Verdant Master
What it is
The Verdant Master fights at a quick, even tempo and tries to pin you in place. Its signature blooms a ring of petals around where you stand and roots anyone caught in it. It has 26 named techniques. It raises its guard after every third attack.
At the start of the trial it tells you its lesson: its bloom rings the ground you stand on, so leave it before it opens, or be rooted.
How to get it
Sneak and use a wandering duelist who breathes Verdant, or type /master challenge verdant. You need Aura Form or Heart Circle VIII. See Sword Masters for the full trial rules.
Verdant students gather at the Root Temple, a hall it shares with Venom. Look for it in jungles and dark forests. To get in, beat the Runebound guard in the root pit. See Masters sites.
Verdant Bloom
A ring of petals that opens under you. The banner reads “Leave the petal ring, or jump as it blooms.”
- The Master uses it when you’re 2 to 7 blocks away. It stands still while it casts.
- It draws a ring with a 3-block radius around the spot you stood on when it began. The ring doesn’t follow you.
- It blooms after 1.5 seconds and deals 22 damage before armor.
- Anyone caught is rooted: Slowness IV for 2 seconds.
Answer it in either of two ways:
- Move: walk out of the ring before it blooms.
- Jump: be in the air when it blooms.
The Master is open for about 0.8 seconds after the bloom. It can’t use the bloom again for 7 seconds.
Other moves
- Techniques: chains of two to four strikes. Wind-ups take about 0.6 seconds, and the Master stays open for 0.7 to 0.8 seconds after each one. Its finisher is Last Bloom. See Reading a Master.
- Pursuit dash: if you hold a spell too long, it may dash up to 4.8 blocks at you, at most once every 7 seconds.
- Crescent volley: it throws flying blades if you stay more than 6 blocks away or well above or below it.
Rewards for a clear
- Your first Verdant clear teaches the Rally technique part.
- The Verdant Master has no Master Form.
The breathing method
The Master teaches Verdant Breath, a life method. Coated blows heal you a little. Its arts unlock as your Aura grows:
| Stage | Art |
|---|---|
| Glow | Thorn Lash |
| Flow | Blossom Fall |
| Edge | Rooted Parry (a counter) |
| Form | Wild Growth |
| Sovereign | Grove’s Heart |
Full details are on Breathing methods.
Tips and counterplay
- The ring stays where you were standing. A few steps in any direction get you out.
- Being rooted hurts more than the damage does. A rooted player is an easy target for the next technique.
- If you’re short on room, jump as it blooms instead.
- The Verdant Master guards after every third attack. Flank it or use an axe.