Curse

Cirian · May 04, 2006, 10:20 PM // 22:20

Is it possible to get through this gate in Ruins of Surmia? I can see a boss just behind it... I tried activating the bonus and making a dash for it (it's where the Ember Bearers appear), but it's closed.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...rictedarea.jpg

As you can see I'm 2% short still, hohum

Cirian · May 04, 2006, 10:39 PM // 22:39

Oh, I've done hardly any FoW or UW at all and I'm at 98.0%. Pretty much just around the entrances, they're not areas I've persevered with. I can probably scrounge the other 2% from bits of the map... I'm still noticing bits I've missed. The very end of Frost Gate is my next port of call...

Evilsod · May 04, 2006, 10:55 PM // 22:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirian

Oh, I've done hardly any FoW or UW at all and I'm at 98.0%. Pretty much just around the entrances, they're not areas I've persevered with. I can probably scrounge the other 2% from bits of the map... I'm still noticing bits I've missed. The very end of Frost Gate is my next port of call...

I was noticing bits missing at 98% too, but by very near 99%, those bits really didn't add up like i'd hoped. I really do have no idea where to look now

eightyfour-onesevenfive · May 04, 2006, 10:55 PM // 22:55

I'm at 98.5% on my Warrior now and while he has seen quite a bit of the FoW, he's never even been to the UW. Also, if those two count, the Ruins of the Tombs of Primeval Kings must count, too, as well as Dragon's Lair mission. I have of course done Dragon's Lair, but I can't think UW and the Ruins together are only worth 1.5%. If they do count, ANet is not only giving us "a little leeway", but rather a whole football stadium of leeway.

Asrial · May 05, 2006, 03:09 AM // 03:09

Whew!

Just joined the 95% club!

Here's what I have left: 3/4's of Lornar's Pass, a smidgeon of Dunes of Despair, 100% of each of the 3 missions on the Fire Islands.

I think I'm on track for 100%

palpants · May 05, 2006, 08:56 AM // 08:56

One that most people miss: enter Sanctum Cay, get off the boat, turn right. It's not much, but when you're at 99.9%, you'll take anything.

Thanks for the help Dragou Du Porzan, you're the best.

Tera · May 05, 2006, 01:02 PM // 13:02

just a suggestion, has any1 checked the dunes mission, SOUTH of the fortress? i did, got about 0.6% from the areas behind it. i suggest using the necro/monk trick. if u dont know it i'll post it somwhere or PM me.+ i didnt check it all, sum noob decided to start the timer and get the gohst killed

but i reckon theres 0.7%-0.8% behind it in total

Cirian · May 05, 2006, 03:19 PM // 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by palpants

Wow! Big grats

I'm going to try really hard over the weekend

Something I use when there's timers involved is to change to /R and load up on Storm Chaser, Dodge and Zojun's Haste (I think that's what it's called) and I get to speed around everywhere. Really handy for Northern Wall and Dunes.

legendel · May 05, 2006, 04:43 PM // 16:43

can i ask what the best way is to explore the area between the lower and higher shiverpeaks?

any advice would be great, as i remember trying to fight my way across it and losing badly.

My primary is ranger, but i'll happily change secondary if it would help. Not after a guide, just advice

Carinae · May 05, 2006, 05:38 PM // 17:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirian

Is it possible to get through this gate in Ruins of Surmia? I can see a boss just behind it... I tried activating the bonus and making a dash for it (it's where the Ember Bearers appear), but it's closed.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...rictedarea.jpg

As you can see I'm 2% short still, hohum

Good, you found him! I noticed him a few months ago, not sure how to get to him. I also wondered if it was linked to the bonus...

Maybe use an Assassain with Deaths Charge?

Maybe you could two man it and have someone camp the gate while the other activates the bonus or whatever.

eightyfour-onesevenfive · May 05, 2006, 08:15 PM // 20:15

I've been there today. The gate doesn't open when you take the bonus, the Ember Bearers spawn in front of it. Also, the boss is too far away to reach it with Deaths Charge. But there are one or two assassin skills that will Shadow Step to a random nearby location, maybe those will work there? I'm working on getting to the secondary profession changer in factions with my Warrior now, so I can make him Assassin and try it. That would be helpful for Dunes, too, as I'm still missing a few corners there (or is there any other way up to that small fort in the south-western corner of the bonus area?)...

