New NPC in Emerald Halls?

[hugh1]

<p>Well i rolled a test toon and visited neriak (nice place, good job devs), but my main reason for logging on to test was to try get to Emerald Halls to find out this : -</p><p>"You should now be able to find Askadian in the Emerald Halls."</p><p>Does anyone know what this Askadian is? Nothing else was put in the update notes and tbh im curious and couldnt get my level 5 wizard to EH without dying <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Anastasie]

What I have heard is that he can be hailed and he will pick an achetype to challenge him (priest, fighter, scout, mage). If that member of the raid succeeds, he clears trash mobs from the zone. If you fail, you have to clear the zone as usual. Has anyone gone in and tried to challenge him? It would be great to know how much of the trash he clears.

[Anastasie]

Is there anyone on test who would be willing to test this out who has level 70 toons. My test toons are way too low level to test it out. It could be done with a group of 4 people - one of each archetype. It would be really great to get more information on what this actually accomplishes.

[Kizee]

<p>If that is what he does I am kinda curious why they went this route rather than putting in a key so you can do 1 floor at a time.</p><p>I guess it depends how much trash he does clear tho.</p>

[jjlo69]

<cite>Kizee wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>If that is what he does I am kinda curious why they went this route rather than putting in a key so you can do 1 floor at a time.</p><p>I guess it depends how much trash he does clear tho.</p></blockquote> did u ever think that some raid forces may still need barks and scales to make items from receipes that the florr guards drop as well as some of those seeds to make those nice poisons and arrows and drinks.....

[Anastasie]

Well - we don't know what it does exactly because no one seems to want to actually test this out. I believe what Kizee was referring to is instead of removing the trash mobs, why not make each floor separate zone in's and you could only progress to the next zone once the first floor was completed. You wouldn't have to worry about camping the zone and have the server reset. I think this is kind of like the WoW feature of being able to save a zone so you can zone back into the same instance and pick up where you left off. Sony instead seems to have gone another route and will offer the option to challenge this NPC and upon winning said challenge some unknown amount of trash is cleared. You don't have to challenge the NPC if you want to farm for seeds and barks. Anyone willing to test this?

[Groma]

where did you read about this guy? I'm patching test right now, 16 minutes to go where i have my 70 warlock to go test it out, but other than this post i can't find any info on this guy.

[Caetrel]

People are assuming that he clears trash, but we don't really know.  That's just based on what he says when you hail him...it implies he might do that. The NPC could make trash non KoS.  Or it could remove select trash mobs but not all.  Or it could make floor bosses not call the other names (very lame if so).  It could still even be related to flagging each floor. The timesinks in EH are the floor 3 mobs- and the brownies around gardener.  If all this guy does is some clear trash mobs but leaves up the Seedlings, Brownies, and Floor 3 trash then it really changes nothing...there are very few trash mobs to kill besides these.

[Groma]

Am i blind or something? I don't see any mention of this in the last 3 sets of patch notes for test.

[Groma]

<img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/Gromann/EQ2_000090.jpg" border="0"> <img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/Gromann/EQ2_000091.jpg" border="0"> <img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/Gromann/EQ2_000092.jpg" border="0">

[Groma]

It has to be met by the particular archtype, which may not be present on test(because its hard to get a raid together) If you do not have that archtype with you, when you hail him the second time he tells you that you fail, actual text in third screenshot.

[Anastasie]

<p>Bah double post</p>

[Anastasie]

Couldn't you just zone in with 4 people, one of each archetype (priest, mage, scout, fighter)? At least for testing purposes it seems it should work. Here is another thread on flames on this subject. <a href="http://www.eq2flames.com/showthread.php?t=6000" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.eq2flames.com/showthread.php?t=6000</a>

[Groma]

Working on it, had some trouble getting people to log on test with copied toons.  Got a scout, mage and healer now and we are going to try again, lets just hope he doesn't ask for a fighter <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Groma]

ok, tried it again with a templar, ranger and wizard.  The result was that he asked for a scout.  Ranger right clicked and selected challenge, and he popped a lvl72^^ and a lvl72 single down heroics.  Needless to say, this will not be an easy fight for anyone, and likely only a couple classes can pull it off especially if they have no crowd control and some form of self heals. Edit: Combat log shows only melee damage, so highly possible for a mage or druid since they can root/nuke.

[Anastasie]

I wonder if they made them uncharmable? An illusionist/Coercer could do really well if mezz or charm work on them.

[Groma]

dunno, we ran out of toons to try on so we are going back after the lockout expires tonight to test it again. If i had to guess, i would say the mobs that attack depend on who challenges the NPC.  The person fighting keeps raid buffs, but the raid/group does get stunned and cannot help for the duration of the fight.  I don't know any ranger that is capable of beating that specific encounter, but a tank specced Brig should be able to handle it.  I'll post more info after we try it tonight and see what we get.  As for a coercer, i would assume no charm, since pretty much every instance mob is no-charm now.

[Groma]

sent a long inquiz in there and got a scout again, so either we have some bad random luck or its bugged/only says scout.

