Curse

Seaman_yemen · Mar 21, 2006, 01:20 AM // 01:20

yay i figured out that 3 times i had a bad spawn but this time it was all good

i got my first IDS on my first kill WOOHOOO

TurinPT · Mar 21, 2006, 01:27 AM // 01:27

luckyy, i had my first IDS after killing like 300 imps.
and if you can't pass the tundra giants use the upper route, no giants there.

Thom Bangalter · Mar 21, 2006, 08:40 AM // 08:40

Ok, i can get to the cave every single time I do this no problem. But once I get to the cave (and every time i get there) there's two or three golems hexing and tridenting me. Additionally, the Avicaria are extremely close to this group, and there's often trolls in the mix too. Did they nerf the spawn or something?

kvndoom · Mar 21, 2006, 09:36 AM // 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thom Bangalter

Ok, i can get to the cave every single time I do this no problem. But once I get to the cave (and every time i get there) there's two or three golems hexing and tridenting me. Additionally, the Avicaria are extremely close to this group, and there's often trolls in the mix too. Did they nerf the spawn or something?

Nothing has changed other than the level 10 golems becoming level 24 golems with better spells. I modified my build just a tad; if I remember I'll post it when I get home. But the strategy has not changed a bit. Trolls first, then Golems, then Imps. 1 Troll is not a problem. 2 Trolls can sometimes get the better of you. Sometimes I'll die just killing 1 of them, then go back and get the 2nd one. DP disappears really fast once you're in the cave anyway.

Golems are a total non-issue, if you're using the right skills / armor / equipment. You should be taking almost no damage from any of their spells.

When the chickens are mixed with the Imps at the mouth of the cave, so sorry. Bad spawn. You got screwed, that's life. You need to rezone and hope for the best next time. The amount of time it takes to (hopefully) separate the KFC from the Imps is usually more than just running back and rezoning (and a LOT more than just dying and rezoning).

Looking at some of the recent posts, it's pretty obvious that a lot of people aren't taking the time to read or at least skim through the entie thread. All the questions that are being asked have already been answered multiple times. I don't mind helping, but sheesh, all I'm doing at this point is repeating myself. I get PM's in-game from people asking me where the cave is (there are maps in this thread), what skills they need to bring (there are probably half a dozen viable builds posted in here), and my personal favorite- "it's impossible! I can't do it!"

When I post again, it's going to be a thorough guide, start to finish, and after that, I'm not helping anyone else on this subject. Short of doing it for you, there's not much more help I can provide.

Manic Smile · Mar 22, 2006, 08:27 AM // 08:27

still doable...less attack...it's about dmg reduction and avoidance not healing and damage dealing...think about it...

Stank Tank · Mar 22, 2006, 03:28 PM // 15:28

How do you get to the imp cave with those ice imps? Is that anywhere near the Ettins?

No, I'm kidding

What a wonderful build! I would have never thought it was possible but it's so EZ! I got an IDS last night on the 7th run I think (it was also the first run I did when we had favor so maybe that helps the odds?). I can kill the ice beast with riposte, sever and gash in about 2 mins. The shadows will pop up one at a time if you take one step, pause, one step, pause,etc. After the kill just follow your footsteps and keep it up until you get all 6 b/c if all of em pop at once it's curtains. TY FOR THE BUILD!!!

X Firestorm · Mar 22, 2006, 06:46 PM // 18:46

i can get past ice golems now

but now that ele boss just before cave is giving me trouble

MatticusMaximus · Mar 22, 2006, 09:22 PM // 21:22

alright... I'm trying to do this run and I constantly get raped in Tasca's Demise (or whatever its called, the first part of the run) by hexes and bleeding and water trident, etc. If anybody out there can give me some advice (or better yet, run through it with me in game) for a sword warrior on this run, that would be amazing.

Lando Griffen · Mar 22, 2006, 10:07 PM // 22:07

I suppose I could show you sometime

IGN=sir lando griffen

TurinPT · Mar 22, 2006, 10:23 PM // 22:23

its easy when you know how to do it, you can do it without meeting any siege golem.
after passing the first group keep going ahead, you wont meet any foe till you pass the bridge, sprint thru them and youll see a group with an heretic and a golem going down to the portal, wait till they go and come back, about 1 min wait but hey.. the whole path to the res shrine gets clear.

