The upcoming raid boss, Sandworm, in the new world expansion, has generated a lot of excitement among players. Although the official PTR (Public Test Realm) has yet to be released, we have gathered some information from press materials and data mining that provides insight into the fight mechanics, gear, and rewards. In this guide, we will explore what we know so far about the Sandworm raid boss.

 

• Questline
• Sandworm Fight
• Sandworm Gear & Loot
• Devourer Heartrune
• Hatchery Trial

 

↖ Questline

The Sandworm raid boss seems to be connected to a questline that starts with a quest called Tremors in the Sand.  This questline leads up to the encounter with the Sandworm itself, taking place in the Brimstone Sands area.

 

↖ Sandworm Fight

The fight against the Sandworm appears to involve waves of enemies before engaging the main boss. These waves include a scorpion and an angry earth wielding a greatsword. Players might need both Bane and Angry Earth gear to deal effectively with these enemies. Additionally, there is a shield-like mechanic around the Sandworm, which could be a projectile barrier or a form of damage mitigation.

The fight also involves summoning the Sandworm using drums. The lore suggests that banging drums are part of a ritual to summon the Sandworm, and it's unclear which role is responsible for this task. The characters shown in the screenshots wear different new world gear sets, making it difficult to determine their roles. It is possible that the drumming mechanic needs to be maintained throughout the fight or that it plays a crucial role during specific phases.

The Sandworm arena itself features ramparts where ranged players can position themselves, potentially allowing them to avoid some instances of damage. However, the Sandworm's attacks, such as acid bile spitting, indicate that players on the ramparts may still need to deal with mechanics and stay alert. Melee players are also present on the ramparts, suggesting that there may be phases where all players need to be on the ramparts or face consequences. Toxic fumes on the ground outside the ramparts might force players to avoid the bottom area temporarily.

The scale of the Sandworm is substantial, occupying a significant portion of the relatively small arena. Various attacks, such as the "Warm Spew" and the "Devourer Chase," pose threats to players, and being dragged down by the Sandworm can result in heavy damage. Balancing the fight to ensure both melees and ranged players have meaningful roles and require consistent repositioning is crucial to keep the encounter engaging.

 

↖ Sandworm Gear & Loot

The leaked screenshots reveal new gear and weapons. Some weapons, like the hammer, appear to be new additions to the game. The armour sets showcased in the screenshots may not accurately represent the actual weight classes they belong to, as they seee been chosen for visual aesthetics rather than matching the intended weight classes.

The armour sets can be divided into light, medium, and heavy categories based on their appearance, but it's important to note that the gear shown in the screenshots might not correspond to the data-mined sets precisely. Some of the gear may come from the Hatchery, a 10-man trial mentioned in the leaks, and others may be rewards from the Sandworm raid itself.

 

↖ Devourer Heartrune

A particularly intriguing aspect of the leaked information is the Devourer Heartrune. When activated, this heartrune allows players to summon a Sandworm from the ground, indicating a potentially powerful mechanic that could deal damage or CC enemies. The screenshots suggest variations of the Devourer Heartrune, including one called "Rune Sandworm Chomp" that shows the Sandworm biting a large mob.

↖ Hatchery Trial

Along with information about the Sandworm raid, screenshots hint at an upcoming 10-man trial called the Hatchery. The enemies in the trial seem to be humanoid or Varangan knights. This suggests that the Hatchery trial will provide an opportunity to obtain powerful gear, potentially preparing players for the Sandworm raid. The ability to adjust the attributes of trial rewards will likely allow players to optimize their gear for different classes.

 

Conclusion:

As more information becomes available, We will continue to update this guide. The Sandworm raid boss promises to be an exciting challenge, and players can look forward to obtaining unique new world gear and rewards. Prepare yourself for the epic battle against the Sandworm and venture into the new world with confidence!