Who here has had a positive PUG (pick up group) experience in the ascension series of missions? I think I did once, but that was a preformed group of friends I know from IRL.
Certainly the missions are difficult, very understandable, its near end-game content. Now here's my BIG question, WHY IS EVERYONE SO FUDGED UP IN THEIR MINDS WHEN IT COMES TO ASCENSION?
So, here we are, level 20. Wandering throughout some mishap of a plotline about some ghost guy promising great reward for killing some monsters. Sounds vaguely familiar, wait a sec, its coming to me....
OH WAIT! it is just like the rest of the game, except the monsters are a bit harder. I think we all can relate to the idea that ascension is just another mission in the game. Someone even said in this very section that it will divide the players from the good ones, to the bad ones, which is probably why I'm placing the thread here. That, and new players might not want to have this "plot" sploiled for them lol.
The bad players? Who the hell is this guy talking about? Well, I thought they were those who had no skill, feel and/or understanding of their character and its role. But no, through sufferring the organization of ascension mission groups they have made themselves aparent to me. These are the players who complain that they don't get enough loot. How if someone goes afk for a moment that it is a great injustice, and no matter how far you are into the mission, you simply must restart so that this person doesn't consequently get a free ride if you suceed. Or, oh my, someone died in the first fight when they lagged. We all see it, maybe we're misinterpretting these missions.
Well ya we kind of are. But there is hope, these self-absorbed individuals will be left behind. Their intolerance will be their demise, and the rest of us, well, we get to play the rest of the game.
My big question now is, how are we going to pick out these individuals when forming a PUG?
Ascension Hypertension
FaeBaul
dansamy
They're the ones spamming in all caps "MISSION GROUP NEEDS A MONK!!!!!1!1!"
FaeBaul
Quote:
Originally Posted by dansamy
They're the ones spamming in all caps "MISSION GROUP NEEDS A MONK!!!!!1!1!"
good hint, el oh el 
Icarium
I was under the impression that as the game got harder, more "rambo warriors" and everyother kind of nitwit WOULD be left behind . . . but it seems the opposite is true! the farther i get, the more impossible it seems to find sane people . . .strange . .Or maybe thats whats happening, and as i get father more and more people are getting bottlenecked :P either way ive decided thirsty river will be me and the henchies.
Simdarth
I had no luck at first withe the Asc missions, but I eventually got a good group that went through all three. Try getting a PUG at the Tomb. That really sucks. There is no one in my guild remotely close to Ascencion and the only chance I have at a sigil is a PUG...
Creston
I tried all three with henchies, and failed. Then I decided to PUG.
Apart from one instance in Dunes of Despair where our team leader was WARNED by someone in town that the warrior we took was going to quit on us (which he did, four seconds into the mission, apparently for some mental retards quitting after four seconds is the HEIGHT of entertainment), I had three just great groups.
Okay, tactically they could have been a bit better. There is no shame in retreating if you're being mobbed and getting slaughtered, for example. I was smart enough to retreat in Elona's, and so was able to ress the whole team back to life, and we still finished the mission.
The group we had in River was great, but that was probably also because through sheer luck we had 2 primary monks and my E/mo (who nukes as well as she heals). It was a cakewalk.
Elona's was easy enough since I had read enough hints and tips to get us through it, and apart from the slight tactical miscue, the group worked together well, they realised that I knew what to do and where to go, and they simply LISTENED to me
My only regret there is that we didn't do the bonus, when we easily could have.
Dunes took us two attempts, since we died once while being foolish enough to go after one of those damn annoying siege wurms that appear at the end (Most Idiotic Game Design EVAR).
So all in all, I had three groups, and we finished all three missions in four goes, so my experience was good.
But I do agree that it seems that the higher level the morons become, the worse their moronity starts to show. Apparently they feel that because they are level 18-20, they are somehow "badass".
Try to sort them out by name. Someone named "N00bz0rKill4H" is not going to be a great party member.
