Balthazar

Balthazar

Race

God

Rank

Legendary

Location

Taimi's Pet Project
(Rata Novus)
Heart of the Volcano
(Titan's Throat, Primal Kiln, Inner Titan's Throat)
The Sacrifice
(Tomb of the Primeval Kings, Salt Flats, Brightwater Inlet, The Sunderlands, Diviner's Reach, Stampede Uplands, Auburn Hills, Lifeblood Ravine)
Facing the Truth
(The Sanctum, Tomb of the Primeval Kings)
The Departing
(Judgment, Skimshallow Cove)
Beast of War
(Forum Highlands)
To Kill a God
(Kodash Bazaar)

Image(s)

Balthazar's sigil.

“

I will NOT be dismissed! I am Balthazar, mightiest of the Six! And I swear to you, you will scream your allegiance before the end!

— Balthazar

Balthazar is the god of war, fire, and challenge. He was the second of the Six Gods to arrive on Tyria from the Mists, carrying the severed head of his father and accompanied by his two hounds, Temar and Tegon. It was Balthazar who urged humanity to engage the other races in battle and claim the world for themselves, believing the other races would fall easily. While many often praise and ask him for courage and victory in battle, there are individuals who call the god violent, going even as far as referring to him as the "god of mass murder." His half-brother, Menzies, waged a war against Balthazar's realm of the Fissure of Woe. The outcome of this war, or if it even ended, is unknown.

Balthazar is often associated with honor, valor, wolves, and hounds. Statues of him often depict him with a greatsword and his hounds at his feet. Prior to the Rising of Orr and the destruction of the Battle Isles, the Zaishen Order worshiped Balthazar exclusively. Before the Cataclysm, Orrians worshiped Balthazar at the Cathedral of Glorious Victory. In the present day the Church of Balthazar worships the God of War. The norn refer to Balthazar as a Spirit of Action called War.

After Balthazar voices his desire to wage war against the Elder Dragons while being uncaring of his actions dooming Tyria in the process, the rest of the Six strip him of his divinity and imprison him, while the identity of his potential replacement in the pantheon remains unknown. Balthazar eventually escapes from his prison in the Mists with the help of Rytlock Brimstone, and begins a campaign to empower himself in order to become strong enough to triumph against the Elder Dragons. The former God of War's actions lead to untold suffering throughout Tyria and Elona, forcing Dragon's Watch to intervene and thwart his plans. Balthazar is ultimately slain by the dragon Aurene and the Pact Commander during the Battle of Kodash Bazaar, and Aurene and the Elder Dragon Kralkatorrik consume much of the former god's unleashed magic.

Biography

Early years

Balthazar's past is mostly shrouded in mystery. He was a member of the older generation of the Six Gods who guided humanity to Tyria. Balthazar and his Eternals—spirits enlisted in his service—fought a never-ending war, called the Eternal Battle, against the Shadow Army of his half-brother Menzies the Mad in Balthazar's realm known as the Fissure of Woe. Neither the origins of this conflict nor the identities of the half-siblings' parents are known.

Life on Tyria

According to the Orrian History Scrolls, Balthazar was the second god to arrive from the Mists, carrying the severed head of his unnamed father and sweeping Orr with a cleansing flame. Although the gods were initially drawn to the magic of the Artesian Waters in the heart of Orr, they took humanity with them to Cantha in 786 BE, planting the seeds of the first thriving human civilization in Tyria. Balthazar urged humanity to claim Tyria for themselves at the expense of the native Tyrian races. However, the natives resisted human expansion better than the God of War had expected. Despite this, humanity proved to be resilient and spread to Orr, Elona and beyond in the following centuries.

According to a Canthan legend, Balthazar spent some time walking Tyria and came across a village which offended him through a long-forgotten breach of etiquette. The old ritualist Kaolai challenged the God of War to a game of Nui in exchange for sparing the village. Balthazar accepted the challenge, and seven days later the game ended with Kaolai emerging as the winner. In a fit of anger, Balthazar slew the old ritualist, but ordered him inducted into Tahnnakai Temple afterwards in a rare gesture of sportsmanship.

