Curse

BlaineTog · Jul 01, 2005, 10:07 PM // 22:07

Ok, I been chug-chug-chugging along with my W/R for about sixty or so hours now when I suddenly hit Elona Reach. I try the mission, remembering that it is quite difficult from when my healer character played it. We fail and I try the mission again. And again. And again. I keep trying the mission until suddenly, three hours have gone by and I've gotten nowhere. So, I quit for the night, thinking that maybe tomorrow will be my day. So I try again the next day. We fail. And again. I get fed up and go away. For the next week, I try to beat the mission once or twice a night, but to no avail. As of today, I haven't played Guild Wars for three days. I am coming up with excuses not to play because I can't take failing that mission anymore.

I realize that they want Ascension to feel like it means something in terms of skill, but honestly, this is freakin' ridiculous. Dunes is a cake walk, and even Thirsty River isn't really very hard if you take things slow, but Elona Reach has to be done so carefully that if even one party member screws up just a little, everyone fails.

I like Guild Wars. I really do. But why should I want to buy Chapter 2 if I can't get any more of my characters past Elona Reach?

Yours Truly,
Discouraged and Disheartened in the Desert.

God's Will · Jul 01, 2005, 10:18 PM // 22:18

1) dont aggro
2) use henchies (believe it or not every time i used henchies i finished. every time i play it with HP we fail)
3) if the above dont work get an experienced member of your guild to help you.
4) if there are not any experierenced members in your guild/ your not in a guild pm me , priest of melandru, and ill get you through it. (assuming of course your in america)

Adamal · Jul 01, 2005, 10:32 PM // 22:32

I have played this mission 13 times and only two times have I gotten through it. The mission is not that hard as long as you get a good team. If you try and kill everything you will loose. If you don't have a balanced team you will loose. The problem is not that the mission is too hard. Its that too many people don't know how to work as a team.

The good news is that after that mission the PUGs got a lot better. So I consider the mission a weeding out mission.

Dreamsmith · Jul 01, 2005, 10:36 PM // 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlaineTog

I realize that they want Ascension to feel like it means something in terms of skill, but honestly, this is freakin' ridiculous. Dunes is a cake walk, and even Thirsty River isn't really very hard if you take things slow, but Elona Reach has to be done so carefully that if even one party member screws up just a little, everyone fails.

That's why I use henchmen for Elona Reach. It is, IMHO, by far and away the easiest of the Ascension missions, but all it takes is one idiot in the party to screw it up. Luckily, the henchman AI, although not as good as the best players, is still a lot better than 90% of them...

Nightsorrow · Jul 01, 2005, 10:37 PM // 22:37

Hmm, I've found Elona needs someone to take compelte control of the group - and for everyone to follow the instructions straight away. It took me 3 days to do the mission the first time through, and it was only completed that time because a player took complete control. I then walked a friend of mine straight through it on the first try - because it was me who took complete control this time.

Although overall I understand where you're coming from, the desert is 1 big steaming pile of crap.

spiritofcat · Jul 01, 2005, 10:50 PM // 22:50

Yes, Elona is about teamwork. You can't do it without a good coherent team.
With someone calling targets and deciding on the route it's not too hard.

I found the Ascention missions, though difficult, very useful and challenging. They give a taste of what teamwork and co-operation is all about.

BlaineTog · Jul 01, 2005, 11:44 PM // 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiritofcat

Yes, Elona is about teamwork. You can't do it without a good coherent team.

But that's really the problem, isn't it? Good, coherent teams without complete idiots are very hard to find.

Quote:

With someone calling targets and deciding on the route it's not too hard.

Except no one ever follows the calls or takes the suggested route.

I guess I'll have to try it with hechies, although I *HATE* doing missions with henchies.

Indigo · Jul 01, 2005, 11:55 PM // 23:55

Quote:

Except no one ever follows the calls or takes the suggested route.

Then do what we always did. *Before* the mission even starts, decide on caller/team lead. Explain that this is about teamwork. Usually people will follow someone if they know what they are doing and are polite about it.

Saphic The Unclean · Jul 01, 2005, 11:58 PM // 23:58

this is rediculous, i've done elona four times now with different classes, i've completed it with henchies and with other players, i think out of all the times i've done it i've only failed twice. its really not that difficult.

spiritofcat · Jul 02, 2005, 12:30 AM // 00:30

I had a couple of tries with bad groups, but after I realised we needed a good coherent team I just made sure we had one before we started.
I asked for players who knew how to follow instructions and understood the idea of teamwork and target calling.
Once I had a full team I explained how I planned for us to do the mission in a co-operative manner, with one person calling and deciding the route.
When I'd finished saying that, some players decided to leave the group because they didn't want to follow orders, but I soon found some others, and repeated the process, and before long, had a good coherent team who were ready to do the mission properly.

Personally, I'd like to see more missions that require this sort of structured teamwork, instead of the usual ones where you can get through it with a bit of luck and no skill or planning.

Lampshade · Jul 02, 2005, 12:35 AM // 00:35

Wait until you get to Thirsty River.

*slowly calms himself*

Lost · Jul 02, 2005, 12:39 AM // 00:39

If worst comes to worst you could pay some warrior to run it for you. I could not beat this mission (although now I think I could with henchmen now that I have more patience after the awful thunderhead failures). Finally someone took pity on me and ran the mission for me by themself, I just had to sit there by the ghost and wait.

BlaineTog · Jul 02, 2005, 09:11 AM // 09:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indigo

Then do what we always did. *Before* the mission even starts, decide on caller/team lead. Explain that this is about teamwork. Usually people will follow someone if they know what they are doing and are polite about it.