I'm at 99.6% now. Dunes should yield another 0.1%, I hope. Then there's still a little bit missing in Lornar's Pass. After that I'll have to go searching with a magnifying glass.

Asrial · May 05, 2006, 08:47 PM // 20:47

The Southern Shiverpeaks.. ugh..

I was doing 100% exploration with two different characters up to Amnoon Oasis. When I got the second character there, I decided to stop doing it with my first character. Figured it was just a waste of time and the exploration is what burnt me out anyways.

Thank god I'm not doing the Shiverpeaks with two characters!

Rankor to Beacon's just about killed me.

Anyways...

I have 97%. I have the final 3 missions to explore and a smidgeon of Dunes of Despair, and that's it. I explored the level 10 arena, the level 15 arena, the Lion's Arch arena, and a little bit of the Droknar's arena.

Carinae · May 05, 2006, 09:04 PM // 21:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by eightyfour-onesevenfive

But there are one or two assassin skills that will Shadow Step to a random nearby location, maybe those will work there?

Ohhhhh. I know of another place where a random teleportation could be very useful...

Quote:

Originally Posted by eightyfour-onesevenfive

I'm at 99.6% now. Dunes should yield another 0.1%, I hope. Then there's still a little bit missing in Lornar's Pass. After that I'll have to go searching with a magnifying glass.

The Dunes bonus area yields .3% by itself, not counting the mission area. You're almost there!

EDIT: Can the boss be pulled with a Longbow?

eightyfour-onesevenfive · May 05, 2006, 09:55 PM // 21:55

No, he's too far away even for a long bow (at least when I was there, his spawn position may vary, though).

I already have most of the Dunes bonus area, only two tiny bits are missing. There's that fort I can't get in and one spot at the western border I seem to have missed so far.

So, where's that other place?

Evilsod · May 05, 2006, 10:57 PM // 22:57

Theres only 1 bit on the entire map i can see that i'm missing. A very small area at the back of Thunderkeep right at the top. Somehow i don't think that will make up for the 0.5% i have left to find...

eightyfour-onesevenfive · May 05, 2006, 11:47 PM // 23:47

Bad news: Shadow Stepping doesn't work. It won't take you to places you can't reach on foot. As such, you can't use it to get past closed doors, which means also, it won't work in the Dunes of Despair mission as an alternative to the good ol' Necrotic Traversal trick. Wich brings me to the point: In said mission, in the very south-west, there is a small and quite meaningless fort. It has a couple of Enchanted in it, iirc, and a closed draw bridge. See this image at Guildwiki, it's marked with a "2" there. You can also see that on this image in the very corner of that fort there's still a little fog on the map. Same as on my map. I have seen maps where this corner is revealed, so there must be a way in there. I haven't found it yet, so I assume, I'll have to use Necrotic Traversal here, too.

Still at 99.6%...

VGJustice · May 06, 2006, 12:28 AM // 00:28

I got up to 95.3% earlier today, so I'm well on my way.

I can see a few places that I've not been to, and I found a couple places I hadn't been to at all in Kryta and in the Southern Shiverpeak foothills on the Krytian side.

Only place that's gonna be a pain to get to will be the area for the bonus in Abbadon's Mouth. I don't think I'll be able to convince some random PUG to tag along that far. But, I'll find a way there eventually.

Dragou Du Porzan · May 06, 2006, 01:05 AM // 01:05

Trying to help out with a couple of the bonus areas recently mentioned...

Ruins of Surmia: It's been awhile since I did this, but I'm pretty sure I know the trick for getting past the gate. When you take the bonus quest from the NPC, four Ember Bearers appear. Instead of killing them, stay out of their aggro range and let them pass. Follow them and they'll slowly make their way to the gate, which will open when they get there. You can then go ahead and kill them, explore the area and get the bonus.

Dunes of Despair: With the help of another forum member (Aldready Dead Lich) I recently cleared this area. Here's the deal with the SW fort: although the bridge is up, you can cross it as if it were down! All you have to do is run straight at it; don't approach from an angle or you'll get caught on an invisible corner.

