RuneScape:Events Team/Strategies/Helwyr

Getting there
Helwyr is located in the southeastern area of The Heart. To enter his chamber, the player must obtain 40 Serenist killcount (20 if the player has obtained the 50% killcount reduction perk, requiring 4,500 Reputation). Players can easily gain killcount by visiting Seren's Encampment or by visiting nodes that Serenist forces are attacking.

Recommended Equipment
It is advised to bring power armour when fighting Helwyr. Unlike the other generals in The Heart, he uses only melee, so bringing magic is recommended for a combat triangle advantage. However, melee (especially with a halberd-type weapon) with the AOE abilities is very useful for clearing the summoned Cywir Alphas. Ranged is not ideal from a combat triangle perspective, but is still fine to use. Melee = Helwyr summons a few Cywir Alphas with each attack rotation, therefore it is recommended to use halberd type melee weapons such as the Noxious scythe or Dragon Rider lance for the AOE abilities.

Ranged =

Mage =

Combat
Helwyr only uses melee attacks which hit up to 1200, unlike the other generals who have multiple combat styles at their disposal. He has several abilities he will use during the fight:


 * "Nature, lend me your aid!" - Players should note that Helwyr's chamber is littered with mushrooms which align in a 5x5 area. When Helwyr does this attack, three of the mushrooms will be enlarged and puff out green gas. Players caught in the gas will be dealt with rapid hits of up to 250 every tick and if the player stands too long in them, will be bound for several seconds. Multiple gas clouds from nearby mushrooms can and will stack on each other for extremely fast damage. In addition, players in the gas clouds cannot run while in their vicinity.
 * "YOU. WILL. BLEED!" - Helwyr stands upright and slashes at the area in front of him in a cone radius. Players caught in the clawed area will be hit for up to 3700 damage and start taking a bleed of 50 (or adds 50 if the player is bleeding from previous bleed attacks). This can be easily avoided by running to the left or right of him far enough. This is also the best time to use Resonance to heal from the high damage.
 * "You cannot escape me. Aaaargh!" - Helwyr leaps over to a nearby player and starts clawing around him. This will deal rapid melee damage of up to 1800 every two ticks and bleed the player for 50 (or adds 50 if the player is bleeding from previous bleed attacks). Devotion, Debilitate and/or Reflect are highly recommended to reduce his melee damage.
 * Howl - Helwyr howls, summoning two Cywir Alphas. They only have 3,000 lifepoints but should be killed anyways to prevent them from sniping resonance heals from Helwyr's bleed attack.
 * Bleeds - Unlike the other generals in The Heart, Helwyr's claw and frenzy attacks can inflict bleeds on the player. The bleed starts off at a base of 50 every 2 ticks, and the more bleeds a player takes (melee damage attacks from claw/frenzy), another 50 is added, up to a cap of 250. This damage can be mitigated with abilities like Anticipation and Debilitate. Using Freedom will immediately remove the bleed.

Helwyr follows the set attack pattern:


 * "Nature, lend me your aid!" (Grows gas-puffing mushrooms)
 * Does 3 auto-attacks
 * "You. Will. BLEED!" cleave attack
 * Does 3 auto-attacks
 * "You cannot escape me. Aaaargh!" frenzy attack
 * Does 3 auto-attacks
 * Spawns Cywir Alphas
 * Does 3 auto-attacks
 * Repeats above sequence

If you have Soul Split, use it throughout the fight except during the frenzy attack to mitigate the use of food. If you do not have Soul Split, then use Deflect Melee throughout the fight if you are within range of his attacks. All players within range of Helwyr's frenzy attack should pray Deflect Melee for the duration of the attack.

As soon as Helwyr spawns, be prepared to use Surge or Escape, as he will immediately grow three random mushrooms in the chamber, including those under the player. Surge and Escape allow the player to get out of the gas clouds fast, especially if the player is near the centre of the mushroom.

The most reliable way to fight Helwyr is with melee with a halberd-like weapon, such as the Noxious scythe or Dragon Rider lance. This is because of the use of Hurricane and Quake will get rid of the summoned alphas; although magic and ranged can do this with Corruption Blast and Corruption Shot respectively, the position of the wolves from Helwyr may prevent it from bouncing onto them, and will usually be unable to kill them outright.

Start off the kill by attacking Helwyr, getting out of the way of any active mushrooms. Continue attacking him until he performs his cleave attack; simply run out of the way to avoid taking damage. If you are low on health, this cleave attack can be resonanced (make sure there are no wolves and/or a bleed is on you, or they may snipe it); the cleave attack will always hit (and hit hard).

After three more attacks, Helwyr will use his enrage attack; this can be easily mitigated with Debilitate (after which you move away from him) or Devotion to fully block his damage while attacking him. Use Freedom after his enrage attack ends to clear off the bleed he placed on you.

Continue attacking him until he summons wolves; kill them, then focus on Helwyr again. When he grows the mushrooms again, move out of them (Surge/Escape can be used if they are not scattered randomly) and continue attacking him. He will repeat the same pattern until death.

DO NOT KEEP RUNNING from Helwyr; because his only attack style is melee, he will skip attacks and go straight into another ability which can cause more havoc.

In summary, a good strategy is as follows:
 * Start with Soul Split and Turmoil/Anguish/Torment active.
 * "Nature, lend me your aid!" (Grows gas-puffing mushrooms)
 * Step out of the mushrooms and to the side of/behind Helwyr if you do not want to resonance the next cleave attack.
 * Does 3 auto-attacks
 * "You. Will. BLEED!" cleave attack
 * If in front of him, switch to a shield and use Resonance to heal from the mushroom bleeds or the frenzy attack from the last rotation. If there is not enough time to shield switch before you get hit, then flick on Deflect Melee to take half damage or run to the side of him.  Do not freedom the bleed this attack gives you.
 * Does 3 auto-attacks
 * "You cannot escape me. Aaaargh!" frenzy attack
 * Helwyr jumps to a random player, and this attack has a large attack range. Turn on Deflect Melee for 8 melee attacks.  You can use Devotion or Debilitate here if you are low on health.  You will have a bleed of 250 afterward if you were hit by all of the frenzy hits.  Use Freedom now and turn Soul Split back on.
 * Does 3 auto-attacks
 * Spawns Cywir Alphas
 * Use AOE attacks to kill the minions, or otherwise ignore them.
 * Use threshold abilities with Soul Split to regain some health lost from the frenzy attack.
 * Does 3 auto-attacks
 * Repeats above sequence