Curse

darkk wound · May 13, 2007, 12:01 AM // 00:01

sounds like a good idea untill you get lag and die... ive died many times trying for survivor while farming monsters. finally i got legendary survivor, but my way is alot safer than yours too.

didnt even have to fight any monsters either, if your thinking i let the heros kill your wrong, if you think i let my friends kill the monsters your still wrong :P

milan · May 13, 2007, 12:07 AM // 00:07

nicely thought out build. Took me about 70 hours including capping for my first, about 50 (learnt from the first time) for the second. I might give this a try for my third.

Darkk wound - blah blah blah, it's a thread to help people not showboat about your 'secret' ways.

Antithesis · May 13, 2007, 12:37 AM // 00:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by MercenaryKnight

What kind of build should I use for a dervish? I am hoping to not have to buy too many skills so mainly just pure dervish skills would be nice. I was thinking of taking 2 bonders, the one tahlkora with prot barrier, the vital blessing and smite ones, then dunkoro with mending, watchful spirit and balths spirit.

If you want a second bonder, add Succor into the mix to give yourself +7 health and +1 energy pips. I use Essence bond instead of Balths Spirit on the bonder - if using Succor you want the monk gaining the energy to keep the bonds up so it's energy never drops below 1. You'll generate plenty enough energy for yourself with Balth's. Maybe add /R as a secondary on the healing bonder and toss in Quicksand, Brambles, Pestilence, EoE...whatever, for some e-denial and degen. Adds to your setup time, increases damage, increases survivability...

Because you're potentially taking 200+ dmg per second, the health regen does diddly squat against the knights in HM, unless you're a 55. So a second bonder really isn't needed considering you get 100+ healing from Spirit Bond and Life Attunement on successful hits - they do 68, you heal for 100+, works out fine.

As i mentioned in the W/Mo build, AL of about 60-70 seemed to offer the best balance between preventing damage, triggering SB heals and returning smite damage. Just pick up some cheap armour from Blacktide Den and it should do the job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MercenaryKnight

I guess I could buy prot spirit and spirit bond and use my starter armor, but could I just do a regular conviction/ normal skill dervish with maybe avatar of balthazar to speed up the killing for experience?

You don't need starter armor, it just returns more damage, so any AL should still work, but is slower at higher levels. PB and SB are the only skills you need on your bar, just takes longer for the smite bonds to kill the mobs. Even without you attacking, each mob should drop in 30 secs, making for at most a 2 to 2:30 min run.

Any AOE plus health boost like Avatar of Melandru would (i think) be more beneficial than Avatar of Balthazar, but i could be wrong - I'd be a bit worried about the +40 armour affecting the SB heals and smite damage.

You're only facing 3 enemies at a time, so Derv attacks will work well. Just back up a fraction when in battle to cluster the Knights into adjacent positions for more effective attacks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MercenaryKnight

Also, how hard do they hit without life barrier on? Since I saw a war with 100armor vs al post earlier saying even with that and life barrier they did enough damage to trigger spirit bond.

If you drop Life Barrier you can still survive, just easier with it up.

Antithesis · May 13, 2007, 12:47 AM // 00:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkk wound

sounds like a good idea untill you get lag and die... ive died many times trying for survivor while farming monsters. finally i got legendary survivor, but my way is alot safer than yours too.

didnt even have to fight any monsters either, if your thinking i let the heros kill your wrong, if you think i let my friends kill the monsters your still wrong :P

...i'm sure it takes longer too.

I'd rather do it this way, it's fast, safe, easy to get to for Factions, Prophecies and Nightfall characters and most of all it's efficient, which is what Farming is about. Taking heroes and henchies for a walk and hiding in the bushes isn't my idea of fun or efficiency, hence the thread.

Feel free to share your super-safe, no monster killing method...if it's FFF in Securing Echovald Forest don't bother, it's 2000XP every 3-5 mins (you'll get about 10,000XP in the same time), you need to get there alive and have team mates willing to let you be the doorman ad infinitum. By the time you get there chances are you'd already have the title using this method

ShadowsRequiem · May 13, 2007, 01:08 AM // 01:08

Just go rit/r with the margonite barrage build

with a 50% exp scroll thats 33k exp a run it's in hardmode and the chance of dying is very slim.

but I got legendary survivor on my monk just playing the game.

