What HM dungeon would you skip to get the title

puffzilla

puffzilla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Black Hand Gang [BHG]

W/

Alright I'm planning on finishing off my Master of the North title track next week. I've finished vanquishing and missions in hm. The only thing I have left is the HM dungeons. Now because I'm done everything else I have enough points to be to skin one. Any advice on which one I should skip?

I'm not finding many people looking for groups so I've done most of it with the Sabs 3 necro build. Anyways here's the list I still have to do. You could also comment on the ones I've done, as to which you'd try to avoid if you did it all over / or failed at.

Darkrime Delves 5
Frostmaw's Burrows 6
Sepulchre of Dragrimmar 7
Raven's Point 8
Vloxen Excavations 9
Bogroot Growths 10
Bloodstone Caves 11
Oola's Lab 13
Arachni's Haunt 14
Heart of the Shiverpeaks 18


Done
Catacombs of Kathandrax 1
Rragar's Menagerie 2
Cathedral of Flames 3
Ooze Pit 4
Shards of Orr 12
Slaver's Exile 15
Fronis Irontoe's Lair 16
Secret Lair of the Snowmen 17


My comments
Exile might be a longer one but since it has a fixed build and a lot of groups doing it, it was rather easy...
So far Rragar's was my least favorite. Having to kill the charr Monk then the rez'mer was getting a little old. Probably would have been easier with a 600 monk / smitter not sure.

Anduin

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Ice Dragon Berserker Lodge

W/

I really, really hate Vloxen Excavations.

I have it, Rrager's and Slavers' left to do (two for the title, all three to fill my book).

I'd skip them all if I could.

bifter

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2007

Blade of Souls [BoS]

E/

I have 4 left to do - rragar's, frostmaw, vloxen and slaver's. I've made an exploratory trip to each of them but frostmaw in HM, and while they all had their own special flavour of pain in the arse, I think Vloxen is the one I'd skip. I'm still planning on doing it though - want the extra rep from a fully completed book.

Mind if I derail, and ask how you went about things with H/H at Rragar's? I munched through most of lvl 1 when I took a lookie, but with one or two squishy deaths at each group pretty much, DP seemed to be accumulating fast. I seem to remember level 2 being the worst bit in NM too, so was wondering how that would shape up?

Proff

Proff

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jun 2007

Darkrime Delves 5 - easy (h/h)
Frostmaw's Burrows 6 - can find a party for this one (not that hard)
Sepulchre of Dragrimmar 7 - easy (h/h)
Raven's Point 8 - haven't tried yet
Vloxen Excavations 9 - haven't tried yet
Bogroot Growths 10 - easy (h/h)
Bloodstone Caves 11 - easy (h/h)
Oola's Lab 13 - easy (h/h)
Arachni's Haunt 14 - easy (h/h)
Heart of the Shiverpeaks 18 - haven't tried yet

puffzilla

puffzilla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Black Hand Gang [BHG]

W/

Well I got it on my second attempt. Got some of the kinks out for killing of the charr groups on my first attempt.

Lvl 1 first group is about the worst group. Pretty painfull really. But they actually died off really easier on my second attempt. I kept trying to over pull the groups. Some groups I'd take the agroo and leaved my group back a bit but in range. Other groups I'd ping the monk but hit the mesmer with pain inv then go back to the monk. Once the monk was down I hit the rez'mer then take out the monk a second time. I was also forcing the necro to prospirit me.

Only had issues with 1 group on the second level. It had 2 eles, monk and a rezmer next to a bridge. Gave up going after the monk and took out the eles first. Wasn't bad after that. Don't let the minion near the ooze necro.

When I overpull most groups they behaved and only hit me. (W with H/h) Had a 50 pack of honey combs to help out though... Lvl 2 took me about 2 hours I think.

Lvl 3 was easy except the the 2 consume corses bosses. You can actually run around most groups. But the fact they mixed up the groups made them easy by far to kill off. The 2 necros bosses took a while. The non boss necros pulled out easily but had issues killing off the rest.

