Operation guide: Arena 8

Operation

Contracts

Guide

#5 (Spectrum)	Permanent Site
#6 (Wild Scales)	Rotating Site (Day 6 and 11)
#7 (Pine Soot)	Rotating Site (Day 7 and 12)
#8 (Dawnseeker)	Rotating Site (Day 6 and 13)

Those who had played Maria Nearl operations will be familiar with Arena 8, as it features Kazimierzian knights which ups the ante further from the previous C.C. seasons. The area is also relatively open, and includes a Defense Rune and a Medical Rune that can be used to the player's advantage.

Most of the enemy ranks, namely the Nameless Independent Knights and Independent Knight Shielders, are not much of a problem, but the following knights will prove to be a major hurdle:

• The Corrupted and Withered Knight: These twin executioners of the Kazimierz General Chamber of Commerce are not to be trifled with, as while both of them do not have as much HP as they were in MN, they are still formidable due to the former's high DEF and earth-shattering warhammer, and the latter's high RES and multi-targeting Arts greatbow, as well as their special attacks which can inflict heavy damage to friendlies in tight groups due to the AoE capability. The player also have to be careful in taking the twin Sarkaz knights down, as should either of them falls, the other will become enraged and have their offensive capability and speed increased, allowing them to single-handedly bring down anyone in their way! Luckily, the twin knights do not spawn together, but one at a time, so the player can burst one down before the other spawns, in which case he will not become enraged. The Sarkaz Knight Contracts will make the twin knights even more formidable than before by buffing their HP and ATK, and giving each of them additional capabilities:
  • The Joint Training Contracts (from Level 2) will jack up the twin knights' ASPD buff when they are enraged, in addition to buffing the Corrupted Knight's DEF and the Withered Knight's RES as well as making both of them spawn at the same time, thus the player must exercise extreme caution before taking down the twins!
  • The Personal Training Contracts will make the twin knights' special attacks do more damage in addition to buffing the Corrupted Knight's RES, mitigating his weakness to Arts damage, and making him invisible, forcing the player to block him (or use means of detection) before the Corrupted Knight can be attacked.
• Bladehelm Knightclub Trainees: These competitive knights wield an Arts-infused glaive that allows them to strike targets from a short distance away and will bring themselves back up upon being defeated for the first time, effectively making them having to be defeated twice, in addition to periodically halving the ATK of the friendly with the highest ATK which could render DPS dealers impotent. The Objective: Bladehelm Training Contracts make Bladehelm Trainees more powerful by buffing their HP and ATK, and shortens their ATK debuff's cooldown; at Level 3, a third Trainee will join the party, and what is worse is this one spawns together with the Withered Knight.
• Roar Knightclub Trainees: These competitive knights are nothing special at first glance aside of using a crossbow to attack in range, but what makes them a nuisance is that their DEF and RES are increased to extremely high levels for a short time after spawning, to the point that most attacks only scratch them and giving them several free shots which could be dangerous with Originium Zone: Stimulus and/or Originium Zone: Dissolution Contracts. Fortunately, once the defensive buff expires, Roar Trainees are no longer threatening and can be easily taken care of. Alternatively, one could just use sources of Pure damage, which bypasses their nigh-impenetrable defense.
• Training Gloompincers: Basically a lesser version of Metal Crabs, Pincerbeasts are not as troublesome unless with the Objective: Rearing Technique Contract, which makes them even more resilient, almost to the same degree as Metal Crabs; this can make them difficult to defeat if combined with the Originium Zone: Activation Contracts.