OPERATION WALKTHROUGH / ORICON · FIVE BOSSES · STORY / VETERAN / MASTER
Dread Palace: Imperial Operation Walkthrough
Finish the Dread War's Oricon chapter in a real eight-player Operation, not a solo phase. The route continues past Dread Fortress into Dread Palace and ends against the Dread Council. This guide explains the exact encounter order, disappearing floors, colored past/future portals, role challenge entrances and failed-story handoffs.
LIVE 7.9 · LEVEL 80IMPERIAL ENTRANCE5 BOSS ENCOUNTERS
Available modes: Story, Veteran and Master; subscriber and organized Operations group required. The solo Oricon planetary quests do not substitute for the two Operations when closing that specific Oricon storyline.
01
Start with the right Oricon storyline
At IMPERIAL FLEET find D5-F2 to begin the optional Dread War route, or return to your existing ORICON quest. The Republic droid is O6-D5: do not use Republic directions on a Sith Warrior.
02
Travel to the IMPERIAL CAMP
Travel to ORICON using the ship Galaxy Map or any unlocked PRIORITY TRANSPORT. From the Imperial base follow the quest and map deeper into the Dread Masters' compound.
03
Go BEYOND DREAD FORTRESS
DREAD FORTRESS and DREAD PALACE are TWO different Operation doors. Dread Fortress ends with Brontes; continue toward the Dread Palace entrance after the Fortress rather than re-entering the same door.
04
Form an eight-player Operation
Join a subscribed Operations group in STORY MODE for the first clear, normally with two tanks, two healers and four damage dealers. VENGEANCE JUGGERNAUT is Damage, not Immortal tank.
05
Check the actual Oricon handoff
If finishing the purple Oricon chain, track the current Operation mission separately from any WEEKLY. Completing a boss run does not always complete the story until the Oricon contact/conversation is turned in.
THE BOSS ENCOUNTERS IN ORDER
Operation travel order
A schematic of encounter order, NOT a scaled in-game location map. Use the source screenshot guides below for actual terrain and puzzle panels.
How you reach this boss: Pass the Palace entrance corridors into BESTIA'S THRONE ROOM. Stop at the perimeter to assign add pickup; Bestia begins immune.
01
First wave: do NOT attack the shield
BESTIA starts with SHIELD OF THE MASTERS, so ordinary damage will not work. Fight the DREAD MONSTERS and smaller DREAD LARVA spawning from corners.
02
Prioritize Larva
Have DPS eliminate DREAD LARVA quickly; their damage is dangerous despite low health. The off-tank gathers the larger MONSTERS.
03
Move Combusting Seed out
A red circle and COMBUSTING SEED debuff appears on a selected player. That player moves away before it expires, avoiding splashing the stack.
04
Leave Dread Pools immediately
YELLOW GROUND POOLS deal heavy damage. Even in Story Mode these are worth repositioning for; don't wait for the healer to out-heal them.
05
Switch onto Bestia after adds
When the shield disappears, turn to BESTIA. The tank faces her away from the raid and avoids parking her somewhere the yellow pools are hard to see.
06
Final add phase
At around half health the creatures return. One tank holds Bestia while another gathers monsters; kill dangerous Larva or prioritize the boss based on the raid's DPS and healing.
07
Find Tyrans's platform route
After Bestia dies, proceed through the open Palace passage to DREAD MASTER TYRANS. Do not mistake Bestia's remaining add corpses for another objective.
Story Mode: Story: add pickup, Combusting Seed spread, and yellow pools are the essentials.
Veteran Mode: Veteran/Master: separate monsters and handle their buffs/interrupts carefully; don't copy the high-DPS Story burn strategy when adds become dangerous.
Stuck here? Bestia is immune? The SHIELD does not come down until the first add sequence clears (or its scripted timeout). Focus Larva and Monsters, not her health bar.
How you reach this boss: From Bestia's room follow the newly available passage to TYRANS'S PLATFORM ARENA. The floor is a network of tiles; plan safe paths before pulling.
01
Aim boss away from everyone
TYRANS teleports to whoever he targets. The tank should keep the THUNDERING BLAST line away from the group so it does not cleave multiple players.
02
Watch for SIMPLIFICATION
When SIMPLIFICATION is cast, a RED SHRINKING CIRCLE marks a player. The platform directly under that player will turn red and disappear; move the marker to a chosen OUTER TILE.
03
Preserve the INNER ring
Never drop a platform that cuts your party off. Destroy outer tiles in a planned path while preserving interior connecting tiles for future moves.
04
Reacquire Tyrans after aggro drops
Simplification can clear the current target's threat. A second tank or designated player should immediately control Tyrans so his next THUNDERING BLAST does not face the raid.
05
Move INFERNO out
INFERNO creates a red ground circle that later becomes lethal fire. Move out before it detonates; do not place fire on an already narrow bridge.
06
Cleanse Affliction in Story
AFFLICTION is a green damage-over-time debuff. Healers can cleanse it in Story; its higher difficulty behavior differs, so follow mode-specific assignments.
