Mass Aggro UW Farming (Post-Nerf Duet)

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

All the choke points are posted now.
An average smite run takes about 15-17 minutes, not as efficient as the old 11 min runs, but nevertheless, descent.

The Build:

Tank (Mo/Me)
2 viable builds exist, one using Healing Breeze, the other using Shield of Absorption. Shield of Absorption build is more durable, and quite a bit safer for the monk compared to the Healing Breeze one, but the Healing Breeze build is used for keeping others alive, like the spider run for example.

Skills:
Spirit Bond (Healing Breeze)
Shield of Absorption
Protective Spirit
Spellbreaker
Mantra of Resolve
Blessed Aura
Essence Bond
Balthazar's Spirit

Equipments:
Ascetic's Shing Jea Monastary Armor
Superior Rune of Protection
Minor Runes of each of the other attributes (Superior Runes if using Healing Breeze)
Kepket's Refuge

Attributes:
Protection-11+3
Divine Favor-12+3+1 (11+3+1 if using Healing Breeze)
Healing-0 (6+3 if using Healing Breeze)
Inspiration-Everything else

SS Necro (N/Me)

Skills:
Arcane Echo
Spiteful Spirit
Reckless Haste
Ancestor's Visage
Sympathetic Visage
Blood Renewal (Suffering if using Healing Breeze)
Awaken the Blood
Blood Ritual
(That's right, no ressurection signet)

Equipments:
Superior Runes of Blood Magic, Curses, and Vigor
Minor runes for the other attributes

We all know that melee monsters break aggro if mass AoE damaged. And we also know that they go for the damage dealer if they ever caught a glimpse of him. So, how can we use these information to our advantage? The answer is we body block the necro with the monk, so that the monsters are trying to get to the necro when they break aggro, but does not move, because they can't get to him. For this to be done, we find choke points, which are present throughout the UW. As you can see, ressurection signet is useless here, as if the monks dies, the necro dies as well. Plus, if the monk dies, he shouldn't be doing this mass aggroing in the first place, as it is very hard, even for me.

General Tips:
-Monk should always arrange the aggro so that they are all on once side, to avoid being trapped.
-Necro should avoid all aggros. Monk should bring the enemies to the necro; before that, the necro should not have aggroed anything.
-Necro should NOT cast ANYTHING on anything before the monk, necro, and the aggros are in position. The first thing the necro should cast is SV or AV.
-Necro should not try to kill dying nightmares, even though they should call them to make the monk's life a lot easier.
-In case of accidental aggroing problems, where the enemies (smites presumably) are going for the necro, the necro should run TOWARDS the monk, and run PAST the monk. As he is doing that, the monk should cast Healing Breeze on him. The broken aggro should go back to the monk once the necro passes the monk.

Pictures of spots:
*Note* The spots are flexible, choose which ones to use based on the spawn.


This one is pretty straight forward


Make sure the necro uses AV/SV ASAP, because fear me can put the team in a deadlock, with the necro void of energy.


Same as before, make sure you use AV/SV


This is a safe one.


This is an iffy one. It only works about 50% of the time.


It is inside the rock, there is a narrow opening.


Not many here in this spawn, but as you can see, more than 3 and doesn't break aggro.


How dumb of me to not aggro the ones on top of the cliff...


There is only 1 narrow spot, try to find it by strifing.

Words of wisdom for necros:
RUN IF IN TROUBLE! -Spiteful Biotch

My IGN is Monk Teotuf if you have any questions.

Anarion Silverhand

Anarion Silverhand

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Sep 2005

Denmark

None

There is a guide on how to post Screenshots located here:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ead.php?t=5430

This sounds interesting. I'll be sure to keep an eye on this thread.

benjef

benjef

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2006

England

Farming Crew Nl [FCNL]

Mo/

The 'dead spots' are if u Solo warrior its by the stairs

as in the spots he uses so only 1 attaxs to attack him, the monk will block and the necro will hide behind
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5xcwS6c6g0Y (i know he dies but theres another vid where he does the whole run

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

Yes, one of the 2 dead spots in the first chamber is shown in that video. except the necro goes all the way in, whereas the monk stays at the neck of the entrance (a little more outward than shown in the video, it is where the attacking aatax is instead of where the warrior is), it blocks everyone out, and therefore keeps the necro safe. But like I said, if the monk is where the aatax is, all of them will attack you, and all will get damaged by SS.

??Ripskin

??Ripskin

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2006

Mo/

Dude... spiritbond=the nerfage

nuff said.

Riken Chrono

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Dec 2005

around the corner and up the block

Hero

ripskin note he has SoA...

