Invasions for Dummies

[MalagAste]

Not to be condescending or anything but I think some folk need a lesson in Tactics 101.

Ok So here goes... First off when a city is under invasion it's great to scout the area do a bit of recon and kill all the "small stuff"..... That would be the red mobs that surround the Yellow one(Captain) that is currently invulnerable...

Lesson 1

Ok so when you see a mob of red surrounding a yellow invulnerable..... if you have magery or archery or something where you can pluck them off one by one do that! Use your Mystic to do hailstorm or something to kill the red stuff from at LEAST 8 tiles away. If you run right up number one your likely going to get faceplanted into the ground from the Invulnerable..... Unless you are some uber suit wearing sampire/whammy whatever your going to get your ass handed to you in about 1.5 seconds....

So pick them off one by one... be careful about it... Get all of them you can reach from one side and then slip around the invulnerable so as not to drag him around and kill off the others on the other side...

Now once he goes Red you have 2 choices.... 1. Kill him solo.... (depending on your template you may or may-not want to try this) or 2. Leave him and go kill more smalls. Killing smalls will get you a drop eventually...

So once all the smalls are dead then you can focus on the big stuff.... the Captains....

Lesson 2

Captains... Archers, Bards, Macers, Fencers, Swordsmen, Assassins, Rogues, Wizards, and Mystics.

First off if there is a Bard either avoid it like the plague and wait till there is a BIG group to kill it... If you are a Tamer be VERY weary ...... Bards DISCORD... This means your taming/lore/vet will drop... and often is the case you will be UNABLE to command your pet... you risk losing it.... permanently! Weavers..... Mages, Mystics..... You too will be discorded...... ie no word of death.... also the Bard CALMS..... no spell casting at all.... so if you think your going to heal your pet with magery...... think again.... Bards also S L O W you down ....... W A Y down..... so be prepared..... if it gets too much walk away invis/hide and wait for the discord to go away..... and go back at it..... this is also a good time if you are a tamer to reaffirm command of your pet.... kill.... If you are a dexer you may notice it takes 2 to 3 times as long for a bandage to go off.... be aware.

Wizards have a MASSIVE area effect that is 9 tiles around.... As an Archer you can avoid this area by being 10 tiles from the Wizard and hitting it with a composite bow.... Everyone else..... When the mage says BURN move 10 tiles away...... otherwise you will be dismounted and hit for about 45...

Mystics will sleep you and hit you with the boulder..... this can sometimes do a paralyzing blow.... so be wary.

Fencers will do mirror image...... this is ok if you are near NPC's they will call the guards on the mirror images....

Swordsmen I believe to a counterstrike..... which hits you from afar....

Assassins, Rogues and Wizards all invis or hide.....

BE EVER WATCHFUL..... There are WAY too many idiots out there dragging stuff around .... watch your back..... be a good neighbor and if something is agro'd on to you DON'T be a Jerk and lead it into the crowd fighting the BARD! Dumb idea..... Not only will you risk getting slowed WAY down but you will risk killing everyone on the bard ......

Lesson 3

Learn to Kite... ie lead the mob in a nice circle. Something that keeps it out of the way of everyone else... don't drag stuff onto others....

Lesson 4

If there is a big mob of Captains in an area mention in chat a target.... try to drag out one at a time.... I haven't seen ANYONE who can take on more than one Captain at a time.... Unless they are all fencers and your sitting safely on a boat you are NOT going to survive a toe to toe with more than one Captain.

Lesson 5

When the Beacon sounds... unless your mob is under 4% forget everything and GO to the Beacon... First off they always spawn in the same spot in each of the cities..... so maybe it might be a good idea to mark runes for somewhere "near" but not "too near" the Beacon so you can get there quickly.....

If you don't help clear the stuff from around the Beacon be forewarned that it MAY come back to haunt you.... often folk run away leading a HUGE mob from around the beacon.... if they live long enough they often drag it BACK to the beacon..... So be a good neighbor and help kill the spawn first..... lead away any Captains from near the Beacon and invis so you can return without draggin it back..... *(This is a good job for a mage NOT a tamer they are usually ON FOOT....... and can't outrun the Captains)

Finally

Be nice help rez the fallen.... never know might be you looking for the kindness of strangers at the next town wanting/needing a rez... acts of kindness are oft times rewarded.

