Oh no, another Thunderhead Keep thread. Of course you know the common strategies ... man the doors, stay in the center, use the catapults, stay with the king. I am writing to raise one more aspect that I feel has not been covered to the extent it deserves.
At the beginning of the mission, your team is given 3 extra warriors, the dwarfen soldiers accompanying the king. Typically, teams let them die within the first minutes of the mission. I put mending on each of them, and subsequently was able to use their services for the duration of the entire mission. This approach works for both PUGs and henchie teams. You need to keep an eye on the mending when you fight the mesmer elephants (I think they are spelled Heratics), they strip enchantments.
Obviously, you stay with the king after the animated sequence as that is where your 3 extra fighters hang out. Let your opponents rush in, and you are all set.
I found that double-clicking the king in between battles was helpful as he did not always return to "his spot".
<-- My successful henchie team. I am No. 5 from the left.
Thunderhead Keep Success on First Try
Jessy
Lasareth
Henchmen are really good for that mission, by virtue of the fact that they don't question your called targets in the middle of battle and let everyone die.
Sol Faithman
I did THK first time with some guild mates and other peeps we picked up and it was one of the best missions I've been in. Everyone was cool, we all killed efficiently and did mission and bonus really easliy.
Guess I must have been lucky, but it was probably the best pug I've been in.
Rich
Guess I must have been lucky, but it was probably the best pug I've been in.
Rich
Ollj
oh its easy being a monk.
old news.
now try it as warrior with hencheman only.
old news.
now try it as warrior with hencheman only.
St0rM
Well done but yeah try doing it as a war with henchies bloody hard took me a while
kicks66
so what henchmen do you take exactly?
nick
nick
PieXags
I just beat it with henchies whenever I do it, I let the dwarves die. And I always play as a necro, henchies listen, so they're easiest to do it in my opinion. Beat it my first try, ONLY problem was we ran into the monk boss, and it took like 15 minutes to kill him. Other than that, henchies listen, it was pretty simple.
FrogDevourer
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ollj
now try it as warrior with hencheman only.
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Mumblyfish
Mesmer with an empty skillbar and henchmen. Also works.
Thunderhead Keep can... shock horror... be beaten. This isn't anything special, but hey, making threads is fun!
Thunderhead Keep can... shock horror... be beaten. This isn't anything special, but hey, making threads is fun!
Enigmatics
Quote:
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Originally Posted by PieXags
I just beat it with henchies whenever I do it, I let the dwarves die. And I always play as a necro, henchies listen, so they're easiest to do it in my opinion. Beat it my first try, ONLY problem was we ran into the monk boss, and it took like 15 minutes to kill him. Other than that, henchies listen, it was pretty simple.
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coolsti
I did the mission with 4 humans/4 henchies, and again with henchies only. I think the best way to do it is with at least a number of henchies, because 8 humans have a real hard time playing together. The Monk henchies are ok, just keep near the king, and the king gets healed as well.
To Kicks66, when I did it alone with henchies, I took all henchies except the enchanter. I used the catapult only at the very beginning, to get the mob that just sits there at the start (west catapult). It pays to use it again a little later when the monk boss and his friends also sit there, but I missed the opportunity on this try.
The monk boss is tough, but I never had problems with him. When I did it with all henchies, I ran down to the door to meet him (it was obvious at the time that I could leave the king alone at this time) and was lucky enough to fight him right at the door. His big buddies couldn't get past, so basically me and the henchies could knock the monk down without much interference.
To Kicks66, when I did it alone with henchies, I took all henchies except the enchanter. I used the catapult only at the very beginning, to get the mob that just sits there at the start (west catapult). It pays to use it again a little later when the monk boss and his friends also sit there, but I missed the opportunity on this try.
The monk boss is tough, but I never had problems with him. When I did it with all henchies, I ran down to the door to meet him (it was obvious at the time that I could leave the king alone at this time) and was lucky enough to fight him right at the door. His big buddies couldn't get past, so basically me and the henchies could knock the monk down without much interference.
Obsiedion
i did it but only after 23 times....i wont say anymore...
chaos dragoon
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ollj
now try it as warrior with hencheman only.
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Sanji
The biggested challenge of Thunderhead Keep is not nodding off in the middle of it. Seriously though, the majority of it's percieved difficulty lies mostly in the human element.
Or that some teams can't read and try to do the bonus by lighting the torches, which makes the defend the King part harder.
Or that some teams can't read and try to do the bonus by lighting the torches, which makes the defend the King part harder.
