Curse

monsto · Sep 03, 2005, 02:50 AM // 02:50

well i did finally beat this. and actually ascended with the aid of another thread (=

how? mo (me), ele, and ... get this... a mo/w (mower?) who took pride in his fighting ability. he was all sworded up and everything. it was like that movie where the zebra thought he was a racehorse? this primary monk thought he was a warrior. . . and since he wouldn't listen to anyone that told him he WASN'T a warrior, he did just fine. it was funny. . . a guy in tattoos and a +32 loin cloth beatin shit up with a Gold Brute.

Anyway, the 3 of us and hench took our time, carved a nice path, and eventually made it to dunes.

slick thanks for the advice.

and yeah someone pointed out in Thirsty that "the further you get in the game the but-hat level rises exponentially" . . . that there aren't many but-hats near the beginning of the game, but it just get out of hand.

again thanks.

Orvix Thang · Sep 11, 2005, 09:45 AM // 09:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by monsto

[before i even start here, don't tell me to get a runner]

i've been trying for over a week to get to Thirsty River or Dunes of Despair. No matter the group, no matter how careful we are, no matter the skills i take, this area is near impossible. Any suggestions for tactics?

With henchies, PvE only;

Pull backward, I kid you not, many times for hard pulls I pull with my back facing to the mob, something is different and at times I can break a hardcoded group apart far enough that one is dead before the next arrives and it appeared on several occasions I actually got only one of the group which brings up my next tactic, space, you own everything where you've been. There is no backspawn, use this to your advantage, use that space you earned to spread them out.

You are a Mo/N use Shadow of Fear, if I can bunch them up or even get slow on the one hitting the casters I win. Really this may not be popular or whatever but I found stepping back looking at the situation and getting as many slowed as possible wins PvE battles.

I always bring Thom and Stefan and let them do their thing until I SEE the battle and what's what, then I join in. This means getting stuff slowed, checking adds, looking to see if your aggro zone is going to aggro something else, if I see that battle will take my people into another aggro zone I try to move the fight to where I want it. Remember you own all the space you cleared.

At worst die and fight, die and fight, die and fight, even if you kill one mob it's still one less and eventually you'll work your way to where you want to go. Sure you may end down 60% but if you mark one mob per, kill it run away if you can, kill another, you'll make it, and sometimes you end up at the res point near your destination, in the desert with most mobs level 20 and up you can work off part of the penalty pretty fast. Never abandon a zone you worked to clear because you are pissed, you can do it.

I noticed that there are some pretty wild group movements in the desert, watch and wait, look at the mob movement. Sometimes that impossible looking bunch will suddenly split and move apart enough for you to grab one small group or bypass them altogether. Yes, that takes time and patience but it works.

Added: More than 3 hydras and sometimes 3 is death, so don't fight them until you get the pull you want, at times it can't be helped. Sand ele's, 3 is a win, a second group of 3 late in the battle is usually a win, 6 is a wipe. Giants are all hype, worms can be fun, remember to pop all the scarab holes before advancing, slow the tanks, kill the healers first, slow those whacking on your casters again if needed, then kill the casters, bow guys just smile at and let them wait their turn.

I don't use stances, just damage. I use cyclone and 3 adrenaline attacks, since they are on their own individual counters I get 3 strong adrenaline attacks in a row until the next adrenaline cycle. I have a reduce blind shield. Why defend when you can kill. Yes I know the theory of a meat shield and would use defense when the necessary casting power is there. PvE only I have no idea about PvP.

QuixotesGhost · Sep 11, 2005, 01:19 PM // 13:19

I think one of the biggest aggros issue in desert is that people attempt to avoid too many mobs. Like just yesterday I was in a group where there was a path with 2 hydras on one side and five on the other. Our group tried to tiptoe down the middle barely hugging aggro the range of both. Of course we aggroed both and died very quickly. Where the smart thing to do would be to clear the two. My ranger tried to point this out using the map, but people didn't listen :/

Oh an carry an interupt skill if you have one.

Cjlr · Sep 11, 2005, 10:11 PM // 22:11

Thirsty river is easy to get to, just head out from Augury Rock, go east-south-east until you get the the scar, and die right near the portal. You'll rez RIGHT BESIDE thirsty river.

Dunes of Despair is kinda hard to reach, you actually need to fight through (from what I've seen, there might be a way to go around somehow).

Elona's reach, you can just go right for - there's nothing really challenging on the way.

giroml · Sep 12, 2005, 06:26 AM // 06:26

I hear ya, do everything in the desert with henchmen. Excepting mission bonuses everything is doable with henchmen.

Leddy · Sep 12, 2005, 12:20 PM // 12:20

It is, but Thirsty River (the mission) is easier with people. Good people, that is.

Glasswalker · Sep 12, 2005, 03:51 PM // 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by giroml

I hear ya, do everything in the desert with henchmen. Excepting mission bonuses everything is doable with henchmen.

