This guide is meant to serve as a guide for beating AO bosses (even though you could check other sources for that.), using various methods, tips etc.That also includes some of mine that i use to speedrun bosses.
This is technically spoilers for newer players, but i assume that alot of newer players use the wiki for a guide, but anyways…let’s begin:
Shura
-Shura is probably the easiest of the bunch, here is how to beat him:
-As a magic user:
-Dodge the attacks via dashing, and while he’s teleporting, throw a blast or two at him, works like a charm.
If he’s low, you could also risk it and blast him while he’s currently in a attack’s endlag.
Even as a level 10, Shura is still pretty easy to beat in my opinion.
As a Fighting Style user:
-The same tactic, but you instead use Punch M1’s while he’s in endlag state.
As a weapon User:
-You can do it the american way, aka gun only, by using Musket’s Piercing shot or Gun Draw:Rapid Fire.
-If those options aren’t available, use Sword Draw:Flash Strike or Spiraling Fury.
Iris
-Iris’s only speciality is the fact that she destroys your arena at the span of 1 second, but that’s not really a issue, for me that is, let’s talk about the ways to defeating her:
-Optional (Recommended):Overlevel to level 30, This allows you to do more damage and tank more hits.
-As a magic user:
-You can headstart some damage by timing a fully charged spell when she is about to spawn.
-This method above also applies to Fighting Style Users’s Crash and a Weapon User’s Piercing shot, or any other ranged weapon art.
-As a magic user, a good way is to spam blast while dashing when a attack is about to hit you
-For Flare Explosion and Flare Fireworks, Parrying is recommended.
-Iris’s Singed effect is pathetic, don’t worry about it rising up.
As a Fighting Style User:
-Similarly to Shura, you could just rush in and spam M1’s.
-Or…you could perform crash or smash at the right times to not get hit.
-Just like Flare Explosion and Fireworks, parrying is recommended.
As a weapons user:
-The American way, by spamming gun draw:Rapid Fire or Piercing Shot
-If you don’t have those, Spiraling Fury, Dagger Throw, Sword Draw:Mirrored River, Sword Draw:Flash Strike or Flying Slash also work.
-Flare Explosion and Fireworks shouldn’t be a issue if you stay far away from Iris.
Lord Elius
Lord Elius…due to him being an asshole a very difficult boss that’s now telling you to get your fighting skills up, because it is going to be one hell of a time:
-Optional (Recommended):Overleveling, because he’s just that annoying, still possible at the intended level aka 60.
Let’s go Over his attacks and how to avoid them:
-Rain of Arrows:Probably one of the easiest of the bunch, noticeable by a characteristic weapon art sound.dashing once or twice should allow you to dodge it.
Rain of Arrows barely changes in phase 2.
-Spear Throw:This attack can be quite annoying to dodge…yes, it’s possible to timing your dash right, or if you can’t dodge them in time…you can also parry them.
In phase 2, his Thunder Beam is just BS, but if you can parry it if you have superhuman reflexes or something, the AOE of the Spear Throw barely changes the strategy i mentioned, the dash timing is just more strict.
-Thunder Rush:Basically dashes towards you and slashes you 5 times.This attack can be dodged by rapidly dashing, or by parrying the slashes.
During phase 2, Dashing is futile, so parrying is a must.
-ThunderStrike:Even though this attack hits like a truck, it’s one of the easiest to dodge.
In phase 2, the explosion jump is now a lightning bolt…which can be dashed through…but the timing is really strict, so i would recommend parrying.
-Most strategies mentioned in previous bosses will also work here, you just have to be more cautious.
General Argos
Compared to whatever Elius was…He is a pretty easy and fair boss, let’s mention strategies on how to beat him:
-Optional (Recommended):Overleveling, which will likely come from Lord Elius, or if you can’t be bothered to fight him at the intended level.
-This strategy applies to all builds, but basically…you can hide behind pillars to slowly recover health…only a specific few of his attacks can easily break through the pillars.Phase 3’s Devourer slashes can easily break through any destructible, be cautious during phase 3.
-During most of the fight, you would likely spam dodges.
-While he’s charging his aura…this is your opportunity to deal big damage, give it all you’ve got.
-For Magic Users:
-Spamming Dashes, and then shooting Beams or Blasts should do the trick, well…except multiple blasts, since he can easily parry those.
-For Fighting Style Users:
-Basically the same as mages, but you use either crash or shot, depending on the situation.
-For Weapon Users:
-The american way will really pay off in the end, because gun draw:Rapid Fire and Piercing Shot can melt through his health if most shots of Gun Draw:Rapid Fire hit.
