Two Trials, Head of the Hydra and Eden

Hey guys,

The core group are rapidly coming up to range of two of the trickiest but rewarding of the Trials Eden and Head of the Hydra. Of particular issue is both time and resources. So I am asking the leaders and group their thoughts.

Head of the Hydra - 38 to 40

This is an extremely narrow range trial but has some very nice badges in it. However there are a lot of angst on the forums that the mission is way too hard, or even bugged. I have previously failed this TF due to time and PuG team mechanics, but people on the forums are complaining that the Rikti are spawning way too fast to kill the head. My opinion on this is that we should look at a core group of NDotSCers but we will need to take a couple of 50s in with us and UnSK. I understand this will mean no XP, but at least we could get in and have a shot at defeating the Hydra within a timeframe. (EmberGale and Min Min working together???)

Eden - 39-41

A four hour long trial and we have needed the time (I have fallen asleep on this one the first time I passed it) but the experience, salvage, recipes and TOs make this a joy to play. Is there any chance we could do this one, or maybe slot it for a weekend job?

I don't mind bringing Full-bore along.

Not sure if this is possible or not but what if Fullbore quit the team and then tanked the mobs (at level 50) allowing the remaining members to concentrate on whatever they need to concentrate on and still get the xp?

Would this work? Or would FB be instantly kicked from the mission map?

Personally speaking, I would much rather attempt it without trying anything funky. If we're seeing repeated failures, then we move to tactics like this.

And with your first suggestion, I think you mean quit the trial not un-exemp. You can't unSK the auto exemp in trials and TFs.

I'm keen to do both of these trials (particularly as I don't think I ever done them).

As Min said, I reckon we should give them a go ourselves at least once or twice before trying other tactics.

So is someone going to get the ball roling by setting a date?

What about Saturday night or Sunday day?

I haven't done either. I was invited into a group for the hydra once and then was kicked to make way for a higher level character. Quite poor form by the leader really.

OK so the idea is we try it properly within the limits. Actually I would thoroughly enjoy that. Make sure you clear out your enhancements, salvage and recipes before going in, it should be a bumper haul of 'lewt'

Its probably going to be another month before the main group are in the 38s. EmberGale will definitely be in for the Hydra as he has a serious need to dent the Rikti invasion, (and he wants the Multidimensional badge and the Gladiator to thump Tjilpa with.) With the XP hopefully that should push us to 39, and into the realms of the Eden Trial.

For those who haven't done it. Eden will make your jaw drop. Seriously the beauty is unbelievable. However we will need fliers and TPers to make this work.

Ooh actually that reminds me, the Trials of Transcendence is another TF that is part of a badge arc. I think Yoroi has it. If anyone is looking for a badge set its available. Ill have a check tonight.

I believe Yoroi and Embergale are hunting down the Yoroi Crey Clone.

I've never done Trials of Transcendence. So i'll be up for that. You need a whole team of 8 to complete it and I remember something about a TPer and invis being very useful for the finale.

I added an events page similar to the CoV one and updated the above two trials onto it. I wasn't sure if we were looking to start these this coming Wednesday or not, so please amend the date accordingly.

Events Page

Haven't we still got a few people below 36 (Aspro included)?
Maybe we should hold off for a week or two?

Actually we only have a handful at 36, and we weren't expecting to run the trials for a few weeks if not a month yet.

Sewer trial is hard, bit its mostly a matter of player skill and discipline, not characters. Still, being in the upper part of the level range should really help. As will force fields/sonic shields.

Eden Trial is a bit too long, but seriously beautiful. Last time I did it, the level range seemed to be 39-42; at least the lvl 50s on the team got exed to 42 and a lvl 28 was too low to join.

I was thinking this would be a planned over the next few weeks event since quite a few of the core group aren't in range.

Reading a few guides and maps throughout the day and one thing I did note was that some guides did indicate the Crey Pistols did come in handy, particularly for Eden against the walls.

Maybe that should be the play for this week?

Work on Drs Ally badge for those who don't have it and the Crey Infiltrator (200 PP) The rest of the Accolade are plaques and exploration badges, which can be attained in your own time. It should be achieved by Level 37 though.

edit: Sorry link for Conspiracy Theorist

http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/index.php/Conspiracy_Theorist

So tonight I am hoping to finally divest the "Doctor's Ally" badge mission

>> Min if you want it I will likely be running it first up, so if you can log in for the mission start (?)

Other than that we are continuing Story arcs?

