Endgame strategies?

[kingvictory2003]

Damn, so my ultra decked-out Arcane Blade got manhandled against Alatar and Pallando. Aeryn was a complete joke against them, and only lasted a handful of rounds.

With most bosses, my arcane blade was able to smash them down in several rounds--even those with 3000 or so HP. Then I look at Alatar and Pallando with 7500 HP, and with Alatar packing a 40% resist all with 32% resist physical, I just wasn't sure how in the world I would have succeeded. I was hoping for a quick burn-down, but with those kind of stats I saw that wasn't possible. Just so I could see endgame, I decided to cheese with this character and go with Probability Travel, but even then the ending was foreordained.

For the moment, I would definitely say that this is a VERY worthy endgame event, and HATS OFF to those who have succeeded! Well here are some observations I have to help those succeed where I didn't:

1) Bring lots of potions of FULL healing. I mean *LOTS*.

-by the time I arrived on level 15, I had encountered a lot of those acid demons and traps. I had a grand total of ONE potion of full healing, which didn't last too long, as you may imagine.

2) Bring lots of scrolls of controlled phase door.

-the damage the two wizards crank out is very considerable. Alatar especially has this nasty dark nova thingy that kept hitting me for 600+ damage a pop. Even with my 1799 HP, I could only withstand so much, especially with Aeryn going down so fast, and Pallando adding to the damage. In light of the dark damage, I wonder if there are specific resistances I needed to crank up high.

3) Either hope one of the two wizards is generated without so much physical resistance (for melee types), or to whatever element your main damage consists of.

-obviously a completely unreliable tactic, as that's asking the RNG to be, well, not random. But with 72% physical resistance and 7585 HP, my damage output, even while normally 1300+ against normal enemies, was piddly.


Now some questions:

1) If anyone has succeeded with a melee character, what did you do?

2) Is Aeryn just a human damage shield and sacrificial fodder? Or can she actually be used to help?

3) Any other advice in general?


Finally, here's a truncated dump of my character. I'm honestly not sure how I could have improved upon this character anymore, except possibly getting the gloves of the Firm Hand for more knockback resistance, and the Mithril Greatmaul of Khazad-Dum for its SICK damage output (believe me I was praying for that baby!). The Hardened Mithril Plate Armor of the Mumakil was my crowning find, as it seemed even better than that plate armor of the Returned King.



[Tome 4.00 @ http://www.te4.org Character Dump]

Sex : Male STR: 92
Race : Noldor DEX: 47
Class : Arcane Blade MAG: 80
Level : 50 WIL: 38
Exp : 100% CUN: 45
Gold : 4442.24 CON: 87

Attack(Main Hand): 146 Life : 1799/1799Encumbrance : 121/205
Damage(Main Hand): 510 Stamina : 253/253 Difficulty : Normal
APR (Main Hand): 19 Mana : 139/139
Crit (Main Hand): 30% Positive : 0/177
Speed (Main Hand): 1.09 Negative : 0/177



Fatigue : 30% Spellpower : 107.105
Armor : 45.76 Spell Crit : 13%
Defense : 41.95 Spell Speed : 1
Ranged Defense : 41.95

All damage : 0%
Physical damage : 8%
Fire damage : 15.878704321807%
Cold damage : 20.878704321807%

Physical Save : 45.375
Spell Save : 30.125
Mental Save : 21.375

All Resists: 0%
Physical Resist: 50%
Fire Resist: 36%
Cold Resist: 57%
Lightning Resist: 35%
Acid Resist: 45%
Nature Resist: 10%
Confusion Resistance: 100%
Blind Resistance: 100%
Disarm Resistance: 100%
Stun Resistance: 100%
Knockback Resistance: 30%

Number of NPC killed: 5692
Most killed NPC: ancient elven mummy (317)

[Talents Chart]