[Aven Elonis]

<p>So if is a 72^^ and 2x72 single downs, which class of each archtype would you put forth (assuming KoS and EoF fabled, and mastered):</p><p>Fighter - Zerker, Healer - Defiler or Fury, Scout - Assassin or Swashy, Mage - Any <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Anastasie]

<cite>Gromann wrote:</cite><blockquote>he popped a lvl72^^ and a lvl72 single down heroics.  </blockquote><p>Looks like he is saying there were 2 mobs, not 3. In any case, my guess for good classes would be:</p><p>Fighter: Berserker (aoe's), SK (Deathmarch and heals)?</p><p>Priest: Warden (has 2 roots), Fury (1 root) - not sure about other healers</p><p>Scout: Swashbuckler (aoe's), Brigand? - not sure how well they handle multiple mobs</p><p>Mage: Enchanter (crowd control), Summoner (pets), Sorcerer (root)</p><p> That being said it would probably be wise to pick someone who likes to duel and/or solo. </p>

[Strums]

i would say for the scout one to let a troubador fight it.  Can mez one of the mobs, and kite the other.  Then, just do the same for the other mob when the first is down.  Power or health wont be a problem, as troubs have a mana and health regen.

[Skitsofrenic]

<p>Would be cake for a ranger with a Raincaller / Stupefying Poison.     Even without, easy to kite / trap / etc.</p>

[Wrapye]

This sounds like the challenge that you get when you attack the Avatar of Tranquility.  One person fights, the rest of the raid is stunned.

[Janaka]

Finally a use for deity miracles for raiders if you might noob it up without help.

[Groma]

Ok, Askadian is on every floor.  Have to meet the challenge for each level to clear trash.  Bruiser killed the fighter trial on the first floor with easy, same with Templar.  Warlock and Conj got owned bad, as well as the ranger. For the first floor, he clears all the fairies and drakes, nothing else from what i could see.  You still have the wolves around Sarik, seedlings around tender, the unicorns do not depop. Snare works on the mobs, but not root or stun. Whichever archtype kills him on the first floor will not be requested on the second floor. The rest we will all have to figure out on our own when GU35 goes live in the morning, but as it stands the encounter breaks down to pure luck of the draw, because i can't see any mage beating a mob that is immune to crowd control and hits for 1k+ per swing.  The duo on the second floor looks to be a brawler/fury combo, and the brawler is immune to all attacks until the fury dies. Good luck, hope this helps

[Caetrel]

<cite>Gromann wrote:</cite><blockquote>Ok, Askadian is on every floor.  Have to meet the challenge for each level to clear trash.  Bruiser killed the fighter trial on the first floor with easy, same with Templar.  Warlock and Conj got owned bad, as well as the ranger. For the first floor, he clears all the fairies and drakes, nothing else from what i could see.  You still have the wolves around Sarik, seedlings around tender, the unicorns do not depop. Snare works on the mobs, but not root or stun. Whichever archtype kills him on the first floor will not be requested on the second floor. The rest we will all have to figure out on our own when GU35 goes live in the morning, but as it stands the encounter breaks down to pure luck of the draw, because i can't see any mage beating a mob that is immune to crowd control and hits for 1k+ per swing.  The duo on the second floor looks to be a brawler/fury combo, and the brawler is immune to all attacks until the fury dies. Good luck, hope this helps </blockquote>Thanks alot for taking the time and sharing this. I don't see this saving any time on floor one as there are very few drakes or faeries you actually need to kill.  Floor 1 is quick anyway.  I hope floor 2 can remove centaurs AND bees, and floor 3 can remove a substantial amount of trash.  Otherwise this is no significant change.    Timesinks in the zone that are excessive are brownies and floor 3 trash. 

[Anastasie]

Thanks Groman for all your work trying to test this out. It will be nice to have at least an idea of what to expect. Please please don't pick me to fight it - without root I'm screwed.

[Occam]

<cite>Gromann wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Edit: Combat log shows only melee damage, so highly possible for a mage or druid since they can root/nuke. </p></blockquote> Was the 1st floor mob combo the same both times? I suppose I'll know later today regardless, considering the patch is today.  <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Kizee]

<p>Thanks for testing this.</p><p>I just can't figure out why SoE came up with such a wacked out way to get thru the zone faster. All they needed to do was flag each zone as you complete it so you could do it on another day. /boggle</p>

[Groma]

Yeah i should have gone back to edit previous speculation. First floor is the same combo no matter who fights it, we tried it probably 30 different times last night since a dev was kind enough to keep resetting the zone for us, and 1shotted Tender so we could try out the second floor combo as well. First mob is literally a joke for a templar, and a brawler can use Devistation Fist on the weaker of the 2 for a quick 1shot. Correction on the mob level, they are level 71, not 72. Timers.  All tests appear to have a 2-3minute timer.  Our templar was slow for one of the fights and the mobs reset giving a challenge failure message.  Also, for those of you who are already thinking about it......  You have a very short timer from when you hail Askadian to when you have to bring forth the challenger before you get a failure message.  Trying to send an alt in for a good challenge wont work since the only way to get to this guy without killing at least 3 epic pulls would be to ghost(against ToS i imagine) and you just wouldnt have time to zone a raid in and get your challenger there in time.  Save yourself the headache and don't waste time trying. Sorry we couldn't get a fighter attempt on the second floor.  Our bruiser killed the challenge on the first floor and the dev was unable to reset it properly before we had to log so we never got an attempt.  And regardless of how lucky you are on a draw, from what i saw on the first floor this new setup is absolutely no help at all.  That might be different on the second floor but its a much harder challenge.  Our best run was with a warlock just straight burning with manashield and nullmail up and i got the second mob to orange.  On a side note, raid buffs DO work on whoever the challenger is, so be quick and buff accordingly for a slightly easier time.