I'm sure there's a far better way to do it then the way I did but it worked. I'm guessing a 600 / smitter would have done it much quicker. With some help.

puffzilla

puffzilla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Black Hand Gang [BHG]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Proff
Darkrime Delves 5 - easy (h/h)
Sepulchre of Dragrimmar 7 - easy (h/h)
Bogroot Growths 10 - easy (h/h)
Bloodstone Caves 11 - easy (h/h)
Oola's Lab 13 - easy (h/h)
Arachni's Haunt 14 - easy (h/h) Guess I'll start with thoses

bifter

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2007

Blade of Souls [BoS]

E/

raven's point and heart of the shiverpeaks are both fine too. i believe frostmaw will be fine if you're a warrior as well (easier if you can control aggro yourself). So Vloxen is the only one that you have to worry about

puffzilla

puffzilla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Black Hand Gang [BHG]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by bifter
raven's point and heart of the shiverpeaks are both fine too. i believe frostmaw will be fine if you're a warrior as well (easier if you can control aggro yourself). So Vloxen is the only one that you have to worry about Thanks. Might get some guild help for that one some day then. Guess I found which one I'll leave for last. Thanks

Proff

Proff

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jun 2007

Just remembered I did Oola's Lab with a guildie, so you should be able to h/h but i had 6 heroes so idk. MM doesnt get any corpses so sabs build doesnt work, just bring standard anti melee heroes and you should be fine, rits help and air or earth eles make a difference too.

Anduin

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Ice Dragon Berserker Lodge

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Proff
Just remembered I did Oola's Lab with a guildie, so you should be able to h/h but i had 6 heroes so idk. MM doesnt get any corpses so sabs build doesnt work, just bring standard anti melee heroes and you should be fine, rits help and air or earth eles make a difference too. I am a warrior as well, and Oola's was easy enough, with Sab's group minus the MM. Replaced him with either Gwen as a domination mesmer, or Vekk as a water elementalist. Not too sure which, but it was definately one of the easier ones I've done.

Vloxen is frustrating me so much right now, it is unbelievable. Slavers' mobs should be regulated to the dungeon they came from. There is no reason a "normal" difficulty quest should be harder than all of the master's quest dungeons. Pure stupidity.

puffzilla

puffzilla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Black Hand Gang [BHG]

W/

Anyone try taking a 600 + smitter build in Vloxen?

Horseman Of War

Horseman Of War

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jun 2006

The Cult of Doom

P/

Quote:
Originally Posted by puffzilla
Any advice on which one I should skip?
Darkrime Delves 5
Frostmaw's Burrows 6
Sepulchre of Dragrimmar 7
Raven's Point 8
Vloxen Excavations 9
Bogroot Growths 10
Bloodstone Caves 11
Oola's Lab 13
Arachni's Haunt 14
Heart of the Shiverpeaks 18 Darkrime Delves was annoying.
Ive done dragrimmar and raven's quite a few times in HM, very easy dungeons.
Bogroot Growths has good treasure potential.

Thats all i can really say./..


edit: easier to do nm subquests and only duncan HM for slavers... worked for me.

Longasc

Longasc

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

Vloxen and Shards of Orr are probably the hardest. Duncan is easier.

Hint for Vloxen, forget about Smiting. I suggest Mark of Pain + Assassin Support on several players, then they go boom instantly.

sky sliverwolf

sky sliverwolf

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2007

R/

Shards of Orr! I really really really hate this one, the others were np

tekDragon

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2006

R/

I was able to hench frostmaw HM and the rewards include some nice rare skin so include that one. I'd skip either volxen, kathandrax or Rrargar's. Each was its own little level of hell for HnH and no one groups for them.

Shards HM is doable if you can get a 600 smite to tank through it and have the group mop up the spillage with holy damage.

However, if you have enough coin for consumables, Rargar's and Vloxen are doable with HnH..... so maybe skip Kathandrax?

bifter

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2007

Blade of Souls [BoS]

E/

Shards of Orr is very easy with H/H in HM using the method detailed in the other thread (3* ray of judgment spike). It's possible to finish with full morale boost, having used no consumables. Seriously, nothing to worry about at all with this dungeon.

How feasible is henching Frostmaw HM as a caster? Strikes me that you really want to control aggro there, and that's always a pain to try to do with a hero.

