Curse

Drakron · Jun 06, 2005, 04:50 AM // 04:50

Two monks is not excessive but also not a requirement.

I think that the henchmans are very underpowered for the acession missions, they are lv17 as the mobs are lv20 and that sould say something ... they can fill a slot but they are stupid, I see that I am standing in a AoE spell and I move ... henchies do not.

And I beat it because two players were told to run to the hero as things go badly in the end of the mission (we were going to die and we knew it) as we tried to hold the off as much as we could, I died as most of the group (still got the satisfaction I got killed covering the last one escaping and he had almost no health) and the only surving player was the one carry the last crystal ... can a henchman be ordered to do that?

eA-Zaku · Jun 06, 2005, 05:27 AM // 05:27

Sure, it may be greedy to keep 2 monks to yourself for the mission but who's fault is that? Go play a monk!

Sheesh...it's not like you can blame the guy for wanting to have an easier time on the mission. After all, aren't you also being selfish by not playing as a monk? :P

Straegen · Jun 06, 2005, 05:29 AM // 05:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drakron

I think that the henchmans are very underpowered for the acession missions, they are lv17 as the mobs are lv20 and that sould say something ... they can fill a slot but they are stupid, I see that I am standing in a AoE spell and I move ... henchies do not.

Henchmen do have pluses: they understand target calling and will maintain fire on the target that is called (sadly most players I have played with don't know how to do this), they don't suffer from lag, they have some fairly effective skills and their builds are well rounded, assuming non-warrior henchmen they will stay behind you in a fight so pulling/tactics is much easier, the ranger henchman is actually pretty good since she can self heal/does good damage/will res party members in an emergency, they don't complain, no waiting one stop shopping.

The negatives beside what you listed, the cultist is really useful with his energy regen but he sacrifices health and that often gets him killed, they often res at the wrong time (asking a player if they would like to be resed would resolve this), the healer often attacks rather than heal, the mage throws fire storm as soon as available and it is used badly as many times as it is used well, path finding does get jammed up, they bunch up so area spells especially with knock down will often kill the healer and group, they don't stay in or run into friendly fire storms when mobs are attacking them.

Do the pluses outwiegh the minuses? You can call it, but my friend (Mo/Me) and myself (Ele/Mo) use henchmen (Ranger, Mage, Healer, Enchanter/Cultist... Protector) exclusively and do quite well including defeating all three ascension missions reasonably easy. If I had to rely exclusively on the healer henchmen for health, that would be scary because she does flake out but we do find her a useful backup healer. Works for us because I open fights with damage spamming and tank skills, monk friend keeps me alive and the henchmen mop anything left standing while I regen my energy and skills for the next mob.

Mitsu Bishi · Jun 06, 2005, 08:12 AM // 08:12

I'd say one of the best classes to exclusively use henchmen is the monk. Being one myself, I tested this a lot of times and it works very well. You can heal them so they stay alive and on target. Their focused fire brings down the enemy - maybe a little bit more slowly than with a group of real players - but they do their job.

I ran Elona yesterday with 4 henchies (Alesia, Stephan, Thom and Orion) to capture the Elite skill Word of Healing. Went right first because the boss was there when I first made the mission. Got there in 2 minutes after two fights - when you time the groups, you can sneak through easily. Monk boss wasn't there, so back and the other way (had to kill a third group on my way). Left out the bridge (actually you can do it, but it is harder for sure) and had another fight. 6 minutes gone and I was in front of the second boss. Fought him, got my elite and had 23 minutes left. So I was at both shards within under 10 minutes. Time is no issue in this mission, believe me. Just don't fight everything, don't pick up loot that's too far away or inside the aggro of mobs.

On my first try, two players, four henchies, when I did not even know what to do in the mission, when I was watching the cutscene which costs 1:30 minutes, I beat it with 6 minutes left on the timer. Am I a better player? Don't think so. Just one who looks ahead, knows the importance of targetting (especially which mob has to go down first etc.), aggro management and wise healing. To the original poster - YOU know that, too. So you should really be able to finish the mission, as you have mastered and understood the game. Give it a try with henchies as you're certainly missing out of it because of your fellow players in the PUGs.

Cymboric Treewalker · Jun 27, 2005, 07:29 PM // 19:29

This mission is actually ideal for a group of skilled runners. Monks? Not if you have good runners. The best memory I have of this mission is when our runner got caught... I told him to drop the crystal - ran in picked it up so he could heal and rid himself of conditions... I died and he then grabbed it, evaded and sprinted to victory... a little rugby type action.