- Technique / Two-handed weapons (mastery 1.30)
Stunning Blow (class) 5/5
Sunder Armour (class) 1/5
Sunder Arms (class) 1/5
Blood Frenzy (class) 0/5
- Technique / Combat techniques (mastery 1.10)
Precise Strikes (class) 5/5
Rush (class) 1/5
Perfect Strike (class) 0/5
Blinding Speed (class) 0/5
- Technique / Combat training (mastery 1.10)
Heavy Armour Training (generic) 1/5
Massive Armour Training (generic) 1/5
Health (generic) 5/5
Weapon Combat (generic) 10/10
Weapons Mastery (generic) 10/10
Knife Mastery (generic) 0/10
- Technique / Magical combat (mastery 1.30)
Arcane Combat (class) 5/5
Arcane Dexterity (class) 1/5
Arcane Feed (class) 5/5
Arcane Destruction (class) 5/5
- Cunning / Dirty fighting (mastery 0.90)
Dirty Fighting (class) 1/5
Backstab (class) 5/5
Switch Place (class) 0/5
Cripple (class) 0/5
- Cunning / Survival (mastery 0.90)
Trap Detection (generic) 0/5
Heightened Senses (generic) 0/5
Trap Disarm (generic) 1/5
Evasion (generic) 0/5
- Spell / Fire (mastery 1.20)
Flame (class) 5/5
Flameshock (class) 1/5
Fireflash (class) 0/5
Inferno (class) 0/5
- Spell / Air (mastery 1.20)
Lightning (class) 5/5
Chain Lightning (class) 0/5
Feather Wind (class) 0/5
Thunderstorm (class) 0/5
- Spell / Conveyance (mastery 1.20)
Phase Door (generic) 5/5
Teleport (generic) 1/5
Displacement Shield (generic) 1/5
Probability Travel (generic) 2/5
- Spell / Divination (mastery 1.20)
Sense (generic) 5/5
Identify (generic) 1/5
Vision (generic) 1/5
Telepathy (generic) 0/5
- Spell / Enhancement (mastery 1.20)
Fiery Hands (class) 5/5
Earthen Barrier (class) 4/5
Frost Hands (class) 5/5
Inner Power (class) 5/5

[Current Effects]

- Hymn of Perseverance
- Precise Strikes
- Arcane Combat
- Frost Hands
- Probability Travel
- Fiery Hands
- Arcane Feed
- Chant of Fortress
- Inner Power

[Character Equipment]

In main hand
a) Warmaster Gnarg's Murderblade (54-86.4 power, 19 apr)
Type: weapon / greatsword
54 Power [Range 1.60] (+120% Strength), 0 Attack, 19 Armor Penetration, Crit 4%
Damage type: physical
When wielded/worn:
Increases stats: 5 Strength,5 Dexterity,5 Constitution.
Increases talent masteries: 0.20 Technique / Two-handed weapons,0.20 Technique / Two-handed weapons.
See invisible: 25

Dropped by Warmaster Gnarg
In off hand
On fingers
b) Glory of the Pride
Type: jewelry / ring
When wielded/worn:
Attack 10, Armor Penetration 0, Physical Crit 0%, Physical power 10
Armor 10, Defense 5, Ranged Defense 0
Fatigue -15%
Increases damage type: 8% physical.
Reduces talent cooldowns: Rush (15).
Increases confusion immunity: 100%.
Increases stun immunity: 100%.
Maximum mana -40
Maximum stamina 40

Dropped by Grushnak, Battlemaster of the Pride
c) Ring of Mandos
Type: jewelry / ring
When wielded/worn:
Increases stats: 10 Luck.

Around neck
d) Choker of Dread
Type: jewelry / amulet
When wielded/worn:
Attack 0, Armor Penetration 0, Physical Crit 0%, Physical power 5
Increases blindness immunity: 100%.
Spellpower 5, Spell Crit 0%
See invisible: 10
It can be used to summon an elder vampire to your side, costing 60 power out of 60/60.
Dropped by The Master
Light source
e) The Water Silmaril
Type: lite / lite
When wielded/worn:
Attack 0, Armor Penetration 0, Physical Crit 0%, Physical power 12
Increases stats: 4 Strength,4 Dexterity,4 Magic,4 Willpower,4 Cunning,4 Constitution,-5 Luck.
Allows you to breathe in: water.
Spellpower 12, Spell Crit 0%
Light radius 6
It can be used to activate talent: Tidal Wave (level 4), costing 80 power out of 150/150.
Dropped by Maglor, Last Son of F?«anor the Maker
Main armor
f) hardened mithril plate armour of the mumakil (9 def, 25 armor)
Type: armor / massive
When wielded/worn:
Armor 25, Defense 9, Ranged Defense 0
Fatigue 26%
Increases stats: 4 Strength,5 Constitution.
Increases resistances: 26% physical,21% fire,22% cold,20% lightning,25% acid.
Reduces talent cooldowns: Rush (10).
Increases disarm immunity: 30%.
Increases stun immunity: 30%.
Increases knockback immunity: 30%.

