Metal Pt. I: Monsters of Metal

Metal Pt. I: Monsters of Metal is a tier 5 8-player operation in the Metal Part I episode. It is also available as elite version.

Combat Rating: 264 or better
For the Event Version – look for Metal Pt. I: Monsters of Metal (Event) in the On Duty Menu under the Events Tab.
Minimum Level: 15.

Story[]

The Batman Who Laughs has given powerful metal cards to some of Batman's rogues, and those rogues are using them to reshape Gotham City's reality to their whims.

Characters[]

The enemy combat rating is 281.

Locations[]

Map[]

Walkthrough[]

Frozen Gotham

You're informed that Superman has been using his super hearing to try and find Batman; however, the Dark Knights also have the same heartbeat signature. He has detected two such heartbeats in Gotham.

The Sunblade becomes a usable weapon in Frozen Gotham. It replaces your Primary Weapon (spelled "Sun Blade" as an item), and is a One-Handed weapon that you cannot remove for most of the instance unless you are KO'ed or leave. It has slightly different weapon combos (it can use Pulse Beam Weapon Mastery simply by tap and hold, instead of the normal tap x4 and hold), and does not require you to unlock the skill tree. On every hit it has a chance to activate, dealing 300000-600000 damage against Shardlings, instantly KO'ing them. It can also deal heavy (50000-200000) damage against some other mobs in Frozen Gotham. This makes much of this part very easy.

Note however if the player is unaware that they can KO Shardlings that easily with the Sunblade, and the tank isn't quick enough to pull them, that the Shardlings can hit hard on players and can cause KOs. This is especially the case in the brief encounter that occurs midway between the start of the raid and Mister Freeze, and especially in the elite version.

You eventually arrive at the first Subboss: Mister Freeze.

First boss: Mister Freeze[]

Not an especially difficult boss encounter, just requires the group to have a good understanding of mechanics and common sense. Nevertheless because of the first phase's ice spikes blocking line of sight some groups may prefer more than one heal and/or tank due to adds on either side, namely in the elite version.

Recommended roles for elite: 3-5 DPS, 1 Controller, 1-2 Heal, 1-2 Tank

On PS, Hold R1 to block

First phase: Bring Down Ice Domes[]

How to break the ice shield surrounding Mister Freeze[]

Mister Freeze is surrounded by ice walls, first you must light all braziers around it (when you attempt to do so an Ice Behemoth add would spawn so you need other players to distract them or take their hits with a Shield Power) to weaken it. The braziers will originally light a blue flame, and by interacting with them successfully they will light a normal flame.

The boss encounter will initially start with one Ice Giant add. Freeze will spawn more Ice Giant adds, and you must use them to break the wall by hiding behind a section of the wall when it uses its charge attack (Charge Slam). Note that if players are hit by Charge Slam they will take considerable damage and be knocked back and stunned. The best way to do this is if you are a Tank in the elite version, for other roles it is possible but you will need to be more careful. The entire wall must be broken before Mister Freeze can be hit. If an Ice Giant successfully charges into the Ice Spikes guarding Mister Freeze, there will be onscreen text stating: "Charging Ice Giant Destroys Ice Spikes!".

Sometimes, there will be onscreen text that will occur regarding how to break the ice shield. This will state: "Lure the Charging ice Giant to Smash the Ice Spikes!".

Ice Shardling considerations[]

Meanwhile, Mister Freeze will spawn Ice Shardling adds to assist him in battle. There will be onscreen text when this occurs, stating: "Mister Freeze summons Ice Shardlings!".

The Sunblade can be dropped in this fight, so one of the group members must pick it up if the other drops it. Once again, it can be used to kill the Ice Shardling adds.

If Ice Shardling adds aren't KO'd in time, Mister Freeze will shatter the Shardlings and do heavy damage to anyone in the AOE and knockback (Shatter). This may even KO non-tank roles in the elite version who are affected. Each Ice Shardling will have a red skull icon above its head before it explodes and does the Shatter attack. After the Shatter attack occurs, the Ice Shardlings responsible will disappear in the fight, but others will spawn in their place.