Creston
Apart from one instance in Dunes of Despair where our team leader was WARNED by someone in town that the warrior we took was going to quit on us (which he did, four seconds into the mission, apparently for some mental retards quitting after four seconds is the HEIGHT of entertainment), I had three just great groups.
Okay, tactically they could have been a bit better. There is no shame in retreating if you're being mobbed and getting slaughtered, for example. I was smart enough to retreat in Elona's, and so was able to ress the whole team back to life, and we still finished the mission.
The group we had in River was great, but that was probably also because through sheer luck we had 2 primary monks and my E/mo (who nukes as well as she heals). It was a cakewalk.
Elona's was easy enough since I had read enough hints and tips to get us through it, and apart from the slight tactical miscue, the group worked together well, they realised that I knew what to do and where to go, and they simply LISTENED to me
My only regret there is that we didn't do the bonus, when we easily could have.
Dunes took us two attempts, since we died once while being foolish enough to go after one of those damn annoying siege wurms that appear at the end (Most Idiotic Game Design EVAR).
So all in all, I had three groups, and we finished all three missions in four goes, so my experience was good.
But I do agree that it seems that the higher level the morons become, the worse their moronity starts to show. Apparently they feel that because they are level 18-20, they are somehow "badass".
Try to sort them out by name. Someone named "N00bz0rKill4H" is not going to be a great party member.
Creston
FaeBaul
Its funny, yes as we progress through the game, we will run into anguish revelling morons... But the reason is, these grounds for the tough missions are populated due to choke points. Whereas only the stable prevail. Sucks that we must endure failing examples of players to continue the game, but thats why there are guilds... look for me in the game if you wish to join a cohesive guild... Sorry for the add, I'm just looking for responsible adults who take life a little more seriously so we can have fun when we play. Add Fae Baul to friends and msg me if interest, or PM
Simdarth
Quote:
Originally Posted by FaeBaul
Sorry for the add, I'm just looking for responsible adults who take life a little more seriously so we can have fun when we play. Add Fae Baul to friends and msg me if interest, or PM
Amen! That's why some friends and I formed our own guild... we all know each other IRL and if one of us decides to go 1337 n00b, we can personally punch them in the face. Very satisfying.
Amen! That's why some friends and I formed our own guild... we all know each other IRL and if one of us decides to go 1337 n00b, we can personally punch them in the face. Very satisfying.
Drago Solaris
i had to do elonasaround 30 times due to the fact that only the noobish peopel were the ones there we would start the mission and sum 1 would pull evry single minataur call evry 1 a noob because he died then leave then the next guy who dies because of the minataure calls the monks crap and leaves, the monks get upset and leave, the few remaning people then try to take out the minataurse and die, they cannot handle dying and leave, wich leaves me on my own with a bunch of minataur...
FaeBaul
Quote:
Originally Posted by Simdarth
Amen! That's why some friends and I formed our own guild... we all know each other IRL and if one of us decides to go 1337 n00b, we can personally punch them in the face. Very satisfying.
