Curse

the_jos · Dec 12, 2006, 11:15 PM // 23:15

Since many people struggle to get the nice old dragon killed, I have been thinking about a team build that does not require any physical or elemental damage to kill Glint.
This one is core professions only, but uses/mentions some skills from other campaigns.

Comments are very welcome.

The required characters for this build are:
- Curses Necromancer, main skill: Soul Barbs
- Illusions Mesmer, main skill: Fragility

At 16 curses, Soul Barbs does 31 damage to target when an enchantment or hex is cast at the target.
At 16 Illusions, Fragility does 21 damage whenever the target suffers or recovers from a new condition.

Since we are killing Glint and that's a Prophecies boss, both hexes and conditions last only half time, which is good for the Fragility.
Fragility can be put on Glint all the time, Soul Barbs has 5 seconds not covered (lasts 30 seconds, that's 15 on Glint and the reload time is 20 seconds).

With those two skills, we can determine the rest of the team.
We want as much hexes and conditions on Glint, without doing any physical or elemental damage.

Team setup (condition skills only, expaination below):

Warriors (W/N):
- Blood Drinker (bleeding self)
- Chilbains (poison self)
- Enfeeble (weakness)
- Plague Signet / Your All Alone / Headbutt (Send all conditions / Cripple / Daze with plague send)

Rangers (R/N):
- Snare (cripple)
- Blood Drinker (bleeding self)
- Chilbains (poison self)
- Enfeeble (weakness)
- Smoke Trap / Virulence (Daze + Blind / Disease + Poison + Weakness)
- Plague sending skill

Mesmer (Me/any)
- Fragility (main skill)
- Phantom Pain / Accumulated Pain (Deep Wound)
- Inspired Hex (to remove Crystal Haze)
- Any Hex that does not cause elemental damage (prefer degen) and can be cast fast

Necro (Ne/any)
- Soul Barbs (main skill)
- Any Hex that does not cause elemental damage (prefer life draining / degen) and can be cast fast

Elementalist (E/N):
- Blinding Flash (Blind)
- Burning Speed (Burning self and adjenct)
- Plague sending skill
- Any Hex that does not cause elemental damage and can be cast fast.

Monk (Mo/Me)
- Inspired Hex (to remove Crystal Haze, at 3 inspiration magic you can do this for free (cost and gain both 5 energy)
- Hex Breaker (optional, to make sure you will not suffer from Crystal Haze exhaust too much)
- Any preferred healing / protecting skill.

The least preferred member seems the ranger, but with interrupts he/she can put a stop to Crystal Hibernation, saving time.

The Hex part is simple.
Put as many on Glint in a short time, causing 31 damage each time.
The degen hexes are to counter the +7 regen from Crystal Hibernation

Conditions cause 21 damage on start and end, so take those that last short.
Remember that you only apply a condition when the old one has ended, this requires some coordination.

When ran correctly, this team build could do 2x 126 damage in short time on conditions (6 x 21, max 189)
The hexes should be around 400 damage, 12 hexes x 31.
This is 3 casters with each 3 hexes cast.
That's about 650 damage dealt in less than 30 seconds, without using Physical or Elemental.

To speed up the process, the mesmer can take Ineptitude (142 damage, but blinds for 10 seconds (5 on Glint), so that's one Blinding Flash less, netting about 100 additional damage).
Wastrel's Worry could do some decent damage, with enough points in Domination (the build requires max Illusions)
Clumsiness adds well, since Glint will be attacking most of the time and it's a Hex.

/Ne Warriors and Rangers can take life stealing skills (like the touch ranger build). The Plague sending skills are also very usefull against those 'dirty' rangers.
The main Necro could use Spoil Victor or Insidious Parasite.
When they have Nightfall, consider Signet of Suffering (37 damage for each hex on Glint, max 140)

Conditions and considerations:

Bleeding:
Rangers have the Lacerate spirit, but that one has a 30 seconds recharge, which is too long.
A necro can use Blood Drinker and Signet of Agony combined with a condition transfering skill.
The best is Blood Drinker, since the duration is only 10 seconds, compared to the 25 from Signet.
Other bleeding needs damage.

