It seems unfair that something as delicious as candy corn should be so lethal in this form, but what can you do. The Grand High Viscount of Candy Corn (often called “vis”) is one of the five champion bosses in the GW2 Halloween Labyrinth.
In previous years, most squads opted to skip the Viscount because it wasn’t worth the time. However, starting in 2020, defeating the Viscount grants you a +25% Magic Find buff for 20 minutes. The Viscount also counts towards the annual Masters of the Labyrinth challenge.
The Viscount is a difficult boss to defeat. Many squads struggle to win this fight, and it causes a lot of frustration among players. Here are our tips to optimize your experience.
Waypoint If Dead!
The #1 tip for fighting Viscount is to waypoint if you die. It’s right there! Waypoint, hop down to the fight, and continue.
Waypointing prevents the fight from scaling up unnecessarily. It also keeps at least 2 players in combat: you, and the player(s) who would otherwise res you. DPS is key, and your group needs all of its players engaged in the fight.
If you don’t waypoint, you’re just making the fight take that much longer.
Stand (Briefly) in the Goop
The Viscount has a multi-phased attack cycle. In the most lethal attack, the Viscount throws candy corn at each player. These knockbacks are devastating.
Right before the Viscount goes into knockback phase, puddles of pink-orange goop appear on the ground. Standing in the goop gives you a buff that protects you from Viscount’s knockback attack.
HOWEVER, standing in the goop for too long will knock you down and immobilize you. It’s a delicate balance!
Each second you stand in the goop, you get 1 stack of the Candy Coated effect. Each stack of Candy Coated protects you from 1 candy corn projectile. At 10 stacks, you get knocked down and immobilized.
Stand in the goop briefly – between 5 and 8 seconds – to pick up a few stacks of the buff, then move away.
What About Steve?
The Labyrinthine Horror (a.k.a. “Steve”) has a talent for showing up right in the middle of your fight with Viscount.
Steve has a smaller health pool, so the best tactic is to have your group break away from Viscount and attack Steve. After you defeat Steve, return to Viscount to finish the fight.
It’s Not Your Imagination
Do these bosses seem harder this year than in the past? It’s not your imagination! For 2020, the Guild Wars 2 team adjusted all of the Labyrinth bosses. They now have smaller health pools, but cause more damage.
Photo by Sarah Gualtieri on Unsplash
