VoA - Resplendent Temple - Two Sides of the Stone

[Drasp]

With maximum aa's the Lich Sting Recourse buff from the SK epic lasts about 1 minute, 42 seconds on me and refreshs in about 3 minutes and 20 seconds after it disappears.  Therefore, for nearly continuous converge of a tank, you would need 3 SK's with epics and maximum spell extending aa's in the group with a MT.  Therefore, you are likely to at best likely to only have on MT covered in this manner.  The cast time seems about 1 second so that a cast slowdown should not have too much of an effect. Not sure whether that would work given your other considerations in group formation.

[Nuttann]

Well, unfortunately Lumalleviation is the only real group heal druids have.  If multiple members take damage, either it is multiple heals or this.  Survival works when members are low enough, but the recast with all the AAs is 1 1/2 min.  If members aren't low enough, survival does nothing.  As long as there are big AEs that do most of a char's health, you can avoid group heals until they get low enough, but otherwise they may need some sort of heal so that the AE doesn't kill them.  I have used the Remote line due to the 1.0 sec time as a quick heal before, but that only helps the tank and not group members.

We only have two fast direct heals. The rejuvenation line and the adrenaline line.  Those also have timeouts of 12 and 18 seconds.

With RB, hopefully the group will be fine and the tanks can be concentrated on.

Nuttann

[Dimbly]

Would you mind terribly sharing your lineup for the Avatar room in RT?
I'd really like to learn something.  Sanavida is worthless, Lunallievation is worthless.  I'm thinking:
Twin + Invigoration + Remote, but then I'm waiting 9 seconds or so on refreshes.
Do you mix in Adrenaline line?  Do you maybe cast a Sanavida but only right after the Avatar does his Disruption thing?
60% spell haste is like doubling a spell cast, and the longer the cast is to begin with, the worst it gets.  Doubling 0.5 seconds is just another half second, but doubling 3.8 seconds is a lifetime.

Ss

Let me preface my comments with how (insert long string of expletives) frustrating this event can be for a druid.  I hope most of you know me for being the fun-loving silly person that I am, but this event has seen me as an absolutely apoplectic blathering bitch, tearing new ones for unresponsive (insert long string of expletives) morons that can't follow a few common sensical requests.

In the main Avatar room:

  To My Dearest Groupmates.

1) Stay close to your healer.

I am healing the MT.  Your only chance for a heal is RB (nuke lots!), Survival of the Prosperous (fast cast, long refresh rate - services an occassional emergency) or Lunalleviation (Group heal, long cast time - You damn well better be in range!) all require you to be relatively close proximity to the caster.  I tell my groups to stay on the south half of the room - the effective reach of my group heal.  There's nothing quite as infuriating as dodging Disruption, waiting for that heal to finally land, and then have it only heal 2 other people.  While the suggestion to spread out to avoid getting the affects from a blob that was randomly dropped upon someone else is very valid, spreading out so far that a group heal can't reach you only serves to hasten the time before you visit your bind, and PISSES off your healer.  I warn once if you are OOR, then I feel bad, and then I promptly forget about you as you obviously have no need of my assistance.  Open your map, stay in the same quadrant as the rest of the group - especially your healer.

2)  Make and RESPOND to your triggers.

Most of my experience in this event has been healing caster groups (which given the extreme druid hate this event has to offer is a REALLY stupid idea.  We, druids, don't have a large base of fast-casting spells from which to draw and pure casters don't have a large pool of hit points or AC upon which to rely in aid of their survival).  If a blob lands on you - MOVE!  Most folks can take one hit (and if it lands on you, you have no choice) but hardly anyone will survive the 2nd hit.  Noone survives the 3rd hit....  Play in 3rd-person or from above if it helps you see blobs and IDs better. 

3)  Be smart, Don't die

You need to realize that my heals now take twice as long to cast, are not as powerful, and my range is restricted.  I don't have time to offer you personalized healing because you forgot to MOVE or because you're too... lazy, individualist, or don't like the color of that part of the room from which I'm doing my healing to be in range.  In the main room I mostly don't have time to Call you.  Or if I do find a spare moment and Call you risking the MT's life, if you take it, you are now buffless and at a much greater risk of dying yet again.  I don't have time to buff you.  Skin now takes 6 seconds to cast.  You have little or no mana with which to protect yourself and you have ceased being an asset to the raid, but instead have become a liability.  Be smart, don't die.  You may even want to bring healing potions.