Blindness:
Warriors kan use Belly Smash, but this is dangerous because if they continue to attack, they will hit with physical or elemental damage.
Rangers have Throw Dirt and Smoke Trap, the latter is elite, but does cause dazed.
The Elementalist can use blinding Flash, this one last only 3 seconds with no Air magic.

Burning:
The only skill I'm aware of that causes burning without damage is Burning Speed, which can be combined with a plague sending skill.

Cripple:
Warriors can cause cripple and weakness with the 'Your All Alone' shout. It's an Nightfall elite.
Rangers can cause cripple with snare (trap), minimum 3 seconds and 20 seconds recharge.
The mesmer has Illusion of Haste, 15 seconds cripple, but only after 11 seconds if it's the same mesmer as the Fragility.

Dazed:
Warriors can use Headbutt (elite), this touch skill does additional damage (don't know if it's physical, weapon related or plain damage).
Rangers have Smoke Trap.

Deep Wound:
Mesmers can cause Deep Wound with Phantom Pain (with additional degen) and Accumulated Pain (deals damage). Both are linked to Illusions, which is linked to the duration of the Deep Wound.

Disease:
Only Necromancer, the only usefull spell is Virulence (elite)
It's linked to Death Magic, so no longer duration (minimum 3 seconds)

Poison:
Virulence (mentioned at Disease) causes Poison, as does Chilblains (on self, use plague sending)

Weakness:
Is caused by Virulence and the 'Enfeeble' Necro skills.
The latter are linked to curses, so not the best choice for the 'primary' necro.

SpitfireIXA · Dec 12, 2006, 11:23 PM // 23:23

How are you planning to make it to her to start with? >.<
And your ele would run out of energy quickly spamming Flash every possible second.
Good brainstorming though.

Scourgey · Dec 13, 2006, 12:15 AM // 00:15

I would still get some interrupts in there.

LicensedLuny · Dec 13, 2006, 01:00 AM // 01:00

Cheers to the OP for imagination!

Cheers to SpitfireXA for pointing out that one minor problem of getting to her (hey, it didn't occur to me right away.)

Seems like this team, especially with only one monk, might have some trouble getting through those forgotten mesmers and the crystal ele guys. Better be sure to have the necro come prepared to battery like mad in the event of mob control mishaps along the way.

I've never had *that* much trouble killing her with quickly-thrown-together groups of friends/henchies as long as we had one or two people knowing to try to interrupt her and another knowing to try to help keep haze off the monks.

Has she gotten a lot harder in the last few months? Np, if not, just curious. Working out very situational builds just for a lark is great too!

(EDIT, addition) A concern:

This may very well work, but I suspect the problems most people have with her are that too many people on the team don't understand how this bit of the game works (like I said, never had many problems with it in groups of friends where we do a quick "ok, ele and non-ele weapons available? couple interrupts? haze removal? everyone got a cap sig if you want it?" review in the outpost.)

So this might actually be a harder build for the general recommendation. Too restrictive of which professions, which skills (some not available until So. Shiv.)

If you get 8 people willing and able to get this specific up front, you probably have 8 people that could easily manage her on any number of team builds.

I think I support the general advice to those having trouble with her of

learn what you're facing (either through trial and error or posted walkthrus)
don't waste much time trying it with pugs that aren't willing to discuss, explain, and plan ahead of time
kick any pug member that gets impatient during said process or refuses to switch their build or weapon without a reasonable explanation why not (on the same idea, don't be that pug member!)

Luny

mwpeck · Dec 13, 2006, 01:24 AM // 01:24

I honestly dont see why people have so much trouble with glint.

My friend and I did Dragon's Lair to get to droks(instead of paying for a run). We got to glint, didnt think we would even come close to killing her, but we figured "what the heck, we'll try it for fun". In about 5 minutes, we ended up killing her, my friend and I were both ele's, I was fire(searing flames) he was earth(obsidian flame, etc). My friend doesnt have NF, I do, I took koss, Talhkora and Magrid(setup as barrage). And we had the protector hench, brawler hench, and the cultist.

