Curse

Pandora's box · Jul 18, 2005, 09:25 PM // 21:25

This is getting very embarrassing. I posted last week about this, got some good advice, but its simply IMPOSSIBLE to do this mission with PUGS!

8 team missions failed hopelessly, most just at the start, 1 near the fortress and another one on the alternative route with the first meeting of the lava imps. I tried 2 times with henchies and got much farther both times: got even inside the fortress with them. After so many tries its beginning to feel like a complete waist of time. I need a party with experienced players who know the mission. Because thats the only way to do it. But I cant find such a party...

Jwh6913 · Jul 18, 2005, 09:26 PM // 21:26

I did it the first time as a ranger and i wasn't even trying terribly hard to beat the mission :P but somehow we made it through

kleps · Jul 18, 2005, 09:28 PM // 21:28

are you going through the main gate or the alternate route? i did it my first time through the main gate. it was easy.

if you are having trouble with PUGs, try henchies. their focus fire is more consistent, since you control them all, so to speak.

ShadowWrath · Jul 18, 2005, 09:29 PM // 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jwh6913

I did it the first time as a ranger and i wasn't even trying terribly hard to beat the mission :P but somehow we made it through

Same. I'll help you once I get my bro past Thunderhead Keep. Whats your IGN?

Ultimate_Gaara · Jul 18, 2005, 09:29 PM // 21:29

they arnt impossible but trust me they are not easy, it took me about three days to finnish each mission (nonstop trying), but dont worry someday you will find a good group where someone doesnt get mad and leave and bad players run into hopelessly large mobs...

Pandora's box · Jul 18, 2005, 09:41 PM // 21:41

I want to take the main gate, but most parties dont even get past the lava

I got inside the fortress with my henchies by taking the main gate. It takes a party thats patient and pulls the monstergroups 1 by 1, not attacking the seals at once. I know how to do it with henchies. My monk heals well, but I'm helpless when players just rush into 2 groups of enemies lol. I think an experienced party should have no problems. Thats a problem for me, I'm on Europe and there's not much players around to choose from...

MSecorsky · Jul 18, 2005, 09:44 PM // 21:44

Remember, a good trapper can be nice at the stairs...

Lasareth · Jul 18, 2005, 09:48 PM // 21:48

Do it with one person and henchmen. Have the other person lead the henchmen off so they don't follow you, then pull back each bad guy one by one and have fun :P

This is how I beat it. 2 people means less hassle and less chance of disconnects or leavers.

Sir Skullcrasher · Jul 18, 2005, 09:50 PM // 21:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pandora's box

This is getting very embarrassing. I posted last week about this, got some good advice, but its simply IMPOSSIBLE to do this mission with PUGS!

8 team missions failed hopelessly, most just at the start, 1 near the fortress and another one on the alternative route with the first meeting of the lava imps. I tried 2 times with henchies and got much farther both times: got even inside the fortress with them. After so many tries its beginning to feel like a complete waist of time. I need a party with experienced players who know the mission. Because thats the only way to do it. But I cant find such a party...

I felt the pain that you getting, althought im not at ring of fire but the mission at sactum cay is so damn hard, i mean, even with a group of 20 people, we all died

Pandora's box · Jul 18, 2005, 09:52 PM // 21:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lasareth

Do it with one person and henchmen. Have the other person lead the henchmen off so they don't follow you, then pull back each bad guy one by one and have fun :P

This is how I beat it. 2 people means less hassle and less chance of disconnects or leavers.

Sounds like a good idea, only problem is to find someone who is willing to go with henchies only

Lasareth · Jul 18, 2005, 10:01 PM // 22:01

Probably a good friend would do, or someone with a lot of patience :P

IxChel · Jul 18, 2005, 10:05 PM // 22:05

The Ring of Fire mission requires a significant amount of team communication to be successful. I think your success or failure can be primarily determined before you even hit "Enter Mission". If someone is impatient and wants to "Go Go Go", rest assured that is exactly how they will behave in-mission. They will Go Go Go till they and anyone who follows/heals them is dead.

For starters, after taking a tower, a _full_ retreat is always needed since the casters will have 0 energy. When forming a PUG you need to say this again and again and again to the warriors: "After we kill a tower, or open a seal, a Full Retreat is needed". Someone (preferably not the monk or warrior) with Rebirth should always be way back and able to run far far away when things get ugly. I've found Ranger/Monks make superior retreat leaders; they have bows for long-distance attacks, perhaps they set a few traps, but otherwise they hang back anyway. Furthermore, they have a wealth of evasion/running skills.

Healing in murrasat towers is perhaps the most difficult problem. There are three workable approaches. First, the healer can stay back away from the towers and use Heal Party; this is workable. Second, a blood necromancer outside the tower's range can use Blood Ritual or Blood Is Power to feed a healer who is _in_ the tower; the healer then uses Word of Healing on the attacking warriors. Third, a Wilderness Ranger can use Troll Ugent outside the tower, rush in and cast Healing Spring to keep the warrior's alive. A Warrior/Necromancer can use Blood Ritual before charging into the tower; a Warrior/Ranger can use Troll Ugent before rushing in. A strength warrior can use Defy Pain or Warrior's Endurance. In any case, unless you have a good healing strategy for this mission, you will fail.