MatticusMaximus · Mar 22, 2006, 11:40 PM // 23:40

ok nevermind... I just watched the video tutorial and it was so helpful. Didn't know that I was supposed to turn right... away from the golems...

*edit*

Ok... I need some serious help. I can do the run just fine until I run into the tundra giants. They always rape me. Are there any skills or tricks I can use to get around these baddies?

TurinPT · Mar 23, 2006, 04:16 AM // 04:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatticusMaximus

Ok... I need some serious help. I can do the run just fine until I run into the tundra giants. They always rape me. Are there any skills or tricks I can use to get around these baddies?

this has been said like 10 times in this thread, you either kill them or take the nothern route

Lando Griffen · Mar 23, 2006, 04:47 AM // 04:47

I always use balanced stance for that part, the only attack skills I really need are sever artery and either galrath slash or desperation blow.

kvndoom · Mar 23, 2006, 05:38 PM // 17:38

Okay, been busier than I thought, but I wanted to at least get some screens up. I'll edit this post when I can.

North Route:

North vs. South (and no, not the Civil War...): I always take the north route. There are multiple reasons. For one, it's faster, since I don't have to deal with Tundra Giants. Second, and most importantly, when you die, you rez at the closest shrine. If you get a bad spawn at the cave entrance, or you've cleared the cave and want to rezone and do another run, the easiest way to do so is to die and then run to the zone marker just south of the rez shrine (see big green arrow). If you take the south route, the rez shrine is very deep into the run, and instead of just zipping past one pack of chickens to rezone, you have to backtrack through several. And it's a much longer way back. Personally, I'm trying to REDUCE the time it takes to get back to the Imps. That's what it's all about in the long run anyway, right?

Thunderwing: He's not a problem anymore, so seeing him blocking a bridge shouldn't even worry you. Here's how to survive. When you spot him, click on him to see his skill use, then start running. Get as far as you can, then when you see him about to cast Iron Mist, stop running, hit Dolyak Signet AND Elemental Resistance, and begin spamming Heal Signet until Iron Mist (and Dolyak) wears off. Then run like hell. Under IM you can only take damage from lightning, and of course Thunderwing casts Lightning Orb immediately after snaring you. However, degen still applies, so if you get Phantom Pain on you, you're gonna have degen with a deep wound to follow it. That's why you want as much health as you can have when IM wears off, so you can survive a couple hits from the melee or archer chickens and haul ass towards your destination. But I've tried this, and it does work quite well.

Equipment, Skills, and Stats:

Attribute distribution: I have a Superior Sword rune, in order to get 12 Swordsmanship and do 100% damage with my weapon. Beyond that, Minor Strength, Minor Tactics, Superior Vigor, Major Absorption.

Armor setup: Most of you guys are using Knight's boots, which is fine. I just got tired of their sheer ugliness, so I went with an Ascalon helmet for my -2 damage, since I can hide the helmet (which is equally ugly). Yes I know my desert boots and Ascalon Helmet are 80 armor vs. Elemental, but head and feet only account for 25% of all hits. 75% of the spells will hit me in the chest/leggings/gloves, which are 85 armor Wyvern. I can live with those odds. And PLEASE don't forget to stich back to your regular helmet when you get to the cave. YOu'll be quickly reminded to do so if you do forget...

