There are a number of memorable boss fights in Remnant: From The Ashes. Some can be a solid wall that shoots a successful run right out of the sky, whilst others are a gimmick-filled brawl that tests your party's teamwork skills. One particular battle that sticks out the most is the encounter with Ixillis.
What makes this encounter unique is that instead of fighting just one bullet sponge monster with waves of minions, there are two creatures to contend with. It's a tough fight on a tiny bridge that leaves little room for error. While this high-stress duel leaves little time to notice anything else other than what either of the Ixillis are going to do next, there are some interesting facts players can miss about this deadly duo.
10 The Guardian Heart Drop Has No Use
The main reason for your fight with Ixillis is that the heart of these beasts is required for a quest. Both the Undying King and the Iskal Queen ask for the heart of the insectoid twins because they have some nefarious plans for this powerful item.
But what those plans are is never revealed in the story even after you finish Remnant: From The Ashes, nor is it brought up in the DLC. So its true use has created quite a mystery to solve for the game's Community. There are fan theories that say the reason the Guardian Heart was never fully expanded upon was due to time constraints during the development of the game causing it to be dropped before the final release.
9 The Boss Has Three Predictable Phases
Whilst the fight with Ixillis is incredibly difficult and it seems like the pair are constantly swinging their swords or dropping area denial swarms of insects, there is a predictability to it.
There are three phases in total and once you figure them out, the fight gets a little easier. The first phase of the battle involves long horizontal and vertical slashes with the beam sword as well as corrosive bombs and lightning orbs. Then in the second phase expect the laser and the paralyzing scream. Finally, the third phase triggers when one of the Ixillis dies and the other becomes enraged, during this sequence it's at its most dangerous as it will use all of the attacks from the previous phases at any time.
8 There Are Rewards You Can Miss
Another standout feature of Ixillis is that the rewards they drop can vary and you can completely miss out on an item to use in your campaign if you don't meet specific requirements.
For example, to earn the Hivestone, a component crucial in crafting the Hive cannon, you need to make one of them enraged by focusing your damage on one whilst leaving the other alone. To earn the Guardian Tentacle, an item you need for the Guardian Axe, you need to beat both Ixillis at the same time or within quick succession. Although regardless of whether you meet the criteria for these not you will still earn the Executioner Trait, Guardians Heart, Confused Emote and the Empowering Loop if you beat them on Hardcore Mode.
7 You Don't Need To Fight Ixillis
Ixillis is pretty interesting as a boss because they're completely optional. Although the quest is to retrieve the heart of the creature for both the Undying King or the Iskal Queen, you can refuse to do this for both of them.
Though the Iskal Queen takes this pretty well, rejecting the Undying King will cause him to become hostile and unless you know how to take the leader of Rhom down quickly he can be a pretty tough fight. So if you're having a tough time taking down Ixillis, it's completely acceptable to just skip it since it's optional, even more so if you already have the rewards and are on your second playthrough.
6 The Other Ixillis Can Be Damaged Early
One of the most challenging things about the Ixillis fight is that you need to deal with two of them at the same time. But you can tilt the odds in your favor if you take a second before engaging in the fight to observe your surroundings.
When you walk into the area the first Ixillis will attack you from the left, drawing your attention to distract you. But if you look to the right there's a large cocoon hanging next to the bridge, inside is the second Ixillis. This drooping sac can be damaged causing the second Ixillis to enter the fight with just under 75% of its max health.
5 The Attacks Of Ixillis Change Depending On Their Status
It can be difficult to figure out which attack Ixillis is about to telegraph because it's dark, they're quick and there are two of them to keep an eye on. So figuring out what you need to dodge and where can be incredibly difficult, but there is a sign of what's about to come and from which direction if you pay attention to their positions during the fight.
For example, the weaker of the pair will retreat and start launching ranged projectiles, whilst the stronger one will move up and start to use melee attacks. So keep an eye on when they start to move and change up your approach as they swap between their attack styles.
4 The Beam Attack Never Hits The Middle Of The Bridge
One of the biggest threats in the Ixillis fight is the massive Death Star beam that blasts across the bridge. Getting hit by this will not only melt your health bar in seconds, but it can also wipe a team in one hit if you're not equipped with the right armor.
You don't want your health bar evaporating because of a huge laser, so it's always worth keeping an eye out for them telegraphing this attack. Even though it seems like there's nowhere to hide as they blast both sides of the bridge, there is a safe spot you can sneak into in the middle.
3 Ixillis Was Infected By The Iskal Parasite
For those interested in the surprisingly deep and detailed lore of Remnant: From The Ashes, there's an interesting secret about Ixillis that often goes unnoticed.
When they're defeated they drop the Guardian Tentacle, a hardened horn in a strange parasitic worm shape. The item description of which reads "The Iskal is enduring, it does not die but lies dormant even within the remains of its host". Fans of the lore know that every living thing on Corsus was infected by the Iskal Parasite and under the control of the Iskal Queen, so it lying dormant inside the Ixillis might have been a sign that it was too strong for them to control.
2 Ixillis Rewards You With The Best Trait In The Game
Traits in Remnant: From The Ashes come mostly through gameplay, but there are a few that are unlocked by beating specific bosses. Each one is unique and allows you to build your character just how you want them in a variety of different ways. Once such Trait, known as The Executioner, is considered to be one of the strongest in the game and beating Ixillis is how you can get your hands on it.
What makes this Trait particularly powerful is that it increases Critical Hit Chance by 1.25% per level right up until a max of 25% at level 20, plus if you play through Remnant's Survival Mode this increases to 2.5% per point.
1 There Are No Adds In The Fight
Most of the bosses in Remnant: From The Ashes will constantly swarm you with minions that either serve to distract or cause a lot of damage. But Ixillis is different from those because there are no Adds, instead you fight just the two of them in a duel.
The reason for no minions spawning could be down to the fact that the area for players to run around in is a narrow bridge with no barriers to falling off and having constantly swarming enemies dogpiling onto players could have been unnecessarily cruel.