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Rats are among the most frustrating foes you’ll encounter in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist. These little critters can turn even a simple bridge crossing into a nightmare with their speed and persistence, especially if you’re facing them for the first time.
While they can certainly slow you down, don’t forget you can fight back against these nuisances. It may take a bit more effort, but with enough determination, you can put them in their place. At most, you might just lose a few lives in the process.
Understanding Rats in Ender Magnolia
As soon as you step into the Subterranean Waterway area, you’ll start encountering rats. You’ll find this zone after defeating Garm in the Magicite Mines and acquiring the Iron Stake ability. Use this ability to clear the blockage in the lower section of the Old Market to access the hidden sewer entrance.
Once you’re in the waterway and you cross the initial shallow areas, be prepared for some pesky little rats lurking in the hallways. They may seem small and like any other regular enemy at first, but they can quickly become a major annoyance.
Rats move quickly and love to attack in groups. To make things worse, they spawn from a machine that you need to destroy to stop their onslaught. However, reaching this machine isn’t easy with the rats swarming around you, and you might find yourself dying repeatedly in the process.
How to Handle the Rats
These rats are scattered throughout the Waterway zone, so you need to know how to effectively deal with them. Besides dodging their attacks, there are several strategies you can employ.
Your primary objective should be to destroy the spawning machines first, but you need to find a way around the rats before you can achieve that. Here are some helpful tips to eliminate this rodent problem.
Be Wary of the Rats
When you spot the machines, your instinct may be to rush in and destroy them. However, first assess the number of rats you’re dealing with. Sometimes, there will be too many to fight all at once, so it’s better to take your time and tackle them individually.
Though it may feel slow, avoiding unnecessary deaths is worth it. When the opportunity presents itself, a well-timed combo might allow you to break the machine, depending on your upgrades and level.
Understand the Rats’ Attack Patterns
Although pesky, rats have a single attack pattern: they leap at you. This can be swift, making it challenging to dodge when multiple rats are on the screen simultaneously.
Thus, keeping your distance is your best strategy. This allows you to observe their movements and discover when to evade. Aim to take on no more than two rats at a time and escape if you spot more. Otherwise, you’re just opening yourself up to greater risk.
Boost Your Defenses
Ensure you’re consistently upgrading your gear whenever possible. Discover new items in the Old Market shop by locating Grimoires throughout the game. The Bone Bangle and Thrist Bangle are particularly valuable.
Additionally, you should collect more Charmed Fragments to boost your health. Around Level 15, rats can take you down in two or three hits, so every extra health point is critical.
Utilize Lito Frequently
Lito, one of your initial Homunculi companions, is a valuable ally you should utilize more. His attacks might have longer cooldowns, but they are highly effective against rats.
His standard Blazing Fist attack strikes in a straight line, making it perfect for taking out both rats and their machines simultaneously. The Glacial Fist variant also works wonders if aimed correctly.
Change Your Main Attack
If your usual sword strikes aren’t effective, consider modifying Nola’s attacks to a different style. The Soul Harvester scythe attacks, which you can acquire using the Unidentified Amplifier from a boss in the Magicite Mines, are quicker and cover a larger area, making them a solid option for battling rats.
Avoid using the Vanquisher Axe if you have unlocked it, as it’s considerably slower than your other options despite being powerful.
By having greater range, you’ll be able to dispatch more rats at once, which is crucial for staying alive. Combine this with Lito’s attacks and any moves from Yolvan, and you will effortlessly take down those pesky rodents without them harming you. At a minimum, you’ll break their spawning machines to deal with their remaining numbers later.
