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General Altan presents a formidable challenge as a boss fight in the game Rogue Prince of Persia. Among the various characters introduced, he stands out for his monstrous form, which he uses to his advantage during combat. Like other bosses, such as Berude and Baatar, it’s essential to remain agile and observant to effectively counter his attack patterns.
To succeed in this battle, leverage the arena itself. True to the Prince of Persia style, mastering wall and ceiling dodging techniques will significantly simplify the fight, potentially offering a more effective path to the Palace than taking on Berude.
How to Reach Altan
You can find Altan in the Public Baths, which serves as an alternative third level to the Outer Ramparts. The most straightforward way to reach this destination is by traversing through the village outskirts and the aqueduct sections.
Gaining access to the Public Baths requires progressing through certain milestones in the game. This area becomes available after defeating Berude for the first time.
Tip: If you haven’t saved Shahin yet, this route is excellent for advancing that quest. You’ll need to engage with various NPCs and locations in the outskirts and aqueduct before heading to the prison, the next location after the Public Baths.
Best Loadouts For Fighting Altan
As the first major boss encounter, it’s wise not to focus all your upgrades and skills exclusively on defeating Altan; there’s still a lot to explore afterward. Not all loadouts will be beneficial for later bosses like Baatar. However, there are specific upgrades and equipment that can aid you in overcoming him.
Consider equipping Anahita upgrades for this encounter. You’ll likely enter the fight with a full set of potions, enhancing your survivability. Anahita’s blessing reduces damage taken while in water, which can be particularly advantageous during this fight.
Though generally less reliable, this blessing will be effectively active here. Additionally, Anahita’s radiance is an effective method for breaking through protective auras, as it does not rely on Altan using specific attacks.
Anahita upgrades enrich the lore, especially since Altan is cursed and afraid of people stealing his healing powers, as noted in Nyamtur’s tome.
For later battles, Verethragna upgrades also work well. Tool attacks can safely damage Altan when he attacks, and Verethragna’s vitality allows you to slowly regenerate energy while dodging and keeping your distance.
Verethragna’s genius enhances tool damage significantly. While it won’t replace your need for regular weapons, it allows for attacks during moments that would otherwise be too risky.
Weapons that enable elemental synergy attacks are powerful. The poisoned claw is particularly effective for delivering long-range status effects. The censer follows closely behind but requires precise timing to ignite, so combine these weapons with medallions that add extra elemental damage for substantial combos.
When selecting weapons, opt for those with extended reach. Altan’s slow projectiles and broad swings make short-range weapons like daggers quite dangerous, leaving you with less time to escape after an attack.
For tools, prioritize those that provide ranged attacks or increase mobility:
- The chakram can hit Altan multiple times if he is stationary, which is common during this encounter.
- The bow is a straightforward weapon that can be used when you have energy.
- Berude’s Gauntlet is useful for jumping over a vertical wave, allowing for a risky counterattack, while the stealth spirit extends your time in the air, offering additional dodging capabilities.
- Avoid the saw blade or grappling hook against Altan; the saw’s backswing can easily hit you when dodging other attacks, and the grappling hook doesn’t deal much damage without environmental hazards.
Altan’s Attack Patterns
Altan’s assault revolves around his tentacles and the water that empowers him. Dodging vertically is crucial, as most of his attacks target either the ceiling or the ground, making them easy to evade if you switch between both positions.
| Attack | Telegraphing | Description | Evasion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tentacle Flick | Altan slaps with his arm, mimicked by his front tentacle shortly after. | Basic attack when Prince is close. | Avoid doing more than one or two melee combos between his attacks. |
| Boulder Drop | Altan swings both arms down hard, dropping boulders from above. | A series of boulders fall. | Stay on the floor; dodge left and right while looking for a chance to kick a boulder back at him. |
| Vertical Wave | Altan raises his arm and tentacle before swinging in a circular motion. | A tall wave crosses the arena. | Climb the walls, transition to a wall run, and hang from the ceiling to evade. |
| Reposition | Altan charges forward with his shoulder raised. | Not aimed at the Prince, but protects Altan. | Vault over Altan before the charge starts to escape. |
| Water Lances | In his second phase, he channels water currents before lancing out. | Targets the Prince with a half-second delay. | Keep moving; climbing the wall evades the sequence of attacks. |
Altan’s Second and Third Phases
After losing one-third of his health, Altan becomes temporarily invulnerable and transitions into his second phase. Although many of his attacks remain the same, he will enhance his water lances, launching five strikes in sequence during this phase.
Once his health drops to a third, the intensity of his attacks increases further, with his water lances striking eight times. During this phase, the vertical waves will also come faster and in greater numbers. Avoid jumping over the first wave, as you’ll need to stay on the ceiling until all waves have passed.
It’s still feasible to vault over Altan, but timing is critical; doing so in the middle of the arena will cause him to alter the direction of the waves.