GranDeWun · Jun 28, 2005, 01:54 PM // 13:54

I sort of love Elona's - so easy with a good group, so impossible with a bad group. I especially love people who tell us at the beginning how they've completed the mission many times, and then immediately die in the minos. Or go across that oh-so-tempting bridge...

In any case, it is possible to do with henchies...possibly easier than with people. I recommend taking neither warrior, however, since it makes it harder to pull groups.

Dralon · Jun 28, 2005, 02:10 PM // 14:10

No mission in game needs 2 monks. Depending on your party makeup, the mission, and playstyle, 2 monks may make it easier, but it also may make it uncompleteable. Occasionally more damage, or timely interrupting, more than makes up for more healing.

Your mileage may vary.

noblepaladin · Jun 28, 2005, 06:03 PM // 18:03

Elona is easy if you know what you are doing. I farm the first part with my W/Mo pre-ascension (so no elites). The first part is a joke as long as you fight at most 3 minotaurs at a time (use a bow to fire arrow to lure the closest one if you cannot separate them), many bad groups die because they aggro 10 minotaurs at a time.

The next part, you have 30 minutes. Use it all up. The crystal on the left of the entrance has some people patrolling a cliff and some people patrolling a gateway/arch wooden thingy (don't take the bridge, it's guarded by a boss and and mines, walk around). Wait until the people patrolling the gateway are basicallys standing right under it and lure them out with a longbow (anybody can equip any long bow and fire it for 2 damage, if you don't meet the marksmanship requirements you would just do very low damage, also longbow have longest distance). Fire one arrow and run back. This is where many groups mess up because they would engage the on group at the gateway thinking that it is one group but the patrol on the cliff will come and rain spells down. After eliminating the group by the gateway, hug the left side and lure the boss guarding the bridge to you and eliminate them. Next, get the group on the cliff and the rest should be obvious, fighting only a group of 3 enemies at a time.

If you can do all this correctly, the next crystal should be a breeze. Just remember to take your time, you have 30 minutes to grab 2 items for a reason. Notice the patrol paths before moving on. You may engage one group of 3, but another patrol will come and it becomes 6 or more. Also, half the enemies in the map can be avoided if you notice their patrol paths. I was able to do this mission with 5 hench after I lost 7 times and then beating it with a knowledgable group. If done correctly, no monks are needed at all, any combination of 6 players will work because you shouldn't ever fight more than 3 guys at once.

Dreamsmith · Jun 28, 2005, 06:32 PM // 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by GranDeWun

In any case, it is possible to do with henchies...possibly easier than with people. I recommend taking neither warrior, however, since it makes it harder to pull groups.

Definitely easier than with people. Henchmen are more patient. They'll stand around with you in the same spot as long as you want. Which is really the key to beating Elona. I've always done it with henchmen, and I always bring both warriors. You don't really need to pull groups much. Just be patient and they'll separate themselves out. You just need to watch and exploit their patrol patterns.

kuramaroze · Jun 29, 2005, 12:44 AM // 00:44

Quote:

#7. ) DON'T PANIC. The words from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy tell us this, and IT'S TRUE. If you're in a situation where your health is going down and you're about to die because all the mobs are on you, don't try to run. Take it like a man. (or maybe a woman if that be the case) Just don't pussy out. Those who run from battle to avoid death in this game are simply cowards. I could understand if you're the only monk and you're worried about rez. However, if you're the only monk, YOU SHOULDN'T BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE BATTLE ANYWAYS. Just don't pussy out. Remember, the longer you take damage before you die, the more likely your elementalist's AOE's (assuming you have an elementalist with AOEs) will do massive amounts of damage to the enemy that's killing you. So, STAND STILL AND TAKE IT. I can't tell you how many times I've seen meteor shower go to complete waste because some complete idiot decided he was at half health and therefore backing out of the battle. (when he was surrounded by the mobs.)

If you know what you're doing, it's better to run than to stay still. It's just that not many squishie classes know how to run the aggro back onto the warriors =)

slasc · Jun 29, 2005, 05:57 PM // 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cymboric Treewalker

This mission is actually ideal for a group of skilled runners. Monks? Not if you have good runners. The best memory I have of this mission is when our runner got caught... I told him to drop the crystal - ran in picked it up so he could heal and rid himself of conditions... I died and he then grabbed it, evaded and sprinted to victory... a little rugby type action.

lol. I wish I could of seen that. Add a few more death and crystals being picked up and that would of been highly amusing.

Moskel · Jun 29, 2005, 06:15 PM // 18:15

My plans for beating this mission.