When the Ice Shardlings are about to Shatter, Mister Freeze may say in voiceover: "Now, shatter!". Alternatively, Nightwing may say in VoiceOver: "Watch out, he's gonna shatter those Shardlings!".

For elite, normally the controller will be expected to have the Sunblade equipped for this encounter. The DPS or healer can also use it (if 2 healers in group), but normally the controller will use this in elite.

Furthermore, if the player with the Sunblade uses more of the weapon combos, they can defeat Ice Behemoth adds with the Sunblade if they are careful. It doesn't KO Ice Behemoths but it will do significant damage.

When the phase ends and enough of the Ice Spikes have been broken, Mister Freeze will join the fight. Nightwing may say in VoiceOver: "That did it!".

Second phase: Mister Freeze[]

Note that Ice Behemoth, Ice Shardling and Ice Giant adds may still be present in the phase at least initially. Their respective mechanics may also apply here also.

In the elite version whoever has the Sunblade may need to keep a close eye on carefully KOing Ice Shardling adds so they aren't too much of a threat to the remainder of the group.

Mister Freeze will mostly use his rifle attacks against the player with the most hate, usually the tank.

Mechanics:

Slam Punch: Mister Freeze will have a brief red skull icon above his head, before punching the ground. This will deal heavy damage to players in range and may encase them in ice, stunning them. This should be blocked in the elite version as it does very heavy damage and may KO non-tank roles.

(Optional) There will be two braziers that players may be able to interact with once Mister Freeze joins the fight. If players activate these, Mister Freeze will no longer be able to spawn new Ice Giants and/or Ice Behemoth adds. There will be onscreen text when these are successfully interacted with, stating: "Mister Freeze can no longer form new Ice Giants!", or "Mister Freeze can no longer form new Ice Behemoths!". Ice Shardling adds may still spawn after others are either defeated by the group or use their Shatter ability. Note also that after a while the two braziers may lose their flame, allowing Ice Giants or Ice Behemoths to spawn again. The group will need to have this in mind and keep on top of activating the braziers where needed, more so in the elite version.

There may be blizzard AOEs around the map at times, These will deal damage over time and may hard stun a player in ice. (This mechanic implies Mister Freeze is attacking the affected player directly in the combat log, and does not have a mechanic name)

Another reason two tanks may be recommended in the elite version is due to the frequency of getting encased in ice, either from the blizzard AOEs or being directly affected by Slam Punch. A tank being encased in ice is more likely to cause an aggro drop, which may be an issue due to the amount of adds in the boss encounter.

After you have defeated Mister Freeze, Nightwing destroys the metal card that Mister Freeze had, and the group then proceed to Overgrown Gotham.

Overgrown Gotham

After defeating Freeze, you continue to Overgrown Gotham, Poison Ivy's twisted version of Gotham City. The Sunblade becomes unusable in this part of the instance. And, as predicted, Poison Ivy is the second subboss.

Second boss: Poison Ivy[]

A potentially tricky boss encounter but should be fine if all players keep on top of mechanics. In the elite version this may be trickier due to a line of sight mechanic, but should still be doable. Some groups may prefer an extra heal and/or tank in the elite version due to the mind control mechanic.

Recommended roles for elite: 3-5 DPS, 1 Controller, 1-2 Heal, 1-2 Tank

Note: There are trees scattered around the area where the boss encounter takes place. These can block line of sight between you and certain attacks.

Mechanics:

Poison Ivy may cause a player/s to become mind-controlled. She will look at the targeted player and do a blow kiss emote before they become mind controlled. This can be cleared if players do enough damage to the mind-controlled player, or they will need to wait until another player transforms into a Thorn who can then remove the mind control effect from you that way. While mind controlled the affected player will have a series of red spiky vines around them.

