Prisoner Gorecyclops

"Shall we leave it be? ...Please?"

Prisoner Gorecyclops is an Enemy in Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen. It is a gigantic enemy boss chained to a wall. Once attacked, it will free itself and will pick up a giant spiked club to engage the Arisen and party. A Condemned Gorecyclops shares similar features to a regular Gorecyclops, but it is significantly taller, with a longer reach and its attacks are much more damaging. Like its brethren, it is weak against Ice-based attacks.

This particular enemy can be very difficult and time consuming as it has both high health and defense. Be very wary when casting spells as it will frequently rampage.

Information and Stats

General Info

Type

Monster / Boss

Experience gained

Base Exp of 57,000

Can be more or less depending on a few factors such as:

Having fewer pawns
Under the effect of Weal
Use of the Bezel Crown bow
Being in Hard Mode
Having higher or lower level pawns

Weight : 10,000 kg

Locations

Midnight Helix
Rotunda of Dread (Random encounter with Fiend-luring Incense)
The Forgotten Hall
The Shadow Fort (Quest: An Unseen Rival II)
The Black Abbey

Rewards

Related quests

The Wages of Death III (slay a Condemned Gorecyclops within Bitterblack Isle)
An Unseen Rival II (slay the two Condemned Gorecyclops at The Shadow Fort).

Bestiary

Refer to the Pawn Bestiary Knowledge section on the Cyclops page.

This enemy is not a separate enemy TYPE in the Pawn Bestiary list.
It shares the same weakness to Ice as a normal Gorecyclops.
The kills on this enemy will count towards the total kill count needed for the Gorecyclops Knowledge Star.
Unlike normal Armored Cyclopes, this enemy's body armor cannot be torn off or rent asunder. The helmet can be successfully removed by destroying the strap at the back of the neck.

Notes

Vulnerable to Torpor (slow) and Poison. Use a Rusted Weapon to inflict both debilitations simultaneously. The higher the enhancement of the Rusted weapon, the higher chance it will debilitate with each strike. Torpor will last for 25 seconds before it must be re-inflicted. The buttocks of the Gorecyclops is the least armored part of the beast, making it the best target for Rusted Bows and Longbows.
Vulnerable to knockdown/stagger from Blast Arrows. Shoot the mask strap with blast arrows to instantly remove the helmet, then crticical-hit it directly in the eye for a very quick kill. If the Arisen is using a Gold Dragonforged Revenant Wail, Blast Arrows and 4x strength booster such as Conqueror's Periapts or Tagilus's Miracles, it is possible to kill a full-health Condemned Gorecyclop in two to five shots of Tenfold Flurry.
In a like manner, Fivefold Flurry with a GDF Darkening Storm, Blast Arrows and 4x strength boosters takes a few more shots to critically hit the eye since all shortbow damage drops off the further away from the target, less base strength from the bow, and there are five less Blast Arrows per shot.
Vulnerable to Blind and Tarred in Oil. Use an Aneled Weapon to inflict both debilitations simultaneously. The higher the enhancement of the Aneled weapon, the higher chance it will debilitate with each strike.
Vulnerable to Lowered Attack Strength. Use the Dragon's Roost shield to reduce its attack damage 30%.
To increase the chance of successful debilitation, use multi-strike skills like Thousand Kisses, Brainsplitter, Sheltered Assault or Great Windmill.
The spiked armor CANNOT be removed from the body except for the mask. The spikes throughout the body will inflict damage on climbers.
The mask will fall off by striking at the harness holding the mask on the top of its head. The strap at the back of the head can be easily cut to release the facemask.

Tactics (Offensive)