Lady Alynor

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Sep 2006

I h+h Frostmaws in Hm a lot for the heck of it, it's not very hard. Just make sure you do the sweeping to pop all the wurms, flag your heroes out of yr aggro and release them once you got it. I use Sab's build there with the 2 ele and monk henchies. Even if you get dp from sweeping, you work it off so fast no consumables are needed.
The only 2 dungeons I haven't done and just can't seem to do with h+h, full human team (pugs, but still) or any other way are Rragars and Vloxen. If anyone has suggestions, I'd be grateful.

puffzilla

puffzilla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Black Hand Gang [BHG]

W/

Shards of Orr was easy. I had friends doing the 600 runner for Cathedral of Flames so I asked him for help on that one. Pretty easy that way.

Kathandrax I did right after HM came out with some guildies since it was my least favorite in nm. But it turned out to be easier with a bit of help then it was doing it with heroes and henchies. I guess I learned a few leasons the first time through too.

puffzilla

puffzilla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Black Hand Gang [BHG]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady Alynor
I h+h Frostmaws in Hm a lot for the heck of it, it's not very hard. Just make sure you do the sweeping to pop all the wurms, flag your heroes out of yr aggro and release them once you got it. I use Sab's build there with the 2 ele and monk henchies. Even if you get dp from sweeping, you work it off so fast no consumables are needed.
The only 2 dungeons I haven't done and just can't seem to do with h+h, full human team (pugs, but still) or any other way are Rragars and Vloxen. If anyone has suggestions, I'd be grateful. Phane sent me a Pm saying she'll be attempting a Ursan run through Vloxen. I don't think I'll be able to make it since the time is bit off for me.

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10233717

Otherwise you can read my comments above. It was a bit of sure will power and stubbornness that got me through it though. You’ll need a lot of party DP removers and a group that kill off the first group. I found that the first group is about the worst there is. Some might take a bit of extra hacking at but they’re not much worth.

bifter

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2007

Blade of Souls [BoS]

E/

I found you can stretch the big group on the first level of Vloxen out (just about to where you kill the first boss). If you do this, and don't use melee, you can aggro lock the casters and whittle the group down one by one.

The first group on level 2 is the one I have trouble with though. Nowhere to run, so you have to go toe-to-toe. If it doesn't work out, they raise 20 minions which will never degen to death and it's GG.

holix

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2007

E/

damn im at 987 points done all vanq all missions in nm hm all dungeons in NM and 16dungeons out of 18 in HM VLOXEN and RRAGAR'S. What's your tactic to do 1 of them..? Tried vloxen 5times

Proff

Proff

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jun 2007

or you could map 13% of eotn and get the title....

T. Drake

T. Drake

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2006

R/Me

Rragar's Menagerie is the dungeon I won't play in HM ever again if I can avoid it.

Vloxen was a pain too, but due to the amount of failed runs in Rragar's Dungeon my vote goes to this one.

tekDragon

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2006

R/

Well Rrargar's and Vloxen are the ones that people seem o have the most problems with... at least in this thread.

I managed to hench both with the 3 necro team and full sets of consumables. I guess it's a fail and a hit on my pride in some way but at least now they're done. I guess between both dungeons I used 5 armors, grails and, and essences... and maybe 2 powerstones. Bleh.... made me feel dirty but at least I now have a completed HM Dungeon book.

I'd have to say, even with candies, level 2 of volxen was still the hardest. The fight with the MM boss and the group right before were great long drawn out stalemates... Long and difficult, but doable. The undead areas after were a joke and so was the undead boss.

yishin

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2007

Isle of Meditation

N/

I am also planning to skip one dungeon. With still 3 dungeons left (Rragars, Shards of Orr and Duncan), I was planning to skip Shards of Orr since I found that the most difficult (it took some time to kill the boss) the first time I did it in normal mode, it seems ages ago.
The other 15 dungeons I h/h and used lots of mainly candycanes, but I can't remember Vloxxen to be that difficult. There were some tips in wiki that helped me out.
When h/h I always bring enough consumables and candycanes. I remember using like 50-80 honeycombs on a couple of dungeons (like frostmaw), I was using them freely because my character is also going for the sweet tooth title.
But looking at your list and reading other peoples experiences if I were you I'd choose to skip between Frostmaw and Vloxxen. I'd already wrote I couldn't remember Vloxxen to be that difficult but others did. Frostmaw dungeon just took a long time and lots of "honeycombs" (there was a level were he spawns quite a few times (probably an update)).
Goodluck

Mr None

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Nov 2007

W/

I have Legendary Vanguisher and Guardian, finished every elite mission in game with hero+henchmen or with friend + heroes, but i must say that Citadel is by far the hardest area in game. This is the only place me and my friend couldn't do with heros normally and decided to go Ursans (stupidly overpowered skill)

puffzilla

puffzilla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Black Hand Gang [BHG]

W/

Well filled my dungeon HM book yesterday.