ya, need that. tried it though, got stabbed in the back
strange
ya, need that. tried it though, got stabbed in the back
strange
Finally Me
I have to say had a great Thirsty River experience last night(GMT i'm in UK) with a great group of people on the US servers
it was my second Char just getting to this point - have played a Monk/Mec this time but just purely went for a healing build
Anway I loaded in and immediately got a couple of invite so I joined the group of five
Have to say the first two parts went smoothly and good laugh with the team then we hit the 3rd area and the first two teams went easdy enough, I think we then got complacent for the hardest team and i have to say it was hilarious
We spent approximatly 40mins battling with the last group - on two occasions we were down to 1 player and the Ghost and he saved our butts lol - gave the 1 player a few mins to res and heal and we started again
By the end of it we had killed many of the mobs quite a few time only for them to rez again - although when they Rez they do have a DP as they go down quicker the next time
i think we were all on 45/60% DP when we finally killed the last priest and then mopped up the mobs
Absolutely hilarious - no-one gave up - no-one left and even when we were down to one player it was all positive fun stuff
It is amazing how one bad apple can destroy the fun in a group - find a group who dosnt have a bad apple and its amazing
Cant remeber any of the guys names (which is poor I know) (mine is Ian Stormwind) but thanks for a great gaming experiece
now I only have Elona to do then I have 2 chars ascended
it was my second Char just getting to this point - have played a Monk/Mec this time but just purely went for a healing build
Anway I loaded in and immediately got a couple of invite so I joined the group of five
Have to say the first two parts went smoothly and good laugh with the team then we hit the 3rd area and the first two teams went easdy enough, I think we then got complacent for the hardest team and i have to say it was hilarious
We spent approximatly 40mins battling with the last group - on two occasions we were down to 1 player and the Ghost and he saved our butts lol - gave the 1 player a few mins to res and heal and we started again
By the end of it we had killed many of the mobs quite a few time only for them to rez again - although when they Rez they do have a DP as they go down quicker the next time
i think we were all on 45/60% DP when we finally killed the last priest and then mopped up the mobs
Absolutely hilarious - no-one gave up - no-one left and even when we were down to one player it was all positive fun stuff
It is amazing how one bad apple can destroy the fun in a group - find a group who dosnt have a bad apple and its amazing
Cant remeber any of the guys names (which is poor I know) (mine is Ian Stormwind) but thanks for a great gaming experiece
now I only have Elona to do then I have 2 chars ascended
j_illmatik
I've used nothing but henchies from the beginning and I was disappointed because I just couldn't figure out a strategy for Thirsty River with them. So far the missions after I've been able to do with henchies but my streak is tarnished now thanks to Thirsty 
A bit off topic... I found my efforts to get a group extremely frustrating in Thirsty River. It seemed pretty clear to me that this game could benefit from a group tool to search for players that are LFG. Run by spam invites just suck.
A bit off topic... I found my efforts to get a group extremely frustrating in Thirsty River. It seemed pretty clear to me that this game could benefit from a group tool to search for players that are LFG. Run by spam invites just suck.
MetalIonicZ
I remember that after I ascended, I was helping people with thirsty river mission. The group I joined really needed another monk, so they invited a level 16 monk. Right away, I had a funny feeling that this guy was going to leech. About a quarter way through the mission, the level 16 monk decides to go afk without telling us. Luckily, we had a monk secondary in our group, he tried his best to heal us, but it didn't work too well. By this time, the level 16 monk was afk for 15 minutes. This was when we decided to leave the leecher and form a different group. Two hours later, when I am helping a different group with the mission, the level 16 monk messages me and asks where everybody went. His stupid excuse was that he had to tend to his grill and that he was cooking something. He was definately an idiot who deserved to be cooked on his own grill and then eaten by a giant venus fly trap.
I whole heartedly agree that if someone goes afk for too long, it is right to ditch them.
I whole heartedly agree that if someone goes afk for too long, it is right to ditch them.
Aernok
Quote:
Originally Posted by j_illmatik
I've used nothing but henchies from the beginning and I was disappointed because I just couldn't figure out a strategy for Thirsty River with them. So far the missions after I've been able to do with henchies but my streak is tarnished now thanks to Thirsty
A bit off topic... I found my efforts to get a group extremely frustrating in Thirsty River. It seemed pretty clear to me that this game could benefit from a group tool to search for players that are LFG. Run by spam invites just suck. Trying to figure out a plan for Thirsty with henchies as well as a Mo/W.
I rushed through to the desert in one day with henchies. Got sick of every PUG screaming that I can't heal because I'm level 14 *eye roll*. So, I decided to just stick with my henchie homies. Did Elona on the first try (it's just all about the order you kill the groups and a little sneaking around). Dunes will be too easy to do. That just leaves Thirsty. I know I can do thirsty up until the last group (the one with the monk boss).
I'll let you know if I'm successful.
A bit off topic... I found my efforts to get a group extremely frustrating in Thirsty River. It seemed pretty clear to me that this game could benefit from a group tool to search for players that are LFG. Run by spam invites just suck. Trying to figure out a plan for Thirsty with henchies as well as a Mo/W.
