/notsigned
I've never had unexplainable problems out there... the large groups can be dealt with. Someone said a while back that towards the later sections of the game it isn't defense or healing that matters- it's damage output. If you're putting out enough damage, then you won't have as much of a problem.
FED UP with the Southern Shiverpeak zones. Too Many Monsters.
Sol_Vie
imaginary friend
/notsigned
you wont be complaining when they come out with a farming build for those zones
you wont be complaining when they come out with a farming build for those zones
unienaule
Quote:
Originally Posted by imaginary friend
/notsigned
you wont be complaining when they come out with a farming build for those zones Heretics = not farmable. Seriously, if they put those guys everywhere, the whole game wouldn't be farmable.
you wont be complaining when they come out with a farming build for those zones Heretics = not farmable. Seriously, if they put those guys everywhere, the whole game wouldn't be farmable.
Merry Madrigal
No, I was speaking to JanderBlackstar.
Barinthus
Silly people - Southern Shiverpeaks are just fine the way they are. You just need to learn how to play better. I've explored every corner with henchies and I did just fine.
angshuman
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lenneth Arbalest
... Then you hit Talus Chute and encounter that group of 10-15 Avicara near Camp Rankor. Fun.
That was my first taste of Shiverpeak hospitality 
... I had gone skill capping for Mist Form with henchies, and up until this point things were going quite smooth. Until I came across that group -- those Avicara Fierce actually started to *spike* me. I somehow managed to hightail it to Rankor.
Andy_M
As I remember those huge groups of ice imps near Marhans Grotto were originally put there to stop botters and people farming the chest that used to be there. Possibly one of the nicest areas in the game for farming. But now the chest is gone and we have the gold sink of keys now anyway I am wondering why all the mobs are still there as they now serve no purpose (except to **** us off).
Akathrielah
You want ridiculous numbers, try the mob count while fightning your way to Droknar's, I don't think I've ever seen that many Tundra Giants and Trolls in the same place at the same time. Best damn place to farm xp. Ever.
ecirbaf
Quote:
The whole "Infuse" part is so stupid. It encourages people to join groups for the mission and leave halfway through.
Groups of 10+ Ice Imps are not fun. I CAN play my character thank you. I would be happy to use my mesmer skills, but when you get hexes and conditions cast on you by 10+ mobs there is little strategy here.
EF2NYD
Quote:
Originally Posted by ecirbaf
How do you protect your henchies against the Mursaat in Ice Floe ?
Following the story, you're supposed to be infused after Iron Mines, then Thunderhead > Marhan. No sense you being the only one infused then taking henchies from Iron mines to Grotto.
Barinthus
I never said it was easy but doable. My henchies often get slaugthered.
Most of the time I attempt to pull some out or sit there and wait for a lone mob to wander away from the main group. Then I attack and try to finish it off before the rest arrive then I flee. Sometimes they get so scattered I go after nearest mob and try to kill it before the rest regroup.
Avoid pitched battles as much you can unless you've been whittling their numbers down to more manageable size. If two of my henchies fall, I retreat and attempt to rez them.
One feature I would love to see is the ability to give your henchies commands. Sort of like Unreal Tournament's commands you could give to your computer allies. Stuff like 'stay' so I can go ahead and lure someone toward them or whatever.
Most of the time I attempt to pull some out or sit there and wait for a lone mob to wander away from the main group. Then I attack and try to finish it off before the rest arrive then I flee. Sometimes they get so scattered I go after nearest mob and try to kill it before the rest regroup.
Avoid pitched battles as much you can unless you've been whittling their numbers down to more manageable size. If two of my henchies fall, I retreat and attempt to rez them.
One feature I would love to see is the ability to give your henchies commands. Sort of like Unreal Tournament's commands you could give to your computer allies. Stuff like 'stay' so I can go ahead and lure someone toward them or whatever.
ecirbaf
Quote:
I did Thunderhead Keep.
