Help with desert runs

I decided to run around the desert with my ranger. I can make all the runs 95% of the time, except for the very beginning part (starting from amnoon). When I reach the first teleporter I pretty much get killed by the scarabs that come out of the ground every time. Any advice of how I could make this run?

My build is a R/Mo (can change to R/W or R/Me)

Skills:

Dodge
Storm Chaser
Escape {E}
Whirling Defense
Lightning Reflexes
Purge Conditions
Healing Breeze
Mending

Thanks in advance

You really don't need your secondary.
I also do some runs with my ranger.

I personally use:
Escape [E]
Storm Chaser
Troll Unguent

I choose Unguent over HB, because you already run max WS and Expertise, no need to lessen your run skills on purpose.
I put both to 13, and sometimes put on a WS mask (+4, sup rune)
I use a staff to run too, Milius' Pillar (Bonus Energy and Health)

The rest of my skill bar stays as it was.
Nothing else is really needed.

Forgot to add that I use a Drago's Flat bow, for the +30hp

I only ran from amnoon once and that was with some meat shields. Tried it some other times solo and I couldn't make it because of the aforementioned swarms of scarabs that would body block you in the teleport and chilblains you to death.

I go with R/W simply for balanced stance in case a wurm shows up on the way down to Dunes of Despair.

I have had this same problem. I dropped Escape for Barbed Trap since I have more trapping experience and oddly enough it works the same way, ofcourse your not trying to kill them. If you set the trap and lure them away from the teleporter, they get crippled and you can break the aggro very quickly by going around them and getting to the teleporter. If you get crippled just purge condition and you are scott free. Controlling the group to the trap is the hard part and kindof a one shot deal (still working it out myself) but when it works it works. Hope that helps.

R/Mo
Healing Prayers 8
Expertise 11 (+1)
Wilderness Survival 16 (1+3)

Skills:
Dodge
Storm Chaser
Escape/Melandru's Resiliance
Whirling Defense
Troll Unguent
Healing Breeze
Holy Viel
Mending

Equipment:
Druids or Drakescale, you can also get a staff like milius pillar (or another variation) or a shield that gives -2 while stanced or -3 while hexed.

Strategy:
Use mending + holy viel when you get in zone. Alternate between storm chaser and dodge (or escape if you brought it) for 100% running. You mentioned that your having trouble for the first portal outside of amnoon. Just run south of the portal, activate troll, healing breeze and walk towards it until scarabs unburrow. walk back south (make sure your not using running skills) and make sure you go as far south as possible. when scarabs get close activate whirling defense, once all are grouped close to you activate dodge for optimum speed and dart towards portal, about 3/4 way there it will run out and you'll need to activate storm chaser. activate portal and then cast troll, healing breeze, and walk through portal. you do this because sometimes scarabs will spawn baddly and you'll get virulanced upon coming out. Another point of concern is when your going to dunes and activating the portal right outside of it, before you walk through, do the same thing and make sure you activate dodge before hand, on bad spawns if you dont do this you could get pinned down. if you are unlucky enough to get pinned down cast whirling defense (after dodge ends) and cast healing breeze and troll as needed while your limping to dunes. After running it enough you'll gain enough experience to know the general spawns of wurms and shouldn't pose much of a threat. A final note, on your way to thirsty, after the portal, you will come outside of a bridge. make sure that there are no centaur that will come into aggro range as your crossing or else they'll trap and attack you from beneath. If someone is attempting to run with you and your rather bored, just walk towards bridge so they follow and try to get them to cross. Rather amusing if they do

Note: This is by no means a perfect build but it is has only failed me 3 times of over 75 full desert runs, all of which were earlier of the 75 when I was perfecting my paths. If you need anything else just let me know. GL

Thank you guys, I have all the other parts down except for the beginning. I think I will try some of the things named to get passed the scarabs and aviod them traping me in the portal thing.

I will update once I do that..but now I'm hungry lol

What Nivryx usually works, you have to lure them away from the teleporter first, then once they are closing in on you...run towards the portal. They would have no chance trying to chase you.

i am still having trouble with that first part for some reason. Once I get near the scarabs that come out of the ground i use troll and HB, but sometimes I cant cus it gets interupted or I die trying to cast it. If that all works when I am leading the scarabs and whatever else is chasing me, they use something to take off my meding, then they poison me, and try to heal but again its interupted or not quick enough.

