Difference between revisions of "Hub 5: Dark Crucible"

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{{Necropolis}}
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{{Necropolis|map=MAP40|cheat=visit31}}
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'''Dark Crucible''' is the final level in [[Hexen]]. It is where you face [[Korax]] himself, along with an army of his minions. Although it is part of the [[Hub 5: Necropolis|Necropolis]] hub, you cannot return to any of the other levels once you have entered it.
  
'''Dark Crucible''' is the final level in [[Hexen]].  It is where you face Korax himself, along with an army of his minions. Although it is part of the [[Hub 5: Necropolis|Necropolis]] hub, you cannot return to any of the other levels once you have entered it.
+
''At last, you now stand poised to battle Korax, the second Serpent Rider. Your fate shall be eternal glory or excruciating death.''
  
==Strategy==
+
== Walkthrough ==
 +
[[File:MAP40-dark-crucible.svg|thumb|330x300px|Map of Dark Crucible]]
 +
{{Map spots|notally=1}}
  
===Walkthrough===
+
===Essentials===
There's nothing at all complicated about this level: all that is needed is the skill, weapons, and items acquired through the rest of the game.
+
The player begins on one side of a waving bridge. Cross the bridge (while avoiding falling off to instant death) and open the door. Inside and up some stairs, there are three switches: one to the immediate left, and two on the walls near the door. Begin by pressing both switches nearest to the door, then the switch closer to the entrance. A random type of mana, possibly even a [[Krater of Might]], will appear next to the two switches near the doors. Doing this every sixth time will cause four Dark Bishops to appear. Doing this every 20 time will cause a [[Mystic Urn]] to appear in the center of the room. Doing this every 40 times will cause four [[Slaughtaur|Slaughtaurs]] to appear. The player can decide whether or not it is worth it to challenge spawning monsters for additional mana. Open the door when ready to battle [[Korax]].
  
The player begins on one side of a bridge.  Cross the bridge (while avoiding the instant-death fall past the edges) and open the door.  Inside, there are three switches: one to the immediate left, and two on the walls near the door.  Begin by pressing both switches nearest to the door, then the switch closer to the entrance.  A random type of mana, possibly even a [[Krater of Might]], will appear next to the two switches near the doors.  Doing this every fifth time after the first (ie, 6th, 11th, etc) will cause four Dark Bishops to appear.  The player can decide whether or not it is worth it to gain mana at the risk of losing health (as they will need to keep up their strength for Korax).  Open the door when ready.
+
For suggestions about how to defeat him see the page about him.
  
Beyond the door is a very large room, housing a few [[Disc of Repulsion|Discs of Repulsion]] on either side, and two Kraters of Might.  There are also a few circular crushers in this room: avoid them at all costs.  There are three doors here: one large one in the back, and two barrier-doors on the left and right. [[Korax]] is at the back and center of the room, and he greets you with a barrage of attacks.
+
Once Korax is dead, a portal will appear at the back of the halls. Enter it and watch the ending sequence.
  
The second (and final) room is about as large as the first, with two barrier-doors on the left and right sides of the room.  There are stairs leading to the back of the room, where Korax himself resides initially.   Beware of the two circular crushers as in the first room.  Kill Korax and a portal will appear at the back of the room.  Enter it and watch the ending sequence.
+
Congratulations, you win the game.
 +
 
 +
=== Bugs ===
 +
* If a [[Banishment Device]] is used on the wave of enemies released after Korax teleports away for the first time, monsters that must be killed may be transported to the other side of the sealed door, or onto Korax's middle platform. If the player cannot correct the issue by blindly activating a [[Disc of Repulsion]] to push monsters behind the wall into a hazard, the level is rendered unwinnable.
 +
 
 +
== Areas / screenshots ==
 +
<gallery mode=nolines widths=160px>
 +
|
 +
</gallery>
  
Congratulations, you win the game.
+
== Speedrunning ==
 +
===Routes and tricks===
  
===Defeating Korax===
+
===Current records===
Korax is no laughing matter: with a boastable amount of HP and an array of traps and attacks, one who faces this boss should use every single item at their disposal, as there is nothing to use it on afterwards.  Like [[D'Sparil]] and [[Eidolon]] Korax fights in two phases.
+
The records for the map at the [[Doom Speed Demo Archive]] are:
  
