Overview
The Throbbing King is the boss of the Throbbing Domain, a secret zone unlocked by completing Guillotina's quest chain and delivering the three dropped quest items. He is the final boss of Act 1, a skinless man permanently affixed to a large fleshy sack who rules the Throbbing Domain. The fight has two distinct phases with very different mechanics, and the transition between them catches unprepared teams off-guard.
Phase 1: The Throne
Four Turns Per Round
The Throbbing King takes four turns per round and has 3 Trample. On his first three turns he focuses on reducing the movement range of your cats, making it harder for them to reach safe tiles. His high HP pool means fights usually go on for a long time, so Poison and other damage-over-time effects are valuable. However, note that all status effects clear when he transitions to Phase 2, as it is internally a completely different enemy.
Follow Orders Tile Mechanic
This is the fight's defining mechanic. At the end of each round, The Throbbing King gives one of four orders that telegraphs a powerful attack aimed at highlighted tiles on the map. On the following round, your cats are given a single turn each to move to a safe tile before the highlighted tiles are attacked. This is not avoidable through defensive stats: if you are on a highlighted tile when the attack triggers, you take full damage regardless of Brace or resistances. Following the tile pattern perfectly is the only defence.
Tether Ensnare
The Throbbing King shoots tethering projectiles that wrap around a unit, preventing movement and ability use until the unit takes damage or spends a basic attack action breaking free. A tethered healer during a tentacle phase is extremely dangerous because they cannot move off a highlighted tile.
Clot Spawning
He spawns clots when he takes damage. If left alone, these clots grow into larger threats that add to the pressure on your party. Prioritise destroying clots early, especially during rounds when the tile pattern is manageable. Do not let them propagate, particularly as you approach Phase 2.
Phase 2: Off the Throne (150 HP Transition)
When his HP reaches 150, The Throbbing King detaches from his throne and becomes mobile. All status effects are cleared at this transition. He has lower HP in this phase but significantly higher mobility, jumping away after each hit to maintain distance.
Piercing Vomit Blasts
His primary Phase 2 attack is a vomit blast that travels in a straight line, piercing through every unit it touches and applying Bleed to each. A line of three cats in the path of a vomit blast all take damage and receive bleed stacks simultaneously. Never stand in a straight line with other cats in Phase 2.
Recommended Team Composition
High mobility is essential for Phase 1 tile survival: cats that can reposition quickly to safe tiles every round are far safer than slow, heavily-armoured tanks. Ranged damage dealers work well since they can maintain distance while following the tile pattern. A healer is mandatory for the overall fight length. Bleed-cleanse abilities are extremely valuable in Phase 2.
Strategy
1. Phase 1: Read the tile pattern every round before moving any cat. Identify all highlighted tiles, then move every cat to a confirmed safe position as the first priority before committing to any offensive action.
2. Destroy clots during manageable rounds rather than letting them propagate. They become especially dangerous in Phase 2 when the tile mechanic is no longer active.
3. If a cat gets tethered on a highlighted tile, immediately break the tether with a basic attack before the attack triggers.
4. Phase 2: Never stand in a line. Keep cats spread horizontally and at variable distances to avoid getting hit by piercing vomit blasts.
5. Reapply DoT effects after the phase transition since all status effects are cleared. Focus sustained damage, as his reduced HP makes the fight shorter if you maintain pressure.