Not sure if this is perception or reality, but 2 weeks ago I flew threw the crystal desert locations without any problems. (R/N 20). Of course I sprinted often and my two buddies were w/m 20 too.
This week, for some reason it seems almost impossible to get to each location without sprinting. There's fast moving patrols everywhere, and high level mob's. Of course, instead of having a Ranger and two warriors, we're trying to bust through with 2 Me/E + an E/Mo and it's proving to be 10 times more difficult.
Does anyone know if Anet bumped up the level of Mobs in the crystal desert recently? Or is it just that my group is too stupid to play GW? Without sprinting, does anyone else find this to be extremely difficult?
Crystal Desert....Getting tougher?
ZigZag Rollmeister
Zenos
I don't think so. I just opened up Elona, Thirsty River and Destiny's Gorge for some guildmates. Level 16 Wa/Mo and took about 20-30 minutes.
Feli
There were some heavy adjustments due to botters. Especially around places like Seekers Passage or Augury Rock. Those places were made a lot harder to prevent people from botting, unfortunately it made it harder for the normal people as well.
EF2NYD
I hate those random minotaurs in Vulture's Drift. You'd think minos, sand elementals, and griffons would be fighting each other, not teaming up against you.
Kishin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Feli
There were some heavy adjustments due to botters. Especially around places like Seekers Passage or Augury Rock. Those places were made a lot harder to prevent people from botting, unfortunately it made it harder for the normal people as well.
Honestly, I don't think its that bad. Seeker's Passage especially is way overrated in terms of its new 'toughness'. It just means you're moving slower and pulling more groups.
I find the Desert has what amounts to a trial period everytime you go there, until you re-acclimate. Basically, it kicks your arse for awhile, but then you hit your groove and its fine.
I find the Desert has what amounts to a trial period everytime you go there, until you re-acclimate. Basically, it kicks your arse for awhile, but then you hit your groove and its fine.
Zenos
Just tried running to Dunes of Despair and it was a lot tougher. Can't outrun the blessed griffons and it is hard to fight them when the henchies were slaughtered a long time ago while I was running. Might have to actually fight a little to get to Dunes.
EF2NYD
You can usually run to the teleporter that goes directly to the Dunes portal easily enough. Griffins will follow of course, but the henchmen don't complain when they get slaughtered 
Zenos
To bad they were already slaughtered before I got there. Maybe a second run will yield better results. I died on the teleporter with the Griffons eating my lunch and no henchies around.
EF2NYD
If you're running from Heroes Audience, it might be a little harder.
Zenos
Yep, Runnin from Heroes Audience.
EF2NYD
What I do is go from Augury Rock, past the hydras to the teleporter, then south into Vulture. There aren't that many griffons and sand drakes that way.
Dreamsmith
Quote:
Originally Posted by Feli
There were some heavy adjustments due to botters.
Replace "heavy" with "minor". Just ran a new character through the desert, had the easiest time yet (latest of five characters to do it)...
MaglorD
I levitated everywhere so it was even easier...
Seriously, as someone else said, there were adjustments made to deter the botters. What Anet did was to increase the density of monsters around Augury Rock, Seeker's Passage and Dunes of Despair. This seems to be the only solution Anet can think of. I think they should just get rid of the stupid chests.
Seriously, as someone else said, there were adjustments made to deter the botters. What Anet did was to increase the density of monsters around Augury Rock, Seeker's Passage and Dunes of Despair. This seems to be the only solution Anet can think of. I think they should just get rid of the stupid chests.
Aernok
I found it way easier.
Especially getting to the dunes. It used to be next to impossible but this time around I see they reduced the size of the stone elemental groups from 4 to 2.
Especially getting to the dunes. It used to be next to impossible but this time around I see they reduced the size of the stone elemental groups from 4 to 2.
Interregnum
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zenos
To bad they were already slaughtered before I got there. Maybe a second run will yield better results. I died on the teleporter with the Griffons eating my lunch and no henchies around.
You might want to just zone into and out of the Arid Sea right near the griffon crags. That way all your henchmen come back to life and you can catch your breath before going in and through the teleporter.