As Orrians worked on building the great city of Arah for the gods, Abaddon, the God of Knowledge, designed a set of magically warded reliquaries where the gods could keep their priceless and powerful artifacts, relics and knowledge safe from thieves and defilers. Balthazar was given one of these reliquaries. During this time the gods gathered various powerful and ancient artifacts from around the world, including the original Bloodstone and the Mystic Telescope, and brought them for safekeeping and study in Arah. Fights were held in the God of War's honor at the Orrian gladiatorial arena on the Fields of Gold, and the Zaishen Order likewise honored their patron god in combat on the Battle Isles where they built the Great Temple of Balthazar. Members of the Church of Balthazar dedicated themselves to worshiping the God of War. Like other members of the Six, Balthazar had a dirge dedicated to him which was sung by the Sirens of Orr.

At some point the gods became aware of the existence of the hibernating Elder Dragons, who were tied to the magical balance of Tyria, and learned their names and spheres of influence. This information was documented in what would come to be known as the Scroll of the Five True Gods.

The gods lived for a time among their followers in Arah. However, their radiance blinded mortals who gazed upon them for too long whenever the gods appeared among their followers. The gods eventually decided to retreat from public, and Dwayna, the Goddess of Life, commissioned the Orrian sculptor Malchor to make a statue of each god. As the statues were completed, the respective gods depicted in the statues retreated into Arah one by one. Around 48 BE, the old and tyrannical God of Death, Dhuum, was overthrown by Dwayna's half-god son Grenth who ascended to godhood and was welcomed by the gods as the new member of the Six.

Exodus of the Gods

King Doric prostrates himself before the gods.

According to an ancient Ascalonian legend and an Orrian scroll, the gods formulated a magical ritual and gifted three holy artifacts needed to enact and reverse it—a magical crown, Balthazar's own sword Sohothin and its twin Magdaer—to the royal human lineage as protection against invasion. The artifacts, as well as the knowledge how to use them in the ritual, would eventually pass on to the Ascalonian line of human kings.

In 1 BE, the Six decided to gift magic to the mortal races. The gift of magic made the mortal races greedy, however, and led to devastating wars. King Doric, who had become the ruler of Tyria's united human tribes, journeyed to Arah and asked for the Six to put an end to the bloodshed. In response to the king's plea, the gods shattered the original Bloodstone and divided the magic in the world into five lesser Bloodstones to prevent anyone from ever wielding power over all magic again. According to the History of Tyria, the gods sealed the stones with Doric's blood and placed his bloodline in charge of guarding the stones.

Abaddon turned against his fellow gods because of a disagreement over the gifting of magic among many other escalating events that followed the sealing of the Bloodstones. The rebellious god and his army of Margonites were defeated after their failed assault; however, the gods' victory came at the cost of the Crystal Sea turning into the Crystal Desert and a once plentiful land becoming the sulfurous Desolation. Balthazar himself forged the chains that bound the fallen god in the Realm of Torment.

The Five realized the damage which the war against Abaddon and the gifting of magic from earlier had caused to the world and decided to leave humanity to stand or fall on its own merits without further meddling. They departed from Tyria in 0 AE in an event known as the Exodus of the Gods. The Five entered the Mists and continued governing their respective realms from there although they did not sever their ties with Tyria completely as their power was still felt in the world for centuries to come.

Wintersday traditions, centered on the rivalries of the gods and the changing of the seasons which would symbolically determine whether darkness or light would reign following the coming of the new year, emerged among humanity at some point. Avatars of the gods appeared on Tyria and asked participants to choose which of the two teams to side with for the festive, annual competition which would decide whether Dwayna or Grenth won. Dwayna, who was supported by Melandru, fought to return spring to the land and bring joy to the hearts of humanity via renewed life, while Grenth, who was supported by Balthazar, fought to prolong winter and offered a less frivolous outlook on life and somber reflection on death as part of the circle of life. These festivities also included the Great Snowball Fight of the Gods.

Conflicts in the Mists

While in the Mists, Balthazar focused his efforts on fighting against Menzies in the Fissure of Woe. Centuries after the Exodus, mortal heroes ventured into the Fissure of Woe and offered their assistance to the Eternals. They helped cull the numbers of Menzies's Shadow Army and treacherous Eternals and turned the tide of the Eternal Battle in Balthazar's favor for a time.

When Abaddon began Nightfall in order to break free from his prison, the gods chose not to intervene directly. However, the Five gave a blessing and words of encouragement to Spearmarshal Kormir's party via their avatars as the mortal heroes entered the Realm of Torment to defeat Abaddon once and for all.

