Pragmata's first boss, the Sector Guard, is quite a step up compared to the challenges you've faced so far. But it's also a sign of things to come: the Sector Guard is a breeze compared to bosses and even standard fights later on, not least because it's a tutorial for the Overdrive mechanic.
Because all the enemies you've faced so far have been pushovers, you haven't really had to learn enemy weak spots or master hacking so far. That's gotta change. So here's what you should know to kill Sector Guard.
How to beat the Sector Guard in Pragmata
First things first, remember that you need to hack enemies to deal most of your damage in Pragmata, and that doesn't change during boss fights. While you're shooting Sector Guard, you need to routinely hack them to expose weak spots and boost your damage.
Here are my tips to take it down:
- Sector Guard's main attack is a dash. When you see it crouch, it's preparing to charge at you, so get ready to dodge to the side, especially if you're distracted with hacking.
- Use the Decode hacking node to temporarily increase your damage dealt.
- After you hack Sector Guard, the canister on its back will open, revealing a weak spot.
- I recommend using the Stasis Net to hold the Sector Guard in place, giving you an easier time hacking and better access to its weak spot.
- Use the Shockwave Gun to deal heavy damage up close. You can pick up more ammo and hacking nodes from around the arena.
- When you deal enough damage, the boss will stagger and be surrounded by blue arrows pointing down. You can approach it for a Critical Shot, dealing massive damage.
Once you've got the Sector Guard to 50% health, it will become more aggressive and launch rockets at you. This attack is telegraphed with red circles on the ground, so it's easy enough to avoid. However, you'll also be introduced to Diana's Overdrive Protocol mechanic at the same time.
By hacking enemies, you'll fill the meter, letting you unleash a burst of energy that opens weak spots, immobilises, and deals damage. This gives you a brief window to hack and shoot the boss without them dashing around.
Once you kill the Sector Guard, it'll drop your first Shelter License key. These give you access to new features at the Cradle, including the ability to spend Cabin Coins, new items at the Unit Printer, and further upgrades at the Firmware Updater.
