I still remember the first time I dropped into the arena with Everdark Augur. I’d fought the regular Maris before—floaty fish, annoying but manageable—so I figured this would be a slightly spicier version. I was wrong. Dead wrong. The moment that oversized glowing carp rose into the sky after I drained its first health bar, I knew I was in for a proper beating. This isn’t just a rematch; it’s a full-blown endurance test that demands a specific gimmick, a cool head, and a lot of running. 😅

The Storm Ruler is non-negotiable

After you defeat the initial Maris—which is basically a warm-up—it drops a boss reward selection containing a legendary version of your character’s weapon with the Storm Ruler skill. This is your only way to damage the true Everdark Augur. I’m serious: nothing else works. You need to use Storm Ruler’s charged attacks, or at least its light attacks while in stance, to chip away at that massive health pool. Holding the skill button puts you in a charging stance, and you wait until the swirling wind gathers around the blade. The good news? Charging also regenerates FP, so you can keep using it without worrying about blue juice. The bad news? Hitting a flying fish with a charged swing is about as easy as it sounds. Wait until it dips closer to the ground, or spam light attacks when it’s high up. Every player gets their own Storm Ruler, so everyone needs to pitch in—even if coordinating with random teammates is like herding cats. 🐟

Attacks that ruined my day (and how to survive them)

Everdark Maris doesn’t just hit harder; it has a whole new bag of tricks. Here’s what I learned to watch out for:

Attack	What it does	How I dealt with it
Swirling charge 🌀	A spinning dash that’s much bigger and more damaging than the original.	Dodge sideways early—its size makes late dodges a death sentence.
Sky lasers ⚡	Fires a ground laser with a delayed explosion, similar to Fulghor’s charges.	Sprint out of the blast zone or time a dodge for the explosion.
Flying projectiles 💥	Barrage of bombs from high altitude that explode on impact.	Focus purely on sprinting and dodging; chip damage adds up fast.
Deadly nap time 😴	Maris falls on its back and tries to put the whole team to sleep.	Use Storm Ruler light attacks to break it out—don’t rely on lightning or ults anymore.
Tidal wave 🌊	Summons an expanding blue wall that damages over time.	Keep your distance; it moves slowly in one direction.
Laser orbs 🔮	Floating orbs above its head that fire lasers during attacks.	Destroy them with a light Storm Ruler attack to stun Maris.

The laser orbs are your golden opportunity. Once you deal about 50% damage to Maris, it creates those orbs, and popping them with a quick Storm Ruler light attack stuns the boss for a few seconds. That’s your window to go ham with charged attacks. I cannot stress enough how much easier the fight becomes when you consistently destroy those orbs. 💪

Team composition and build tips

Since Storm Ruler handles all your damage, you don’t need to spec into lightning anymore (except maybe to speed up the first phase). Instead, focus on survivability. I brought Raider because he’s an absolute tank, and I never regretted it. Duchess is also fantastic if her restage works on Storm Ruler attacks, and Revenant can draw aggro while keeping everyone alive. Guardian is another solid pick for soaking hits. If you’re a spellcaster main, you’ll appreciate the bigger FP bar for more consecutive Storm Ruler swings.

Here’s a neat trick I discovered: since charging Storm Ruler refills FP, you can use it to fuel healing. Equip a Sacred Seal with group healing, charge Storm Ruler to get your blue bar back, then swap to the seal and heal your team. It’s a bit fiddly, but in a battle of attrition, every bit of sustain helps. For your build, stack health, resistances, and damage negation—Maris deals both magic and standard damage, so covering both will keep you alive during those long running phases.

Rewards and final thoughts

After what felt like an eternity of dodging, charging, and cursing at my screen, Maris finally fell. I walked away with a pile of Sovereign Sigils—at least twenty—and access to the new Dark Night of the Fathom relic. Its affixes are juicy: increased maximum HP, continuous HP recovery, and slow HP restoration for you and nearby allies when your health is low. Perfect for future runs.

Everdark Augur is a battle of attrition, but once you internalize the Storm Ruler rhythm and learn to dodge its nastier attacks, it becomes a satisfying dance. Just remember: stay patient, destroy those orbs, and never stop charging. You’ve got this, Tarnished. 🗡️