Pushback: Poison Ivy will activate large thorny vines around her, dealing a shockwave that will deal some damage and knockback to players in range.

Nature's Fury: (This usually follows Pushback) Poison Ivy will go to the middle of the room from wherever she is positioned and have a red skull icon above her head. Shortly after she will launch into the air and unleash a shockwave, dealing massive raidwide damage. In the elite version it will be best practice to keep Poison Ivy away from the middle of the room, to allow time for players to hide behind a tree out of line of sight ready for this mechanic. This tell will usually be indicated after Pushback has occurred. In elite this will do massive damage and may KO affected players, especially if they are non-tank roles. It is possible to block through it but it will still deal massive damage to affected players. In the regular version, if players are in a Seedling or Thorn form, they will return to normal upon taking damage from this ability. In the elite version, they will not be KO'd but take reduced damage and return to normal.

Poison Ivy may spawn Sporeling adds to assist her in battle. These should be defeated promptly while minding other mechanics. In elite the tank/s should ensure that adds have been aggro'd otherwise they may pull and do significant damage to other group members.

Poison Cloud: There will be small plants (Poison-Spewing Plant) around the map that will produce green cloud AOEs. If a player walks into them they will take damage over time. Furthermore if a player affected by the Poison Cloud damage over time goes near another player, that player will too take damage over time.

Damaging Form Cancel: If a player in range of you was in a form (Thorn, Seedling) and manually breaks out of it, they will deal major damage to you and you may get knocked back. Players should have this in consideration especially in the elite version.

Form change notes:[]

There are two objects you can access in the fight. The one with the handcuffs transforms you into a Thorn, which allows you to remove the mind control on other group members. The one with the medical cross transforms you into a Seedling, which allows you to remove the Thorn Shield that reduces the damage Ivy recieves. Just maintain those two mechanics, and the battle should go smoothly.

Both transformations come with their own powers, so ideally damage role players should transform since the support role powers like healing or debuffs would not be available.

If as a Thorn or Seedling, you press the fourth slot in your loadout to return to normal (Damaging Form Cancel), you will return to normal, but in the process you will do considerable AOE damage to players in range and knock them back.

If as a Seedling, you use the third slot in your loadout (Massive Overgrowth), this can do decent damage over time to the Sporeling adds in the boss encounter. At least one player should be in Seedling form for the vast majority of the boss encounter.

After you defeat Poison Ivy, you continue to the Dark Multiverse Spire in Overgrown Gotham to confront Batman Who Laughs, who has Batman and Superman captive.

Last boss: Batman Who Laughs[]

Can be a tricky and lengthy boss encounter in both versions.

Recommended roles for regular: At least one tank and one heal preferred. Recommended roles for elite: 3-5 DPS, 1 Controller, 1-2 Heal, 1-2 Tank

He can be damaged but he has infinite health, so you only need the tank to keep him distracted, usually towards the north side (left) of the map. You have to deliver metal alloy to the spire 6 times. Portals will also spawn Dark Robins, so pay attention to those as well. Red Death and The Merciless would also appear (they will stay down once KO'ed). In particular Red Death will continuously summon bolts of dark lightning to strike randomly all over the area, and The Merciless has a Ground Pound attack that does incredible damage to everyone and will need to be blocked preferably.

It is best practice for the group to KO The Merciless before attempting to deliver more metal alloy once he is out. His Ground Pound ability is very hard to survive (especially for non-tank roles) without blocking and with the metal alloy damage over time on top of this.

Two tanks may be preferred in the elite version, one for Batman Who Laughs, and the other for the adds and subbosses that will spawn. The tank with Batman Who Laughs should keep him near the left side of the map, allowing the players near the right to focus on the Metal Alloy.

Mechanics:

Dark Multiverse Spire: This may release a shockwave, dealing mild damage.

