Anthem’s quests begin to heat up toward the end of its story mode. Although there’s still the odd collection quest inexplicably thrown into the middle of a heated fight for existence, most of the final hours of the game are spent preparing for what could be the end of everything. At least, we think. Anthem’s story doesn’t really make that very clear.
Luckily, a hit-or-miss story doesn’t detract from the enrapturing nature of Anthem’s very best adventures. Fortress of Dawn might be the best of that bunch, gifting players with a great story beat, two challenging combat scenarios, and a glimpse into the world’s history that comes far too infrequently. When it comes to showcasing exactly what Anthem at its most ambitious would look like, Fortress of Dawn has it all, including a look at the best Javelin in Anthem.
Of course, it’s also one of the harder missions in the game, clocking in at about a half hour for completion and featuring some of the most difficult encounters possible. Luckily, player who are prepared for the three trials that away them in Fortress of Dawn will have a much easier go of things. That’s why Screen Rant has compiled a guide that will assist Freelancers in their search to tame the Cenotaph and liberate Anthem from the looming spectre of the Dominion. Read on, but be warned: there are some serious spoilers present in this mission, so proceed with caution.
- This Page: Anthem’s Fortress of Dawn - Entering the Fortress & Trial of Might Page 2: Anthem’s Fortress of Dawn - Trial of Resolve & Trial of Valor
Entering the Fortress of Dawn
Once players have begun the mission, they’ll be given a waypoint that takes them to the Fortress of Dawn. It’s impossible to miss - it’s a gigantic, sprawling fortress that is visible from a great distance away. Unfortunately, the Dominion will already have forces waiting for the player once they arrive. There’s not much to worry about here, but keep in mind that there will be some turrets set up looking to bar the Freelancer entry into the structure. Take out the turrets first to avoid any unpleasant surprises, then proceed further up the temple stairs.
Once players clear the first wave of Dominion forces, they’ll discover that the enemy has set up five anchors around the outside of the Fortress. These anchors fuel the gate that continuously spawns Dominion soldiers into the area. Simply move around the map in a circle, targeting the anchors as they appear. Once that’s done, focus down the gate, then deal with whatever stragglers are present. Once these tasks are completed, the player will receive a prompt to enter the Fortress of Dawn and begin their march toward the Javelin of Dawn.
Trial of Might
Once inside, players will hear the voice of Arden Vassa, another legendary Freelancer who was part of the same forces that General Tarsis belonged to. The disembodied voice of Vassa warns players that they will face hardship if they wish to recover the legendary Javelin within the Fortress. Simply place the Signet recovered during the Tomb of General Tarsis quest into the slot just in front of the statue of Vassa to progress the quest.
Once the cutscene is over and the player finds themselves within a completely new space, they’ll be immediately find themselves face to face with an Ancient Ash Titan. Titans are the most powerful non-unique enemies in Anthem’s main story, and they pack an incredible punch. Standing toe-to-toe with them is a recipe for disaster, so be sure to keep a safe distance away.
The Titan will range between several different attacks. It can summon Ash Elementals, who are immune to fire damage. Focus on these adds when they spawn or else they’ll swarm Freelancers and hinder their movement, leaving them open to some of the Titans other attacks. The Ash Elementals also serve as a continued resource for health, which will be important if players are hit by any of the Titans stronger attacks. Those involve a charged laser that hits exceptionally hard, but can be dodged using rolls and boosts away, and rings of energy that spawn from the Titan and move outward. Those rings are limited by the Titan’s body, though, so simply walking down the ramp at the start of the map will shield players from the rings any time the Titan moves to use them.
To take down the Titan, focus on its hands when they’re glowing to prepare for its attacks. That’ll deal weak point damage. Otherwise, chip away at the creature’s massive health pool and play conservatively. Even four player teams can struggle with this one, since the map is pretty cramped in places and the trash mobs are aggressive. Slow and steady will win the day, and once the Titan falls, players will find themselves back in the Fortress.
Page 2 of 2: Anthem’s Fortress of Dawn - Trial of Resolve & Trial of Valor
Trial of Resolve
That won’t last long, however. Simply move to the next statue and place the Signet in the new slot, and players will once again be transported to a new plane of existence. In the Trial of Resolve, players will simulate the last stand of Tarsis against an oncoming army. In short, the Freelancer will live through the death of Tarsis. This segment will proceed in waves of enemies, represented as Dominion forces. Anthem player will need to stand on a certain part of the hill they’re on and drive enemies away from that area until a timer completes. Then, they’ll move further up the hill and repeat the same steps. This particular mission simulates Tarsis being pushed back by enemy forces, and it’s a tense, difficult mission that can be absolutely brutal for solo or two-player groups. So, do try and complete the Trial of Resolve with three to four players; it’s not that it can’t be done with fewer people, but it will be significantly more difficult.
The best approach to survive the Trial of Resolve is to hang at the very back of the circle that’s displayed for each portion of the mission. This will give players the maximum amount of time to respond to the mounting aggression of each wave. Be conservative with AoE attacks, too. There will be some seriously scary Elite and Legendary spawns towards the end of this section, so try to use gear at the beginning of each phase once enemies have grouped up in their march up the hill. Finally, remember positioning. Losing track of where the Freelancer is can be disastrous and stop the timer from running, allowing more enemies to spawn and forcing players into a much more difficult predicament. It’s a hectic fight, but careful use of AoE and positioning make it possible. Once the player hangs on for a predetermined period of time, they’ll be ejected back into the Fortress again.
Trial of Valor
Finally, the Trial of Valor in the Fortress of Dawn quest occurs the third time a player places the Signet in a statue slot. Luckily, after two exhausting and challenging battles, the Trial of Valor will be interrupted by the spirit of Tarsis herself, so it’s actually the easiest part of the mission. She’ll suggest that the player has already demonstrated their valor several times during Anthem, showing them some of their heroic deeds within the confines of another dream world. Once players wake up, they’ll gain access to the room where the Javelin of Dawn is. Unfortunately, they’ll also be betrayed, thus kickstarting the final sections of Anthem’s main story campaign. Admire the Javelin of Dawn while it lasts, though, because once all is said and done, the Freelancer will be walking out of the Fortress of Dawn with little more than a massive chip on their shoulder. (You can’t keep it, unfortunately.) While the Fortress of Dawn quest isn’t too rewarding, it does set the stage for the rest of the main story - and then, ultimately, Anthem’s endgame content.
