Curse

monsto · Sep 01, 2005, 08:48 AM // 08:48

[before i even start here, don't tell me to get a runner]

i've been trying for over a week to get to Thirsty River or Dunes of Despair. No matter the group, no matter how careful we are, no matter the skills i take, this area is near impossible. Any suggestions for tactics?

It seems that no matter how we try to approach it, something always comes up behind the group and starts nailing the spellcasters. then if the fighters come back for help, their old targets follow, and then it's pure mayhem with every man for himself.

invariably, 4 of 6 die and the remaining 2 (with 8 baddies on em) can only cut and run. And don't even get me started on the sand worms.

Going south is loads of elementals and sandworms. going east it's hydras. . . not 2 or 3 but 8 at a time. wtf?

i've played many other games where the designers equate challenge with 'more baddies' . . . that doesn't make it a challenge, it makes it frustrating for the average player.

as far as running goes, running is about 1% of a step above dying everytime on the fun meter. getting run thru any part really imo defeats the purpose of the GAME.

Nuke_Dembastages · Sep 01, 2005, 08:57 AM // 08:57

Ok....let me start with elementals and hydras...

2 warriors with balanced stance. Make sure they're tanking and using stances to minimize damage and knockdowns.

2 monks, 1 prot 1 heal. Keep the ROF on the guy taking the dmg. Use healing seed on him as well.

2 casters nuke nuke...and more nuke. Echo nukers work well here.

1 battery...errr....necro with blood ritual and well of power

1 ranger....to make him feel good. You know he's useless, I know he's useless but don't tell him that or he'll start crying.

Key is to NOT run around. Keep the warriors forward and make sure they take aggro. Have casters stay out of zone unless nuking. Spamming flare is not going to take them down so don't even try it.

Worms....oh wow, ranger being usefull?!?! It could be!! Spirit of winter the mofo and nuke to your hearts delight. They absorb fire like its candy, but cold seems to do a bit more dmg.

Running around gets you aggro'd by rockshots...don't do it. Stay in line and follow where the lead guys go. Don't wander and you should be just fine.

Lost · Sep 01, 2005, 09:03 AM // 09:03

The desert is the first real challenge for players. You have to learn how to pull, how to target call, how to work together, and how to make good use of skills. If you can't find actual players who can do these, grab the henchmen and make your way slowly and carefully to your destinations. Take your time.

Jenosavel · Sep 01, 2005, 10:02 AM // 10:02

If you see my character around and you're still having trouble, ask me to help you. I've nothing left to do in the game but help people.

My biggest suggestions were touched on by the above poster. There are never more than 3 hydras in a group, and while I haven't counted the elementals, I'm sure their grouping is the same. They key, then, is to be extremely cautious about what you aggro and when you aggro. Never take a group if another is nearby which might wander to close and join in. If you absolutely have to fight a group that's near to another, pull it.

If you have henchmen in the party, pulling would entail one person running just close enough for the closest enemy to know you exist then running back to the group and hopefully dragging 2 or 3 foes with, separating them from the rest. With hydras it's trickier than most enemies, since they can attack from a distance and thus don't like to pull as well. It can be done, though, as I have to do it in order to solo the little devils on my ranger.

If you don't have any henchmen, pulling entails someone with a bow firing off an arrow and getting the hydras to follow him/her away from the rest of the foes.

I really can't stress the importance of knowing when to aggro and how to pull enough. I've seen many a group run straight to their graves because they couldn't understand the concepts. Unfortunately, you only need one person to accidently aggro a second group and ruin it for everyone. Hence, my other big suggestion is to use henchmen whenever possible. If your skills are sound, you can take any place in the desert with just henchmen. There's really no need for players (for better or worse).

M3lk0r · Sep 01, 2005, 01:09 PM // 13:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuke_Dembastages

1 ranger....to make him feel good. You know he's useless, I know he's useless but don't tell him that or he'll start crying.

*sobs* No one want my cute little rangey *bawls out*

but oh wait..... I ended up finding all the missions with henchies alone (as no one wanted to group), and IMO it wasnt that great a deal (some of the actual missions were bit of a pain though).

Seriously though, ranger's have +30 vs. ele which is rather nice against hydras. And if you're clever, you bring interrupts which stop their naughty knockdowns as well

Thus my rangey started eating 3-4 hydras for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

But the most important skill ever is navigation and aggro control. Observe enemy patrols and dont try to avoid EVERY enemy (which leads to accidental aggroing more often than not).

m1970c · Sep 01, 2005, 01:20 PM // 13:20

You need to master the art of pulling !!! :-)

jdwoody · Sep 01, 2005, 01:34 PM // 13:34

Quote:

1 ranger....to make him feel good. You know he's useless, I know he's useless but don't tell him that or he'll start crying.

