How long would it take... - Guild Wars Forums

jon0592 · Apr 17, 2007, 01:03 PM // 13:03

Hello, I've decided to get a full set of obsidian armor (5 pieces). I'm using the E/Me Terra Tank build and I was wondering how long it would take to farm 160 ectoplasm. Why 160?

Ectoplasm can be traded for shards 3:1 so 40 x 3 = 120 shards and 120 ectoplasm.

If I do 1-2 runs each day from Monday to Friday, and about 3 hours worth of runs on Saturday and Sunday, how long do you honestly think it'll take to farm 160 ectoplasm? I'm not even worried about cash or other materials, because I am experienced with the build and will rarely die.

Thanks in advance!

P.S. If you're going to give a stupid response like "a looooooong time", don't bother answering.

Mournblade · Apr 17, 2007, 01:33 PM // 13:33

Not an easy question to answer, given the randomness of drops and the elusive 'anti-farm code' effects. 20 runs per week could net you 20 ecto if you are lucky, so at that rate my guess would be two months. Take into account you might get other good drops you could sell and convert to ecto/shards so maybe a little less. Again, it totally depends on luck.

thedork01 · Apr 17, 2007, 03:46 PM // 15:46

Took me 2 weeks, but i cheated by getting lucky on 2 coffers. Got titan gems out of both, sold them all for ectos, and was ready. For those two weeks I was doing just about what you described and I had earned somewhere around 40 ectos. So I'd estimate (without some extra luck) somewhere around 8 weeks.

Edit:
FYI, i would not recommend my strategy. Since those two lucky coffers, I have opened 15 coffers and not gotten a single good thing out of one of them. Had I not gotten them I would be well on my way to another set of FoW armor :-/

ShadowsRequiem · Apr 17, 2007, 04:16 PM // 16:16

wow ummmm >_<

getting ectos is all luck, i've gone 4 runs w/o gettting a single one... where sometimes you'll get 3 per run each time :P

goodluck lol..... if you really want to farm all of them

I bought maybe 55 of them when the prices dropped and then sold stuff to make up the other 50 and 105 shards... If your lucky at Chest running try hitting up some chests in the shattered ravines for some elemental swords.

Hell Raiser · Apr 17, 2007, 04:25 PM // 16:25

Really depends on your drops, you could get 10 ectos in a day, or 0 in an entire week. Mine took ~6-8 weeks doing 55/SS and 5man SF runs (However, this was back before factions). It will take a long time, so if you are hoping you will have it in a couple weeks: It wont happen unless you get lucky (like thedork01). Don't give up, though.

jon0592 · Apr 18, 2007, 01:32 AM // 01:32

Thanks for replies. Yes, I'll spend the next few months in UW...alone...and time isn't a big deal, because I've got a lot of time in the summer with little to do.

P.S. Got 1 ecto today.... 159 to go

Arren Knez · Apr 18, 2007, 01:36 AM // 01:36

solo farming clearing the smites took me 3 months to get 1 set, given that i also had a few weeks were i never went to uw at all and the free access weekend.

Malice Black · Apr 18, 2007, 02:31 AM // 02:31

1-2 runs a day isn't enough. You need to do 10-20 a day if you are going to farm all the ecto. Alternate between UW runs and other things so you don't get bored.

Look into farming other areas as well. While farming ecto isn't difficult it is time consuming, sometimes it better to farm the cash (chest runs,running etc) then buy the ecto.

kooomar · Apr 18, 2007, 05:25 AM // 05:25

I actually do the e/me build too, and like most people say, youll get unlucky and lucky, depending on the runs. I have gone 12 runs in a row with no ectos, and I have gone 2 runs getting 7 ectos and a sapphire. It seems to me that it averages out to one ecto a run, but you have to add to that the keys you get, and the golds you get from chests. I have gotten a req9 storm and req9 eternal shield in 2 runs (both were sadly worthless). But when you add up the demonic remains, dust, ectos, coin, ALL items (worth about 50-70 gold each), its not really that slow at all. Just be vigilant.

lennymon · Apr 18, 2007, 08:18 AM // 08:18

the E/A solo for FoW works well also and shards *tend* to drop considerably more frequently than ectos. You can also save some coins by farming the webs and horsies in tombs E/A

Apr 17, 2007, 01:03 PM // 13:03	#1
jon0592 Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jan 2006 Profession: N/	How long would it take... Hello, I've decided to get a full set of obsidian armor (5 pieces). I'm using the E/Me Terra Tank build and I was wondering how long it would take to farm 160 ectoplasm. Why 160? Ectoplasm can be traded for shards 3:1 so 40 x 3 = 120 shards and 120 ectoplasm. If I do 1-2 runs each day from Monday to Friday, and about 3 hours worth of runs on Saturday and Sunday, how long do you honestly think it'll take to farm 160 ectoplasm? I'm not even worried about cash or other materials, because I am experienced with the build and will rarely die. Thanks in advance! P.S. If you're going to give a stupid response like "a looooooong time", don't bother answering.

