Balancers (Everdark Sovereign)

Balancers (Everdark Sovereign) are a group of seven Standard-Bearers encountered as a multi-target boss fight. They function as a pack of near-identical enemies that share attack patterns and low individual poise, and they are fought together rather than as a single large boss. The encounter transitions into a second phase after all seven Balancers are defeated for the first time: one Balancer rises, screams, tears at her face, and causes blood to spout and coat the players' view, signalling the change of phase.

The fight emphasizes crowd control, target prioritization, and careful spacing. Only two Standard-Bearers (one in single-player) actively lock on to each player at any given time while the rest of the group remain comparatively passive. This split in activity makes it possible to separate and handle active fighters individually, but it also requires coordination so teammates do not take damage from off-screen attackers. Each Standard-Bearer can be parried and they have very low poise, making parry-based or heavy-weapon stagger strategies effective. Several of their attacks inflict special effects: their screams cause blood loss buildup to nearby players, and some attacks generate shockwaves or ground AOEs.

Phase two introduces a large worm that performs ground dives and creates shockwaves; these shockwaves and the weapon swing tremors can be jumped over. When the worm stops, players should attack its belly from multiple angles to destroy blood clots that contribute both to damage and to stance damage. Emptying the worm's health or breaking its stance will interrupt its bloom attack; failure to do so requires players to run far away to leave its range. Standard-Bearers perform jumping triple-ground slams that have a predictable blind spot near the attacker on the third slam, so staying close while timing dodges properly can exploit that vulnerability.

• Parry and staggering: All individual Standard-Bearers can be parried and have very low poise, so parrying or heavy-weapon hits that stagger will shut down their combos.
• Targeting and coordination: Split the group and isolate Standard-Bearers to fight them individually. Only two will actively lock onto each player at once, so coordinate aggro and positioning to avoid crossfire.
• Movement and dodging: Roll forward into swipe flurries to avoid being roll-caught; rolling backward is commonly punished. Dodge grabs the instant a Standard-Bearer's left arm extends upward. Jump shockwaves from worm dives and swings.
• Crowd-control effects: The Standard-Bearers’ screams build blood loss on nearby players and often transition into follow-up attacks; keep distance during screams. Sleep can disable a pack member, but do not attack until you confirm the Sleep status has actually applied, since attacking will break it.
• Worm mechanics: Attack the worm’s belly clots from multiple angles when it stops to increase both health and stance damage; either deplete its health or break its stance to prevent its bloom attack.
• Character synergies: Scholar replicates damage from an Ultimate Art across every living Standard-Bearer, rapidly depleting their HP. Executor’s transformation Ultimate and roar hit multiple targets and can stun Standard-Bearers; Executor also excels at deflections. Wylder starts with a buckler useful for parrying. Duchess’ Ultimate Art is useful to break aggro when the team is overwhelmed.
• Trivia: The Salvation’s Standard-Bearers use a different title than the Everdark Sovereigns despite being functionally identical, and their unique Relic is titled The Will of Balance.