Subject Alpha

Subject Alpha

Race

Risen

Level

80

Rank

Legendary

Location

Alpha Experiment Reserve
(Crucible of Eternity)

“

Nothing like outrunning a freak of science to get your blood pumping.

— Agent Spire

Subject Alpha is the main enemy and signature boss of the Crucible of Eternity's explorable mode. It is fought three times on each path and will use different skills depending on the path chosen by the party.

Biography

Subject Alpha was among the first test subjects in the Crucible of Eternity that Kudu, a high-ranking member of the Inquest looking for a way to create dragon minions of his own, experimented on. Alpha was subjected to corruption from multiple Elder Dragons and survived the process. The side effect of being cross-corrupted was that Alpha not only gained abilities of different dragons' minions but also the power to bend any dragon minion under its will. It was deemed a liability because of its resistance to being controlled, however, so the Inquest placed it in containment while the breakthroughs made in the research were used to create more refined and more controllable experiments such as Kudu's Monster.

Following Kudu's demise in a raid to the Crucible of Eternity in 1325 AE, a party consisting of Agent Spire, the Pact Commander and other adventurers ventured into the facility to seal it off for good and thus prevent further abuse of Kudu's research. During the excursion the party witnessed Subject Alpha breaking free and battled it. However, Alpha survived its defeat and returned to confront the party many times during their escape from the facility while commanding other captured dragon minions to do its bidding.

The final confrontation with Alpha ended in the party's favor, but one essence of the creature slipped away in the aftermath while all the other essences were destroyed. It remains unclear if the last of Alpha's essences managed to flee the Crucible of Eternity before the shutdown or if it was trapped within the facility.

Locations

Maguuma Jungle

• Crucible of Eternity (explorable)
  • Alpha Experiment Reserve (1st encounter in all paths)
  • Thaumagolemic Observation Creche (2nd encounter in 1st path)
  • Subject Preparation Vaults (2nd encounter in 2nd and 3rd paths)
  • Golemgate Delivery Dock (3rd encounter in 1st path)
  • Experimental Lab Green (3rd encounter in 2nd path)
  • Crucible Access Platform (3rd encounter in 3rd path)

Combat abilities

Abilities

• Morphic Abilities

Behavior

• First Encounter
  • Summons one Risen Thrall after killing an Inquest member.
  • Summons four Risen Thralls upon reaching 75% Health.
  • Alternates between Teeth of Mordremoth and Teeth of Primordus. (Path 1)
  • Alternates between Teeth of Jormag and Teeth of Primordus. (Path 2)
  • Alternates between Teeth of Mordremoth and Teeth of Jormag. (Path 3)
  • Escapes at 50% Health.
• Second Encounter
  • Opting to save the Inquest within the forcefield will start Subject Alpha at 75% Health. (Path 1)
  • Summons four Risen Thralls upon reaching 75% Health. (Path 1)
  • Can also summon Undead Tendrils.
  • Activates Berserk when struck below 75%.
  • Uses Teeth of Mordremoth, Teeth of Primordus, and Tooth of Kralkatorrik. (Path 1)
  • Uses Teeth of Jormag, Teeth of Primordus, and Tooth of Kralkatorrik. (Path 2)
  • Uses Teeth of Mordremoth, Teeth of Jormag, and Tooth of Kralkatorrik. (Path 3)
  • Escapes at 25% Health.
• Third Encounter
  • Summons Alpha's Essences at every 15% Health lost. Each summoning can trigger only one time.
  • Can also summon Undead Tendrils.
  • Activates Berserk when struck below 75%.
  • Uses Teeth of Mordremoth, Teeth of Primordus, and Tooth of Kralkatorrik. (Path 1)
  • Uses Teeth of Jormag, Teeth of Primordus, and Tooth of Kralkatorrik. (Path 2)
  • Uses Teeth of Mordremoth, Teeth of Jormag, and Tooth of Kralkatorrik. (Path 3)

Effects

•  Berserk - Gained below 75% health.