Whenever climbing enemies, the secret augments Adhesion (for grip), Opportunism (+20% attack strength) and Arm-Strength (for stamina) are recommended, along with the Gloves of Might (for even more grip and climbing speed) for best results.
From the outset, stand behind one of its ankles while it is still chained up and shoot it from behind with a Goldforged Rusted Bow to slow it down (Torpor) and render it easier to climb. The higher the enhancement of the weapon, the higher the chance of inflicting Torpor. Torpor will nullify its berserker flailing to throw off clinging allies. Climb an ankle up to the back of its head. One slash will remove the helmet, then hack away with Thousand Kisses or Dire Gouge (Assassin) to kill it in seconds. This same technique is also very effective against Daimon's first and second forms.
Hit the beast with an Aneled Weapon to inflict Blind and Tarred. The higher the enhancement of the Aneled weapon, the higher chance it will debilitate the target with each strike. Blinding it will make it impossible to target the Arisen, and Tarring it will make it more susceptible to catching Fire.
High stagger gear (such as the Cursed King's Belt) can stunlock the monster. To avoid being grabbed off, there is a position that the Arisen may take up on the lower half of the face where the Condemned Gorecyclops, instead of grasping at its head, will grab at its chest and miss the Arisen consistently. Be sure to bring stamina curatives such as Staminal Drench, Kept Giant Rank Fish, Kept Sour Ambrosial Meat, Liquid Vim, or Kept Golden Eggs if the Arm-Strength augment is not yet available.
Blast Arrows fired at the ankles/feet will cause the brute to fall over making it easy prey or give Warriors the time they need to deliver a charged attack.
Fighters & Warriors: Always try to stand near the Condemned Gorecyclops' right foot. By standing underneath or behind the right foot, it is possible to avoid nearly all attacks. Attacks can be focused on the right foot. The Condemned Gorecyclops always stomps twice with the left foot, which leaves a longer window of opportunity to deal damage to the right foot without being staggered by the quakes following the stomps. However, characters focusing on the feet should possess a considerably high physical attack power or considering using Conqueror's Periapts.
Striders : Unleash Downpour Volley with a Rusted Bow to slow it down, then climb up its back (see above for climbing tips), then slash away with Hundred/Thousand kisses at its eye. Alternately, the Arisen may secure an elevated position and just continue to barrage the Gorecyclops with Downpour Volley and the strongest bow possible. This is a much safer (but a time consuming and stamina taxing method) to kill a Gorecyclops.
Assassins: Clairvoyance and Masterful Kill can disarm the beast, knocking its weapon to the ground and causing it to resort to fighting with its bare hands for the remainder of the battle. While this makes its attacks slightly more erratic, it also severely reduces both the damage and range of its attacks. Both these skills also have a chance of staggering or knocking it down—especially when used on its feet during its stomping attacks—which makes it highly vulnerable to follow-up attacks.
Magick Archers: Ninefold Bolts repeatedly to the head can kill a Gorecyclops quickly.
Mystic Knights: While the Condemned Gorecyclops is chained to the wall, equip a staff and aim High Ingle at the weak spot on the neck to remove the mask. Magick Cannon/Great Cannon along with the Magick Shield skill Ice Enchanter or a permanently enchanted Ice weapon can do devastating damage. Two or three Great Cannons can easily damage around half to a full health bar; use Frost Riposte to Perfect Block blows. Use the Fighter tactic of standing near the right foot to avoid stomps from the left foot to cast sigils and spells.
Sorcerers:
- High Ingle can be targeted to remove the face mask, easiest when standing above the Gorecyclops.
- High Miasma casts quickly and costs little stamina, useful as a follow-up combo with High Maelstrom.
- High Comestion can knock down and disarm the beast.
- High/Grand Fulmination (first charge the spell before walking into the combat area) is especially effective.
- High Gicel can work, but must be carefully timed and aimed so that the ice column doesn't hit its armored areas (no damage).
- High Lassitude will inflict Torpor and slow down the monster's rampage.
- High Maelstrom can be effective (especially once the helmet is removed), but be sure to cast it in safety from high ground. The augment Emphasis will increase Maelstrom's ability to knock down the Condemned Gorecyclops.
- A Holy Focused Bolt can deal great damage to the Gorecyclops, in addition to staggering or even knocking it down. If standing above the Gorecyclops, the Focused Bolt can remove the face mask.

Tactics (Defensive)

The primary, general defensive strategy in Dragon's Dogma is to first eliminate all weaker enemies first.
The Condemned Gorecyclops is usually accompanied by either Corrupted Pawns or Hellhounds. Kill the Corrupted Sorcerer Pawns first, as they can quickly ("mirror") group-cast High Maelstrom and High Seism, annihilating the Arisen and party.
If climbing the monster and it reaches up to grab, Instant Reset can be used as an emergency dismount to avoid being grabbed and eaten. It is possible to re-grab a lower part of the body on the way down and immediately climb back up to the head.
Sorcerers: High Gicel aimed at its its head from an elevated position. Enough blows to the helmet can dislodge it. If the eye is directly hit, a full healthbar of damage may be incurred.
Here's a safe and easy tactic for bow-wielding vocations : Every area where one encounters a Gorecyclops has an elevated position to fire arrows from. First climb on its head and remove the helmet (one strike just above the back of the neck), then retreat to a higher position and spam him with arrows.
In The Forgotten Hall, a Mystic Knight may employ Stone Jungle standing near the edge of the second level main balcony. Since the attack is level to its head and eye, Stone Jungle can inflict up to a full health bar of damage. It can even cause them to fall down, vulnerable to more attacks or easier climbing. Standing too close to the edge may enable the beast to grab the Arisen, so stand near the ledge, but not on it.
One "cheap" way of battling the Gorecyclops is to fight it for a little while, then retreat somewhere to 'save and continue'. One such area is from the second floor in the Midnight Helix, across the wooden bridge over the poisonous red river. Exit and save to the main menu then reload the game. The Gorecyclops will mysteriously be chained up again but with all the damage already accrued to its health bar from previous attacks. This tactic is useful for aiding unconscious pawns without running the risk of getting hit and for gaining some breathing room for healing. This method will let the Arisen get some seriously cheap shots in before the Condemned Gorecyclops breaks free and can fight back.
The fastest way to dispose of a Condemned Gorecyclops is to equip a Ranger Arisen with a Gold Dragonforged Revenant Wail. By boosting the Arisen's strength with either 4x Tagilus' Miracles or 4x Conqueror's Periapts and using Blast Arrows with Tenfold Flurry, it is easy to remove the face mask with the first shot and critically hit the Condemned Gorecyclops in the eye for a kill with the second or third shot. This is possible even with a low strength stat; the Revenant Wail's knockdown/stagger stat is extremely high and will help compensate for possible lack of strength.