Chain Attack: Batman Who Laughs may target a player (including one of the players running the alloy) with a chain attack, dealing considerable damage, stunning and grounding the affected player.

(Elite only) Metal themed adds may spawn to assist the Batman Who Laughs in battle (Metal Icer, Metal GCPD Detective, Metal Deep Freezer, Metal GCPD Officer). They should be defeated as soon as possible by the group members in between running the metal alloy, or group members who aren't involved with the alloy at that time.

Metal Alloy mechanic:[]

Metal Alloy: While under the effect of delivering metal alloy the affected player will be grounded and receive a damage over time. There will be an onscreen text prompt stating: "Press L2 and Square to Transfer the Alloy to a Nearby Player!" (for PS players), or "Press 1 to Transfer the Alloy to a Nearby Player!" (for PC players). It is imperative that while players deliver the metal alloy at least 2-4 players are transferring it between each other, preferrably 3 or more. Once the alloy has been *successfully* transferred the player will no longer be grounded and the damage over time will stop. If a player has successfully transferred the Metal Alloy back to you the combat log will display that player's name and you will get a Metal Transfusion damage over time and be grounded.

In the elite version try to avoid having one player get the Metal Alloy more than once when running the same alloy to the Spire. As such a minimum of 3, preferably 4 players should be focused on this.

If the player with the Metal Alloy continues to move without transferring it, they will become slower and slower until they are unable to move, and will still take damage over time.

In the elite version the player may do significant damage to themselves when attempting to transfer the Metal Alloy to a nearby player.

After a player has transferred the Metal Alloy to a nearby player, they may receive a black aura. If that player gets the Metal Alloy transferred back to them while the black aura is active on them, Batman Who Laughs will chain that player and hard stun them, with that player unable to move (this mechanic does not have a name in the combat log and is implied that Batman Who Laughs is attacking the player directly). The affected player will have to transfer the metal alloy back to another nearby player.

There may be an onscreen text prompt stating: "Deliver the Alloy to the Dark Multiverse Spire!".

The first time this occurs there will be onscreen text stating: "The Dark Multiverse Spire starts Resonating!", followed by "A Dark Multiverse Portal Opens!". Dark Robin adds will spawn to assist the Batman Who Laughs in battle. The Dark Multiverse Portals can be closed by delivering metal alloy to them. These portals may become more frequent later as more alloys get delivered. If a player brings Metal Alloy to a portal and activates the portal they will be grounded.

Dark Robin adds may steal an alloy container before players get to it. There will be onscreen text for this stating: "Dark Robins Steal Alloy Container!". Mister Terrific will add another alloy container to another part of the map. There will be onscreen text for this stating: "Mister Terrific sends in another Alloy Container!".

After one metal alloy have been delivered, a Boom Tube will appear in the middle of the room and one of the Dark Knights (Red Death or The Merciless) will spawn and join the battle. After two metal alloys have been delivered, the other Dark Knight will join the battle.

Red Death

Most of Red Death's mechanics aren't too threatening to the group in either regular or elite versions, but as best practice try not to stand too close to him.

Marking Beam: Red Death may point at a random player while having a red skull icon above his head, before blinking to them. Deals major damage.

Vortex Trap: Red Death may spin around, dealing damage to players in range and possibly crowd controlling them.

Dark Lightning: Red Death may summon a bolt of black lightning on a targeted player. Does moderate damage.

Red Death may blink to a random player and do melee damage (Flurry of Blows, Flash Fist Barrage, Vortex Trap). This does considerable damage especially in the elite version so try not to be too close to Red Death where possible.

Whirling Arms: Red Death may blink and then do a cone attack, attempting to pull nearby players towards him. Does moderate to major damage over time and may pull affected players to him in the process.

The Merciless

Ground Pound: The Merciless will wait for a bit, perhaps walk for a short while while having a red skull icon above his head. He will then lift in the air before slamming on the ground. This will deal massive raidwide damage, especially in the elite version and should preferably be blocked by all players. This may also knockback players who don't block. There will be onscreen text when this occurs, stating: "The Merciless is preparing a devastating attack!".

