Should you open the Cursed Chest in The Tombs in King Arthur Legion IX?

While much of the storyline in turn-based tactical RPG King Arthur: Legion IX is scripted, some key choices must be made. Read on to find out whether or not you should open the Cursed Chest during the Tombs quest. 

What happens if you open the Cursed Chest in King Arthur Legion IX?

Once you have completed the large battle in the southwest corner of the map in The Tombs, when you take on the Banshees, your quest is nearly over. If you follow the passageway that leaves the room to the north, you can complete the mission by heading west (to the flag on the map above). However, a passageway also leads east into a final optional room.

When you enter the room you’ll find a sarcophagus that looks like a normal loot chest. However, when you click it, you’ll find a warning saying the sarcophagus is cursed. You’re then advised not to disturb this place and can open it or leave it be. You can just leave the room and end the mission. 

If you opt to open it, you will face a tough but winnable battle. Whether or not you decide to face this battle will depend on whether you think the loot is worthwhile, as you’ve already earned the XP for the mission. If you win you’ll receive the Fulgora Lar (there is also a corpse in the room with 21 gold). Note this is the only opportunity to get it. It has the following stats if activated in your Lararium in Nova Roma:

• Non-basic Attack Skills have a 10 percent chance per Hit to create a Chain Lightning which affects 3 Enemies, dealing 75 percent Weapon Damage and Shocking them for 1 Turn.
• The Chain Lightning also Shocks the Hero for 2 Turns.

A Shocked unit has 25 percent less AP, or 50 percent less if they wear Heavy Armor (this can be reduced by Mental Debuff Resist). As with all Lars, this is a judgment call but this is the best one you can get to this point in the game, so it is worth the extra effort. There is no curse beyond having to fight a battle.

The Cursed Chest battle

Check your Party Formation before you begin the battle, because once it begins you’ll have two well-armored melee units starting right next to your back row (see image above). Both of them also have the Reanimate ability, so you’ll want to decisively deal with them before the eight units in front of you also get fully involved. 

Three of the units towards the back are Lost Crossbowmen, giving the enemy some ranged clout, while only the two Revenant units don’t reanimate. The Lost Knight is only tough due to its 7 Armor, plus Poison and Bleeding immunity. It also has a mean melee AOE.

As the Lost Knight is positioned on the right in a tight corridor, place Octavius in the front-right position of your 2-man column and move him in to tank the Lost Knight. Use Plutonius to chain the two units that attack from behind, then hit them (and the Lost Knight) with Albina’s Fire Strikes. Gaius should now be able to finish them off. Move Gavius forward and left and set up overwatch ready for the Revenants and have Florianus take a few notches off the Lost Knight with his basic spear attacks.

Turn 2 tactics

Gaius should be able to re-kill both the units that attacked from behind to stop them from reanimating. Gavius and Florianus can take out the two Revenants and start to deal with the Lost Skirmisher that comes in behind them. Once Octavius has done as much damage as he can to the Lost Knight, Plutonius should be able to finish him off. 

This gives Albina time to cast Fire Birds, or move into melee assist with the Lost Skirmisher if you don’t have it. This does ignore the crossbowmen, who will be doing you some damage, but I’ve found it better to deal with the melee threats first. I also prefer to deal with any reanimation units immediately, as you’ll only prolong the battle otherwise. Also, this is the last battle of the mission, so as long as one of your units survives you’ll be back at camp and fully restored. 

Turn 3 and 4 tactics

It's hard to say where you will be in Turn 3 due to the random nature of the Fire Birds. As long as Gaius has mopped up the units that attacked from behind, move him as far as you can down the left flank (I like to use Jumping Attack to make him more mobile). Use Octavius to finish off the Lost Knight for good (and stop it from reanimating). If he has anything left in the tank you can add some damage to the final Lost Skirmisher.

Gavius can be sent toward the Crossbowmen to draw fire, in case you don’t finish them off this turn, and then Albina, Florianus, and Plutonius can do as much ranged damage as possible to the Crossbowmen. The one exception to this should be that if you realize you can’t take out the Crossbowmen this turn, instead focus any ranged efforts on units that would reanimate in the next turn. 

If the battle continues into a fourth turn, you should now simply be able to mop up the final Crossbowmen. Remember that you only need to kill active units. As soon as you defeat the last active unit, any that are waiting to reanimate will instantly be destroyed. 

Looking for more on King Arthur: Legion IX? Check out How to save the trader in The Trader quest - King Arthur Legion IX here at Pro Game Guides!