Regardless of story progression AFAIK henchmen do not have 'Infused' armor.
...
Anyway, I've been doing a little better in Frozen Forest today. It helps to try and use the many walls to your advantage. Enemies will follow you but when they dont have a direct line of sight, they dont cast spells or shoot arrows. So if you can get around a corner, it really helps.
dargon
After iron mines, henchmen are 3 parts infused, this is as of the June 1st update
Mavrik
/signed
I get to this part of the game with all my characters and simply just give up. Its nearly impossible to travel anywhere there. Anet does need to stop putting in more and larger groups all stringed together and actually FIX the reason they are doing this. You know if even from Beacon Perch to Droknar was a little easier and actually possible to complete with henchies from Beacon. Running would become a thing of the past. Of course some would probably still run it but big deal. I'd actually fight my way there instead of pay for a run. Even with a full group and trying to travel from Iron Mines to Grotto... and infused to boot can be tough. 250 ice imps is correct and REDICULIOUS! I don't know how many times I have died and within sight of the Grotto portal and STILL I would res back the hell all the way at the entrance and have to run all the way back again.
Maybe this thread needs to be in the suggestions forum. NERF the MONSTERS!
I get to this part of the game with all my characters and simply just give up. Its nearly impossible to travel anywhere there. Anet does need to stop putting in more and larger groups all stringed together and actually FIX the reason they are doing this. You know if even from Beacon Perch to Droknar was a little easier and actually possible to complete with henchies from Beacon. Running would become a thing of the past. Of course some would probably still run it but big deal. I'd actually fight my way there instead of pay for a run. Even with a full group and trying to travel from Iron Mines to Grotto... and infused to boot can be tough. 250 ice imps is correct and REDICULIOUS! I don't know how many times I have died and within sight of the Grotto portal and STILL I would res back the hell all the way at the entrance and have to run all the way back again.
Maybe this thread needs to be in the suggestions forum. NERF the MONSTERS!
sledgeunderhill
/not signed.
A few points:
To the OP. I see a big problem with how you built your skill bar. You know that you're going to face lots of melee and rangers. Yet you didn't bring a critical skill - Aegis. Others have suggested additional skills. This area is about damage prevention, too.
Additionally, I see from your screenshots that you've allowed the fighter hench to run into a tight pack - which will aggro the mobs beyond. Pull with a longbow and run back, be sure to click on the ground as you retreat, which will cancel the "attack" command for the henchies. The arrow will still cause the group of enemies to run forward and separate them from their allies. If you don't use fighter hench, you can do what I call a "passive pull" where you graze the edge of your aggro circle on the enemies and then run back. In both cases, the smaller mob runs back into an ambush - a turn of the tables from what you're currently experiencing.
Regarding other comments people have said about running and claims that if the areas were easier, running would go away. Umm... have you seen how much running occurs in old ascalon (heck - even pre-searing!) these days? If there ever was an easy area, it's there. Nearly every town is filled with "LFR". Apparently nobody wants to jeapordize their level 10 status to keep them from entering the low-level arenas. *rolls eyes*
Lastly, these areas are *supposed* to be hard. Fewer, harder monsters means just another Titan quest. Personally, I like the swarms of enemies. This is where AoE actually can help! Too much focus fire happening? Drop a firestorm on them. In a tight passageway like the OP featured, that can cut a mob in two.
--
Final comment. If you really want ANet to change things, make a point to compare these 250 count mobs to mirror the PvP space. That means mobs of 8 members max, level 28+, with each mob balanced with defensive and offensive members.
A few points:
To the OP. I see a big problem with how you built your skill bar. You know that you're going to face lots of melee and rangers. Yet you didn't bring a critical skill - Aegis. Others have suggested additional skills. This area is about damage prevention, too.
