Got the blues after first Nek3 run... help!

[Turb]

Hi,Overall I'm enjoying life as a L70 pally. Working through the instances, though not done much raiding yet. Recently tanked HoF OK with two healers down to the last mob, and got some nice gear from it. Also took part in a Mark of Awakening raid last week successfully (2nd attempt!).Last night I was invited to Nek3 for the first time. This isn't meant to be a 'we suck' message. I'm just a bit down after ending the run at 10% armour with only putting down one named. It was late, and the group knew I was a Nek3 virgin, but it was a little depressing. I have all skills Ad3, and the key taunts and heals at Master level.The group was all 70: pally, bruiser, mystic, warden, conjuror, assassin.I guess some of it can be put down to first time learning experience of Nek3, but the group guiding me were good. The main problem seemed to be down to mitigation, or lack of it. On the plus side I was pretty happy with holding aggro. It bounced a bit between the assassin and the warden, in the end the warden got the amends. A couple of times the conjuror's pet got aggro, died and the conjuror soon after. The groups of heroic ^^^ mobs were simply hitting me faster than I could be healed by a mystic and warden. When I could use Divine Aura, that helped immensely with the initial pull, but on a 15 minute timer, you can't rely on it very often. Normally I would save it for nameds. In Nek3 it seemed to be needed regularly. The first big problem room was the doll room, where you have to kill dolls and put them on the bed. We couldn't kill the first group before the second pop, and then we wiped fast. The first named we did first time. I was spam healing myself and thus low on power (manastone and conjuror shards included). While the self-healing is good for aggro, I'd rather be focusing on taunts and possible adds/etc). The second big problem was the basement where there's three L72^^^ chest mobs, which wiped us fast, twice. With both the dolls and the chest there were bursts where the healing kept up, but an inevitable slide to 0 HP. I couldn't help but feel that 5% or more mit would really help. But no mit buffs for us pallys. As I guard or zerk, that extra mit *may* have made the difference. As a guard I'd also have skills to protect the conjuror should he aggro from a pet death.While I have a reasonable range of M1 skills, my armour is legendary only, no fable (except the MoA neck item). My equipment is:Hooluk helmetCuirass of protectionV'jaza't SpauldersWrist guards of Fist KingGauntkets of Glorious SpeedTough Fleshy cord (why are good waist items so rare?)Empowered Scaleguard GreavesDark Majestic SabatonsMark of Awakened InstinctPlanar Orb of the WarriorLight Chitin RingDark Chitin Ring (won two others, gave both to guild zerker!)Narr'Yora bracelet x 2 (like waist, hard to find good wrist items)Ruin imbued doll +14 STA (x2)Drakeborn bludgeoner (I'm STA line, so need a hammer/mace for the Hammer Ground)Grizzfazzle's ShieldTotem of the Droag WarriorIn defensive stance unbuffed that's 4018 mit (54%) and 44.9% avoidance, and 6819 HP. In the group, I was buffed up to around 68% mit and 55% avoidance.I'm STA/INT specced; I didn't go STR as I feel I'm fine holding aggro. WIS seemed a bit meh (only found 1 fearing mob so far in the pit before the Den). Our AA choices aren't really as desirable as a warrior's STA or WIS lines.Someone please cheer me up <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> The group were largely supportive and understanding, I was just kinda embarrased by it all.Pallys who have done Nek3 successfully - what gear did you have? What group members? I couldn't help but feel a chanter would be more useful than a bruiser; take out a couple of the mobs in a group and then mitigation isn't such an issue. But can't rely on a chanter all the time.Where should I be aiming to go to improve my gear? Is raiding the only option?Thanks!

