Dunes of Despair Bonus

Well, this is my second character going through the ascension, and he's done every quest and bonus mission to date, and I would feel very cheated if I didn't get this bonus. However, I have tried at least 15 times, both with henchmen (only twice, and failed miserably) and with players, but just can't get it right.

When's the best time to go for the bosses? Whenever I leave, thinking there's a lull in the battle, I get to the gate, and more forgotten appear. Occasionally I get to the castle when the ghost starts taking hits...

It's very frustrating.

Some help?

- V

Usually after 4 or so groups, there's a lull in the action and all siege wurms are up and about. The easy way is to divide your team and have someone distract for the ghost in case an enemy team comes in.

I've done it with two characters now, both with PUGs instead of henchies. We did it this way both times.

When the timer starts, four pairs of Frogotten Arcanists come in, one pair from each of the east, south and west gates, and then another pair from the east gate. Kill them as they come in range of the ghost. Then run to the south gate, where there are a pair of Enchanted Bows waiting to rush in. When they're dead, head to the western gate where there should be an Enchanted Sword and Hammer. A little after they die a boss group will come in the western gate.

After the boss group is dead head back to the southern gate and go through. You'll probably be attacked by a few scarabs here, so take them out, and make sure your people stay healed from the damage the worm will be causing. Then take out the general's group straight in front of you. When that group dies, a trio of Forgotten Cursebearers will come out of the fort, heading towards the western gate. You can try to intercept them if you like but it may waste too much time, it's really up to you.

Next you enter the fort and attack one of the general's groups (If you enter through the entrance to the east you'll probably run into three enchanteds on their way out). It's best to take one group at a time, so your healers don't have to run from one side to the other. To get the bonus you have to kill the generals and their guards.

The only problem with this strategy is that the second time we used it the ghost died right after we completed the bonus, because we let the two groups who run out of the fort go and they attacked him. This seems to be due to how early you kill the first of the three generals. With my first character we were slower and finished the bonus with only ten seconds to spare, so the ghost wasn't being attacked for long enough to be killed. The second time we were much quicker, and the ghost died. It would probably be best to do this with the express aim of getting the bonus, so you don't worry about the ghost as long as he lasts long enough for the generals and their guards to be killed.