Vulcan

"I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - THE MURDERERS OF MY BROTHER, POSEIDON!! WHILE HE MAY REST NOW, I, VULCAN, STILL AGONISE FOR REVENGE!!"

―Vulcan upon entering battle, Epic Battle Fantasy 5

Vulcan
Roles	Boss, Summon
Appearances	Epic Battle Fantasy 5

Vulcan is an optional boss in Epic Battle Fantasy 5. He can be found at the western end of the Crystal Caverns.

Appearance

Vulcan is very similar in appearance to his brother Poseidon, being a large Golem shaped like a head with a gaping maw. However, Vulcan is made of black stone with a few lava-filled cracks on the sides. His eye holes are narrower than Poseidon's, with larger, bright orange lights set in a permanent glare. His jaws are lined with pointed red crystal "fangs," and they are lit by a dull orange glow from both halves of his head. Two large horns and several blunt orange crystals (presumably Ruby) jut out of his head, adding to his demonic appearance.

As Vulcan takes damage, parts of his horns and crystals break off and beads of lava collect around his eye holes. When badly injured, he begins to "cry" lava as the lights in his eyes become large circles with pinprick pupils and a few tiny spots around their edges.

Personality

Like Poseidon, Vulcan has a massive ego and a short temper, likening himself to a demon fueled by the fires of Hell itself. He has immeasurable anger against the party for defeating his brother, wishing to avenge his death at their hands - if presented with evidence to the contrary (i.e. Poseidon being summoned against him), he dismisses it as a ghost or a manifestation of his grief and lust for revenge.

Grudge towards the party aside, Vulcan also shares Poseidon's disdain for mortals, describing them as a disease to be destroyed in his flames and claiming that his volcanic realm is one that they have yet to master. As the battle with the party goes on, he acknowledges the strength of the players, but this only intensifies his rage and desire to see them burned to oblivion. Even in defeat, he refuses to believe that he has lost to mere mortals; if captured instead, he mourns his state of affairs by dubbing himself a cowardly slave.

Overview

Much like Poseidon, Vulcan has a variety of powerful attacks and plenty of resistances. While he primarily uses Fire, he has sources of Earth, Bomb, Wind, and even Water damage; his attacks can also inflict status effects like Burn, Curse, Dispel, Dry, and Syphon. He is particularly notable for his powerful Ram, which can deal heavy damage and Stagger to the entire party (including the players in backup). At low HP, he'll use a souped-up version of Poseidon's buffing skill, increasing both of his offensive and defensive stats in a single move.

Vulcan constantly summons Ores to assist him in battle; while some of them look different than normal (having black stone bodies instead of their usual grey or white), their stats and abilities are unchanged. As with Poseidon, the Ores gain levels and emerge two at a time as Vulcan becomes weaker.

On higher Difficulty levels, Vulcan gains an improved Dispel chance on his Status Wind, the ability to inflict Disable with his Eye Lasers, and his lava attacks inflict Scorch instead of Burn. His buffing skill increases his stats by a greater degree and also grants Haste, allowing him to act immediately afterwards. Perhaps the most threatening addition to his skillset is Supernova; while he'll only use it once, it can easily wipe out the party if they aren't well-prepared.

Vulcan is immune to nearly all status effects, with the only exceptions being Burn, Scorch, Stagger, Confuse, Wet, Dry, Heavy, Light, and Dispel (the last of which he resists). He absorbs Earth, Dark, and especially Fire while being immune to Thunder, Bio, and Wind: on the other hand, he is weak to Ice, Bomb, and especially Water and Holy. On top of that, he has a fair resistance to most stat debuffs aside from Evade, although his HP resistance is slightly weaker than the rest.

If "More Foe Resistance" is enabled, Vulcan becomes immune to Ice and neutral to Holy.

Statistics

	Vulcan	EBF5
	The god of volcanoes. He uses powerful fire and bomb magic, with some wind and earth attacks in there too.

Statistics
Base Statistics								Exp	AP	SP	Gold	Hit2HP	Catch
	7000	6	4	6	4	4	2	1100	60	60	500	6	3
Elemental Resistance
	300%	100%	-50%	200%	100%	-50%	-80%	100%	-80%	200%
Status Resistance
	-	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	-	-	-	100%	50%	100%
Debuff Resistance
	30%	40%	40%	40%	40%	40%	-

Item Drop Rate
Icon
Name	Magma Chunk	Opal	Amber	Topaz	Ruby
Chance	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%

Status Damage
Damage taken from status effects, in % of maximum health (per turn), including elemental resistances:
Burn	Scorch	Poison	Virus	Doom (if Death fails)	Regen
-0.84% per stack, up to -7.56%	-1.68% per stack, up to -15.12%	Immune	Immune	Immune	-4%
Damage taken from first four is decreased by 30% on Easy and 65% on Zero difficulties. Final damage is randomized by ±5% (except for Doom) and rounded down.

Statistics with More Foe Resistance enabled.