The 45/2 shield is for running, the -2/-3 shield is for fighting once you get in the cave. I know perfect shields are expensive (I ought to know, since I bought one), but it's a huge help if you can afford it. At the very worst, just use your 45/2 shield the whole time. Not as efficient, but better than nothing. (High health) < (armor + damage reduction), except when facing Trolls or Shadows, since they have fixed damage attacks. In those cases switch back to your 45/2 shield for the extra health. You might even go so far as to bring an extra set of gloves with a minor swordsmanship rune, to switch and get 75 health back in a pinch. (I do now, and just switch to my Superior rune glves when I get to the cave)

Sword vs. Axe: Ahh, the debate goes on. As far as I'm concerned, the degen from bleeding far supercedes any extra damage an axe attack MIGHT do (with a 6-28 damage range, "MIGHT" is a very important consideration). And you get your deep wound in with Gash as well. There are a grand total of two enemy types that you'll be fighting that don't bleed- Ice Golems and Shadows- and their number are very small (7 Shadows and 4 golems tops for the entire run). Sever + Gash on an Imp is a very fast kill. Helps get rid of Trolls faster too. Do what you want, but I know what works best for me.

Fire damage weapon: EDIT: Imps are weak against fire, as well as Ice Golems, Ice Beast, pretty much everything in the cave. I tested today on all enemies, and switching between my Fiery Dragon Sword and a physical damage (zealous or Barbed) weapon showed a marked increase in damage per attack when using the fire weapon. I'd say at least 50% more damage per hit. I've found Zealous to be totally unnecessary for this run, because once I reach the cave, the only skill I use that requires energy is Ele Resistance, and my energy is always back at 20 when that skill recharges. So Fire damage is the ONLY way to go.

Water Trident=0. Maelstrom=0. Ice Spear=0.

-2 Helmet, -2 Rune, -2 stance, -3 hexed... saving yourself 9 damage per attack REALLY adds up.

4 Azure Shadows. It's what's for dinner.

Keep Dolyak up, heal often, just keep thwacking away. I've taken on as many as 6 at once and survived, it's not really that hard. I learned this morning that even though they have melee attacks, it's elemental damage, because I swapped between Sprint and Elemental Resistance for my stance, and under Sprint, the damage from melee attacks ranged from 4-15, but under ER it dropped to 1's and 0's. Food fer thought...

Ice Beast- if it bleeds, we can kill it:

Just found this out this morning. Even though under Mist Form the Beast can't take damage, your hits still count. So not only do you gain adrenaline, but Bleeding and Deep Wound still apply! Isolate the Ice Beast, then keep hitting him with Sever to negate his +3 natural regen. When Mist Form wears off (when your attacks actually do damage), hit him with Gash (you'll only be able to hit with Gash once before MF recharges, but it's good to get that +damage in). Then once he casts MF again, just keep the Bleeding up. Repeat till he's dead. Takes a few minutes, but it's totally worth it to get him out of your way since he sometimes body blocks you from other enemies.

Again, I'll add to this post as soon as I get more time.
3/24... put in some more info
3/25... added how to kill Ice Beast, tested and found Fire does more damage on all enemies

X Firestorm · Mar 23, 2006, 09:26 PM // 21:26

ok ive can now make it to cave. iv made it twice and both times i die

. my att are same as yours too but i use a sup axe not sup strenght but it works out the same

outferno · Mar 24, 2006, 12:11 AM // 00:11

I can also tank 4 Azures, but it takes a lot of concentration. I do not have as good as items as Etterwyn, but I've made it on several occassions and have farmed 8 IDS so far

If any of you want some help and see me on, I'm on as Meat Face. I'll glady help you guys.

outferno · Mar 24, 2006, 03:36 AM // 03:36

Great, looks like they nerfed the resists. I'm running IDS right now and I'm taking a LOT of damage that I never took before.

kvndoom · Mar 25, 2006, 12:38 PM // 12:38

Ehh, you SURE you didn't take Physical by accident? I just did a run, was taking the exact same damage as always, got 2 swords from it too.

And... updating my "final" post above, can now kill Ice Beast pretty easily.

outferno · Mar 25, 2006, 09:50 PM // 21:50

I was using the exact same spells as before - maybe it was just a bad run. For some odd reason I was taking more damage than usual, hahaha. I've only gotten IDS once in the last 3 days.

KindredPhantom · Apr 03, 2006, 08:39 PM // 20:39

Ive tried this run and ive followed virtually everything you have said kvndoom in your latest post. Ive come to the conclusion that the south route is a better option as the chances of death are better than the north route. Whenever i take the north route a Ice troll and Ice Imps kill me part of the way.