You might want to just zone into and out of the Arid Sea right near the griffon crags. That way all your henchmen come back to life and you can catch your breath before going in and through the teleporter.
jshetley1
If you have to ascend to play the expansion they are NOT selling very many copies. The Crystal Desert is Impossible. I'm through with game. Fifty bucks wasted.
entropy
Not really you just have to find the right group.
jshetley1
I may be wrong but I don't see it possible with ANY group. Too many Hydras. No way to beat 5 of them off . NO WAY. END OF STORY.
theclam
Quote:
Originally Posted by jshetley1
I may be wrong but I don't see it possible with ANY group. Too many Hydras. No way to beat 5 of them off . NO WAY. END OF STORY.
Hydras do 5 damage to me per hit. They're not difficult.
Kishin
Quote:
Originally Posted by jshetley1
I may be wrong but I don't see it possible with ANY group. Too many Hydras. No way to beat 5 of them off . NO WAY. END OF STORY.
You are wrong, but in this case, its good to be wrong. Plenty of people have succeeded at it. You will be able to, too, trust me.
If you can't take 5 at a time, do some pulling and split a few off from the group.
Also, the interrupting their Meteors with either Mesmer abilities or a Ranger's Distracting Shot will help immensely, and spreading out negates the AoE effect of Fireball. Hydra also have terrible armor. Focus fire on them and you'll tear them apart. They can be nasty, especially if they get the drop on you, but they can be dealt with.
If you can't take 5 at a time, do some pulling and split a few off from the group.
Also, the interrupting their Meteors with either Mesmer abilities or a Ranger's Distracting Shot will help immensely, and spreading out negates the AoE effect of Fireball. Hydra also have terrible armor. Focus fire on them and you'll tear them apart. They can be nasty, especially if they get the drop on you, but they can be dealt with.
EmperorTippy
I can run from Augrury (Sp?) to dunes with my E/Mo just fine and it takes about 10 miniutes. I will run people who need it if I like them PM me in game.
jshetley1
I finally made some progress using faintheartiness and life siphon along with some of my monk healing and protection skills. Smiting is no good here. I made level 20, got to Destiny's Gorge, and actually completed the attribute quest given there. Still plenty hard though.
Another thing that may be holding me up is that I still lack 2 pieces of the newest monk armor I have access to. I will try making enough money to get them tonight.
Another thing that may be holding me up is that I still lack 2 pieces of the newest monk armor I have access to. I will try making enough money to get them tonight.
jshetley1
Quote:
Originally Posted by theclam
Hydras do 5 damage to me per hit. They're not difficult.
It's there Elemental spells that are killing me so quick.
Anraeth
they sell plenty of coppies, il even give you the latest figures, 2 mil in america, 20 mil in asia, 200 thousand europe.
Age
This is the reason I am haveing a hard time getting around the desert becuase of botters.Well I am still haveing a hard time trying to firgues those teleporter thngs out as some told me how they work with henchies of course.I step on and look at the switches light up ansd push then in that order.What would I be doing wrong.I will agree with jshetley1 and the Stone Elememtal are good as well.
Fire Of Duragon
ive never seen the desert before the mods but it was hard for me as well. i just went from amnoon to 1 town by my self, and after that payed a minor 200 gp or so to get trained to the next missions and had my guild help me out. the only missions thats really hard is elona, it took me about 10 or so trys on that one. other than that they where kinda easy. thats just my suggestion, is pay for somone to run for you if you cant make it.
quanzong
Nope those missions where easy, I didnt pay anyone squat 1st time I did it, I join groups fighting way there. Only thing I think is little too tough is those hydras that do 125+ dmg on you with meteor, theres like 3 of em and thats a total of 375 dmg.
duverga
If anything the desert is now easier than before. Lina is your friend.
Iras K
I don't understand all this complaints. The crystal desert is meant to be a probe that you're worthy. Wouldn't it be a challenge if you could just run it, ain't it?
Age
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iras K
I don't understand all this complaints. The crystal desert is meant to be a probe that you're worthy. Wouldn't it be a challenge if you could just run it, ain't it?
That would al depend on what class you are paying playing Monk with henchies and going around is no fun at all.
Zerox
Quote:
Originally Posted by jshetley1
If you have to ascend to play the expansion they are NOT selling very many copies. The Crystal Desert is Impossible. I'm through with game. Fifty bucks wasted.
Oh. That would be why thousands of people have already ascended?
Use a little bit of brain and you'll get through it like a hot knife through butter.
Use a little bit of brain and you'll get through it like a hot knife through butter.