Rytlock Brimstone finds Balthazar and Sohothin in the Mists. After Kormir had successfully absorbed the vanquished Abaddon's rampant magic and ascended to godhood at the end of Nightfall in 1075 AE, the temporary spike in magic was enough to stir Primordus and begin the next cycle of Elder Dragon awakenings. Most of the gods advocated for severing ties with Tyria for good and leaving its inhabitants to face the calamity on their own as the gods' interference would only make matters worse. Balthazar vehemently disagreed with his fellow gods, however. Having been more or less idle since the Exodus, the God of War craved for action and was more than willing to accept the challenge of facing the Elder Dragons in combat in order to add their power into his own. Disagreements led to arguments, and the angered Balthazar accused the other gods of being cowards and threatened to strike them down as well. Understanding that the God of War had to be stopped or his ambitions could lead to Tyria's destruction, the other gods joined forces and stripped Balthazar of his power, imprisoning him in the Mists where they intended to leave him in chains so he could never threaten anyone again. Balthazar felt betrayed and vowed to have his revenge on his fellow gods and make them scream their allegiance before he would end their lives and claim their power as his own. The God of War remained imprisoned until 1328 AE when the charr Rytlock Brimstone happened upon his location while searching for the missing sword Sohothin. Balthazar had learned that the sword now belonged to the charr and indicated as much when Rytlock questioned him how he knew Sohothin's name. He reignited the sword, and the grateful Rytlock severed the former god's chains without realizing who the mysterious prisoner actually was. A portal opened, and Balthazar instructed Rytlock to enter it so it would take him home. After the charr had left, Balthazar manifested his armor and stepped through the portal as well, entering Tyria at a time when the Pact was waging war against the Elder Dragon Mordremoth.

Living World Season 3

Out of the Shadows

Balthazar absorbs the magic of the Maguuma Bloodstone in Bloodstone Fen.

Balthazar returned to Tyria but was weakened so he stayed hidden while vowing revenge against those who had dimmed his light. To achieve his ends, he needed an army to do his bidding as well as enough magic to restore his lost power. He learned of the White Mantle's plans to resurrect the mursaat Lazarus and realized that the White Mantle's fanaticism to the mursaat, along with their riches and their access to the Maguuma Bloodstone which contained vast amounts of magic, would speed up his plans.

Balthazar used a magical hand mirror of Lyssa to disguise himself as Lazarus. After the raid on the Stronghold of the Faithful, he appeared before Justiciar Bauer with whom he began plotting to set the stage for the next part of his plan which involved speeding up the destabilizing of the Bloodstone.

The rogue god successfully absorbed most of the exploding Maguuma Bloodstone's magic in Bloodstone Fen after the White Mantle tinkering had turned it unstable in 1329 AE. Disguised as Lazarus, Balthazar appeared in front of the White Mantle and the Pact Commander's party during the fight between the two factions and declared that the Mantle were destined for more virtuous pursuits. He claimed many but not all of the White Mantle for himself; some members of the Mantle refused him and chose to side with their leader, Confessor Caudecus Beetlestone, before fleeing.

Empowered by the Bloodstone and having the beginnings of an army at his command, the vengeful god could finally turn his attention to his real target on Tyria: the Elder Dragons whose magic he needed to truly restore himself to his former glory.

Rising Flames

Balthazar kept up his disguise as Lazarus but chose a new approach to reach his goals due to Caudecus's rebellion depriving him of some of the forces he had been after. He appeared in Tarir some time after the events in Bloodstone Fen to aid the Pact Commander and the Luminate of the Exalted in defending Aurene, the newly hatched daughter of the slain dragon prophet Glint, from invading Destroyers. He attempted to forge an alliance with the Commander who he knew had already defeated two Elder Dragons so they could fight the dragons together, but his offer was viewed with skepticism due to him being disguised as a historically treacherous mursaat. Balthazar's visit was not fully wasted, however, when the Commander's companion Marjory Delaqua chose to accompany him to see if he was being genuine. After he had taken Marjory with him, Balthazar focused on growing his army by adding mercenaries in its ranks with the treasures he had seized from his White Mantle faction.

Flashpoint

Balthazar's army established a base in Draconis Mons where they had tracked down Primordus, the closest living Elder Dragon they could find. While there, several White Mantle began doubting "Lazarus" seizing their assets and rebelled after they had discovered that he was not their mursaat leader. Balthazar retaliated swiftly, having dissenters killed or imprisoned while placing the mercenary leaders in charge of the hunt for Primordus. During this time the mercenary leaders attempted to earn the former god's favor by crafting a dagger similar to the one he had lost although the craftsmanship was inferior to the original.