But I guess you could go along with a rit/r u kno and gain exp that would work i bet!!

Antithesis · May 13, 2007, 01:14 AM // 01:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowsRequiem

Just go rit/r with the margonite barrage build

with a 50% exp scroll thats 33k exp a run it's in hardmode and the chance of dying is very slim.

How long does the run take, where do you farm and how long does it take to get there?

Not poo-pooing the idea, i'll try it myself

But 3600XP every 80 seconds including zoning, enchants and travel is achievable here so 33K XP may mean very little if it takes longer than 8 hours to get to the farming location and 15 mins to complete a run.

PS Great (dream) guild name Shadows

MercenaryKnight · May 13, 2007, 06:57 AM // 06:57

Well I will give fair warning, I put on starter armor had about 700ish hp mystic regen, mending etc. With Life Barrier on they ended up killing me because I figured (hey those hits will trigger spirit bond soon) but they just kept hitting for lower numbers and killed me. Guess it was a bad fluke but just a fair warning that with barrier it is possible to die.

Antithesis · May 13, 2007, 07:30 AM // 07:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by MercenaryKnight

Well I will give fair warning, I put on starter armor had about 700ish hp mystic regen, mending etc. With Life Barrier on they ended up killing me because I figured (hey those hits will trigger spirit bond soon) but they just kept hitting for lower numbers and killed me. Guess it was a bad fluke but just a fair warning that with barrier it is possible to die.

You weren't running Shield of Absorption were you? If so, bad idea

Even at 100AL on a W SB will trigger so unless you were mitigating the damage somehow, the damage they inflict shouldn't decrease.

Low numbers should be taken care of by the +7 to +9 HP pips using the second Mo/R or Mo/Rt bonder.

Sir Vengence VI · May 13, 2007, 09:10 AM // 09:10

Please can someone post an Ele build for this

Antithesis · May 14, 2007, 01:39 AM // 01:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Vengence VI

Please can someone post an Ele build for this

I'm levelling my Tyrian Ele at the moment. He's lvl12 and doing fine with the following build -

Atts (at lvl 20)

Protection: 10
Fire Magic: max +1+1 (don't take major or sup)
Energy Storage: leftovers

Skills:
Protective Spirit
Spirit Bond
Life Attunement
Vital Blessing
Essence Bond
Balthazar's Spirit
Bed of Coals
Meteor (for the knockdown, gives -10 degen if taking Mo/R healing bonder with Brambles)

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Here's the run - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLm5s85lVQw

I wouldn't take Meteor Shower - the 5 second cast could potentially kill you if Spirit Bond is down that long.

You could also make an Earth ele and go for knockdowns.

Ultimately it doesn't really matter what Elite / dmg skills you take. Load up on the 6 protection skills and stand there, they'll go down quickly enough

bog boy · May 14, 2007, 06:40 AM // 06:40

maybe im just a noob but has any 55 monk tried using a shield/focus with -x while enchanted?

Antithesis · May 14, 2007, 11:17 AM // 11:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by bog boy

maybe im just a noob but has any 55 monk tried using a shield/focus with -x while enchanted?

A 55 always uses the -50HP Grim Cesta offhand - there's no other way to get there without it (excluding death penalty) so i'm not sure i understand your question.

RebelHero · May 14, 2007, 12:59 PM // 12:59

damage reduction offhand doesnt work like shielding hands or Soa

EroChrono · May 14, 2007, 07:14 PM // 19:14

I already have a Monk I'm quite happy with and a second one seems a little overkill, but I did wanted to make a Rit, as I never played Rit (except for secondary) could anyone confirm a build like this would work;

Restoration - 14 (12+1+1)
Prot - 12

Protective Spirit
Vengeful Weapon (or would the healing from VWK & VW not be enough and is Spirit Bond needed either way?)T
VWK {E}
Soothing Memories
Vital Blessing
Life Attunement
Essence Bond
Balthazar's Spirit

Great find! Thanks

Antithesis · May 14, 2007, 09:53 PM // 21:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by EroChrono

Vengeful Weapon (or would the healing from VWK & VW not be enough and is Spirit Bond needed either way?)T
Great find! Thanks

Spirit Bond is essential, they'll carve you up without it.
Drop Soothing Memories and replace with Spirit Bond.
VW not needed but keep it in. VWK and smites will more than be enough.

