Attacus

Attacus is a mark in Final Fantasy XIII. One of the nine Undying, it is accessed via a third Cie'th Stone in the D stages, after every single stage of the fal'Cie Titan has been cleared in the Faultwarrens. Attacus is fought in "Mission 51". The Pulse fal'Cie Titan creates a Behemoth King for the final task. However, Attacus appears and slays the Behemoth King, afterward turning on the party.

Mission 51: Attacus, the Soulless
Class: A Stone Location: Faultwarrens - Sylphid Path/Gaian Path/Salamandrine Path/Nereid Path Mark Location: Faultwarrens - Titan's Throne

''The soul defines existence. Its expression is found in feeling, choice, and action.'' Entreat with the Undying Attacus, whose blade is hate made manifest, and become one with life's circle again.

Strategy
The fight is a surprisingly easy with Fang, Lightning, and Snow, with Fang as the party leader. However, it is recommended to get Stage 10 Crystarium for Lv. 5 Sentinel on Snow.

There are three phases to Attacus, with second and third phases marked by the abilities Unrelenting Blade and Peerless Blade respectively. The only difference between the phases are the higher damage dealt.

Using Fortisol and Aegisol at the beginning of the fight is not mandatory, but would make the beginning of the fight easier before switching over to any one of the paradigms with Snow as the Sentinel. It is advisable to start out with SAB/RAV/RAV, casting Deprotect and Slow. Slow is more important than Deprotect as it increases the time between Attacus's special attacks. Once Attacus is afflicted with the two debuffs, the player should switch to SYN/RAV/RAV for Bravera. Only Lightning and Fang need it. The player should then switch over to RAV/RAV/SEN and bring the stagger up to 300%; then switch to COM/COM/SEN.

Whenever Attacus does a special skill, he will attempt to clear all of his debuffs and debuff you with deprotect and deshell. At that point, the player can switch over to SAB/COM/SEN and recast Deprotect and Slow, then switch to SYN/COM/SEN to recast Bravera and Haste on Fang and Lightning. When the buffs and debuffs are on, the party should stay in COM/COM/SEN. The party will never have to heal Snow because he'll use Mediguard.

If neither Fang nor Lightning can survive the initial period when the party is raising the stagger before Snow shifts to Sentinel, one can change the paradigms to have Snow as the Sentinel in all of the paradigms. One can also set Lightning as Ravager while Fang is buffing/debuffing instead of Commando to raise the stagger up even higher.

If the battle takes over 20 minutes, Attacus will cast Doom on the party leader.

All of Attacus's attacks randomly inflict Slow.

Strategy 2
Strategies should be tested by the writer, not just based off an idea in their head.
 * THIS STRATEGY DID NOT WORK FOR ME...OR OTHERS IT SEEMS AFTER READING THE DISCUSSION POSTS*

Party: Fang, Lightning, Hope

Paradigms
 * COM/MED/SYN-Hero's Charge
 * SAB/COM/MED-Scouting Party
 * COM/RAV/MED-Diversity
 * COM/RAV/RAV-Relentless Assault
 * COM/COM/RAV-Aggression
 * COM/MED/MED-Discretion

Hope must know Haste, Fang must know Slow and Deprotect (Deshell is optional).

The strategy is based on the fact that Attacus only gets more powerful when his health is depleted by a certain amount. This means that by casting Ruin, which he is resistant to, can fill up the stagger meter while Attacus is still in his weakest form.

The party should start off in SCOUTING PARTY and inflict Slow and Deprotect, and Deshell if one wants, then switch to HERO'S CHARGE and only cast Ruin. One must wait until Hope stops casting buffs and switch to RELENTLESS ASSAULT again casting Ruin only. If the debuffs wear off the player can switch to SCOUTING PARTY and reapply. The player must keep on using Ruin to build the chain gauge until it reaches over 700% or Attacus uses Unrelenting Blade. When the chain gauge reaches 700%, or Unrelenting Blade is used, the player should switch to AGGRESSION an rack up the damage. When Attacus starts to charge Meditate, the player should switch to DISCRETION as he will usually kill the party member in one hit with the attack. Using this tactic the party should manage to kill him before that happens.

Trivia

 * Attacus's Japanese name is "Spartacus". He was the most notable leader of a slave revolt against the Roman Republic.
 * Attacus's Peerless Blade resembles Lightning's Omega Weapon.

Related Enemies

 * Mithridates
 * Bituitus
 * Geiseric
 * Syphax
 * Numidia
 * Zenobia
 * Wladislaus
 * Vercingetorix