Battleborn Taken King Guide

Oryx Hard Mode (Killing Knights)

So you might be wondering why we have a second strategy for killing Oryx? Well let's examine some of the difficulties in the No Knights strategy:

• Ogres left alive blast at Guardians and the runner.
• Runner has to get up to the top platform.
• When platform holders try to get up top, Ogres might blast them.
• Coordination of killing the Ogres and entering the blights at the same time.
• Worrying about killing an Ogre early.
• Feeling like a wimp, cowering on the plate (doesn't impress your spouse).
• Ogre hurters unsatisfied with just taking the Ogres down halfway.
• Finding the Vessel and killing it after staggering Oryx.
• Offended by letting those @#$@ing knights live.
• No knights doesn't work on the challenge.

Ok, maybe that last reason is the only motivator you really connect to. However killing the knights is safer if you're skilled enough. Warning, don't try this under 310 unless the rest of your fireteam is pretty high, or you're the runner.

Also, if you weren't using Malices, you're using them now.

So let's break it down by role again

Ogre Killers

That's right! You get to be Ogre Killers again! You can just get by with a Blessing bubble. But hell with that, overlay it with a Weapons bubble as well and melt those bastards. For this reason I recommend having 2 Titans as your Ogre Killers. But a Titan and any other class will do as long as you have your Blessing bubble.

And Malices. You might think to use a Mida Multi Tool, or a Sniper Rifle, or a Machine Gun. But no, its time to grow up and blast those Ogres with the Malice. Make sure you dip into the Blessing bubble after every Ogre. Your goal is to melt the Ogres where they stand.

Once that's done, feel free to take a break in the bubble, or take some pot shots at the Vessel.

Platforms

No more cowering! Get your Machine Gun, or your Sniper Rifle out and blast those Ogres! But pay attention because most of the problems will come from you. Yes you.

You have a simple flowchart of actions.

1. If the platform across from you spawns their ogre before yours, put a sniper round into it's head.
2. When your ogre comes out, hit it with a grenade.
3. Continue shooting at your ogre until he is dead.
4. You can take a break for .5 seconds.
5. Get your sniper rifle out and find your knight, 2 shots will do it.
6. Say your knight # is down.
7. Wait for runner to say "Pineapple".
8. Run/jump like hell for the titan bubble.
9. If knight #3 is still up, kill it, and say so.
10. When Titans call ogre #4 is down, wait for knight #4 to appear, kill it, and say so.
11. Help kill the vessel.
12. Shoot Oryx in the tummy.

Ok, here's where things go wrong

• Issue #1: Step #4 goes longer than .5 seconds. Not sure why, they're looking at their dead ogre in satisfaction, or helping out with another ogre, but there seems to be a lot of times where the person just doesn't go to step #5.
• Issue #2: Insisting Step #5 can be done with an auto-rifle, or you can wait until your knight is in the middle to shoot him. Every second counts, if you don't like sniper rifles fine, use a scout rifle, but kill him quickly.
• Issue #3: Back left & back right platforms can't find their knights. Unlike the front, the adds spawn in a different place than the knights when you're on the back plates. You will want to be as far towards the entryway as possible to find the knight. Do a practice before kicking off Oryx with someone standing in the spawn point if you need to.
• Issue #4: Back left & back right platforms can't find their knights and say they are on the back of the platform. They're lying. Either they've encountered issue #1 and are covering their ass, or they've lost where they are on the platform due to the chaos (understandable), or in very very rare occasions, the knight doesn't immediately move forward and all they see is the sword. But in that case they will usually say that (usually accompanied by swearing), so we go back to the lying. Basically to solve this, if you screw up step #5, don't lie about it. Figure out what you did wrong, and do a practice run before the next try.
• Issue #5: Pineapple is called and platform #3 hasn't killed knight #3. This is common, and why people shake in fear of being #3. There are adds, they're putting up eyes, and there's this nice warm Title bubble just a hop away. If you're not being hammered by eyes, take a second, line up your shot and take it then go. If eyes are up, sprint for the bubble AND TELL YOUR TEAM KNIGHT #3 IS STILL UP. Then turn around once you get that wonderful blessing and kill your knight (hopefully with help).
• Issue #6: Platform #3 didn't kill knight #3 and didn't tell anyone. Find out their phone number, call and ask for their spouse. Explain to their spouse what they did, and wait for the sound of Platform #3 being slapped on the head.
• Issue #7: Having problems hitting your knight (especially after midnight, and you've had a few drinks). Hey we've all been there, you swear you're lining up the headshots but the knight disagrees, and he's now crossing the middle. There is an answer, and it's called a Heavy Machine Gun. Screw saving ammo, pull it out and blast him. You'll feel better.
• Issue #8: People not saying their knight is down. Fix this fast, you will not succeed as long as this problem persists. Start with assigning numbers to people, then having people count off by their number, and kicking anyone who can't do that. If you do not communicate this little fact, then knights will get through, or you will lose precious seconds trying to figure out where you need to help once you meet back at the Titan bubble. Basically everyone has just run through hell to get back to safety, and they don't want to think too hard about where they should be pointing next.
• Issue #9: People not doing step 10. This is the #1 reason the run will fall apart. Platform people have to understand they have more than one responsibility, and knight #4 is part of that. When you see where Oryx is slamming, quickly make a mental note where knight #4 is coming from so you're ready once you hit that bubble. With 3 runners he should go down fast, so don't be a hero, if you're getting hit by an eye, drop back into the blessing bubble for a second.

See? The Titans are feeling kinda smug right now, but then they've always had that bubble just a foot away to keep them alive. But your job can be a lot easier if you follow the workflow above, and remember these tips.

• Tip #1: Don't Panic!!! You have more time than you think, line up your shots, make them count.
• Tip #2: Talk! When you get into a rhythm, the call outs will actually be sorta soothing, letting you know everything is going ok.
• Tip #3: Listen! I know you're sweating lining up the perfect headshot, but listen for the other knights so you know what you might have to help out on.
• Tip #4: Think ahead. When you get to your platform, note where you have to be to kill your knight (especially if you're on the back platforms), when you're running towards the bubble get ready to come out and shoot at knight #4 (or knight #3 if necessary).

Runner

So that's a lot of reading, and relic runner is saying "What about me?".

1. Don't fall.
2. Call out Pineapple when you reach the relic.
3. Don't die when you hit the ground.
4. The Vessel is your responsibility, use your Malice and just walk right with him as he goes up the runway.
5. Get in position in front of Oryx, and let your team know so they can join you for some Oryx tummy time.

There, happy?

Finish him!

The rest of the raid runs as normal. Don't kid yourself, this is going to take a bunch of tries until you get into the rhythm of things. So be patient, there is a lot of things that can go wrong here and it will take a bit to work out the kinks. And work them out you must, because the last step lies before you. Challenge Mode!