??Ripskin

??Ripskin

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2006

Mo/

Oh lol didn't see that ^^

Zipster

Zipster

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2006

Namelessones

N/Me

This may sound odd, but please don't post screenshots. Hiding spots are hard to come by.

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

Too bad, I added some screens. I'll add more later.

NuclearDope

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Thanks alot for this!

olly123

olly123

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2006

sh*tvill england

tgc

Mo/

cheer sfor this dude, but i cant clcik to inlage ur screenys?, am i the onyl one having trouble or is every one???

[BtL] poke

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2006

[BtL] Born To Laugh

E/Me

full size links:
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6838/uw01fp3.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2558/uw02bn1.jpg
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/209/uw04zy2.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/6397/uw05pu6.jpg

Dementiak

Academy Page

Join Date: Nov 2006

pls repost your images... theyre just thumbnails.


edit : lol sorry, looks like you fixed it.

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

I don't really see any demand for the rest of the choke points/strategies. I guess there is no need for me to put them up then.

Koning

Koning

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

I would really like to see them, and with me i think many other ppl.

Btw, so the whole idea is that aatxes, graspings and smites won't run away from the monk because they see the necro and want to attack him (but simply can't reach him)?

Oh, and if a normal smite run is done, I think it's better to just go with 55 hp (more easy, altough i haven't tried the sb+soa combo myself so maybe i'm wrong) and soa for unlimited aggro, cause degen isn't really a problem in this run (only bleeding from aatxe's, counter it with mending)

ToxicWasted

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2006

The Netherlands

Mo/

Wow nice guide, more choke points are welcome indeed

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

Yes, that is exactly why they won't break aggro. Some of them will stop attacking, but will not move, so that proves that point. A 55 might work, except I'm not sure that it can tank that many enemies at once, but if it's a really good 55, well, it works too. The build has nothing to do with whether they break aggro.

Koning

Koning

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

just a 55 with SoA, also has unlimited aggro

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Koning
just a 55 with SoA, also has unlimited aggro Yes, but to counter the bleeding, you need 8 in healing. it is better to max divine favor and have 14 in prot and rest in inspiration than putting some in healing.

|pyro|

|pyro|

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2006

Me/

gz for you for reading my buid then added an SS necro instead of an Rett., Holy Wrath smiter
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10075617

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by |pyro|
gz for you for reading my buid then added an SS necro instead of an Rett., Holy Wrath smiter
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10075617 What do you mean, YOUR build? Just because we have similar builds, doesn't mean I got this build from you. One, I've been using this build since day one of NF (I mean, it doesn't take a genius to combine Spirit Bond and Shield of Absorption), and two, just because I use that build, does not mean that I copied it from you. If you are going by posting dates, there is a thread about this build before yours. Search the forum.

But the most important part is, what's the monk build does not matter in this guide. This is not a guide about builds, it's a guide about build usage. It doesn't matter who the tank is. Hell, I've done it with a dervish before as the tank, without protective spirits, spirit bond, or shield of absorption.

I respect you for being a build finder. But don't go around accusing people for stealing "your" idea. Plus, SS is faster than smiter, because smiting damage reduces with shield of absorption. I am also impressed by your smiter skill bar. The ordering of maintaining enchants shows that you are an experienced player. Don't ruin that good impression.

Oh, and one word of advice, your smiter is missing a skill. Fill it with serpents quickness or arcane echo, and echo SoJ for accidentally aggroed colds. That way, colds die within 40 secs after initial aggro.

Koning

Koning

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

/agree

I also think this guide is more focused on bodyblocking the enemies so you can have unlimited aggro (again) without fleeing enemies.

(plz come with your last dead points to block the enemies )

Turbobusa

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

By the Luxon Scavenger

The Mentalists [THPK]

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by teotuf
Yes, but to counter the bleeding, you need 8 in healing. it is better to max divine favor and have 14 in prot and rest in inspiration than putting some in healing. go 105 health, take watchfull spirit, heal with DF by recasting PS or whatever

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

So we encountered a problem. So far we are missing 1 choke point to the smite run: right after the first group of smites, we couldn't find a spot that we can consistantly stay at and succeed. We had two spots where both works sometime, but if either person miss by like literally 1 or 2 pixels, the necro will die, so those are not quite viable. Any idea for those smites? As they won't follow till the next spots, and we can't find one around there that always works. It's the groups of smites around the first patrolling coldfires in the run.

Also, anyone got any feedbacks about the run? How successful were you at this? Any other tips that you'd give for the run? I know I didn't post the smites parts yet, but how long does the first chamber take for you guys? It takes about 3 min average for me (Graspings and Aataxs).

Another thing I noticed, is that after the update, smites drop ectos a LOT less commonly. So right now I'm looking more into chaos plains and bone pits.