[Plaidler]

Well, you did better then me by finding a named, i went in there for the first time last week and did'nt find any.We were in there for a couple of hours with me tanking and a fury for healing. The first mob just seemed to "appear" out of nowhere, so straight away i start self warding before moving to each new section. We had a bruiser with us which had my amends. My mit is around 4800, which is not awesome but does the job,  and i have pretty high resists as well. Keeping yourself warded will help  for those attacks that come out of nowhere. Also the healers that were with you do not have quick fast heals, a warden heals over time and a mystic wards over time whereas a templar can heal fast in a short time after initial hit. I have tanked hof with just one mystic and i find so long as i ward first we are ususally fine, although now that the zone is nerfed it doesn't really matter.Lastly, i only play with guildies and after a while the people you play with everyday, especially the healers, tend to know how you pull and what sort of dge you will tank. PLus due to familiarity they have no problem questioning if your mit is low or there is something your doing wrong.<div></div>

[Aamad]

<div></div><div></div>2 things that'd help you out. You don't have to kill any dolls.....you just have to move the dolls that aren't moving onto the bed. Second of all, you can invis past like 95% of everything in the zone lol. You CAN go thru and kill all the trash, but I prefer getting done in 20 mins. Bring totems if you have no group inviser <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. Every tank should work on claymore, if you haven't thats one reason your mit isnt higher. Between the dragonscale waist, earring and shoulders, you would get a boost of about 350ish mit. Only other item I could think of is the aviak feather collection that gives a wrist with 60 something mit vs c/p/s. Narryorra is crappy. Again Do Claymore it'll give you a wrist with 30 to all stats and 7 defense.<p>Message Edited by Aamadex on <span class=date_text>08-28-2006</span> <span class=time_text>07:15 AM</span>

[TheManInTheBox]

<div></div><font face="Comic Sans MS">Yeah, what the above poster said is right on target. You don't fight any of the dolls at all. Next time you start the timer, look for dolls that are not trying to stand up. (Their neck can move, but thats it) Those you can move onto the bed. I am also a woodworker which helps with this zone a lot seeing as I basically have unlimited amounts of invis to hand out. I pretty much clear everything in the zone besides the boxes. My advice is to avoid them with the method mentioned above. (Invis) I also managed to tank the named x2 golem with one healer. Mind you I had to use divine favor, celestial touch, reverent sacrament, and divine aura. Not in that order though. I suppose my mitigation is alright even though I am still working on the claymore quest "A Star to Unlock" I would definately recommend trying out a plate healer in the your group mix. My girlfriend plays a templar and she kept me up through the fight mostly. That and the necromancer throwing out his "necro" heals.If your curious about my gear, you can view my eq2players profile by clicking my signature.Edit - My group set up was as follows 1. Paladin 2. Templar 3. Necromancer 4. Assassin 5. Ranger 6. TroubadourMy preferred group set up follows as the same except replace the troubadour with another healer type, or dirge.</font><div></div><p>Message Edited by TheManInTheBox on <span class=date_text>08-28-2006</span> <span class=time_text>07:32 AM</span>

[MeridianR]

Nek 3 was pretty easy for me, but I do realize I am raid geared so it's not a valid comparison.....so what I can do, is tell you to start down the Claymore quest series.Personally I hate questing (I really do, and hence why I never finished the peacock series in DoF), but the rewards from this line were just too good to pass up.  If you don't have the ability to raid to finish it, that is ok, since the Palace of the Awakened rewards will be real nice upgrades for you.Getting the earring, belt, and shoulders will give you near 400 more mitigation <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> - and a bunch of Defense....Do the Grizzfazzle's quest for a nice shield if you haven't already, or you will get a couple decent shield along the Claymore way....Also with the group you had setup, Amends on the Conjuror and Murderous Design from the Assassin would have probably taken away all aggro concerns....<div></div>

[Anzak]

Yeah Nek3 is pretty easy.  I Think first time through we completely messed it up and spawned too many adds in the lib so that even try to walk by the room you had 20 mobs attacking you.  Though after that it was easy knowing not to keep triggering the trap in there.I will say that the rewards in there are a bit weak.  Considering how hard it is for non-raid geared people the rewards need to be slightly better.  Though the Stein even after the nerf is still a good item over all.  (ok it wasn't nerfed it was fixes since a complete heal and mana regen in combat once every 30 minutes is a bit over powered)  I think outside of the items you get from the Doll quest and stein the other loot is rather weak for the zone.<div></div>