1. Have a warrior that knows how to run grab the crystal and run through the minotaurs. This warrior should also have an axe and Cyclone Axe. To make it easier you should also have 1 elementalist with an AoE nuke like Firestorm and a Monk with Healing Seed.
2. Warrior grabs crystal and runs up the valley to the ghost (not over the bridge). EVERYONE skips the cut scene, all of the Minotaurs that did chase will be around the Warrior who fires off a Cyclone Axe, the Ele Nukes, Monk drops 1 Healing Seed, everyone watches for 10 seconds as they all die.

Now for the left base...
3. Your group then goes down the hill and out the left, you kill the patrol group to your left, go across the desert and loop in the main entrance of the left base (not across the bridge of death).
4. Pull the patrol out of the front of the base and kill it.
5. Go up the right edge and loop up the hill killing the patrols.
6. Skip killing the boss group, have your warrior grab the crystal and go out the way you came in. A new patrol appears in the lower/exit area of the base, it will head towards the bridge letting you walk past if you wait.
7. Run the crystal back, if you are carrying it and going to die drop the bloody thing and find some healing. If you have two runners have the other pick it up and go.
8. After running up to the Ghostly Hero with the crystal kill anything that followed you, most won't chase all the way up the hill.

Now for the right base...
9. Go back out the left gate across the desert and kill the patrol along the back edge, another two patrols will circle into that area blocking your path to the right base, kill them too when they arrive.
10. Avoid the rest of the patrols and then send in some of the non-runners to distract the boss in the right base. Grab the crystal, go back out the way you came in, up the hill and you're done.

The entire mission should take no more than 15 minutes. This will take some practice, you may die trying to figure out where/how you need to run but if you plan on helping a lot of guild members through its well worth figuring out a fast way to do it over time.

Good luck!

Mistress Dasha · Jun 29, 2005, 06:22 PM // 18:22

bah I loved this mission me and my pick up group ran it just fine and we took the bridge. I am a warrior and I am the puller/leader of my groups..

I really liked the desert missions if anyone needs help from a calm warrior let me know IGN Grandma Dasha

toastgodsupreme · Jun 29, 2005, 06:27 PM // 18:27

The one time I did it was with a group who used the bridge. I don't know how we managed, but we did it just fine. Must be a rare thing.

kareel · Jun 30, 2005, 01:20 AM // 01:20

Okay... First of all, I've done Elona's Reach without /any/ monks before. More than once, in fact. If you have a reasonable mind for strategy, that's not usually a difficult thing to do. This is especially true if your build has survivability, which I personally feel every build should. (if your build is 100% reliant on a monk to survive, your life will always be tied to a monk. It's that simple, it's common sense folks. That's why so many groups /require/ two monks, or more. Because those characters that lack survivability essentially need a designated healer. Alternately, they need to stay the heck out of the line of fire, which is rarely going to be possible. Those Cursebearers over there? Yeah. They're looking at you).

Monk-reliance has become a startlingly large issue, I've noticed. Every class has some kind of survivability spell/skill available. Something that makes you marginally tougher than you were when you started. If you can't find a monk, bring some of those. It means you sacrifice your artillery a little bit, but you'll live long enough to get some shots off. And you won't waste three hours screaming, "GROUP OF 3 LOOKING FOR 3 MONKS TO DO 'REPORT TO WHITE MANTLE' PLZ ASK (name here)". That's a good thing.

Secondly, when dealing with timed missions, strategy is infinitely important. If logic tells you that the people in your group are gonna be slow as heck, then, bring some speed skills if you can. They'll help you get away with that crystal, without being shot down. A water elementalist can shoot by those forgotten like a rocket using Mist Form and Armor of Mist. They won't even know you're gone until they hear the boom. Finesse. Finesse.

Finally, use your environment. Those spiky purple mines? They work as weapons, too. When you drop one, it explodes in a ball of pokey purple vengeance. If you meelee, try plucking one up and dropping it in the middle of a mob that's swarming you. It might not stop you from dying, but it's fun, and it means that the next guy past the mine won't get smacked.

Just some small, redundant advice.

Salud.
~ Kareel

MaglorD · Jun 30, 2005, 02:01 AM // 02:01

I beat this mission last night with henchies. Was playing my last profession, the elementalist. Actually beat all 3 missions with henchies first time.

For Elona, I spent most of the time on getting the crystal on the left. Most important thing to do is to pull the sage/arcanist group away from the other sage/arcanist group. Otherwise the two priests keep healing everyone. Other than that, it was pretty easy to clear the two boss groups.

For the crystal on the right, I thought I could just rush in and grab the crystal....wrong. Got crippled/killed by the enchanted sword. Surprisingly, the henchmen managed to kill off most of the boss group and sweet Alesia revived me, just in time for me to grab the crystal and run.