I rushed through to the desert in one day with henchies. Got sick of every PUG screaming that I can't heal because I'm level 14 *eye roll*. So, I decided to just stick with my henchie homies. Did Elona on the first try (it's just all about the order you kill the groups and a little sneaking around). Dunes will be too easy to do. That just leaves Thirsty. I know I can do thirsty up until the last group (the one with the monk boss).
I'll let you know if I'm successful.
Cymboric Treewalker
First:
If you are doing ascension missions at 20 you should have little or no trouble with them bar pure stupidity.
I routinely make groups of people below 20 because that means the people were GOOD enough to get there before they were 20. (with runners this is becoming less likely to be a good indicator, but still valid).
I have ascended 7 characters todate and the first thing I do is TELL my groups to listen and then act as an organized team. The most fun I had was going with a complete rambo wannabe warrior who on his third death got to stay in the dirt while the four remaining people completed the mission.
If you are doing ascension missions at 20 you should have little or no trouble with them bar pure stupidity.
I routinely make groups of people below 20 because that means the people were GOOD enough to get there before they were 20. (with runners this is becoming less likely to be a good indicator, but still valid).
I have ascended 7 characters todate and the first thing I do is TELL my groups to listen and then act as an organized team. The most fun I had was going with a complete rambo wannabe warrior who on his third death got to stay in the dirt while the four remaining people completed the mission.
Dreamsmith
Yes, it's amazing the kind of prejudice you'll see against lower level characters in the Crystal Desert. Worse, now everyone thinks you've been rushed there by higher level characters. Please... my first character to the Crystal Desert was a level 14 R/E, my latest to arrive was a level 13 N/Me, and both got there by beating Sanctum Cay with a group of nothing but henchmen (the N/Me went from level 12 to 13 while doing Sanctum Cay -- I was so disappointed, I wanted to get to the Desert as a level 12 -- oh well).
Quote:
But I do agree that it seems that the higher level the morons become, the worse their moronity starts to show. Apparently they feel that because they are level 18-20, they are somehow "badass".
Yes, a level 20 hanging around Elona Reach isn't bad-ass, it's pathetic. By the time you're level 17-18, you should be heading into Augury Rock to beat your mirror...Quote:
Of course, those of you who are obsessive questers have an excuse, I know you get a lot of experience points doing every bloody mission and quest along the way. But a lot of the level 20 people you see in the desert are level 20 because they didn't have the skill to get to the desert, so they level up and get there by brute force instead. And these same people refuse to invite a level 16 onto their team? No wonder they're still stuck running the same mission over and over. They insist on only recruiting skill-less people like themselves, save when they get lucky and recruit one of the obsessive questers who has some real skill and can show them how it's done.
Drakron
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamsmith
Yes, a level 20 hanging around Elona Reach isn't bad-ass, it's pathetic.
So getting elite skills is pathetic ...
Mind you that even if they got all primary class elites we can always switch secondary class and start to unlock elites, I bet many PvP players rather keep their "beat the game" lv20 character and unlock elites by switching second class intead of starting a new character.
I replayed River because I missed the Elite there.
Mind you that even if they got all primary class elites we can always switch secondary class and start to unlock elites, I bet many PvP players rather keep their "beat the game" lv20 character and unlock elites by switching second class intead of starting a new character.
I replayed River because I missed the Elite there.
Speedy
All three of the missions in Ascension for me had great groups when I completed them, but I sure did have fair share of idiotic groups before I found the good ones.
MaglorD
Quote:
Originally Posted by j_illmatik
I've used nothing but henchies from the beginning and I was disappointed because I just couldn't figure out a strategy for Thirsty River with them. So far the missions after I've been able to do with henchies but my streak is tarnished now thanks to Thirsty
A bit off topic... I found my efforts to get a group extremely frustrating in Thirsty River. It seemed pretty clear to me that this game could benefit from a group tool to search for players that are LFG. Run by spam invites just suck. I could be mistaken but the henchies seem to have a problem bypassing the last monk boss to attack the priest. Due to the massive healing more firepower is needed and that's where the henchies fail you.