While preparing to take the fight to Primordus, Balthazar learned about Taimi's machine and how it could supposedly kill two Elder Dragons with a single blow, which piqued his interest. This piece of news, as well as Marjory's sudden departure from his side which raised his suspicions about her motives, made Balthazar travel to Rata Novus to see the machine in person as well as find out what Marjory, who had been his bothersome shadow, was up to.

Balthazar within Taimi's Machine.

What Balthazar did not anticipate was that the Commander had not only met with Marjory but had learned of "Lazarus" being an imposter from Caudecus's letters and had prepared a trap to make the fake mursaat reveal his true identity. The trap was sprung and a battle ensued shortly after "Lazarus's" arrival, and Lyssa's mirror was broken. Balthazar shed his mursaat disguise, shocking the Commander, Taimi and Kasmeer Meade with the revelation and nearly killing Marjory. The rogue god left his mercenary escort to face the Commander's party while he fled to Draconis Mons with the machine which he intended to simultaneously use on both Primordus and Jormag.

After sealing the entrance to the heart of the volcano and descending its chimney to face Primordus, Balthazar set up and activated Taimi's machine. He joined into the energy trails linking Primordus and Jormag and began absorbing their magic, as he had done to the Maguuma Bloodstone, in an attempt to slay the two Elder Dragons and take their power.

During his second confrontation with the Commander who had pursued him into the primal kiln, Balthazar revealed that he had been severely weakened although he did not name who had done so, and intended retribution at any cost, even that of Tyria itself. He unleashed his hounds Temar and Tegon, but the Commander defeated them and foiled the god's plan by disrupting the machine with Taimi's help, which resulted in Primordus and Jormag going back into hibernation and the machine exploding. Although Balthazar's plans to drain the two Elder Dragons' power had been thwarted, he had nevertheless absorbed some of their magic and successfully manifested his greatsword before seemingly vanishing into the Mists.

One Path Ends

The rogue god was not done with Tyria yet, though, as he still craved more power from the Elder Dragons. In tracking down Balthazar's whereabouts, the Pact Commander discovered that Balthazar briefly visited Siren's Landing along with his mercenaries, looking into reliquaries devoted to himself and Abaddon. As those in Siren's Landing recognized the former god, it appears that he arrived without a disguise. Despite the ruthlessness he had shown elsewhere, he was gracious while talking with the ghost of Queen Yasamin, a loyal follower of his even in death, and asked her to maintain his reliquary. However, once the former god had left, the reliquary lost the spark of power which his presence had briefly activated. It was revealed that he had hidden the aspect of Lazarus that he had stolen in the safety of Abaddon's Reliquary so no one could attempt to resurrect the last mursaat, expose Balthazar's disguise and thus thwart the god's schemes.

Balthazar had already left Siren's Landing by the time the Pact Commander arrived in the area. However, by using the Eye of Janthir found deep within Abaddon's Reliquary, the Commander was able to glimpse Balthazar's next plan of action: the God of War had turned his attention to another Elder Dragon, Kralkatorrik, and had traveled to the Crystal Desert to finish the destructive campaign he had begun.

Path of Fire

Act I

Balthazar sought out Palawa Joko, the undead tyrant of Elona, and made a deal with him which would ostensibly benefit them both. With Joko's aid, Balthazar located the lost city of Kesho and learned the ritual the Forgotten had used to create the Exalted. With this newfound knowledge, Balthazar created the Forged, an army of animated armor housing fanatical and brainwashed souls of the departed, to help him with his campaign in the Crystal Desert.

The rogue god recruited his loyal Eternals from the Fissure of Woe to wage war in his name on Tyria, and turned one of these Eternals into the Herald of Balthazar who would act as his mouthpiece during the campaign and issue orders to both the Forged and the Zaishen Order alike. Balthazar also set about drawing souls from the Domain of the Lost to boost the numbers of his Forged with Palawa Joko's help. However, he betrayed and imprisoned Joko within the domain once the lich was of no more use to him.