Tactics (Pawn-specific)

All vocations : Pawns equipped with (preferably Rarified) Rusted Weapons can continually inflict the Condemned Gorecyclops with Torpor to slow down its rampage for 25 seconds per debilitation instance. Multi-strike skills such as Tenfold Flurry, Downpour Volley, Shield Strike, Sheltered Assault, Thousand Kisses, Focused Bolts, etc. will increase the odds of debilitation. A Torpor-debilitated Gorecyclops is easier to climb, evade, Perfect Block and shoot.

Fighter and Warrior pawns:
- While not an ideal choice against a Condemned Gorecyclops, Fighter and Warriors pawns can nevertheless contribute to the battle with Dragon's Maw, Corona Slash, and Indomitable Lunge on the beast's ankles. When the Gorecyclops is knocked down, the damage inflicted by these vocations greatly increases.
Strider pawns:
- Downpour Volley on a Strider pawn is very effective.
- Unequipping a Strider pawn's bow will encourage them to climb, but usually only while the Gorecyclops is bound. Once it's unbound, pawns are unlikely to climb. The face mask should be removed by the Arisen (with High Ingle or arrows, for example) once the Strider pawn has climbed up to the head in order for the pawn to inflict head strikes, as climbing pawns will not usually slash the face mask headband by themselves.
- From an elevated position, a Strider pawn equipped with Brain Splitter can be grabbed and thrown down onto a Condemned Gorecyclops. A well aimed throw can remove the face mask and inflict considerable damage on the way down. The thrown pawn will sustain fall damage from the height.
- In The Forgotten Hall, slay all the enemies within while leaving the two Condemned Gorecyclops unmolested. Move within striking range, allowing the pawn to climb up the leg to the helmet. Once the helmet is removed (such as with High Ingle or a Magic Archer's Sixfold Bolt), the Strider pawn can destroy the Gorecyclops with Thousand Kisses directly to the face. Repeat the process on the second Gorecyclops.
- In the Midnight Helix, slay all the enemies within while leaving the Condemned Gorecyclops unmolested. Then stand on the lowest wooden bridge, almost directly over the Gorecyclops' head. Grab and throw the Strider pawn (preferably equipped with Thousand Kisses and the climbing augments Adhesion and Opportunism) at the feet of the Gorecyclops and let the pawn climb up to the face. Remove the face mask with a well aimed Tenfold Flurry, Fivefold Flurry, Focused Bolt or High Ingle to the strap latch at the back of its head. Continue attacking until the Gorecyclops breaks free from its bindings. The Strider pawn can then destroy the Gorecyclops in seconds with Thousand Kisses directly to the face.

Mage pawns:
- High Grapnel will temporarily hold the Gorecyclops in place and make it unable to mount an offense.
- High Levin will remove the fask mask, useful as a set up for a Strider or Ranger pawn to climb up to the face and destroy the Gorecyclops with Hundred/Thousand Kisses.
Sorcerer pawns:
- High Comestion, Grand Bolide and High Maelstrom are excellent pawn spell choices for this battle.
- Sorcerer pawns will Spell Synch (or "mirror") whenever an ally casts Bolide, Gicel, Fulmination, Seism or Maelstrom. The Utilitarian inclination encourages pawns to Spell Synch together.
- High Levin will remove the face mask, useful as a set up for a Strider pawn to climb up to the face and destroy the Gorecyclops with Thousand Kisses, or a Ranger pawn's Tenfold Flurry (Rangers will also immediately climb up to the face to strike at the eye like Striders do, if their bow is removed).