I could never seem to get the henchies to bypass the monk boss, though others have apparently.
A bit off topic... I found my efforts to get a group extremely frustrating in Thirsty River. It seemed pretty clear to me that this game could benefit from a group tool to search for players that are LFG. Run by spam invites just suck. I could be mistaken but the henchies seem to have a problem bypassing the last monk boss to attack the priest. Due to the massive healing more firepower is needed and that's where the henchies fail you.
I could never seem to get the henchies to bypass the monk boss, though others have apparently.
MaglorD
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drakron
So getting elite skills is pathetic ...
Mind you that even if they got all primary class elites we can always switch secondary class and start to unlock elites, I bet many PvP players rather keep their "beat the game" lv20 character and unlock elites by switching second class intead of starting a new character.
I replayed River because I missed the Elite there. Don't mind them. They're just upset cuz few wanted to party them.
Mind you that even if they got all primary class elites we can always switch secondary class and start to unlock elites, I bet many PvP players rather keep their "beat the game" lv20 character and unlock elites by switching second class intead of starting a new character.
I replayed River because I missed the Elite there. Don't mind them. They're just upset cuz few wanted to party them.
Andy_M
Whats wrong with doing the ascension missions at level 20 anyway ? I got to desert at level 19 (did most of the quests, bonuses ect, apart from galrath) and got to 20 as I went to dunes with henchies. Didn't do any farming ect, just played normally.
We in a race or something ?
We in a race or something ?
NoseJob
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy_M
Whats wrong with doing the ascension missions at level 20 anyway ? I got to desert at level 19 (did most of the quests, bonuses ect, apart from galrath) and got to 20 as I went to dunes with henchies. Didn't do any farming ect, just played normally.
We in a race or something ? Not that I know of. I got to the desert barely lvl20, totally broke and not even close to wearing the best armor there is at that moment. But I'm in a lot of fun groups and otherwise I take my chances playing with the henchies.
So in all I'm having a blast playing it slow, doing as much missions as I can and not worrrying about my bankroll.
We in a race or something ? Not that I know of. I got to the desert barely lvl20, totally broke and not even close to wearing the best armor there is at that moment. But I'm in a lot of fun groups and otherwise I take my chances playing with the henchies.
So in all I'm having a blast playing it slow, doing as much missions as I can and not worrrying about my bankroll.
Mistress Dasha
Well I have one solution for PuG's.. I make my own groups and I lead my groups. But the catcher is how I advertise I need group members.. I found this to work great for me..
Group looking for # more members please send whisper for an application.. And I ask a few questions before I invite.
1. What Classes and what are your skills ie death,fire,what eva
2. Can you listen and take orders
3. Will you stay behind me
4. I take my time in missions is this a problem
oh and I will take 30 mins to set up a group I have no need to rush because if you do rush a group forming then you will probally have to do the mission over with so take the time the first time and everything should work out..
again I have said this millions of times communication is key.
Grandma Dasha
Group looking for # more members please send whisper for an application.. And I ask a few questions before I invite.
1. What Classes and what are your skills ie death,fire,what eva
2. Can you listen and take orders
3. Will you stay behind me
4. I take my time in missions is this a problem
oh and I will take 30 mins to set up a group I have no need to rush because if you do rush a group forming then you will probally have to do the mission over with so take the time the first time and everything should work out..
again I have said this millions of times communication is key.
Grandma Dasha
Jeddak
I'm ready to do the last 3 missions (just made 20 doing some quests in the desert today) and like always I'm in no hurry to move along in an online game (although I don't consider the game beaten after I reach ascension..there's lots of areas I have barely scratched and just following the missions and the story line hardly scratches the surface so I feel it's silly to call that beating the game).
I don't farm, my armor is probably subpar as this is my first character and I love to explore. It's been a blast so far solo (needed help on Sanctum at 18), hard at times (my choice of ele/war for a first character could of been better) and I don't know what's in store for me now. But I will group if I have too and hopefully I will find friendly folks who work together but until that happens it's henchmen if I can. In either event the game has rewarded me with lots of fun already so it's all good.
