Curse

Jimmy Dean · Mar 25, 2009, 02:17 PM // 14:17

Using some improved builds with the help of some good suggestions here, I was able to trim more than an hour off my time.

Most notable build changes:

Team 1
War 1 - now has Ebon Battle Standard of Courage, for more frequent party protection.

N/R Blood Ritter - now has Mark of Pain and Lingering Curse. Using EOE more often throughout the mission, with discretion when the party has the upper hand.

Me/Mo - using Visions of Regret, Mistrust, Power Spike, Shatter Enchantment, and rounding out the Aegis chain.

N/Mo - includes Aegis and Prot Spirit.

Team 2
War 2 - now has Ebon Battle Standard of Honor, for more damage. EBSOH does NOT boost COP, FYI (unlike "By Ural's Hammer", which does boost COP).

E/Mo - dropped Glyph of Elemental Power in favor of Glyph of Lesser Energy to add Rodgort's Invocation. Tried Savannah Heat a few times, but it didn't seem as effective.

N/Mo - added Death Nova.

Mo/E - Added a real monk, heavier Prot bar with Zealous Bendiction for extra healing.

I noticed a real difference in my ability to move along more quickly as evidenced by the time. I used only 2 sets of cons, starting with the Warden room. Thorn Wolves through the Vine Gates used to be a pain, but no more. I lost at least 15 minutes to party scattering as a result of less than optimal pulls. So, more time could be shaved off with a little more care. Here's some screenies:

The 60% DP all came in Urgoz's Chamber and was due to sheer recklessness trying to beat 2 hours

. I wasn't worried as the heroes were all safe, and the real characters stayed within easy rez distance. Heroes rezzing and returning to their flag spots helped generate more spores without negative consequence.

Thanks to all who had positive comments and especially to those who helped with good ideas and suggestions. I'm going to move on to other pursuits now, and will work on HM Urgoz with 8 from time to time. This will be my last post to this thread for now.

Good luck and have fun!

JD

toocooltang · Apr 01, 2009, 08:52 PM // 20:52

Great job man. Its always so nice to see people venturing away from the current meta game. Even though you did use COP, you did it with heros which is much more difficult because you have to micro manage them. I don't know what you are going to do next but I will be interested to hear.

You should also remember you play this game for yourself and your own enjoyment. Ignore all the haters that posted in this thread stating it is easy. You did good.

Achrr The Archer · Apr 06, 2009, 11:02 PM // 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikkooo

I have to agree, kind of stopped looking through his guide when i saw Warrior Cryer....just really made me 'lol'

I guarantee that both the negative nacy's couldn't accomplish it at at all. So get the RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GO out.

On topic. Nice job, nice seeing something decent besides the mash key 1 on called hexed target.

Snograt · Apr 07, 2009, 04:53 PM // 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Dean

I'm going to move on to other pursuits now, and will work on HM Urgoz with 8 from time to time. This will be my last post to this thread for now.

Good luck and have fun!

JD

Oh no you don't - now you're going to sit down and write a nice step-by-step guide to Urgoz's Warren for all those of us less skilled than yourself.

...please?

Jimmy Dean · Apr 17, 2009, 04:34 PM // 16:34

OK, I've been toying around with some more build combinations in an effort to see what might work for Party of 8, 6 heroes in Hard Mode. I used the skillbars below, with some minor deviations in about 8-10 runs in Normal Mode. This build is a combination Cryway and Sabway, with some key modifications. Sabway uses Jagged Bones as the Elite and focuses on the minions dying to make Jagged Horrors and bomb foes with Death Nova. For this mission, because of greater distances (and greater time - waiting for exhaustion to go away or foe groups to separate) between battles I found it much more useful to take Aura of the Lich AND use Blood of the Master on one MM. Being able to make minions without corpses and being able to keep them alive are both important considerations. The Team 2 Monk brought Watchful Spirit and used it on the Blood of the Master MM when the minion count was high. Watchful Spirit was also quite handy for the puller, who was the Team 2 Ele/Me, and on the primary Urgoz battler, who was the Team 1 Me/N.

I was able to average ~2 hours for these runs in Normal Mode +/- about 10 mins. Best time is posted in a Screenshot below. The great thing about this build is that I was able to do it entirely without cons, and still move along at a decent pace.

[build prof=Me/N name="Team 1 Me/N" box Fast=9+1+1 Blood=12 Illusion=9 desc="Weapon #1: Staff +20 Energy +30 Health"][Ether Nightmare]["By Ural's Hammer"][Arcane Echo][Cry of Pain][Shrinking Armor][Life Siphon][Grenth's Balance][Consume Corpse][/build]

[build prof=N/Mo name="Team 1 N/Mo" box Death=12+3+1 Soul=9+1 Prot=9 desc="Weapon #1: Staff +15 Energy +20% Half Cast Death +20% Ench"][Aura of the Lich][Animate Bone Minions][Animate Shambling Horror][Death Nova][Blood of the Master][Signet of Lost Souls][Aegis][Resurrection Chant][/build]

[build prof=E/Mo name="Team 1 E/Mo" box Fire=12+3+1 Energy=10+1 Prot=8 desc="Weapon #1: Staff +15 Energy +60 Health"][Fire Attunement][Glyph of Lesser Energy][Rodgort's Invocation][Meteor Shower][Searing Flames][Glowing Gaze][Aegis][Rebirth][/build]

