Thursday 5/25

[Erudite]

Ascension mission #1 will be on the agenda. Since we can do the three Ascension missions in any order, we get to choose. I wanted to get an early jump on planning it this week, as each of the three missions will require walking to the location first. I think Elona Reach is the easiest to unlock if you haven't gotten to any yet.

(Note - I've opened up the three locations, so I have no preference in that regard. Onnie has already Ascended.)

I'll edit in mission details when we've decided on one.

My thought is Elona Reach would be good to start. It seems to be a fairly difficult mission, so a good place to test ourselves. Also, it's on a 30-minute timer after the first part, so we'll have a few chances at it within our usual timeframe. If we get it done quickly, we'll have time to make some walks to the other outposts and unlock them for future sessions.

[GravenStone]

... Onnie has already Ascended.)...

:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

Good grief. Oh well, leaves me something to shoot for. I'll have my gaming rig boxed up by this Thursday, so no GW for me. They're supposed to try and hook me up for wireless broadband next Wednesday, but I'm rather in a deadspot on their coverage map, and no DSL providers appear feasible, so if not that, I'll give satellie broadband a shot. However, since I don't know how long scheduling that might take, I may miss more than just the one session this week.

[Erudite]

I'll have my gaming rig boxed up by this Thursday, so no GW for me.

Hmm. I was planning on doing some things with Seoman tonight since Destrid is at a no-advance-until-Ascension point, but if we can assemble the gang on short notice we could probably make a run at one of the missions tonight.

Wednesday is a no-go for me, though. LOST season finale and all. ;)

So, anybody up for an impromptu go at it tonight, say 8:30pm or 9pm EST?

[Onnie]

HEY! I can't believe you told I didn't mean to do it! Besides... I still need bounses. Seesh! I thought Erudite was my friend and look at what you did.

Actually I know Seoman and Xell need the same quests. And yeah you can do in any order it doesn't matter. I still have some exploring to do because I'd find a city and sick of fighting something like... OHHHH I dunno, that named Sand Elem and his five friends with a Wurm hoping up and down under me, I usually zoned instead of perhaps having to walk back from where I started.

So I'm up for exploring, etc.

--Onnie

[Raveneye]

I don't think I can make it online tonight until 10:00pm. I have my son's baseball game and some other family related stuff going on tonight.

If you all want to try the first mission, go for it. I can either see where you're at when I'm able to get on or I can catch it another time.

[Erudite]

I'll be around and about the Guild Wars universe tonight in some form, so if you want to attempt a mission before you box things up, Gravenstone, just give a hollar in greenspam. No harm in trying. :lowrazz:

[Erudite]

No luck last night, so we'll make another attempt at Elona Reach on Thursday (unless somebody has another preference).

Let's plan on meeting in Augery Rock, American District 1, at 9pm EST on Thursday, in case Raveneye hasn't yet made it out to Elona Reach. Not too bad of a walk, so no worries if you don't have time to do it beforehand.

[Raveneye]

Sounds good. It's unlikely I'll have added Elona Reach yet by then, as LOST finale is tonight so no Guild Wars is in my immediate future. :smile:

[Onnie]

Alright, after trying to relog back in twice after getting the new build, I threw up my hands and said.. It's just no fun hanging there trying to get the character screen to come up.

That mission is such a wencher. I can't imagen having to have the crystals on you to get the ghosts to pop up for the bouns. Going to either have to be bulled-headed and do it over and over before finishing the whole thing or finish it and if we feel like looking at it again to try for bouns doing that.

I think most (without question) do it in two steps with going for bouns afterwards. I'll try, if most aren't on tonight, to see if I can get into a "bouns only" group and see how they manage it so we can all do it.

I'm thinking on that bridge though, Erudite and Gravenstone will know what I mean, we should of gone around to the side and dealt with that side group. The time I did it with others they had the Memser boss knocked out so fast that when I was dropping the mine on the other side they were dealing with the wandering caster group. I just needed to shackle, hp loss and limp along with George in the fight doing damage.

I don't mind using Xell for the "Miner" job. And when we do thristy River she's perfect for rushing the Monk casters and dropping them before they start regening the team while others fight the 2nd wave. Just keep her health up because the Boss will be target hitting her, not George who the Monk will be trained on. By the time the monk is dead usually all outsiders are, no regen worries it's just the boss. Plus Gravenstones minions will be perfect for helping with all the outside junk and fading heat. :)

--Onnie

[Lycos]

Lorna is level 7, post searing now.

One question, crafting is not a dedicated occupation? I crafted some cloth armor upgrades yesterday. I guess anyone can craft the items as long as you have the raw materials and the coin to make it? Is that correct?

Also, last night I got my first weapon that said 3 <specialization> required. But I was able to equip the item. Does that mean I can use the weapon, but not get the bonuses? Is it still good to get the best damaging weapon that I can keep in my hand?

Also, when I identify a weapon, and it tells me a grade (precious, etc.) on it. What can I do with it at that point?

Ok, maybe that was more than one question! :lowlol:

[Erudite]

Ooh, almost forgot...I was trying a spike damage build with Destrid last night that seemed to work pretty well. Incendiary Bonds (a hex that deals 76 damage to target foe and all in the immediate area after three seconds, and sets them on fire for -14 health/second for another three seconds) followed immmediately by Fireball (105 area damage). It usually times perfectly, such that the delayed damage from IB hits just as fireball does, resulting in a nice ~180-point AE spike. It works especially well on those stationary worms, when I can lay Firestorm down first without fear of them running away. They wilt away in pretty short order. :lowrazz:

[Erudite]

One question, crafting is not a dedicated occupation? I crafted some cloth armor upgrades yesterday. I guess anyone can craft the items as long as you have the raw materials and the coin to make it? Is that correct?
Yes, that's correct. All armor is customized. Armor made for you can't be used by anybody else. There's no point in trading with another player.

