Curse

Lost · Jul 14, 2005, 11:24 PM // 23:24

Is there a point to the Underworld and Fissure of Woe besides wasting gold, whining at each other, and suffering a party wipe within 5 minutes?

I hardly ever go into these areas because they always turn into a disaster. I don't even know what I am supposed to do there besides "DUN TLK 2 NPC!!1111111". And of course if you even try to ask a question you'll get the typical response "n00b". Several people always want to go in several directions at once which leads to arguments. The party is too busy fighting each other to fight the mobs. Party wipe. Waste of time. Bleh.

nechronius · Jul 14, 2005, 11:35 PM // 23:35

The ToA areas are more challenging than most other areas in the game and require a lot of teamwork and skill. Plus they offer the fattest and most profitable drops in the game for the Time spent.

The reason you don't talk to the NPC until after the area is cleared is so he doesn't take off running and get himself killed. Once the area is clear then it is safe to talk to him so that you can get rolling with the quests.

As for why people can't get along, well that's a social engineering issue.

Uncle Melty · Jul 15, 2005, 12:47 AM // 00:47

Well, to my experience, groups die often because someone doesn't listen, also the group you're with make a lot of difference in it too. The main reason you don't take quests is different for UW and FoW, in FoW people complain because they think it doesn something terribly dangerous, basically all that taking the first quest in FoW does is make one group aggro toward you, and wakes the NPC up, it takes a long while for it to run after you toward the goal, and if you're group can't protect it by then you won't really make it far anyways so better sooner then later. UW is completely different. Each and every quest in UW spawns monsters. in the beginning people don't want you to take quest cause fighting aataxes is a pain as it is, and taking the quest aggros 3 toward you. even though darknesses suck it's easier to kill 2 aataxes then to kill 2 aataxes and 3 darknesses. Taking the FoW quests in most cases is fine, but you'll want to wait on the griffon quest, and also on the second forge quest, at least until the group is ready.

-Unclr Melty

bioxeed · Jul 15, 2005, 03:43 AM // 03:43

the reason i've seen most groups fail is the lack of a clear planning or leadership. Someone MUST keep calling targets and you really do need a plan of how to attack the area otherwise you'll find yourself attacking 1 group only to have 2 or 3 patrols on you as well.

Sleazy_D · Jul 15, 2005, 02:04 PM // 14:04

This area is great for drops, and XP rewards, and some very cool items.

The reason groups fail is because of lack of teamwork. Strategy goes beyond the basic "I'm calling, you nuke, warriors make a wall." BS that will get you through 90% of the PvE game. You have to coordinate builds so that received damage is mitigated, dealt damage is foccussed where it needs to be, and there is a crystal clear command chain. If you aren't doing one of these things, you will fail.

Common strategies for damage mitigation:

Protection monks with Protective spirit or bond
Blind the hell out of everything
Out-heal the damage (hard to do)
Wards and hexes so the mobs miss
Mega armor spells
Tanks have lot of points in tactics, and sit there taking next to no damage

Focussing damage

Warriros skillfully herd the baddies into a tight group
Traps
Block them as they come around a corner
Nuke the ever living sh-t out of everything with extra damage to make up for the unfocussed baddies
Take them one at a time

Leadership? Well you can always hope they're OK with "I don't know you guys, you don't know me, but we're screwed if we don't work as a team. I'm in charge. Please don't move unless I ask you to"

Spike · Jul 15, 2005, 02:10 PM // 14:10

I don't know why people say the FOW is good for drops as my group pretty much cleared it last night and only got CRAP. I did'nt see a sinlge purple drop AT ALL let alone a gold. I think i got ONE max damage sword and that was it. No shards or anything good at all.

Btw My W/mo have ZERO points in tactics and does'nt take that much damage. The only use tactics has is for sheilds.

Jaswarecon · Jul 15, 2005, 04:01 PM // 16:01

Why be negitive Spike? Must remember, drops are not an easy thing to put your thumb on. The coding that goes into the drop equations are complicated. The area, the enemy, and most important, the favor of the gods. The Fissure and UnderWorld are places where you are more like to get good drops as compared to Old Ascalon. Persistent adventuring is what leads to good drops.

Garrett · Jul 15, 2005, 04:47 PM // 16:47

No, you get far more and better drops solo farming griffons. UW and FoW are for XP.

Cymmina · Jul 15, 2005, 06:36 PM // 18:36

Yeah, I don't get the "farming" mentality I see quite frequently in UW/FoW. I want to go for the 5000 exp quests so I can get some more skill points on my poor first character, who has been repeatedly screwed out of skill points since the first patch *sigh*.