[TheManInTheBox]

<font face="Comic Sans MS">Hey! I got my apron and I will be proud to sport it once I get 6 more levels in crafting! <span>:smileywink:</span></font><div></div>

[Crib92]

<DIV>This is a fun zone.  Not as intense as Nizara.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you are serious about completing it and not just going in for a fun romp and to get smooshed to 6" tall, I would suggest you limit the shiny collecting to just the MT.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My first time in we were a bit impaired and were just having a laugh, all hell was breaking loose as everyone and their mother were spawning mobs.  Even with the unnecessary deaths we still cleared the zone (except for the dolls).  That was one of the best times I ever had in a zone.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Watching 6 idiots getting smooshed in the stable was classic.  Try going in cutemode when you are small.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The jailor fight was pretty cool.</DIV>

[Aamad]

Another neat item is the enspelled vultak eye for ranged slot <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I used that before I got the misty protector from killing Tarinax. Procs off hostile spells and taunts and gives you a 400 ward. Nifty for when ya hit consectrate. Its a crafted item from the nest and pretty easy to get. I haven't seen a lot of crusaders use it but I like it. <div></div>

[OrcSlayer96]

<DIV>Last time i was in there I had about 400 less mit and 300 less health, was 70 pally(me), 70 monk, 70 mystic, 70 templer,70 coercer, 70 Conjoror.  Only places we had problem with was a room whre there was 6-7 multi mobs and social agro was a problem with lag.  We knew to avoid the never ending spawn of books and took our time on the doll room to get everybody credit.  Without a mezzer or enchanter, this zone would be much harder when dealing with hard hitting multiple mobs.  Some of those mobs are epicX2 in health and some hit like a brick wall in damage.  If i had my preference, i would go nowhere without a enchanter, shaman, and the other classes are useful, but can be substituted.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I love killing those half dozem yellow mobs at the end when i thought they evaced for good from me earlier in the zone.  I picked up a forearm piece that lasted me till my relic piece was won.  The place that truely humbles me is still nizara, especially when we get laggy healers(one hallways seems like LD city for many of our healers).  There was a symbol that was won from a templer guildee that looked good also.</DIV>

[Supernova17]

Cleared it with my 70 Pally alt on his first run a week or so ago. Had a Defiler from my raid guild, Warden, Warlock, Dirge who are former members that have gone casual and a Wizard alt from said guild. Some fights were pretty tricky placing Amends, most of the time I had it on the Warlock, but would toggle it to our Wizard when fighting single targets. Dirge hate gain, two strong healers and we did alright. This Paladin is a twinked alt, geared up mostly in Tier6 Fabled (alt / free time fun raids), T7 Legendary and Relic Guantlets. Has about 4500 mitigation in defensive stance and 7,600hp. Spec'd STA for HP % and Crits, working down STR for Haste and Hate Gain. This alt is almost the only tank / tank alt online late at night for farming instances, doing Courts / Gates etc so he's setup for tanking over anything else. <div></div>

[Aamad]

<div></div>With Nizara, it most likely isn't the healer's fault but the evil [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] buggy zone itself. I love Nizara, but its like the f'king mobs proc <i>Crash to Desktop. </i>There are certain places...usually those with big groups that when I pull them I occassionally crash. I don't think it has anything to do with lag or bandwidth or your computer. Tis a bug.<div></div><p>Message Edited by Aamadex on <span class=date_text>08-28-2006</span> <span class=time_text>02:38 PM</span>

[Turb]

Thanks guys, all these answers are helpful and encouraging <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />The specific invis tip for Nek3 is cool; another good reason to take a chanter.I'll push on with the Claymore line; we have some guildies working on it together, we're only at Trading Information (the camp for the Exarch) but will increase our efforts there. Hopefully the better rewards aren't too far away...We'll also look for a reactive healer if we take a guild run to Nek3, looks like a job for our Inquisitor once he hits 70.