Vanquishing (Dervish) and Killer AoE probs

Any advice for a Dervish trying to Vanquish NF? I have the three core campaigns, but I have yet to enter Factions ('cept for alliance battles and Zenmai) and have finished Proph (I have a warrior with relatively few capped skills, mostly warrior, and normal Warrior/Monk skills). So far, I'm 2 areas away from finishing the vanquish of Kourna (Floodplain, and the Moddok Crevice explorable) and while it is usually no problem, I get slapped down hard when I run across any sort of AoE using HM boss. (I mean, even one tick of Searing Flames would just about send my party's hp into the nether regions...)

My party, in General:
Me (derv, scythe/earth/myst, Wounding Striker)
Dunkoro (Hybrid heal/prot)
Norgu (Interrupt/Elite disabler [for monks]/Visions of Regret)
Olias (MM/Curses, 3 MM skills/Death Nova, +SS, among others)

and I generally bring Devona, Kihm, Mhenlo, and Herta.

Any way I can keep a Deep Freeze (70 aoe dmg at skill 12) from One-shotting 75% of my party when used by a HM boss, or something similar? I've heard and seen highly effective necro builds, but I don't have access to GWEN and have yet to play Factions (so N/Rt is out of the picture).

Thanks!

Monk heroes are pretty bad since they can't manage their energy. You need something with infinite or near-inifnite energy, consider using a N/Mo for Soul Reaping coupled with your MM or an E/Mo with Ether Renewal to do a monk's job, even if that means specializing in only healing or protting.

Your MM must be either a focused MM or a focused Curses guy. And I would advice using it as a MM bomber, with Animate Bone Minions + Death Nova, and filling with utility - either Prot or healing spells, or Channeling spells to buff the melee (you and the minions). Your mesmer is just fine.

For the AoE topic, use flags to your advantage. Place your three heroes and the henchmen (if applicable) separated so if the AoE hits one, it won't hit everyone. Always carry some sort of micro-able (with your heroes) prot (like Protective Spirit) so you can make the initial aggro on those hard mobs and not die while trying.

And for surviving, just remember it's easier to win in Hard Mode with enough defense and shutdown than pure damage coupled with powerhealing. Prots are good, KD's are good, conditions are good (like Blind and Daze), blocking is good and interrupts are also very good.

I don't see your point in not using N/Rt's. You can just go to AB or Zaishen/Training Arenas, win some matches, unlock just the skills you need and go back to your PvE channel, just like I did. At least with ritualist skills.

Hope it helps . Check the heroes forum to see some of the most popular builds for them, aka Sabway (at least if you don't have EotN). Just change the healer or the SS necro for something alike, VoR mesmer sounds like a very good choice.

get aura of holy might and pain inverter if possible
pain inverter kills strong enemies with aoe spells quite fast

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