Strategy UpdatesThis post is intended to replace our original strategy post. As such, it covers essentially everything (with the exception of some superfluous info such as spell details/links, which may be taken from the OP and merged later).
The main idea behind this post is to get everyone on the same page.
Trigger Update Notes:
Before getting into the weeds on the rest of this post, below are reference notes for the trigger package changes:
- The Death Strike emote trigger pattern was incorrect and fixed. Accidental comma present prevented it from firing properly (or maybe the pattern changed at some point).
- Running away correctly when targeted may not result in you actually being hit by Death Strike. With the trigger broken prior, I can't make a determination based on personal experience. Therefore I've included a "get curse cured before returning to raid" as part of the trigger. Just be aware, this may need some adjusting after we test this working version. I have a feeling though as long as the person targeted reacts properly by running away, they won't get the debuff (D.Strike). I can see it working both ways though which is why I went with the precautionary curing route.
- Included two helper triggers to show the last person targeted and when hit by D.Strike AE. This will help us determine who failed.
- Select triggers were separated from the main "Everyone" package, to reduce the noise:
- Separate Paladin addon trigger for Pulsing Fumes, early warning when to queue up splash and exactly when to cast splash.
- Separate Melee DPS Vortex of Tears trigger. This spell mainly only affects melee dps.
* With these changes we need everyones triggers up to speed. Delete your old set before importing new. Ensure the triggers are toggled on appropriately.
Brief Event OverviewWe begin by AE'ing trash to clear to the boss (Akkapan Adan).
After trash, we immediately engage Akkapan Adan.
Adds spawn at boss HP intervals: 88%, 76%, 64%, 52%, 40%, 28%, 16%, and 4%. The boss cannot be killed unless all adds are dead.
Throughout the event we must deal with various AEs and emote mechanics as detailed in the
Event Mechanics & Emotes section of this post.
Once all the adds and Akkapan Adan have been killed, the event is complete.
The remainder of this post focuses on strategy details and related areas of prep. Please take the time to familarize yourself with these strategy details and prepare in advance by downloading and importing the related audio triggers and ensuring they are toggled on. Further, please download the map file and test it in advance by going to Plane of Health (regular zone, non-instanced works) to ensure the positioning lines are correctly displayed.
If you have any questions, please reply to this thread and/or contact one of the FL Leads by PM via this forum or in-game /tell. Thank you.
Event Mechanics & EmotesThere are several mechanics we need to deal with:
Boss Aggro Emote:
You have been chosen for death by Akkapan Adan! <- RUN TO BOSS. This avoids boss running amok, running through raid and MT chasing it needlessly.
Death Strike:
- Targets a random player every 35 seconds.
- When targeted, you have 10 seconds to run away from the raid or you'll AE DD everyone near you for 92k damage.
- Run away, get curse cured by a Paladin to remove Death Strike (if present) before returning to the raid. Trigger reminds about getting cured after 12s.
- Setup a /tell hokey to your favourite Paladin for a cure. Healers can RC AA / PS AA self cure.
Totem - Embodiment of Decay:
- Spawns randomly at a player location at set intervals.
- When near a totem it AE DDs for 77k per tick (You skin burns and blisters).
- Adjust position accordingly; as detailed in the Strategy section of this post.
- Trigger will fire when you're too close to a totem.
Vortex of Tears:
Seperate Melee DPS trigger addon is included for this, because it really doesn't affect Casters/Healers, due to positioning.
- Vortex is a short range 78k AE DD around boss at 40s intervals (25' range).
- This trigger will warn you just before the AE fires.
- The trigger can be helpful depending on your HP. Because boss AE Rampage + Vortex AE can be lethal depending on your HP.
- Tanks shouldn't be using this trigger, it'll just add confusion and noise. This is why it's an addon for Melee DPS only.
Pulsing Fumes:
- Paladins are corruption curing this with timed Splashes.
- 69k DoT + AC debuff, lasts 48 seconds if not cured.