Aspro would like it too! - what time do you plan on starting??

OK, so a chance Sewer Trial PuG with Embergale at 7.30am this morning yielded good results. I have the badges and the accolades so I'm happy. Here are my thoughts. It was a team of 6 with a bunch of 50s and some fairly experienced players. We cleared it in 50 minutes out of the full 90. To be honest, I can see why people are getting annoyed with the Trial if they are supposed to do it at the level required, the spawns go psycho when the Hydra is nearly dead and while the 50s are not exemped, it gets messy.

Tricks

Any level 43+ can actually attain a Rikti weapon by being exemped and then dropping. It certainly helps being a 50 toting a Particle Cannon. (Anyone about level 42 attempting to get a weapon out of a crate will automatically fail, but the crate will register you taking that weapon, which totally screws up the team.

Team Composition
We certainly have a good mix of NDotSCers, but there are some criticals. We really need Tankers and Defs with an ability to rez or at least group heal. Oh and TPers are essential, a natural given. Not only to pull teams to the door, but to pull their floating corpses out of the water is a regular chore.

Loadout
- Break Frees - (lots of mezmerists)
- Wakies - (Helps in the end)
- Crey Pistol - (I can see its value against the Hatched Kraken(s)

Abandoned Sewer
Wow this thing is packed with Bosses. Circle of Thorns, Hydra and Rikti. The first contact mission is to drop 150 Rikti in the sewers themselves, and the mission holder HAS to be on site for the counter to register. The other problem is the access door is totally innocuous in the sense that the map routes don't necessarily lead to it. The Circle of Thorns are mostly Death Mage bosses and there are tentacles flying around near the access door. We are going to have to be very careful with this.

Tactics
I suggest the Boomtown entry, despite the high level minion count for the following reasons
- It is the shortest route to the door.
- There is a plaque that is a criteria for the Academic badge

The mission holder can do either one of two things.
1. Hold near the AS entry when the 1st mission comes up while the main group hunts towards the door so they can exit when the hunt count is achieved
2. Help with the carnage knowing full well they are going to have to die and go back to the base and accrue debt, to obtain the 2nd mission.

The team are to make their way slowly to the door. The TPs are the cargo. Keep them alive and keep aggro off them. Hopefully by the time the team reaches the door, we should have the 150 Rikti count and the mission holder can bail, get the 2nd mission and the TPer can pull them in.

The Gangplanks
Ahh crap so many deaths, so many Rikti. All Rikti are at Level 42. The Gangplanks are a winding set of staircases down to the Hydra. Its so convoluted its very easy to get confused. There are crates along the way that contain weapons. We need to sort SKs carefully so people have enough power and get the XP. What is worse the Hatched Krakens on the plankways are technically GMs. In our team this morning we were yelled at for trying to kill it an in the end we managed to confuse it with good effect (It ploughed through a group of Rikti and fought quite a while for us.) Since we most likely wont have that ability, our best bet is to slow it, though Snowstorm draws aggro, so Im not sure how we do it.

There are 8 crates. 4 particle cannons, 4 flame throwers. ONLY ONE can be held at any time. so there needs to be some coordination. Im guessing its pot luck what we get.

Tactics
- Move as a group. Drawing aggro is painful and will end badly for us.
- As soon as you get your weapon, you have to understand your tactics. If you are a particle, then you are responsible for taking on the head. If a flamer, you are a support person.
- Slow, debuff or confuse the Krakens if you can.
- Make sure the team is with you when you engage a group.



The Hydra
The Hydra is a 'thing' that is Psionic in attack but has LOTS of Rikti to help out and Hatched Krakens. This is where the team mechanics come into play. The Hydra is indestructible except to Particle Cannons, so the team will need to understand that they are the key.

Tactics
- Once the crates are accounted for. A small team of fliers will secure a beach head for the TPer to get down and get the rest there.
- Sweep the tentancles first. Do not engage the Hatched Krakens
- Split into groups and 'bags' a shield generator. These groups should have the ability to deal good damage and keep each other alive.
- Attack generators in sync so they go down roughly at the same time.
- Particle Cannoners only: - You need to make sure you just flip 90 degrees so you can target the Hydra and cut into them, then flip back so you can keep an eye on the generator.
- The Hydra calls for reinforcements at 75%, 50% and 25% (The last wave is psycho)

If the Hydra goes down, do not exit, we need to clean up and the Head of the Hydra badge is in the middle of the pool once its gone.