Basic Information
- Max HP (Main Body): 4500
- Wooden Lock (At Tail): 300
- Left & Right Chain Coverings: 500 Each
- Weight Class: Super Heavy
- Damage Affinity (Main Body): 1.1x Damage from All Attacks
- 1.4x Damage from Piercing Attacks
- Damage Affinity (Tongues): 2.0x Damage from All Attacks
- 1.5x Damage from Piercing Attacks
- Armor Hits: 12+
- Devil Trigger Armor Hits: 40+
Overview
The bottomless crocodile. This is a high HP enemy that fights differently depending on whether it’s wrapped in chains or not. While Bound, it’s slow and not all that dangerous, but it has high defense. When it becomes Unbound, it gets surprisingly fast and deals a lot of damage, but also takes a lot of damage.
Attacks & Quirks
Behemoth initially has 2 sets of chains covering its body: Left Side Chains & Right Side Chains. It also has a Wooden Lock at the base of the tail that serves as a tie for the chains. If you break both the left and right side chains or break the wooden lock behind it, it will transition from Bound to Unbound state.
When it becomes Unbound, its double tongues get exposed. This is a huge weakpoint as it receives double damage from all attacks. However, the Behemoth also becomes a lot faster and it gains a lot more long reaching dangerous attacks when its Unbound so you’ll need to be careful or approach with a plan.
In Bound state, it has a short double headbutt, a heavy launcher and stomp attacks if you are on its left or right. It also has a long range charging attack where it tries to ram into you. On Son of Sparda difficulties and higher, it will also burrow into the ground and reappear right beneath you. If you’re in the air it will wait until you land before reappearing.
In Unbound state, it has a quick double lick attack to the front, a large tongue swing attack if you are on its sides, and a backwards jumping hip attack if you are behind it. If it starts growling, it will do a rampage attack that hits a wide area surrounding the Behemoth. If you make some space it also has a long range leaping attack.
In Unbound state, it can also repeat its long range charging attack several times, but there is a parry window in front of it while it moves. The rampaging attack can also be parried.
Strategy for Fighting Behemoth
There are 2 main ways to engage Behemoth: break the chains to expose its weakpoint, or try to not break the chain coverings by only attacking its legs or one side of the chain bindings. The former is higher risk but more efficient, whereas the latter is lower risk but draws the fight out. If you don’t want to break the chains, you also may have to restrict the kinds of attacks you use.
You are free to play however you want, but it is recommended that you break the chains and attack the weakpoint due to Behemoth’s high HP pool. In this case, the main challenges with this enemy are breaking the chains, creating an opening and dealing damage.
The most effective way to break the chains, is slipping behind it and breaking the Wooden Lock at the base of its tail. While it is Bound, it doesn’t have any back attacks, so if you head behind it, it will only try to burrow into the ground or turn around slowly. So breaking the Wooden Lock is as easy as positioning yourself behind Behemoth.
You can also break both of the sets of chains on either side of the Behemoth while evading stomp attacks if you want to style some more.
When the chains are broken, you need to lock it down so you can focus damage on its tongues in front. Since Behemoth is a Super Heavy, it cannot be launched, but it does have 3 main types of hitstun animations: a flinch, a reeling stagger and a grounded state, where it’s knocked off its feet and onto its belly. This last one is what you want to look for.
To do this, attack the Behemoth with moves that do not knock back until you see it flinch. When it flinches, use an attack that knocks enemies downwards or ground bounces them. If you use a knockback move after the flinch, you will get the stagger animation instead so pay close attention.
You can also inflict heavy stun on the Behemoth to cause it to be stuck in a daze so you can focus attacks on its tongues. But this is not recommended as stun will take a while to build up since it has a high resistance to heavy stun.
You can parry the Behemoth’s charging attack when its Unbound. This is the only way to stop this lengthy attack and doing so nets you a stagger.
Below are some character specific stats for breaking its chains and dealing damage to the Behemoth.
Nero Strategy
If you make the Behemoth flinch, Nero can Buster them which will put them on the ground for a short time.
Be careful about using your Devil Breakers or charging up Break Ages when near a Bound Behemoth. This is because when it starts its burrowing attack, it lets out a roar that staggers you. The attack deals no damage, but it will still destroy your Breakers. Shit’s annoying.
If you are trying to ground it, use a knockdown attack when you see it flinch. Namely Split or Overture Battery while jumping.
If you are trying to deal damage while grounded, pop DT and use Showdown or go to down with your Devil Breakers.
If you are trying to parry its Unbound charging attack, Red Queen’s Calibur works really well.
Dante Strategy
If you are trying to ground it, use a knockdown attack when you see it flinch. DSD Helm Splitter, Balrog Feather Combo finisher, Cavaliere’s Braking works.
If you are at SSS rank, you can use Sin Devil Trigger Sin Inferno to inflict full heavy stun in one hit. Chainable, but use it more than once and I’ll stop watching your run.
If you are trying to deal damage while grounded, lay into the tongues with full Cavaliere Gear Attacks, Full Throttle while in DT, Cerberus Hot Stuff, Double Kalina Ann Mega Cascade, Dr. Fault Red Shots held down, Sin Devil Trigger SDT Combo, Sin Stinger.
If you are trying to parry its Unbound charging attack, use Balrog Friction, Cerberus Revolver, Ice Age, Cavaliere Braking, DSD Dance Macabre first hit.
Vergil Strategy
Vergil can use Yamato Rapid Slash to slip behind this enemy very easily. Use this along with an Air Trick to move to it’s Wooden Lock or its tongues quickly.
If you are trying to ground it, use a knockdown attack when you see it flinch. Yamato Aerial Cleave, Beowulf Lunar Phase final hit, Mirage Edge Helm Breaker will do the trick.
If you are trying to deal damage while grounded, use Yamato Combo A while in SDT, Perfect Judgement Cut chaining, Beowulf Lv3 releases, Dragon Breaker or Vergil’s Super Moves.
If you are trying to parry its Unbound charging attack, Use Beowulf Flush jumps, Starfall, Mirage Edge Helm Breaker or Stinger at long range.
V Strategy
Since V doesn’t have precise control over his familiars, targeting the Wooden Lock at the back of Behemoth is more challenging than it needs to be. You’ll need to position V himself behind the Behemoth and then have his familiars attack from that angle. Likewise for the tongues. Don’t be afraid to jump over and Enemy Step on the Behemoth.
Behemoth has a very big attack range when Unbound. This means that you will have to watch it very carefully while sending your familiars out. If you see it try something, call them back to safety with priority on Shadow since it’s more likely to be in danger.
Read your book and air taunt every 20+ seconds to keep your DT gauge up. If any of your familiars die, pop Devil Trigger immediately to bring them back to life. But try to not let your DT gauge fall below 3 blocks.