TL;DR
- Consort is the tutorial boss in Saros — designed for you to lose.
- Beating it is possible but very hard with your starting gear.
- If you win, you get Lucenite and 1 Halcyon as a reward.
- The story continues the same way regardless of win or loss.
- Dying unlocks the “Come Back Stronger” trophy and a cutscene.
- You only get one attempt per save file.
What Is the Consort in Saros?
Saros wastes no time. Right after the tutorial, you are dropped into a fight with Consort. This is an introductory boss fight that happens before the real game even begins. The arena is locked down by a Solar Cage barrier, and you cannot leave until the fight is over — one way or another.
Your gear at this point is about as basic as it gets. You have the Level 1 Eruptor Hand Cannon, a small health bar, and the Soltari Shield. No Parry, no Power Weapons, no Second Chance revival. Just you and a very angry boss.
Saros is available on PlayStation 5 and this fight is the very first thing you face after picking up your weapon. The game’s clear expectation is that you will lose.
Is the Consort Fight Meant to Be Lost?
Yes. The Consort fight is what many players call a “scripted loss.” The boss is designed to kill you. The game uses your death to kick off its main story. When your health bar empties, a pop-up introduction screen appears, the Come Back Stronger trophy unlocks, and a cutscene plays showing your character being resurrected.
This resurrection moment is a deliberate narrative beat. It sets up the entire premise of the game — why Arjun keeps coming back, and what Carcosa means for him. Losing is not a failure here. It is literally the intended path.
What Happens If You Beat Consort in Saros?
Here is where things get interesting. You can beat Consort. It is hard, but it is possible. And if you pull it off, a few things happen that do not happen if you lose.
The Solar Cage Dissipates
Instead of seeing a death screen or cutscene, you get an on-screen message that says “SOLAR CAGE DISSIPATED.” The barrier drops. A structure on the far side of the arena opens up. The game acknowledges that you actually won.
You Get Lucenite and 1 Halcyon
Walking forward after the win lets you pick up a cache of Lucenite and 1 Halcyon. These are real, useful resources. Halcyon specifically is used for Armor Alterations in the Armor Matrix — the game’s skill tree system. Getting one this early is something that does not happen in a normal run. You will collect more Halcyon as the game goes on, but having a head start is a nice bonus.
The Story Still Plays Out the Same Way
This is the key thing to know. Beating Consort does not change the rest of the game. After you pick up your rewards, the game returns to its scripted opening. The same narrative beats play out. You end up in the Passage just like every other player. Nothing about the main story changes based on winning or losing this fight.
So the win is real, the loot is real, but the story impact is zero. Both paths — winning and losing — drop you at the same starting point shortly after.
You Miss the “Come Back Stronger” Trophy (If You Win)
There is a catch. If you beat Consort, you skip the death cutscene entirely. That means you also skip the Come Back Stronger trophy that is tied to dying in this fight. If you are aiming for 100% completion, you will need to factor this in. Check out the Saros complete trophy guide to make sure you do not miss any trophies during your run.
How Difficult Is Beating Consort?
Very. This is arguably one of the toughest encounters in the whole game — not because the boss is necessarily the strongest, but because of your limited starting kit. You have no Parry ability. No Power Weapons. No free revive. You only have a basic handcannon and a shield that drains fast.
Later bosses in Saros are fought with upgraded gear, unlocked abilities, and a deeper understanding of the game’s systems. Consort is fought with none of that. That is what makes it so punishing for new players.
How to Beat Consort in Saros
If you want to go for the win, here is what works.
Know the Attack Types
Consort uses three main types of attacks, and each one requires a different response:
- Blue projectiles: Block these with your Soltari Shield by holding R1.
- Yellow beam attacks and ground lasers: Dodge these with your dash. Do not try to shield them.
- Red (Nova) projectiles: These cannot be dashed through. Jump to avoid them.
Use the Pillars for Cover
The arena has pillars scattered around it. Use them. Break line of sight when a big barrage starts, then re-engage from a different angle once the attack ends. Just be careful — the pillars can block your view during the yellow ring attacks. When those start, move away from both the boss and the pillars so you have a clear view to jump and dodge.
Only Shoot During Safe Windows
Your Eruptor Hand Cannon has Auto-Aim, which helps a lot. But your damage per shot is low, so you need sustained uptime to chip the health bar down. Fire whenever there are no lasers on screen. The moment a major attack starts, focus on survival first. Shoot only when it is clearly safe to do so.
Save Your Shield for the Right Moments
The shield drains quickly and cannot block everything. Do not hold it up constantly. Save it for the large blue volleys and the expanding yellow explosions — situations where a clean dodge is unreliable. Using it at the wrong time wastes the charge when you need it most.
Stay Mobile the Entire Time
Standing still is how you die. Keep moving between cover positions, stay aware of where the boss is, and never let yourself get pinned in a corner. The fight is a long war of attrition with your starting gear, and survival time is your biggest resource.
What If You Already Lost and Want to Try Again?
Consort only gives you one attempt per save file. But there is a workaround. Go to the Game Slots option in the game’s menu and create a new save file. Then delete your old one. You can now attempt the fight again on the new file. If you die again, just repeat the process with another slot. You can also run past the tutorial enemies to save time and health — they do not drop anything useful at this stage.
Is Beating Consort Worth It?
That depends on what you are after. If you want the early Halcyon and Lucenite to get a slight head start on your Armor Alterations, it is a fun challenge to attempt. If you want to see the intended opening of the game — with the resurrection cutscene and the trophy — then just let Consort do what the game expects.
Either way, you land in the same place. The game moves on. And if you are wondering how long Saros takes to beat, the optional Consort win adds only a few extra minutes at most.
The real value of beating Consort is not the loot. It is the satisfaction of doing something the game assumed you could not do. That is a pretty good way to start any roguelite.
Ending Notes
Beating Consort in Saros gives you Lucenite and 1 Halcyon. The Solar Cage drops, a reward structure opens, and you get a small but real head start. The story, however, plays out the same either way. You end up in the Passage either way. Winning just means you skipped the death scene and walked in with a little more in your pocket.
It is optional. It is hard. And it is one of the most satisfying optional challenges in the game’s opening hour.