I don't farm, my armor is probably subpar as this is my first character and I love to explore. It's been a blast so far solo (needed help on Sanctum at 18), hard at times (my choice of ele/war for a first character could of been better) and I don't know what's in store for me now. But I will group if I have too and hopefully I will find friendly folks who work together but until that happens it's henchmen if I can. In either event the game has rewarded me with lots of fun already so it's all good.
Iraqalypse Now
My trick for ascension quests is to be a blood necro and cap Order of Vampire in Elona's using henchmen. Then, you start your group with you as necro, 1 monk, and 4 warriors. With order of vampire and 4 warriors, you should have enough firepower to take out a lot of things, as well as having a lot of incidental healing on your necro. Well of blood is amazing with warriors, as they usually stand very close to the corpses they make. My skillbar was pretty much like this:
Order of Vampire
Well of Blood
Life Siphon
Vampiric Gaze
Blood Ritual
Strip Enchantment
Res sig
-- Open Slot --
Order of Vampire and well of blood make for quite a bit of healing over time, and blood ritual gives a decent energy boost to the monk as well. If you can get the monk, you can make a PUG for this in a very short amount of time, and the build requires very little teamwork except for in Thirsty, where you have to get everyone on the same page of when and where to kill things.
I'm not sure whether you can make other warrior-based support/damage classes early enough to help with ascension quests. I'm fairly certain about getting zealot's fire and ether renewal for ele/monk smiter, but not so much on draw conditions and balthazar's aura. IIRC I ascended my ele/monk as an ether renewal healer, which is a perfectly good healing build for near 2 minute engagements in thirsty etc, where the lack of good monk/X energy managment is painfully apparent.
Order of Vampire
Well of Blood
Life Siphon
Vampiric Gaze
Blood Ritual
Strip Enchantment
Res sig
-- Open Slot --
Order of Vampire and well of blood make for quite a bit of healing over time, and blood ritual gives a decent energy boost to the monk as well. If you can get the monk, you can make a PUG for this in a very short amount of time, and the build requires very little teamwork except for in Thirsty, where you have to get everyone on the same page of when and where to kill things.
I'm not sure whether you can make other warrior-based support/damage classes early enough to help with ascension quests. I'm fairly certain about getting zealot's fire and ether renewal for ele/monk smiter, but not so much on draw conditions and balthazar's aura. IIRC I ascended my ele/monk as an ether renewal healer, which is a perfectly good healing build for near 2 minute engagements in thirsty etc, where the lack of good monk/X energy managment is painfully apparent.
Finally Me
You still have 6 or 7 missions to go yet mate - including Thunderhead
The funs not over! Ascension is only about 2/3rds thru the game
The funs not over! Ascension is only about 2/3rds thru the game
Age
Someone said beating your mirror at augary rock where in augary rock as both char. are there my Monk and Warrior anyway I still have mine to do.I would say that most don't take this missions with patients oh what is the 1st boss to kill at thirsty river despite what ghost say did it 3 times with nervouse group.
I found out you have to do all 3 ascention missions then do your mirror image.
I found out you have to do all 3 ascention missions then do your mirror image.
Tourist
Come again? In english this time?
Age
I got a little of this last night at thirsty river as I was useing henchies and when I got to the 3 bosses i went after the preist 1st and Ghostly hero just could get near it as well as the henchies and it was return to outpost 3 time.I will admit I was a little nervous as I did this 3 times with real ppl impatient group though.I was wanting to cap the word of healing from the preist but died.It must of been tired and hot although I did finf elonas npw I need to get to dunes.
zehly
There is a plus to everything: at least you know that if you do each one of them 30 times, you'll have lots of skill points to use when you change your secondary 
nohooiam
with thirsty being the hardest, here's one great tip for beating the team with the priest and the monk boss. get a shutdown mesmer, and the priest will drop within the 2 min mark.