Additionally, I see from your screenshots that you've allowed the fighter hench to run into a tight pack - which will aggro the mobs beyond. Pull with a longbow and run back, be sure to click on the ground as you retreat, which will cancel the "attack" command for the henchies. The arrow will still cause the group of enemies to run forward and separate them from their allies. If you don't use fighter hench, you can do what I call a "passive pull" where you graze the edge of your aggro circle on the enemies and then run back. In both cases, the smaller mob runs back into an ambush - a turn of the tables from what you're currently experiencing.
Regarding other comments people have said about running and claims that if the areas were easier, running would go away. Umm... have you seen how much running occurs in old ascalon (heck - even pre-searing!) these days? If there ever was an easy area, it's there. Nearly every town is filled with "LFR". Apparently nobody wants to jeapordize their level 10 status to keep them from entering the low-level arenas. *rolls eyes*
Lastly, these areas are *supposed* to be hard. Fewer, harder monsters means just another Titan quest. Personally, I like the swarms of enemies. This is where AoE actually can help! Too much focus fire happening? Drop a firestorm on them. In a tight passageway like the OP featured, that can cut a mob in two.
--
Final comment. If you really want ANet to change things, make a point to compare these 250 count mobs to mirror the PvP space. That means mobs of 8 members max, level 28+, with each mob balanced with defensive and offensive members.
ghezbora
the real solution to the problem is to un-suck the hench ai and add hench commands. then it would be possible to actually pull, with stefan not running in as soon as you fire your longbow and aggroing 10 zillion mobs.
some of the groups are large, 6-10 mobs in a group, but that's doable if - and only if - you can get one group at a time. let stefan aggro a second group, and now you're facing 12-20... not fun. but if you've ever done these areas with a competent group of humans, it's NOT hard.
/not signed
fix the hench ai, please
some of the groups are large, 6-10 mobs in a group, but that's doable if - and only if - you can get one group at a time. let stefan aggro a second group, and now you're facing 12-20... not fun. but if you've ever done these areas with a competent group of humans, it's NOT hard.
/not signed
fix the hench ai, please
xcutioner
/not signed
Non invinci monks carrying mending with no energy management do not hold any credibility with me. He even has boon to compound his energy problems.
Lose rof and mending, drop all points out of protection, max out divine favor and healing prayers, and bring dwaynas kiss and mend ailment.
Lose boon as well and bring heal party.
vigorous and then kiss = uber heals
heal party only when everyone is in trouble
mend ailment any time theres a condition like poison/blind/bleeding.
Use word on <50% targets
Use vigorous on everyone, especially pre-attack, unless target uses shatters alot.
Use dwaynas kiss on hexed/enchanted.
Use orison on yourself and when kiss and word are BOTH recharging.
I think you will find you can take henches alot farther like this.
Non invinci monks carrying mending with no energy management do not hold any credibility with me. He even has boon to compound his energy problems.
Lose rof and mending, drop all points out of protection, max out divine favor and healing prayers, and bring dwaynas kiss and mend ailment.
Lose boon as well and bring heal party.
vigorous and then kiss = uber heals
heal party only when everyone is in trouble
mend ailment any time theres a condition like poison/blind/bleeding.
Use word on <50% targets
Use vigorous on everyone, especially pre-attack, unless target uses shatters alot.
Use dwaynas kiss on hexed/enchanted.
Use orison on yourself and when kiss and word are BOTH recharging.
I think you will find you can take henches alot farther like this.
i0n_st0rm
... Or you can try my fun little healer build of:
Attributes:
Healing Prayers - 16 (12 + 1 + 3)
Divine Favor - 13 (12 + 1)
Protection Prayers - Rest (I think 4)
Skill Set:
Divine Boon
Healing Touch
Orison of Healing
Word of Healing
Dwayna's Kiss
Mend Ailment
(Flex spot **)
Rebirth
** Flex spot: Pick a skill that you feel will be most beneficial to you in the area. Remove Hex, Heal Party, Healing Seed, Vigorous Spirit, and Divine Spirit (a nice little panic button for turning those 7 energy high point heals into 3 energy ones for about 12 seconds) all come into play at various points in the game when I play healer.