Poison Archer
I think it is getting tougher. I beat Dunes of Despare, then when I helped some guys, I died before I got even close to the temple. I really think it is getting tougher.
jshetley1
I'm getting a little farther in there. Ive reached a couple of outposts, and after about 8 tries completed Elona's Reach. I have not tried Thirsty River or the Dunes of Despair yet. Been trying to get my other Chars farther into the game.
wolfy3455
If anything, the desert has gotten way easier since release. The first time I got there I think I took 20 tries or so on thirsty river then gave up and used the corny necrotic traversal trick to beat it easily within two minutes for each level. Took about eight on Elona, then one on dunes. It was really hard because no one was experienced. I didn't meet up with anyone's second chars or anyone that claimed to know exactly how to do it.
My second time there(for a guildie), I took about three on thirsty, three on elona, then one on dunes. Then my third try (me again) the running around was a bit harder, but the missions were so easy... It took one try on thirsty, one try one dunes (I managed to fail the mission and still win it when I went afk for a long time:P) It took two tries on elona because I felt guilty and did it with an all warrior team
an ele (me) that I ran there with. But after that it was easy. The only mission I needed a human group with for was thirsty (one of every class and our monk was terrible -he's in my guild, I'm allowed to say that-)
My second time there(for a guildie), I took about three on thirsty, three on elona, then one on dunes. Then my third try (me again) the running around was a bit harder, but the missions were so easy... It took one try on thirsty, one try one dunes (I managed to fail the mission and still win it when I went afk for a long time:P) It took two tries on elona because I felt guilty and did it with an all warrior team
an ele (me) that I ran there with. But after that it was easy. The only mission I needed a human group with for was thirsty (one of every class and our monk was terrible -he's in my guild, I'm allowed to say that-)
=HT=Ingram
I think the problem is the word RUNNING... If you fight your way through the map Or heck even sneak around SOME of the mobs, its still not hard. No the level has not increase but there number of Mobs has in such areas as the arid sea and outside dunes of diespair where people were farming with little effort. Personally I don't care one way or the other if you run or play your way through the game. but if all you do is run from one map point to another, is that really playing the game? Think on that some... Give it a /ponder And then maybe you will see why you are having so much trouble.
Mitsu Bishi
Quote:
Originally Posted by Age
That would al depend on what class you are paying playing Monk with henchies and going around is no fun at all.
In fact I'd say it is the easiest professions of all to go around with henchies. You heal so much better than Alesia, that way you can normally keep yourself and your party alive with ease.
Against hydras just throw on a Reversal of Fortune prior to their first hit - prevents the damage AND heals you (in case you haven't been full). Or use a Protective Bond to reduce maximum damage to 5% of your max. life which should be around 25. Three hits of 25 are something you should be able to take. Cancel the bond after the initial hits (otherwise your energy will get wasted) and fight them - they tend to be very "front loaded" meaning they cannot dish out too much damage after they used their first spells.
Against hydras just throw on a Reversal of Fortune prior to their first hit - prevents the damage AND heals you (in case you haven't been full). Or use a Protective Bond to reduce maximum damage to 5% of your max. life which should be around 25. Three hits of 25 are something you should be able to take. Cancel the bond after the initial hits (otherwise your energy will get wasted) and fight them - they tend to be very "front loaded" meaning they cannot dish out too much damage after they used their first spells.
GranDeWun
Definitely made harder. Case in point: Area around Seekers Passage. Everywhere that there used to be a patroling scorpion, there is now an additional Jade Scarab. Also, there are now multiple hydra patrols, not just 1.
elenna
What I hate in the desert are the Sand Wurms. They knock you down, do alot of damage, and go back underground before you can do much damage to them. The only good thing about them is they will aggro the other mobs by knocking them down.
BHerf
I can manuever through the desert pretty much solo..I do have sprint loaded and am Mo/W built out as a smiter/prot...Its a build that seems to work great against the blessed griffons..I can take out a group of 6-7 with no prob..Other groups, I just avoid. Watch the group movements..Most of the time if you wait enough time, the patrols will move and you can easily bypass many of them without a fight. Other times you can pull 2-3 and handle them easily with the right build. Stone Elementals are a bitch..I avoid taking on more than 2 at a time...or I avoid them altogether.
The key is watching the patrol movements..
The key is watching the patrol movements..