- This is an addon trigger for Paladins only. No one else should need the trigger; it would just add confusion and noise.
StrategyThis is a quick overview of the most critical aspects we need everyone to conform to. Commit this to memory, read it each day before you go to work, read it when you get home from work, and read it before turning in for the night. Log in to EQ, go to Plane of Health, practice/orient yourself with the map lines. Also ensure your triggers are setup and toggled on. Do this prep work so it's second nature when it comes time to hit this target.
Everyone- Never be in the path of the boss, because a totem can spawn on you ending up in boss/MT path and cause issues. Positioning diagram illustrates this.
- Aggro Emote: You have been chosen for death by Akkapan Adan! <- RUN TO BOSS. This avoids boss running amok; causing damage and chaos.
- React to the Death Strike Emote when targeted.
- Keep up with the main raid:
- If you fall too far behind you will not get cured, heals won't land, and you risk ping-ponging adds; slowing us down.
- If you fall too far behind the aggro emote puts too much distance between you and boss to react properly (by running to boss).
- If you fall too far behind and die, your corpse is out of range for drag/rezzing, causing delays/diversion for rezzers.
DPS- Never be on boss when adds are up.
- Incorporate AE spells into your line-ups for add killing en masse.
- Use short discs each time they are available. Save long-timer discs/AE discs for larger add sets.
- Pet Classes - Re-direct your pet on adds when they're up, we need all the dps we can muster on adds.
- Use your judgement if caught in totem AE during adds. If you see your HP dangerously low, adjust position.
- Killing adds as quickly as possible is priority #1.
- Melee DPS: The green line on map is a general guideline. Naturally, you will be arcing behind the boss when no adds are up and boss is being DPS'ed.
- Caster DPS: Follow the blue line on the map.
Enchanters & Bards- Do not mez anything.
- Use AE Stuns on adds.
Add Tanks- Each tank is assigned an add.
- Add pickups must be quick. Use hotkey /xtar x, where x is ETW slot (discuss this tanks, if there's a better approach).
- SKs co-ordinate your epic clicks when more than one in same group (some of you are doing this already, thanks).
- Plan your discs accordingly.
Boss Main TanksOpen your map, adjust it accordingly so you can glance at it to stay on course (
red line on map).
- Starting North, when a totem spawns, walk backwards and drag boss down the red line a short distance.
- When adds spawn, walk backwards and drag boss down the red line a short distance. This prevents boss AE rampage & vortex AE from hitting raid during adds.
- Only the active MT should be in the boss path.
- Do not kite the boss during adds.
Moving the boss is learned behavior. It takes good judgement. When a totem spawns for example, moving the boss widens the gap between the totem and you, which allows the raid to advance out of the totem AE. I can illustrate this with a diagram if anyone needs, but here's a simple textual representation of totem/add situations requiring boss moves:
Totem situation: | | You -> Boss -> Totem AE ( raid in AE ). |
After boss move: | | You -> Boss -> [ gap ] (raid not in AE, they advanced) -> Totem AE behind us. |
| | |
Adds spawn: | | You -> Boss -> Adds ( raid in Boss AE Rampage ). |
After boss move: | | You -> Boss -> [ gap ] (raid not in Boss AE Rampage during adds) |
Note: If judging the distance to move is a big issue, I may be able to work out the correct distances and add map markers to the red line, and the MT could then move to each marker.
MT Hotkey aid for Aggro Emote (Pure Fury): [ Todo, waiting on response from Zak with better details, as I don't want to provide inaccurate instructions for this. ]
Paladins- Pulsing Fumes: Terrible fumes engulf you. Run from it! <- SPLASH when your trigger goes off on this emote. You must do this to cure the raid.
- We have a trigger as part of our package. It will give you an early warning when to queue up your splash ring, and when to cast splash.
- When not splashing, you'll be healing add tanks when adds are up. When no adds up, you're healing MT.
