This guide will tell you how to start and complete the Flashpoint, Athiss, in any difficulty mode, what achievements you can unlock and rewards you can earn.
How to Start the Flashpoint
Athiss is one of the original flashpoints introduced when SWTOR first came out. Even to this day it can be a challenging flashpoint. This guide will help you be prepared for what’s to come so you can defeat the bosses and navigate your way more efficiently in this flashpoint.
This flashpoint takes place at the sanctuary of Vodal Kressh on the planet Athiss. Vodal Kressh was a powerful Sith Lord and a prodigy in Sith Alchemy.
This planet was forbidden to enter for those within the Sith Empire though a Republic archaeological team didn’t get the memo.
The team would survey the ruins but become mad through the influence of the Sith artifacts in the sanctuary. Both the Republic and Empire are sending a strike team to make sure the threat of Vodal Kressh doesn’t leave the planet.
This guide covers Veteran Mode and Master Mode for Athiss.
This flashpoint lacks a Story Mode and a Story Arc to accompany it. Instead players on either Republic or Empire must find the mission terminal that grants this flashpoint.
You can get there by using the Mission Departures Elevator then going to the Dropship Launch Hangar. The mission terminal at the site will grant the flashpoint at either Veteran or Master Mode difficulty.
Read our SWTOR Story Progression Guide to learn where this story fits in. The guide will help you experience the game’s narrative in the proper intended order of events and aid and assist you if you are not sure what to do and where to go next.
Using Crew Skills in Athiss
The first crew skill feature in Athiss requires level 80 Slicing in Veteran Mode and level 450 Slicing in Master Mode. There are two holes that lead into the Excavated Tomb. Slice the terminal to activate an elevator so the party can avoid jumping down the other hole and the fall damage that comes with it.
Inside the Excavated Tomb, the party is to grab a pack of explosives to break open a sealed door. If you have Archaeology, you can use the Ancient Actuator to open the door instead. This requires level 75 Archaeology on Veteran Mode and level 450 Archaeology on Master Mode.
There are two Archaeological Artifacts you can find in Athiss, one is in the Excavated Tomb and another in The Ruins of Kressh. This will require level 75 Archaeology on Veteran Mode and level 450 Archaeology on Master Mode. The artifact in the Excavated Tomb will grant your group the “Wrath of the Ancients” buff which increases damage dealt for ten minutes.
The second artifact can be found in a room on the north side of the Ruins of Kressh. Activating this will give the group the “Blessing of the Ancients” buff which grants increased health regeneration for ten minutes.
At the Ruins of Kressh, you’ll find four Snarlroots laying about. Interacting with them requires level 75 Bioanalysis on Veteran Mode and level 450 Bioanalysis on Master Mode. Activating this will add a “Unique Pheremones” item in your Mission Items tab in your inventory. Activate this to summon an Alchemical Snarler to fight with you.
Finally there is another Ancient Actuator that can open a sealed door in the Tomb of Vodal Kressh. This will cut down travel time as there are numerous Champion level enemies by going the long way around.
Bonus Mission Phase 1
The Bonus Mission is only available for Master Mode difficulty. To start the bonus mission, you’ll need to defeat an enemy in Athiss on Master Mode. Once you do, you’ll need to defeat a total of 85 enemies in the Athiss flashpoint. Complete this to start phase 2 of the bonus mission.
First Boss: Professor Ley’arsha
Professor Ley’arsha is the first boss of Athiss. She was leading the Republic Survey Team on Athiss to study the ruins of Vodal Kressh but has since become corrupted by his spirit and the Dark side influence permeating the ruins. She’s doesn’t pose a tough fight but just mind your footing.
She will occassionally fire a cone of blaster bolts to the target in front of her and summon adds to help her in the fight. The tank needs to taunt these adds so they don’t gang up on the others. The only other hazard to be aware of is that a purple ring can spawn underneath someone. When this ring disappears, the ground beneath them becomes corrupted. This ground spouts out poison which will stack up to 3 times dealing increased damage over time with each stack.
With these mechanics in mind this should now be an easy fight. Once complete you’ll need to use the nearby computer to disable the ray shield.
Master Mode Differences
There are no mechanical differences in Master Mode, everything just hits harder and takes more hits to defeat.
Stealth Path through The Ruins of Kressh
If you have at least two stealthers in your party, then the Ruins of Kressh should be easy to navigate without engaging in every fight along the way. Follow the path on the map below while letting the two stealthers mez enemies from stealth so non-stealthers can walk by. Hug the walls to your left in the first half of the path then the walls on the right in the second half.
Just watch out for the Tomb-Dweller Warriors as they tend to roam around. Mez them or wait for them to walk away before proceeding. They’ll run around in Veteran Mode while they walk around in Master Mode.
Second Boss: The Beast of Vodal Kressh
The Beast of Vodal Kressh is a giant alchemical snarler made by Vodal Kressh. It’s not a tough fight and is very similar to the first fight.
Like the first boss fight, adds will occassionally spawn that the tank will need to aggro otherwise they’ll attack the group. The tank needs to face the Beast towards the door as it can fling its target into the air. If the tank has their back facing the door, they’ll be flung into it and have more time to regain aggro. Aside from that, this is a tank and spank fight.
Bonus Mission Phase 2
After you defeated 85 enemies, you’ll need to Disturb the Ancient Offerings in the Tomb of Vodal Kressh. You’ll fight some Champion level enemies in this area so clear them out before proceeding. There’s a Temple Guardian that roams the area so be sure to take care of him before he makes a surprise appearance during the next phase of the bonus mission.
Optional Bonus Boss: Ancient Abomination
The Ancient Abomination is a simple but tough fight if the party isn’t careful. This boss is only available in Master Mode.
The Abomination is very durable but its primary threat is how it’ll fling its target into the air that is quickly followed by an AoE double clap attack. This clap attack will HURT so the DPS and Healer need to stay out of the area until the red cone is gone. Continue to tank and spank until it is defeated.
Final Boss: Prophet of Vodal
The final boss is a Sith Lord simply known as the “Prophet of Vodal”. Equipped with a double-bladed lightsaber, he’ll attack the party with melee attacks and stealth out once in a while mid-combat.
When the Prophet of Vodal disappears, four new entities known as “Living Fire” will appear. A random party member will also get the “Soul Rend” debuff. The Living Fire will slowly follow the person with the Soul Rend debuff until they eventually disappear.
The Living Fire cannot be damaged or destroyed and must be kited until they disappear. They won’t hurt anyone except for the person with Soul Rend. The Prophet will reappear before the Living Fire disappears. Follow this path to kite the Living Fire around the room by luring them out, going up the stairs, behind the tomb, then back down the stairs. This path can be reversed to suit your needs.
Another strategy people use to avoid the fire is to wait near the statues so all the Living Fire becomes grouped up then kite them with the path mentioned above.
Master Mode Differences
The Living Fire will deal significantly more damage in Master Mode. The tank has an extra job to do when fighting the Prophet of Vodal. In Master Mode, purple rings will spawn beneath the Prophet’s target (which should be the tank) which emit Dark Side energy. These rings can deal substantial damage so the tank needs to lure the Prophet to the edge of the room so the rings stay away from the others.
The Prophet of Vodal also gains a new Force power in Master Mode, Crushing Affliction. This will be placed on a random party member and it will deal damage over time. Once it’s up, it will cause an explosion centered at its target and deal damage to anyone nearby. This can be cleansed by healers or any self cleanses someone may have.
Achievements for Athiss
The majority of the achievements for this flashpoint are for defeating the bosses 1 time, 10 times, and 25 times. Though here are two that grant item rewards:
Defeat The Prophet of Vodal Kressh (Veteran Mode)
Defeated the Prophet of Vodal Kressh in the “Athiss” flashpoint.
You’ll gain the Prophet of Vodal (Story) Trophy Decoration.
Elite: Survived the Tomb (Master Mode)
Defeated all bosses in the “Athiss” flashpoint 25 times on master mode.
You’ll gain the Prophet of Vodal (Master) Trophy Decoration.
Decoration Drop
The bosses in Cademimu have a chance at dropping the Ancient Burial Urn Decoration. This will fit in a Medium or Medium Narrow hook. This would look good in a Yavin IV stronghold as part of an Ancient Sith ruins theme.
This concludes my guide to the Athiss Flashpoint. You can find more SWTOR Flashpoint Guides here on VULKK.com. For anything else, a great starting point is our SWTOR Guides Master Catalog!
