Currently I'm trying to do a detailed exploration of every zone in the desert. After a steep learning curve (the desert is much harder to explore than anything that's gone before), I've found a strategy to easily beat all creatures I encounter there, except for the Sand Elementals.
The Sand Elementals are immune to bleeding and poisoning (which my ranger is built on), and they do huge damage with their Aftershock skill. With a party I can beat a single one, when facing 2 Sand Elementals me and my party survive half of the time, and with 3 or more Sand Elementals my party is dead in a few seconds.
Does anyone have a strategy to beat groups of Sand Elementals (besides avoiding them)? Do they have a specific weakness?
How to beat the Sand Elementals in the desert?
BrokenSymmetry
arnansnow
If you use water on them they congeal and become Mud Elementals that are weak against lightning 
Seriously, you should just run, that's what rangers are good for.
Seriously, you should just run, that's what rangers are good for.
Jijimuge
If you can interrupt their eruption spells you'll save yourself and your party some pain.
Even though your normal build is built on bleeding and poisoning, try switching things around....
Also, what armour do you have? If your armour's not great, that may be part of the reason.
What other strategies are open to you will depend on your secondary prof.
Can you also try to use pin down on one of them to slow them up a bit so that you engage less than the full group? I found them awkward as my war/nec but could do a group of 3, but would need some healing, but no ressing, afterwards and I don't remember using any particularly amazing skills against them.....galrath slash, plague touch (if I got blinded) parasitic bond....amongst others
Even though your normal build is built on bleeding and poisoning, try switching things around....
Also, what armour do you have? If your armour's not great, that may be part of the reason.
What other strategies are open to you will depend on your secondary prof.
Can you also try to use pin down on one of them to slow them up a bit so that you engage less than the full group? I found them awkward as my war/nec but could do a group of 3, but would need some healing, but no ressing, afterwards and I don't remember using any particularly amazing skills against them.....galrath slash, plague touch (if I got blinded) parasitic bond....amongst others
Jelloblimp
You need someone/people to stop them before they get close to the healer(s), with my (at the time) w/r I used a stance & healing spring to keep heanchmen alive.
But everyone must at least survive the first knockdown + aftershock combo just incase.
But everyone must at least survive the first knockdown + aftershock combo just incase.
BrokenSymmetry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jijimuge
If you can interrupt their eruption spells you'll save yourself and your party some pain.
Thanks for the idea. Since Distracting Shot will only interrupt one Sand Elemental at a time, I'm going to to try Choking Gas. In principle that should be able to interrupt the Eruption + Aftershock spells of a whole group of Sand Elementals.
MaglorD
I find all the elemental damage a bit over the board.
The hydras and sand elementals are the worst I think.
The hydras and sand elementals are the worst I think.
Lewick
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrokenSymmetry
Thanks for the idea. Since Distracting Shot will only interrupt one Sand Elemental at a time, I'm going to to try Choking Gas. In principle that should be able to interrupt the Eruption + Aftershock spells of a whole group of Sand Elementals.
Choking gas has limited usefulness. I use concussion shot on them as well as distracting shot.
Having said that, they are definitely the most difficult mobs in the desert to deal with, IMHO.
Having said that, they are definitely the most difficult mobs in the desert to deal with, IMHO.
jray14
As a Me/* with Domination Magic = 15 and henches, it's pretty easy to kill 2 at a time with Arcane Echo and Backfire (to nail 2 of them). 3 is a little tougher, but still doable: just bring something like Energy Burn or Chaos Storm to help kill the 3rd after you Backfire the first 2. 4 is quite a bit harder, but I've gotten lucky a few times: bring along Energy Tap to get a quick energy refill. Also, make sure you call the 3rd and 4th targets to guarantee that the henchies follow.
demonblade
I usually get them close to me and use whirlwind + aftershock on them (earth attr 10), 75% of their life right there.