It was initially believed that Balthazar had gone into the desert to kill Kralkatorrik, but he was actually looking for Vlast, Glint's first scion. When Dragon's Watch first confronted Balthazar at Godfall Tower in the Desert Highlands, he refused to stand down and negotiate with them, only offering to spare Rytlock as a show of mercy for the charr's earlier actions while calling him a friend. In the battle that followed, Balthazar sent off a blast that nearly killed his opponents, however. He raised his sword to stab the Pact Commander, but Vlast interceded the blow and died, exploding in a shower of crystals and forcing the rogue god to leave.

Act II

Once they had entered the Mists to seek help from the gods to stop Balthazar's rampage, Dragon's Watch encountered the goddess Kormir who explained the reason for Balthazar's actions and the gods' absence. The God of War had been stripped of his divine powers, being the only one of the Six who wanted to stay on Tyria and fight the Elder Dragons. The rest of the gods realized that a battle of that magnitude would do nothing but destroy the world. Instead, Balthazar had been imprisoned in the Mists, until Rytlock Brimstone had encountered him while looking for Sohothin. The sword had been extinguished, but Balthazar had offered to relight it, and Rytlock had freed the prisoner in exchange, never knowing his true identity until much later.

After Kormir's departure, the Commander traveled to the lost city of Kesho and found crucial information about the origins of the Forged as well as Glint and the Forgotten's overall plan to restore balance to Tyria. Balthazar set up an ambush shortly after the Commander had emerged from the city, however. The rogue god's intent was to seemingly toy with the Commander in an extended mockery of a duel. Sensing the Commander's distress, Aurene flew in to offer her assistance; however, Balthazar revealed that he had been after Aurene all along and had been aware of the bond which the Commander and the young dragon shared. Having finished his mission, the God of War captured Aurene before killing her chosen Champion.

Act III

The End of War.

With Aurene at his mercy, Balthazar used the captive hatchling as a key component in his plan to defeat Kralkatorrik. He had discovered that Kralkatorrik's weakness was any creature which shared its crystalline power, such as the Branded, Glint, Vlast, and Aurene. Using Aurene as a battery, Balthazar placed the young dragon into his recently constructed Warbeast.

Balthazar prepared his Forged army and planned to invade the Domain of Vabbi, as it was where the Crystal Dragon had flown to. Having been revived after journeying to the Domain of the Lost, the Commander rushed to Vabbi and coerced Joko's Awakened minions into defending Kodash Bazaar from the Forged assault in the Battle of Kodash Bazaar. Atop of King Joko's Sky Garden, Balthazar used the Warbeast to attack Kralkatorrik, nearly killing the Elder Dragon had it not been for the Commander armed with Sohothin. The Commander, along with Aurene after freeing her from the Warbeast, engaged the rogue God of War in combat while the recovering Kralkatorrik itself fired in anger at everyone present.

In the end the Commander and Aurene prevailed and caused fatal injures to Balthazar who cursed all the gods except Lyssa with his last breath. Balthazar's demise caused a large explosion of magical energy which was absorbed by Aurene and Kralkatorrik who then flew off, more powerful than before.

Legacy

Living World Season 4

Balthazar's destructive war and the truth about his fall from grace made many disillusioned humans reject him as their god in the Crystal Desert and Elona while they openly celebrated his demise. The few who viewed the former God of War differently, including his priestess Zafirah, remained silent out of fear and lamented that Balthazar would only be remembered for his recent campaign of destruction. Despite Balthazar's death, some of his magic survived within Aurene and made his recovered greatsword perceive him through her.

Balthazar essence lived on in Aurene who had absorbed some of his magic at Kodash, however, as his sword reacted positively to her presence and actively sought her out. Upon feeling Balthazar's presence in Aurene, Zafirah resolved to meet with the surviving human members the Zaishen Order to tell them the news. The priesthood eventually came to terms with their patron god's fall and, with Zafirah's urging, came to the assistance of the Pact Commander's allied forces as they confronted Kralkatorrik in Thunderhead Peaks in 1332 AE.

When Aurene revived in the aftermath of the devastating battle, she echoed Zafirah by recited the scriptures of Balthazar despite never knowing about them before, which indicated that she had also absorbed some of Balthazar's memories alongside his spirit. Shaken by the revelation, Zafirah understood that the once honorable aspects of her god truly lived on in Aurene and dedicated herself to the resurrected dragon.