====The First Room====
+
{| {{prettytable}}
In the beginning, the player should get used to Korax's most significant attack: his six-shooter.  Each of his arms will shoot out a random blast, apparently borrowed from the various projectile attacks used by enemies throughout the game.  Regardless of the attack, being hit by all six at once typically causes death, even with full health.  Fortunately, the attacks are very predictable, so they are easily dodged.  Korax also moves extremely slowly, so it is very easy to attack him in this first room.
+
! Run !! Time !! Player !! Date !! File !! Notes
 +
|-
 +
|[[Skill level#Hexen skill levels|Sk4]] speed|| || || || ||
 +
|-
 +
|Sk4 max|| || || || ||
 +
|-
 +
|Sk5 speed|| || || || ||
 +
|-
 +
|Sk5 max|| || || || ||
 +
|-
 +
|[[Tyson]]|| || || || ||
 +
|-
 +
|[[Pacifist]]|| || || || ||
 +
|}
  
The tricky part of battling Korax in either room deals with the various traps he has laid out.  In the first room, once he releases a blue flash of lightning from one of his hands, any one of these things will occur:
+
''The (absence of) data was last verified in its entirety on December 3, 2021.''
* Spikes in the center of the room will rise quickly, starting from the front and moving to the back.  After about five seconds, they will lower.
 
* A majority of the floor will turn to lava.  The only place where you are safe is along the middle of the room, so it is wise to stay near there at all times.
 
* Spikebomb traps will lower from the ceiling, randomly spewing fireballs all across the room.
 
  
Once Korax takes a certain amount of damage, he will teleport away and release two waves of other monsters from either side of the room, revealing no less than sixteen [[Ettin]]s in each chamber, for a total of thirty two.  These small rooms hold four Crystal Vials and a Krater of Might each.  Kill the Ettins, and the barriers behind the rooms that housed them will open as well, leaving you to deal with thirty two [[Centaur]]s.  Kill them as well, and the door in the back of the room will open.
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== Deathmatch ==
  
====The Second Room====
+
===Player spawns===
In addition to the details mentioned in the first room, Korax can also do the following:
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This level contains eight spawn points:
* Open the barrier-doors on either side of the room and release additional waves of monsters. The first barriers will reveal sixteen [[Green Chaos Serpent]]s in each of the rooms, and the second barriers will free sixteen [[Dark Bishop]]s. It is recommended kill Korax as soon as possible so that he doesn't have time to call in backup.
+
# facing south. ('''thing 407''')
* Teleport around. He can teleport to five different places: to the back-left corner of the room, the back-right corner of the room, the back-left side of the first room, the back-right side of the first room, and his original position. He will always teleport in this order, although he can sometimes teleport in rapid succession. It is advised to learn the path well so that it becomes easy to target Korax, and also because he can [[telefrag]] you.
+
# facing north. ('''thing 408''')
* Summon Ghost creatures.  These Ghost creatures will either be Centaurs, Green Chaos Serpents, or Brown Chaos Serpents; they will not have corpses when they die.  Compared to the rooms with literally hordes of monsters, they are only a small threat.
+
# facing south. ('''thing 409''')
 +
# facing north. ('''thing 410''')
 +
# facing west. ('''thing 484''')
 +
# facing east. ('''thing 485''')
 +
# facing east. ('''thing 486''')
 +
# facing east. ('''thing 487''')
  
====Class Suggestions====
+
== Statistics ==
 +
===Map data===
 +
{{mapdata|
 +
  things=488|
 +
  vertexes=867|
 +
  linedefs=937|
 +
  sidedefs=1534|
 +
  sectors=181|
 +
  vertexbefore=774}}
  
* The [[Fighter]] will have the most trouble, as Korax is very difficult to attack close-up.  Use [[Quietus]] from a medium distance for best results.  If the player wishes to attack from a melee distance, it is highly recommended to expend an [[Icon of the Defender]] before doing so.
+
===Things===
* The [[Cleric]] has it fairly easy with his [[Wraithverge]], although the player may want to conserve mana for the time being.  [[Firestorm]] will take a while but gets the job done.
+
This level contains the following numbers of [[thing]]s per [[Skill level#Hexen skill levels|skill level]]:
* The [[Mage]] can use his [[Arc of Death]] to lock down Korax for a majority of the time, making it difficult for him to attack or activate traps.  [[Bloodscourge]] is a faster (albeit lazy) option.
 
