Solo keying and killing dreadhorn on Sampire?

[Anyer]

I have never done the dreadhorn quest and have been working on my sampire since returning after a long time off. Currently have 116ish Bushi, 110 parry, 115 swords, 110 anatomy, 100 necro, 65 chiv and 90 tactics. My gear is decent but I geto owned by paragon changlings. I am guessing my tactics need some polishing. Should I be carrying fey or spider slaying items or totems with me? Admittedly I did not cast concecrate which might have made a bigger difference, the changleings just seem to go down VERY slow relative to other stuff. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

A

 

[Connor_Graham]

Use something like Soul Seeker that has 100% cold to take on changelings. 100% physical damage weps do too little damage, and with their love for mana drain, you need to have a wep that you don't have to use Cons Wep on.

 

[Anyer]

I was using a soul seeker the damage still seemed VERY enemic. Any other thoughts?

 

[Connor_Graham]

Lower Anat and raise Tactics to GM. Get Parry, Bush, & Swords up to 120, then give it another try. If you can't get to where you can take down the changelings, you'll never be able to handle Irk, Guile, and Spite, much less DH.

 

[Sir Kenga]

Cast consecrate, it makes damage 6-8 times bigger on changelings.

 

[NBG]

against changeling wear a shield so they copy it then you should have no problem hitting it.

 

[pgcd]

Today I conducted my second successful solo DH run, so I think I can offer some fresh (and by "fresh" I mean "noob") advice:
1) Greater Confusion Pots are your best friend: prepare a macro to use one on yourself and, if you find yourself in a difficult situation, you can fire it and run - they are usable with 2-handed weapons, and are dirt cheap. Remember there's a timer, though (30 seconds, I think), so they are best complemented by honor. Which brings me to...
2) Make sure you are at least Follower of Honor: you really should train your skills anyway, so just honor everything you are about to kill (Miasma and the minotaurs are great in your range). The reason why I suggest this is that...
3) Embracing Honor (ie using it on yourself) makes life a lot easier: while you can definitely collect all the keys without it, it's easier if you can separate the nameds whose keys you need, and embracing honor allows you to do it without too much danger.
4) Bring potions and apples: I was not accustomed to using either, but today I realized how easier it's your life if you do. Greater Strength and Agility pots are very effective in counteracting Dreadhorn's perennial not-quite-curse; Total Refreshment can make the difference between life and death (especially if you can't/won't use Divine Fury). Apples, while not life-saving, are certainly worth their weight, since they allow you to swing at full speed and full strength for at least a while.
I also used the Grapes of Wrath, but I'm not conviced they made any noticeable difference.
5) Know your weapons: As it's already been posted, Irk and her sisters are not really killable without a 100% elemental weapon: the little mana you will be able to drain is best used for Lightning Strike. Remember what you're doing, though - Dreadhorn is susceptible to physical attacks instead, and if you don't switch weapons you are going to be in a rough spot, as my first UNsuccessful run proved (I was still holding Soul Seeker and didn't realize it before finding myself out of mana and next to dead - then dead).
Furthermore, using the weapon's specials can be extremely effective, but I'm not sure that is always the case: the second UNsuccessful run went awry due to excessive reliance on a Leafblade's specials, which drained my mana at the wrong time.
6) Do not despair: DH's "Wave of hopelessness" notwithstanding, even if you die there might still be a chance. The two copies of the "final" key (Essence of Wind) you have left after entering don't expire for a few minutes, depending on the time it took you to actually enter, and they can be used as soon as you enter Ilshenar - today, a couple minutes after entering, my dragon's barding broke. I saw I still had 300secs left, so I took the boat, recalled to the bank, rebarded, recalled to a moongate, returned to spirituality, returned to the Weald and used the second Essence of Wind - I also managed to deal a few "free" hits on Dreadhorn, who was apparently astonished at my chutzpah.
7) Be prepared: the more you plan ahead, the easier it gets. Today's success was the result of taking note of all I did wrong in the previous runs, and trying to prepare for it. So I ended up with 10 each of Confusion, Agility, Strength and Refresh pots, and 20 GH (I ended up using between 5 and 8 of each); I ended up using Mace Fighting because it has the only fast elemental damage only weapon (Wind's Edge) for Irk together with a heavy hitting 1-hander for DH (Diamond Mace); I ended up fighting Irk near the wall so, if I died, she'd be somewhat busy with the Pixies on the other side when I returned, etc.