I tend to get a lot of compliments on healing and have people ask me to come be their healer months after I did a mission with them, so I would recommend this build to just about everyone. One side note: If you really wanted a splash of Protection, you could cut Healing down to 15 (yes, I said it, cut HEALING instead of DF) and put another couple of points into Protection, and then bring Aegis or the like.
Attributes:
Healing Prayers - 16 (12 + 1 + 3)
Divine Favor - 13 (12 + 1)
Protection Prayers - Rest (I think 4)
Skill Set:
Divine Boon
Healing Touch
Orison of Healing
Word of Healing
Dwayna's Kiss
Mend Ailment
(Flex spot **)
Rebirth
** Flex spot: Pick a skill that you feel will be most beneficial to you in the area. Remove Hex, Heal Party, Healing Seed, Vigorous Spirit, and Divine Spirit (a nice little panic button for turning those 7 energy high point heals into 3 energy ones for about 12 seconds) all come into play at various points in the game when I play healer.
I tend to get a lot of compliments on healing and have people ask me to come be their healer months after I did a mission with them, so I would recommend this build to just about everyone. One side note: If you really wanted a splash of Protection, you could cut Healing down to 15 (yes, I said it, cut HEALING instead of DF) and put another couple of points into Protection, and then bring Aegis or the like.
Nater
I've cleared the frozen forest with henchies. It's hard, but not THAT hard. You just have to have more patience.
Mako
Theres only a few areas that are maybe a little too over-mobed for example outside of war camp on the way to spearhead zone... Requires true skill or just luck. But I agree with everyone who said you just have to be aware of patrols and pull smart.
Barinthus
And patience. Once in a while a mob will stray from the main group - that's when you pounce and kill before the rest of his friends catch up. Whittle them down to a more manageable number then slaughter them, drink blood out of their skulls and decorate nearby trees with their intestines.
Lynnrose
Quote:
Originally Posted by TideSwayer
*snip*
I just went back to Frozen Forest to give it another go at skill capping. Took a few pics to exemplify my complaints here:
*snip* To be perfectly blunt, your skill bar makes my head hurt. You have no form of active energy management and you have *mending* on your bar. You might also want to re-think your party composition. There's little need for three monks in a party in PvE. You may be having problems because you don't have enough offense to kill the mobs and are, thus, ground down over the course of a protracted fight because of the aforementioned lack of active energy management in your build. Try capping Offering of Blood and using it as your elite.
I just went back to Frozen Forest to give it another go at skill capping. Took a few pics to exemplify my complaints here:
*snip* To be perfectly blunt, your skill bar makes my head hurt. You have no form of active energy management and you have *mending* on your bar. You might also want to re-think your party composition. There's little need for three monks in a party in PvE. You may be having problems because you don't have enough offense to kill the mobs and are, thus, ground down over the course of a protracted fight because of the aforementioned lack of active energy management in your build. Try capping Offering of Blood and using it as your elite.
oscarmk
Ive spend a lot of time farming and capping skills in the shiverpeaks and yes there are very large mobs that get agroeed and yes ive died a couple of times, but its nowhere near impossible, you just have to know what youre doing and react quickly. There hasnt been a mob i havent been able to defeat. generally when i die from a big mob i come back after rez and defeat them.
ranna
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rahl
I don't even go out there any more ^^
The insane amount of the Summit out there is staggering, no to mention in stupidly huge groups.
I think the hardest part is doing the last 15 attribute point quest, cause down there, there is like 8 mobs all together and you have to kill them all cause the're all interspersed and all come at you no matter how you aggroed. I found a very easy way to get through the 15 att quest next to copper. Well first your gonna have to put your ego away. Second go out copper whenever whats her face starts talking head to where the mobs are fight them die. youll spawn at the rez spot. once rezzed go close to her again avoiding the mobs which should be pretty easy. Then just head to the boss spot with all the henches it doesnt matter the 15% penalty because that part is very easy with henches. The hard part is the mobs at the beginning.
