Temporal Sanctum Dungeon: Boss Mechanics and Strategy for Julra

Temporal Sanctum Last Epoch

The Temporal Sanctum Dungeon was the first to be introduced in Last Epoch and is widely considered one of the most rewarding. It presents a simple yet engaging time-based mechanic, offers valuable rewards such as Legendaries, and includes one of the toughest boss battles in the game, particularly at Tier 4.

In this guide, we'll explore the layout, boss mechanics, and the rewards available in the Dungeon.

Accessing the Dungeon

To access the Temporal Sanctum Dungeon, you need a Temporal Sanctum Key. These keys drop randomly from enemies, but they can also be farmed from Timeline Bosses and the Arena of Champions (though the Arena is not recommended due to its low drop rate).

Once you've obtained the key(s), make your way to the Temporal Sanctum located in the Ruined Era. Start in the Shining Cove in the Imperial Era. From the portal, head northeast until you come across a large stone door. Open it and go through the portal to the Ruined Coast. Head south, but the path is blocked, so you'll need to go northwest first. Navigate through the abandoned ships and continue down until you reach a bridge. Pull the lever and defeat Ortra'ek the Survivor. The door to the east will open, granting you access to the Temporal Sanctum. Right-clicking the Temporal Sanctum Key will transport you directly to the location on the map.

Dungeon Rewards

The Temporal Sanctum offers several valuable rewards, including Legendaries, boss-specific Uniques, and Dungeon modifier rewards.

Legendaries

The most significant reward is the ability to craft Legendaries (for more details, check out our guide on Legendaries here). This feature allows you to apply affixes from Exalted items to Uniques, which is a powerful mechanic that benefits nearly every endgame build in some capacity. This makes the Dungeon essential for those aiming to acquire the best-in-slot items.

To craft a Legendary item, you must first complete the Dungeon by defeating Chronomancer Julra. Afterward, a door will open leading to the Eternity Cache. In this area, you can place a Unique item with Legendary Potential and an Exalted item with at least four non-sealed affixes. Use your Dungeon ability to switch from the Divine Timeline to the Ruined Timeline and collect your reward. Keep in mind: you can only craft one Legendary per Dungeon run, so if you wish to craft multiple Legendaries, you'll need to complete the Dungeon several times. Additionally, the item level of the Unique must be below the maximum allowed for each tier.

Uniques

There are four different Uniques that Julra can drop, each with different tier requirements:

• Julra's Stardial drops from tier 1 and higher.
• Somnia drops from tier 2 and higher.
• Julra's Obsession drops from tier 3 and higher.
• Vessel of Strife only drops from tier 4.

Dungeon Modifier Rewards

While running a Dungeon, you accumulate modifiers that have both positive and negative effects. There are two sources of modifiers:

1. Any Dungeon tier beyond tier 1 includes a modifier, which changes daily. It may be worth saving keys for particularly good modifiers that can be farmed.
2. Every door you open to advance to the next section of the Dungeon adds a modifier. There are two doors in total: one to move from floor 1 to floor 2, and another to progress from floor 2 to Julra.

Dungeon Modifiers

There are various modifiers that players can encounter, ranging from an increased chance to find specific types of Exalted items to enhanced crafting material drops. Higher-tier Dungeons feature upgraded versions of the lower-tier modifiers, as well as new ones (for more information on tiers, refer to the Difficulty section).

Tier 1 Reward Modifiers

Floor 1

• No modifiers.

Floor 2

• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Amulets.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Helmets.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Relics.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Rings.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop slightly more Glyphs.
• Enemies drop slightly more Runes.

Floor 3

• The Dungeon boss drops Exalted Jewelry.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Exalted Items.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Exalted Weapons.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Glyphs.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Idols.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Runes.

Tier 2 Reward Modifiers

Floor 1

• The Dungeon boss drops Exalted Jewelry.
• Enemies drop slightly more Glyphs.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Relics.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Idols.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Amulets.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Helmets.
• The Dungeon boss drops a Set Item.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Rings.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop slightly more Runes.

Floor 2

• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Amulets.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Helmets.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Relics.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Rings.
• Enemies drop slightly more Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop slightly more Glyphs.
• Enemies drop slightly more Runes.

