Curse

linkid · Jul 17, 2006, 04:42 AM // 04:42

This build is based of the double riposte build vs hydras in the desert, but it is made quicker by the Drunken/Desperation Blows (36 damage per atk). Still could use some work though. It can also be used to farm the mahgo hydras in perdition rock. More on that later...

W/Me
Attributes:
Strength 11 + 3 + 1 = 15
Tactics 10 + 3 = 13
Inspiration 10 = 10

With the 2 superior runes and a major vigor, you should end up with 371 hp (unless I forgot something).

Skills:
1. Dolyak Signet (Str)
2. Drunken Blow (Tac)
3. Desperation Blow (Tac)
4. "Victory is Mine" (Tac, Elite)
5. Stance, usually mesmer (Mantra of <element>, Phys/Ele Resist)
6. Optional, usually Riposte
7. Optional, usually Deadly Riposte or "Watch Yourself!"
8. Optional, usually Epidemic

Note: This build seems to be one of the faster builds vs 1 to 4 melee monsters at a time, but slower compared to glad's or cyclone/triple builds vs big mobs. Having been originally designed vs desert hydras, it seems to work pretty well against them.

Equipment:
Any Sword, recommended with +5 Defense or +7 vs Elemental. I tested using IDS +5. Zealous might work, or furious wouldn't hurt (although minimum advantage).
16 AL shield, -2 stance/+45 hp stance would be best, but not needed. I tested with the old -2/-2
Major Vigor and Sup Abs should be standard these days, but none of them can work.
max armor; Sentinel seem to be best at 100 armor, as this would run 15 strength. I tested this with the old Knight Boots + Glad's (plate head) armor, so any max warrior armor should work

Against the Desert Hydras
I recommend Mantra of Flame, but Elemental Resistance works fine. I tested with Mantra of Flame. For the optional slots, you should take Riposte, Epidemic, and either Deadly Riposte (recommended) or Power Attack.
D Riposte would do 67 dmg with 10 second CD, while power attack will do 30 dmg with 4 second CD. Although power attack looks like it can do more dps, your attack cycles probably won't allow you to.
The first couple times you might want to take "WY!" for slot 7 to help relieve damage.
Keep mantra of flame up at all times. At 10 inspiration it does nice damage reduction and lasts quite a long time.
When you close in on a hydra or two, use Dolyak Signet, and keep it up in combat unless you're sure you can finish the hydras without dying and under 10 seconds. With both Mantra and Dolyak signet, each meteor/fireball should do 18 dmg, while inferno does 22, damage figures with the old knight's boots + glads (plate head) set. Assuming 60 initial damage per hydra, you can take up to 6 hydras without getting killed pretty easily. But taking more hydras won't speed things up too much, it just gives you extra energy and more pressure not to mess up so badly.

After engaging hydra, first two attacks should be Drunken blow and desperation blow. Try to keep 10 or so energy available in case you get low on hp. You'll get other 5 energy with mantra and time. At that point, cast epidemic and then ViM. You should be able to live 15 second cycles with that easily. You can also use ViM for energy (for more drunk/desp blows) too.
The thing I kept on forgetting in the beginning is to use riposte as soon as it's recharged. Being the only adrenal skill (unless you take "WY!"), you should use it the moment it is available.
Although I mentioned it can take on 6 hydras without fear of death, this build might be most effective vs 2 hydras. It finishes 2 hydras in about 21 seconds for me (don't recast dolyak after expiring the first time in this case, you'll get stuck for another 19 seconds). Not quite sure though if it's that fast. Seems faster than with just ripostes.
As a note, these hydras don't give you +2 energy from mantra with their melee attacks. You only get it when you get hit for about 20 damage from their spells.
You can keep on farming the centaurs but be very careful with them. Group of 3 bladehands is just brutal.

Other locations
Perdition Rock... You can kill Flesh Golems, Mahgo Hydras, Drakes, and Dark Flame Dryders. I doubt you can kill any bosses with this. Here I took "WY!" for slot #7, Riposte and Epidemic. Also Mantra of Flame. Mahgo Hydras do give you +2 when they melee attack (I think).
Mahgo hydras are fairly straight forward. Condition them with the two blows and epidemic + ViM when you need hp... Riposte and the two blows do the damage.
Flesh golems are quite easy too until you kill one with Death Nova. The degen means you better be ready with a nice epidemic + vim when your health gets low. The degen lasts a long time too. When they raise minions, keep attacking a flesh golem and make them use taste of death, so the minions don't go off with death nova. Two or three death nova is a sure way to die.
The Dark Flame Dryders are very very extremely easy, but it takes some time. They only use Shadow Strike when your health is above 50%, and their attacks do 2 or 3, at most. However, your only source of real damage is the +36 from the two blows, and your energy regens painfully slow. You can use ViM to get energy back if you have 3 or more conditions on them, or a dryder you're not attacking would SS (for heal).
Drakes, with mark of rodgort, are slightly harder, but since they're melee, just be ready with epidemic + ViM, and don't forget to use riposte. What sucks is you can't kill their bosses.
Phantoms are annoying, and deadly if you get caught with 2 or more other monsters. I don't pack a counter for them, so you just have to patiently hack away at them. You can get 1 sure hit while they recast Signet of Midnight after it expires.

You can farm drakes in Diviner's ascent. Mantra of Earth seems to be fine, but maybe a stance isn't even needed. Rockshots are no problem either. However, jade scarabs are... very... annoying. I haven't worked around them yet. Maybe Riposte for 6, heal sig for 7 in this area, and don't use the blows against the scarabs (untested).

You can also farm in Destiny's gorge for gryphs (and rockshots), which isn't that bad. However, farming for minos in elona's reach, although you won't die, is painfully slow. Other builds are clearly superior. Same goes for trolls in Talus Chute. For these locations, I dropped inspiration and moved it to swords (10 + 1), and took bonetti's defense.

Comments, other locations, suggestions, and mistake finds are welcomed.