non-monk farming build

I am working on a solo farming build, without being a monk primary or secondary (I don’t mean to offend those who have monk farming builds – kudos to you; it’s just not for me). To tell the truth, I chose my class combo, as they were the two classes I hadn’t played and unlocked skills for yet. Thus, this pertains to my el/n.

So, after earning, buying, and capping all the skills I wanted, my initial aspirations were to use earth magic (built around earthquake and aftershock), and curses (suffering and feast of corruption). However, this did not prove to give the results I wanted, as the eq/as combo didn’t do the damage I wanted, and had too long of recharge. Also, I found that FoC didn’t do enough when it needed to. A short stint into blood magic for unholy feast did not prove fruitful, either. When these ideas did not come together, I progressed with the storyline, until a brainstorming session yesterday.

Last night, I broke out my new build, and was successfully soloing Henge trolls and desert griffons/minotaurs. I only spent about an hour so in these locations, but was successfully taking on groups of 8-10 griffs/mino’s and even more trolls. Here’s my build:

Earth magic: 14 (10+1+3)
Fire magic : 13 (12+1)
Energy storage: 9 (8+1)
Goligard’s Stone staff, along with Droknar’s pyromancer armor and a major vigor rune

Skills: pretty much used in this order
1. aura of restoration – self heal doing 300+% of mana cost
2. elemental attunement – essentially makes all skills cost half mana (but still register as full cost for AoR healing)
3. armor of earth -- + 58 armor = well under half normal damage taken
4. eruption – good aoe damage, and 10 seconds of blindness cover
5. lava font – spamable, good damage
6. flame burst – spamable, good damage, quick cast
7. meteor shower – high damage, knockdown
8. kinetic armor/aftershock -- + 70ish armor or tradeoff for more damage

As you can see, this centers around good defense and aura of restoration, while taking out groups fast, under the cover of blindness and knockdown (and spaming lava font and flame burst for damage and healing). I’m currently playing around with the 8th spot, and have had success both ways (though for UW, I suspect kinetic armor will be needed). I find it an equal tradeoff between taking less damage, but having to do so longer, and taking more damage, but being able to drop groups faster, while they’re blind/kd (aftershock + meteor shower = BAM)

I realize that this is probably not that unique of a build (if I came up with it, many other smarter people probably have, too). I’m looking for feedback from the more seasoned farmers out there, as I have only about 2-2.5 hours of total farming experience. My current concern is in aggroing. I find that I can tank groups of 8-10 fine, and would expect to be able to take on more. However, I find it difficult to accumulate these groups. The griffons are fast enough that I start taking hits while still trying to pick up more. I can’t use an armor skill here, as earth just slows me more, and kinetic would only give me 8 seconds before having to cast again (casting = stopping = damage if I’m not doing my full attack). So, should I consider a speed/run skill? If so, what should it replace? If I put it in slot 8, that might not work, as if I can agro much larger groups, I may prove to need the kinetic armor…. See the problem? Any constructive criticism on this matter or on the build in general will be appreciated.

Also, I’m looking for help on where to test my build. In addition to the two locations above, I will be trying UW at some point (though not until I get more practice). I realize that people don’t want to share their secret spots, and that’s not what I’m asking for (though if you want to pm me, I’d gladly read your messages). Instead, I’m asking for what the typical “proving grounds” are. Where can I go to find the tough mobs that will test and prove my build? Thanks for the feedback, and let’s avoid the flame/trolling.

edit: btw, does the 24 hour post rule count in this thread (i.e., is it for the whole forums)?

I imagine that your fire build would work well in the shiverpeaks...

82 people read this and 1 response? No one else has any ideas/opinions/suggestions?

Serps, thanks for posting. I assume you're talking southern shiverpeaks (b/c the mino's outside Ice tooth caves are so easy it's a joke). Do you have anywhere in particular you've found aggroable melee mobs? Or were you just saying in general? Also, notice that this is as much (or more) an earth build (armors, eruption, aftershock, etc.), than just fire (backup damage).

Thanks again, and keep 'em coming!

Your build is definitely in the right direction. With some modification, you can indeed take on as many griffons+minotaurs as you want. As to how, I'm sure you will figure it out eventually.

The key to success is "Kill them all before they can kill you."

On a side note, fire storm is actually better for farming because it has a shorter cooldown then Meteor shower. I would definitely suggest buffing your fire attribute to 16 for a faster killing.

The thing you have to realize is that loads of armor won't do much good in the long run. I can make an enemy hit me for 0, but when they use an attack skill it hits for the full bonus that skill grants them. Best hope you can get that blind off fast enough.

Here's another idea, try switching out earth for water skills. Think "Mist".

I became very bored with my w/mo, mo/? farming builds. I currently farm with a w/n and my ele/me for alittle more of a challenge.

Bones

Perhaps you could try E/Me and throw in a good Blinding Flash or Enervating Charge mixed with ... uhh.. what's that one skill.... The one mesmer one which gives all negative conditions of the target to target and adjacent enemies to lessen up the physical damage.

Try Ward Against Melee.

