Low Level Party Challenge--Can It Be Done?

I was just reading this thread about how you can a low level person (as low as level 1) as far as ring of fire, and it got me thinking, could a well-coordinated team of very low level characters be able to finish the game from this point? For example, suppose you had a party of 8 characters, infused, ranging in levels from say 1-8, with whatever skills, weapons, and armor they could muster, could you beat, for example, the last three missions (Ring of Fire, Hell's Precipice, and Abaddon's Mouth) without any level 20 support? I realise that the disadvantages are pretty significant--your skills are very limited since you don't have many skill credits to spend at that point, you'll be taking a lot of extra damage for being at such a lower level, etc., but I'm just curious as to whether something like this has been attempted, or moreso, whether such an expedition could be completed.

Rico

Probably, yes. Everything in PvE is pretty easy, it should be possible. The problem is, if it fails, your party will already be through the first part of the mission (unless the team really sucks) and most of you would lvl a couple fo times already. If you try it again, it wouldn't be that great anymore.

Once again, think it would be too tough. They wouldn't be able to do enough dmg against the bosses. Prot spirit would keep them alive, but the dmg output wouldn't be enough.

For that matter, don't think a group of low level players could be THK.

could be possible... although it could and would take a while.

your skills will be weak due to the lack of attribute points, but damage shouldn't that big of a problem - you can pick up forge armor on the way, so you will get as much damage as everone else (with your class & armor, just to prevent *g*)
maximum health will just a bit low...



/sarcasm
my guess: people who get their lvl1 run to the fire island will probably pay for the last 3 missions as well - so this won't happen cause people who actually play a mission won't be lvl1 when they go to the fire islands...
/endsarcasm

and hey maxiemonster did you get your molder sold? >_<

Same weapons and same armor as level 20 players. But at level 5, how many attribute points could you put into one attribute? Even with superior runes, you might get to 12 or so, but thats one attribute. Plus you won't have the skills, since you can't really earn them in missions, or buy them without the skill points.

Maybe a trapper team...

I'm assuming that you would get run as far as Fire Island so at least with your limited skill points you would have access to all of the skills. Thus, Thunderhead wouldn't be a problem (it would make a good challenge though) Attribute points is a problem I hadn't considered, and it would certainly limit your options, particularly for warriors. I guess if you wanted a warrior at all, they would probably have to be a stance tank, and probably have all their points into tactics to activate their shield.

Protective spirit would be vital to keeping the team alive, but that won't help you against degen attacks. In particular, I think Spectral Agony would be a huge problem, even if everyone was infused.

I think you will find the damage will be significantly lower than what you expect it to be because of how the damage equations work. From the Treatise on Combat Mechanics, we note that at level 7, you will only be doing 50% of the listed damage on skills, whereas the monsters, assuming level 24 on average, for what its worth, do 123% of the listed damage. Weapon damage faces similar problems, except compounded by the problem that both skill (assuming <12) and level will reduce weapon damage below listed values, means that pretty much all weapon attacks will be worthless.

The bosses would be a problem, particularly one of the monk bosses. I think the team would probably need maybe 2 mesmers to keep enemy casters under control. Maybe something like 2 mesmer, 2-3 monk, 1 tank, the rest degen casters or trappers.

Rico

Wouldn't you need funds from other char's (or e-bay ) for armor and buying skills to be effective at that point?

I'd be willing to give it a shot, it could be fun.

Paying for the runs would be the expensive part, unless you were able to get some people to get you around for free. I mean it's only ~10k for the armor, plus maybe another 500g for all the skills you can buy, since the prices would still be low at that point. Not a huge monetary investment really. You might as well buy superior runes for what you can too I suppose, since if you get hit without protective spirit on, you'll probably be dead, so health is only a counter for degen.

Rico