Actually even the bonuses. I got Thirsty River and Elona's Reach with henchmen.

I couldn't manage to get Dunes, because someone has to leave the party to deal with siege worms, and to gank the leader before they leave their fort. When you've got henchmen, there's no way to say, "Defend this guy, I'll be right back." But the other two are quite doable, and even fairly easy if you path it right.

Mavrik · Sep 12, 2005, 04:07 PM // 16:07

I got to all the locations with hench. was able to beat Dunes of Dispair with hench but did Elona Reach with PUG. Tried Thirsty River several times with PUG and Henchie... with no success...

giroml · Sep 12, 2005, 05:31 PM // 17:31

Yes I found Thirsty River much easier with henchmen. Dunes of Despair as the other guy said I don't think the bonus is even possible with henchmen, if it is I'd like to hear how they did it.

xcutioner · Sep 15, 2005, 05:41 PM // 17:41

I know u said to not get a runner, but I can't think of a valid reason not too, other than you like pain and lots of it. Either way you require teammate(s) to help you, in one instance they fight the other they run.

I have literally run some1 from ascalon city to sanctum cay, did the mission gaining access to amnoon oasis, then opened up every desert town in about 4-5 hours, maybe less. I can do the desert run from amnoon oasis to all 7 desert towns in about 20 minutes flat.

Just to give you an idea of what cities you get when run like this:
ascalon city
piken square
nolani academy
yaks bend
ice tooth cave
beacons perch
north kryta
lions arch
bergens hot springs
temple of ages
sanctum cay
amnoon oasis
heros
augury rock
seekers passage
elona reach
destinys gorge
thirsty river
dunes of despair

I helped my friend to ascend within 2 days of forming a character, and he reached Dragon's Lair as a Lvl 15

If any1 has a spare 20k or so and needs to go from ascalon city to desert in a single day, you can message me for availability, since I usually do this run for guildies.

Beating the desert missions on the other hand is whole diff story and there's plenty of threads for that.

jart · Sep 21, 2005, 04:21 AM // 04:21

I just soloed (running) to both of these areas without much problem, I was not looking for them and had no idea where they were, one of my favorite things is to just explore. I started at Augery rock and my plan was to head south and follow the edge of the map around as far as I could. I just wanted to get a feel for the desert. I followed the teleporters east, looking for the edge of the map. this brought me toward Amnoon Oasis I then headed south and came upon Heroes Audience.
I then went south out of HA hugging the edge of the map and spotted a teleporter. I continued south and ran into an old abandoned town full of rangers. I could not pass south of this and the only way to continue looked too dangerous to try so i headed back up to the teleporter. After a bit of watching the patrols, I made a dash for it. Muddling around a bit and avoiding all patrols, racing away from rock devourers, I came upon another teleporter, tried it and ended up outside of Dunes of Despair.
Heading South and west outside of DoD I hugged the edge of the map. the only real danger seemed to be something that would slam me to the ground and do quite a bit of damgage. I never saw what they were, I am guessing siege worms. My method would be to turn on the afterburners and run like hell.
I then just followed the south edge of the map around and eventually came upon Thirsty River
I have mapped almost all of it, found a very interesting spot in the middle of the Arid Sea, but I had no access. The river looks to be impossible to run through but you can go around.

I have found that soloing through the desert is not much of a problem. You just need a lot of patience. ther always seems to be holes that open up. and if not, sprint did not fail to get me out of the area.

Barinthus · Oct 02, 2005, 07:34 AM // 07:34

I've not ascended yet but I've been able to explore all desert areas (except for missions) fully with just me and henchies. It's not that hard - you only need patience, move slowly, and eat up enemies in small dosages.

Louis Ste Colombe · Oct 02, 2005, 10:29 AM // 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuke_Dembastages

Ok....let me start with elementals and hydras...

2 warriors with balanced stance.
2 monks, 1 prot 1 heal.
2 casters
1 battery
1 ranger

Not even mentionning you have 8 characters, you really got to try getting an interrupting mesmer or ranger around there. More specifically, a mesmer.

Hydras are very slow spellcasters; it's really easy to nail them down while they cast their very slow skill.

Elementals are a little bit faster. Chances are you won't interrupt Shock. But Eruption is an easy one to stop too.

And, if you find some Jade, then mesmers will get even more fun shattering hex for nice and sweet damage around.

1 human monk doing both prot and healing, shall be enough: go for spike prot and healing: that means healing seed is probably not good... (not sure you mentionned it...). Protection comes first.

Worms might sound scary... but are really not dangerous. The only problem might be if you meet a couple while fighting another group. Clear all the non worms first, then the worm. For worms, given their armour rating, necro or mesmer damage is good way to take them off fast.

Running and forgetting are the two reasons people find hydra or elemental difficult.

Louis,

nicksguild · Oct 11, 2005, 07:34 AM // 07:34

Take henchies - much easier than with people!