Doom Spin: The Merciless may spin around with his blades, dealing considerable damage to players in melee range.

Once the final alloy has been delivered you have completed the raid.

Spoiler Alert

Once all six alloy has been delivered, you realise something is wrong. The spire is not shutting down and is instead dragging Earth into the Dark Multiverse! The Batman Who Laughs revealed he has hacked into the Batcave and all the notes "Batman" wrote was actually from him, tricking the heroes into doing his bidding. As our universe begins to sink into "unreality", Gotham fades away and you're all left standing in blackness, as Oracle desperately formulates the next plan.

Rewards[]

Source Marks, Loot Items
1 Catalyst (Augments)
Metal Part I: Large Treasure Box (members/owners only)
Chance for Forge Metal Chroma 2 Material or Forge Metal Chroma 3 Material

Collectibles[]

Briefings and Investigations[]

Collections[]

Dark Schism (boss drop)
Getting a Reaction (boss drop)

Feats[]

Absolute Metal: During the Monsters of Metal (Elite) Raid, win the final boss fight only after first defeating Red Death, the Merciless, all Dark Robins, and after having closed all Dark Multiverse Portals. (50 Points), grants title: the Metalhead
Crows Barred: During the Monsters of Metal (Normal or Elite) Raid, win the final boss fight only after first defeating at least 13 Dark Robins during that fight. (25 Points)
Crushed Ice: During the Monsters of Metal (Event, Normal, or Elite) Raid, defeat Mister Freeze only after defeating 50 Ice Shardlings during that fight. (10 Points)
Don't Feed the Portals: During the Monsters of Metal (Normal or Elite) Raid, win the final boss fight without closing any of the Dark Multiverse Portals from which Dark Robins are emerging. (25 Points)
Flower Powers: During the Monsters of Metal (Normal or Elite) Raid, defeat Poison Ivy without anyone losing their plant forms, (either intentionally, due to being KOed, or from Poison Ivy's Nature's Fury). (25 Points)
Go Green: During the Monsters of Metal (Elite) Raid, defeat Poison Ivy without utilizing either of the voluntary plant form-changes more than once each. (25 Points)
Keep the (Blue) Lights On: During the Monsters of Metal (Normal or Elite) Raid, defeat Mister Freeze without your group disabling the two inner braziers. (25 Points)
No Mercy and Outrun Death: During the Monsters of Metal (Normal, or Elite) Raid, win the final boss fight only after defeating the Merciless and Red Death first. (25 Points)
Professional Landscapers: During the Monsters of Metal (Event, Normal, or Elite) Raid, defeat 333 of Poison Ivy's minions over the course of multiple runs. (10 Points)
Worthy Wielder: During the Monsters of Metal (Normal or Elite) Raid, defeat Mister Freeze without anyone in the group dropping the Sunblade. (25 Points)

Trivia[]

Before and during the fight against Mister Freeze, Robin and Nightwing make several reference to the Game of Thrones TV series, particularly to the Night King. Interestingly, Nightwing asks to no avail to how the Night King was defeated in the show. In the series, the Night King was killed in "The Long Night", which was aired on April 28, 2019, while Metal Part I was released on September 12, 2019. However, he was killed by a substance that only exists in the Game of Thrones universe. Mister Freeze must be defeated by lighting all torches, while ironically the Night King is immune to fire.
The Ice Giants and Ice Behemoths seen in the boss encounter against Mister Freeze closely resemble the Ice Elemental form from the Ice Elemental supercharge that can be used by players with the Ice powerset.
In the second boss encounter against Poison Ivy, if a particularly alert player roll dodges at the moment Poison Ivy does a blow kiss emote towards them, they may evade getting mind controlled. This isn't a reliable strategy but it is something to consider.