Several other Zaishen felt the same, and they joined Aurene and the rest of the Pact Commander's allies for the second battle against Kralkatorrik on Dragonfall which consisted of Kralkatorrik's wounded body as well as chunks from the Fissure of Woe, Melandru's Lost Domain, and the Underworld. These Zaishen joined the newly formed Order of the Crystal Bloom consisting of people who had come to fight for Aurene after she had saved them. Because both Aurene and Kralkatorrik had consumed Balthazar's magic, members of Menzies's Shadow Army patrolling the Burning Forest on Dragonfall perceived both dragons and their armies as enemies to fight.

At the battle's conclusion, the Order of the Crystal Bloom and the Zaishen witnessed Kralkatorrik's fall and Aurene's ascension into the Elder Dragon of Light. For many Zaishen, Balthazar's teachings and potential would live on in Aurene.

The Icebrood Saga

In 1333 AE, Dragon's Watch learned that the twin Elder Dragons Jormag and Primordus had managed to absorb some of Balthazar's unleashed magic which, along with the magic unleashed by Kralkatorrik's demise, had changed Primordus's appearance, boosted the suggestive powers of Jormag's champion Drakkar, and had likely granted Jormag the ability to travel through the Mists as Kralkatorrik had done.

Scriptures

“

For weeks did the battle rage on, and those who had taken up the mantle of war grew weary and their courage began to falter.

Then did Balthazar, god of war and fire, appear to the soldiers, carrying with him a grand sword that did glow with such brilliance it blinded any who looked upon it. When he spoke, His voice was like thunder, and it shook the ground with force.

Then saith He, "Lift up thy weapons. For you are my soldiers, and must you be steadfast, strong, and brave of heart. They who neither hesitate nor stumble shall be rewarded. Then shall you have glory. Then shall your deeds be remembered for eternity."

And then did release from His sword a hundred thousand flames, which encircled the soldiers. For this was the fire of courage, and forthwith did they follow the god into battle without fear or hesitation. Thence was the enemy struck down.

— Scriptures of Balthazar, 48 BE

“

When the gods walked Tyria a thousand years ago, the Ritualist Kaolai, an old man even then, challenged Balthazar to a game of Nui in exchange for sparing a village that had offended the god through some long-forgotten breach of etiquette. Balthazar laughingly accepted and the game began. Seven days later it ended with Kaolai the winner; the villagers were spared. But in a fit of anger, Balthazar slew Kaolai. Afterward, in a rare gesture of sportsmanship, the god ordered Kaolai inducted into Tahnnakai Temple.

— Tahnakai Temple plaque

“

Balthazar came in fire and wrath, carrying the head of his father and leading his fierce hounds, Temar and Tegon. He swept Orr with a cleansing flame.

It was he who claimed Tyria for humanity; he who said the other races would be easy to defeat. It would not be the only time that the Master of War was wrong.

— Orrian History Scrolls, The Six, Volume 2—Balthazar: God of War

“

Walking upon a battlefield strewn with the dead, Balthazar, the god of war, blessed each of the corpses for their valor, until he came across one who had not fought but had cowered.

Balthazar could smell the stink of fear, and so he reached into the man and pulled forth his soul. He held it in place as he scrutinized it.

The soul was no more courageous in death than it had been in life, and it trembled and whimpered. It bowed its spine and hid its face.

"You," said the god, "do not belong here. You sully these brave men and women who died in honorable combat. You will cower behind them no more."

Balthazar folded the soul, bent it and broke it, crushed it until it was hidden inside his clasped hands. Then he opened his mouth wide, and shoved the soul in, consuming it whole.

Once it was gone, Balthazar shouted to the dead, "You carried this coward when he lived. Now, I carry him, for he serves as my reminder that strength and courage are never to be taken for granted."

— Parable of Balthazar

“

Balthazar praises those who act.

Balthazar praises those who step forward, not back.

Balthazar praises those who do not hesitate, both in life and on the battlefield.

Balthazar praises those who can take a life to save others.

To the Zaishen, it's never about killing, but killing to secure safety for the many.

Not to wage wars, but to win wars.

Not to kill, but to protect.

— Virtues of Balthazar

“

War is life and life is brief.

Death comes.

But death is not death that breathes life into others.

And life's not life that never dares to risk.

The world is loss and grief... And faith... And hope.

Then take heart, and rejoin the war eternal.

For it may be that death is not the end.

But possibly the end of the beginning.

