Gnoster, WIsdom of Night (Sentient Pest) - Guide, Attack Pattern & More

Here's a more detailed look at the resistances and weaknesses of Gnoster, WIsdom of Night (Sentient Pest).

Credits to the original compiler at pug.5ch.net.

Moth

Scorpion

The Sentient Pest can invade players during their runs, causing pests to follow players around the map and steal their levels. Players must then follow the pests back to the Sentient Pest’s location and take down the boss to recover the lost levels.

This invading pest will only have the Moth enemy, which can spit out poisonous mist at the player and guide locusts that further steal player levels, reducing their damage and health. The fight is not too difficult, though, as players can dodge the flocks if they keep strafing around the Pest. 

When killed, the Sentient Pest will return all the stolen levels, grant a huge amount of runes, and give players the “Integration of Intelligence” dormant power, which makes attacks sometimes gives runes to players on impact. This is a great passive effect that will allow players to level up more quickly.

The Moth has two main attacks: Magic Projectiles and a Poison Mist.

Magic Projectiles

The magic projectiles are sent forward in waves, and you can either run away from them or dodge to avoid them.

The moth can also perform a powered-up version of the magic projectiles. It will fly high in the air and let out projectiles that fall in the area around it. Stay directly beneath or run away to avoid it.

Poison Mist

The poison mist is more dangerous. The Moth releases a purple poison cloud that descends onto the ground.

This poison is especially deadly, as it makes a parasite grow on you over time, dealing damage and immobilizing you. Other Nightfarers can attack you to dispel the parasite.

The Scorpion mainly attacks with its legs and arms. If you're on its sides, it will do a leg slam.

Otherwise, he can dig his arms onto the ground, dealing damage in a wide are in front.

Besides slams, it can also lunge for claw attacks - sometimes with a combination of one or three attacks.

It can also turn his body white, becoming invulnerable to attacks (but still prone to ailments). Focus on the Moth until it turns back to normal.

When they fall under 50% HP, Gnoster will enter their second phase.

The Moth will sit atop the Scorpion and they will combine their attacks.

They still have access to the same attacks from phase one and will perform them at the same time.

Furthermore, they can dish out beams of light and do a combined charge.

When the Moth flashes in white, multiple beams of light will fall onto players. They must keep running, as they can easily stagger Nightfarers.

The last light beam is especially deadly as it will do multiple instances of damage.

Gnoster will perform this move at the start of Phase 2. They will charge together at a targeted player: The Scorpion will move toward them and attack with its claws, while the Moth lets out magic projectiles and poison mist around.

The targeted Nightfarer should sprint in the opposite direction and to the sides, while other players should position themselves behind the scorpion. After the charge, they will make the ground explode in front of them.

Gnoster's Everdark Sovereign version is stronger, including a new phase where a third bug will appear. For the Everdark Gnoster expedition, we recommend having a ranged Nightfarer in the party, like Ironeye or Recluse, as well as a character that can absorb hits like Raider or Guardian. Gnoster keeps its fire weakness, so bringing fire weapons and greases will greatly aid during this fight. Stocking up on consumables and healing flasks will also help, since this fight is longer than others.

This time around, Gnoster starts in Phase 2, meaning the moth will sit on top of the scorpion and perform their usual combined attacks. They will begin the encounter with their Combined Charge attack, which can be lethal if you're not positioned well. When you're being targeted, focus on evading all incoming attacks, as your teammates will have an easy time dealing damage to Gnoster.

Phase 3

Once you've depleted Gnoster's full HP bar, a third bug will appear: Animus, Ascendant Light. It will heal back Gnoster and Faurtis to about 40% HP each. Additionally, each bug will have its own separate HP bar, and they will separate once again and use their Phase 1 attacks.

Phase 3 has its own gimmick that completely transforms the fight: Animus can reanimate and power-up whichever bug you’ve killed, and it can do so multiple times, at the expense of its own HP.

When players kill either Gnoster or Faurtis, Animus will get into the corpse and possess them, healing them back to about 33% HP. The possessed bug will glow red, and its moves will be significantly powered up, although the core moveset remains the same. 

The fight won’t be over until Animus’ HP bar is totally depleted. Once it is, all three bugs will die.

Animus, Ascendant Light

Animus is highly immobile and doesn’t attack often, unless either Gnoster or Faurtis have been alive for a long time, in which case he will unleash devastating beams from above that can track all three Nightfarers at once, or a massive laser at the center of the arena. Dealing with Animus’ attacks while the other two bugs are alive is extremely difficult, so try to take down the other bugs often. 

When Animus is possessing a bug, it becomes vulnerable to damage during the animation. Use this long opening to your advantage, as you will be able to chunk both Animus’ and the possessed bug’s HP bars. 

After Animus has inhabited a bug for some time, it will perform an ultimate attack, after which the possessed bug will drop exhausted, offering a significant opening for damage. Afterward, Animus will exit the host and try to possess the other bug if it’s dead, or fight on its own again. 

Faurtis

Its slam attacks are quicker and send out red fissures that erupt over several seconds. It also gains better tracking with its attacks. Players should be more careful when facing the powered-up Faurtis, but it shouldn’t prove too much of a problem if you’re familiar with the standard moveset.

Its characteristic leg slam now sends out large fissures sideways and behind. If you’re a melee character, you should have enough time to run away before the fissures erupt. Try to dodge diagonally away from him, or get onto its rear and retaliate with some attacks.

Faurtis’ ultimate attack is signaled by a roar, after which Faurtis will continuously slam down the floor, sending out fissures in all directions. Melee players can strafe around the scorpion, as getting on its rear is a sure way not to get hit. Keep an eye out for any incoming fissures and jump over them, or quickly dodge back and get below Faurtis again. 

After the attack, Faurtis will drop exhausted, and Animus will exit its body.

Gnoster

Its grab attack now hits twice in a row, allowing time to either run or roll sideways to dodge both. Gnoster’s grab attack has a fairly long range and can track distant players, so listen closely for the characteristic grab SFX.

The light beam attack now fires 12 beams with incredible speed, able to catch players off-guard. You’ll need to roll twice in a row to dodge them effectively.

Gnoster’s ultimate is its characteristic magic rain attack, but longer and empowered. It will flap its wings and fly high into the air, and after a delay, many magic beams will fall from the sky. There are both untargeted and targeted beams, and players will need to stay on their toes. The best way to come unscathed is to run outside of Gnoster’s range or to continuously dodge until the rain ends.

General Strategy

This fight will be longer than other Nightlords, so don’t rush it; instead, wait for opportunities to go all-in and expend your ultimates and consumables. At the start of the fight, all three bugs will be active. Focus on taking Gnoster or Faurtis down as soon as possible.

Then, the fight becomes a game of managing both health bars at the same time, and keeping track of Animus. You should try to do equal damage to both Gnoster and Faurtis, as Animus can only reanimate one of them at a time, and it takes a while for it to bring back the other. Killing both Gnoster and Faurtis at the same time will leave Animus exposed, and you’ll only have to deal with one enemy, making the overall fight easier.

If you have a difficult time dealing with the Animus-controlled bug, try to focus on the other one and bring it down first. You don’t have to kill the powered-up enemy to win, as you can keep taking down whoever Animus is not hosting at the time.