	Vulcan	EBF5
	The god of volcanoes. He uses powerful fire and bomb magic, with some wind and earth attacks in there too.

Statistics
Base Statistics								Exp	AP	SP	Gold	Hit2HP	Catch
	7000	6	4	6	4	4	2	1100	60	60	500	6	3
Elemental Resistance
	300%	100%	100%	200%	100%	-50%	-80%	100%	-	200%
Status Resistance
	-	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	-	-	-	100%	50%	100%
Debuff Resistance
	30%	40%	40%	40%	40%	40%	-

Item Drop Rate
Icon
Name	Magma Chunk	Opal	Amber	Topaz	Ruby
Chance	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%

Status Damage
Damage taken from status effects, in % of maximum health (per turn), including elemental resistances:
Burn	Scorch	Poison	Virus	Doom (if Death fails)	Regen
-0.84% per stack, up to -7.56%	-1.68% per stack, up to -15.12%	Immune	Immune	Immune	-4%
Damage taken from first four is decreased by 30% on Easy and 65% on Zero difficulties. Final damage is randomized by ±5% (except for Doom) and rounded down.

Attacks and Abilities

Attack List
Attack	Target	Power	Type	Element	Status Effect			Acc	Crit	RdF
Ram	All+B	90		25%	20% --	1x --	--	100%	10%	10%
Notes: Status chance for the front increased to 30% on Hard or Epic difficulties. Before the v2 update, had 120 power for the front and 90 for the back.
Spit Lava	Single	320/4		100%	100%	3x		100%	10%	10%
Notes: Burn changed to Scorch instead on Hard or Epic difficulties.
Lava Breath	Random	400/6		100%	100%	3x		100%	10%	10%
Notes: Burn changed to Scorch instead on Hard or Epic difficulties. Can target dead players, leading to a chance to waste hits.
Eye Lasers	Random	420/6		100%	--	--	--	100%	10%	10%
Notes: Gets 100% chance of 3x Disable on Hard or Epic difficulties. Can target dead players, leading to a chance to waste hits.
Syphoning Roar	All	60		100%	100%	3x		300%	10%	10%
Status Wind	All	26 26		100%	66% 100%	1x 5x		150%	10%	10%
Notes: Dispel chance increased to 100% on Hard or Epic difficulties.
Bullet Bob x6	Random	330/6		100%	--	--	--	100%	30%	10%
Notes: Will not target the same player twice in a row unless they have Target or no other targets are available.
Scalding Fume x6	Random	240/6		100%	50%	2x		100%	10%	10%
Notes: Will not target the same player twice in a row unless they have Target or no other targets are available.
Magma	All	100		100%	20%	2x		100%	10%	10%
Quake	All	100		100%	--	--	--	140%	10%	10%
Defend	Self	--	--	----	--	30% 30% 30% 30%		--	--	--
Notes: All buff strengths increased to 50% on Hard or Epic difficulties. Also gives 1x Haste on Hard or Epic difficulties. Spawns either a Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst or Peridot Ore; if Foe Remix is enabled, can summon any of the 7 Ores instead (level of the summoned Ores depends on Vulcan's HP).
Supernova	All Backup Allies	260 180 100		50%	100% -- --	9x -- --	-- --	9000%	10%	10%
Notes: Can only used on Hard or Epic difficulties. Damage to allies scales off Player Weather Magic Attack and Accuracy instead of user stats.

Battle Logic

The following describes general logic of the enemy and attack patterns, with chances of each attack to be used. Conditions are listed from highest to lowest priority unless specified otherwise.

Start of turn:

• Summons a Peridot, Topaz, Ruby or Amethyst Ore; if Foe Remix is enabled, can summon any of the 7 Ores (ie, adds Quartz, Sapphire and Zircon Ore to the summon pool);
  • Has a 1/3 chance to summon a second Ore, this becomes guaranteed once <49% HP.
    • Level of the summoned ores depends on Vulcan's HP;
      • <29% HP: Vulcan's level + 3.
      • <59% HP: Vulcan's level + 2.
      • <89% HP: Vulcan's level + 1.
      • Otherwise: same level as Vulcan.

Action:

• If playing on Hard/Epic, <39% HP and hasn't used Supernova yet → Supernova;
• <19% HP and both Magic Attack and Magic Defence buffs are below 15% → Defend;
• <39% HP → Status Wind (1/4), Syphoning Roar (1/4), Magic* (2/4);
• <74% HP → Status Wind (1/8), Syphoning Roar (1/8), Eye Lasers (1/8), Ram (1/8), Magic* (2/8);
  • If catch score >55 and all players are Lovable → Lava Breath (1/4);
  • Otherwise → Lava Breath (1/8), Spit Lava (1/8);
• Otherwise → Ram (1/3);
  • If catch score >55 and all players are Lovable → Lava Breath (2/3);
  • Otherwise → Spit Lava (1/3), Lava Breath (1/3).

*"Magic" has a 66% chance to choose best elemental spell based on active party's elemental resistance between Bullet Bob, Magma, Scalding Fume and Quake, and otherwise randomly picks one of the four to use.