  
The player can leave the level without killing any other monsters in the second room other than Korax himself, so it is not necessary to defeat all of the remaining enemies unless they are directly in the way.
+
{{col-begin}}
 +
{{col-break|width=33%}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Cleric single-player
 +
|-
 +
![[Monster#Hexen|Monsters]]!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Dark bishop]]||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Ettin]]||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Centaur]]||20||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Green chaos serpent]]||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Korax]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
![[Ammo#Hexen|Ammunition]]!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Combined mana]]||18||16||10
 +
|-
 +
![[Item#Hexen|Health & Armor]]!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Crystal vial|Crystal Vial]]||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
!Items!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Disc of Repulsion]]||colspan="3"|12
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Fléchette]]||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Krater of Might]]||4||2||6
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Mystic Urn]]||colspan="3"|2
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Quartz Flask]]||colspan="3"|7
 +
|-
 +
!Miscellaneous!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Spike|Spike Down]]||colspan="3"|17
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Fighter single-player
 +
|-
 +
!Monsters!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Dark bishop||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Ettin||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Centaur||20||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Green chaos serpent||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Korax||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
!Ammunition!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Combined mana||18||16||10
 +
|-
 +
!Health & Armor!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Crystal Vial||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
!Items!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Disc of Repulsion||colspan="3"|12
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Fléchette||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Krater of Might||4||2||6
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Mystic Urn||colspan="3"|2
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Quartz Flask||colspan="3"|7
 +
|-
 +
!Miscellaneous!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Spike Down||colspan="3"|17
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Mage single-player
 +
|-
 +
!Monsters!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Dark bishop||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Ettin||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Centaur||20||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Green chaos serpent||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Korax||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
!Ammunition!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Combined mana||18||16||10
 +
|-
 +
!Health & Armor!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Crystal Vial||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
!Items!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Disc of Repulsion||colspan="3"|12
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Fléchette||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Krater of Might||4||2||6
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Mystic Urn||colspan="3"|2
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Quartz Flask||colspan="3"|7
 +
|-
 +
!Miscellaneous!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Spike Down||colspan="3"|17
 +
|}
 +
{{col-end}}
 +
{{col-begin}}
 +
{{col-break|width=33%}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Cooperative
 +
|-
 +
!Monsters!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Dark bishop||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Ettin||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Centaur||20||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Green chaos serpent||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Korax||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
!Ammunition!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Combined mana||46||44||38
 +
|-
 +
!Health & Armor!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Crystal Vial||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
!Items!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Disc of Repulsion||colspan="3"|12
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Fléchette||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Krater of Might||4||2||6
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Mystic Ambit Incant]]||colspan="3"|3
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Mystic Urn||colspan="3"|2
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Quartz Flask||colspan="3"|7
 +
|-
 +
!Miscellaneous!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Multiplayer#Cooperative|Cooperative start]]||colspan="3"|8
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Spike Down||colspan="3"|17
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Deathmatch
 +
|-
 +
!Monsters!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Dark bishop||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Ettin||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Centaur||20||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Green chaos serpent||16||24||32
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Korax||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
!Health & Armor!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Crystal Vial||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Amulet of Warding]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Falcon Shield]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Mesh Armor]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Platinum Helm]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
!Items!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Banishment Device]]||colspan="3"|2
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Dark Servant]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Disc of Repulsion||colspan="3"|12
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Fléchette||24||16||8
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Icon of the Defender]]||colspan="3"|3
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Porkalator]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Quartz Flask||colspan="3"|7
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Torch]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Wings of Wrath]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Deathmatch (cont.)
 +
|-
 +
![[Weapon#Hexen|Weapons]]!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Timon's Axe]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Hammer of Retribution]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Quietus|Quietus (Hilt)]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Quietus (Cross)||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Quietus (Blade)||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Serpent Staff]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Firestorm]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Wraithverge|Wraithverge (Shaft)]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Wraithverge (Cross)||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Wraithverge (Arc)||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Frost Shards]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Arc of death|Arc of Death]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Bloodscourge|Bloodscourge (Stick)]]||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Bloodscourge (Stub)||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Bloodscourge (Skull)||colspan="3"|1
 +
|-
 +
!Ammunition!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Combined mana||22||20||14
 +
|-
 +
!Miscellaneous!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Deathmatch start]]||colspan="3"|8
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Spike Down||colspan="3"|17
 +
|}
 +
{{col-end}}
  