07
Fell off the arena?
On Story Mode, if a player reaches the lower area instead of dying, CLICK THE HOLOCRON to teleport back onto the platform network.
08
Proceed to Calphayus
Once Tyrans falls, regroup on surviving floor tiles and follow the newly opened passage to CALPHAYUS.
Story Mode: Story: put red Simplification markers on outer tiles and keep a continuous path to the tank.
Veteran Mode: Veteran: multiple Inferno placements and more punishing Simplification; do not assume Affliction can be cleansed in the same way as Story.
Stuck here? Group stranded across missing tiles? Review WHERE Simplification circles are dropped. Preserve the inner tiles; a fallen survivor can use the lower HOLOCRON in Story.
How you reach this boss: After Tyrans enter CALPHAYUS'S CHAMBER. The two glowing portal colors represent DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS, not two equivalent exits.
01
Present: take boss to 75%
Stay off the large red DISTORTED PERCEPTIONS marker; designated players place it AWAY from the stack while damaging Calphayus to his first portal cast.
02
First portal: BLUE PAST
At VISIONS OF THE PAST AND FUTURE, enter the LEFT BLUE PAST circle before the cast ends. Players still outside either portal when the shift resolves can be killed.
03
Protect the SEED OF KNOWLEDGE
In the PAST find the GREEN SEED, defend it from THREE WAVES of attackers, and heal it if necessary until its PURE SEED cast finishes.
04
Plant the seed in the YELLOW BED
Once the Seed floats up, RIGHT-CLICK to pick it up. Carry it to the FLOWER BED GLOWING YELLOW and click the spot to plant it. Merely killing the waves does not finish the phase.
05
Second portal: SPLIT the team
At Calphayus around 50%, split into LEFT BLUE PAST and RIGHT ORANGE FUTURE. Both groups must be able to call the SAME Focus Crystal position.
06
Future: CALL the crystal
The ORANGE FUTURE team observes Calphayus destroying/targeting a FOCUS CRYSTAL and calls its location to the PAST team. Attacking him in the Future will not replace the required communication.
07
Past: DESTROY that crystal
The BLUE PAST team finds the matching FOCUS CRYSTAL by the fountains and destroys it before his channel ends; do this for THREE cycles. In Story a small green indication can help identify the target.
08
Return to PRESENT
Once all crystal rounds finish, regroup when the phase returns to the Present, avoid the red ground marker, defeat Calphayus and take the next passage to RAPTUS.
Story Mode: Story: all players can use the first BLUE/PAST portal; defend and plant the Seed, then split blue/past versus orange/future for the crystal calls.
Veteran Mode: Veteran: coordinate portal team assignments closely; visual targeting aids and role swaps can differ. Follow your group's detailed crystal/fountain callouts.
Stuck here? Everyone died when the portal cast finished? All players MUST enter one of the portal circles. In the second split, Future CALLS the crystal and Past DESTROYS it.
ENCOUNTER 04 / 05 · SHRINES OF THE COWARD / WEAKLING / INCOMPETENT
Dread Master Raptus
How you reach this boss: Follow the passage from Calphayus to RAPTUS'S THRONE; after opening damage the fight moves to a CIRCULAR PLATFORM with three colored shrines.
01
Face the opening cleave out
The tank pulls RAPTUS on his throne facing AWAY from the raid. He soon transports everyone to the round arena.
02
Click your ROLE CRYSTAL BASE
TANKS use PURPLE SHRINE OF THE COWARD; DPS use RED SHRINE OF THE WEAKLING; HEALERS use GREEN SHRINE OF THE INCOMPETENT. CLICK THE BASE BELOW THE CRYSTAL, not just its graphic.
03
Avoid DEADLY SLASH
RAPTUS casts a very wide knockback cone. Move sideways or RUN THROUGH THE BOSS during the cast. The tank must avoid being punted off the platform by Rising Slash.
04
One tank STAYS and kites
During challenge intermissions RAPTUS becomes IMMUNE. One assigned tank stays to kite him around the platform; the rest enter their assigned portals with their shrine buffs.
05
PURPLE tank challenge
The other tank goes into the PURPLE challenge and survives incoming damage for its duration. Defensive cooldowns can help; killing the challenge enemy is not the task.
06
GREEN healer challenge
Healers enter their GREEN portal TOGETHER and keep the FRIENDLY TARGET ALIVE for the timed challenge.
07
RED DPS challenge
Damage dealers use the RED portal when directed and DEFEAT THEIR CHALLENGE TARGET within the timer. Going into the wrong portal without the red buff wastes the opportunity.
08
Renew crystals and repeat
Return to the main ring, RECLICK ROLE SHRINES when the fight calls for buffs again, and repeat the role challenge phase later in the fight.
09
Final FORCE EXECUTION
Late in the battle, leave the small area around Raptus and the LINEAR LIGHTNING BEAM during FORCE EXECUTION. Stay clear of the drop-off edges.
10
Continue to DREAD COUNCIL
After Raptus dies, move to the final Seat of the Masters; prepare assignments before attacking any throne.