ALL SPOTS ARE POSTED NOW IN THE FIRST PAGE.

Koning

Koning

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

thank you for sharing these spots again

I'm gonna do some runs with guildies (if online + favor.....) to see how it works (didn't try it yet cause i didn't know all dead point yet). As for that single group, you might need to take em out without dead point (so lets hope its no 3+ group). It takes a bit long, but its doable.

As for the chaos plains, in the time b4 the spirit bond update we farmed those mindblades alot, and came to the conclusion that the tank didn't need spellbreaker for it, nor (due to high hp) extra regen to counter degen. but now that we don't have spirit bond all the time, we might need it (but mindlbades like to interrupt that like crazy). The necro needs to bring mantra of resolve and some hex removal. Holding aggro from mindblades is a hell of a job, they like to scatter everywhere.

Anghardel

Anghardel

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

Raging Seraphim

Rt/

I've actually seen you hanging around the Temple of Ages quite a bit, Teotuf; my guild leader has served as an SS for you, and I've considered seeing if you were up for attempting a dual 55/Famine run, though I am aware that it's considerably longer - or so I've been told.

I'm in the process of constructing a Necromancer right now, and I planned on eventually using him almost exclusively for UW farming as far as PvE goes - though he's going to be a PvP player as well. This guide is wonderful; I'm glad you took the iniative to post photos of all the possible team gank spots. Definitely going under my favorites now.

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

@ Anghardel
I've seen some really cool famine rangers. In fact I've done the mass aggroing with some. It works flawlessly, almost faster than SS in the first chamber, since there is no need to find the attacking ones and hex them. However, the smite run is next to impossible with mass aggroing, the reason, it's not possible to kill colds w/o damaging the smites.

@ Koning
I never personally duo farmed in chaos planes yet. I didn't think that mindblades would be the problem, since they give -8 regen, in which case either healing breeze or renewal of spirit bond would keep you alive. I faced them over and over when I was doing escort souls, and the only problem there was keeping the necro alive. So I guess the healing breeze build would solve that problem. What I'm wondering, is how would you counter banished dream riders? I remember prenerf, I used to 3 man farm tombs, and was successful in killing them, but I can't remember whether I used echo spell breaker there. What's your strategy for those?

Anyone got any insights for bone pits btw?

Koning

Koning

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

dream riders are easy, altough they use shatter enchant, so make sure you cover your ps (you also have spellbreaker on ofcourse). ss should kill him pretty quick, depending on the other skills your necro is using even b4 sb ends.

As for the mindblades, your healing breeze would be interrupted if you cast it without spellbreaker on you. you probably have migraine on you, making hb a 2 second cast and easy to catch for a 1/4 interrupt spell. (mantra of resolve would deal with it i think, but prepare for maximum energy lost than)
Than again, you need to find dead points to position yourself because they will probably also scatter from ss (haven't tried it on them since last update tough).

The bone pits is also a nasty place to go, degen+life stealing. But it might be easier to clear that than clearing the mindblades, because there is no interrupting here. make sure the necro has hex removal if something goes wrong (btw, didn't fight this guys ever with 2 man monk+necro)

I think I need to go to UW soon trying all these things out when I have the time

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

Added yet another spot, which is useful for some spawns. As for the speed of this run with mass aggroing, 2 limiting factors are present: necro misplace the hex on non-attacking foes (it's like learning SS all over again), and monk aggroing problem (which doesn't happen that often, and is easy to fix), esp if monk is trapped and need necro to SS to get out, in which case breaking the aggro, and messes a lot of things up. But average run takes about 15-17 min.

Koning

Koning

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

hmm, how can you control the enemies with ss so that they keep attacking? Or is this all about luck?

teotuf

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

The necro just have to hex the ones that are attacking. As I'm not the necro, I have no idea how they do it, some catch on right off the bat, others take a few aggros to know which ones to SS. Since there will always be at least 3 attacking the monk, the necro just have to learn to hex the right ones. For Aatxes and Grasping Darkness groups, it is always the Aatxes that are attacking. For smites, I have no idea how they choose who to SS, but Smites always go down in a few secs. It's only the Aatxe/Graspings group that have some problems. Anyone know if unwelcome guest is doable with monk and necro duo? How do people counter lingering curse, as it's a 10 sec recharge spell?

smallhamster

smallhamster

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Feb 2006

Moscow, Russia

Mo/

Surely Unwelcome Guest is doable with monk and necro duo.
Necro JUST kill Soul Keeper (SS and wand) while Dryders patrol go out.
In some cases monk agro and take Vengeful Aataxas, necro kill SK then monk just run to break agro (VA die when lost agro)

I`m not so experienced in tanking as Teotuf so if I can do it so you surely can too