And remember each Captain only drops ONE mini..... so don't be horribly disappointed if you don't always get a drop... remember if there are 12 people on it each of them gets a chance at it.... that's 12 a 1:12 odds you might get it.... The more you do the more chances you have... so help do more... faster they go down the better.... Beacon is a gimme so be there or be left out...


Have fun!

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

1) Why would you ever believe that you are a teacher or that anyone that is not a complete idiot needs or wants you to teach them lol?

2) Who are you to randomly declare other players "idiots" just because you don't like what they are doing at this pathetic and ridiculous invasion? Invasions are total noobfests. You have been playing for how long and don't get this?

 

[Tamais]

Thank you for some good information. Not every one knows the different tactics to use, for example people assume others know what kiting means. I have had to explain what the term means and why to use it. I am sorry to say, when I first started, I was one of those who would lead the mobs. I was lucky to have a forgiving guild who taught me other ways to deal with the problem. Cross healing and rezzing others, even if they are not in your guild or alliance. It will come back to you. I always try to heal someone I see who needs it. I also keep my compassion at knight so my rezzing starts the person out with higher health. Along with that, offer to help the person recover their body. They need those aids.
Sent from my ipad

 

[MalagAste]

Thank you for some good information. Not every one knows the different tactics to use, for example people assume others know what kiting means. I have had to explain what the term means and why to use it. I am sorry to say, when I first started, I was one of those who would lead the mobs. I was lucky to have a forgiving guild who taught me other ways to deal with the problem. Cross healing and rezzing others, even if they are not in your guild or alliance. It will come back to you. I always try to heal someone I see who needs it. I also keep my compassion at knight so my rezzing starts the person out with higher health. Along with that, offer to help the person recover their body. They need those aids.
Sent from my ipad

*Ignores the troll and responds to the decent folk*

Thank you. I can say over my many years of RPing and RPPvP and PvM That one thing we are taught from day one is Xhealing and it's many benefits! I must say MANY wonderful folk have been doing just that.

 

[Martell]

I actually agree with Goldberg on this one.

the title should be "invasion for dummies: if you need a group of randoms to do the invasion you're an idiot and lost cause"

There, now I've implied that I'm smarter than you...

Seriously though, if you still can't figure out how to solo stuff in this game you're a lost cause.

 

[Uvtha]

Nice write up... but needs more ellipses.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

"[insert topic here] For Dummies" is a popular series of instructional or informational books. The Romans for Dummies, Quilting for Dummies, Excel for Dummies, etc.

The idea was to take the information and lay it out in plain terms, rather than assume that the reader already knew something about the topic, and also to avoid the use of specialized jargon or terminology.

Most reasonable, non-troll readers of Stratics likely would see Malag's subject line as a reference to that series of books rather than an insult.

-Galen's player

 

[Zeke]

I agree with Galen. The "Dummies" reference is not an insult. Most of what the OP said was useful information. I have seen mulitple drops from one Captain tho, so it's not just 1 per captain but it seems like it didn't happen very often.

 

[Faeryl]

In regards to the wizards, mages can also stand out of range of the mega blast. I do it all the time. Being a tamer, I simply move back until I'm JUST within range to heal my dragon/hit her , but that keeps me out of her range.

Also, I don't have as much of an issue with people dragging other captains into a bard fight, as dragging bards over to another fight (especially macers), invising and then running off to kill something easier. I've been one second away from willingly going grey to kick someone's butt for it in Felucca several times now.

 

[Aurelius]

I have seen mulitple drops from one Captain tho, so it's not just 1 per captain but it seems like it didn't happen very often.

I'm wondering whether what is happening is the Captain is also counting for 'points' towards the drop as well as the troops killed, so you could see multiple drops at the point a captain is killed.

