Curse

Electric_Skeptic · Aug 14, 2005, 10:15 PM // 22:15

Has anyone managed to complete the Dunes of Despair mission bonus? I've tried - and failed - about a bazillion times. If anyone has completed it, any tips? I'm at my wits' end!

Amei Leng · Aug 14, 2005, 10:53 PM // 22:53

Nope!

Kamatsu · Aug 14, 2005, 11:07 PM // 23:07

Not sure it's possible to complete with henchies. Assuming you are in a 6 player group...

Once you have killed the 1st rush of critters that attack your Ghostly Hero (the snakes..) 4 of you need to go south to where the big bad bosses are and kill them. you need to leave 2 players behind to protect/heal the hero when the enchanted groups attack. You can only leave 1 person behind if they are really good at solo'ing enchanted critter's..

Don't know if you can do it with henchies.. because if you run after the snames come.. you'll have to run back when the enchanted atatck... and if you wait till after the enchanted attack you might not have enough time to then run out the back to kill the bossess there...

Blue Steel · Aug 14, 2005, 11:22 PM // 23:22

It is possible to do with henchies, but extremely difficult, and you have to be extremely good. Here is my basic strat once the ghost is on the alter: circle the alter killing snakes that attack, then enchanteds, if there is ever a moment that you aren't fighting things, you messed up. There is one period that seems quiet, but you have to take that moment to run out the south gate and kill the first boss (outside the fortress there) with enough time left to run back inside the base and heal the ghost as he is being attacked by more enchanteds and about to die. This moment is the most intense in doing the bonus with henchies, because there is only enough time if you get lucky and don't have too many scarabs spawn close to the boss. Then run back inside the base immediately to save the ghost from an attack, and fight another boss inside the base (coming in from the west entrance, I think). Kill that boss, then run back out the south gate and kill the two remaining bosses, and their two minions each, and anymore scarabs, with about 10 seconds to spare.

The really frustrating thing is that the instructions say to just kill the generals, but you don't get credit for the bonus unless you kill the generals and their two guards each, which is extremely hard with the limited time.

Soloing with henchies it is easiest if you are a warrior able to deal a lot of damage and kill fast, and you take mend ailment or some other skill to cure blindness, because you will be dealing no damage while blind, and far more damage than the henchies when you can see. Also remember this kill order: scarabs first, if there are any, then minions, than the boss EXCEPT when the boss is the healer monk, in which case you HAVE to kill him before his minions (since he will just word of heal them forever, and time is a luxury you don't have).

Good luck, beating this bonus with all henchies is one of the hardest things in Guild Wars, and a truly momentous accomplishment.

Roupe · Aug 15, 2005, 12:15 AM // 00:15

Actually I have been told that a Warrior/Necro & two healers (with Heal party) can do the bonus, "quite easy & fast"

The Warrior necro kills a certain friendly critter, and teleports there, getting to the bonus bosses, without opening up the fort. The Healers cast Heal party ,as the Warrior necro solo the bosses...

MaglorD · Aug 15, 2005, 02:06 AM // 02:06

Yes, I've done the bonus+mission on 5 of my 6 characters of all professions so far. It is quite easily done with henchies depending on your profession/build.

MaglorD · Aug 15, 2005, 02:08 AM // 02:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Steel

Good luck, beating this bonus with all henchies is one of the hardest things in Guild Wars, and a truly momentous accomplishment.

I respectfully disagree. Doing the bonus for Thunderhead Keep with henchies is more challenging.

I have done both Dunes bonus and Thunderhead Keep bonus with henchies

Blue Steel · Aug 15, 2005, 02:43 AM // 02:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaglorD

I respectfully disagree. Doing the bonus for Thunderhead Keep with henchies is more challenging.

I have done both Dunes bonus and Thunderhead Keep bonus with henchies

I said "one of" and I stand by that, and I personally think its harder than Thunderhead's bonus with henchies. Thats how most people get the bonus (and do the mission) in thunderhead is with henchies. I think Thunderhead with henchies is a breeze (in that you can get it everytime), whereas Dunes there are certain scarab spawns that make it nearly impossible. If you haven't done it since they changed it, you should give it a go . . . You might be surprized, and frustrated.

MaglorD · Aug 15, 2005, 03:09 AM // 03:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Steel

I said "one of" and I stand by that, and I personally think its harder than Thunderhead's bonus with henchies. Thats how most people get the bonus (and do the mission) in thunderhead is with henchies. I think Thunderhead with henchies is a breeze (in that you can get it everytime), whereas Dunes there are certain scarab spawns that make it nearly impossible. If you haven't done it since they changed it, you should give it a go . . . You might be surprized, and frustrated.

But I just did it...and no not hard at all for my Warrior. Thunderhead is worse because it's a far longer mission and many things can go wrong.

Actually I think:

Most ppl have not done Thunderhead bonus.
Most ppl do Thunderhead with a half-decent PUG. It's really easy with a good PUG.

PAC · Aug 15, 2005, 05:23 AM // 05:23

[QUOTE=Blue Steel]It is possible to do with henchies, but extremely difficult, and you have to be extremely good. Here is my basic strat once the ghost is on the alter: circle the alter killing snakes that attack, then enchanteds, if there is ever a moment that you aren't fighting things, you messed up. There is one period that seems quiet, but you have to take that moment to run out the south gate and kill the first boss (outside the fortress there) with enough time left to run back inside the base and heal the ghost as he is being attacked by more enchanteds and about to die. This moment is the most intense in doing the bonus with henchies, because there is only enough time if you get lucky and don't have too many scarabs spawn close to the boss. Then run back inside the base immediately to save the ghost from an attack, and fight another boss inside the base (coming in from the west entrance, I think). Kill that boss, then run back out the south gate and kill the two remaining bosses, and their two minions each, and anymore scarabs, with about 10 seconds to spare.