====Bug Warning====
+
== External links ==
Korax's retreat from the first room isn't entirely foolproof. He teleports once he enters a walking state and his health has been reduced below a certain level. If he is kept from entering a walking state, he will never retreat and hence can be killed in the first hall. However this will make the level unbeatable as the door to the second hall will remain closed.
+
* {{dsda2|wad=hexen|title=Hexen demos}}
  
This bug is very easy to cause with the Cleric's [[Fléchette]] or [[Wraithverge]], both of which can keep Korax forever in his pain state until death, though you will need Kraters of Might to have enough ammo to cause the bug with the latter.
+
[[Category:Levels with extra equipment in co-op]]
[[Category:Levels by name|Dark Crucible]]
 

Revision as of 14:57, 3 December 2021

Hexen maps
Seven Portals
Shadow Wood
Heresiarch's Seminary
Castle of Grief
Necropolis
Deathkings of the Dark Citadel
Map name: MAP40

Cheat code: visit31

Dark Crucible is the final level in Hexen. It is where you face Korax himself, along with an army of his minions. Although it is part of the Necropolis hub, you cannot return to any of the other levels once you have entered it.

At last, you now stand poised to battle Korax, the second Serpent Rider. Your fate shall be eternal glory or excruciating death.

Walkthrough

File:MAP40-dark-crucible.svg
Map of Dark Crucible
Letters in italics refer to marked spots on the map. Sector, thing, and linedef numbers in boldface are secrets.

Essentials

The player begins on one side of a waving bridge. Cross the bridge (while avoiding falling off to instant death) and open the door. Inside and up some stairs, there are three switches: one to the immediate left, and two on the walls near the door. Begin by pressing both switches nearest to the door, then the switch closer to the entrance. A random type of mana, possibly even a Krater of Might, will appear next to the two switches near the doors. Doing this every sixth time will cause four Dark Bishops to appear. Doing this every 20 time will cause a Mystic Urn to appear in the center of the room. Doing this every 40 times will cause four Slaughtaurs to appear. The player can decide whether or not it is worth it to challenge spawning monsters for additional mana. Open the door when ready to battle Korax.

For suggestions about how to defeat him see the page about him.

Once Korax is dead, a portal will appear at the back of the halls. Enter it and watch the ending sequence.

Congratulations, you win the game.

Bugs

  • If a Banishment Device is used on the wave of enemies released after Korax teleports away for the first time, monsters that must be killed may be transported to the other side of the sealed door, or onto Korax's middle platform. If the player cannot correct the issue by blindly activating a Disc of Repulsion to push monsters behind the wall into a hazard, the level is rendered unwinnable.

Areas / screenshots

Speedrunning

Routes and tricks

Current records

The records for the map at the Doom Speed Demo Archive are:

Run Time Player Date File Notes
Sk4 speed
Sk4 max
Sk5 speed
Sk5 max
Tyson
Pacifist

The (absence of) data was last verified in its entirety on December 3, 2021.

Deathmatch

Player spawns

This level contains eight spawn points:

  1. facing south. (thing 407)
  2. facing north. (thing 408)
  3. facing south. (thing 409)
  4. facing north. (thing 410)
  5. facing west. (thing 484)
  6. facing east. (thing 485)
  7. facing east. (thing 486)
  8. facing east. (thing 487)

Statistics

Map data

Things 488
Vertices 867*
Linedefs 937
Sidedefs 1534
Sectors 181
* The vertex count without the effect of node building is 774.

Things

This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level:

External links