Also, last night I got my first weapon that said 3 <specialization> required. But I was able to equip the item. Does that mean I can use the weapon, but not get the bonuses? Is it still good to get the best damaging weapon that I can keep in my hand?
You just do (much) less damage with it. You still get the bonuses and whatnot, but it won't be very effective as a weapon if you don't meet the requirement next to the damage line.

Also, when I identify a weapon, and it tells me a grade (precious, etc.) on it. What can I do with it at that point?
Precious means it will sell for more than usual to a vendor. Highly salvagable means you'll get more crafting material than usual if/when you salvage it.

[Onnie]

Cool! Our new mule.. err I mean Healer is Post Searing! We now have access, ahhh we won't have to have so many hencie problems when we get Lyrcos with the main group!

Whooho!! ;)

--Onnie

[Raveneye]

My new supergroup:

Me (of course)
Little Thom
Steffan
NPC Healer 1
NPC Healer 2
Lycos

"Whirling Blades of Death!!1!" :smile:

[Onnie]

Where's Q? What Missions do we need to get him up with and stuff?

And, I need to pawn some staffs off on him. (grins)

Oh, I found something really interesting about selling Fiery swords. This was really, dunno... Now Raveneye told me they usually go for 1K. Considering I see stuff that I could breakdown going for 5k that I think isn't near worth it I figure 1k is a bargin. So I do the selling Fiery Sword PM with offer. First guy PM's he wants to know damage on it. I tell him he goes, 750? I say, I hear they are worth at least 1k. He goes okay, let me go tot he bank and I want to see it.

He comes back, I opent he trade, he's got one 1K in the windows. Sure enough the sword is what I say it is, he goes, "Oh, it's a blue. Thanks anyways." Closes the window and logs. I thought, "Uh that's odd. I've seen 'Blues' before that are better than 'Yellows' for damage and stats, etc."

No worries, another guy PM's me. He wants to give me 550 for it. He says he's going to have to sell his current sword to get to that. (ahem) I ask where he is. Not that I mind donating to a new player that can't afford perhaps (this is my angle on considering it) and that's still more than what I'd make at the vendor. Well I find out where he is and, he's got better armor on than Seoman. (strike #1 with me to have that gear he's been to area <insert place here>) So then he tells me if he sells his sword he can make 575 in gold but that's all he has money wise period. (strike #2 with me) Bare minium his current sword would go for 20 gold, 30ish plus gold, or 18ish and below. That's if it was a straight out white junky thing. With no adds on it. I'm sorry but my Math isn't adding up here to 25 gold anyway you slice it. So I tell him, I don't want to break him with other players running around that have very deep pockets. Plus as he and I have both noted while talking, it's one short of max damage. Would hate to give him a bad deal.

He goes, "lol. cool" BOOM he logs. Every character that did not buy the sword instantly loged out. I mean right then and there. I'm standing there scratching my head. It makes me wonder if they heard me shout and then got their warroir baby or not so baby to come buy it. Then switched back to something else. I can't figure it for the life of me any other reason for the almost instant logging. Almost made me feel like I was trying to peddle black market goods or something. What am I dancing with sheer scammers etc. here or something? Seesh.

Onnie: Psst! Over here! Wanna buy a Fiery Sword? (Looks around hoping no one notices the Trade Window opening)

--Onnie

[Lycos]

LOL, they were just embarassed to be with a skilled gamer such as you and trying to rip you off! hehehe

Played Lorna a little last night. Finished a few minor quests. Got a new life tap spell. I need to review my skills that I have loaded. About halfway to level 8.

One question, is there a way to focus your henchmen to a certain target. Last night we ran into the typical healing mob healing all the others. The henchmen don't get it, and I was spamming healing spells until I ran up on the mob and starting nailing it with everything I had. Then the henchmen helped me kill it, and the battle went our way.

[GravenStone]

LOL, they were just embarassed to be with a skilled gamer such as you and trying to rip you off! hehehe

Played Lorna a little last night. Finished a few minor quests. Got a new life tap spell. I need to review my skills that I have loaded. About halfway to level 8.

One question, is there a way to focus your henchmen to a certain target. Last night we ran into the typical healing mob healing all the others. The henchmen don't get it, and I was spamming healing spells until I ran up on the mob and starting nailing it with everything I had. Then the henchmen helped me kill it, and the battle went our way.

The henchmen will focus on whatever mob the leader of the group is attacking. If it's just you and a full group of henchmen, this is no problem, just target what you want killed and hit autoattack. In a group with other players, this can become a problem if they're following someone and suddenly another threat pops up that needs dealt with and the henchies don't switch.

One caveat to this is that minions don't always do as they're told. My undead followers will aggro on whatever is closest to them. This can actually be useful since they tend to jump in the way of mobs that are trying to close with me. However, it can also be a pain if you spawn a minion at the edge of the battle, and he happens to be in range of another mob who wasn't previously in aggro range of the group. He'll merrily shamble off and drag the new mob (and any linked buddies) into the fray in the blink of an eye.

[Erudite]

Woohoo! Through the Elona Reach mission (finally)! No bonus, but that seems pretty doable.

[Raveneye]

I'm quite sure it was the benefit of having Erudite and Onnie run through that mission multiple times before me, but last night's mission did not seem at all difficult, and Guildwiki lists it as one of the toughest in the game.
/shrug

We had at least 5 minutes to spare at the end, so we should be able to go back and catch the bonus pretty easily without running out of time. I can see how trying to both in the same instance is suicidal though.

[Lycos]

Finished a few quests last night, late.