Overview
Priscus the Ancient is a boss enemy encountered during a Delesyia Faction quest in Crimson Desert. This flying boss is found in the basement of the Spire of Ringing Truth, located west of Waywards Woods in the Pailune region. Priscus spends most of the fight airborne, making ranged combat and crowd control essential to defeating it.
Location
The Spire of Ringing Truth is located west of Waywards Woods in Pailune. If you have previously unlocked the Abyss Nexus waypoint nearby, you can fast-travel to it. Otherwise, you will need to travel to the spire on foot or horseback from the nearest campsite.
How to Access the Boss
Priscus the Ancient is hidden in the basement of the spire. To reach it, you must complete a climbing puzzle and drop the bell from the top of the tower:
Step 1: Enter the Spire of Ringing Truth and begin climbing upward using stone stairs and wooden ladders.
Step 2: Navigate through multiple platforms, including rope-triggered wooden planks and a chandelier crossing.
Step 3: Use the Double Jump skill to cross wider gaps between platforms.
Step 4: At the top of the tower, shoot the wooden planks supporting the large bell to make it fall.
Step 5: The falling bell smashes through the floor, creating an opening to the basement where Priscus the Ancient awaits.
For a detailed walkthrough of the climbing puzzle, see the Spire Challenges article.
Recommended Equipment
Because Priscus stays airborne for most of the fight, you should prepare accordingly:
Bow: A bow is essential for this fight. Priscus floats in the air and cannot be reached with melee attacks during most phases.
Sleep Arrows: These are critical. Sleep Arrows put Priscus to sleep for a few seconds and send him crashing to the ground, opening a window for melee damage.
Archery Skills: Skills like Marksmanship, Evasive Shot, and Charged Shot from the skill tree make this fight much easier.
Melee Skills: For the ground phase, bring high-damage melee skills like Nature's Retribution, Force Palm, Turning Slash, Armed Combat, or Forward Slash.
Boss Mechanics
Priscus the Ancient uses several types of attacks:
Laser Projectiles: Priscus fires laser attacks from the air. Nature's Snare can deflect these projectiles back at the boss.
Shadow Attacks: Dark-based attacks that Nature's Snare cannot block. You must dodge these manually.
Spear Attacks: Priscus occasionally uses spear-type attacks that also bypass Nature's Snare. Watch for the wind-up animation and dodge accordingly.
Stun Bar: Priscus has a yellow stun bar. Landing enough hits fills this bar, eventually staggering the boss and creating an opening for heavy damage.
Strategy
Phase 1: Airborne Combat
At the start of the fight, Priscus floats in the air. Use your bow to deal damage from range. Fire Sleep Arrows whenever possible to bring the boss down to ground level. While Priscus is asleep on the ground, rush in and use your strongest melee skills to deal burst damage.
Phase 2: Nature's Snare
Deploy Nature's Snare to deflect Priscus's laser projectiles back at it for significant damage. Follow up with Nature's Snare Retribution for even more damage. Keep in mind that Nature's Snare does not block shadow or spear attacks, so stay alert and dodge when you see those wind-up animations.
Phase 3: Stun and Burst
Focus on filling the yellow stun bar by landing consistent hits. Once staggered, use Turning Slash, Armed Combat, or Forward Slash for maximum damage during the stun window. Repeat this cycle of stunning and bursting until Priscus is defeated.
Rewards
Defeating Priscus the Ancient grants the following rewards:
Reward | Details |
|---|---|
Delesyia Contribution EXP | 100 |
Blessing of the Immortal | Passive buff |
Ancient's Necklace | Accessory equipment piece |
Ancient of Retribution Abyss Gear | Abyss Gear set piece |
Abyss Artifact |
Post-Battle
After defeating Priscus, an Abyss Gate appears in the basement. Follow the path through the gate to reach the Path of Trials: Ether Rest, and then Frostbitten Paradise. This area provides additional challenges and access to elemental imbuement skill paths.
Tips
Stock up on Sleep Arrows before entering the spire. They are the single most important item for this fight.
Level up your archery skills before attempting this boss. Without ranged capability, the fight is significantly harder.
Save your game before dropping the bell. The boss fight begins immediately after entering the basement.
If you struggle with the climbing puzzle, make sure you have the Double Jump skill unlocked from your skill tree.
The rewards from this fight include an Abyss Artifact, making it well worth the effort for skill tree progression.