Curse

Sli Ander · Oct 17, 2006, 02:54 AM // 02:54

Is it just me or are the majority of Canthan Caps easier than Tyrian caps? I'm not talking about farming here, as the toughness of the boss is not based on location. But take a look at this:

With the exception of some areas in the city, there are less larger areas between cities. The city has some large areas that take a while to get through to get to a boss. The luxon and kurzick areas have relatively easy and small areas. Example: The Scar Eater is just south of Echovald forest I think. As in about a couple hundred yards at the most.
Barrage is just outside another kurzick town (can't remember name at moment).
There is also a ranger cap and a monk cap outside Cavalon. The ranger cap is literally directly in front of the gate, about 100 yards.

These skills in Tyria are in some higher level of difficulty places. And yet I henched getting almost every monk cap( I ignored my ranger secondary ones, like barrage) within a day and a half.

I'm a casual gamer, by the way. Its not as if I played solid to get these. And while I'm not complaining, unless I got lucky spawns there wasn't too much of a challenge on most of these caps. Its a big change from trekking through two areas without towns, just trying to get to an area like Mineral springs to attempt a cap.

So the summary to this ramble: Are most Canthan caps a bit easy, or is this just me? Please discuss.
/edit As some people in this thread have noted, random spawns play a large role in ease of caps, as well as having a post attached to every tiny region. I would personally like a bit more of a challenge in getting a cap. I don't mind having the occasional easy cap, and I don't want a large amount of insanely difficult ones. But a middle ground on this would be nice.
/edit for grammar

Hyper Cutter · Oct 17, 2006, 03:02 AM // 03:02

It might also have to do with the fact that boss spawns are random in Tyria but fixed in Cantha...

Kha · Oct 17, 2006, 03:10 AM // 03:10

Any elite I didn't get through the storyline (mission, primary quets, etc) in Factions I used henchmen to obtain. It was pleasantly easy in Cantha. I have every elite besides ranger ones (I only cap skills of the primary profession unless I need something else for a certain build, and ranger is currently the only character I don't have.)

However, with Prophecies there were just some eiltes I could not obtain with henchmen. Those in particular were the ones in the Abaddon's Mouth mission. While I may have been able to get them try after try, the fact is that they were the only elites that I actually failed at a few times trying to get. Add to that the wonderful matter of them not always have spawned and it made for an exciting run. This was also the annoying case in the Ring of Fire mission, though not as bad.

Though in some cases I rather have trekked that extra mile instead of dealing with a boss that can do 300+ AoE damage.

So yes, I do think the caps are a lot easier in Factions, and I hope Nightfall is the same.

King Kong · Oct 17, 2006, 03:27 AM // 03:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kha

However, with Prophecies there were just some eiltes I could not obtain with henchmen. Those in particular were the ones in the Abaddon's Mouth mission.

Hopefully the heros from nightfall will help me with this

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kha

So yes, I do think the caps are a lot easier in Factions, and I hope Nightfall is the same.

I really hope so too, some of the Prophecies ones are a sod to get

Soccer55 · Oct 17, 2006, 03:30 AM // 03:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kha

Add to that the wonderful matter of them not always have spawned and it made for an exciting run. This was also the annoying case in the Ring of Fire mission, though not as bad.

This is exactly what annoyed me to no end in Tyria and more specifically, the Fire Islands. Sometimes I would have to go more than halfway through the mission.....just to find out that the boss I needed to find didn't spawn. In fact, I think I had to go through Abaddon's Mouth about 8 times before I could cap Soul Leech due to the boss spawns. I hope ANet sticks with the fixed boss spawns that we saw in Cantha.....less frustrating and much less annoying.

-Tom

Shyft the Pyro · Oct 17, 2006, 03:31 AM // 03:31

Two points.

First, caps may seem easier because Factions is smaller. There are no "empty" areas like Tasca's Demise to go through as you head for Mineral Springs - the place you really want to go, the place with all the caps. In Factions, every area has a town entry. Go on, think of one that doesn't.

Second, is it really a good thing that caps are easier? Hard caps force player cooperation, build improvement, and create a sense of accomplishment. The problem with Tyrian caps was that they were all packed so tightly at the end of the game. I need only mention Perdition Rock so you know what I mean.

In short, I'd like to see harder caps, but not harder because bosses are tougher. I'd like to see caps that are harder to get to, caps that require player cooperation the way Prophecies ones did. Maybe Perdition Rock was so good at this because there were so many caps there, because you needed to make multiple trips and because every character had a cap or two.

Knightsaber Sith · Oct 17, 2006, 03:45 AM // 03:45

Caps in Cantha are indeed far easier. Largely, as someone said, because there are no random spawns.

Kha · Oct 17, 2006, 04:00 AM // 04:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shyft the Pyro

In short, I'd like to see harder caps, but not harder because bosses are tougher. I'd like to see caps that are harder to get to, caps that require player cooperation the way Prophecies ones did. Maybe Perdition Rock was so good at this because there were so many caps there, because you needed to make multiple trips and because every character had a cap or two.

Perdition Rock is a great example of how fun capping can be, imho. Even still you can easily get a group there for capping. Random spawning issue aside, it has something for EVERYONE which makes it a productive run for the whole party. Not everyone has an active guild, or even a guild, or friends that can help them. Some (like me) rely on henchmen and PuGs. I prefer playing with people, though. That's why I bought a multi-player online game. A place like Perdition Rock is player friendly for all types of playing style. Good luck finding a PuG to get FoC. Caps like that just shouldn't be in the game.