Floor 3

• The Dungeon boss drops Exalted Jewelry.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Exalted Items.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Exalted Weapons.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Glyphs.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Idols.
• The Dungeon boss drops additional Runes.
• The Dungeon boss drops a Set Item.

Tier 3 Reward Modifiers

Floor 1

• The Dungeon boss drops much Exalted Jewelry.
• Enemies drop more Glyphs.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Relics.
• The Dungeon boss drops many Idols.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Amulets.
• The Dungeon boss drops many Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Helmets.
• The Dungeon boss drops a Unique Item.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Rings.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop more Runes.

Floor 2

• Enemies drop more Exalted Amulets.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Helmets.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Relics.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Rings.
• Enemies drop more Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop more Glyphs.
• Enemies drop more Runes.

Floor 3

• The Dungeon boss drops much Exalted Jewelry.
• The Dungeon boss drops many Exalted Items.
• The Dungeon boss drops many Exalted Weapons.
• The Dungeon boss drops many Glyphs.
• The Dungeon boss drops many Idols.
• The Dungeon boss drops many Runes.
• The Dungeon boss drops a Unique Item.

Tier 4 Reward Modifiers

Floor 1

• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Exalted Jewelry.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Relics.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Exalted Weapons.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Runes.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Amulets.
• The Dungeon boss drops a Glyph of Despair.
• The Dungeon boss drops a Unique Weapon.
• Enemies drop substantially more Glyphs.
• The Dungeon boss drops 2 Unique Items.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Helmets.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Idols.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Exalted Items.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Rings.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Glyphs.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop substantially more Runes.

Floor 2

• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Amulets.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Helmets.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Relics.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Rings.
• Enemies drop substantially more Exalted Weapons.
• Enemies drop substantially more Glyphs.
• Enemies drop substantially more Runes.

Floor 3

• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Exalted Jewelry.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Exalted Items.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Exalted Weapons.
• The Dungeon boss drops a Glyph of Despair.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Glyphs.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Idols.
• The Dungeon boss drops a horde of Runes.
• The Dungeon boss drops a Unique Weapon.
• The Dungeon boss drops 2 Unique Items.

Dungeon Ability

Temporal Shift is a Dungeon-specific ability that enables the player to switch between the Divine Era and Ruined Era Timelines at will (the default key is 'D'). Activating this ability alters the map to reflect the corresponding Era, changes the enemies to those appropriate for the Timeline, and allows the player to access areas that are blocked in the other Timeline. It can also be used to bypass certain boss mechanics (more details in the Boss section).

The Temporal Sanctum features two layouts for each area, each with its own set of enemies. If you prefer, both layouts can be fully cleared by jumping between the two Timelines. Temporal Shift can also be used to navigate the Dungeon more efficiently by avoiding obstacles and bypassing enemies in your path (more on this in the Pre Boss Strategy section).

Layout

The Temporal Sanctum includes several map layouts, all generally rectangular in shape. Each layout has a Divine Era version and a Ruined Era version, which you can switch between using Temporal Shift. The two versions are identical, with the only difference being the location of roadblocks.

All Dungeons feature a system of pseudo-randomized roadblocks, which change with each run. Their purpose is to block certain paths while leaving others accessible. This is true for Temporal Sanctum as well. However, in Temporal Sanctum, many of the roadblocks can be bypassed simply by switching timelines using Temporal Shift.

Enemies

While any enemy can be deadly at higher difficulties, the regular enemies in Temporal Sanctum aren't especially dangerous compared to most other enemies in the game. However, there are a few that have mechanics you need to be aware of and avoid.

Gorgon

This large snake leaves behind a Poison tornado as it retreats. The tornado deals very high Poison damage over time and grows larger the longer it remains.

Be cautious when running directly toward a Gorgon, as doing so will put you in the path of the tornado.

Temporal Hunter

These snakes appear in small packs, with blue scales and green claws. They chase and teleport across timelines to reach the player, and their melee attack applies five stacks of Poison. Being hit by several of these at once can be lethal.

Festering Cultist

Resembling purple skitterers with long, spider-like legs, these enemies deal high Melee Physical and Void damage. They also have the ability to shred Armour and Void Resistance. Face-tanking them at higher difficulties isn’t feasible for many builds.

