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Eternity Vault - Story Mode

Operation: Eternity Vault | Difficulty: SM Author: LudwigVanCover Updated: Jun 23, 2025

Eternity Vault - Story Mode Guide

Overview

Eternity Vault is the first operation in Star Wars: The Old Republic, featuring ancient Rakata technology and the mysterious entity known as Soa. This guide covers all bosses in Story Mode difficulty.

Boss Encounters

1. Annihilation Droid XRR-3

Location: Gates area

This is a straightforward tank-and-spank encounter. The droid has no special mechanics in Story Mode - simply tank it and DPS it down while healers keep the group alive.

Strategy:

  • Tank pulls the droid

  • DPS focus on the droid

  • Healers maintain group health

  • No special positioning required

    • 2. Gharj

    Location: Lava cave area

    Gharj is a large creature that emerges from the lava. This fight introduces basic positioning mechanics.

    Strategy:

  • Tank positions Gharj facing away from the group

  • DPS and healers stand behind the boss

  • Avoid standing in lava pools

  • Kill adds that spawn during the fight

  • Focus DPS on Gharj when no adds are present

    • 3. Ancient Pylons

    Location: Puzzle area

    This encounter is a puzzle that requires the team to split into equally balanced groups to solve puzzles at North and South locations.

    Objective: Match all 4 rows so that all icons on each row are the same.

    Strategy:

  • Split team into two groups (North and South)

  • Use Left and Right clickable buttons to rotate middle icons

  • Click middle button to "lock in" when icons match

  • Work from bottom row upward

  • Both North and South must complete each row before moving up

  • Kill Rakata adds that spawn near consoles

  • Stun and kill Acklays when they spawn

  • Soft enrage: If taking too long, Acklays spawn in waves (1, then 2, then 3)

    • Tips:

  • Coordinate between North and South groups

  • Assign one player to handle adds at each console

  • Have backup plans for Acklay waves

    • 4. Infernal Council

    Location: Council chamber

    This encounter involves each player fighting a 1v1 solo battle against assigned bosses.

    Important Rules:

  • NO guards, raid buffs, AoE buffs, or AoE heals

  • NO damaging bosses other than your assigned one

  • NO healing anyone other than yourself

  • Each player gets assigned to one boss

    • Boss Assignments:

  • Tanks: Take Juggernauts

  • DPS: Take Marauders

  • Healers: Take Assassins

    • Strategy:

  • Assign each player to a specific boss

  • Click console in entryway to start the fight

  • Each player kills their own boss independently

  • Juggernauts and Marauders are straightforward

  • Assassins deal high damage - healers may need to respec to DPS

  • Use reflect abilities when available

  • If you attack another player's boss or heal another player, you get a 60-second debuff preventing all damage/healing

  • Once your boss is down, you can use ONE damaging ability to help another player (then you get the debuff)

  • It's possible for one player to handle two bosses if needed

    • Tips:

  • Healers should consider respeccing to DPS for their Assassin fight

  • Reflect abilities are very useful

  • Coordinate assignments before starting

    • 5. Soa

    Location: Final chamber

    Soa is the final boss and features a combination of tank-and-spank mechanics, platforming, and positioning mechanics.

    Pre-Fight:

  • DO NOT enter Soa's room until ready

  • Fight begins immediately when someone enters (as of 6.0)

    • #### Phase 1 - Top Floor

    Mechanics:

  • Soa starts in a shield

  • Attacking starts a cast that drops the shield

  • Boss is damageable until 75% health

  • Pylons around the room glow sequentially, creating green AoE puddles

  • Avoid green puddles

  • Slow DPS = more green coverage, very slow DPS = wipe

    • Strategy:

  • Tank pulls Soa

  • DPS focus on boss

  • Healers maintain group health

  • Everyone avoid green puddles

  • Push DPS to minimize green coverage

    • #### Phase 1 Transition - Platforming

    When Soa reaches 75%:

  • Team moves to WEST outer platform (where you dropped down)

  • Inner and middle platforms collapse (kills anyone on them)

  • Platform down to middle platform for Phase 2

  • Take fall damage - requires healing

  • Assign one player to DPS and kill pylons on each platform

  • Killing pylons removes Power Orbs from Soa (starts with 5 stacks)

  • If stacks remain when Phase 2 begins, Soa casts Power Orb Detonation per stack (high AoE damage)

  • Only one player should damage pylons (may bug if others do)

    • #### Phase 2 - Middle Floor

    Goal: Damage Soa from 75% to 30% health

    New Mechanics:

  • Mind Traps: Soa traps team members - destroy immediately to free them

  • Lightning Orbs: Soa targets players - move away from group and run into orb to avoid AoE damage

  • Vortex: Soa puts player in bouncing vortex for 10-15s - minimal damage, deposited on WEST side after

    • Strategy:

  • Tank maintains aggro

  • DPS focus on Soa

  • Healers maintain group health

  • Immediately destroy Mind Traps

  • Lightning orb targets move away from group

  • Vortex players rejoin from WEST side

    • #### Phase 2 Transition - Platforming

    When Soa reaches 30%:

  • Same platforming mechanic as Phase 1

  • Start at WEST side

  • Players on EAST can jump down (take large fall damage) then move NORTH to rejoin team

    • #### Phase 3 - Bottom Floor

    Key Mechanic: Soa's shield only drops when he's kited into floating Pyramid objects

    Strategy:

  • Tank or aggro holder pulls Soa into pyramid AoE (blue circle in Story Mode)

  • All players stay out of AoE to avoid damage

  • Mind traps and lightning orbs continue

  • During Soa's vulnerable phase, DPS on Soa takes absolute priority

  • Continue kiting into pyramids to damage Soa

    • Maps

    The operation includes several distinct areas:

  • Gates: Entry area with Annihilation Droid

  • Prison: Transition area

  • Gharj Lava Cave: Gharj encounter

  • Jungle: Transition area

  • Infernal Prison: Council and Soa encounters

    • Tips for Success

    1. Communication: Coordinate assignments and positioning

    2. Positioning: Always avoid AoE effects and lava

    3. DPS: Push damage to minimize mechanic overlap

    4. Healing: Be prepared for fall damage during platforming

    5. Coordination: Work together on puzzle mechanics

    6. Patience: Take time to understand mechanics before rushing

    Loot

    Eternity Vault drops:

  • Level 50+ gear

  • Operation-specific decorations

  • Achievement points

  • Legacy titles

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Guide adapted from [Merlyn's SWTOR Guides](https://sites.google.com/view/merlyn-swtor/operations/eternity-vault)