Unlike most other foes, Vulcan doesn't get a counter when Counter-Attacking Foes is enabled.

Strategy

Immunity to Fire and Bomb is recommended, since most of Vulcan's strongest attacks are of those elements (and they're powerful enough that resistance may not be enough to readily survive them); secondary resistances to Water and Earth may also be a good idea. Vulcan summons Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst and Peridot Ores as his helpers, and just like Poseidon these ores will gradually get more levels as Vulcan's HP gets lower; amongst the ores, the Topaz Ores should be dealt with quickly, since they can use Protect to buff Vulcan's Defence (and on higher difficulties this'll also give Good Luck).

Offensively, it's recommended to either focus on using Bomb-elemental attacks while inflicting the Dry status to boost its damage, or to use Ice and boost it with Wet instead. Water will deal more damage than Ice or Bomb attacks, but it cannot be boosted on account of Vulcan's Chill immunity.

Vulcan's Ram attack is probably his most dangerous skill, since it's largely non-elemental and hits very hard. That said, he stops using it once he drops low enough in HP (<39%), so a more offensive strategy to quickly reduce his HP to the necessary threshold is recommended. Keep in mind that the point he stops using Ram is when he casts Supernova on higher difficulties. A Limit Break Rush strategy might be useful, especially Oblivion followed by a physical Tsunami (with prior Defence debuffs and/or Enchanted to maximize damage). Once Vulcan drops below 19% HP, he'll start buffing himself, and just like Poseidon, this'll also give him Haste on Hard/Epic, allowing him to attack immediately after.

On Hard and Epic difficulties, he'll use Supernova when below 39% HP (indicated by his sprite changing to a crying one), which will deal great magical Fire elemental damage to both the front and the back players, and since it's only 50% elemental, it'll still deal some damage to players with 100% Fire resistance.

Quotes

"I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - THE MURDERERS OF MY BROTHER, POSEIDON!! WHILE HE MAY REST NOW, I, VULCAN, STILL AGONISE FOR REVENGE!!"

―Entering battle

"MORTALS MAY HAVE MASTERED THE OCEANS OF WATER, BUT DEEPER STILL LIES AN ENDLESS OCEAN OF FIRE. HELL ITSELF LENDS ME STRENGTH, AND I WILL BRING ITS FURY TO BEAR UPON YOU!!"

―<84% HP

"STRUGGLING AGAINST YOUR FATE WILL ONLY PROLONG YOUR SUFFERING!! LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND SUBMIT TO MY ETERNAL FIRE!! LET YOUR BODIES TURN TO ASH!!"

―<69% HP

"STRONG YOU MOST DEFINITELY ARE, BUT EVERYTHING WILL BURN AT A HIGH ENOUGH TEMPERATURE!! LET'S SEE HOW MUCH HEAT YOU CAN WITHSTAND!!"

―<49% HP

"MORTAL MEN ARE A DISEASE ON THIS EARTH, AND FIRE IS THE CLEANSER!! LET THE HEAT OF A THOUSAND SUNS BURN AWAY ALL TRACES OF YOUR EXISTENCE!!"

―Casting Supernova

"WHY WON'T YOU BURN TO ASHES?! WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO FIGHT?!"

―<29% HP

"I REFUSE TO ADMIT DEFEAT TO DISGUSTING MORTALS!!"

―Defeated

"POSEIDON?? WHAT IS THIS?! WHY DO YOU TORMENT ME SO, BROTHER?! YOUR GHOST CANNOT CALM MY BURNING LUST FOR REVENGE!!"

―Summoning Poseidon against him

Summon

"I, THE MIGHTY VULCAN, HAVE FALLEN FROM MY THRONE!! I SHALL NOW BE KNOWN AS VULCAN THE COWARD, AND SLAVE OF MORTALS!!"

―Vulcan when summoned, Epic Battle Fantasy 5
This boss can be captured to be used as a summon. It casts a powered-up version of Volcano on every foe.

	Vulcan							SP
	Blasts all foes with incredibly powerful fire attacks, which also burn any survivors.							110	Cured
Target	Power	Type	Element	Status Effect			Acc	Crit	RdF
All	350		100%	100%	5x		150%	10%	10%
Note: Before the v2 update, cost 121 SP instead.

Trivia

• It is worth noting that not only are the mythological Vulcan and Poseidon not related, they are from two different pantheons of gods; Vulcan is a Roman deity (corresponding to the Greek Hephaestus) while Poseidon is a Greek deity (corresponding to the Roman Neptune).
• If you captured Poseidon instead of killing him, Matt/Lance will say "Hey, we didn't murder Poseidon - we captured him! Does no good deed go unpunished in your world?" in response to Vulcan's opening quote.
• As with Sol and Skadi, it is unclear how Vulcan learned of his brother's demise while apparently trapped within the Crystal Caverns.
• Vulcan was designed before Poseidon, so originally Poseidon was going to be an alternate boss to Vulcan rather than the opposite.