These mechanics won't deal significant damage to you and your party member. However, knowing these moves will help you set a DPS window:

Mini-Roulette: The boss will pimp his can in the air, and a four-suit/symbol board appears. Stand in the correct space that matches your suit/symbol. Avoid dashing into the boss since you'll get your body blocked and fail this minor mechanic.

Tower: Fire breathing tower comes out of the portal and will deal with DoT and fill your mayhem gauge. Kill it quickly.

Ether: Dice will drop, and either of the two will happen: Ether buff drops for whatever suit/symbol ends up showing on the dice, or the dice explores. The ether reduces the mayhem gauge.

Card Soldiers: The boss will spawn card soldiers, and you need to kill them quickly before they buff the boss. I suggest that you and your party member save your awakening skills for this mechanic.

Conclusion:

Kakul Saydon Raid is one of the most frustrating raids that I've been to with my static party and is rumored to be the Lost Ark player count killer. Most of my friends quit this game when they tried to clear it in week one. In this raid, patience is the key, and you will need a clear head to analyze the patterns. If you liked this guide, stay tuned for Kakul Saydon Gate 2 Guide.

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