The trouble is getting over there. Your best case scenario would be to stand on the far northern wall of the main fort without putting the ghost on the platform and drawing the nearby boss over to you with a bow. Kill him and use Necrotic Traversal to get out of the fort without starting the timer. Then stir up some scarabs, get them over to the wall, kill them and let the rest of your party teleport over using their corpses. To do all this, of course, everyone in your party will need to have NT. That and a heck of a lot of patience.

Lacking that, you can always do it the "normal" way: put the ghostly hero on the platform, start the countdown timer and wait until the gates open. This puts the ghost at risk of being killed if he's left alone, of course, and the mission ends if he dies. You'll almost certainly have to have the rest of your party stay and defend the ghost while you make a break for it (meaning you'll be on your own getting past the bowmen guarding SW fort). The best time to make your break is right after you take down the first wave of serpents.

This is a mapping expedition that calls for human companions; henchmen probably won't cut it. If you're doing it the "normal" way, I would also suggest bringing sprint skills plus anything that will help you soak up a lot of damage (you won't have time to fight on your way to the fort - you'll have to sprint past all enemies). If you choose to undertake this little quest, I wish you the best of luck - this is without a doubt one of the most difficult areas to map in the game. Make sure you come prepared!

zeroxy · May 06, 2006, 05:44 AM // 05:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragou Du Porzan

Trying to help out with a couple of the bonus areas recently mentioned...

Ruins of Surmia: It's been awhile since I did this, but I'm pretty sure I know the trick for getting past the gate. When you take the bonus quest from the NPC, four Ember Bearers appear. Instead of killing them, stay out of their aggro range and let them pass. Follow them and they'll slowly make their way to the gate, which will open when they get there. You can then go ahead and kill them, explore the area and get the bonus.

Dunes of Despair: With the help of another forum member (Aldready Dead Lich) I recently cleared this area. Here's the deal with the SW fort: although the bridge is up, you can cross it as if it were down! All you have to do is run straight at it; don't approach from an angle or you'll get caught on an invisible corner.

The trouble is getting over there. Your best case scenario would be to stand on the far northern wall of the main fort without putting the ghost on the platform and drawing the nearby boss over to you with a bow. Kill him and use Necrotic Traversal to get out of the fort without starting the timer. Then stir up some scarabs, get them over to the wall, kill them and let the rest of your party teleport over using their corpses. To do all this, of course, everyone in your party will need to have NT. That and a heck of a lot of patience.

Lacking that, you can always do it the "normal" way: put the ghostly hero on the platform, start the countdown timer and wait until the gates open. This puts the ghost at risk of being killed if he's left alone, of course, and the mission ends if he dies. You'll almost certainly have to have the rest of your party stay and defend the ghost while you make a break for it (meaning you'll be on your own getting past the bowmen guarding SW fort). The best time to make your break is right after you take down the first wave of serpents.

This is a mapping expedition that calls for human companions; henchmen probably won't cut it. If you're doing it the "normal" way, I would also suggest bringing sprint skills plus anything that will help you soak up a lot of damage (you won't have time to fight on your way to the fort - you'll have to sprint past all enemies). If you choose to undertake this little quest, I wish you the best of luck - this is without a doubt one of the most difficult areas to map in the game. Make sure you come prepared!

They mean the gate that the bearers come from, not the gate they pass through on their way to the temple

eightyfour-onesevenfive · May 06, 2006, 10:30 AM // 10:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragou Du Porzan

Dunes of Despair: With the help of another forum member (Aldready Dead Lich) I recently cleared this area. Here's the deal with the SW fort: although the bridge is up, you can cross it as if it were down!

Argh, now you tell me!

And here I was already ralleying my guildies for this...

Thanks, heading there right now.

About Surmia, zeroxy is right. What you describe there is the normal way of doing the mission bonus. We were discussing about the gate where the Ember Bearers come from, which doesn't open (Although I still have to check whether it maybe opens together with the other gates, when the bearers reach ther destination. Though it's unlikely, would be possible.).