Balor is the final boss, and the key to his fight is lowering his barrier by destroying two Underworld Gates in the same turn. Prepare the damage team before finishing the second gate, then attack during the opening rather than trying to chip through the shield. Spread out around his counterattack and protect Eshmel, whose defeat ends the battle.
Spoiler warning and battle objective
This page discusses the final encounter in Part III: Salvation. Game8's final-section walkthrough identifies the stage as Balor's Last Stand at the Temple of Balor, with victory requiring Balor's defeat. The same overview lists Eshmel falling in battle as the defeat condition.
Balor's role here is an antagonist and boss encounter. The guide does not present him as a recruit with an ordinary Support or Renown requirement. For the earlier campaign structure, use the story progression guide before continuing into these final-battle mechanics; the ending explanation discusses major story spoilers after the fight.
Divide the army by responsibility
Game8 recommends splitting the force into side groups and a central damage group. The side teams handle reinforcements and gates in their areas, while the central group prepares to attack Balor. This is a useful structure because the barrier objective and the damage objective must be completed in a coordinated turn.
Do not send every strong attacker to one gate without considering the next step. Someone still needs to reach the other gate, while the damage team needs actions available after the barrier drops. The exact characters depend on your roster, so treat the formation as an assignment of jobs rather than a fixed named lineup.
All Things How's boss guide emphasizes advance positioning when red telegraphs mark incoming gates. Use those warnings to move toward the relevant area before the gate is fully active. That reduces the risk of creating a damage opening while half the army is still traveling.
Break the barrier on a planned turn
Both guides describe coordinated gate destruction as the way to remove Balor's protection. All Things How specifies two gates within the same turn, and Game8 warns that attacking must follow before his shields return. Destroying a gate whenever it happens to be convenient is less useful than arranging both breaks around a ready attack force.
Game8 explicitly says you can delay finishing both gates if your units are not ready. Use that time to heal, reposition and make sure the relevant attackers still have actions available. This is preparation for the opening, not an instruction to ignore active reinforcements or dangerous tiles.
When the second gate falls, commit the damage you prepared. All Things How describes repeating the gate-and-damage cycle as the barrier returns during the fight. Expect to rebuild the setup instead of assuming the first successful break permanently removes the mechanic.
Spread out before attacking
Balor counterattacks when hit, according to Game8, even if the shield is still active. That makes speculative attacks into the barrier costly rather than harmless tests. Inspect the situation before using a unit merely to see whether ordinary chip damage might work.
The counterattack can hit nearby units as well as the selected target. Both guides recommend avoiding a tightly packed group around the attacker. Leave vulnerable units out of the retaliation area instead of putting every damage dealer beside the first person to strike.
Longer-range attacks can help with positioning, and All Things How recommends ranged magical damage during the opening. That is a tactical recommendation rather than a requirement to recruit one particular caster. Use the strongest suitable options your save actually has and check the forecast before exposing them.
Respect hazards and preserve flexibility
Game8 describes ignited platforms and miasma as hazards that damage units left on them. Check where the team ends its turn as carefully as where it starts the attack. An effective burst is less useful if the surviving party is stranded in the next hazard pattern.
All Things How also describes mobility and additional-action effects as tools for reaching gates and extending a damage opportunity. Their value follows from the need to coordinate movement and attacks, not from a guaranteed shortcut that works with every roster. Keep enough resources to respond if the next gate placement is inconvenient.
Finish through repeated safe openings
Once the barrier returns, rebuild the same division of responsibilities. Clear or contain threats, prepare both gate breaks and preserve a central group capable of exploiting the next opening. Do not let progress against the boss distract you from the explicit requirement to keep Eshmel alive.
For party preparation before entering the finale, consult classes and the Support guide. For missing earlier characters, use the recruitment guide rather than assuming a boss guide can provide a late replacement for every prerequisite. The encounter rewards coordination of the force you have brought, with the gate timing remaining the central mechanic.