Having done the Hero FFF in Melandru's Hope plenty by now and figured out the nuances of its working... out of morbid curiosity I decided to test my luck on the equivalent quest on the Luxon side... on Mount Qinkai (outside Breaker Hollow). After much work, I actually found I COULD do it.... and I have conveniently gathered my findings together so that everyone (of Luxon persuasion or otherwise) might hopefully benefit from it.
For the record... it is NOT as fast as the Kurzick one, but at between 2 and 3 minutes for a run it is still viable IMHO:
The flag-point map:
The little crosshair marker demonstrates where I was standing (in Breaker Hollow) and basically where the whole thing starts. The RED blips demonstrate the final locations the heroes need to be in to complete the requirements of the quest.... and the BLUE blips mark flag-points along the way the heroes need to be flagged to in order to stop them colliding with the all-too-mountainous terrain (I mentioned micro-management).
Now.... for the test.... I was using my standard FFF hero crew: Zenmai, Melonni & Kahmu (though not in that order).... Each of them had Pious Haste and Dash (and I found out that no more than those two are actually needed).
I checked the optimal route needed for each destination and the minimum number of flags I could effectively get away with dropping... and then measured the time needed for a hero with optimal running speed (alternating Pious Haste and Dash) to get from each point to the next (East to West).... and the total overall. THIS is what I found:
Hero 1 = Kahmu (to the Caves)
Hero 2 = Zenmai (to the Gazebo)
Hero 3 = Melonni (to the Plateau)
Henchies = Talon, Eli, Zho, Aurora (to the Lake)
Kahmu (Caves):
#1 = 28 secs
#2 = 40 secs (1 min, 8 secs)
#3 = 28 secs (1 min, 36 secs)
#4 = 21 secs (1 min, 57 secs)
Zenmai (Gazebo):
#1 = 32 secs
#2 = 28 secs (1 min)
#3 = 9 secs (1 min, 9 secs)
Melonni (Plateau):
#1 = 32 secs
#2 = 40 secs (1 min, 12 secs)
#3 = 34 secs (1 min, 46 secs)
Henchies (Lake):
#1 = 46 secs
The henchies always run into a Naga group, but are generally fine. Only Hero 1 out of the three main guys ever runs into ANY potential trouble..... and that is with the occasional Oni spawn near the start (which oddly enough is rarely a problem at full running speed).
What I determined from this is as follows:
Kah1 = 28 secs
Zen1 = 32 secs
Mel1 = 32 secs
Hen1 = 46 secs
~~~~ Reflag KZM after 4 Pious/Dash cycles
Kah2 = 40 secs
Zen2 = 28 secs
Mel2 = 40 secs
~~~~ Reflag KZM after 5 Pious/Dash cycles
Kah3 = 28 secs
Zen3 = 9 secs
Mel3 = 34 secs
~~~~ Reflag K after 3.5 Pious/Dash cycles
Kah4 = 21 secs
~~~~ Finish after 2.5 Pious/Dash cycles
Sorry if this isn't explained too well... but basically the raw data is there for you to test with your own builds... and the time taken by each hero to get to their waypoint is likewise provided, assuming optimum speed (RELATIVE speed should hold true, provided all heroes use the same skills).
I've used this method to get to 10k Luxon faction quite easily (at least 400 every 3 minutes)..... which I technically don't need to do since I'm Kurzick..... but I felt like trying anyway. As far as I can tell, it is more efficient than doing the battles in Archipelagos and possibly more than Alliance Battling too.
Just for the record though... and to compare it to the Kurzick FFF:
DOWNSIDES:~
#1. Slower... about 3x. Not a HUGE disadvantage really.
#2. Requires careful reflagging. Putting a flag in the wrong place (i.e. in a cliff) can ruin an entire run, so getting to know the points precisely is important.
#3. Optimal timing of reflagging takes practice and careful time-keeping.
UPSIDES:~
#1. Does NOT require Shadow Form. There are NO threats to the heroes that cannot be overcome with Dash.
#2. Breaker Hollow, unlike Lutgardis Conservatory, does not deposit you at fixed locales within the area when you zone in... so you can zone in, then step backwards to zone back to Mount Qinkai.
#3. Becomes like second nature once you get used to the flag-placement and skill-timing.
#4. Luxons can FFF now too.... sort of.
Questions?
(If anyone wants me to draw up a more idiot-proof flagging map... I'd be glad to.)