— Book of Balthazar

Story involvement

Living World Season 3

• Episode 1: Out of the Shadows
  • Confessor's Stronghold (as Lazarus)
• Episode 2: Rising Flames
  • Dragon Vigil (as Lazarus)
• Episode 5: Flashpoint
  • Taimi's Pet Project
  • Heart of the Volcano

Path of Fire story

• Act I
  • The Sacrifice
• Act II
  • Facing the Truth (as a memory)
• Act III
  • The Departing
  • Beast of War
  • To Kill a God

Combat abilities

Abilities

• Rogue War God

Effects

•  Dire Flame Shield
•  Mantle of Flame - Shielded in flames and immune to damage. (During The Departing)
•  Trail of Embers- Balthazar leaves a burning trail behind him when he moves, damaging foes that pass through it.

Skills

• Balthazar's Will - Balthazar heals you. (only during The Departing)
• The Fury of War (no marker) - Balthazar sweeps his sword for an immediate, low damage attack without an AoE marker.
• The Fury of War (right swing) - Balthazar sweeps his sword, creating a short but wide AoE Cone with multiple AoE cones that  Knockback grow in size towards the left.
• The Fury of War (left swing) - Balthazar sweeps his sword, creating a short but wide AoE Cone with multiple AoE cones that  Knockback grow in size towards the right.
• The Fury of War (big swing) - Balthazar sweeps his sword, creating multiple AoE cones that  Knockback grow in size towards the left.
• The Triumph of War (one cone) - Large AoE cone that appears in front of Balthazar. Deals high damage.
• The Triumph of War (three cones) - Large AoE cones that appears in front of Balthazar, and diagonally behind him to his left and right. Deals high damage.
• The Triumph of War (four cones) - Large AoE cones that appears in front, behind, and to the left and right of Balthazar. Deals high damage.
• The Ways of War (one line) - AoE line that appears directly in front of Balthazar. Deals moderate to high damage.
• The Ways of War (three line) - AoE lines that appears in front of Balthazar, and diagonally in front of him to his right and left. Deals moderate to high damage.
• The Ways of War (five lines) - AoE lines that appear in front of Balthazar, to his right and left, and diagonally to his right and left in front of him. Deals moderate to high damage.
• The Ways of War (eight lines) - AoE lines that appear in front of Balthazar, behind him, to his right and left, diagonally to his right and left in front of him, and diagonally to his right and left behind him. Deals moderate to high damage.
• The Onslaught of War - Balthazar leaps high into the sky and slams down on the player's location.
• The Advancement of War - Balthazar slams his greatsword into the ground and slides forward in a line, continuously causing  Knockback. Direction marked with an arrow before movement. Low damage, but results in easy  Trail of Embers damage.
• Sundering Leap - Balthazar leaps high into the sky and slams down on the player's location, producing a shockwave of fire that  Knockdowns and applies  Burning.
• The Grasp of War - Ensnares target in  Balthazar's Grasp. (scripted use)
• The Judgment of War - Charged attack that makes Balthazar  Determined. Once charged, automatically downs or kills player. (scripted use)
• Rain of Fire - Balthazar summons a large fireball to land on the player. Produces a burning shockwave that  Knockdowns and applies  Burning. Deals high damage.
• Flames of Divinity - A two rows of six AoE lightning strikes that surround Balthazar.
• Wings of War - A curved series of AoE cones, shaped like Balthazar's horned helm, with another curved series of AoE cones (same pattern) where the curves end.

Stolen skills

•   Blinding Tuft
•   Bone Crack
•   Throw Gunk
•   Tooth Stab

Gallery

Screenshots

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  A vision of Balthazar during Facing the Truth.

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  Disguised as Lazarus, Balthazar reveals himself to the White Mantle during Confessor's Stronghold.

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  Balthazar closeup without flames from a cut cinematic during Taimi's Pet Project.

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  Kasmeer Meade and Marjory Delaqua watch as Balthazar reveals himself during Taimi's Pet Project.

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  Balthazar with his greatsword on the Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire launch trailer.

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  Balthazar on the Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire launch trailer.

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  Balthazar impales Vlast with his greatsword during The Sacrifice.

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  Balthazar versus Kralkatorrik on the Daybreak trailer.

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  Balthazar on the Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire teaser trailer.

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  Balthazar restores Sohothin's flame during The Sacrifice.

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  Balthazar leaves the Mists during The Sacrifice.