Kook~NBK~ · Oct 17, 2006, 04:02 AM // 04:02

The fixed spawns and the "right outside the door" placement of many of bosses are just 2 of the reasons capping in cantha is easier. Not only that, but the mobs you face along the way aren't as hard to take out as the ones in Prophecies. There's no place in cantha for the bosses to be quite a ways away from town.

Shadowfox1125 · Oct 17, 2006, 04:07 AM // 04:07

It took me forever to cap FoC.. I did it with henchies from Camp Rankor.

Perhaps it's also the placing of the outposts. So many caps are just out the door of a certain city, unlike in Prophecies. The stretch from Beacon's Perch to Camp Rankor is just so long and there are many bosses to cap from there. I also remember capping Devastating Hammer from Rankor up in Snakes.

Capped Life Barrier in Lornar's today. Had to have a party for that one.

Katari · Oct 17, 2006, 05:30 AM // 05:30

The lack of random boss spawns in cantha really makes all the difference. Mind Shock, Sheild of Deflection, Prodigy, Etc are a huge pain to cap. Either you clear the zone (Lava imps + henchies = dooooom!) or you keep repeating the start of the zone untill you get the boss spawn you want. Annoying!

Sli Ander · Oct 17, 2006, 05:38 AM // 05:38

Shield of deflection was right about the middle of the road. If you got a good spawn then it was just a bit of a long walk.
Right now the only monk elite I don't have is Restore Condition. There's no way to get around the lava pits in there. Henchies just won't cut it, and getting a pug to cap in the Ring of Fire is ridiculous.

Emik · Oct 17, 2006, 06:40 AM // 06:40

Abaddon's and Hell's are idd the worst places to cap.
Mineral Springs following closely coz of the distance you need t travel.
I can still remember having to cap Greater Conflag and Mind Burn and having to start over and over and over becoz the sodding boss didn't spawn.
Same for Eviscerate. Eventually left Tortitudo Probo for what he was and went to kick Tanzit's ass instead :P
The only real annoying place to cap skills in Cantha is the Sunjiang District Mission. 8 Profs yet only 4 spawn and 75% the wrong one.

fatmouse · Oct 17, 2006, 07:09 AM // 07:09

Abaddon's isn't too hard because all you need to do is join a bonus party. RoF though you're on your own with henchmen. Lava imps hurt especially when the henchmen have the bright idea of fighting in the lava.

Emik · Oct 17, 2006, 07:58 AM // 07:58

I've not said it was hard to do, just annoying becoz you have to start over and over and over.
For one or two professions ok... but there are 5 different professions in that particular mission.

Tortitudo Probo: Eviscerate (Warrior)
Maligo Libens: Aura of teh Lich (Necro)
Valetudo Rubor: Greater Conflag (Ranger)
Moles Quibus: Panic (Mesmer)
Scelus Prosum: Mind Burn (Elementalist)

Undead Prince Rurik: Hundred Blades (Warrior)

Ok Rurik always spawns but this is not the case for the titans sicne theres only 4 of them in every instance.
Imagine doing this for your skill hunter title as i did and having to go in for 5 professions only having to start over and over again coz the one you need didn't spawn for several times
Really frustrating :P

lg5000 · Oct 17, 2006, 08:13 AM // 08:13

Well.. if you have factions.. hundred blades and mind burn can be gotten quite easily over there rather than hells.

Abadons for capping is easy (though boring) as long as you don't run into the mursat monk boss at the beginning.

Emik · Oct 17, 2006, 08:18 AM // 08:18

The Monk boss on it's own is doable... try the Monk/Mesmer combo as a caster... Constant interrupts and mana burn

cataphract · Oct 17, 2006, 08:26 AM // 08:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sli Ander

Is it just me or are the majority of Canthan Caps easier than Tyrian caps?

It's not you..

Very large number of canthan elites are a walk in the park. When I was maxing skill hunter title I have had A LOT more trouble with Prophecies elites. Going to Mineral Springs 5 times to get all the skills was pretty hard. Not to mention the elites right outside of the Granite Citadel and the insane spawns of Stone Summit that awaits you right outside.

cataphract · Oct 17, 2006, 08:30 AM // 08:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emik

I've not said it was hard to do, just annoying becoz you have to start over and over and over.
For one or two professions ok... but there are 5 different professions in that particular mission.

Tortitudo Probo: Eviscerate (Warrior)
Maligo Libens: Aura of teh Lich (Necro)
Valetudo Rubor: Greater Conflag (Ranger)
Moles Quibus: Panic (Mesmer)
Scelus Prosum: Mind Burn (Elementalist)

I hated capping these guys. They spawn all over the place and being that I'm a walking proof of Murphy's Law the boss I wanted to cap spawned on the furthermost point. Half of the PUGs didn't want to deviate from the mission path even though I stated that I'm into capping a skill and seeing them through the mission afterwards...

Linksys · Oct 17, 2006, 09:17 AM // 09:17

I find Iron Mines hard to cap at. I think that's the name, the one where you get infusion runs. Most groups just want infusion runs, rather than cap the bosses on the way there. So it's hard to find a capping group there for me.