As I said, we ended up killing her in about 5 minutes, she went down REALLY fast till she started using crystal hibernation, then is when it took the most time. But we kept at it and had her dead, suprising both of us.

Koss didnt have Wild Blow either, and with no interrupts, she used all her skills to their full extent. And at the most, the brawler hench and koss died maybe 3 times.(i think koss died once and the brawler died twice)

Lyphen · Dec 13, 2006, 01:37 AM // 01:37

We did it in two minutes or so. Zenmai with Distracting Blow, Jin with Savage/Distracting Shot, Orders Olias. Lynn, Alesia, Thom, me (Ranger) and a relative (Warrior). I ran out of energy quite quickly because I didn't know what I was doing, we were just doing it to get my Canthan to Droknar, but Heroes saved the day.

LicensedLuny · Dec 13, 2006, 01:53 AM // 01:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwpeck

I honestly dont see why people have so much trouble with glint.

Glad to hear you didn't have trouble with her using SF and heroes. Honest, glad to hear that!

I think the OP is trying to help the people that haven't quite figured out what glint does and/or can't find teams of friends/pugs that also understand. You'll notice he/she's trying to use only skills available from Prophecies. Those having trouble with her likely don't have heroes with lots of unlocked skills at their disposal and the beefed-up-compared-to-Prophecies-monsters skills from NF.

I agree, Glint really isn't very hard. My first time through Ch1 was on my ranger. I killed her on the first try with a team of henchies. I didn't understand what all the great fuss was about until much later when I realized not everyone automatically runs around with two or more interrupts on their bar.

I'd say therein lies the problem people have with her. Glint is one of the first things you come across in Prophecies that really requires you to understand the opponent's tactics and counter it with your own play strategy. You can get that far into the game just beating/nuking your way over most of the AI mobs with little consideration given to what builds they're using. You could and can pretty easily hench that far into the game without facing situations that forced you work as a part of a somewhat coordinated team. My henching her with a ranger was just plain luck that I liked running interrupts, wasn't great skill or foresight on my part.

Anyway, I think that's why so many people have such trouble with her.

Luny

beltran13579 · Dec 13, 2006, 02:03 AM // 02:03

y go through so much trouble to kill the glint that way when u dont have to find anyone but an interupter

mwpeck · Dec 13, 2006, 02:55 AM // 02:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by LicensedLuny

I agree, Glint really isn't very hard. My first time through Ch1 was on my ranger. I killed her on the first try with a team of henchies. I didn't understand what all the great fuss was about until much later when I realized not everyone automatically runs around with two or more interrupts on their bar.

Yeah, I wasnt trying to bash the OP, just pointing out that it isnt as hard as some people make it out to be.

When I went through there on my mesmer, it went much faster and easier because at the time I was in love w/ Dom spells. :P

First time I ever saw her though, on my warrior, I got owned cause I didnt know what to expect. "Jagged Crystal Skin......*starts reading while still attacking*....oh hey, i'm dead?"

the_jos · Dec 13, 2006, 07:56 AM // 07:56

Quote:

How are you planning to make it to her to start with? >.<

The only real problem are those touch-eles with their Shock/Crystal Wave.
The rest is just focus-fire and carefull pulling.
Also remember the W's and R's should have spare slots.

Quote:

And we had the protector hench, brawler hench, and the cultist. .... Koss didnt have Wild Blow either, and with no interrupts, she used all her skills to their full extent

The nice Brawler hench uses Wild Blow

Quote:

Yeah, I wasnt trying to bash the OP, just pointing out that it isnt as hard as some people make it out to be.

