Stage 3: Kryta

[Erudite]

So, with Raveneye, GravenStone, and myself into Kryta, I thought a new thread for daily exploits and non-mission progress was in order.

I made some progress over the weekend. Aside from getting my first alt out of pre-Searing Ascalon, I walked Destrid over to Beetletun and did the undead invasion quest there. I also walked him down to Bergen Hot Springs, another outpost in the southeastern corner of Nebo Terrace. No quests there, unless they're class-specific and I'm the wrong class. A merchant, a banker, some crafters, and a few other NPCs.

Gypsie Ettins abound in Nebo Terrace. Level 15 and hit hard, but pretty much straight melees with some self-healing abilities. They go down fairly easily, even when encountered as a set of four, with the 12th level NPCs. The Tengu tribesman, despite being several levels lower, are a bit tougher, and it took me a few encounters with them to determine that the Wilds have to go down first. Much easier once they've been taken out.

Also, a few large groups of undead just outside of Bergen Hot Springs, including a Necrid Horseman (hatehateHATE those guys).

I'm less than 300xp from 17th level. I'll bump that out tonight, I'm sure. ;)

[GravenStone]

There's a quest involving Bergen Hot Springs that originates in Nebo Terrace. Talk to the Inquisitor or somesuch and he'll ask you to go to BHS to question subjects about a murder. For me the quest gave exp and a couple new skills (one each class). I imagine it's similar for most classes.

[Raveneye]

Yeah, I have that quest from the Inquisitor. He's in that little villiage you have to play Fed-Ex with for the Ascalon Settlement, right across the "zoneline" from the settlement. The reward is a pair of skills for your primary/secondary.

I didn't get to play as much as I'd hoped this weekend. I did get closer to 17th (about 1K away now) and finished up a couple of minor quests around Lion's Arch, but I still have yet to travel to Beetletun or Bergen Hot Springs. I may have to try doing a focused "map run" tonight or tomorrow. Those large groups of birdmen (Tengu) are nearly impossible with a group of 10th level henchies, if you get a single add you're toast.

[Erudite]

Those large groups of birdmen (Tengu) are nearly impossible with a group of 10th level henchies, if you get a single add you're toast.

They fight with the gypsy ettins. If you aggro an ettin or three, you can pretty easily manage to drag them over to the Tengu and let them beat each other up, allowing you to clean up the leftovers.

Not that I would ever try something like that, being the staunch heroic sort and all.

[Erudite]

I bumped over into level 17 last night, churning out the Hot Springs Murders quest. I also found a few quests in Lion's Arch I had missed, including the one that looks like it leads to getting a Signet of Capture. I didn't have a chance to start those, though. That outpost is so big. I spent a while running around it trying to get a feel for where everything is.

I got a necromancer rune off of a gold armor drop from the Tengu guys. I forget which one it is, though. I'll give it to you, GravenStone, if you can use it.

[noptov52]

I got myself to level 9 the other day and also made myself some armor. I now look fearsome in my lowbie brown gear - rawr! In other news some level 20 gave me a purple shield thats 14 armor plus some other stuff. Heck of a lot better than my 6 armor tall shield.

Plus I learned the fireball skill, which means I (finally) have a ranged attack.

I probably won't be playing much for a little while as I delve in to Elder Scrolls IV. That's ok though 'cause I've outleveled Sweeman by a bit so it'll give him time to catch up.

[Raveneye]

I bumped over into level 17 last night, churning out the Hot Springs Murders quest.

I also completed the Bergen Hot Springs murder quest last night, also bumping me into 17th level. I tried making a run at Beetletun, but got TPW'd by a gang of Tengu halfway there and quit in frustration. I don't know what the deal is, but even with the level 12 henchies I have severe problems fighting the larger groups of Tengu. I think it's because I don't have any AoE damage in my group. I tried adding in Orion at one point, but he's next to useless, his AoE spells never go off until the target is already dead.

[GravenStone]

I also completed the Bergen Hot Springs murder quest last night, also bumping me into 17th level. I tried making a run at Beetletun, but got TPW'd by a gang of Tengu halfway there and quit in frustration. I don't know what the deal is, but even with the level 12 henchies I have severe problems fighting the larger groups of Tengu. I think it's because I don't have any AoE damage in my group. I tried adding in Orion at one point, but he's next to useless, his AoE spells never go off until the target is already dead.

If you can afford to put some points into Death magic, being able to summon minions really does seem to help. If nothing else, it's more fodder to keep between you and the hordes of baddies. The downside is, undead minions are stooopid, and will attack anything that gets into their aggro range.

[Erudite]

I tried making a run at Beetletun, but got TPW'd by a gang of Tengu halfway there and quit in frustration. I don't know what the deal is, but even with the level 12 henchies I have severe problems fighting the larger groups of Tengu. I think it's because I don't have any AoE damage in my group.