The insane amount of the Summit out there is staggering, no to mention in stupidly huge groups.
I think the hardest part is doing the last 15 attribute point quest, cause down there, there is like 8 mobs all together and you have to kill them all cause the're all interspersed and all come at you no matter how you aggroed. I found a very easy way to get through the 15 att quest next to copper. Well first your gonna have to put your ego away. Second go out copper whenever whats her face starts talking head to where the mobs are fight them die. youll spawn at the rez spot. once rezzed go close to her again avoiding the mobs which should be pretty easy. Then just head to the boss spot with all the henches it doesnt matter the 15% penalty because that part is very easy with henches. The hard part is the mobs at the beginning.
dargon
you could also just go aggro them all near the res shrine, leave the game on and go eat dinner, watch tv, etc for 30-60 min, come back and the henchies will have killed them all, or atleast all of those that are a danger to you. Sure you may have a 60% dp, buy the quest isn't exactly hard once you've killed all the summit.
derrtyboy69
You guys are pussies. My lvl 15 necro fought from droknars to copperhammer, then to thunder head with henchman. Shut up and learn to play the game.
capitalist
Quote:
Originally Posted by derrtyboy69
You guys are pussies.
So true...
Barinthus
derrtyboy69 - finally a man among pussies 
Draracle
Try FF with henchies and a mesmer, I had to sit in Iron Mines forever to get a group that wasn't running. I prefer fighting, it is what the game is about. But this "first past the line" henchie leading freak'n annoying, at least my monk could heal, my Mesmer just shutsdown one guy while 25 more pound the !@$$ out of me and my henchies then proceed the attack the guy I SHUTDOWN!! What a waste of all my talents. Then if I want to shutdown someone else, or just spread some pain around with empathy my henchies run around like this was a violent game of tag. And since the monsters are so good at attacking healers and my soldiers are so good at playing tag or attacking the monster I just reduced to a twitching blob, my healers are left running around try to balance healing with escaping, neither of which they have any skill at. Finally I resorted to just casting empathy on everyone and having the monster's kill my 60dp butt. After a very successfull suicide bomber style run and 20+ deaths and respawns I finally made it halfway to Copperhammer only to meet a boss who was impossible to kill and agroed for a mile so I couldn't run past. A-net, common, some of us are support units and unless we are in a good people group we are not going to be able to get through these areas. At least improve the Henchie control so my monk and my mesmer can act like monks and mesmers, not warriors and rangers. The massive hords are a helluva lotta fun if your team is good, but otherwise, for those of us not lucky enough to find a group because everyone bought their run, these areas are far far far beyond the abilities of a henchie team lead by a caster.
Draracle
hey derrtyboy69, if you are MM that doens't count. I could build a lvl 10 mm and do it. If you are a curser then good job, you did what I could only do with my ranger and monk.
oscarmk
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barinthus
derrtyboy69 - finally a man among pussies
is that sarcasm?
is that sarcasm?
Khadgar of Dalaran
oh man..u all bitch about that...i got better...i die and a few peeps have rebirth they run away the arggoed group disengages and runs back to their spawn point...THE REBIRTHER (sometimes me) DOESN'T EVEN GET TO ME BEFORE THE GROUP STARTS TO RUN AFTER THEM...wtf! seriously god damn it...the monsters don't even "see" them and they psyically know they're comin...i mean how the hell do u rebirth someone when u have to keep running away cause the monsters that already wiped out 5/8 of your party-members
ANET! fix the freakin AIs
*ps: i just came from 3 IDS-runs and the birds 'n imps did this each time....
ANET! fix the freakin AIs
*ps: i just came from 3 IDS-runs and the birds 'n imps did this each time....
domidizzle
I know this thread is a bit old but... I recently had to cap in frozen forest. Couldn't find the damn boss so I resulted in this...and 60% DP. I agree with thread starter =\