Curse

grignr · Jun 19, 2006, 04:37 AM // 04:37

W/Me Root Behemoth and Wind Rider farming:

Swordsmanship: 12 + 1 + 3
Tactics: 8 + 1
Strength: 5 + 1
Inspiration: 9

Gladiator's armor with Knight's boots
Major/Superior Vigor and Absorption
Fiery +15% in Stance Sword
16 / +45 / -2 Tactics Stance Shield
Long Bow (for pulling)
(Jeweled Chalice (req. 9 Insp) +12E / +1(20%) / +30)

Healing Signet
Riposte
Galrath Slash
Final Thrust
Physical Resistance
Mantra of Resolve
Charge {E}
Sprint

Start at Ventari's Refuge and run, run, run through Ettin's Back and the Reed Bog. Alternate charge and sprint to keep running all the time (well, 19 out of every 20 seconds). Watch out for the Redwood Shepherds with their primal echoes and debilitating shots. Swap in the chalice if you need the extra energy for healing signet (costs 10 energy if there's a primal echoes spirit nearby) or your running skill. If you're always running, you should be well out of pin down range once the spiders drop.

(If you decide to fight your way through, go after the spirits and redwoods first. Once you get past the spiders and trees, you can decide if you want to fight through the trolls and skales or just run. Physical resistance and riposte come in handy when fighting the trolls.)

When you get to a root behemoth, walk up towards it and wait for the 2-3 life pods to pop out. Pick one and start slashing away. Keep one of your stances up for the "in stance" damage bonus. (Using a fiery weapon should boost your damage as well.) If you position yourself near the behemoth but out of melee range, it will sometimes quit attacking while you finish off the life pods. To kill the pods, slash away to build up adrenaline, using healing signet when holy wrath starts wearing you down, and then spike them with galrath and final thrust. Once the pods are dead, just slash and riposte the behemoth to death in no time.

For wind riders, use mantra of resolve so your healing signet won't get interrupted. Try to keep enough energy so that your next interrupt won't cause the stance to drop. Whack away, using healing signet to keep your health up. They'll also try to interrupt Galrath slash, so keep that in mind if you need to conserve energy for when they try to interrupt your next healing signet. You should be able to handle a whole group of these at a time. Use the longbow to separate the groups (especially the patrols near the collector Agrippa Stonehands).

If there's a patrol of wind riders hanging around near a behemoth, try to pull and take care of them first. Do not stand next to a behemoth while taking on wind riders. It will use wild blow on you and mantra of resolve will end. If you need to run, use charge, not sprint, so mantra of resolve doesn't drop and you can still heal if a few are still following you. The wind rider bosses will chase you farther than normal, so you can use that to your advantage to separate them.

After six or seven runs, 15 Totem Axes and two Forgotten Fans had dropped (along with loads of chitin and scales from salvaging). Obviously you can modify the skills (e.g. drop physical resistance if you'll be ignoring the trolls, etc.) and gear, but you should be able to clear the entire zone using this build with no problem.