Dungeon · 4 players · Coldharbour · Base game
Vaults of Madness
VetEasyHMEasy
The Mad Architect's prison-workshop in Coldharbour. Four bosses (Ulguna Soul-Reaver, Grothdarr, Iskra the Omen, Mad Architect) and four minibosses. Lots of trash in big packs; bottomless pits and fire traps along the way.
- Achaeraizur (daedroth miniboss): tank and spank. Tank faces it away (fire breath cone, stomp cone); everyone gets out of the blue fire puddles it spits. You can walk through the middle of its room without aggroing the far-ranged adds.
- The Ancient One (big watcher miniboss): tank faces it away; nobody else stands in front (triple beam stuns). Its spin has no red circle and hits very hard: keep HP topped, or step back from it.
- Hazards: bottomless pits early on and fire traps near the Ancient One and Iskra.
- Hard mode: veteran only, read the Scroll of Glorious Battle before the Mad Architect. A full wipe turns it off.
The Cursed One
Miniboss☠ Wipe mechanic
- Life Link: a beam ties the wraith to one player, and all damage dealt to the boss is shared with that player. DPS stop attacking until the link ends, or the linked player runs far away to break it.
Tank
- Face it away. Kill the adds first, then the boss.
DPS
- Interrupt Winter's Reach (frost cone that roots).
Healer
👁 Watch for
- Wraith with a beam to one player = Life Link. Frost blast in front of it = Winter's Reach.
More detail
Low health, so groups burn it fast and kill their own linked teammate. Watch for the beam and hold damage.
Not fully confirmed:
- Xynode says dodge-roll no longer breaks the link, only range. UESP says only range breaks it and it can't be interrupted. Both agree: move away.
Ulguna Soul-Reaver
Boss☠ Wipe mechanic
- Soul Flame: blue orbs in her hands, then a big wall of blue fire expands in front of her. Stay behind her (tank blocks).
Tank
- Face her away from the group.
DPS
- Kill the 4 Feast orbs fast. They float toward her and heal her if they arrive. Each one you kill heals you.
- Dodge-roll her purple fireball (Ethereal Burst, knockback).
Healer
- One player at a time is suspended and helpless (Soul Cremation). Keep them up.
👁 Watch for
- Soul Cremation: a player floating in the air, screaming.
- Feast: four orbs drifting toward her from around the platform.
More detail
Short fight on a bridge platform she seals with blue fire. Kill the orbs, stay out of her front, and help whoever she suspends.
Not fully confirmed:
- Xynode says killing all four orbs frees the suspended player. UESP says the player is released after Soul Flame, and the orbs come from a separate grab (The Feast) and only heal her.
Death's Head
MinibossTank
- Pull the room's ranged adds to the middle first; the boss walks in partway.
- Face him at a nearby wall or pillar so his charge (Necromantic Stampede) is short.
DPS
- Kill the Risen Dead adds he summons before they explode (red circle).
- Stay out of his charge path and the dark AoEs it leaves behind.
Healer
👁 Watch for
- Big bone colossus. Rears back then runs forward, leaving necromantic puddles along the path.
More detail
Bone colossus with exploding adds and a long knockdown charge. Positioning him facing a wall keeps the fight tight.
Grothdarr
BossTank
- Block Overhead Smash (loud mace slam, knockdown). Face him away: Burning Hate is a red fire cone.
DPS
- Two fire trails snake around the arena all fight. Follow the tail, never run ahead of the head.
Healer
👁 Watch for
- Huge flesh atronach with a mace and a torch. Two long lines of fire crawling across the floor.
More detail
Footwork fight. The entrances are sealed with fire; stay behind him and keep clear of the moving fire trails.
Iskra the Omen
Boss☠ Wipe mechanic
- Ethereal Flame: after he slams down, he breathes a long line of blue fire at one player. That player steps sideways. The fire lingers a long time: never stand in it.
Tank
- Keep him in the middle of the room.
DPS
- Stay close but spread. He leaps to the farthest player, so staying close keeps his jumps short.
- Get out of Falling Sky (wide red circle when he flies up and crashes down).
Healer
👁 Watch for
- Winged daedric titan. Flies up = big red circle; then a straight line of blue fire across the arena.
More detail
Low health, big AoEs. Out of the slam circle, sidestep the breath line, back in. Two fire lines can be on the floor at once.
Mad Architect
Final boss☠ Wipe mechanic
- Undead Legion: bright flash and spirits rise from the circle he stands on. Get OUT of his circle.
- Obliterate: a bubble forms around him and the windows shatter. Get IN the bubble or die.
Tank
- Keep taunt. Grinning Bolt hits very hard and goes to anyone if taunt drops.
- Pick up the undead adds he summons and stack them on him.
DPS
- AoE the adds fast. Stay with the boss; don't run around the room.
- Avoid blackened runes on the ground (Deathly Grasp, no red circle, snares).
Healer
- Heal through Claim the Dead, an unavoidable blast after each add wave.
👁 Watch for
- Undead Legion: floor in his circle glows (pinkish) and souls rush up. Out.
- Obliterate: a dome around him, then the room's edges shatter. In.
Hard mode · veteran only
Activate: Veteran only. Read the Scroll of Glorious Battle before engaging him. A full wipe turns it off (achievement 'New Mayor of Crazy Town').
- More health and more damage. No new mechanics.
More detail
Lich who alternates two opposite mechanics: glowing floor means leave, dome means enter. Everything else is adds and runes.
Not fully confirmed:
- Exact spot of the Scroll of Glorious Battle not confirmed. UESP's general rule: on the floor near the final boss arena.