Void Husk Nagasa

Unlike the others, these Nagasa are only found in the Ruined Era. They constantly fire an arching Void Snake at the player, dealing moderate Void Damage.

The regular versions aren’t particularly dangerous, but the Rare version gains a new ability called Putrefying Beam. This skill surrounds an area with high Void Damage over time. Watch out for the rare version, and if you encounter it, be sure to stay out of the Putrefying Beam.

Void Nightmare

These enemies have two attacks to be wary of. The first, Void Charge, causes the enemy to charge at the player, dealing high Void and Physical damage. The second, Piercing Void, shoots a beam that inflicts high Void damage.

Both attacks have a telegraph during their windup and can be avoided by strafing. Before Void Charge, the enemy will rear back slightly. Before Piercing Void, the enemy's head will glow.

Difficulty

Difficulty in Dungeons scales through both Dungeon Tiers and Modifiers. Additionally, there’s an extra layer of challenge added by the 'roguelike' elements of the Dungeons.

Dungeon Tiers

Each Dungeon has 4 tiers that you can choose from once they are unlocked. Tier 1 is available by default, and completing the Dungeon unlocks tier 2, and so on. Higher tiers feature stronger enemies and more powerful modifiers. You must also complete higher-tier Dungeons to obtain certain Uniques from Julra and craft Legendaries using higher-level Uniques (see Dungeon Rewards for more details).

Modifiers

Choosing any Dungeon above tier one introduces your first modifier. This modifier provides a certain reward but also increases the difficulty of the Dungeon by adding Increased Damage and Increased Health to all enemies (including the boss). To progress through the Dungeon, you need to use two doors: one to go from level one to level two, and another to reach the boss room. Each door also adds a modifier to your run, making subsequent areas more difficult but also more rewarding than the previous ones.

Lower-tier Dungeons have smaller modifiers, while higher-tier Dungeons become significantly harder. For instance, the strongest modifier at tier 1 adds 30% Increased Health and damage to enemies, whereas the strongest modifier at tier 4 increases both by 180%. When selecting your modifiers in a Dungeon, don't just focus on the rewards—make sure you're also able to handle the increasing difficulty.

You Only Get One Shot...

There are no extra attempts in Dungeons. If you die at any point, you lose all your progress and must use a new Key to try again. You will need to balance the risks of starting over with the rewards offered in order to make the most of your Dungeon experience.

Pre Boss Strategy

Whether you decide to clear a map or rush straight to the boss depends on the modifiers you encounter. For example, if you get a modifier that increases the drop rate of Exalted Amulets, it might be worth taking the time to clear the map. Keep in mind that higher-tier Dungeons offer better drop rates for modifiers, so fully clearing lower-tier Dungeons is unlikely to be rewarding. It's usually more beneficial to push to higher tiers and farm there.

If the modifiers don't offer enough incentive to farm the Dungeon (which is often the case), then there's no real benefit to killing enemies. The best strategy, if you can survive it, is to rush straight to the doors and head to the boss as quickly as possible. Every floor has two doors, so if the first door has a modifier that’s undesirable or too difficult, you can always look for the second door to see if it's more favorable.

Boss - Julra

Julra presents a more challenging fight than most other bosses in the game, so understanding her mechanics is crucial to your success.

Mechanics

Julra activates a massive clock that, when it reaches 12 o'clock, triggers a screen-wide Void Damage AoE blast, also applying 4 stacks of Doom. This attack can be avoided by switching Eras before the implosion happens.
Julra leaves an AoE circle beneath the player that lasts a long time and deals high Void Damage over time (DoT). She always uses this ability a few seconds after teleporting to a new Timeline.
Three pillars are created, which exist in both Eras but function differently in each. In the Divine Era, they have no attacks and can be destroyed. In the Ruined Era, they become invulnerable and cast Lightning Bolt, a telegraphed attack that deals Lightning Damage and causes Shock.
Julra creates a fountain that heals her, with projectiles that have a high rate of fire. This fountain can be destroyed.
Julra casts a conal attack towards the player that deals moderate Cold Damage and causes Chill.
Four beams shoot outward from the center of the arena, rotating clockwise. There’s a sizable gap near the center of each beam where the player can stand to avoid the attacks. Getting hit by these beams causes high Void Damage and Shreds Void Resistance.
Julra fires a single high-speed projectile at the player, dealing moderate Void Damage.
Julra fires a group of three projectiles that track the player, dealing low to moderate Cold Damage.
Julra fires a mortar-like attack that explodes in a circle on the ground. There are small and large versions of this attack, both dealing Lightning Damage. The larger version hits a larger area and deals more damage.

