Curse

jesh · Nov 05, 2005, 06:47 AM // 06:47

I finally passed thunderhead keep on my stupid warrior, and capped charge. I threw some skills on my bar and went to do some forge runs. I've been waiting for this for a long time now, because the only reason I even play GW anymore is to help others out. Anyway.. here's what I used.

14 Tactics
13 Strength

Stance Collector's Shield
+5e Henge sword w/ +5 defense pommel

Defensive Stance
Healing Signet
Sprint
Shields Up!
Endure Pain
Balanced Stance
I Will Survive!
Charge! {E}

I was too lazy to switch my secondary, so I made three sucessful runs with this build as a w/n. It was pretty easy.. a little challenging, but I got to know the route quickly. My fourth run however, was freakin' terrible. I tried at least 5 times just to get past the first zone. Finally I made it.. and then I died 3 times on Snake Dance because of super strange spawns and lag at just the right moments. I swear, ANet was out to get me for daring to break the mold of w/mo runners.

One of the major reasons I had so much trouble on my fourth run was those ice hex spells getting layed down at just the wrong moments. I know where they spawn, and I know how to avoid them, but I just had terrible luck, I guess. Well I tried switching to w/mo the 4th run. I took Holy Veil and Contemplation of Purity. I hated it. I tried using Watchful Spirt as well, and that didn't work the way that I liked either. I ended up switching back to all warrior skills, then I was able to pass the first zone.. go figure...

Okay, I know this is a super long post by now, but here's my question. How the heck do people do "guaranteed runs" and whatnot? I've seen others run to the forge before, and never get below 75% hp. I have no idea how that's possible.
What do you all use to deal with the water hexes and other slow downs on this run?
Is there any chance that changing my secondary will change the spawns?

I think I read something about a runner using w/me and not even getting mobs that hexed ...

Also, with the skills in their current state, would it be more efficient to go with w/me than w/mo?

Thanks in advance, anyone who decides to post.

:EDIT: Forgot to mention, I don't have a absorbtion rune. I've been too lazy to get one since the price raised so much on the major one.. so I figure I'll just save for the sup rune. (I detest farming) Would -3 dmg make that huge of a difference on this run? For my armor, I'm using glad helm, gaunts, legs, and boots, with knight's chest. I know it'd be better to have knight gaunts or boots, but I think this looks better.

Would switching to 15 gladiator's chest and using an ascalon helm make a noticable difference in the amount of damage I'm taking?

NightOwl · Nov 05, 2005, 08:27 AM // 08:27

Wear one piece of knights armor, and definately use an absorb rune. It really adds up. You don't need 15k armor though, just plain ol' droks is fine.

Manfred · Nov 05, 2005, 07:26 PM // 19:26

if you're a w/mo, which I assume you are (dang wammos are way too common, but whaddayagonnado), holy veil is the way to go. throw it on before you go in, and it's an instant hex removal.

jesh · Nov 05, 2005, 08:14 PM // 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightOwl

Wear one piece of knights armor, and definately use an absorb rune. It really adds up. You don't need 15k armor though, just plain ol' droks is fine.

I said I use a knight chest piece. I know the 15k gladiator armor isnt' any better, but I'm not one to run around with ugly characters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manfred

if you're a w/mo, which I assume you are (dang wammos are way too common, but whaddayagonnado), holy veil is the way to go. throw it on before you go in, and it's an instant hex removal.

I said that I was w/n, and switched to w/mo for hex removal. I'd never fight with monk skills though, puhleaz.

The problem I had with Holy Veil, is not only does it screw my regen, it also doesn't do anything. If I get rid of one mind freeze, then I just get hit with another one as soon as I dispell it. If I just ignore it and keep crawling forward, I don't get hit with a second one. Maybe if I carried Holy Veil and Smite Hex... or I'd just get a third mind freeze on me....

twicky_kid · Nov 06, 2005, 12:12 AM // 00:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesh

I said I use a knight chest piece. I know the 15k gladiator armor isnt' any better, but I'm not one to run around with ugly characters.

I said that I was w/n, and switched to w/mo for hex removal. I'd never fight with monk skills though, puhleaz.

