Curse

wassup1444465 · Feb 18, 2007, 08:29 PM // 20:29

I was digging through some screenshots and found a few of this run that I had once tried with my friend. It's doable with one character, but now (especially with the SoA cast time nerf) works better with two. Without further wasted time, the builds:

======
Mo/D
Protective Spirit
Shielding Hands (Previously Shield of Absorp, that can still work)
Mystic Regeneration
Guardian
Shield of Judgement
Essence Bond
Retribution
Blessed Aura

14 Divine
14 Prot
8 Earth
9 Smiting

R/Mo
Lacerate
Brambles
Edge of Extinction
Quickening Zephyr
Essence Bond
Balth Spirit
Succor
Serpent's Quickness

These atts are adjustable, but I recommend max wilderness so that with serpents up you can chain QZ, and a pretty high EoE as well. You can probably get away with running 2-3 superiors and a low expertise.

First, get the quest Desperate Measures from Kamveh in Forum Highlands, and then port off to Tihark Orchard. Then head out and to the left of the big rock structure in front of you. Head straight up to where render is supposed to be, but do not aggro him.

Instead, make sure that your enchantments are up, that your partner has casted succor, balth spirit, and essence bond on you along the way, and then have him put up a QZ. Cast Shield of Judgement before you go to aggro the guys as shown in the screenshot below. This is extremely important, as it prevents you from being interrupted on the first cast, and it will recharge in time for the next cast. That plus guardian makes it extremely hard to get the next one interrupted.

Your partner should now be getting plenty of energy to start casting brambles and lacerate, and EoE should be down well before people start dying. Make sure that the spirits are in range of both you and the enemies, as QZ makes it easier to chain shielding hands. I suggest going even as low as 55 health, because mystic regen and succor should have no problem outdoing enemy degen if shielding hands has to recharge.

Should shield get interrupted, retribution will stop their health from regenning, but you might still lose reasonable progress because of the healers. Regardless, if all goes well, you should get something like this:

Another screenshot from a different run:

Note that those above bars are older and a bit different. Use the ones I listed at the start of the thread for better results. Shielding hands is WAY less likely to be interrupted than SoA.

Crazyvietguy · Feb 18, 2007, 09:19 PM // 21:19

Would this be possible with a Hero as the ranger laying the spirits and running out of range??

Off topic (slightly) has anyone ever tried SoA and Shielding hands used one after another?

Rainman · Feb 18, 2007, 10:01 PM // 22:01

nice build im tryin it with a hero now

Off Topic Answer: yes i have and its pretty nice ^^

lazy1 · Feb 19, 2007, 12:50 AM // 00:50

hmm if only we could have 10 skills instead of 8...
then sheilding hands would be awsome