- Populate your ETW with Add Tanks and MTO, except for those in your group. Patch heal them hard.
- Armor rotation on MT needs to be done as follows:
- Armor co-ordinated for during add stages, if we have four Paladins, do Armor at: 40%, 28%, 16%, 4%. If less than four, offset it accordingly.
- Maglor or Feroxide set this up, or if absent, another Paladin step up.
- Mem Ardent Purity, so that you can Curse cure players targeted by Death Strike emote.
- Players with Death Strike should be sending you a /tell for a cure. You can then /rt to target them and cure them.
HealersRemember the primal rule: A B C = Always be casting.
Follow the
blue line on the map. There are four main scenerios where you have to adjust position:
- To keep up with the raid.
- To move out of a Totem AE.
- Aggro Emoted, RUN TO BOSS immediately.
- Death Strike targets you and you have to run away from the raid.
Clerics:
- Do not load a cure. Paladins are curing. If Death Strike targeted, you can use PS/RC AA or Epic etc.
- MGB CR with Double IoS casts are co-ordinated and assigned during prep (for adds, based on boss HP%).
- When CR is not active, keep Elixir of the Seas (GHoT) running.
- If you're grouped with another Cleric, work out which one is covering GHoT for your group to avoid overlaps.
- Symbol is optional if you're grouped with another Cleric that is handling it. You have to work this out in advance. I'm not assigning it.
- Mix in splash each time it is available, as best able.
- Clerics in MTO Group: MT is priority #1, nothing else matters but to keep that MT alive at all costs.
- Clerics outside MTO Group: Make sure each Add Tank is slotted into your ETW except for those in your own group.
- My spell line-up is as follows:
- Spiritual Remedy
- Undying Life
- Graceful Remedy
- Mystical Intervention
- Issuance of Spirit (IoS)
- Syllable of Convalescence (GHeal)
- Elixir of the Seas (GHoT)
- Unity of Nonia (Symbol, single-target)
- Divine Intervention (DI)
- Fifteenth Emblem
- Shining Bulwark (SB)
- Convalescent Splash
Druids:
- Do not load a cure. Paladins are curing. If Death Strike targeted, you can use RC AA.
- MGB SoTW casts are co-ordinated and assigned during prep (for adds, based on boss HP%). Dimbly assigns it.
- Dimbly spell line-up is as follows:
- ... todo, waiting on Dimbly reply.
- ...
- Don't forget Boss Debuffs. Dimbly assigns these during prep, ask him to repeat the assigns if you missed them.
Shaman:
- Do not load a cure. Paladins are curing. If Death Strike targeted, you can use RC AA.
- When CR (Cleric MGB'd GHoT AA) is not active, keep your Shear of Renewal (GHoT) running.
- Mix in splash each time it is available, as best able.
- Keep your group members HP topped off.
- Make sure each Add Tank is slotted into your ETW.
- Raccoo spell line-up is as follows:
- Reckless Regeneration
- Reckless Restoration
- Krasir's Mending
- Krasir's Recourse
- Historian's Intervention
- Glacial Gift
- Spiritual Swell
- Unity of the Doomscale
- Ferocious Growth
- Shear of Renewal
- Roar of the Lion
- Sluggishness or Srasku' Drowse, or other.
Positioning Details & Map File with LinesWe start North (top of map), and work our way down.
MT moves boss each time the following occurs:
- Totem spawns. To allow the raid more room to advance out of the totem AE.
- Adds spawn. To avoid Boss AE Rampage + Vortex AE to hit raid while they deal with adds.
Map file:
pohealth_1.txtBlue Line | => | Casters/Healers |
Red Line | => | Boss Main Tank |
Green Line | => | Melee |
Reminder:
Everyone stay out of the yellow cone area marked "
Active MT Only" please unless you are the current MT on boss.
Add WavesEveryone with spell damage AEs, have them in your line-up. Any complimentary AE discs with long timers, save them for the bigger waves.