The problem I had with Holy Veil, is not only does it screw my regen, it also doesn't do anything. If I get rid of one mind freeze, then I just get hit with another one as soon as I dispell it. If I just ignore it and keep crawling forward, I don't get hit with a second one. Maybe if I carried Holy Veil and Smite Hex... or I'd just get a third mind freeze on me....

you get hit in the chest the most. knights armor is the weakest armor for warriors and also lose 3 energy from the glad chest you could be using that gives more armor. use knights gloves or boots sup absorption and rest glads. do not use a -75 life sup rune. you will need all the life you can get.

avoid the imps. there is about nothing you can do when you get hit by mind freeze. 90% of the time its game over. veil + contomplate are the best removers possible. veil allows you gain some distance before the spell hits you b/c of the 2x cast times. also allows you to remove it for no energy cost and you do not have to stop running. contemplate is cheap and fast casting.

btw you don't even need charge to run droks that's just a myth. i haven't been past thunderhead and i run it all the time. there is no such thing as garunteed. they say that to attract customers b/c of the competition for runners. doesn't matter how good you are or how many times you have ran it. if the spawns are bad you are not getting through.

Rico Carridan · Nov 06, 2005, 01:34 AM // 01:34

Well, I've done some runs, and have had similar success to you. Sometimes you're just gonna hit a spawn where there's a bunch of ice golems and pinesouls sitting right in your path, and you know that as soon as you step into that are you're gonna get hit with an ice spikes or a trap and end up frozen and dead. To counter it, well, there's only so much you can do: you can bring holy veil/contemplation of purity (note: do not use holy veil all the time; ideally, you should use it only just before you run into a group that you know will slow you, otherwise you'll run out of energy too fast). Some people prefer smite hex instead of holy veil. If you play W/Me you could try hex breaker as well, although that's a stance, so you won't be able to use it with balance, etc.

You may also wish to take a look at the lieutenant's helm that is sold at henge (and only at henge!), which halves the time you are hexed.

Finally, as far as I know, the only way you can guarentee a run, is if you run with a partner. A 2 man team can usually get through most of these trouble areas since one partner can take all of the slows and the other can slip through unhindered.

Rico

jesh · Nov 07, 2005, 05:59 AM // 05:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by twicky_kid

you get hit in the chest the most. knights armor is the weakest armor for warriors and also lose 3 energy from the glad chest you could be using that gives more armor. use knights gloves or boots sup absorption and rest glads. do not use a -75 life sup rune. you will need all the life you can get.

avoid the imps. there is about nothing you can do when you get hit by mind freeze. 90% of the time its game over. veil + contomplate are the best removers possible. veil allows you gain some distance before the spell hits you b/c of the 2x cast times. also allows you to remove it for no energy cost and you do not have to stop running. contemplate is cheap and fast casting.

btw you don't even need charge to run droks that's just a myth. i haven't been past thunderhead and i run it all the time. there is no such thing as garunteed. they say that to attract customers b/c of the competition for runners. doesn't matter how good you are or how many times you have ran it. if the spawns are bad you are not getting through.

Thanks for the reply.. I already have charge, and you're right, but it helps to just get there faster. Like I said, I have knight's armor cause it looks better on the chest imo. When I get 115k I'll replace it with gladiator's. Maybe I'll give holy veil another shot.. even thought the lengthening doesn't help very much. Mind freeze is only a one second cast. I'll get that henge helm, too. Thanks a lot for your reply too, Rico. Much appreciated. =)

super dooper · Nov 07, 2005, 08:53 AM // 08:53

the only ice imps that you really 'have' to run through are the ones from beacon's to the first worm cave. most of the time you can avoid all of the ice imps except the first group as you exit beacon's. if you got caught by the ice imp group that i think you may have (near the worm cave), it's a patrol that runs toward the cave, then runs back, so just wait for them to run by before you head into the cave. you may or may not know this already *shrug*, just trying to give advice.

and thank you twicky for saying that a run is not guaranteed, so many people say that it is, and it may be true if they're running in partners, but i don't care how 'godly' or 'pro' you are, an ass spawn will kill you.

man.. i think i repeated a bunch of stuff that was already said, but.. hope it was helpful to somebody..

twicky_kid · Nov 07, 2005, 10:38 AM // 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico Carridan

You may also wish to take a look at the lieutenant's helm that is sold at henge (and only at henge!), which halves the time you are hexed.

the helm does not cut hex lenght in half. its 33% reduction.

jesh · Nov 07, 2005, 06:47 PM // 18:47

Well at any rate, got the helm, practiced with holy veil, and took smite hex too. Yes I knew about the imps patrol, but there's a couple times that you get deep freezed too.. I can handle it now though.

Thanks so much for your input guys. Only.. 25k left till my sub absorbtion rune.. x_x

I always run for free, so yeah..

pindun · Nov 07, 2005, 06:48 PM // 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesh

Maybe I'll give holy veil another shot.. even thought the lengthening doesn't help very much.