Hm. Ok, I guess that pretty much sums it up =D

 

[TheLetterQ]

Small correction for you there....you do NOT have to be in the wield....you have to be in ilsh. As soon as you pop out of that moongate you're good to go.

As for the weapon special...I hardly EVER use them on the DH myself....occasionally I'll find myself at full mana and pop one off. But for the most part, I just LS him to death.


I'll have to be honest....Irk is the BANE of my existence. I have more trouble killing him that any other monster I fight. Guile and spite go down like swiss cheese in a microwave. Irk.....oh Irk....he's a right pain in the rump.

I hadn't really considered the use of confusion pots however. I think that's a good tip if things are not going your way.

Q

 

[pgcd]

I hadn't really considered the use of confusion pots however. I think that's a good tip if things are not going your way.

Indeed - I'd take advantage of the fact it's usable with a 2-handed weapon before they nerf it...

Also, it's worth noting that I failed honoring Irk at least half of the time, due to "failed to find path"s etc, and if you don't honor her it's a lot harder, so double check before attacking, and run away if she's not honored (she heals so fast you can try honoring again pretty much instantaneously).

 

[Lynk]

I hear everyone say Irk gives them problems but I have not experienced that... I've found all of the bosses in the weald to be pretty ez mode, except for when you have guile/spite on you and you run over the swamp tiles!

 

[Black Tom]

I've gotten to where I can get the keys pretty easy. And can kill dread. But last night on Sonoma I popped over, ran to honor dreadhorn and then saw that someone had popped a Harbinger on the island. Didn't last very long.

 

[Ender]

Irk, Guile and Spite are quite a bit harder than Dread.

 

[Lynk]

I must be doing something wrong (or right) then, because I die occasionally to DH but never to irk.

 

[Stupid Miner]

Irk, Guile and Spite are quite a bit harder than Dread.

Um... yea, not sure why you'd think that.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Irk, Guile and Spite are quite a bit harder than Dread.

I'm not sure why you'd think this either. They're a cakewalk compared to DH.

 

[northwoodschopper]

unless that means fighting them all at once, then i can see that being more difficult. not much you can do if they sync their spells to go off all at once.

 

[Ender]

Maybe I'm just odd then. I use Lynk's template and die to those named changelings 1v1 occasionally, but I have yet to die to Dread. Weird. :/

 

[Lynk]

I did a DH a couple nights ago with my new imbued weapon.. unbelievable.

For DH I used a Daisho 25 ssi, 44 hla, 44 hml, 44 hsl, 36 hll (non exceptional weapon)

DI stacked on jewels and faction arties.

It was just stupidly easy. I need to make an identical on and enhance with Valorite for Irk.

 

[Nystul]

DH = Easy

Only time I died to him was from missing honor, or from a bad hit/combo when I have my luck suit on. (Yes I switch to a luck suit on my wammy). I usually used an insane quarterstaff but it is long gone (looted). I prefer a double strike weapon as I would do LS/LS/LS/DS etc. or something in that nature. Once you leech his mana I wouldn't waste anything in feint, evade etc. as he was not a threat.

Irk/Guille/Spite are easier than DH... alone. The only tough part about them is their spellweaving attunment & mana vamping. I usually never die to one, but it happens from an off EoO. I've taken all three on at once before w/ no problems, and other times it seems imposible. I've always used Winds Edge on them, or Darkened Sky if I was on my fencer. I believe because I did more damage & didn't have to consecrate weapon.

