Deep within the Clock Tower, chains suspend Talos at the center of a furnace chamber. Behind two low platforms positioned on either side, curtains of fire glow like lava. Entering the chamber starts a cutscene; when it ends, a single red health bar labeled TALOS appears at the bottom of the screen. The fight repeats a cycle: evade attacks that sweep across the room, wait for his chest armor to lift, then strike the orange-lit core before the armor closes.
Quick answer: Hit the glowing orange core whenever Talos opens his chest plate and his flame spray ends. Drop to the floor during his other attacks, empty the bar across two stages, then beat the 01:30 escape timer to land the last hits.
Reaching the furnace hall
To reach the forge, travel through Foundry Apex via the Builder’s Secret Elevator. Before continuing, bring up the Foundry Apex map and check the Clock Tower sub-map for the lengthy upper passageways toward the forge.
Inside the boss room you fight on the two platforms and on the floor below them. The floor is your safe ground for most of his attacks, while the platforms put you level with the core when it opens.
The core is the target
Talos’s chest hides the orange-glowing core until its plate rises. He calls out as the armor opens, sending spreading fans of fireballs upward and outward. While they pass, get down to the floor and run beneath the platforms, or remain on the far side. Stay clear of the space right above the core.
Once the fire stream has passed, leap up and attack the exposed core with a melee combo or a spell. Each successful hit on the exposed core removes a clearly visible section of the bar.
Attacks to read and how to avoid them
Talos mixes room-wide attacks with closer strikes. His exact order varies, so react to the tells rather than memorizing a sequence. The room attacks give no opening, so simply survive them and save your damage for the core windows.
- Fire deluge: A groan and blue-white flash signal this attack. Pale heat columns rise at several points around the hall, followed by fire raining from overhead. Find a slim opening between the columns; one is along the floor at the far left.
- Floating mines: Yellow, spiked orbs appear, each sending orange rings outward before they detonate simultaneously. Find a clear pocket between the rings, or drop down once they cover the platform height.
- Crystal lanterns: While Talos attacks, little blue lanterns hover near the edges and send narrow beams across the room. Stay in motion to avoid the ongoing crossfire.
- Fist slam: He pulls back his enormous left arm as a black-and-white flash appears. Move clear of the platform beneath his fist. Its impact creates an explosive shockwave; afterward, attack him from the side.
During stage 2, he may sweep his arm across the middle level after a slam. Clear the sweep by jumping sideways.
Working through the two stages
In stage 1, Talos stays chained in the hall and cycles through his attack set. When that stage ends he drops away, and you run a short gauntlet of crushing stone blocks and grapple points before the chains reappear.
In stage 2, the bar is around halfway depleted and Talos uses his attack set again, cycling through it slightly faster. Follow the same routine: evade the attacks that cover the room, strike the exposed core, then return to the floor. Once the bar runs out, the screen flashes white as Talos snaps free and falls.
The 01:30 escape run
After his fall, 01:30 appears at the top center as a timer, and you must climb back to the hall. A tiny portion of health remains on the bar, so a few more hits will defeat him when you get there.
Rewards after the kill
As Talos falls, you receive the trophy Talos Aversion. He transforms into a golden orb; strike it with your weapon until it unfolds into an Arcana card.
The card is The Builder, carrying the spell Fist of Talos: “A huge fist strikes the ground, dealing massive damage to enemies directly below, with much less damage to targets further away. Also triggers a small earthquake that shakes enemies in a wide radius, potentially knocking them off their platforms.” Hold Square to equip it, and press Cross to continue.
After the dialogue that follows, head to a cracked floor in the Clock Tower to pick up the SMASH ability: “Break the DESTRUCTIBLE BLOCKS by pressing Down + Cross when Rose is in the air.”