  To My Druid Colleagues:

Buffing
-In addition to Skin - Regeneration, FOE, Rescind Corruption
-Bind yourself outside of the instance at the raid-giver

Pre-fight (post buffing)
- Instruct your group in which quadrant you will be healing
- Cast Aura of Life (every little bit of healing helps)
- Cast Hide of the Reptile (on Warriors and yourself, not on knights)
- Cast Unfettered Growth (on MT or backup MT in the final countdown, but not on knights.  We have nothing to offer knights accept wolf form and only because it annoys them)
- Cast Spirit of the White Wolf (on yourself)

During Main Room Fight
- Debuff Avatar in that brief moment after the MT has stabilized and before his Discs go down, patching between debuffs if necessary
- Heal your ass off (focus on MT, rely on RB and Lunalleviation to care for the group)
      - Promised Revitalization
      - Surge of Spineburrs
      - Adrenaline Flood
      - Sunbreeze Blessing
      - (Dodge Disruption)
      - Sanavida or Lunalleviation  (yes, they suck, but not worthless - it's all we have)
      - Invigoration
      - (Rinse/Repeat - Saving that Wizard that just got blobbed with Survival of the Prosperous, reapply Growth, when the purple robe is up hit your Communion of Cheetah button every time it refreshes, especially if you don't have a bard in the group)

If at the end of this fight if sweat isn't beading on your forehead and running down into you eyes making it difficult to see, if your Protection of Direwood, Forceful Rejuvination, MGB, Sprit of The Wood, Convergence of Spirits, Spirit of the white wolf, Group Spirit of the White wolf,  Swarm of Fireflies, Wrath of the Wild, Spirit of the Bear, your 2nd and 3rd spire, Nature's Blessing, Armor of Experience, Silent Casting, and Nature's Boon buttons are not ALL greyed out and smoke isn't coming off of your Hotkeys, you're not working hard enough at this event.... (Bonus pts. for using Nature's Guardian, Spirits of Nature, Staunch Recovery and Forage buttons).

[Ssark]

The above post by Dimbly should become mandatory reading,  not just for druids, but for those who will be healed by them.  Given lately we've had 2-3 clerics, 4-5 druids and 2-3 shamans, your chances of being healed by a druid are pretty high (unless your name is Darkenvoid).

So it is possible to time a good Sana/Luna right after the disruption, and getting in a Twin right before should help.  I see my frustration is warranted.  Now I can't wait to get back in the ring and try some of this out.  It'll feel so good when we finally beat this event.  Sort of like how I felt after Creation I bet.

Ssark

[Furro]

Lucy finally updated the spdat from Wednesday patch. 

Basically, from the spell info here are the changes I notice:

Spell Slow for Green Robe Avatar was reduced from 60% to 40%.  Still significant, but will help a little.

It looks like Sludge was reduced by 10k, and the Interrupt % was changed from 75% to 40%.  Both still pose a significant threat.  However the interrupt % being lowered will definitely help reduce the spell gem lock occurances.

Inner Darkness Oozes will not AE the moment they spawn on players.  This should benefit anyone playing in 3rd person and/or overhead view.  If you're playing in 1st person, it's worth adjusting just to have extra warning for the oozes.

[Ssark]

Good progress this weekend everyone!  We made it to the book passing (third tower) stage, which means victory is just a matter of time and moreover, practice.

I wanted to post a couple of great suggestions I heard this weekend from Curmugly, Endotron, Buukala and others on book passing.  We will tweak these as we go.


[/size]PREP

[olist]

• I will have a hotkey (promise!) to assign 4-5 people book passing duty.  In addition, we'll try to have all of those people in the same group, and none of them will be healers.
• Like in other segments, this (book passing) is Job 1.  However, I suspect after the passers get used to it, they'll be able to do other things like do a quick spell cast once in a while, send a pet in, or melee a bit.  Just remember what is Job 1.
• Each book passer should have the next TWO in the chain in his Extended Target Window.  This is in case the next one dies.  I know, they're in same group, and I'll try to put them in group order, but if you have room in the ETW (and non-healers should), this is a great way to quickly REMIND you who they are.
• Each book passer should have a key that announces to splendor or decay channel, "Passing book to %T".
• Everyone in channel should know who the first person to pass the book to is.  If the book lands on one of the 4-5 people in duty, they simply start the chain from there.
• Know what happens when you get the book, and when you pass it.  When you receive it, you'll have a few seconds (2-3 tics) to pass it.  When you pass it, you'll be silenced for a while, which also means you can't pass the book again.
[/olist]

[/size]DURING EVENT
[olist]

• Get the book passed to the first person, or if lucky, it's in the chain of 4-5 people already and we can skip this step.  The loop:
• When you RECEIVE the book, put it in inventory, and count to 6.
  
  
• Now TARGET the first person in your ETW (if alive), or second person.
  
  
• Right-click the book.  This will silence you for 2-3 ticks.
  
  
• Click your hotbutton to tell the channel that you've passed the book, and to whom.
  
  
• Person mentioned in channel, start at Step 2.
  