2_fingers
U know i realised one thing - Thunderhead keep is like that pve filter in the beginning of tombs. In order to beat the whole of keep, usually u need a good llvl of communication between humans. And humans just suck at it most of the time.
I remember once, a group was actually using ts to start the mission. Go figure.
I remember once, a group was actually using ts to start the mission. Go figure.
Sanji
You don't need voice chat to tell other players to stick together by the King.
Likewise, you don't need voice chat to tell people to be careful with their aggro bubble so they don't cause adds.
Thunderhead Keep is a PvE filter for people who play like jerkwads.
Likewise, you don't need voice chat to tell people to be careful with their aggro bubble so they don't cause adds.
Thunderhead Keep is a PvE filter for people who play like jerkwads.
Rufio Lostboy
Itried THK 5 times or so with a PUG, failed every time. Last night i tried with henchmen, and success. I almost peed my pants from exitement. It's so much easier. I'm W/Mo btw. All i did was put mending on the king, stay close with him, and kill all that comes near. walk in the park.
coolsti
After playing this game for many months, and with 4 high level characters, I realize now that almost everything in this game is performed far easier with a team of henchmen only. Except for the rare case that your human team is composed of friends who play very well together.
However, I now find it very entertaining to redo many of the higher level missions (desert and beyond) by joining a random group of humans and seeing how they perform. If they are hopeless, I just grin and help as best I can. If they are leaderless and allow me to take charge, I do so (rarely happens, as I don't play warrior, and who listens to a mesmer or an elementalist anyway?).
Its really entertaining!
However, I now find it very entertaining to redo many of the higher level missions (desert and beyond) by joining a random group of humans and seeing how they perform. If they are hopeless, I just grin and help as best I can. If they are leaderless and allow me to take charge, I do so (rarely happens, as I don't play warrior, and who listens to a mesmer or an elementalist anyway?).
Its really entertaining!
Numa Pompilius
It's been said before, it'll be said again, this game has three levels of difficulty:
Extremely hard: PUG with bad human players.
Normal difficulty: Henchman team.
Extremely easy: Guild or PUG (yes it happens!) with good human players.
EDIT: FWIW, IMO Dunham is now more useful than Claude. Claude will spend his entire time giving blood ritual to the team-member with lowest energy = the warriors, while Dunham is now marginally useful since he will now cast several different offensive spells, not just ethereal burden over and over and over like he used to. His elite is crippling anguish, which is a decent snare, and he will frequently cast empathy on enemy melee troops.
Extremely hard: PUG with bad human players.
Normal difficulty: Henchman team.
Extremely easy: Guild or PUG (yes it happens!) with good human players.
EDIT: FWIW, IMO Dunham is now more useful than Claude. Claude will spend his entire time giving blood ritual to the team-member with lowest energy = the warriors, while Dunham is now marginally useful since he will now cast several different offensive spells, not just ethereal burden over and over and over like he used to. His elite is crippling anguish, which is a decent snare, and he will frequently cast empathy on enemy melee troops.
KaPe
I still don't get, what those 3 dwarven soldier were supposed to do, in original post. They go down after single spectral agony, no?
huh
Haahhaa same here, first ever try with only henchies.
I'm a N/Me.
I wanted to play with only henchies to get the feel of the area since I read so many times that this is a tough mission and to find a group for first-timer like me will be impossible.
I guess I was just lucky, or maybe Thunderhead Keep was dumbed down.
I'm a N/Me.
I wanted to play with only henchies to get the feel of the area since I read so many times that this is a tough mission and to find a group for first-timer like me will be impossible.
I guess I was just lucky, or maybe Thunderhead Keep was dumbed down.
Sister Rosette
God's sake it's not that hard.
2 non-vital players (re: not monks) on the walls firing off the
ballistae nonstop.
Everyone else in the middle. Move from side to side as necessary.
Do it right and 'ZOMG S74Y WI7H T3H KINGZZZSS!!11' never becomes
an issue.
2 non-vital players (re: not monks) on the walls firing off the
ballistae nonstop.
Everyone else in the middle. Move from side to side as necessary.
Do it right and 'ZOMG S74Y WI7H T3H KINGZZZSS!!11' never becomes
an issue.