Story Mode: Story: one tank kites, the other survives PURPLE; GREEN healers heal an NPC; RED damage players kill an NPC.
Veteran Mode: Veteran: knockbacks and timed challenges are less forgiving; verify everyone clicked the physical shrine BASE and entered the assigned portal.
Stuck here? Your challenge portal will not work? You must take the role-appropriate buff by clicking the CRYSTAL BASE. Without the buff the portal cannot be entered correctly.
ENCOUNTER 05 / 05 · SEAT OF THE MASTERS · FINAL HOLOCRON
Dread Council
How you reach this boss: After Raptus, enter the last circular room lined with four surviving Dread Masters on thrones. This is a multi-phase fight; a single boss reaching 50% is NOT the end.
01
Assign four bosses BEFORE pulling
The group will handle BESTIA, CALPHAYUS, RAPTUS and TYRANS simultaneously. Agree which tank holds Bestia versus Calphayus and which player kites Raptus.
02
Push ALL FOUR to about 50%
As they descend from thrones, lower each master's health to around 50% so they return to their throne. Do not focus only Bestia while the others stay full.
03
Bestia corruption
BESTIA's proximity buffs other masters: tank her separately. Avoid her yellow pools, and keep her away from CALPHAYUS.
04
Calphayus shield and pink pools
Attack CALPHAYUS from INSIDE HIS SHIELD; move him away from PINK VOID ZONES which reduce healing and can protect the other Dread Masters.
05
Raptus knockback and Tyrans cleanses
Avoid RAPTUS'S DEADLY SLASH by moving through him and keeping him facing away. Handle TYRANS'S DEATH MARK and Thundering Blast; healers cleanse targets appropriate to the mode.
06
Defeat STYRAK and BRONTES ghosts
Once all four withdraw, the GHOSTS OF STYRAK AND BRONTES appear. Defeat both before the previous masters return. This is a new phase, not a completed encounter.
07
Repeat the four-master phase
The four original bosses return with familiar mechanics. Continue the assigned target order and avoid forcing the final burn while several masters are still near full health.
08
Final burn around the holocron
When the late-health threshold triggers, all four gather by the CENTRAL HOLOCRON and grow. Focus them down ONE AT A TIME while their increasing raid-wide damage challenges healers.
09
Collect rewards and finish Oricon story
After the final Council falls, complete the Operation exit / loot and return to the appropriate ORICON STORY CONTACT if the purple planetary story still has an outstanding turn-in.
Story Mode: Story: balance damage across all four, kill Styrak/Brontes ghosts, then commit to the central holocron burn.
Veteran Mode: Veteran: death marks, Calphayus shield/void positioning and target health thresholds require planned assignments and reliable cleanses.
Stuck here? The council won't transition? All FOUR surviving masters must reach their withdrawal thresholds; the ghosts come before the final phase. Return to the Oricon contact if the Operation clear still leaves a planetary quest open.
Player reports are not guaranteed fixes for every game version. These answers link to their source so readers can check the original context.
Can I finish the Oricon story SOLO without Dread Palace?
No. The Oricon planetary story's specific finale requires Dread Fortress and Dread Palace Operations, which require a group and subscription. However, you CAN advance later expansion stories without finishing Oricon's optional raid arc.
Dread Fortress is completed but my purple Oricon quest did not advance?
Check the current named mission and RETURN TO THE IMPERIAL ORICON CAMP CONTACT for its conversation if needed; a 2025 player discussion highlights that Operation kill credit and the quest's return contact are separate.
Why do people say Dread Palace is after Dread Fortress?
The 2013 Dread War publisher notes put the ORICON STORY first, then the DREAD FORTRESS Operation, then the DREAD PALACE Operation beyond it. These are TWO distinct portals.
We ran out of floor on Tyrans or people keep falling?
Players with SIMPLIFICATION circles should place them on OUTER PLATFORM TILES, not through the inner ring. Story players who land below can use the nearby HOLOCRON to teleport back.
Calphayus teleported us to the wrong time. Which portal do we pick?
LEFT BLUE is PAST and RIGHT ORANGE is FUTURE. First, Story groups can go BLUE to save and PLANT THE SEED; on the second shift split the group so Future spots the FOCUS CRYSTAL and Past destroys it.
Choose your role crystal and CLICK ITS BASE: PURPLE for tanks, RED for damage players, GREEN for healers. One tank stays behind to kite; the role team then completes its unique challenge.
Can I do Dread Palace without a premade group when Group Finder doesn't offer it?
Group Finder rotates available Story Operations. A Reddit thread recommends Imperial Fleet recruitment for DF/DP Story runs rather than assuming they always appear in the queue.
Why aren't four melee DPS automatically a failed Dread Council setup?
An official SWTOR forum player described successful Veteran arrangements with mostly melee DPS if the group assigns a Raptus kiter and coordinates boss target swaps. Positioning matters more than the shorthand team composition.
Last research check: 2026-10-14. Boss tuning and interface controls can change after patch releases. These directions are source-researched, not claimed as first-hand in-client verification.