Skills

• Teeth of Mordremoth - A series of spiked rocks launched in a cone in front of him. Alpha uses this on the first and third paths.
  • This attack is unblockable.
  • Alpha will usually look at the player he's about to target a couple of seconds before actually using the skill.
  • The spike AoE is tiny at the beginning but becomes huge when reaching maximum range.
  • Spike cone expands extremely fast, reaching maximum range in less than 0.5 seconds, making this attack extremely hard to dodge.
  • Standing inside Subject Alpha (can be done by dodging on him) usually makes this attack completely harmless.

• Teeth of Primordus - Causes a Point Blank AoE fire blast that inflicts  Burning while spawning multiple teeth (similar to Dragon's Tooth) that crash to the ground after 2 seconds, dealing high AoE damage and  Burning. Alpha uses this on the first and second paths.
  • This skill also cleanses all of Subject Alpha's conditions.
  • Alpha raises his arm for this skill's animation.
  • Teeth don't spawn on players in melee range of Alpha.
  • Teeth may spawn above all players, pets, minions, illusions and summoned cretures, potentially making all these a hindrance more than anything else.

• Teeth of Jormag - Two red rings form around all players in combat; the inner ring will either have ice or a light blue mist inside it, and each of them causing different effects after a short time. Alpha uses this on the second and third paths.
  1. If the ring has ice in the center it's safe to stay in the middle of it, as anything else within the two circles will be hit by a rock spike corona that heals heavy damage and inflicts 6 stacks of  Bleeding.
  2. If the ring has blue mist it's safe outside the inner circle, as an ice spike will hit in the middle dealing heavy damage and inflicting 6 stacks of  Bleeding.
  3. The type of AoE can also be determined if the outer ring is blinking. If it is blinking, then the ice spike will occur; however, if it is solid, then the rock spike will occur instead. The rock spikes can be avoided by simply standing in the middle of the AoE.
  • These rings easily overlap due to size, so it's recommended to dodge after about 2 seconds.
  • Only one ice spike will spawn each time and most of the time on the same player. Other players will deal with rock spike coronas.
  • Red rings spawn under players, pets, minions, illusions and summoned creatures, potentially making all these a hindrance more than anything else.
  • Players in melee range don't get damaged by the rock spike corona (red rings with ice will still appear). Be wary that ice spike will always deal damage even to players in melee range, that when many rings are overlapping it's difficult to tell if there is an ice spike among them and that is Alpha moves at the last instant the rock spikes will deal damage. For these reasons it's always reccomended to dodge.

• Tooth of Kralkatorrik - Subject Alpha leaps into the air, encasing one target within an Imprisonment Crystal. Unblockable and unevadable.
  • Imprisonment Crystal - Alpha imprisons a player in a purple crystal that can be attacked and destroyed by other players. While inside the crystal, players will be unable to use skills with activation times. Alpha will use this on all three paths, but only during the second and third encounter.
    • Imprisoned players can escape by teleporting, shadowstepping, or getting downed.
    • The crystal will shatter after 30 seconds, inflicting  Bleeding on the victim if he hasn't escaped.

• Summons fragile Bone Tendrils that use melee attacks and can be rallied off of. Alpha uses this skill on all three paths, but only during the second and third encounter.

• Alpha spews Alpha's Essences around the edges of the room which then attempt to run back to him. If they're allowed to reach him, they'll be consumed and restore some of his health. Alpha uses this skill on all three paths, but only during the second and third encounter.

Stolen skills

Drops

Name	Type	Rarity	Quantity
Bag of Wondrous Goods	Container	DMasterwork	1
Gilded Coffer	Container	FExotic	1
Heavy Moldy Bag	Container	BBasic	1
Prototype Sheath	Back item	FExotic	1
Recipe: Infinity Loop	Recipe sheet	FExotic	1 [1]
Alpha Conduit	Amulet	FExotic	1 [2]

• ^[1] Very rare chance from Path 1 only.
• ^[2] Very rare chance from any path.

Trivia

• Subject Alpha's "Teeth of Mordremoth" attack foreshadowed the name and existence of Mordremoth, the Elder Dragon of Plant and Mind, who would play a prominent role in Living World Season 2 and Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns.