Instance Walkthroughs

Complete the tricky Dark Poeta instance in Aion. This walkthrough details solo and group strategies for tackling its challenges and earning rewards.

Dark Poeta (Solo/Group)

Dark Poeta is a challenging instance available in both solo and group formats, offering valuable rewards for those who brave its depths. The solo version is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with the mechanics before tackling the group version, providing a time-limited race against the clock to maximize your score and rewards.

Entry Requirements & Location:

• Level: Minimum Level 50 for both solo and group.
• Location: The entrance to Dark Poeta is located in the Abyss, specifically in the Upper Abyss, accessible via the Divine Fortress. Look for the swirling purple portal near the fortress's eastern gate.
• Cooldown: Resets daily at 9:00 AM server time.

Solo Walkthrough:

The solo version of Dark Poeta focuses on speed and efficient mob clearing to maximize your score and rewards. Your primary goal is to defeat as many elite mobs and mini-bosses as possible within the 20-minute time limit. The instance ends when the timer runs out or you defeat the optional final boss, Mutated Bakarma. Your final score dictates the quality and quantity of rewards.

1. Initial Clear & Pathing: Upon entering, you'll be in a central hub. Immediately proceed to clear the surrounding areas. Focus on groups of Mutated Draconute and Corrupted Shugo. These mobs drop Poeta Fragments which significantly contribute to your overall score. A common efficient path is to clear the immediate central area, then proceed clockwise or counter-clockwise, hitting mini-bosses as you encounter them.
2. Mini-Boss Encounters:
   • Commander Bakarma's Lieutenant: Found in the northern section (coordinates approx. 2700, 1800, 400). This mini-boss has a dangerous frontal cone attack called "Fiery Breath"; strafe to its sides or behind it to avoid heavy damage. It also occasionally casts "Roar," a short-range AoE stun. Drops Greater Supplements and a chance at Ancient Relics.
   • Corrupted Spiritmaster: Located in the western wing (coordinates approx. 1900, 2200, 400). This boss summons two Corrupted Spirits as adds; prioritize taking down the Spiritmaster first to prevent being overwhelmed by sustained damage and crowd control from the spirits. The Spiritmaster uses "Spirit Erosion," a targeted DoT, and "Fear Shriek," a short-duration fear. Rewards include Major Ancient Crowns.
   • Enraged Draconute Commander: Found in the eastern wing (coordinates approx. 3500, 2200, 400). This mini-boss has a powerful charge ability, "Wild Charge," which can knock you down. Try to interrupt or dodge this ability. It also has a moderate AoE "Ground Slam." Drops Platinum Medals and a chance at Fabled Godstones.
3. Time Management & Score Maximization: Keep a close eye on the 20-minute timer. Your score is accumulated from Poeta Fragments, defeated elite mobs, and mini-bosses.
   • If you're running low on time, prioritize high-density mob packs or the closest mini-boss.
   • Each Poeta Fragment collected adds 10 points to your score. Elite mobs grant 50-100 points, and mini-bosses grant 200-300 points.
   • The higher your score, the better the rewards from the final reward chest.
4. Final Boss - Mutated Bakarma (Optional):
   • Location: Mutated Bakarma is located in the central chamber, accessible after clearing a certain number of surrounding areas or mini-bosses (typically after defeating at least two mini-bosses).
   • Strategy: This version is significantly weaker than its group counterpart but still poses a significant threat, especially if you're undergeared or low on time. It has a powerful AoE attack, "Fiery Roar," that deals massive damage. This can and should be interrupted with stuns, silences, or sleeps. It also uses a frontal cleave, "Wing Strike." Maintain distance if possible for ranged classes, and kite if necessary.
   • Outcome if Defeated: Defeating Mutated Bakarma grants a substantial score bonus (typically 1000+ points) and a higher chance for Fabled Accessories like the Bakarma's Ring or Bakarma's Necklace, along with a guaranteed drop of Mythic Grade Enchantment Stones. The instance concludes immediately upon its defeat.
   • Outcome if Not Defeated (Time Runs Out): If the 20-minute timer expires before you defeat Mutated Bakarma, the instance will end automatically. You will still receive rewards based on the score you accumulated up to that point. There is no other "final boss" for solo if Bakarma is not engaged or defeated. The rewards will simply be scaled down based on your lower final score.
5. Rewards (Solo):

   Rewards are distributed from a chest that appears upon instance completion (either by defeating Mutated Bakarma or running out of time). The quality and quantity depend on your final score.

   Score Range	Guaranteed Rewards	Chance Rewards
   0-1000	Minor Ancient Crowns, Kihra's Scale	Greater Supplements
   1001-2000	Major Ancient Crowns, Kihra's Scale x2	Ancient Relics, Fabled Godstones
   2001-3000	Major Ancient Crowns x2, Kihra's Scale x3, Platinum Medals	Fabled Accessories (e.g., Bakarma's Ring), Mythic Grade Enchantment Stones
   3000+ (Bakarma Defeated)	Major Ancient Crowns x3, Kihra's Scale x5, Platinum Medals x2, Mythic Grade Enchantment Stones	Fabled Accessories (higher chance), Fabled Weapons/Armor (low chance)

Group Walkthrough:

The group version of Dark Poeta requires a well-coordinated party (typically 6 players) and a strong understanding of boss mechanics. Communication and role execution are paramount for success in this challenging instance.

1. Party Composition: A standard group usually includes:
   • Tank: Gladiator or Templar (essential for holding aggro on bosses and managing adds). Templars excel with their defensive cooldowns and magic defense, while Gladiators offer higher AoE threat and damage.
   • Healer: Cleric (critical for sustained healing, dispels, and emergency heals). A second Cleric or a Chanter can be beneficial for challenging pulls.
   • Support: Chanter (buffs, emergency heals, and crowd control) or Spiritmaster (debuffs, crowd control, and mana regeneration). A Bard can also provide excellent support and damage.
   • DPS: Rangers, Sorcerers, Assassins, Gunners, or other high damage output classes. A balanced mix of physical and magical DPS can be advantageous.
2. Pathing Strategy: Most groups follow a specific path to maximize efficiency, minimize unnecessary pulls, and reach bosses in a logical order. A common strategy involves:
   • Clearing the initial central area.
   • Proceeding to the eastern wing to defeat Gatekeeper Surama.
   • Moving to the western wing to defeat Commander Bakarma's Lieutenant and other elites.
   • Finally, converging on the central chamber for Commander Bakarma.
   • Common Pitfall: Accidental pulls of patrolling Abyss Guards and Poeta Sentinels can quickly wipe an unprepared group. Always be aware of patrol routes and use crowd control or careful pulling.
3. Boss Encounters & Strategies:
   • Gatekeeper Surama:
     • Location: Eastern wing, guarding the entrance to the inner chambers (coordinates approx. 3800, 2000, 400).
     • Mechanics: Surama has a powerful frontal cleave, "Wing Slash," and a devastating knockback ability, "Gusting Blow," which can send players flying into other mob packs.
       • Tank Strategy: Position Surama against a wall to prevent party members from being thrown into additional pulls or off ledges. Maintain aggro and use defensive cooldowns for "Wing Slash."
       • DPS/Healer Strategy: Stand behind or to the sides of Surama to avoid "Wing Slash." Be prepared for potential knockbacks and quickly reposition.
     • Drops: Platinum Medals, Mythic Grade Enchantment Stones, and a chance at Fabled Armor Pieces.
   • Commander Bakarma:
     • Location: The main boss of Dark Poeta, found in the central, largest chamber (coordinates approx. 2800, 2200, 400).
     • Phase 1 (100% - 50% Health):
       • Abilities: Bakarma uses a powerful frontal cleave, "Dragon's Claw," and occasionally summons Bakarma's Elite Guards (typically 2-3 at a time). It also casts "Roar," an AoE stun.
       • Tank Strategy: Position Bakarma facing away from the group to protect DPS and healers from "Dragon's Claw." Maintain aggro on Bakarma and be ready to pick up adds if they target healers.
       • DPS Strategy: Focus fire on the summoned Bakarma's Elite Guards immediately. They deal significant damage and can overwhelm healers if left unchecked. Use AoE abilities carefully to avoid pulling additional mobs. Interrupt "Roar" if possible.
       • Healer Strategy: Keep the tank topped off, especially during "Dragon's Claw." Be ready to heal DPS who take aggro from adds.
     • Phase 2 (50% Health - Defeat):
       • Transition: At 50% health, Bakarma enrages, gaining increased attack speed and damage. Its skin will glow red, and it will begin casting more dangerous abilities.
       • New Abilities: Bakarma will periodically cast "Fiery Breath," a large, high-damage frontal AoE. It also gains "Dragon's Fury," a powerful single-target attack that can one-shot unprepared players.
       • Tank Strategy: Use all available defensive cooldowns. Be extremely vigilant with aggro, as Bakarma's increased damage can quickly cause aggro shifts. Continue to face Bakarma away from the group.
       • DPS Strategy: This is a burn phase. Use all available damage cooldowns. Ranged DPS should maintain maximum distance while staying within healing range. Melee DPS must be extremely careful to avoid "Fiery Breath" by quickly moving to Bakarma's sides or behind it when cast. Interrupt "Fiery Breath" if possible.
       • Healer Strategy: This phase is a healing intensive check. Constant strong heals on the tank are required. Be ready with emergency heals and dispels for any debuffs applied.
     • Key Item & Rewards: loot the Bakarma's Heart from its corpse, which is required for several quests and crafting recipes. It also has a high chance to drop Fabled Weapons and Armor Pieces from the highly sought-after Bakarma Set, along with Mythic Grade Enchantment Stones and a significant amount of Kinah.
4. Environmental Hazards:
   • Patrolling Mobs: As mentioned, watch out for patrolling Abyss Guards and Poeta Sentinels. These are elite mobs that can quickly cause a wipe if pulled unintentionally. Use a scout (Ranger/Assassin) to identify patrol routes.
   • Corrupted Ground: Certain areas have patches of corrupted ground that apply a damage-over-time debuff. Avoid standing in these areas.
5. Rewards (Group):

   The group version offers significantly better rewards, with a higher chance for Fabled and even some Mythic grade items.

   Source	Guaranteed Rewards	Chance Rewards
   Gatekeeper Surama	Platinum Medals (1-2), Mythic Grade Enchantment Stones (1-2)	Fabled Armor Pieces (e.g., Surama's Gauntlets), Major Ancient Crowns
   Commander Bakarma	Bakarma's Heart (1), Mythic Grade Enchantment Stones (2-4), Platinum Medals (2-3), Major Ancient Crowns (3-5)	Fabled Bakarma Set Weapons, Fabled Bakarma Set Armor, Fabled Bakarma Set Accessories, Godstones (high-grade), Kihra's Scale (5-10)
   Elite Mobs/Mini-Bosses	Poeta Fragments, Minor/Major Ancient Crowns	Greater Supplements, Ancient Relics, Fabled Godstones