 

[Kojak]

this post reminded me of the time someone from a game like everquest put out a list of all the rules his guild had to follow in order to be in their raiding guild (and some of them were quite ridiculous and almost nazi-like) and then Lum the Mad got a hold of his post and ripped it apart on his blog ... saying stuff like I shouldn't have to listen to this little Hitler pissant to play the game, etc. - I can't remember exactly but it was funny - tried looking up the post on his archive site but that was an exercise in futility and I gave up

 

[Kojak]

looks like I might have found a little information after all - hehe

"Furor Planedefiler was GL of FoH, and was the first 50 as his rogue Kalaran (who got banned). He was also the first warrior to get his epic done (and iirc there were some stats or ratio or something he didn't like about it that SOE actually changed). He may have been loud, but he usually backed up what he said/griped about. Sites like Lum the Mad was standard fare for covering all the EQ drama back in the day, I wonder if some of the posts about Furor are still available on wayback..."

 

[NuSair]

I always liked The Quon's stuff. Here's an example: http://westkarana.com/index.php/2008/09/19/eq-the-quon-explains-your-class-to-you/

And the mistells / foot in mouth quotes people screen shot and put up on the guild boards were priceless.... I do miss those days.

 

[swroberts]

Appreciate the post....didn't help me specifically...but confirmed what I was doing, is parallel with others

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Hitler comparisons are in my estimation way too much to much to trot out in a post on how to handle a new scenario in a game.

I actually don't always follow Malag's suggestions; for example I've done surprisingly well by running into the spawn surrounding the yellow boss and spamming Holy Light. (Well, at least sometimes I've done well doing that.) That wasn't the point, though, as far as I can tell. The point was to give suggestions and to remind people to work together and think as a group.

The bosses all appear to be solo-able, though my drop rate is actually higher when I do them in groups.

The other night some ranged fighters had a boss trapped, and I thought I could engage it close up without screwing up their setup. It was working...Until I accidentally double clicked the ground, thus causing pathfinding to kick in, and the boss followed me. They didn't flip out; they knew me and suspected, correctly, that it was not on purpose.

Cross-healing dexxers can work great.

Great Lakes has handled this invasion superbly, using a variety of tactics, depending on who's there and what the situation is.

I'm extremely pleased, with the invasion and with how we as a shard have handled it.

-Galen's player

 

[Padre Dante]

Ok So here goes... First off when a city is under invasion it's great to scout the area do a bit of recon and kill all the "small stuff"..... That would be the red mobs that surround the Yellow one(Captain) that is currently invulnerable...

[Personal Opinion Alert!]

That is actually a terrible strategy, as the minions keep the invulnerable captains in place. As time has gone on in these invasions, they have gotten harder because too many people run around killing only the minions (for horrifically low chances at a drop) which frees up the captains to start roaming the streets and find a group already engaged in 1-2 captains.

Instead, I would say this for "Invasion for Dummies":
(1) stick with a group w/ at least 1 greater dragon
(2) cross heal
(3) know where lighthouses are in each city (showing up a little late each time it's vulnerable, to avoid the initial spawn)
(4) go one captain/clan at a time for survival.

The best plan for drops is to (a) stay alive in a group and (b) get at least a couple hits on the lighthouse.

 

[MalagAste]

[Personal Opinion Alert!]

That is actually a terrible strategy, as the minions keep the invulnerable captains in place. As time has gone on in these invasions, they have gotten harder because too many people run around killing only the minions (for horrifically low chances at a drop) which frees up the captains to start roaming the streets and find a group already engaged in 1-2 captains.

Instead, I would say this for "Invasion for Dummies":
(1) stick with a group w/ at least 1 greater dragon
(2) cross heal
(3) know where lighthouses are in each city (showing up a little late each time it's vulnerable, to avoid the initial spawn)
(4) go one captain/clan at a time for survival.

The best plan for drops is to (a) stay alive in a group and (b) get at least a couple hits on the lighthouse.

Actually I've done really well with killing the small stuff and leaving the captains..... the captains don't really move about much if you don't let them flag on you and lure them around. I carry invis pots and invis... another good thing is to run up next to them and invis and block them in quick with some bagballs..... this way they'll be right where you left them when you come back with a nice group and unless idiots take up the bagballs they won't get drug around by any other unsuspecting fools running about.