Gwenhywar
I have done all ascension missions with PUGs (or myself + guildie + rest random people), except Dunes where henchies are good enough. In fact yesterday when I ascended my 2nd character, my PUG managed to beat Elona in the first try and later another PUG beat Thirsty in 2nd try. I was so happy =))
Good things remember when joining/forming PUGs:
1) Be a strong leader, or join a team that seems to have a strong leader. If one reasonable person will direct the show, the group has big chances to succeed - just help the leader to make everyone else follow his commands.
2) Avoid joining groups that advertise they absolutely need "2 more warriors", or "NEED A MONK", or that say "kick the necro and get another W". These are the kind of people that can only think one way, and will panic as soon as something unexpected happens.
3) Talk to people before entering. Immediately kick the guy that doesn't reply after asked something 3x - you'll regret later if you don't click that button now.
4) Ask everyone to CONFIRM they're ok with the goal of the group (I once had to repeat "we're ONLY elite capping, NO MISSION" at least 20x before I got 7 more people with the same goal in mind). That will ensure no complaints later, and checking again they can read/write
5) Talk some tactics: who will be healing is most important. if you don't have a dedicated monk healer but only an Elmo or N/mo with some heals, ask all W/ to take more heals/stances than usual, etc. Only one ele needs to take melee/element wards, rest can take damage spells instead.
6) Never hurts to ask your W/ if they're not leeroys People with sense of humor will laugh or joke back, but if they start yelling or don't answer, kick them now before it's too late.
It may seem like it takes time to do all that, but at the end it saves you lots of time and frustration of going into the mission with a group that wasn't made to beat it ... It really doesnt take so much time to remind people the few basic things before clicking on "enter mission".
My 2 cents
Good things remember when joining/forming PUGs:
1) Be a strong leader, or join a team that seems to have a strong leader. If one reasonable person will direct the show, the group has big chances to succeed - just help the leader to make everyone else follow his commands.
2) Avoid joining groups that advertise they absolutely need "2 more warriors", or "NEED A MONK", or that say "kick the necro and get another W". These are the kind of people that can only think one way, and will panic as soon as something unexpected happens.
3) Talk to people before entering. Immediately kick the guy that doesn't reply after asked something 3x - you'll regret later if you don't click that button now.
4) Ask everyone to CONFIRM they're ok with the goal of the group (I once had to repeat "we're ONLY elite capping, NO MISSION" at least 20x before I got 7 more people with the same goal in mind). That will ensure no complaints later, and checking again they can read/write
5) Talk some tactics: who will be healing is most important. if you don't have a dedicated monk healer but only an Elmo or N/mo with some heals, ask all W/ to take more heals/stances than usual, etc. Only one ele needs to take melee/element wards, rest can take damage spells instead.
6) Never hurts to ask your W/ if they're not leeroys
It may seem like it takes time to do all that, but at the end it saves you lots of time and frustration of going into the mission with a group that wasn't made to beat it ... It really doesnt take so much time to remind people the few basic things before clicking on "enter mission".
My 2 cents
Dwiggit
Quote:
Originally Posted by nohooiam
with thirsty being the hardest, here's one great tip for beating the team with the priest and the monk boss. get a shutdown mesmer, and the priest will drop within the 2 min mark.
Yeah, a ranger works great here too. Shutdowns are important for the Monk boss.
As an alternate strategy, my Necro/Ele was the self-designated priest killer. Most of the priest locations have a large rock behind them, which I would use as a shield. I would run past the Boss and priest, hide behind the rock, and attack the priest with indirect spells, such as meteor shower, firestorm, and life siphon. This proved extremely effective in killing the priest before the 2 minute rez timer.
Using life siphon (and it's elite counterpart, can't remember name) on any enemy before running into the Boss's den helped me take a few hits on the way in.
I'm sure other character types can be effective in using the rock as a shield, as long as they have some indirect attacks that can do reasonable damage.
Anyway, just a tactic to pass along....
