DoA Foundry Guide w/Heroes for the rest of us

Mandragora Screamer

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Oct 2014

Double Bock

P/W

12 Oct 2014 at 01:11 - 1
So, yeah, Oct 2014. While I've played GW1 on and off for a few years, I never was part of a large guild and didn't feel like being the "noob" in pug teams, so I left DoA alone for the longest time, and TBH I'm bored with GW2. In my research to build a decent hero team, and yes I looked through the other DoA/hero build posts and tried them all, including some new ones from Reddit. No dice, did not work for me. Evidently most were done prior to the armor change/health update back in 2011. And to be frank, other than EFGJack's video, the only thing I saw on Youtube were self-indulged no-build or explanation sharing crap. Seems most experienced players just sit in Kamden trying to sell armbraces & such...never offering to help anyone. I post this as a normal player, who simply wanted to see areas of the game that many players for one reason or another have never seen or completed. Just sharing how I did it.

Domain of Anguish: tough, very tough for the typical player who only has heroes and no guild support (read other players with PVE skills). In fact I got very frustrated listening and reading about the old school players talking about how easy this area is...derp. It's very unforgiving of any mistakes. Even normal mode (especially Foundry) is grueling.

From my perspective, it's a matter of survival that's key. I've tried running Foundry on my monk and dervish--always fail. I made a Paragon after 4+ years into the game solely for the ability to be an IMBA. Let me tell you, the damage reduction is absolutely insane with "SY!" and "TNTF". So my goal here is to explain how to complete DoA, as an IMBA with only Heroes (I used mercs but there's enough hero variety to do as well), with either no or very few "boons" (candy, cons, eggs, etc). Won't lie either, candy and cons will make your day ~25% easier! Give yourself at least 1.5 hours or so, a tad longer if you're new.

I don't claim these builds are the best, and to be clear, this is for normal mode, they just worked for me. mkay? I've run DoA enough to at least *earn* my armbrace...solely with heroes. I'll save Mallyx for another discussion.

The team (and yes order is important for placement):

Player: OQGjgylopSVY9YpbXFieAh1Yub
Rit/ST: OAWjMMgMJPYTr3jLcCNdmjwkL
Rit/SoS: OACjEyiM5MXzyZ10byMlmTuhJ
Rit/ST Comm: OACjAyhDJPYzNX0+s9NpmOzLG
N/BiP: OAhkQgG4xFyzdwOgIqqjTp5kbYC
E/Prot: OgNDwcPPPkk6hW8uW3ga1CaB
Me/Panic: OQlkAgC8AaeDNY6Z6yBDhMwIsGD
Me/Inept: OQhkAoB8AGK0LwKACYeGJQGwI0FD

These are variant of the 7 hero Player Support on PvX. I must say in general, one of the best hero team synthesizing group efforts with little wasted efficiency. So take a peek if you haven't completed DoA...if I can do it anyone can! I can't over emphasize, you're only job is to pull and and SY! + TNTF. Trust you're heroes. Oh and very, very little microing (ST Shelter) and no calling needed. Yea, I'm lazy. lol

Guides (Foundry rooms 1-4, Breakout, Black Beast of Arrgh, The Fury) :
Part 1: http://youtu.be/e56gJ4C7gkA?list=UU8...loHegdnzmmcf2w
Part 2: http://youtu.be/MXNHuASChFs?list=UU8...loHegdnzmmcf2w
Part 3: http://youtu.be/gGbCzgmH47k
Part 4: http://youtu.be/FfG93zWPJOM?list=UU8...loHegdnzmmcf2w

My last comment: GW1 is THE second funnest overall game I've ever played...this includes ALL CODx, all BFx series...my first pick??? Uhmm Quake 3 of course... A crying shame to think what GW2 could have been. Good luck!

Game well...Mandragora

The Pain Killa

The Pain Killa

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2005

Portsmouth UK

FragNBag.com

W/Mo

14 Oct 2014 at 07:45 - 2
Thanks for the share Mandragora. I've recently got a Para to DoA so I'll try your builds out and see how I get on with them.

mauirixxx

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2008

Island of Maui in the State of Aloha!

I'm not old, I just got [LAG]

W/Mo

06 Nov 2014 at 07:04 - 3
I know I'm rather late to the thread, but this build looks promising (I watched the first 2 videos).