Lady Carina
Does anybody seriously need a guide for her? well…anyways:
-Be aware of her flash step in both phases, as it’s parriable, but the timing’s really strict, and gives you an opportunity to hit one quick attack if parried.
-For Mage Users:
-It’s literally the same tactics as Argos, but when she hits phase 2…This fight basically becomes a DPS check, recommend turning on Aura for this one, which is common sense already.
-For Fighting Style Users:
-Same as Argos, but you use Focus at the start of the fight and preferrably phase 2, if you are willing to take a hit.
-For Weapon Users:
-You can go bananas with your weapon choices for this one, since her pretty low damage output allows you to be creative with this one.
King Calvus
-Another difficult obstacle of a boss, but pretty enjoyable when you learn how he works, let’s go over his attacks and tactics on how to beat him:
-Overleveling:This time…it is very much a must, after you get “Meeting The Prince” Quest, you have the time in the world to get level 100+.
Let’s go over his attacks now:
-Explosion:You could say that this is a fakeout version of Blast.Basically casts Pulsar-esque explosions around himself to deal damage, usually uses it when at close proximity to you.Dash away from him when that happens or parry the explosions.
Phase 2’s explosion dosen’t require any strategy changes.
-Combo:Calvus throws his triasta, and then shoots a small barrage of projectiles, and then ends it with double shockwaves.The entirety of the attack can be easily dodged via dashing.
Phase 2 Combo however…The beam that replaces triasta can be dodged, albeit it requires some practice, the final smash is undodgeable, so…parrying is a must.
-Beam:This attack dosen’t changes between phases, as far as i am aware.Calvus simply shoots a beam, can be dashed, but can also be parried.
-Blast:Calvus takes a while to charge a blast that causes a nuclear bomb-sized explosion, this is your opportunity to strike.This attack is dodgeable in phase 1, but i prefer parrying it.
In phase 2, however…Blast is undodgeable, and parrying it is a must.
-Pillar:The infamous Pillars and High Lord of Run Killing.
-Pillars can be interrupted by hitting him with any attack, however…some people the first time they fight him probably don’t know how this attack works, which causes them to become deatomized by 500! 500! 500! damage pillar, in that case…just parry or block the pillars, even if you take half of your health as damage, you can still salvage this run.
-In phase 2, the attack charges faster and casts a shockwave that flings anybody nearby, the momentum of the fling can be cancelled by casting any attack.
Side Bosses:
Cernyx, the Archon of Greenwish
-From what i’ve observed myself, Cernyx was likely shadownerfed, here’s what i noticed:
-All of his attacks are slower, which are easier to parry.
-Cernyx takes ages to cast Placed Explosion.
-The Wind-up of most attacks is longer.
Let me know if you have similar things happening like this.
Anyways, here is the Strategy:
Strategy for all builds:
-Spam Dashes while attacking, and use blasts as a magic user, Gun Draw:Rapid Fire and Piercing Shot as a Weapon User, and Shot as a Fighting Style user, or crash and M1’s as a hybrid fighting style user.
Commodore Kai
-Commodore Kai is a straight up wall-puncher and the guardian of Silverhold, which when doing Bronze Sea abol title, you could farm him to get the influence dangerously low, here is a guide on how to defeat him:
-By using ranged attacks, Such as Shot/Axe Slash, Blast (Or Pulsar/Javelin, if Unlocked), and Flying Slash, Piercing Shot or Gun Draw:Rapid Fire, you can slowly chip him down either solo or with a gang.
-Parrying his attacks is a must, they deal a truckload of damage, after all.
-Prison Cells section in Silverhold is a decent arena for the fight, or the port.
Architect Merlot
His aggressive amounts of poison blast spamming makes it a fight of attrition, because you slowly chip down his health, while he chips yours via clouds, and also your space to dodge, keep that in mind when fighting him Legit, not with some barrel chesse, i’ve beaten him legit myself once.
-As a Mage User:
-Use Pulsar, Javelin and Blasts in a varying order, while also spamming dodge to get away from his devastating attacks.
-As a fighting style user:
-Similar strategy to mages, but you instead use Selino, Axe Slash or Shot.
-For weapon Users:
-Use the American build if you feel like taking the slow, but pretty challenging way, slow and steady wins the race, after all.
-If you want to use other strategies, use a strategy that you are most comfortable to.
I suppose that’s it for the guide, hope you learned something today, or atleast got a reminder on how bosses work around here 
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