Cerberus

Cerberus
Element(s)	Volt
Ailment(s)	Shock
Weaknesses	Stone
Breakable Part(s)	Head (Left) Head (Center) Head (Right)
Break Reward(s)	Spear Fragment (S) Spear Fragment (M) Spear Fragment (L)

Lore

Spoiler warning! This section may contain heavy spoilers due to content. - - - - Show/Hide Spoilers - - - -

There was a town frequently troubled by bandit raids.

Fortunately it had a formidable guardsman, who loved his place of birth.

With his two fierce hunting dogs besides him, the guardsman would stand at the town gates, repelling any would-be raiders. The trio became well known for their ferocity in battle.

His achievements led to the offer of more prestigious roles, but the guardsman rejected them all.

Nothing could bring him more happiness or pride than protecting his hometown.

Little did they know that his happiness was not to last...

The town was struck by a terrible disease that spread rapidly, proving fatal those infected.

Scared people left in droves, and the town emptied, its vitality sapped away.

The guardsman could not stand to watch his hometown wither away. He had devoted his life to protecting this town, and feared that he now had little reason to live.

Those attempting to leave, he deemed cowards, and as time went on, his feelings towards them hardened.

He would not see them leave. He could hardly guard a town with no people, after all. Unthinkable as it would once have seemed, he turned on his fellow townspeople, using fear and brute force to ensure they did not leave the town.

Even as the disease continued to spread, the guardsman stuck to his course of action. He was long lost to the depths of insanity.

One evening, bandits launched a raid on the town. The guardsman, however was ready for them.

His face twisted with ecstasy. This was what he lived for, after all...

As the bandits tried to flee, the guardsman was stuck by a spear. From a place where no bandit could have been...from behind him. From the town he had devoted his life to protecting...

The townspeople had resolved to stand up against the guardsman's tyranny, and struck him from behind.

As the guardsman, lay there, his consciousness dimming, a strange light lapped at his eyes.

A chalice floated before him, bathed in a cool white glow.

"Make an offering. Give me what is most precious to you, and your wish shall be granted..."

Mesmerized by a chalice's words, the guardsman ordered his dogs to kill everyone in town, friend and foe alike. He turned on the very people he had spent a lifetime protecting. Those he held dearest were now his offering.

A giant mound of corpses was amassed. Beside it, the guardsman stood weeping. The howls of a mad dog echoed, and then the area was shrouded in a black glow.

From the pools of blood that had gathered, a monster rose. A monster that defied description...

Legend has it that the town still exists somewhere in the world.

Appearance-wise, unchanged in years, and still the same as during the guardsman's heyday.

They say he can be found there still, standing guard the gate.

He may let you enter, but he certainly won't let you leave...

Attacks

Cerberus has two sets of attacks depending on if its standing on two legs or four:

Two-Legged Attacks

• Cerberus will glow, then swing its claws twice, firing two projectiles aimed at its current target. If the player is far enough they'll have enough time to move out of the way, otherwise a roll can be used to avoid damage; however if the player is too close to Cerberus they can get hit by the arms after rolling, so timing is needed.
• Cerberus will remove the spear from his chest and slam it into the ground, releasing four homing bolts that deals large amounts of damage. This attack can be interrupted by using a roar type spell while near him, or the homing bolt can be blocked with a shield spell.

Four-Legged Attacks

• Cerberus will sometimes swing its claw if a targeted player is close. The swipe has a wide arc and can hit other players around Cerberus. It has a short windup animation, so rolling as soon as possible will result in taking damage.
• Cerberus will paw at the ground before charging in a straight line toward a player. Sometimes it will jump up into the air at the end, and a shadow will follow a player before crashing back down. Can be blocked with a shield (The only charges that can be blocked are direct, the jumpings/crashing downs are not) .
• Cerberus glows and does a short, non-damaging charge, but will follow the player rather than run in a straight line. Once it reaches the player it will quickly move into its wide claw swing. Can use this attack in its two-legged stance. Can be blocked with a shield.
• Cerberus will start charging an attack, the type of effects used tells what kind of attack will be used:
  • If it is sucking up air, then it will unleash a roar, stunning close players.
  • If it is charging electricity it will unleash either an electric breath in a small arc in front of itself, or release an electric burst in a circular area around itself. Either move will shock those who get hit.
  • Regardless of the type, a knock back move like a roar or long slash finisher will interrupt the attack.

Cursed Parts

• Center Head
• Left Head
• Right Head
  • The left and right head allows it to do its charging four legged attacks. If one of the heads have been destroyed, the forward electric shock will only cover the side of the remaining head. If both heads are destroyed Cerberus will no longer use the attack.

Encounters

Mad Chronicle

• Fading Humanity Ch. 2 (Original form; no ally due to the plot development)
• Fading Humanity Ch. 4 (Original form; possible ally - Lorfram)

Avalon Pacts

• Trials - Ruinous Howl Rings Out
• V. Envy - The Devil Dog Howls (Doppelganger; possible ally - Tacedus)
• VI. Pride - Wasteland Hellhound (Doppelganger; possible ally - Bahkar)
• VIII. Remorse - 3-Headed Deserter (Doppelganger; possible ally - Elric)
• IX. Penitence - Dog Sniffs Seabottom (Doppelganger; possible ally - Gorgius)
• Forgotten Pacts - Hour of Chartreuse - Hellhound's Ruinous Howl (Doppelganger; possible ally - Nusen)

Quotes

Taking first major damage : "I was proud of this city."

"I wanted to guard, to protect it..."

"It made life worth living."

"Why did everyone leave?"

"Was it really that bad?"

"Heartless bastards! Heartless bloody bastards!

"It was only an illness..."

"Is that reason enough to leave?"

"I just don't understand..."

Notes

• Cerberus is the last Archfiend fought in the Soul Sacrifice Demo.
• While charging at the player on all fours, Cerberus can be blocked with a shield, which will stun him for a short time. The duration of this stun decreases as more damage is dealt to him.
• Most of his melee attacks can easily be avoided by dodging to his right side.
• When all three heads are broken, Cerberus can get caught in a pattern where he focuses on a single player standing to the side of him. So long as this player keeps circling around Cerberus and he doesn't flinch, he will continuously try to turn towards this player without attempting any attacks. An easy way to keep attacking him while keeping him caught in this pattern is by using the blood spells while walking around him.

Gallery

Gameplay Videos

Soul Sacrifice - Forgotten Pacts - Hour of Chartreuse - Hellhound's Ruinous Howl - VS Cerberus

Hellhound's Ruinous Howl - Cerberus no Injury Mission