KaPe
One thing : You don't even need to touch ballista once. Actually, that hurts more than it helps, since you split team that way.
coolsti
I don't know how useful the ballista are, actually. There is a large group standing on one at the west side at the very beginning, and you can kill these using the ballista, even before you get the boss in the middle. Then there is one more group at the same site which can be killled (the minions of the monk boss). But it seems that all other groups pass by the ballista targets too quickly to get off more than one shot at them, and this is not enough to kill them.
Da Mad M00
Quote:
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Originally Posted by KaPe
One thing : You don't even need to touch ballista once. Actually, that hurts more than it helps, since you split team that way.
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You don't have to split up your team for using the ballista's. All you have to do is having 1 guy on each site firing them. As soon as someone gets inside the castle you both of those guys just move back to the place where the rest of the group is waiting (near the king).
You can kill many enemies with the ballista's before they get into thet castle. It is especially usefull on the moment that the boss arrives. Cause you always target a boss last. When the lower level guys are death you can start on the boss earlier so there is a chance that you will be done before next group arrives. If not then there is no problem. Just take out the guy with the lowest level again and keep on going till everyone is dead so you can focus on the boss again.
ozz
Quote:
Hey don't forget the easiest part of it all -- knock knock ... Hmm I am all alone to face these Undead badies ... Uh Ohh ... OWNED!
Upon entering the Keep, descend the nearest stairwell, attack the enemy Boss of the Keep, attack all the "arena" Doylaks and the Dwarves, then proceed straight ahead to the set of catapults to the left where you will find the cut scene Giants waiting to pound the door down and stomp some heads.
Get someone on the catapult, mow them down where they stand, and, when the cut scene with the Vizier enters, You will see the lone Giant get stomped by the Undead. Makes the job of securing the Keep easier from the onset.
Da Mad M00
Quote:
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Originally Posted by KaPe
One thing : You don't even need to touch ballista once. Actually, that hurts more than it helps, since you split team that way.
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You don't have to split up your team for using the ballista's. All you have to do is having 1 guy on each site firing them. As soon as someone gets inside the castle you both of those guys just move back to the place where the rest of the group is waiting (near the king).
You can kill many enemies with the ballista's before they get into thet castle. It is especially usefull on the moment that the boss arrives. Cause you always target a boss last. When the lower level guys are death you can start on the boss earlier so there is a chance that you will be done before next group arrives. If not then there is no problem. Just take out the guy with the lowest level again and keep on going till everyone is dead so you can focus on the boss again.
KaPe
My expierience with ballistae is negative, I just prefer to sit near king and late them come. Mursaat/Jades approach in pairs, so that means you might be facing 4 of them at most, with 1 boss - hardly something that 8ppl party can't handle.
HunterZ
Didn't have much luck with ballistas/ballistae on any attempt - I think it takes some practice to get the timing right.
Tried playing twice with random groups of players and died in the fort.
Then, I decided I wasn't going to waste time on a group unless they were serious/crazy enough that they wanted to try for the bonus (since I had done every mission and bonus in the game up to TK when I got there). Finally found a group, although we had to hire a monk (there're never enough around! There are selfish W/Mo tanks everywhere but never enough monk players available for most missions). We beat the bonus the first try (I think):
When attempting the bonus it helped a lot to stay close to the king instead of running back and forth between the gates. The only side effect is that you have to have a good healer because things get pretty crazy at times with mobs coming in 4 ways. Also, it lets the monsters get closer to the king, so you have to be really careful that none get through.
I'd also recommend bringing a cap sig as there are several bosses with elite skills.
Tried playing twice with random groups of players and died in the fort.
Then, I decided I wasn't going to waste time on a group unless they were serious/crazy enough that they wanted to try for the bonus (since I had done every mission and bonus in the game up to TK when I got there). Finally found a group, although we had to hire a monk (there're never enough around! There are selfish W/Mo tanks everywhere but never enough monk players available for most missions). We beat the bonus the first try (I think):
When attempting the bonus it helped a lot to stay close to the king instead of running back and forth between the gates. The only side effect is that you have to have a good healer because things get pretty crazy at times with mobs coming in 4 ways. Also, it lets the monsters get closer to the king, so you have to be really careful that none get through.
I'd also recommend bringing a cap sig as there are several bosses with elite skills.
huh
You can use ballistae for this mission??
Never knew that...
Might have made my mission easier, not that it was tough in the first place
What KaPe said is true, all I did was just camp King Jalis and you never have to battle more than a few of them at one time.
Never knew that...
Might have made my mission easier, not that it was tough in the first place
What KaPe said is true, all I did was just camp King Jalis and you never have to battle more than a few of them at one time.