Found Vloxen Excavations easy enough but I had a friend helping. W with sabs 3 N build. He was an SF ele + sf hero and 2 monks. Actually a really fun dungeon. That one group on the second level hurt but that's about it.

Raven's point was annoying. Ok had done a few already yesterday before doing it but found there was way too man Vaettir. You may want to modify your build to take them out easy.

So my trip to Rragar's Menagerie was the worst by far. Having to do it over I would have gotten help with this one for sure. Not sure I'd have taken frozen soil but that rez'mer was a pain. The sabs build was nice but needed a bit more help at taking the monk down quicker.

bifter

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2007

Blade of Souls [BoS]

E/

Grats! I just did Frostmaw - it was fairly fine, so still have Vloxen, Rragar's and Slavers' to go.

You can dodge many of the vaettir in Raven's Point btw, but I agree that they are slightly annoying.

Any tips for henching Rragar's?

OS T

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2006

Mo/E

none dungeons actually,they give players a challenge,atlest some dungeons,ive done like 6of em as UB and the rest with a balanced team...

Jaceb

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2005

P/

Well, i removed some of my earlier junk that i had written because it was stupid. Darkrime is actually very simple with enough hex removal - so dont skip it even if you dont like Jotuns but do yourself a favor and rezone to get an easier spawn, it's pointless to fight against 6 Bloodcurdlers. Vloxen & Rragars and some sections of Slavers Exile you might want to skip though and perhaps Destructions Depths too.

Edit1: Since i just beat Ooze Pit (HM) with around -50% dp (+10% morale before bosses) i can safely say that that place rocked my pants. Infact i fougth without pants for more HP against the last one. That absorption skill is totally nuts - it almost feels like it's always on. Having rangers with pets is the way to go - for some reason the bosses want to bash them instead. With a little luck you can skip some fights if they're far enough for you to sneak past. If you or anyone else starts to build up DP - the oozes will try to gank that player all the time.

Edit2: FrostMaw's Burrow (HM): If you want to do it, you have to be extremely carefull where you step on - i cant stress that enough. There's many very nasty chokepoints with Frostmaw Spawns + 4-5 Frost Wurms + 6-8 Stormcloud Incubus . Yep it's indeed possible to have all those on your party. Believe me, thats probably the most painfull wipe ever. Nothing is what it seems in there, an empty room can be your doom. DP is punished severly in here.

Thought Edit: I was just thinking, how on earth can you beat Fendi Nin on HM without getting to 60% DP and thrown back to outpost? - i mean normally without being buffed to the max. Sure seems very difficult.

Graphik Desine

Graphik Desine

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2006

N/

ooze pit and rragars definitely. 2 or more lvl 30+ bosses standing next to each other causing over and over aoe party wipes. good thing for consumables and/or daze/interrupt rangers ._. if these types of groups don't bother you, then the combo below would be good:

runners up were vloxen and shards, but shards seemed to be the same as nm (only with candy canes included) and vloxen just took sooo long because of dp on the heroes (lack of powerstones) and all the minion masters...and that 1 narrow spawn point by the necro boss that could possibly trap you in due to mob size and minions...such a nice surprise...:P

but i wanted them all so i put myself thru a lotta hell finishing it but it was worth it reward wise--money and rep points--sure way to cut corners instead of grinding on monsters

Randvek

Randvek

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2006

Rise From the Ashes [phnx]

W/

Vloxen is definitely the toughest hard mode dungeon. If you do tackle it, here's the best tip anyone can give you: [card]Frozen Soil[/card]. I honestly don't know how you could beat that dungeon in hardmode without it.