MercenaryKnight · May 14, 2007, 10:26 PM // 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antithesis

You weren't running Shield of Absorption were you? If so, bad idea

Even at 100AL on a W SB will trigger so unless you were mitigating the damage somehow, the damage they inflict shouldn't decrease.

Low numbers should be taken care of by the +7 to +9 HP pips using the second Mo/R or Mo/Rt bonder.

I used starter armor on dervish, did not use any damage mitigation except life barrier. Guess they just had way too many phew attacks or maybe I re-did spiritbond without it turning off first. Either way I was stupid and ended up losing my survivor char.

Antithesis · May 15, 2007, 11:52 PM // 23:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by MercenaryKnight

I used starter armor on dervish, did not use any damage mitigation except life barrier. Guess they just had way too many phew attacks or maybe I re-did spiritbond without it turning off first. Either way I was stupid and ended up losing my survivor char.

What skillbar and atts were you running?
Something's amiss - furious axe and triple chop (with the occasional cyclone axe) hit for 65 to 78 damage on a 100AL Warrior in HM. On a 45AL Warrior in NM, about the same with LB up, 75 to 100 with it down.
An E/Mo in AL7 receives around 45 to 65 from furious, triple and cyc with Life Barrier up in NM, about the same in HM in AL60. I've often seen SB fire off on hits as low as 31 with PS, SB and LB active, in NM and HM.

SB should trigger at least once or twice per second (up to 5 times in HM), that's 110 to 550 healing per second with SB, LB and LA up. As long as you're outhealing the damage inflicted, it's dead easy. I can honestly say i've never died on this run and have always taken LB.

If you're concerned about Life Barrier, don't take it or don't run the bonder with more than 10 in Protection. Running at 12 or higher may possibly reduce the damage below the SB trigger threshold, but i'm yet to see it happen.

inchino · May 16, 2007, 03:09 PM // 15:09

The ritualist spike caught me off guard :l

Sir Tieger · May 17, 2007, 02:35 AM // 02:35

not sure if it was already covered, if it was i missed it...

But what skill setup would i use with W/Mo?

Also would i need both bonders or would one suffice?

Thanks

L

Antithesis · May 17, 2007, 09:23 AM // 09:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Tieger

What skill setup would i use with W/Mo?
Also would i need both bonders or would one suffice?

The W/Mo is the most survivable as it ends up with around 1100HP giving you a huge margin of error.

I run Sig of Stamina, Protective Spirit, Spirit Bond, Balthazar's Spirit, Essence Bond, Life Attunement (only if taking second bonder), Shield of Judgment and Defy Pain for good measure. You could drop the smite points into Tactics and take Gladiator's Defense instead.

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Only four skills are required - PS, SB, BS and EB. Taking both BS and EB means better energy regen so you can spam skills as required without worry. The other skills on the bar simply provide a health buffer and optional AoE damage - the smiter will be doing most of the carnage.

Don't take any attack skills, you'll lose the 300HP boost from Signet of Stamina - as long as you don't attack them, it's a perma-boost. They'll attack you plenty and receive a mountain of pain in return due to the smite bonds, so just stand there and recast PS, SB and your elite as required.

Also, don't take any skills that reduce damage like Shield of Absorption or Dolyak's Signet - you want to receive damage to maximise healing by Spirit Bond and to return damage via the smiter. As long as you outheal the damage you take with Spirit Bond, you're safe.

Use starter armor (or shing jea / ascalon / kamadan) until lvl20. You can safely continue to use it in HM or switch to AL 50 (+20 vs physical). Still works fine in AL 80 (+20 vs physical).

The first bonder deals damage, the second provides health and energy regen. For greater survivability take both - the healing bonder cleans up most damage below the Spirit Bond threshold, making for a very safe run. Otherwise you're totally reliant on Spirit Bond for health. Your choice, but always take the smiter

I'd also suggest practicing the run on another character to become comfortable with the build and the timing. It's really easy - cast enchants and Sig of Stamina, flag heroes, use a scroll, run in, cast and keep Protective Spirit up all the time, cast Spirit Bond and recharge only when it drops. It has 1/4 second cast time and 2 sec recharge, so it's easy to hit again if you miss. With 700+ health you can afford to be sloppy with your timing...but practice makes perfect