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If you choose to take on the mission to eliminate ‘Cinder’ Carla in Chapter Five ofArmored Core 6, you’ll unlock the final mission called Bring Down the Xylem. Completing this mission will lead you toward achieving the Liberator of Rubicon Ending, which is considered the good ending of the game
RELATED:Armored Core 6: How To Get The Coral Weapons
In this final mission, you’ll come face to face with Handler Walter himself. If you still want to achieve that ending, defeating Walter is inevitable. Walter isn’t your typical boss fight, but he’s still a formidable AC boss. So, make sure your loadout is well-suited for the challenge.
AC Loadout
Your loadout needs to be suitable for destroying ACssuch as V.I. Freud.
Start witha lightweight AC,because Walter is always on the move, and youneed to match his agility. Also, since you’ll be equipping heavy weapons, your loadout shouldstay under the weight limit.
For this encounter, we recommend the following loadout:
Although a light AC has a lower AP, it’s not a big issue because your focus should be on evading and dodging as many attacks as possible.
Firstly, equiptwo SB-027 ZIMMERMAN Shotgunsin both your right and left arm units. These shotguns arehighly effective at delivering significant stagger points to ACs, especially when fired at close range.
Next up, thePB-033M ASHMEAD Pile Bunker is a must,which can be slotted onto your shoulder. This weapon dealsimmense damage to staggered ACs with a fully charged attack.
The only drawback is itslimited range. Given it’s a melee weapon, you’ll need to get up close to your target. However, the power it packs makes it worth the risk.
To equip the Pile Bunker on your shoulder, ensure you’ve unlocked theWeapon Bay OS upgradein theOS Tuning menu.
For your remaining shoulder slot, you can choose between theSONGBIRDS Grenade Cannonor theVE-60SNA Stun Needle Launcher. If you don’t fancy any of those then you should go with the one you’re most comfortable using, as this isn’t an essential part of your kit.
Additionally, consider adding theAssault Armor Core Expansion. It can be a lifesaver when things get intense, as itemits a large energy shield that damages all nearby targets. Think of it as your Plan B for tough situations.
Handler Walter Attacks
Walter Loadout
Handler Walter employs the power of Coral which enhances his combat capabilities with the following weaponry:IB-C03W1: WLT 011 Coral Rifle,IB-C03W3: NGI 006 Coral Missile Launcher, andIB-C03W2: WLT 101 Coral Oscillator.
Furthermore, he is equipped withIB-C03W4: NGI 028 Coral Shield, which allows him to absorb a substantial amount of damage when activated fora limited period of time.
In this encounter, Walter usesfour primary attacks:
Homing Coral Laser Shots
In this attack, Walter firesa few beams of coral red lasers that slightly track you. This one you can easily evade if youmaintain constant movement and dashing; which you should be doing anyway.
Coral Laser Beam
Walter frequently employs this attack throughout the battle,unleashing a slow coral beam from right to left. There are two ways to evade this one: eitherquickly maneuver behind him, gaining an advantage for counterattacks, orfly vertically.
Coral Explosion
When you are in proximity to Walter,he charges and releases a sphere of coral energy. As soon as you notice the energy gathering,quickly boost away from him.
Solar Beam Attack
This is his most powerful attack, resembling the Coral Laser Beam butlarger, more powerful, and less slow. The most efficient method to evade this attack is toquickly ascend vertically.
It’s worth noting that Walter has the ability toheal himself a couple of timesduring this encounter, so don’t be surprised when that happens.
Handler Walter Boss Strategy
The battle arena where you’ll face Walter iscompletely open, offering no cover whatsoever.
That means your primary strategy willrevolve around dodging and boosting awayfrom his attacks to stay safe, while alsolooking for opportunities and opening to land attacks.
Walter is incredibly agile, and your key to success lies inmaintaining a mid to close range to him.
If he initiates the battle with the laser attack,consider it an opportunity. This move usuallyleaves him vulnerable for a few seconds, allowing you tofly and position yourself behind him.
Take advantage of this opening andunleash your Zimmerman shotguns to significantly build up his stagger meter.
While in close proximity,be cautious of his potential use of Coral Explosionto create distance between you two.
Once his stagger meter is nearly full,use your chosen missiles to completely fill it up.
During this phase, Walter may resort to shooting his homing beams or once again deploy his laser attack,which he will be using way too many times during this encounter.
When you successfully stagger him,quickly rush in and switch to a fully charged Pile Bunker attack. A well-executed strike like this canreduce almost half of his health in a second.
It’s worth noting that the time Walter remains staggeredseems slightly shorter than that of ACs. Therefore, it’s crucial tofully build up the stagger meter when you are in close proximity to him, ensuring you can deliver that deadly blow.
Despite your significant damage output, Waltermight attempt to heal himselfat this point in the battle.
Walter will use his coral shield toreduce the damage he takesbut don’t let this concern you too much. Our main focus remains on fully building that stagger meter.
If Walter unleashes his deadly Solar Beam Attack,the best course of action is to dodge it by flying vertically. While it briefly immobilizes him, it’s difficult to capitalize on this opportunity effectively and get behind him, or land any attack.
Keep in mind thatWalter is constantly on the move, andyou should maintain relative proximity to him since your main attacks focus on close ranged.
His coral beams are relatively easy to dodge, and the prime moment to watch for is his laser beam attack.This is your ideal chance to stagger him from behind.
Besides, you don’t want to overlook your missiles, as you canuse them whenever they are charged. They can disrupt some of Walter’s basic attacks andcontribute to building the stagger meter. You can then get in close andfully fill it using the Zimmerman shotguns.
Don’t forget about your Assault Armor Core Expansion. It can provide you withsome distance from Walter and an opportunity to heal, especially if he’s pressing you hard during the battle.
Landing the Pile Bunker attackmay take a few attempts due to his constant movement and the limited range of it. However, if you manage to stagger him while he’s executing his laser beam attack, it becomes much easier to perform this devastating move.
Successfully defeating Handler Walter will not only grant you victory but also unlockthe Liberator of Rubicon Ending. This means that you’ll getthe Liberator of Rubicon Achievement/Trophy.