Boss Strategy

The fight with Julra is chaotic, with no clear phases or structured segments, and no predictable pattern to many of her abilities. This makes explaining the fight more difficult, but we’ll break it down as logically as possible. Players should remember that most of Julra's abilities are available at any given time, so you need to be prepared for everything.

Upon engaging Julra, expect her to begin with Catastrophic Implosion. You can continue dealing damage as the clock counts down, but be sure to use Temporal Shift before the clock strikes 12. This attack kills most players with suitable builds for the content, and will one-shot almost all builds at tier 4, so don’t get caught in it! If you do get caught and survive, immediately cleanse the Doom stacks applied to you.

After shifting eras, Julra will follow you and cast Dimension Tear under your feet. If you time it right, you can use Temporal Shift just before Catastrophic Implosion to avoid it, then immediately use it again to avoid creating a Dimension Tear. It takes a short time for the puddle to form, and it will follow you until it finishes. Use this time to position the puddle near the edges of the room. As the fight progresses, Julra will repeatedly cast Catastrophic Implosion, forcing you to shift Eras and create more Dimension Tears. Be careful with your positioning—if you place the puddles poorly, they can trap you in mechanics and limit your ability to dodge. Once a puddle is created, immediately move away (or use a movement skill if you have one).

Throughout the fight, keep an eye out for Catastrophic Implosion and Unraveling Decay. Handle Catastrophic Implosion the same way as before. For Unraveling Decay, you need to position yourself between the beams while avoiding other attacks. This phase can be especially difficult for Melee Leech builds, as Julra can stand in her beams, out of reach, preventing leeching. Make sure to save some potions for this phase.

Destroy any Healing Fountains as soon as you can to limit the healing Julra receives, but don’t risk standing in damaging attacks to destroy them. The healing isn’t overwhelming, but it can be noticeable for builds with good damage. If Julra uses Summon Pillars while in the Divine Era, destroy them immediately. In the Ruined Era, you’ll need to dodge the attacks until you can shift Eras. Be careful not to switch Eras too often, as doing so will cause Julra to create another Dimension Tear. If you switch too frequently, these puddles will accumulate and overwhelm you, so only switch Eras when necessary.

The rest of the mechanics are relatively straightforward, but the sheer number of abilities Julra can use—combined with Unraveling Decay and Dimension Tear—makes this fight difficult. The best strategy is to keep moving to naturally dodge some mechanics. Over time, it gets harder to see them all, and some attacks (like Temporal Shot and Lightning Bolt from Summon Pillars) happen quickly, so timing them can be tricky.

Prioritize the fight mechanics over dealing damage. While it’s tempting to burn down Julra quickly to avoid too many Dimension Tears, poorly placed puddles are much more difficult to manage than multiple well-placed ones. Properly time your Temporal Shift to avoid Catastrophic Implosion, consistently position Dimension Tears, avoid the beams from Unraveling Decay, and stay mobile to dodge Julra’s other attacks to successfully defeat her—even on tier 4.

Summary

The ability to craft Legendaries makes this Dungeon highly valuable content.
The Dungeon Ability, Temporal Shift, is crucial for both navigating the Dungeon and avoiding Catastrophic Implosion from Julra.
While most enemies are relatively easy, be vigilant for Gorgons, Temporal Hunters, Festering Cultists, Void Husk Nagasa, and Void Nightmares.
Dying in the Dungeon results in failure, loss of all progress, and forfeiting the Temporal Sanctum Key used.
Julra is a challenging boss fight. To succeed, you must understand all her mechanics, with a particular focus on Catastrophic Implosion, Dimension Tear, and Unraveling Decay. Make sure you're familiar with these mechanics before tackling the boss on higher tiers.