Curse

The Way Out · Nov 09, 2007, 09:21 PM // 21:21

Many people will give you their opinions on this matter... and great builds for this. This is by far... the easiest mission in GWEN. There is no trick to beating him. He kills you through AoE. The way you approach any AoE damager is the same... spread out. I mean that. any monks you have should be spread out far enough away from each other where they heal and prot without getting killed at the same time. Having real people with you is great. Everyone grab a keg from the lazy non-fighting dwarf and go and drop it near him. chances are one of you will die in the process. Three kegs drop his Carapace... then fight him. Interupts are great... but you can kill him nevertheless... tanks are great... same.... degens... same.... get his armor down and wipe him. If he recovers... repeat... no need for a poorly mapped mspaint diagram. If you've died there you know why.

Mark Nevermiss · Nov 16, 2007, 05:54 PM // 17:54

Today I wanted to get my elementalist to finish EoTN, so I followed the tried and proven touch ranger approach, and it did not disappoint this time either.
I just held my H/H back till he hit me a couple times then told them to go crazy, no flagging, no hassle.

[edit] to say that this is the easiest mission in EoTN is by far not true. Would you say A Little Help or the Bloodstone is more difficult or Tracking the Nornbear? LOL

The Way Out · Nov 16, 2007, 06:03 PM // 18:03

Sweet... I knew touch rangers were good for something... lmao

tmr819 · Nov 21, 2007, 12:00 AM // 00:00

There seem to be three types of posts in this rather longish thread:

(1) Seeking help: "Cyndr is wiping my hero/hench team. How do I defeat this boss?"
[He IS difficult. If you are attempting this mission with a Hero/Hench team, I feel your pain. It is altogether reasonable to ask for help/advice.]

(2) Unhelpful: "Cyndr is SOOO easy!!! Me and a couple of my guildies downed him in, like, 2 seconds flat!!"
[Well, of course, you did. This mission is a walk in the park with LIVE PLAYERS. It is an altogether different story -- and far more challenging -- with witless NPCs.]

(3) Helpful: "Cyndr can be beat with Heroes/Henches, and here's how I did it..."
[Ahh, THESE are the posts I'm looking for!]

So, thank you, Mark Nevermiss, for the 3-R/N Hero approach. I am looking forward to trying that one out! Could you list the actual skills in their builds? Most of them I recognize, but some of the icons are new to me.

As for my warrior, I was able to Hero/Hench this mission using:
--Jora as W to tank/interrupt Cyndr (having Defy Pain helped with her)
--Ogden as Mo/Rt to backup LoD (Light of Deliverance) heal and drop regen/prot spirits
--Pyre as R to spam BHA (Broad Head Arrow) daze interrupts
--Menlo
--Herta
--Zho (I'd take Lina next time, I think)
--Lo Sha

But this mission was NOT easy, even so.

One of the most aggravating things about H/H-ing this mission for me is that the four henches break off fighting and run around like witless dolts every time I went for a keg because their AI tells them I'm retreating. In a sense, the solo player is thus left playing with half a team every time you go collect a keg from Budger. Thus, you really depend on your Heroes. I sure wish henches had the same Aggressive/Defensive/Passive option that Heroes have!

The key thing for me was to set Pyre and Jora on AGGRESSIVE (flagging Ogden back a bit to support them) and then lock them both onto Cyndr when he first pops up.

Fooling with the kegs is a pain, however, and "distracts" your henches from the fight. I look forward to trying the ranger/necro tactic described by Mark a couple of posts above this one.

angmar_nite · Nov 21, 2007, 02:27 AM // 02:27

Does that work on hm? the touch builds?

Mark Nevermiss · Nov 21, 2007, 03:04 AM // 03:04

[skill]vampiric bite[/skill][skill]vampiric touch[/skill][skill]throw dirt[/skill][skill]whirling defense[/skill][skill]dryder's defenses[/skill][skill]offering of blood[/skill][skill]troll unguent[/skill][skill]resurrection signet[/skill]

Attribute points:
Blood Magic: 12
Expertise: 11+1+2
Wilderness Survival : 6+1

Template Code: OgQTQ47itpGyJQNCHijkw3gxBA

Good luck

About henchies breaking aggro: its true, thats why you see me in the screenshot melee'ing him with a totem axe for 0 damage

. Earth defenses made his damage laughable on my ele as you can see from the screenshots.

Sir Moak · Nov 21, 2007, 04:22 AM // 04:22

I don't know if it still works, but I beat that quest quite easily with my necro.
The build I used: OANDQsx/QFCGONiqQcBVVbhxEA

Heroes don't play this build well, but on a human necro this still rocks.
I was using this build around that time, and had no idea about the difficulty of this quest. Since I've already seen what running around does to hench AI, I skipped the barrels at the start. Basically what I noticed was that the H&H team did nothing, just kept me alive (which was no small task

), but couldn't damage Cyndr.