Showing up late at the lighthouse is an A$$hat move..... this leaves some schmuck stuck luring the crap and getting killed. Not very community oriented... actually on GL's I've actually seen folk band together at the lighthouse and take out all the spawn THEN go for the beacon.... a VERY co-ordinated and positive community working together can insure EVERYONE gets a drop from the beacon...

 

[Voodoo Bad Mojo]

i love when you see 2 or 3 people running around who do the old "get the minimum damage in to get on the list"

saw a couple of these last night, they would run up, drop 10 ebolts then run off to the next.
or run in, WoD then off agian.

thankfully karma was on my side last night and every time someone in my party got the arty and double karma each fella run up to us a couple times dead wanting a res.

they get so mad when you dont res them.... it like they cant understand why you wouldnt?

 

[The Zog historian]

Actually I've done really well with killing the small stuff and leaving the captains..... the captains don't really move about much if you don't let them flag on you and lure them around. I carry invis pots and invis... another good thing is to run up next to them and invis and block them in quick with some bagballs..... this way they'll be right where you left them when you come back with a nice group and unless idiots take up the bagballs they won't get drug around by any other unsuspecting fools running about.

Showing up late at the lighthouse is an A$$hat move..... this leaves some schmuck stuck luring the crap and getting killed. Not very community oriented... actually on GL's I've actually seen folk band together at the lighthouse and take out all the spawn THEN go for the beacon.... a VERY co-ordinated and positive community working together can insure EVERYONE gets a drop from the beacon...

If minions can be lured away a little, leaving room around the captain, I've started trapping the captain first off with my stealther: walk to right on top of it, drop bagballs, and teleport out. Then the spawn can be killed off at leisure. Any that get too far (whether lured on purpose or if someone's running away) will snap back to the captain, right inside the bagballs, which is great for bone demons.

That's a great community effort on GL. Now that most people have figured out what tactics work, there are a few jerks on Sonoma who hang out only to WoD the captains and lighthouses. It needs adjustment IMO.

 

[temu]

I just run in there all willy-nilly and attack and lure around whatever. Yay chaos!

 

[Flutter]

lol
Shocked that anyone got their panties in a bunch because it was titled "invasions for dummies"
Please visit the real world once in a while.

 

[Padre Dante]

Showing up late at the lighthouse is an A$$hat move..... this leaves some schmuck stuck luring the crap and getting killed. Not very community oriented... actually on GL's I've actually seen folk band together at the lighthouse and take out all the spawn THEN go for the beacon.... a VERY co-ordinated and positive community working together can insure EVERYONE gets a drop from the beacon...

It isn't a move I would expect out of someone who knows how the system works, but your post is titled "Invasion for Dummies" . I only wait about 3-4 seconds after the call (or until we finish the captain we are on) to allow other people time to show up too (safety in numbers). I try to gate when others are around, and my marked spots are just far enough away from the LH as to avoid that spawn (upon recalling/gating in). I also kill the spawn first and then work on the LH. But in the spirit of the what I think you created this thread for - waiting a handful of seconds to arrive at the LH is probably the best (and safest) bet. The worst is dying at the LH and not getting that guaranteed drop.

 

[MalagAste]

It isn't a move I would expect out of someone who knows how the system works, but your post is titled "Invasion for Dummies" . I only wait about 3-4 seconds after the call (or until we finish the captain we are on) to allow other people time to show up too (safety in numbers). I try to gate when others are around, and my marked spots are just far enough away from the LH as to avoid that spawn (upon recalling/gating in). I also kill the spawn first and then work on the LH. But in the spirit of the what I think you created this thread for - waiting a handful of seconds to arrive at the LH is probably the best (and safest) bet. The worst is dying at the LH and not getting that guaranteed drop.

True indeed but with a nice group of folk getting a Rez isn't a problem often... It's when NOT nice folk are there that getting a rez is a major issue. What's really annoying is the guy just before the tower falls who feels the need to drag 3 captains into the crowd. Especially when one is a Bard and another a Macer.... so the Bard slows everyone and then calms all the mages, discords all the tamers and the Macer pulls you in and one hit kills you..... Meanwhile no one can rez because they are discorded. I've had this happen twice now. Also bad when it's a Bard and Assassin...