It's a 9-10 minute window from the start of our run engaging boss to end with adds at various stages. Use your discs efficiently. That means that short refresh discs should be used everytime they are available. Do not save up all your discs for the very end. It's more effective to always be using your abilities when they are up. The only exception to this are long-refresh discs/AE discs, which we would prefer you use for the bigger sets of adds.
Never be on boss when adds are up.
Killing adds as quickly as possible is DPS priority #1.
HP% | | Adds | | DPS |
88% | | 1 | | <- this should die before it even goes active. |
76% | | 3 | | All DPS, AE damage |
64% | | 5 | | All DPS, AE damage |
52% | | 5 | | All DPS, AE damage |
40% | | 7 | | All DPS, AE damage, Mag/Wiz any discs to augment AEs |
28% | | 7 | | All DPS, AE damage, Mag/Wiz any discs to augment AEs |
16% | | 11 | | All DPS, AE Dmg, Bers/Rogs AE discs (long timers) |
4~% | | 11 | | All DPS, AE Dmg, Bers/Rogs AE discs (long timers) |
Text & Audio Triggers - MandatoryDelete existing triggers for this event before importing new. Expand the set and toggle on any sub-folders as appropriate.
Everyone - GINA File:
tbm-plane-of-health-stem-the-tide-06-07-2016-1227pm.gtp (
updated 06-07-2016 (12:27pm))
Paladin Only - GINA File:
tbm-plane-of-health-stem-the-tide-paladin-only-pulsing-fumes-06-06-2016-810pm.gtp (
added 06-06-2016 (8:10pm))
Melee DPS Only - GINA File:
tbm-plane-of-health-stem-the-tide-melee-dps-only-vortex-ae-warning-06-06-2016-1131pm.gtp (
added 06-06-2016 (11:31pm))
Note: Paladin and Melee DPS trigger sets are addons only. Those respective players need to also import the "
Everyone" set as well.
Everyone set includes:
- Adds spawned
- Totem effect messages (1st person)
- Death Strike - Targets YOU - Run away from the raid - 10s warning. AE DDs everyone around you. Get curse cured before returning to the raid.
- Death Strike - Who was targeted. For identifying who was targeted in event of emote failure by x person (ties in with buckle pattern trig for failues)
- Death Strike - Last person targeted FAILED the emote. This is an aid trigger to help identify who is failing this emote resulting in extra AE damage taken.
- Pure Fury - Aggro emote - RUN TO BOSS.
Paladin set includes:
- Pulsing Fumes, early warning when to queue up splash and exactly when to cast splash.
Melee DPS set includes:
- Vortex cast overlay, 40s warns when down to 3s that it's about to cast. It's a very short range AE (25') from boss. As a melee, you can back away from boss a few steps, avoid it, then re-engage. This can be helpful if you can't take AE Rampage + Vortex combination of damage, which can be significant together.
GINA Issues? Help Below:
If you're new to GINA and/or having issues with importing/enabling our trigger files, please read
Ssark's GINA Manual. If you're still having issues after following Ssark's guide, reply to the
Audio and Text Triggers Alternative - GINA thread located in the
Raiders Essentials section of our forums, and we'll work to resolve the issue(s).
Map DownloadThis is the same map file as linked earlier in the post. It's helpful to have it here as well to ensure it stands out and allows for easier reference if we have to direct someone to download it.
Map file:
pohealth_1.txtRight click the file, and "Save As", or something similar depending on your browser. Save the file in your Everquest maps folder. Most commonly this is: C:\Program Files (x86)\Sony\EverQuest\maps
If prompted whether you want to overwrite the existing file (or something similar, depending on your operating system), click "Yes/OK".
You cannot update your map if you are in the zone that the map file is for. In other words, don't be in Plane of Health when you save the map file. Or you can do it while out of game.
If you have any questions/issues with the above map instructions, please re-read them and repeat the steps. If you still have issues, reply to this thread and we'll try and assist. Thanks.