The second hardest problem is coordination. Before you even enter the mission, someone needs to be the one calling targets; and calling "retreat". If the main monk calls "retreat" -- everyone _but_ the warriors run. Make it clear up front who is going to die when things get hairy. A strength warrior is the optimal player for this case; they can use Endure Pain and fend off the attackers for that 5 seconds it takes for everyone else to run. A good warrior holding the ground while everyone else retreats saves serious DPs -- having one death instead of 5 deaths is a huge difference. The last thing you want is your warriors retreating.... brining the murrsat into the casters for a slaughterhouse. So, when forming the PUG ask your warrior: "When things get hairy... and the monk yells 'retreat' what do you do?" If they answer "run", correct them, and ask the question again. If they answer incorrectly the second time, or refuse to answer, kick them.

With a bit of planning, build preparation, this is an easy mission.

Pandora's box · Jul 18, 2005, 10:36 PM // 22:36

IxChel: thanx for the good advice

ShadowWrath: I like to try Lasareths advice. If you like to join me either on Europe or International that would be great! I'm off to sleep now, I'll read responses tomorrow.

Mitsu Bishi · Jul 19, 2005, 09:10 AM // 09:10

The most important thing to me is to lure all opponents out of the range of the seals. That's crucial as you can finish them off easily that way and only have to deal with the seals afterwards. When attacking the seals, try to approach from the off-side (the one away from the second seal) because otherwise both will hit you with their lightning orbs and chain lightnings.

By any means, take the front door. The alternative route to the backdoor is incredibly hard, because in one place there are simply too much of the lava imps and other mobs. Fighting while burning and having to run through the lava to get there is nearly impossible, I'd rather take on some Mursaat and Jades and the seals. In fact, using the front door with a decent group (2 or 3 human players should suffice, preferably a monk and an ele with hefty spikes and lots of energy), the mission is fairly short and easy.

Azreal911 · Jul 19, 2005, 02:02 PM // 14:02

i've must have joined a really good team cause we did it on one try, the rangers on the group pulled targets. we had ONE tank and ONE monk only! haha i was the necro mainly playing a support role which worked well since our monk really loved that.

Pandora's box · Jul 19, 2005, 03:01 PM // 15:01

FINALLY! We did it! This team worked together pulling on the right moments

. Up to the next mission. I wonder if it will take that long too.

BrokenSymmetry · Jul 19, 2005, 08:52 PM // 20:52

Has anyone ever done the "back door" route of the Ring of Fire mission with henchmen? I can get them past the first lava imps, but then there's a very long stretch of lava, and I've never gotten them past that, because they won't stand on the little peninsula in the middle, but they keep standing in the lava...
Note, I have completed the mission though the front door, just wondered how you could do it the "back door" way.

I also wonder, is this "back door" route (as recommended in the cutscene) some kind of cruel joke by the developers, or is it part of the plot that the Vizier really wants you killed (but then how is the plot of the next mission explained, where the Vizier still needs you)?

spiritofcat · Jul 20, 2005, 12:52 AM // 00:52

I did Ring of Fire mission with myself and Henchmen only.
We took the front door, and a couple of times I had to run away as the only survivor, then come back and res my hench friends.
The most annoying part was killing the monk boss. I'm an E/Mo, using water and healing, and I just couldn't get enough damage on him. It took about 45 minutes to finally wear him down. It would have been easier if Dunham decided to actually use some skills, such as Backfire, instead of just attacking with his wand the whole time

QuixotesGhost · Jul 20, 2005, 02:31 AM // 02:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by IxChel

Healing in murrasat towers is perhaps the most difficult problem. There are three workable approaches. First, the healer can stay back away from the towers and use Heal Party; this is workable. Second, a blood necromancer outside the tower's range can use Blood Ritual or Blood Is Power to feed a healer who is _in_ the tower; the healer then uses Word of Healing on the attacking warriors. Third, a Wilderness Ranger can use Troll Ugent outside the tower, rush in and cast Healing Spring to keep the warrior's alive. A Warrior/Necromancer can use Blood Ritual before charging into the tower; a Warrior/Ranger can use Troll Ugent before rushing in. A strength warrior can use Defy Pain or Warrior's Endurance. In any case, unless you have a good healing strategy for this mission, you will fail.

IIRC when our party did it we had the monk sit outside range of the towers and had everyone watch thier bars. When they got low they ran to the monk got healed up and ran back in.

slasc · Jul 20, 2005, 06:11 AM // 06:11

I've been running this mission on my ranger for several days now. (taking breaks to play with other characters when I get frustrated)

I tried running it twice with real players, and then gave up and went with henchmen. Crashed right through the front gates.

Too bad I didn't take the bonus from the seer the most recent time I ran it. I might have been able to do the bonus. (I don't know though as I haven't done the bonus on it before)

Anyways, I finally beat it tonight with henchmen.
Just go through the front gates. Pull the mobs out of range of the towers. Take rebirth if you got it. Select your targets smartly, and you should be set. (don't try taking the henchmen the alternative route. The lava paths are a little too far for rebirth. I lost that mission one time just because I couldn't continue with my entire party (if I tried to rebirth someone who had died in the lava, I had to enter the lava. Then my other henchmen entered the lava. It was a mess. Don't do it. lol)

**added

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiritofcat

I did Ring of Fire mission with myself and Henchmen only.
We took the front door, and a couple of times I had to run away as the only survivor, then come back and res my hench friends.
The most annoying part was killing the monk boss. I'm an E/Mo, using water and healing, and I just couldn't get enough damage on him. It took about 45 minutes to finally wear him down. It would have been easier if Dunham decided to actually use some skills, such as Backfire, instead of just attacking with his wand the whole time

I hate that monk boss. It took me about 10 minutes to kill him/her when my entire party had full health, and I was constantly interrupting orision of healing.
I think Dunham is seriously bugged. All he ever seems to do is : use wand, cast phantasm, and die