My build E/Me:
Earth Magic: 9 +2
Inspiration: 9
Energy Storage: 9 +1
Fire Magic: 9 +1 +1

As long your armor is 60, it's alright.

I use Hale staff (earth) of Fortitude, to get +10 health and negate the Major rune I put on Earth Magic.

Channelling
Crystal Wave
Earthquake
Aftershock
Aura of Restoration
Phoenix
Magnetic Aura/Ward Against Melee (If I want to farm large groups, go Ward. If not, Magnetic.)
Flame Burst

Sub: In early stages of my farming career, I used Physical Resistance instead of Earthquake. For some reason I left Aftershock there.

Goes this way:

Aura of Restoration
Channelling
(Rush in)
Magnetic Aura/Ward against Melee
Troll Unguent (if getting hit hard)
Eruption
Crystal Wave immediately afterwards
Phoenix
Flame Burst
Aftershock and Earthquake combo. Left so if there are any remaining, these will finish them off. Hopefully. If not:
Flame Burst
Flame Burst
...


My build N/E (long time ago, damnit...)
Soul Reaping: 8 +1
Death Magic: 8 +1
Fire Magic: 10
Blood Magic: 10 +1 +1

Same as above. Basic AL=60.

Any staff you can get with Hale and Fortitude is alright. This also applys above.

Aura of the Lich
Fire Storm
Putrid Explosion
Meteor Shower
Unholy Feast
Phoenix
Fire Attunement
Blood Renewal

Goes this way:

Aura of the Lich
Blood Renewal
Fire Attunement
(rush in)
Meteor Shower
Fire Storm
Phoenix
Unholy Feast
(last time I was fighting Minotaurs, a quarter of them were already dead, so) Putrid Explosion


What can I say? They're not perfect.

I used to farm those giant hexing flesh golems in ring of fire with a pure mesmer, until they nerfed shatter hex and put those two three before you can get to them. Of course now I can farm that nice small group of hydras with a pure ranger interrupt build, but it's nowhere near as good as farming the golems was.

hmm now that you mention it is there any other place good for farming aside from Augry rock?

Now that's the kind (and number) of responses I was hoping for. I guess the way I started the character in earth, and wanted to utilize earthquake/aftershock had me blind to any of the other elements. I went ahead and took some of you're suggestions, and what I'm currently running is at about the same level as the previous build. Here's what I got now:

Fire magic: 11 + 3+1 = 15
Water magic: 11 +1 = 12
energy storage: 8 + 1 = 9

Skills, in this order:
Aura of Restoration
fire attunement
armor of mist, followed by aggroing
lava font, as they all close in
Mist form
firestorm
flame burst
(repeat of lava font)
meteor shower (approx. timed to start as mist form is ending)

In theory, I can then cast armor of mist again, and have the extra armor, combined with meteor shower's knockdown to help me survive until mist form recharges. Then lava font and flame burst, until dead.

I'm limited to about 10 enemies right now, but I think it's just a panic/overreaction standpoint. I think that as I do this, I get a little trigger happy. Thus, I end up short on mana, or not watching my enchantments/protection. I think the skills are pretty solid, so hope this number will increase as I get more experience and get the timing down.

The biggest improvement I see in the replacement of earth skills with water is to add the ability to run and aggro more efficiently, like I was looking for.

So, any further hints or suggestions? Also, in switching over my char., I was able to just adjust runes and keep my armor. I did have to buy a new headpeice, though. Anyone got opinions on how risky this is for finishing the last 3 missions? Do I need to get the new headpiece infused? Or is spectral agony a spell, so it only impacts the chest armor? Lemme know if you guys think I should do an infuse run just for it.

Thanks again for all the feedback from my last post! Oh, and btw, first run with this new build, first group of 8 griffons dropped 4 purples

Spectral Agony in my experience is almost like an attack from a bow.. it just hits whatever. There's a chance you'll get hit where it hurts, but it's not that big.. but then again, infusion runs aren't the hardest thing in the world to get.

As a side not.. why not try switching your fire and ice attributes? You'd get a longer Mist Form, and your speed spell would also become a defense skill. I know at 16 water it's pretty much constantly on.

You could also get creative and cast something like Ice Spikes/Ice Prison on the mob before they get to you.. then start off your meteor shower right away. Blurred Vision could also definitely help out your survivability, to scale up on the amount of enemies you can kill.


Anyway, it's really cool you're only using one class's skills. I like different.
Good luck on your character.

Good luck too. I still (stubbornly) stick to E/Me.

I'm gonna open one thread for people to try improving my builds.

Try not to farm trigger happy. It ruins it.

Erm...if you have energy problems then drop Firestorm, get a Me secondary, then get Channelling. Pretty much full energy anytime.

Ok, latest update:

water: 16
fire: 11
energy storage: 9

Armor of mist
Water attunement
mist form
eruption
firestorm
phoenix
frozen burst
maelstrom

The combo of mist form and eruption allows me to be unhit indefinately (mist form is 21 seconds, + 20% longer enchantments means I just have to get the 10 second blindness window from eruption to cover the 5 seconds before I can re-cast mist form) with the right timing. I'm currently working on attribute points and skills to manage energy most efficiently to do the killing end of things. Man do I miss elemental attunement