It took me a little while to kill that wurm, but basically with this build a necro has the advantage of staying behind and can keep spamming skills without running out of energy. All damage is shadow or life stealing and all you have too look after is when to use Angorodon's Gaze to refill your health bar.

I hope this helped.

tmr819 · Nov 21, 2007, 02:01 PM // 14:01

I am curious about one thing. Does Cyndr submerge and then move elsewhere only if his carapace is brought down?

In other words, if you tried the direct, necro/lifestealing approach (and don't bother with the kegs), will he just stay in one place?

P.S. Thanks for posting the build, Mark! I was trying to make out the elite skill and thought it might be Spoil Victor. Offering of Blood is much better and addresses what had been my main concern about the build: insufficient energy. I'll have to pick that elite up next time I'm in game.

The Way Out · Nov 21, 2007, 02:10 PM // 14:10

tm819

Yes he will stand there and take it like a wurm! He did relocate when I degened him.

I've beaten him with degen and the traditional keg and slash/nuke. He will stay there and just degen to death. I still find it odd that people try to h/h everything. Things are easier with guild members, but I guess that is why I am in a guild. I like to get from point A to point B in a straight line, which is the shortest route. I don't have much fun trying to hh everything (even though I admit I beat two campaigns that way. Trying to beat this particular mission hh was a waste of my time. Just that fact that I have to alter builds on both myself and my heroes for this mission was a waste of time. However, if you are that die-hard kind of alone player, by all means... hh away. Thanks for the touch post, that was helpful to a lot of people.

On another note, this is a good way to get gold items and asuran/dwarven points at the same time. Just keep going back to Eye of North and join parties with people who need the quest. You can also be of help to people who don't rtfm.

boxterduke · Nov 21, 2007, 02:11 PM // 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Nevermiss

Today I wanted to get my elementalist to finish EoTN, so I followed the tried and proven touch ranger approach, and it did not disappoint this time either.
I just held my H/H back till he hit me a couple times then told them to go crazy, no flagging, no hassle.

When Gwen came out, and I got Pyre I tried three touch rangers as a build to kill stuff with but they never really did anything.
So my question is, what weapon you have equipped on them, when I used a staff, they just stood there wanding away.

tmr819 · Nov 21, 2007, 02:31 PM // 14:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Way Out

I still find it odd that people try to h/h everything. Things are easier with guild members, but I guess that is why I am in a guild. I like to get from point A to point B in a straight line, which is the shortest route. I don't have much fun trying to hh everything (even though I admit I beat two campaigns that way. Trying to beat this particular mission hh was a waste of my time.

I totally agree with you. I much prefer going in a group. The whole thing is quicker and easier. But I just don't like being *dependent* on a group and want to know how to solo it if there's a way. Plus, to me, there is a certain extra measure of challenge in learning to defeat these kinds of missions on your own.

It's kind of like cracking a safe or solving a puzzle. I enjoy that sort of challenge.

The followup challenge is how to complete a mission and get Masters (in cases where Masters or a Bonus is offered).

Mark Nevermiss · Nov 21, 2007, 03:40 PM // 15:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxterduke

When Gwen came out, and I got Pyre I tried three touch rangers as a build to kill stuff with but they never really did anything.
So my question is, what weapon you have equipped on them, when I used a staff, they just stood there wanding away.

I equipped them each with a staff and they did well. Pyre seems to wuss out abit, I mean look at his energy and health compared to poor Margrid and Jin. It seems the Charr are cowards after all :P

I confirm that Cyndr will not burrow when you use this approach so its win/win in this regard too.

regarding the reason I H/H most things in the game: it would be fun to do this in a guild group - I agree, but I havent been in a guild for a very long time. I havent been fortunate enough to ever land in an active guild so I decided not to bother joining anymore.

tmr819 · Nov 22, 2007, 12:17 AM // 00:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Nevermiss

Pyre seems to wuss out abit, I mean look at his energy and health compared to poor Margrid and Jin. It seems the Charr are cowards after all :P

I note that Pyre is set to defensive while the other two are aggressive. Would that have made a difference?

Mark Nevermiss · Nov 22, 2007, 02:49 AM // 02:49

Yeah it seems like the only reasonable explanation. It was the first and last time I ever used Pyre so yeah.

Xylia · Nov 29, 2007, 05:38 PM // 17:38

As a side note, you can't strike through the carapace in Hard mode. I went there with a guild group last week and we had to keg the carapace before we could do any damage, even with life steal skills. Spoil Victor and Pain Inverter won the day on this one.

