Chapter 20 presents Iago, a cunning tactician and a master of dark magic. He is not a direct combatant in the same vein as other bosses, but his ability to manipulate the battlefield and debuff your units makes him incredibly dangerous. Iago often employs powerful dark magic spells that can inflict status ailments and drain your units' stats, making them vulnerable to his allies.
Recommended Units and Tactics
Units with high Resistance are paramount to surviving Iago's magical onslaught. Mages, Clerics, and characters with naturally high Resistance growth will be your primary offensive and defensive force. Focus on eliminating his supporting units quickly, as they often benefit from his buffs and can exploit your weakened state. It's often more effective to have a few strong units focus on taking down Iago while others defend against his minions.
Map Considerations
The map for Iago's battle is often designed to be strategically complex, with areas that can be easily controlled by his magic. Look for opportunities to break his lines of sight or use terrain to your advantage to minimize the impact of his area-of-effect spells. If there are any "healing tiles" or structures that provide defensive bonuses, try to position your units near them. Prioritize taking out any enemy healers or mages that are supporting Iago.
Key Items and Skills
Equip your magic-resistant units with staves that can cure status ailments, such as "Restore" or "Seraph Robe." Items that boost Resistance or provide immunity to certain debuffs are invaluable. Skills that grant bonus damage against magic users or reduce the effectiveness of dark magic are also highly recommended. If you have any "Hexlock Shield" items, consider equipping them to your most vulnerable units. Remember to keep your units spread out enough to avoid being hit by multiple spells simultaneously, but close enough to support each other.