 

[Flutter]

You guys are so manly with your dread horn soloing....

 

[Anyer]

Well I made it to DH the other night after a single death getting the keys. Had Irk and Guile on me at the same time and was hopelessly dead. Things seemed to be going well for a while and then it deterioriated rapidly. No clue what turned the tide but it may have been the poison. I was able to run back after ressing and succumbed to the same fate . Oh well, guess I need to play around with some tactics still.

 

[pgcd]

Well I made it to DH the other night after a single death getting the keys. Had Irk and Guile on me at the same time and was hopelessly dead. Things seemed to be going well for a while and then it deterioriated rapidly. No clue what turned the tide but it may have been the poison. I was able to run back after ressing and succumbed to the same fate . Oh well, guess I need to play around with some tactics still.

I've done quite a few more successful solo runs, and a couple met with similar fate as yours. For me, the single most underrated issue is stamina. With pretty much every other PvM template, you take care of health first, and low stamina doesn't really register.
With a sampire, though, stamina is probably more important than actual health, especially when poison figures in the equation, because the main (and often only) way you heal is through damage you deal, and you deal damage only if you swing.
Today, for instance, I died to Irk because I realized I was at 20/30 stamina (after a series of unlucky and un-leeching hits) when it was too late. If I had gulped a total refresh pot, I could have hit her at least once before her next (and lethal) blow - which might or might not have saved me, of course, but not hitting spells certain death for a sampire.

 

[JayT]

I know this post has gone cold, but since I started just over a year ago I got to the point where I needed to add Dreadhorn to my Sampire's solo menu. DH was not "easy" has it been upgraded or such? First 4 times I tried to solo DH he does some sort of nuclear holocaust on my sampire within the first minute of attacks and boom....dead...ghost run. I then went duo with another sampire who actually builds sampire suits for sale on server transfers to Atlantic so you know his suit for his own sampire is above average. He lasted longer than me but we both ended up part of DH's hooves before we could get him down to half life. Using my imbuer, I crafted a weapon just for DH: double axe - life leech 74%, mana leech 100% (yes 100), lower defense chance 50%, lower attack 50%, damage increase 50%. Then I upgraded my sampire's suit: all reforged armor pieces with crimson cincture, ranger cloak, corgul's sash, detective boots, and cloak of death, and a greater artifact koboto helmet I lucked out with on a dungeon farm expedition. The final result is a sampire with: 149 hp, 64 mana, 182 stamina, all 70's resist, max 45 DCI, max 45 HCI, LMC 38. This new and improved sampire lasted an extra 2 minutes on my next DH solo attempt. So what did I learn the hard way to pass along here to any aspiring sampire users? Yes, I finally found out how to plant DH in to the turf instead of the other way around. You see, I would routinely stomp Medusa solo, and make short work of anything in Shame including elemental vortexes. DH however, will nuke you to dust if you don't carry 100 magic resist, and it will grind you down without parry. Medusa was a punching bag even without these skills included so I never figured it was necessary for DH.........it is. Make or buy yourself a good 2handed weapon, use a soulstone to switch in 100 magic resist, and use 100 or better parry. DH is still not a cake walk, but is now doable. As another poster had said I used their strategy and fight with double strike, counter strike, divine fury. DH will drop under that. I can't carry spirit speak so I only get about 2 seconds of curse weapon, but its enough when I get in trouble so it will be for you if you have it set on macro key like F8 or such. Oh, and when after you honor DH bring him to the top of the island to fight because if you bite the dust, and come back, he will agro lock on you right as you appear since he hangs around your corpse.

 

[Odin of Europa]

I know this post has gone cold, but since I started just over a year ago I got to the point where I needed to add Dreadhorn to my Sampire's solo menu. DH was not "easy" has it been upgraded or such? First 4 times I tried to solo DH he does some sort of nuclear holocaust on my sampire within the first minute of attacks and boom....dead...ghost run.
... DH however, will nuke you to dust if you don't carry 100 magic resist, and it will grind you down without parry. Medusa was a punching bag even without these skills included so I never figured it was necessary for DH.........it is. ...

