Dungeons are instanced maps that are found in various locations around the world. New instance is created for every player or party who enters the instance. When the dungeon is cleared, it gives loot or drops for players. The creatures found within these maps tend to be harder than their average counterparts and there tend to be stronger boss BAMs that occasionally have unique mechanics to challenge players.
Most dungeons require a party to enter.
TERA uses the so called "holy trinity" system where the party needs a tank to keep the boss' attention, a healer for support and buffs, and damage dealers.
It's possible to form a party outside and enter using dungeon teleportal. Using the Instance Matching system forms a party automatically and teleports players to dungeon. Leaving a party with command /drop
also exits you from the dungeon.
If you happen to die in a dungeon, if you are Rookie, you have change to spend gold to resurrect. Rookie status remains on low level dungeons for 99 clears. On higher dungeons it's 5 or 10 clears. Hard mode dungeons don't have this option. Self-resurrection has limited uses. If you don't have this option anymore, wait for your healer to resurrect you. Otherwise you end up outside the door of dungeon, with low health and you have to run all way the back. Dungeon doors usually lock during the fight, preventing return from outside.
Dungeon mechanics[]
Dungeons feature things called mechanics or Special Attacks. On low level leveling dungeons mechanics are rare or insignificant, but not unheard of.
For example Trayzadius in Necromancer Tomb running to middle of room and summoning spikes from floor that hurt and knock down players is example of early dungeon mechanics. Or Mutated Kaidun placing hurting puddles on floor in same dungeon.
In Golden Labyrinth the Kumas boss Berylheart goes to sit middle of room, casts a shield on himself and summons servants to heal him. That the healer can disspell boss' shield is example of mechanics that is not apparent but has to be read from guide or learnt by experience.
Some dungeons that were previously part of endgame have more complex mechanics. Kelsaik's Nest proved so hard for leveling players it was later adjusted and most mechanics removed. Argon story dungeons Argon Corpus and Manaya's Core still have old mechanics, but are run-through with current gear.
Recurring mechanics include:
- Stun attack, boss unleashes an attack which stuns players for a while. It's important to learn to use your class' iframe skill at correct moment to escape the stun. This is common mechanic that appears on many dungeons like when fighting Lilith in Lilith's Keep, Kavador in Velik's Hold or Argog in Red Refuge.
- Shield Phase, boss casts a shield, that must be broken within time limit, or party wipes or boss gets buff, which makes fight harder. Shields appear least in Lilith's Keep, Shadow Sanguinary, RK-9.
- Cage, part of room around boss get transparent walls. Players outside die, inside cage AOE attacks happen, that form sectors (pizza slides) or circles. Cage mechanics happen in Bathysmal Rise, Sky Cruiser Endeavor, Shadow Sanguinary. A push attack may precede Cage.
- Carpet, floor gets changing chessboard pattern with AOE attacks on red parts. Happens in Forsaken Island, Demokron Factory.
- Alternating debuffs, player gets debuffs, which kills them within time limit, or if they get same debuff again. The player can survive with taking another debuff within time. Originally in Kelsaik's Nest, where Kelsaik's Ice or Fire debuff kills player within 2 minutes, unless they change it to other debuff. Manaya's Core took this mechanics to extreme with three different debuffs three players had to take and had to cycle through. Also happens in Ruinous Manor, Akalath Quarantine and Corrupted Skynest.
- In certain dungeons boss immediately attacks person who tries to resurrect dead player. To dodge this you have to resbait the boss to do the attack, cancel resurrection, dodge, then do the actual resurrection.
Certain boss fights have separate meter that ticks from zero to 100 and special attack happens when meter reaches 100. This is best know from Lilith's Keep second boss, who at 100 stucks all players on floor and unleashes powerful AOE attack, that might kill them unless healer cleans all players so they can escape or casts a shield to absorb part of damage.
There are also certain dungeons where healers must know mechanics and Plague or Regress boss at right time to cancel boss mechanics which would wipe the party. These dungeons include least Lilith's Keep hard mode and Velik's Hold hard mode. Although this mechanics exists already in Ravenous Gorge where healer can remove buff from bosses that gives them more defense. This mechanics is used to give parties with healer faster way to clear the dungeon, since healer classes have lower damage. This also appears in reworked 3-man Macellarius Catacombs.
List of Permanent dungeons[]
These dungeons have been in game since launch or when relevant areas were opened. Akasha's Hideout, Labyrinth of Terror, Ebon Tower and Kelsaik's Nest were part of level 58 endgame. All these dungeons also had hard mode.
Balder's Temple was first level 60 endgame dungeon. Argon Corpus and Manaya's Core are part of level 60 "Argon Queen" story.
Sabex Armory and Macellarius Catacombs were leveling dungeons for level 65 North Arun story. MC became level 65 after level cap was raised to 70.
In summer 2019 Story Quests revamp most leveling dungeons were converted to 3-man format and made easier, so you don't need even a healer. To complete a story quest which requires clearing a dungeon, only solo mode completes the quest (solo mode is even easier, with 90% of mobs inside dungeons removed). Argon Corpus, Balder's Temple, Manaya's Core are still normal 5-man dungeons.
Dungeon Name | Level Range | Location |
---|---|---|
Bastion of Lok | 20-24 | Southern Arun |
Sinestral Manor | 26-30 | Southern Arun |
Saravash's Ascent | 32-36 | Southern Arun |
Cultists' Refuge | 35-40 | Southern Arun |
Necromancer Tomb | 41-47 | Southern Shara |
Golden Labyrinth | 48-53 | Southern Arun |
Akasha's Hideout | 48-53 | Southern Arun |
Saleron's Sky Garden | 53-57 | Southern Shara |
Labyrinth of Terror | 57-58 | Northern Shara |
Ebon Tower | 58-59 | Northern Shara |
Kelsaik's Nest | 58-60 | Northern Shara |
Argon Corpus | 60- | Northern Shara |
Manaya's Core | 60- | Northern Shara |
Balder's Temple | 60- | Southern Shara |
Northern Arun | ||
Macellarius Catacombs | 65- (previously 64) | Northern Arun |
Echoes of Aranea | 65 | Northern Arun |
Ghillieglade | 65 | special/Southern Arun |