The only time I use AoE spells against the Tengu is if I myself have a few of them beating on me. Then I'll squeeze off a smiting prayer that damages all foes adjacent to me, which sends them scurrying for other targets.

I don't usually have trouble getting them in groups of four, though, so my guess is that you're engaging two groups at a time instead of waiting for them to path apart first (which can take a while sometimes, actually). And really, I can't stress this enough - the Wilds have to go down first. They cast a shatter enchantment spell that wipes out the monks heal-over-time spell and does damage in the process.

And, worst case, start in Gates of Kryta and fight through to North Kryta province, skate the beach there to the Ascalon settlement and duck through that into Nebo Terrace. Once there, you should be able to hug the north wall and skirt around the two groups of Tengu near the zone-in and head to Nebo Village, which will just leave some gypsy ettins and spiny aloes between you and Beetletun.

[Erudite]

With EQ's anniversary stuff still going on, I didn't spend any time in Guild Wars last night.

I did log Durloth into Ascalon city for about 30 minutes this morning before work while my running gear was tumbling around in the dryer. I logged Sadilac Sanitorum on his map and knocked off the two necromancer quests there. Funny how much easier the stuff around Ascalon City is when I start with a decent weapon (his bow is 13-26, plus 10% damage while above 50% health, plus customized) and an 8th level wolf to help me out.

[Raveneye]

I FINALLY reached Beetletun last night. Very slow going trying to pick apart clumped groups of Tengu. At one point it was impossible to separate two groups of 4 and they killed off all my henchies, so I pulled Erudite's trick and led the remaining Tengu into a group of Ettins before I died. When I rezzed and returned, the Tengu had finished off the Ettins, and the Ettins had left me only 2 Tengu to deal with. Nice.

In Beetletun I was able to upgrade my chest armor (59AL +20AL vs. physical, +3 Energy) and slapped a Major Vitality rune (+41 hps) on it. I also upgraded my Gladiator's Helm (59 AL, +20AL vs. physical, +1 Tactics +1 Energy) and slapped a Major Absorbtion rune on it (+2 damage absorbed each hit). Then I ran out of iron, so the legs and gauntlets will have to wait until I'm back in Lion's Arch (iron is cheap off the broker).

I finished off the night by completing the Undead Horde quest out of Beetletun. HOLY CRAP! I kicked ass on the first couple of rounds, but as soon as the Skeleton Monks and Smoke Phantoms showed up I started dying, A LOT. I quickly reached 60% penalty and dies at least half a dozen times after that. The henchies and I basically were zerglings at that point. We'd respawn, take out a single phantom or monk/warlock, then die and respawn again. The Bone Dragon was anti-climatic as once he was the only thing left, he fell rather quickly. No way that even a full PC group in the teens could take that horde without a couple deaths.

[GravenStone]

Welcome to the 60 Club. :lowlol:

[Charinida]

When's the best time to upgrade armour/weapons? Sakura (L9), she's still wearing the stuff she got Pre-Searing pretty much...

Being a Warrior/Ranger... Hard to decide to concentrate on sword or bow... But she can wear plate, I hope...

[GravenStone]

Basically, look over the offerings of the armor and weapons merchants each time you open a new town. You should see noticeable increases in AC as you move along.

As far as weapon specialization, it really only matters as a function of which skill set you choose to focus on at any given moment. Most weapon specific skills require you to be wielding a weapon of that type (eg. Marksmanship -bow; Sword Master - sword, Axe Mastery... etc.) otherwise the skill will only be a dead button on your hotbar.

[Erudite]

I got down to Fisherman's Haven this morning before work. Temple of Ages -> The Black Curtain -> Tears of the Fallen -> Stingray Strand -> Fisherman's Haven.

There are two quests there, both unlocking skills. One, The Lost Princess, just involves map-travelling back to Temple of Ages and talking to somebody, then map-travelling back to Fisherman's Haven. There's also a skill trainer with two skills per class that aren't availabe as quest rewards (although some are available with signets off of bosses).

[Raveneye]

Last night I was able to finish off "Reversing the Scales" and fight my way down to Fisherman's Haven, opening it up on the map. Once there I purchased a couple of skills and did the Princess quest real quick (map to Temple, map back). Looks like the only remaining Kryta quests I have are Galrath and the Book Quest out of Fisherman's Haven. Beyond that it's plot mission to the next area.

One of the skills I picked up last night is Deadly Riposte. It's a nice sword/tactics skill that allows me to block the next incoming melee attack then do 47 damage and inflict a bleeding wound (DoT) to the attacker. It won a spot on my hotbar. :smile:

[GravenStone]

Just made the rounds to Fisherman's Haven as well (trying not to get too far behind you guys). Cleared the one map quest, will save the other quest for another time, or maybe as a group. Now 8200 from 19.