I hadn't solo'd DH since before the chiv changes and I've been wanting to give it another bash, but with it being so long since the last time and all the different sampire templates around I wasn't sure if mine would still be capable.

100 anatomy
120 bushido
61 chivalry
99 necromancy
120 parry
120 swords
100 tactics

I didn't want to change my template too much, especially if it wasn't going to do the job, so I copied my char and his new suit to TC to give it ago.

Studded suit - 40 lmc, 40 stam, 40 mana, 15 hpi, 10 hci, 5 dci
Blackthorns norse helm version of the Mace and Shield glasses for the help with stamina
Despicable quiver fire resist
Crimson
Conjurers garb
Corguls sash
Conjurers trinket
Guard boots - +3 int
Ring and brace - 20 chiv, 30 hci, 30 dci, 30 di, 50 ep
Bladed staff and broadsword - hml, hsl, 50 hla, 30 ssi, 50 di

Which gives me before pots
136 str
135 dex
13 int
143 hp
176 stam
73 mana

After pots
150 str
150 dex
13 int
150 hp
191 stam
73 mana
70/70/70/70/75 in vamp form
45 hci / dci
100 di
55 lmc

It got a bit hairy when I had a changeling, Guile, Spite and Irk after me, but when I got Irk on its own I was easily able to kill it.

I used an invis pot to cross to DH and I was able to honor it and cast EoO before it attacked.
It wasn't an easy kill, I had to concentrate - using greater str and agility pots, casting evasion and EoO when needed; and also using AI and lightning strike. But DH is possible to solo without resist spells.

 

[popps]

casting evasion and EoO when needed

I can understand casting evasion occasionally (when needed....), but Enemy of One ?

Why not have EoO on all the time during the fight ? Why only occasionally, when "needed" ?

The only disadvantage when casting EoO is that the damage received from other monsters will be doubled. But since Dread Horn will be on its own, I see no disadvantage from having EoO up all the time....

 

[Odin of Europa]

I can understand casting evasion occasionally (when needed....), but Enemy of One ?

Why not have EoO on all the time during the fight ? Why only occasionally, when "needed" ?

The only disadvantage when casting EoO is that the damage received from other monsters will be doubled. But since Dread Horn will be on its own, I see no disadvantage from having EoO up all the time....

EoO runs out before DH dies ..

 

[Nasty Rasty]

DH = Easy

Only time I died to him was from missing honor, or from a bad hit/combo when I have my luck suit on. (Yes I switch to a luck suit on my wammy). I usually used an insane quarterstaff but it is long gone (looted). I prefer a double strike weapon as I would do LS/LS/LS/DS etc. or something in that nature. Once you leech his mana I wouldn't waste anything in feint, evade etc. as he was not a threat.

Irk/Guille/Spite are easier than DH... alone. The only tough part about them is their spellweaving attunment & mana vamping. I usually never die to one, but it happens from an off EoO. I've taken all three on at once before w/ no problems, and other times it seems imposible. I've always used Winds Edge on them, or Darkened Sky if I was on my fencer. I believe because I did more damage & didn't have to consecrate weapon.

mind sharing that whammy templet i was wanting to make one jsut not sure whhere to start


also could you please include str dex and int ty

 

[CorwinXX]

make short work of anything in Shame including elemental vortexes

Does it include crazy mages on the level 5?

 

[Ender]

mind sharing that whammy templet i was wanting to make one jsut not sure whhere to start


also could you please include str dex and int ty

Might not get a response after 5 years. Probably something like

120 weap skill
120 bushido
100 tactics
100 anatomy
100 spirit speak
80 chivalry
60 parry
40 necro

120 str, 125 dex, 10 int

You could also drop parry entirely and then drop spirit speak a bit to add healing, but you lose some mana reduction in special moves and a decent parry chance.