Dwig
As an alternate strategy, my Necro/Ele was the self-designated priest killer. Most of the priest locations have a large rock behind them, which I would use as a shield. I would run past the Boss and priest, hide behind the rock, and attack the priest with indirect spells, such as meteor shower, firestorm, and life siphon. This proved extremely effective in killing the priest before the 2 minute rez timer.
Using life siphon (and it's elite counterpart, can't remember name) on any enemy before running into the Boss's den helped me take a few hits on the way in.
I'm sure other character types can be effective in using the rock as a shield, as long as they have some indirect attacks that can do reasonable damage.
Anyway, just a tactic to pass along....
Dwig
Mavrik
Its really weird... I found better organization, skills, behaviour and what not back in Kryta... but every group I try and get into in the desert has sucked so badly.. I've dropped from the mission. One character in particular kept leaving town with us wearing NO armor what so ever and trying to fight like the rest of us. Well you can imagine who kept dying first and was -60% moral before we got 5 steps from the gates... So I have better luck joining with guild mates who have already ascended, we grab some hench and away we go. Pretty good luck so far...
blane
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iraqalypse Now
My trick for ascension quests is to be a blood necro and cap Order of Vampire in Elona's using henchmen. Then, you start your group with you as necro, 1 monk, and 4 warriors. With order of vampire and 4 warriors, you should have enough firepower to take out a lot of things, as well as having a lot of incidental healing on your necro. Well of blood is amazing with warriors, as they usually stand very close to the corpses they make. My skillbar was pretty much like this:
Order of Vampire
Well of Blood
Life Siphon
Vampiric Gaze
Blood Ritual
Strip Enchantment
Res sig
-- Open Slot -- Why dont you throw in Awaken the Blood in your open slot? It will boost your blood and curse.
Order of Vampire
Well of Blood
Life Siphon
Vampiric Gaze
Blood Ritual
Strip Enchantment
Res sig
-- Open Slot -- Why dont you throw in Awaken the Blood in your open slot? It will boost your blood and curse.
Edge Martinez
Quote:
Originally Posted by nohooiam
with thirsty being the hardest, here's one great tip for beating the team with the priest and the monk boss. get a shutdown mesmer, and the priest will drop within the 2 min mark.
I agree with you, but I can honestly say that as I'm running a Mesmer character through ascension right now, no one even considers you at Thirsty River or anywhere. They'd rather have nukers or warriors, even necros. Yet I go to PvP and Mesmers get chosen not far behind monks. I wish more PvP players spent half their time in PvE.
I agree with you, but I can honestly say that as I'm running a Mesmer character through ascension right now, no one even considers you at Thirsty River or anywhere. They'd rather have nukers or warriors, even necros. Yet I go to PvP and Mesmers get chosen not far behind monks. I wish more PvP players spent half their time in PvE.
The Mighty Toe
I had great PUG experiences for both DoD & Elona's, on Thirsty River, I had a great group, but we kept on being beaten due to the appalling health of the Hero. Anyway, I decided to go solo on it with my E/Me, Stefan, Little Thorn, Alesia, Lina and Claude (for Blood Ritual). Anyway, I died once and absolutely stormed the Forgotten.
In case of other Ele's needing help, the skills I had were:
Fireball
Ether Renewal (Captured from Ele Forgotten Boss)
Fire Attunement
Firestorm
Phoenix
Meteor Storm
Glyph of Lesser Energy
{Open Slot} (I would recommend taking Aura of Restoration, as Ether needs many Enchantments to work really well)
Tip: Use the Glyph, then cast meteor storm on Enemy Priest, then carry on killing other enemies.
PS: Fae Baul, can I join your guild?
In case of other Ele's needing help, the skills I had were:
Fireball
Ether Renewal (Captured from Ele Forgotten Boss)
Fire Attunement
Firestorm
Phoenix
Meteor Storm
Glyph of Lesser Energy
{Open Slot} (I would recommend taking Aura of Restoration, as Ether needs many Enchantments to work really well)
Tip: Use the Glyph, then cast meteor storm on Enemy Priest, then carry on killing other enemies.
PS: Fae Baul, can I join your guild?