Concept art

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  Ascalonian mural of Balthazar.

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  Elonian mural of Balthazar in Gandara in 1075 AE.

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  Avatar of Balthazar by Kekai Kotaki.

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  Balthazar Key Art.

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  Balthazar Key Art.

Miscellaneous

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  Depiction of Balthazar in the human biography choices.

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  Guild emblem depicting Balthazar.

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  An image of Balthazar channeled by Kralkatorrik in The Crystal Dragon.

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  Banner depicting Balthazar

Related achievements

• Black Lion Collections: Balthazar's Weapon Collection — Unlock all 16 Balthazar's weapon skins in your wardrobe. (3)
• Meteorlogicus III: Storm: Pact Supremacy — Aid the Pact in gaining control over the Temple of Balthazar in Straits of Devastation.
• The Dreamer III: The Lover: Dream of Balthazar — Found in the chest after cleansing the Cathedral of Glorious Victory in Straits of Devastation.
• The Juggernaut I: The Experimental Hammer: Ponder the Cleansed Balthazar Temple — Ponder the statue of Balthazar after cleansing the Cathedral of Glorious Victory.
• The Moot III: The Energizer: Dancing for Balthazar — Dance for Balthazar at the Altar of Balthazar in his Temple in Orr.
• Flashpoint: Ring of Fire — Avoid being hit by the ring of fire in Taimi's Pet Project. (3)
• One Path Ends: Storyteller: Balthazar — Find all the pages of the Parable of Balthazar. (3)
• Black Lion Collections: War God's Weapon Collection — Unlock all 16 War God's weapon skins in your wardrobe. (3)
• Path of Fire: Act 3: Who Needs a Magic Sword? — Kill Balthazar without using Sohothin. (5)
• Path of Fire: Act 3: Won't Get Killed Again — Don't get killed by Balthazar's Ultimate Attack. (3)
• The Desolation: Path of the Gods — Kneel at the statues of each human god. (7)
• Cantha: The Six — Find ancient statuettes of The Six that have been scattered around Cantha. (6)

Trivia

• Balthazar is voiced by Peter Jessop.
• Balthazar has his own leitmotif, called "Balthazar's Theme", which was composed by Maclaine Diemer.
• The Movement of the World says that Balthazar opened a portal to the Mists in Lion's Arch; however, the Mists can be reached by the use of asura gates instead.
• Balthazar's name may refer to an alternate form of the Babylonian king Belshazzar, mentioned in the Book of Daniel. It is also a name commonly attributed to one of the Biblical Magi (Three Wise Men).
  • Belshazzar is the central figure in the Biblical story of the feast of Belshazzar (or the story of the writing on the wall). In it, Belshazzar pridefully drinks from the sacred cups in the First Temple after his conquest of Jerusalem. For his hubris, God makes Belshazzar and his kingdom fall. There are some parallels between this story and Balthazar ignoring the other gods and thinking he can take on the Elder Dragons himself, which ultimately leads to his downfall.
• Balthazar is also referred to as:
  • Bastion of Martial Glory
  • Blade of Conflict
  • Bringer of War
  • Finder of Wisdom
  • God of Strife
  • He That Shows Us the Final Truth
  • Judge of the Powerful
  • Master of Might
  • Paragon of Bloodshed
  • Revealer of Strength
  • Scourge of the Prideful
  • The Sacred Sword

See also

The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on Balthazar.

•  Blessing of Balthazar
•   Dirge of Balthazar
•   Hounds of Balthazar
• Avatar of Balthazar
• Balthazar's Mercenaries
• Balthazar's Sword
• Balthazar's Trident
• Church of Balthazar
• Forged
• Hound of Balthazar
• Idol of Balthazar
• Parables of the Gods
• Statue of Balthazar
• The Six
• Zaishen Order

Associated items

• Balthazar's weapon skins
• War God's weapon skins
• Balthazar's Band
• Balthazar's Regalia Outfit
• Balthazar Statue
• Fallen Balthazar Helm
• Fallen Balthazar Outfit
• Fires of Balthazar Skin
• Gift of Balthazar
• Hounds of Balthazar Mail Carrier
• Mini Hound of Balthazar
• Mini Rogue Balthazar
• Relic of Balthazar
• Mini Risen Priest of Balthazar
• Superior Rune of Balthazar
• Visage of Balthazar

References

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Religions of Guild Wars 2