Crystal Desert....Getting tougher?

Not sure if this is perception or reality, but 2 weeks ago I flew threw the crystal desert locations without any problems. (R/N 20). Of course I sprinted often and my two buddies were w/m 20 too.

This week, for some reason it seems almost impossible to get to each location without sprinting. There's fast moving patrols everywhere, and high level mob's. Of course, instead of having a Ranger and two warriors, we're trying to bust through with 2 Me/E + an E/Mo and it's proving to be 10 times more difficult.

Does anyone know if Anet bumped up the level of Mobs in the crystal desert recently? Or is it just that my group is too stupid to play GW? Without sprinting, does anyone else find this to be extremely difficult?

I don't think so. I just opened up Elona, Thirsty River and Destiny's Gorge for some guildmates. Level 16 Wa/Mo and took about 20-30 minutes.

There were some heavy adjustments due to botters. Especially around places like Seekers Passage or Augury Rock. Those places were made a lot harder to prevent people from botting, unfortunately it made it harder for the normal people as well.

I hate those random minotaurs in Vulture's Drift. You'd think minos, sand elementals, and griffons would be fighting each other, not teaming up against you.

Quote: Originally Posted by Feli

Just tried running to Dunes of Despair and it was a lot tougher. Can't outrun the blessed griffons and it is hard to fight them when the henchies were slaughtered a long time ago while I was running. Might have to actually fight a little to get to Dunes.

You can usually run to the teleporter that goes directly to the Dunes portal easily enough. Griffins will follow of course, but the henchmen don't complain when they get slaughtered

To bad they were already slaughtered before I got there. Maybe a second run will yield better results. I died on the teleporter with the Griffons eating my lunch and no henchies around.

If you're running from Heroes Audience, it might be a little harder.

Yep, Runnin from Heroes Audience.

What I do is go from Augury Rock, past the hydras to the teleporter, then south into Vulture. There aren't that many griffons and sand drakes that way.

Quote: Originally Posted by Feli

I levitated everywhere so it was even easier...

Seriously, as someone else said, there were adjustments made to deter the botters. What Anet did was to increase the density of monsters around Augury Rock, Seeker's Passage and Dunes of Despair. This seems to be the only solution Anet can think of. I think they should just get rid of the stupid chests.

I found it way easier.

Especially getting to the dunes. It used to be next to impossible but this time around I see they reduced the size of the stone elemental groups from 4 to 2.

Quote: Originally Posted by Zenos

If you have to ascend to play the expansion they are NOT selling very many copies. The Crystal Desert is Impossible. I'm through with game. Fifty bucks wasted.

Not really you just have to find the right group.

I may be wrong but I don't see it possible with ANY group. Too many Hydras. No way to beat 5 of them off . NO WAY. END OF STORY.

Quote: Originally Posted by jshetley1

Quote: Originally Posted by jshetley1