Apr 18, 2007, 02:31 AM // 02:31	#8
Malice Black Site Legend Join Date: Oct 2005	1-2 runs a day isn't enough. You need to do 10-20 a day if you are going to farm all the ecto. Alternate between UW runs and other things so you don't get bored. Look into farming other areas as well. While farming ecto isn't difficult it is time consuming, sometimes it better to farm the cash (chest runs,running etc) then buy the ecto. __________________ Old Skool '05

Apr 17, 2007, 01:33 PM // 13:33	#2
Mournblade Furnace Stoker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Houston, Texas Guild: Dawn Treaders [DAWN] Profession: W/Mo	Not an easy question to answer, given the randomness of drops and the elusive 'anti-farm code' effects. 20 runs per week could net you 20 ecto if you are lucky, so at that rate my guess would be two months. Take into account you might get other good drops you could sell and convert to ecto/shards so maybe a little less. Again, it totally depends on luck.

Apr 17, 2007, 03:46 PM // 15:46	#3
thedork01 Academy Page Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: All over the place Guild: Broken Circle Profession: E/Me	Took me 2 weeks, but i cheated by getting lucky on 2 coffers. Got titan gems out of both, sold them all for ectos, and was ready. For those two weeks I was doing just about what you described and I had earned somewhere around 40 ectos. So I'd estimate (without some extra luck) somewhere around 8 weeks. Edit: FYI, i would not recommend my strategy. Since those two lucky coffers, I have opened 15 coffers and not gotten a single good thing out of one of them. Had I not gotten them I would be well on my way to another set of FoW armor :-/

Apr 17, 2007, 04:16 PM // 16:16	#4
ShadowsRequiem Furnace Stoker Join Date: Oct 2005 Guild: Inde is Smoking [Hawt] ToA Profession: W/E	wow ummmm >_< getting ectos is all luck, i've gone 4 runs w/o gettting a single one... where sometimes you'll get 3 per run each time :P goodluck lol..... if you really want to farm all of them I bought maybe 55 of them when the prices dropped and then sold stuff to make up the other 50 and 105 shards... If your lucky at Chest running try hitting up some chests in the shattered ravines for some elemental swords.

Apr 17, 2007, 04:25 PM // 16:25	#5
Hell Raiser Forge Runner Join Date: Dec 2005 Guild: [PHNX] Profession: Mo/	Really depends on your drops, you could get 10 ectos in a day, or 0 in an entire week. Mine took ~6-8 weeks doing 55/SS and 5man SF runs (However, this was back before factions). It will take a long time, so if you are hoping you will have it in a couple weeks: It wont happen unless you get lucky (like thedork01). Don't give up, though.

Apr 18, 2007, 01:32 AM // 01:32	#6
jon0592 Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jan 2006 Profession: N/	Thanks for replies. Yes, I'll spend the next few months in UW...alone...and time isn't a big deal, because I've got a lot of time in the summer with little to do. P.S. Got 1 ecto today.... 159 to go

Apr 18, 2007, 01:36 AM // 01:36	#7
Arren Knez Academy Page Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: south of somewhere Guild: Dominion of Passi [PaSI]	solo farming clearing the smites took me 3 months to get 1 set, given that i also had a few weeks were i never went to uw at all and the free access weekend.

Apr 18, 2007, 05:25 AM // 05:25	#9
kooomar Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Oct 2006 Guild: Pow Pow Pow [myau] Profession: Mo/E	I actually do the e/me build too, and like most people say, youll get unlucky and lucky, depending on the runs. I have gone 12 runs in a row with no ectos, and I have gone 2 runs getting 7 ectos and a sapphire. It seems to me that it averages out to one ecto a run, but you have to add to that the keys you get, and the golds you get from chests. I have gotten a req9 storm and req9 eternal shield in 2 runs (both were sadly worthless). But when you add up the demonic remains, dust, ectos, coin, ALL items (worth about 50-70 gold each), its not really that slow at all. Just be vigilant.

Apr 18, 2007, 08:18 AM // 08:18	#10
lennymon Forge Runner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle Guild: Odin's Hammer [OH] - Servant's of Fortuna [SoF] Profession: R/	the E/A solo for FoW works well also and shards tend to drop considerably more frequently than ectos. You can also save some coins by farming the webs and horsies in tombs E/A