Dropped by uruk-hai elite figther
Cloak
g) oiled cashmere cloak of the Shire (2 def, 0 armor)
Type: armor / cloak
When wielded/worn:
Armor 0, Defense 2, Ranged Defense 0
Increases stats: 2 Dexterity,2 Cunning.
Increases resistances: 5% acid.

On head
h) Crown of the Elements (0 def, 5 armor)
Type: armor / head
When wielded/worn:
Armor 5, Defense 0, Ranged Defense 0
Fatigue 5%
Increases stats: 5 Constitution,3 Willpower.
Damage on hit(melee): 10 fire,10 acid,10 cold,10 lightning.
Increases resistances: 15% fire,15% acid,15% cold,15% lightning.
See invisible: 15

Dropped by Vor, Grand Geomancer of the Pride
Around waist
i) slotted drakeskin leather belt of shielding
Type: armor / belt
When wielded/worn:
Armor 0, Defense 10, Ranged Defense 0
It can be used to create a temporary shield that absorbs damage, costing 100 power out of 120/120.
Dropped by Ukllmswwik the Wise
In your belt
On hands
j) hardened leather gloves of iron grip (0 def, 2 armor)
Type: armor / hands
When wielded/worn:
Armor 2, Defense 0, Ranged Defense 0
Increases stats: 3 Strength.
Increases disarm immunity: 70%.

On feet
k) Frost Treads (1 def, 2 armor)
Type: armor / feet
When wielded/worn:
Armor 2, Defense 1, Ranged Defense 0
Fatigue 14%
Increases stats: 4 Strength,4 Dexterity,4 Cunning.
Increases resistances: 20% cold,10% nature.
Increases damage type: 5% cold.
Light radius 1

Dropped by Rantha the Worm
Tool
l) dwarven-steel pickaxe of strength (dig speed 31 turns)
Type: tool / digger
When wielded/worn:
Increases stats: 3 Strength.
It can be used to dig a wall, cut a tree, ..., costing 1 power out of 1/1.
Dropped by Rak'shor, Grand Necromancer of the Pride
Quiver

[Mushroomhermit]

One thing I would always advise is to pick up the chants category from any sun paladin escorts especially if you use the magic stat a lot. Being able to get fortress and resistance up to 3.5 effective level is a huge benefit if its backed up by 60+ magic. Not sure if it would have saved you or not but you easily could have been at 75% physical resistance or had another 30% to the 4 basic elements.

One thing you can do to preserve your full healing potions through all the acid damage is to drop the stack at the start of every level, clear the floor using greater healing potions and then go pick your stack up before you move on to the next level.

You could try putting together a couple 18% resist all rings if you can find a couple non magic mithril rings and the appropriate gems and assuming you did Limmir's quest.

Thats about all I can think of at the moment... Congrats on getting that far though. I've only beaten those fools with a Cursed and that was back when the class was kind of broken.

[kingvictory2003]

Thanks for the recs Mushroomhermit.

Regarding the Chant--I had level 2 chant from saving 2 sun paladins--but physical/elemental resistance was definitely not an issue in that fight--I think it was the dark and arcane damage.

I would laugh my way through any melee orcs in Grushnak as with Earthen barrier, I was immune to physical damage. The only orcs that really gave me a time of it were orc blood mages, high pyromancers (HATE HATE HATE ) and necromancers.

I like the tip with the potions. I'll definitely do that!

[kingvictory2003]

Hmm, actually looking at the .lua, Returned King might actually be pretty good with its 25% dark resistance and 10% arcane resistance. Pretty much nothing on their own, but stacked with another couple of resist items, perhaps viable?

I actually never did Limmir's quest--I'll have to look into how to do it. I did make a pearl ring using his services for 10% resist, but never used it. Glory of the Pride is just disgustingly awesome, and I used Ring of Mandos for its rez, which was burned pretty quickly.

I suppose I could also have farmed for the Girdle of Preservation, but that seems like an exceedingly rare artifact as well. I only got it once with my Shadowblade in a vault generated in Grushnak. That was the Shadowblade that got blown beyond dust into antimatter by teleporting into the face of the 8 GMHW in Vor Armory. A nice introduction to the dungeon, it was

[Mushroomhermit]

Yep, you would be taking about half as much damage with those 2 rings and that armor. With a good stack of potions you might have come out on top.

[Shoob]

actually you can get pretty nice bonuses from the ring quest (+56% resist ALL, or +28 to ALL stats) with 2 rings, which is even better than the glory of the pride if you have alternate means to be immune to stun or confusion.