I am not a runner, but I think you missed the point of Veil.

Its not about the lengthening of the cast. Its about it removing a hex when it ends. And here is the key point:

** you can end it yourself by clicking on the maintained spell icon. **

TADA - Instant hex removal.

Cheers,
wei

King_Check05 · Nov 07, 2005, 07:19 PM // 19:19

hey there,

hey my favorite skill to use in running is simply sprint. using it is capaple of outrunning pretty much any enemy and even if you get hexed it still helps you get away.

king_check05

Bugeater · Nov 07, 2005, 08:26 PM // 20:26

I was struggling a lot with hexes on this run when I first started doing it, too. Not so much the imps, but the Ice Seige Golems killed me. That's when I switched my secondary from Monk to Mesmer.

Hex Breaker has a decent duration with low levels in Domination and Inspired hex is a quick and cheap hex removal. Just make sure you let Hex Breaker almost recharge before you agro any hexers so you can recast as soon as it's gone. And make sure not to Sprint while using Hex Breaker since they're both stances.

Also I dropped Heal Area in favor of Illusion of Weakness, which is just about as good for me: the health gain is comparable and the only time I was using Heal Area was when I was down to 25% health anyway.

As far as a "Guaranteed Run" is concerned, I'll advertise that the run is guaranteed or it's free. So if I have to rezone then I'll do it for free. I've had to offer that twice, but each time I got about 60% of what I would have made anyway (most of the players were willing to pay just because I got them there - they didn't really care about the rezone)

Farin · Nov 07, 2005, 08:45 PM // 20:45

I always let my customers know that there's no way to be 100% sure i'll make it. However, I keep one of them at the portal, and tell them that I know if i can make it past a mob or not, if not I just ask him to rezone.

Quote:

I knew about the imps patrol, but there's a couple times that you get deep freezed too

How do you manage to get mind freeze + deep freeze on you? I've never had both on me.

jesh · Nov 07, 2005, 09:44 PM // 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by pindun

I am not a runner, but I think you missed the point of Veil.

Its not about the lengthening of the cast. Its about it removing a hex when it ends. And here is the key point:

** you can end it yourself by clicking on the maintained spell icon. **

TADA - Instant hex removal.

Cheers,
wei

.. Learn to read. I was just saying the hex cast time lengthening effect doesn't do much, because of the short casting time of mind freeze. I know how to use the skill.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaZoO

How do you manage to get mind freeze + deep freeze on you? I've never had both on me.

Haha, I was talking about the siege golems in different parts.. though I think I've managed to do that once or twice.

I've gotten better since then, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I was struggling a lot with hexes on this run when I first started doing it, too. Not so much the imps, but the Ice Seige Golems killed me. That's when I switched my secondary from Monk to Mesmer.
.............
Hex Breaker has a decent duration with low levels in Domination and Inspired hex is a quick and cheap hex removal. Just make sure you let Hex Breaker almost recharge before you agro any hexers so you can recast as soon as it's gone. And make sure not to Sprint while using Hex Breaker since they're both stances.

I was thinking about trying that.. problem is, the time I need hex removal most, I usually need balanced stance as well. If I were to go w/me, it'd be to use echo on balanced stance, lol.

jesh · Nov 07, 2005, 09:55 PM // 21:55

Double posted on accident. -delete-

Kwisatz_Haderach · Nov 07, 2005, 10:19 PM // 22:19

all i have to say to you is "pick your poison"

At times when you run you have to chose between different monster groups that you will have to run through. At times its pinesouls and golems or grawls, giants or shadows blocking your run and you have to run through one group to make it. learn what you can run through easily and take it. With this you can take any spawn and run through it easily (assuming fifty groups dont spawn at a choke point)

also the point behind holy veil is to cast it right before you run into some hexers wait for it to recharge and then run into the imps or golems. with this tactic you can remove 2 hexes in the space of 1.5 secs and continue on your way.

finally learn to love endure pain. that one skill will save your life more than any skill ever invented. Think of it as a free instant 200+ health. Whenever you reach below 100 health cast it and youll make it through any mob easily and have time to kick back and recharge your health.

thats it.

with these tips i have made the droks run too many times to count without rezoning. The time i have ever failed to complete run is when i was disconnected and i dont thinkthat has to do with anything the game has against me.(maybe just my comp)

jesh · Nov 08, 2005, 08:30 PM // 20:30

Hmm.. good thinking one the Holy Veil usage. The rest is kinda obvious, though.

Thanks for the reply.