On normal mode, I brought all 3 necro heroes and myself (also a necro). I don't remember the overall build, but I know I was using Spoil Victor and some vamp skills, Livia was set up with life transfer and some vamp skills, MoW was probably using an MM build to help get through the dungeon, and Olias was using a curses build with SS. I'm sure I brought the Prot and Heal henchmen, and probably Devona and Herta or Talon. In the end, we just smacked Cyndr with all the life drain/shadow damage skills and he went down hard.

If I were to go again, I'd probably take a build like this:
[skill]Spoil Victor[/skill][skill]Pain Inverter[/skill][skill]awaken the blood[/skill][skill]Vampiric Gaze[/skill][skill]Barbed Signet[/skill][skill]Shadow Strike[/skill][skill]Signet of Lost Souls[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]
[skill]Life Transfer[/skill][skill]Life Siphon[/skill][skill]Awaken the Blood[/skill][skill]Vampiric Gaze[/skill][skill]Barbed Signet[/skill][skill]blood ritual[/skill][skill]Signet of Lost Souls[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]
[skill]Spiteful Spirit[/skill][skill]Enfeebling Blood[/skill][skill]Reckless Haste[/skill][skill]Insidious Parasite[/skill][skill]Signet of Sorrow[/skill][skill]Rip Enchantment[/skill][skill]Signet of Lost Souls[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]
[skill]Icy Veins[/skill][skill]animate bone minions[/skill][skill]death nova[/skill][skill]putrid bile[/skill][skill]rising bile[/skill][skill]signet of sorrow[/skill][skill]Signet of Lost Souls[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

The build I took in my guild group for HM was:
[skill]Spoil Victor[/skill][skill]Vampiric Gaze[/skill][skill]Barbed Signet[/skill][skill]Blood Ritual[/skill][skill]Pain Inverter[/skill][skill]Light of Deldrimore[/skill][skill]Necrosis[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

Mark Nevermiss · Dec 03, 2007, 08:42 PM // 20:42

I was wondering if a warrior with [skill]Illusionary Weaponry[/skill][skill]Flurry[/skill] with a totem axe or rajazan's sword or equivalent could also hit through the carapace

boxterduke · Dec 04, 2007, 02:02 PM // 14:02

I just want to say thanks to Mark Nevermiss about the touch ranger tip.
I went in with my Monk a week ago and did the mission and even finished the game with just h/h
Touch rangers ftw in this mission.

tmr819 · Dec 04, 2007, 02:26 PM // 14:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxterduke

I just want to say thanks to Mark Nevermiss about the touch ranger tip.
I went in with my Monk a week ago and did the mission and even finished the game with just h/h
Touch rangers ftw in this mission.

I really have to second this. I was helping a friend with Cyndr yesterday (both of us playing warriors). We wiped and wiped again on this mission and finally gave up. I went back a second time with my friend, again with our two warriors but this time I brought along two (just two!)

of Mark's touch ranger heroes (my warrior's Acolyte Jin is only level 10 or so and has never been played, so I brought a warding Zhed instead). My friend's Heroes are kinda only so-so. (He does not have many skills for them yet.)

So, with my Pyre and Margrid as touch rangers, two human warriors, my Zhed, my friend's Dunkoro, Zho, and Menlo we handled Cyndr just fine.

My warrior friend insisted on trying to do the powder kegs while the rest of us engaged Cyndr. My friend's messing with the kegs was actually counterproductive. The two rangers had Cyndr down to ca. 1/3 health when my friend dropped the third keg. Once Cyndr's carapace went down, he submerged, and I thought "Oh, no, we have to start all over." But his health was still at 1/3 even though his carapace was back when he reemerged, and we finished him off with just the two rangers and the rest of us interrupting what we could. The kegs are fine if you have a group of human players (3+ preferably). Otherwise, they are just a major nuisance.

Moreover, I forgot to equip +energy weapons on the rangers, and they were still amazingly effective. I can only imagine how much easier it'd be with three such rangers.

Pyro maniac · Dec 04, 2007, 02:53 PM // 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Nevermiss

I was wondering if a warrior with [skill]Illusionary Weaponry[/skill][skill]Flurry[/skill] with a totem axe or rajazan's sword or equivalent could also hit through the carapace

would prefer R/Me with IW then. Tigers Fury as IAS and Storm Chaser to fuel up energy

Mark Nevermiss · Dec 04, 2007, 08:49 PM // 20:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyro maniac

would prefer R/Me with IW then. Tigers Fury as IAS and Storm Chaser to fuel up energy

Actually since I have already done this on my warrior and my ranger was next in line [currently doing the Bookah line], I was planning on testing this setup on her. Hopefully Illusionary Weaponry proves effective, otherwise Cyndr will have 4 touch rangers on him this time