A few times I didn't die when I led them far south I noticed as I got farther away some of the scarabs would turn around and go back. (note that i'm not using any runnning skills) which prevents me from running past all of them because they are already there when I go back.

just let me know if you need anymore help in game

Thank you very much

I have it down now.


Ok will do.

Ha! No offence but u all arent making any good points. You keep saying bring storm chaser and troll...NARROW ur attribute distribution. All points on expertise. NONE in ws. Divide the rest between healing and protection.

Dodge
Escape
lightning reflexes(in case u cant keep the 2 above skills on at all times)
Healing breeze (Troll sucks cause of 2 sec casting)
Mending
Vital blessing (mending and vital blessing arent stripped in dessert to much...i think)
healing area (acts as a healing signet for ranger =p)
conditions or hex remover.

I have made runs to droks with this! go ahead and laugh at my build. I would try it before u laugh. Droks runs r easy cause there aren't many conditions. ppl only THINK its hard cause of the combonation of water moves that slow you down and knockdown. (which is very frustrating)
NOTE: droks runs need much practise and u must know route.

Quote:

elvin, what about the tundra gaints, or the azure shadow+anything spawn

Speaking of run builds, when my ranger was at level 16 (pre-elites), my R/Mo was using this:

Dodge
Storm Chaser
Lightning Reflexes
Whirling Defense
Throw Dirt
Troll Unguent
Mend Ailment - Monk power, can be replaced by Antidote Signet if your secondary is not Mo
Mending - Monk power, be creative if not a monk.

I made the ToA to Sanctum Cay run with it, and most of the desert runs were doable except: Amnoon to Augury Rock (scarabs), Augury to Destiny's Gorge (losaru with poison arrows), and anywhere to Seekers Passage (wind riders with conjure phantasm)

Quote:

Quote:

14 Ex, 8 Heal, 8 Prot, 8 WS

Escape, Dodge, Storm Chaser, Heal Area, Breeze, Troll, Vital, Mend

Thats what I use for all of my desert runs, and I very very rarely die if at all. First teleporter... 3 ways to do it. If they spawn too close that you can't do anything else, use the move that Nivryx posted where you pull them back and go. I usually use the rock out there as the point, to help get them trapped. If they spawn really far away from the teleporter, just run inside and get troll/breeze up... that should be enough. If they spawn about mid-way, and you don't wanna take the time to pull them back, just run behind the portal... wait a bit for them to move away, and then go in. This last one doesn't always work perfectly though... sometimes a wanderer will head over to you, in which case use Nivryx's idea.

Running the desert is simple

Mending
Watch Yourself
Troll Unguent
Dodge
Escape
StormChaser
Mend Ailment
Holy Veil/Heal Area/Healing Breeze

8 Healing Prayers
13 Expertise
14 Wilderness Survival

Cast Mending then Watch yourself and start the amnoon run the when you get near the teleoprter there should be a spot where you can stop for a sec. CAst TU then activate stormchaser and run towards the teleporter, when the scarabs start coming out of the ground activate dodge and charge onto the teleporter, if you have done it right you should of lost the agro.

Simple!

Alright done, its 1:40 but 60mb, Because I have no video editing software to reduce the dimensions (was 500mb but got it down to 60 with XviD
http://www.filefactory.com/?c3797b

meh desert runs. easy

escape
dodge
storm chaser
whirling
troll
holy veil
purge cond.
watchfull spirit

13 exp, 16 wild

The desert is very very easy to run. I ran it with my Mo/W even though it took longer than my ranger.
But one thing good for desert running is if you have mending on, have 15 Expertise. that's 60% off of all energy costs which I just love =D.
The only real hard thing in the desert are the teleporters. One tip for those is when the Scarabs attack or bugs whatever, don't fight back. If you hurt them, they'll use Vampiric touch which does 63 dmg and it's not fun. But yeah, also try to memorize the teleporters, I know it sounds stupid, but if you do it enough, hey, it's a piece of cake. But you can always go the long way around if you don't start at Amnoon.

if the problem is only to pass the first teleP, just use reflexes when scarabs come and use the teleP quickly... or u can use escape instead reflexes if it isn't recharging