[build prof=N/Rt name="Team 1 N/Rt" box Soul=12+1+1 Restoration=12 desc="Weapon #1: Staff +15 Energy +60 Health"][Xinrae's Weapon][Weapon of Warding][Mend Body and Soul][Spirit Light][Protective Was Kaolai][Life][Rejuvenation][Death Pact Signet][/build]

[build prof=E/Me name="Team 2 E/Me" box Energy=12+2+1 Illusion=12 desc="Weapon #1: Staff +15 Energy +60 Health"][Conjure Nightmare][Arcane Echo][Echo][Cry of Pain][Shrinking Armor][Glyph of Lesser Energy][Radiation Field][Pain Inverter][/build]

[build prof=N/Mo name="Team 2 N/Mo" box Death=12+3+1 Soul=9+1 Heal=9 desc="Weapon #1: Staff +10 Energy +40% Half Cast Death +20% Ench"][Aura of the Lich][Animate Bone Minions][Animate Shambling Horror][Death Nova][Infuse Condition][Foul Feast][Dwayna's Sorrow][Resurrection Chant][/build]

[build prof=N/R name="Team 2 N/R" box Curses=10+2+1 Soul=9+1 Beast=12 desc="Weapon #1: Spear +5e +20% ench; Weapon #2: Icon +20% Half Cast Curses Armor +10 below 50% HP"][Spiteful Spirit][Mark of Pain][Barbs][Enfeebling Blood][Signet of Lost Souls][Blood Ritual][Symbiosis][Edge of Extinction][/build]

[build prof=Mo/E name="Team 2 Mo/E" box Prot=12+3+1 Divine=12=1 Heal=8 desc="Weapon #1: Staff +15 Energy +30 Health +20% Ench"][Glyph of Lesser Energy][Aegis][Zealous Benediction][Protective Spirit][Healing Breeze][Cure Hex][Watchful Spirit][Renew Life][/build]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snograt

Oh no you don't - now you're going to sit down and write a nice step-by-step guide to Urgoz's Warren for all those of us less skilled than yourself. ...please?

Hehe, I don't really have the time for that, but the guide on wiki is really excellent http://guildwars.wikia.com/wiki/Urgoz%27s_Warren

The most important thing about doing this mission with 8 and 6 heroes is not to get overwhelmed and know when to cut and run. The puller has to aggro carefully, and it takes some experience to know where to pull to. Just like in all PVP scenarios, there are many good spots to pull a mob back where they get stuck at a corner or an obstacle and you can hammer them in place. If you look at some of the screenshots in this and the next post, you'll see where I've pulled the mobs.

Another thing I started doing on these runs is letting the Team 2 N/R use Symbiosis and EOE throughout the whole mission. Of course EOE is a double-edged sword, but when you get on a roll it is a huge boost. Once I started using Pain Inverter and targeting the Earth Wardens and the Burning Bushes etc. with it, those foes practically vaporized. Woot!

Spanking some Wardens, EOE kicking in:

Pulled to the Room Corner:

Done with Wardens at 1:24 (No Cons!):

Grenth's Balance spiking Urgoz nicely:

Best time so far with 8 and 6 Heroes:

Next up: HARD MODE!

JD

Jimmy Dean · Apr 17, 2009, 05:21 PM // 17:21

I have to say this ended up being easier than I expected. But I'm sure that a big reason for that is my recent experience in doing this mission over and over. I did wipe completely on my first attempt at it in the Exhaustion/Weakness Room, as I failed to wait for exhaustion to go away before attacking the final group of Burning Bushes and Brooding Thorns.

And I nearly wiped on the successful run except for the party leader Me/N. Fortunately I had plenty of rez scrolls this time and could get to the rest of the party.

Overall it wasn't that much different than a NM run since I was using cons the whole way (4 sets total), and took only a little longer - 2:18. With cons and Aura of the Lich the MM's can summon 11 each, and did so on numerous occasions. It was WAY fun and certainly a landmark achievement in my own experience with this game.

Adventurers, FALL IN!

Fire Bridge at :28 min

Starting the Exhaustion/Weakness Room at :49 mins (note how far back party is)

Wardens Crying of Pain

:

Finished Exhaustion/Weakness Room at 1:13

Wardens pulled to Room Corner:

Urgoz Chamber opened at 2:03

Say what you will about Grenth's

:

Success!

Showoffs!

Well, now I need to find a new nut to crack. Kanaxai, you listening? Hehe. Thanks all for letting me share this with some folks who care. Good luck with your own pursuits.

JD

Carboplatin · Apr 17, 2009, 08:34 PM // 20:34

Very nice job. I am suprised you didn't stick with the warrior cryer. 2 hour 19min is a respectable time for an 2+6H/H mission.

The deep is my all time favorite place, imo, its a harder then urgoz and you are much more susceptible to wiping in certain areas. Its also less hero friendly. I would like to see what you will do with the deep, post some screens

Snograt · Apr 17, 2009, 10:48 PM // 22:48

Great job, JD - I'm really looking forward to seeing what you cook up for The Deep

Apoc · Apr 17, 2009, 11:45 PM // 23:45

Great job!

My guild will redo Urgoz (some of us still need the statue) some time this summer and we will probably use your build.