 

[Acid Rain]

Figured I'd try a new weapon on DH... see if he liked it. So, I made this last weekend and have tested it for a few days now.


Its pretty funny when he gets about 2/3 hp and his biggest spells are fireball/poison plus he doesn't hit me for 45 secs at a time.
He's dog food in the time it takes for the island entrance keys to *POOF* (8-9 mins).

 

[CorwinXX]

I would prefer 60 hit fatigue and hla instead of hit mana drain

 

[Acid Rain]

Chances of rolling a 60 or 70 (the cap) hit fatigue with hla, ssi, and the leeching is nonexistent.
Double axe needs ssi. So to roll a 60 fatigue wep (high intensity), the hammer you need would never
allow for further imbuing since it would give 5 mods already. On the VERY slim chance it could be
imbued, it would never roll the correct mods you wanted.

While I too would prefer 60 hit fatigue, its just not gonna happen. The best u can do is 50 if you want to
further imbue. With 120 parry, hla isn't needed for my template. Once I do him some damage, he
barely hits me anyway. The mana drain works nicely b/c he doesn't seem to have the mana to cast
curse so much. The -20 all stats can be dealt with fine. When he throws his curse, thats when
things can get ugly fast if your not on the spot with apples or remove curse. Next time your fighting
him and you get low hit points, check your debuff bar - I'd be willing to bet your cursed.

On a side note, to get that 40/50 weapon clean so I could imbue what I wanted probably took about
25-30 copper hammers. Wasn't sure which to use so I did try 5 or 6 bronze and 5 or 6 shadow
before I got frustrated and just looked it up on Semmerset's chart .

 

[CorwinXX]

When you use Copper+ to get 100 HML/HLL you oftern get a weapon with 50-60 Hit Fatigue + HML/HLL/HSL/HLA.

 

[Acid Rain]

All I can say is.... I didn't. +25 Copper hammers and not a single 60% fatigue w/ 60% drain weapon, most
was 50 and I didn't get too many of them. Going for 50 drain/50 fatigue and never got a single one, 40/50
was the best. Maybe whatever chart your looking at is incorrect? Or probably what is more likely, I was
using the wrong picks on my reforging menu .

 

[popps]

All I can say is.... I didn't. +25 Copper hammers and not a single 60% fatigue w/ 60% drain weapon, most
was 50 and I didn't get too many of them. Going for 50 drain/50 fatigue and never got a single one, 40/50
was the best. Maybe whatever chart your looking at is incorrect? Or probably what is more likely, I was
using the wrong picks on my reforging menu .

I wonder how much difference it makes, in practical terms, to use a 50% fatigue in place of a 60% Capped fatigue weapon.... Being PvM, not PvP, does the 10% difference really matter that much ?

As i understand it, a succesfull hit reduces the target's stamina by a flat 20% (with all that it means having a reduced stamina...). Now, hitting with 50% rather then 60% reduces the chances to a succesfull hit by how much ?

By the way, is the effect cumulative ?

That is, if for example it was possible to have 100% hit fatigue (i.e., every hit reduce the target's stamina by 20%), would the target's stamina, after a number of hits, eventually reach 0 thus reducing considerably the offensive capabilities of the target ?

Of course, since 100% is not possible, not all hits will be succesfull but only, on average, 1 every 2 and thus the target will have ability to regain stamina over unsuccesfull hits. Nonetheless, the effectiveness in PvM of this item property is overrated or it really can make the difference when fighting high end bosses ?

 

[CorwinXX]

All I can say is.... I didn't. +25 Copper hammers and not a single 60% fatigue w/ 60% drain weapon, most
was 50 and I didn't get too many of them. Going for 50 drain/50 fatigue and never got a single one, 40/50
was the best. Maybe whatever chart your looking at is incorrect? Or probably what is more likely, I was
using the wrong picks on my reforging menu .

I didn't understand about drain. " w/ " looks like "with" for me (fatigue with drain) while I was speaking about "fatigue without drain".