Ys X: Nordics may seem daunting at first because of the many mechanics involved. However, as you play, it becomes much easier to grasp. The game starts off quite linear for the first few hours, providing you with plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the controls and functions.
As you progress through the story, you’ll encounter various bosses, including the second major one you can defeat on Termina Island. This boss, known as Magna Diga, has its own unique mechanics that you’ll need to understand in order to stand a chance against it.
Your encounter with Magna Diga begins when you arrive on Termina Island after being pushed into the Tyrant by Oor. This location is a vast graveyard filled with the remnants of many ships that fell victim to treacherous water currents. As you explore the island’s caves and landscapes, you’ll eventually find yourself in a large sand pit.
Upon entering this pit, Magna Diga will emerge. This boss boasts a hefty 39,100 HP and 142 DEF—making it tougher than any foe you’ve encountered before, excluding earlier unbeatable bosses. Even if you’ve focused on leveling up, your damage output may feel underwhelming, leading to a prolonged battle.
Fortunately, Magna Diga does not have a durability gauge you must deplete to inflict damage on its HP.
Here are the attacks you can expect during the fight:
Attack Name | Description |
|---|---|
Speed Attack | This attack is initiated by the boss when it glows blue, usually right at the start of the fight. It’s advisable to dash at just the right moment to avoid this assault. Successfully dodging rewards you with a special animation that takes a portion of Magna Diga’s HP away. |
Burrow Attack | This attack occurs when Magna Diga burrows under the sand, sucking in the surrounding area. If it manages to pull you in, be prepared for a powerful ground slam that inflicts heavy damage. |
Ground Slam | While partly above ground, Magna Diga will launch into a ground slam, hitting the ground repeatedly with both its front and back. This attack is relatively easy to parry and will occur several times. |
Ground Spin | At times, Magna Diga will surface and execute a spin attack. Although this move is easy to dodge, it can cause significant damage if you get hit. |
Area Denial | Magna Diga can create area-denial effects by dropping wooden debris or generating brown patches on the ground. You’ll sustain damage if a wooden structure falls on you or if you step into a brown pool. |
Now that you’re familiar with Magna Diga’s attack patterns, let’s discuss strategies for taking it down. Essentially, there are two main approaches: the safe method and the risky method. In both cases, wait for the boss’s speed attack to chip away at its HP initially.
For the safe method, retreat while Magna Diga is burrowed until it reemerges, then unleash all your powers to defeat it. Be sure to switch between your two characters to utilize both their SP effectively, as Adol typically inflicts more damage.
Since the boss doesn’t feature a durability bar, it’s best to focus on using high-damage skills against it.
If you prefer a riskier approach, allow the boss to suck you in while it’s burrowed, timing your parry with its subsequent attacks. While this method can be challenging, it increases your damage multipliers for dual skills, allowing you to defeat the boss more quickly.
You can also time your parries during its spin attack and ground slam to maintain safety while still gaining those valuable multipliers. Once you successfully defeat Magna Diga, you’ll be rewarded with gold, experience points, and crystal shards.