Yea why would you want someone to interrupt those meteors, its alot more fun to heal everyone instead. My ranger loves worms, with the always spammable barrage you get almost 20 hps of damage a shot, as long as there is a meat shield in front of him the worm will just stay in one place and die...

Monsto, I fully support anyone that doesn't want to hire a runner, look for me in game and I'll help too...

John Waffletord · Sep 01, 2005, 01:35 PM // 13:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuke_Dembastages

Ok....let me start with elementals and hydras...

2 warriors with balanced stance. Make sure they're tanking and using stances to minimize damage and knockdowns.

2 monks, 1 prot 1 heal. Keep the ROF on the guy taking the dmg. Use healing seed on him as well.

2 casters nuke nuke...and more nuke. Echo nukers work well here.

1 battery...errr....necro with blood ritual and well of power

1 ranger....to make him feel good. You know he's useless, I know he's useless but don't tell him that or he'll start crying.

Key is to NOT run around. Keep the warriors forward and make sure they take aggro. Have casters stay out of zone unless nuking. Spamming flare is not going to take them down so don't even try it.

Worms....oh wow, ranger being usefull?!?! It could be!! Spirit of winter the mofo and nuke to your hearts delight. They absorb fire like its candy, but cold seems to do a bit more dmg.

Running around gets you aggro'd by rockshots...don't do it. Stay in line and follow where the lead guys go. Don't wander and you should be just fine.

Only 1 problem with all that.. you can only have 6 people in a group in the desert.

m1970c · Sep 01, 2005, 01:39 PM // 13:39

i go rounf the dessert with my ele/mes and just henchmen and blits the place !

Just need to pull them and be patience i find anymore than 4 hydras at i time and im dead ! :-)))

gimpysonofgroin · Sep 01, 2005, 01:59 PM // 13:59

monsto: What character are you using? Henchies? Need info.

I've ascended about 5 chars now and know the desert fairly well. I personally hate the scarabs/devourers the most. 5 blasts of chilblains is no fun at all. Of course then you try to counter with a big nuke and get 5 distracting shots up the wazoo. Anyway....

My ranger is Ivor Pooshot, look me up if you need a hand. Also ignore opinions of ignorant nubz on rangers. Mine soloed dunes and elona with henchies. Thirsty needed more damaging chars though.

Anyway, don't give up. The desert is definately a wake-up call.

quickmonty · Sep 01, 2005, 02:08 PM // 14:08

They call it "Sand trap of the noobs" for a reason. It is quite challenging at first. I have three ascended characters and have managed, at some point, to travel to all outposts and cities and to do all quests and missions, with the exception of Elonas, with henchmen.

octaviancmb · Sep 01, 2005, 05:15 PM // 17:15

If it's the *hydras* that are giving you a problem, for gods sake man, carry a Mesmer with you. They'll just yawn, say, "How quaint, PvE spellcasters," and then own them.

Rangers are good for this too, sometimes, in a more brute force physical damage kind of way. They'll get all excited and say, "Woah dude, Hydras! Talk to the hand!" Then own them.

Good luck,
cmb

Tourist · Sep 01, 2005, 07:22 PM // 19:22

Of the 4 characters I've ascended, my Mesmer was the only one that actually didn't mind taking on hydras. All the others would have Cry of Frustration-style statements whenever we fought them, but my mesmer...One gets Backfired, One gets Power Spiked, one gets Cry of Frustrationed, and they ALL get ganked. Never a problem. Oh yeah, and fire damage? Mantra of Flame, and thanks for the free energy and mediocre damage, suckers.

monsto · Sep 01, 2005, 08:27 PM // 20:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuke_Dembastages

. . .
2 monks, 1 prot 1 heal. Keep the ROF on the guy taking the dmg. Use healing seed on him as well.
. . .

what is ROF? in my world it's Rate Of Fire, but that kinda describes projectile weapons, not teammates. what is PvE? Player vs Enemy? is there an acronym thread around here someplace?

My current char is Mo/N I've got a good selection of skills, i've been picky about the skills i take and have avoided ones that sacrifice too much time or necro health.

My favorite monk spells are Balths Aura, and either the simple Smite spell, banish or Bane Signet. for healing, i like divine Boon with Orison and Heal Other. with other spell casters, i've taken a liking to Necro Blood Ritual with Live Vicariously. I lose about 30 hp, but tend to get that back really quick. with a necro that pays attention, that works out VERY VERY well.