QUOTE]

To make it somewhat easier with henchies you can kill the first boss before you trigger the cut scene. Make the ghostly hero stand still, kill the fake one and run down south, where you'll see the boss outside the fort. Kill the boss, try to take down both enchanted (works sometimes, not always - depends on if they block each other or not. I have always been able to take out one of them. If you take out both, 3 lizzards spawn which you also can take out - they usually end up at one of the closed gates). Then go get the ghostly hero and start the cut scene. Take out the first groups until the first boss arrives (around 4min typically). Rush south and hammer away on the two remaining ones!

EverBlue · Aug 15, 2005, 07:26 AM // 07:26

I did Thunderhead with henchies first time. Bonus included. It was cake. Dunes is not cake. Dunes is like.. Stale pie.

Blue Steel · Aug 15, 2005, 03:33 PM // 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAC

To make it somewhat easier with henchies you can kill the first boss before you trigger the cut scene. Make the ghostly hero stand still, kill the fake one and run down south, where you'll see the boss outside the fort. Kill the boss, try to take down both enchanted (works sometimes, not always - depends on if they block each other or not. I have always been able to take out one of them. If you take out both, 3 lizzards spawn which you also can take out - they usually end up at one of the closed gates). Then go get the ghostly hero and start the cut scene. Take out the first groups until the first boss arrives (around 4min typically). Rush south and hammer away on the two remaining ones!

I wish I had thought of that! That would have made all the difference in the world and made it much, much easier!

Quote:

Originally Posted by EverBlue

I did Thunderhead with henchies first time. Bonus included. It was cake. Dunes is not cake. Dunes is like.. Stale pie.

EverBlue knows what's up! I like the name, too.

Carinae · Aug 15, 2005, 09:23 PM // 21:23

This is a bonus mission for necros.

Take a PUG with as many necro's as you can find.
Do NOT bring the ghost to the altar. (Ghost+Altar=Timer)
Then go as far south as possible.
You will see the fort across a chasm.
Use area spells to kill bad guys.
This causes scarabs to burrow out of the sand.
Kill them too.

Now use Necrotic Traversal or Consume Corpse to teleport to the other side.
Send every available necro.
Let the necro's kill the bosses.

Take your time, the timer doesn't run.

Electric_Skeptic · Aug 16, 2005, 04:01 AM // 04:01

What's a 'PUG'?

heist23 · Aug 16, 2005, 04:06 AM // 04:06

"Pick Up Group"

just standing around, advertising your name in a mission area, waiting for some random party to "pick you up".

Electric_Skeptic · Aug 16, 2005, 12:20 PM // 12:20

What happens if the bad guys are out of range of area spells (or ranged attacks)? Then what (regarding the necro method above)?

PAC · Aug 16, 2005, 08:24 PM // 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electric_Skeptic

What happens if the bad guys are out of range of area spells (or ranged attacks)? Then what (regarding the necro method above)?

Everytime I did this one, the boss has been in range. As I mentioned earlier, normally one enchanted is also possible to take down, whereas the second often run away. So unless you don't get a few scarabs in-range (sometimes you do, sometimes you don't) you'll have trouble getting more than two necros over (the corpses get destroyed). Taking out the two boss groups with only 2 chars hmmm...

Now, if Anet moves this boss - well then you're totally *****.

Electric_Skeptic · Aug 17, 2005, 04:14 AM // 04:14

Trying it last night - often the boss and his mates were out of range. However, waiting around often produces a scarab or two, which is sufficient to do the job.

However, even with three necros all getting over there, our party still wasn't able to complete the bonus. The three necros just weren't enough to kill all the bosses. They eventually died, and I (yet again) gave up for the night.

ION · Aug 18, 2005, 07:01 PM // 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by EverBlue

I did Thunderhead with henchies first time. Bonus included. It was cake. Dunes is not cake. Dunes is like.. Stale pie.

LOL....I was having a bad day at work untill I read that...

Dunes does semm to be a bit more challenging with hencies IMHO.

Jhyphi · Aug 18, 2005, 11:51 PM // 23:51

I've been trying to find a group for this and having difficulty. If anyone wants to try give me a shout. I'm very experienced R/Me who's beaten all bonus cept this one and most w/ just henchies.

The closest I came was first time ever doing it w/ henchies.

Helpful hint: Though not quite enough to get me by w/ henchies. Needed 10 secs more or so. Henchies don't have quite the raw firepower of real ppl. However, they follow my strategy exactly and stick together as a group while running to enemies and also w/ called target.

Order of enemies:
Stay on stage.
Forgotten, Left, right, up, left.
Then run up.
Kill 2 enchanted bows.
Depending how long this took, can venture south kill some scarabs or 1st boss or enchanted.
Run right.
Kill 2 enchanted.
Run slightly out the door, kill boss + 2 helpers.
Run back straight out south door.
Kill the guys there 1 group at a time.

The reason you run up and to the right is so that you quicken the process giving you ever so slightly more time to kill the south fort guys. Waiting for them to attack would waste half a minute is my estimate.