Spike · Jul 16, 2005, 07:38 PM // 19:38

I did'nt go to farm the FOW just to see areas I had'nt seen yet. But come on when your praticaly clear the ENTIRE FOW. There should be at least SOME good drops. Even a max damage chaos axe would of been ok. But no the only one i get is 5-25 and other crap.

proffbeer · Jul 17, 2005, 09:46 AM // 09:46

Sounds like yer unliucky as all heck spike. As for farming those areas, blah, i'd rather go slaughter griffions then farm those areas, make a lot more gold with much less hassel. Course i do run 2 - 3 man smite runs, but thats just praying for globs and the hopes that i will see a enternal shield drop for me, oneday.

For the original poster though, they're mainly for the purpose of garnering skill points. With the change they did giving you 1 skill point for every 20k of xp you earn, running the quests in those areas is very good for that. I can usally walk out of a good run with 3 to 4 more skill points then i had going in. As for dying in 5 mins, well that just sounds like you've been in bad groups, course anybody that would rather call you a noob then answering yer question is just being ignorant and deserves dying that quickly anyway.

Racthoh · Jul 17, 2005, 06:51 PM // 18:51

The only reason I go to the FoW and UW is for globs and shards since the trader never has any. I get exp and drops faster in a 3 minute griffin run than I can in the UW or Fissure. And anyone who takes a Scroll of Berserker's insight out to the griffins gets an easy 11k or so exp.

capitalist · Jul 18, 2005, 02:07 AM // 02:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spike

I don't know why people say the FOW is good for drops as my group pretty much cleared it last night and only got CRAP. I did'nt see a sinlge purple drop AT ALL let alone a gold. I think i got ONE max damage sword and that was it. No shards or anything good at all.

Btw My W/mo have ZERO points in tactics and does'nt take that much damage. The only use tactics has is for sheilds.

Silly thing to say. Gladiators Defense and Bonetti's Defense are key vs melee.

theclam · Jul 18, 2005, 02:17 AM // 02:17

I'm curious, how does your Warrior survive 200 damage Aatxe attacks? Do you use Protection Prayers or do you rely on a good Monk?

Spike · Jul 18, 2005, 02:36 AM // 02:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by theclam

I'm curious, how does your Warrior survive 200 damage Aatxe attacks? Do you use Protection Prayers or do you rely on a good Monk?

I don't bother with the UW not worth the effort.

As for Gladiators Defense and Bonetti's Defense don't use them. maybe thier good for pvp but since i don't do that whats the use. I might try them out now I have this very nice shield that requires tactics but since I have completed the game and pretty much cleared the FOW with out them I'm not sure if i will bother.

Serpreme · Jul 28, 2005, 10:51 PM // 22:51

err my guilds 3 man group can clear FOW...we're looking for a fourth person tho.
Edit: As to how do you survive? You use Proctive Bond. It reduces all attacks down to 26 dmg. Pwn.

Racthoh · Jul 28, 2005, 11:48 PM // 23:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by theclam

I'm curious, how does your Warrior survive 200 damage Aatxe attacks? Do you use Protection Prayers or do you rely on a good Monk?

200 damage! Please tell me you're joking! Is he using Healing Signet or Frenzy because that is the only explaination I can think of. Bring Watch Yourself and Dolyak Signet, a +7 vs. Physical upgrade, that should drop that damage to about 40.

And tactics and defense are key to my warrior in the UW/FoW. Less of a pain for the monks to heal someone who is taking next to nothing in terms of damage. Stances are a beautiful thing, since I know of one enemy that ends stances (skeleton berserker, but they barely hurt anyway). Great since my sword has +15% while in stance, shield with +45 health and -2 damage.

Thor Wolfson · Jul 29, 2005, 02:02 AM // 02:02

The FoW gives awesome drops. I've got a couple max purple staves, many shards, and a few chaos axes from the Fissure. I may just be odd, but the Fissure is much better farming for me than the Shiverpeaks.

Pandora's box · Aug 01, 2005, 12:48 PM // 12:48

It offers a challenge for those who did everything else in the game. And it gives you a kind of status when you wear the special armors. Also the high level monsters have better chances to drop maxed items.

For those who only care about improving their chr. its not much use going there: you can obtain every piece of armor or weapon with the same stats on the normal maps, and much cheaper. Same for experience.

Also read the solo uw thread in this section.

EF2NYD · Aug 01, 2005, 02:59 PM // 14:59

Both areas are much fun when played with friends.