Thanks

I know owning Glint is not that hard (I've been helping other teams as interrupt ranger the last few weeks). We failed one or two runs (Warriors just don't understand that the physical damage they deal to Glint kills them).
But during team set-up, I've seen a lot of people that just don't get it (I formed a team once, the rest I just joined).
In a random team where I don't know whether or not they will use physical damage, I just take that Greater Con(something) ranger elite and 2 interrupts. That's all you need to own Glint, but not all rangers have the spirit available. Damaging Glint without relying on Elemental or Physical damage is a fail-safe way to succeed.

mwpeck · Dec 13, 2006, 01:50 PM // 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_jos

The nice Brawler hench uses Wild Blow

Thx for the info, i'll have to remember that when forming hench groups now. :P

Sophitia Leafblade · Dec 13, 2006, 03:04 PM // 15:04

An Assassin with : Palm Strike, Twisting Fangs, Disrupting stab and Wild strike is very effective to have in the team

Glints Bane · Dec 14, 2006, 03:47 AM // 03:47

Um one thing...for you necro
1)Demonic Flesh(
2)Awaken the Blood
3)Blood Ritual(only after Awaken the blood and just spam it on any casters that arent close to glint)
4)Grenths Balance(major spiike dmg)
and anything else you want for getting to Glint. I use blood spike in this mission. Ok first cast Demonic Flesh to increase max health on you(mine gets close to 650hp) then cast Awaken the Blood then spam Blood Ritual on monks and get your health low(but dont kill yourself), then use Grenths Balance and BAM over 500 damage right there. Just rince and repeat.

Yobz · Dec 14, 2006, 04:15 AM // 04:15

Rather than spamming Blood Ritual you can use skills such as Dark Pact to deal damage to Glint whilst providing the life sacrifice that you require. Then follow up with Grenths Balance.

Arkantos · Dec 14, 2006, 05:21 AM // 05:21

All you need is 2-3 interupts and Glints done.

Tarzan The Chetta · Dec 14, 2006, 06:30 AM // 06:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_jos

The only real problem are those touch-eles with their Shock/Crystal Wave.
The rest is just focus-fire and carefull pulling.
Also remember the W's and R's should have spare slots.

The nice Brawler hench uses Wild Blow

Thanks

I know owning Glint is not that hard (I've been helping other teams as interrupt ranger the last few weeks). We failed one or two runs (Warriors just don't understand that the physical damage they deal to Glint kills them).
But during team set-up, I've seen a lot of people that just don't get it (I formed a team once, the rest I just joined).
In a random team where I don't know whether or not they will use physical damage, I just take that Greater Con(something) ranger elite and 2 interrupts. That's all you need to own Glint, but not all rangers have the spirit available. Damaging Glint without relying on Elemental or Physical damage is a fail-safe way to succeed.

This is true...but if you use it right it kills glint very well. W/N using grenths balance. 500 dmg a pop? yes indeed nice.

pve-er · Dec 14, 2006, 08:02 AM // 08:02

the way my team kill Glint is to have a regular team but with 1 or 2 people with Glenths balance, one or two with life sheath and protective spirit. rest of people just equip normal skill the use (prefer some degen like bleeding and poison.) let the guy with Glenths balance get attack by Glint but we kept life sheath and prot spirit so the damage won't kill him. rest keep spam degen on Glint from the back and spam life sheath and protective spirit. it is a effortless way to kill it

anshin · Dec 14, 2006, 10:50 AM // 10:50

well... i haven't read the entire topic...

i killed Glint yesterday with henchies my party was...

me as barrager pet....just for the sake of it

Acolyte Jin with barrage, dual, dist, savage, RtW, WD, FW, troll, rebirth...
Margrid with same build as Jin...
Dunkoro or Tahlkora
Aidan or Reyna...one of the archers...
Cynn
Lina
Mehnlo

did the mission in 20 minutes...

the bonus was... i picked the egg... she came at me... i started attacking...

Crystal Haze on me and some henchies... Jagged Crystal Skin because of my pet... when she was using Crystal Hibernation... interrupted of course... and then... death of Glint... even took a screenie since it was my first Glint kill with henchies

Thomas.knbk · Dec 14, 2006, 02:21 PM // 14:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkantos

All you need is 2-3 interupts and Glints done.

you don't even need interrupts

Antheus · Dec 14, 2006, 03:17 PM // 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas.knbk

you don't even need interrupts

It works much better as a N/R with shivers/winter.

And with heroes, it's simply overkill.