I personally don't get . . . well i didn't use to get . . . healing breeze. now with my heal prayers up to 11, it's a 7 rate, so that's really good. before at 4-5 heal prayers, casting heal other was WAY more effective.

The real problem, i think, is the propensity for ppl to be in a smurfing hurry. i mean you spent money on the game, what's with the go go go go GO GO GO GO GO MAN GO!!!!!!!! all the time? i am amazed at the number of people that just want to run in and die. "man this sucks imonna get a runner". . . pissant.

I already know the tactic . . . ranger runs point, warriors back him up 3 spellcasters WAY the hell back. ranger longrange shoots a guy, and runs back, fighters catch the aggro cuz they're out of range of the spell casters. when the fighting starts spell casters move just to edge of range and do their thing.

however it seems that nobody on the planet wants to do anything close to that. the funniest is when some spell caster runs RIGHT UP BEHIND the fighters and starts casting. when he runs away he trains all the baddies back to the rest of the spellcasters. never fails.

it's amazing, tho, when you find a good group, how easy the missions get. I failed Elonas about 6 times. and with the group that was aware and cooperative, it was a BREEZE. . . the fighters stayed about 1 man-space apart, the spellcasters all spread out in the back, and the ranger kept 'smart' badguys (the ones that run right for ME the highest level monk as soon as i cast ANY spell) off my case.

unfortunately, that is VERY RARE to find a team that works togehter let alone listens to called castings and res. I may take you guys up on your offers to help (=

My char is Sesi Januzzi, female. . . and i made a guild and cape just to match my armor (= it's very pretty. I fig it like this: i don't enjoy lookin at muscular guys in armor.

John Waffletord · Sep 01, 2005, 08:36 PM // 20:36

ROF = ring of fire im assuming.

Age · Sep 01, 2005, 09:10 PM // 21:10

I haven't ascened yet as i have done every mission with 2 char. over and over anyway get to point.When you are walking through the desert stick to the path to avoid the wurms and if hyda or why is in the way wait untill they if not be very careful to get around like say driving a car.I wouldn't let the warrior run ahead stick together and don't let them go out and fight unless they have to.If you have to use some henchies Lina is your friend I was fustrated with traveling through desert myself and didn't know how those teleporters worked.The key is patience you will eventually get use to traveling the desert over time.

ROF=Reversal of Fortune.

m1970c · Sep 02, 2005, 07:00 AM // 07:00

Get the hydras in a group and wack with all ELEM AOE spells and then stand back and shout OWNED ! :-)

Smudger · Sep 02, 2005, 11:42 AM // 11:42

[QUOTE=monsto]what is ROF? in my world it's Rate Of Fire, but that kinda describes projectile weapons, not teammates. what is PvE? Player vs Enemy? is there an acronym thread around here someplace?

In this case it is Reversal of Fortune but is also used for Ring of Fire

PvE = Player verses Environment as apposed to
PvP = Player verses Player or
GvG = Guild verses Guild

gimpysonofgroin · Sep 02, 2005, 02:09 PM // 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by monsto

however it seems that nobody on the planet wants to do anything close to that. the funniest is when some spell caster runs RIGHT UP BEHIND the fighters and starts casting. when he runs away he trains all the baddies back to the rest of the spellcasters. never fails.

Heh, thats the cause for the basis of my current ele/Mo. PBAOE spells. (point blank area of affect)
Hey, if you're gonna have some moron drag monsters back to ya may as well be ready for em....
I figure whirlwind, aftershock, flame burst and balth's aura should gank fairly well. Its good that monsters are idiots.

Monsto: Best my monk ever was was as an ele secondary. Purely because of glyph of lesser energy. Balth's aura became very manageable and I could place it on thom or stefan at least twice a fight and still have energy left over for condition removal and some protection. Wards are phenominal protection too!

Good luck anyway with GOREDENGINE GOREDENGINE GOTARDS.

Glasswalker · Sep 02, 2005, 06:20 PM // 18:20

Monstro -- What LOST said. Bring henchmen, go slow. The ones that "come up behind you" are probably actually burried in the sand until someone comes by. Watch your radar when going through the desert, and if red appears, stop and target.

I'd say about 1 in 3 people playing this game is a moron. When you've got 6 people on a team, your chances of having one that will aggro needlessly is as close to 100% as makes no difference. Unless you are in a mission (and sometimes still) go with henchmen. That's the best advice I've got.