Questions:
1: Weapons used on hero's & player (I spied a bison cup on the player - what spear?)
2: Runes/insignias on heros & player?

My imbagon has spent far too much time being AFK (imbagon is so easy to play, but with DoA being a ghost town ....), thank you for posting this

Mandragora Screamer

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Oct 2014

Double Bock

P/W

07 Nov 2014 at 05:33 - 4
Hi & thanks for the feedback.

To your questions:

Player: Spear, Prayer of the Forgotten (dbl adrenalin gain 10%, +5e, +30h) & Bison cup (+6e, +5 armor, +30h), full centurion's, +30hp, +2e, +3(1) Leadership, +1 Command (although I've switched to a +3 command now as well...so much armor mobs leave you alone usually and head straight for spirits).

For hero's, I run mostly green or insightful staves with either +health while enchanted or + armor, nothing special but definitely maxed / 15e. For hero's that carry bundles, not as big of a concern since they have bundle 97% of time. Def try to match the 1/2 cast attribute to the player, it helps mightily over the long haul.

With regards to runes, always run a superior on headpiece, and always a +1 on secondary attribute (I do run a +2 major spawning spawn rune on my ST Rit though as I want Shelter up at all times), also the best health rune you can afford (30+ or better) and a smatter of both armor (prefered) then health, the BiP should keep the team rolling along in e regen--except for the Player. Bip hero's don't seem to regen spear holders well, but you shouldn't need it with Leadership maxed. For both mesmer's I run an extra +1 inspiration and +1 fast casting as well as the superior, mesmer's burn energy like no other. I run a +1 Spawn power, +1 resto, and +3(1) Channeling on headpiece on my SoS Rit as well.

Via the IMBA, ST, and Prot ele, the team can take a nasty beating and wins through attrition unless totally overwhelmed (which can happen in Foundry). I always set E/Prot to avoid combat...don't need them wandering around trying to wand crap...everyone else to guard.

Good luck in your runs.

Tyran Hellcaster

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2005

----

Mo/W

09 Nov 2014 at 07:11 - 5
Well done on the youtube movies. I like it that you didnt use consets as they make things a bit too easy.

Your infuse ele is nice as heroes use it well. Surprised sorta that you didnt put a second copy of shelter on the other Soul Twister as a backup. But then again save yourselves on a para really outshines shelter on so many levels.

Since you have an imbagon and mercs you should try HM.

Trylo

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2006

[Here] | CKOD

E/R

09 Nov 2014 at 09:54 - 6
I'm so excited to see other people trying to do DoA with heroes! I've been working on it on and off for the last couple years as a "final test." Normal mode is the easy part Videos are great btw, nice commentary!

My IGN is Cor Justiae, I'll try to hit you up sometime (or anyone in this thread who is interested add me!) You've inspired me to write up my own hero guide. Beware - I will stretch your idea of what professions and builds in GW1 are. I think if you made some changes you could have a much easier time.

I've never actually tried DoA HM with an imbagon as my main character; I'm currently running through NF on a derv because I think they will be the most useful to have as a human. I've completed through the the third room of Foundry on my monk in HM so far, right before the tons of madness beetle popups, but I really need to get to r10 lightbringer since I'm only r6 atm!

Edit: I've posted some of my builds in a new thread, let me know if you try some of them out!

Jeydra

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2008

09 Nov 2015 at 13:08 - 7
Since Life Bringing told me DoA HM got a lot more difficult after the Elementalist update, I gave it a try. Took me over an hour of experimenting, but eventually I got there. Didn't finish since everything after the first four rooms is just a matter of aggro techniques.

Mandragora Screamer

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Oct 2014

Double Bock

P/W

23 Nov 2015 at 23:20 - 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeydra View Post
Since Life Bringing told me DoA HM got a lot more difficult after the Elementalist update, I gave it a try. Took me over an hour of experimenting, but eventually I got there. Didn't finish since everything after the first four rooms is just a matter of aggro techniques.

http://s12.postimg.org/l2x1i19ix/gw001.jpg Well...I am honored one of the original GURU's stopped in to comment. Many of us looked to YOU and EFGJack to begin our journey. TYVM for all you done for the GW1 community. Hope you found the builds decent. I've something new...very new...I'm posting to Reddit.

Mandragora Screamer