Right, I've done that, a lot. I've taken to doing that every time, as a matter of fact. And there's still always, without fail, one idiot who just won't do follow orders.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saphic The Unclean

this is rediculous, i've done elona four times now with different classes, i've completed it with henchies and with other players, i think out of all the times i've done it i've only failed twice. its really not that difficult.

You're either lying, lucky, or you've got a knack for this mission. No, it's not really all that difficult. You just have to know exactly what you are doing every step of the way, you have to time all party movement perfectly, you have to move very close together, and you have to have very good, if not perfect, coordination of attacks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lampshade

Wait until you get to Thirsty River.

*slowly calms himself*

Quote:

Originally Posted by Me, in the first post

Dunes is a cake walk, and even Thirsty River isn't really very hard if you take things slow, but Elona Reach has to be done so carefully that if even one party member screws up just a little, everyone fails.

The trick with Thirsty River is just to not rush things. Elona Reach requires more than that.

Numa Pompilius · Jul 02, 2005, 08:02 PM // 20:02

I think the trick to Elona with henches is to be a monk. That's all. Because Alesia will get herself and then the team killed in short order, and you need to be able to either raise her or replace her.

Also, for the record: I *hate* timed missions. Passionately.

theclam · Jul 02, 2005, 08:28 PM // 20:28

How can you not get adds with henchies? Every single time I fight the mobs on the other side of the bridge, on the left side, I get adds, because the henchmen engage when I don't want them to engage and don't retreat when I want them to retreat.

I have found the best strategy for doing Elona's with real people. When the map loads, grab the crystal as fast as you can. Then, right before you drop it off, organize. Find someone (who has beaten the mission successfully) who is going to be the leader, puller, and caller, and make sure everyone in your group knows that they shouldn't do anything except to follow him. If everyone understands this, it make it a lot easier.

Elona's is the hardest, by far, in my opinion. Dunes is extremely easy if your team is even half-competent. Thirsty is easy if you've got decent offense (Backfire slaughters the priests). In Elona's, you have to pull well almost every time and not draw adds.

Winterclaw · Jul 02, 2005, 08:32 PM // 20:32

I finished it with my W/E on my second or third try with a PUG (my first try was just with two henchies I think so I'm reluctant to count it). We took a little time here and there and had about 5-6 minutes left.

Indigo · Jul 02, 2005, 08:43 PM // 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlaineTog

Right, I've done that, a lot. I've taken to doing that every time, as a matter of fact. And there's still always, without fail, one idiot who just won't do follow orders.

One idiot can spoil the mission if you let him/her. The trouble that I've seen with Elona Reach groups (that I've been in that failed) is that everyone wants to rush, just because it's timed.

[old man voice] When I did it the first time, the cut scene ate into the time alotted. You whippersnappers have it easy now.

But seriously. I've done just about all of the missions at least once successfully with a man down minimum. If someone is that much of a problem, leave them dead. They'll either leave in frustration, or realize that they're getting a free ride and go AFK while you finish the mission. There is enough time to complete the objective, even with mistakes, there is about 10 minutes of extra time. Ok, maybe 5 if you're extra cautious.

Keys to success in this mission, IMO, are:

Stay focused -hard to do with an aggromagnet to be sure, but whisper to the monks and request, especially if you're team lead that any problems get left dead.

Stay calm - You have plenty of time. Time doesn't start until after you talk to the ghost now, so stay calm, and all will be well.

Stay positive - When you start thinking you can't do it, you will only set yourself up for failure. Remember that the game devs want you to succeed so that you'll by GW2 (3,4 and so on

) so they want you to pass this one.

Stay informed - If a particular mission is causing you trouble, look online and find a guide that will walk you through it step by step. I bet you've already done this one.

Numa Pompilius · Jul 02, 2005, 11:36 PM // 23:36

FWIW I consider Elona to be the most difficult mission to do with henches that I've tried, harder than Thirsty River or Wotshernames Ashes (when I was lvl 12, and before the devs split up the mobs). In fact, to me it's a brick wall. I simply can't do it with henches.

Stev0 · Jul 03, 2005, 12:22 AM // 00:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightsorrow

Hmm, I've found Elona needs someone to take compelte control of the group - and for everyone to follow the instructions straight away. It took me 3 days to do the mission the first time through, and it was only completed that time because a player took complete control. I then walked a friend of mine straight through it on the first try - because it was me who took complete control this time.

Although overall I understand where you're coming from, the desert is 1 big steaming pile of crap.

I got through it because my buddy took control of the group and only 1 person gave up and dropped from the group, we still made it. He was a Ranger too. I did'nt play for a few days after because of my work schedule and he was too far for me to catch up. I think in the last 2weeks I have played maybe 3-4 hours. Most of that play time was today when I helped a couple of guys do a mission from Yak's Bend.

The other missions are too hard to pull off with henchmen the way they are. Seeing as how I have pretty much given up on finishing the game I don't think I will be buying any expansions. I know Anet is on top of bug squashing and what not but they seem to be failing the players by not adding obvious features, keeping out the general riff-raff, and really fixing exploits rather than making non-exploiter's games tougher (adding monsters in areas does'nt count as an exploit fix).

PieXags · Jul 03, 2005, 12:31 AM // 00:31

I remember that mission, I used to hate it with all my heart. On my first character I failed 3 times then got it. Now it's a regular thing for me to go through helping out a guildmate getting him through that mission first time around.

Just disarm those mines, get left crystal first, then right. And when you're getting the last crystal you shouldn't have to fight anyone other than those who come out of that gate, and you can just run past those an let the henchies handle it while you complete the mission.