  
• EVERYONE should be prepared for what to do, even if not in chain, in case you accidentally get the book.
• Healer in book passer group, your priority is to keep them alive, and rez the dead quickly.  Know where the book is going next, and make sure that person's alive.  Secondary: heal the MT, you should be able to sneak in some good MT patches nonetheless.
[/olist]

Changes?[/size]

[Furro]

 
Abbreviations:

T1 = Tower 1 Stage, etc.  Ex: Decay, T1 means Decay Tower 1 stage.
 
Note: A couple points have been mentioned before, but are reiterated here to stress their importance and/or areas we need to work on.

 
Strat adjusts and amendments

• Added Ssarks Book prep into related area of strat post.

 

• Do not box during this raid.  Play a single-character of your choice, or ask what would compliment our setup at the time.

 

• Trigger Removal: Your flesh rots. <- Remove this pattern from your GTT/Gina setup.

 

• Main Room Avatar
   
  
  • SPREAD OUT, but be near your healer EACH TIME we are ported back.  Avoid lingering at the drop point.
     
    
  • Do not position in a cubby!  This can block line-of-sight if an ID spawns on you.  In addition, when the stage ends, the portal totems appear and you could be standing in the portal cubby resulting in an early port to a Tower.
  
   
  
• ALL MELEE - Do not stand near MT.  IDs can spawn on you, explode; resulting in the MT taking the damage as well.  Additionally, the same applies if an Ooze spawns on you, near MT, the MT is chain DD'd shortly after.

 

• Watch /rs for MT on point each time we return from the Towers.  Strong heals are needed initially each time until we stabilize and reposition etc.

 

• Decay T1 - Zombie Illusion Stage
  
  
  • Use/Ask for Single-Target Corruption cure ONLY WHEN ZOMBIE ROT Buff begins to fade (flashes).
  
   
  
• Healers, maintain/discuss within your group setup, who is to maintain GROUP Heal-over-time spell.

   

• Healers, mem Single-Target Corruption cure.  Only cure others when they ask.

 

• Decay T2 - Jump/Window Stage:
   
  
  • Casters, dial back your DPS according to /rs calls.  It's easy to overshoot, as Splendor tower has a huge dps disadvantage with the melee slow/fizzle.
   
  
• Splendor T2 - Totem Hug Stage:
   
  
  • When emoted, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, and RUN TO THE TOTEM.  Even if you are in the middle of a spell cast, or burn, or whatever.  Your top priority is reaching the totem.  Nothing else matters when emoted.
  
    
  
• Consider using /shownames off, to avoid extra visual clutter.

 

• Range DPS, and position in a way that you have Line-of-Sight towards the windows to spot totem location.

 

• Decay & Splendor - T3 book stage:
   
  
  • Remember for Decay = Ooze pops on ya in Tower this stage.  You have to avoid it just like main room.
  
   
  
• Remember for Splendor = Inner Darkness (IDs) come into play, and must be killed within 10 seconds.

[/list]


I'll needle through the strat post later this week sometime and try to include the above bullets so it's up to date with our current methods.


Edit: Removed one of the bullets regarding lingering at windows.  I want to adjust it but need a couple tie-ins first.  I'll post later this week with them before our next run.  Stay posted.

Edit: A couple other adjusts I'll add in tomorrow, hour is late here atm.

[Furro]

 
Updates, Changes and Trigger Addons

Success & Fail Trigger Addons: For both TOTEM and JUMP OUT WINDOW Stages.  EVERYONE must import these.

Reason:  It's possible that you react, but the server doesn't register it properly and you need to QUICKLY REPEAT YOUR ACTION AGAIN before the fail timer.


* Replace YOURNAME with your character name where applicable.

Your Success & Fail emote Triggers for TOTEMS & JUMP OUT WINDOW:

voa_rt_raid_success_fail_action_emotes.gtt  (remember to EDIT YOURNAME!)

Audio Files:
 
* you_were_successful.wav

* you_have_failed.wav




Strategy Amendments

Details to follow are adjusts in this thread, and/or changes we've made so far.  Everyone read this over to ensure you're on the same page.  The strat post has been modified to reflect the adjusts outlined below.

Note: There are some minor changes we'll still float/test, but until we do, I'm not including them below.


PREP

[list bull-blackarrow]

• Do not box during this raid.  Play a single-character of your choice, or ask what would compliment our setup at the time.

 

• Non Rez/Call classes buy several: Token of Resurrection (from Loyalty Vendor in PoK).  Use during battle to rez the dead and reduce healer burden.
   
  
• Consider BINDING outside at the NPC for quicker recovery.

 

• Mana classes, make sure you use modrods consistently, it's a long fight.  Using a rod when you're almost oom is inefficient.

 

• Clerics, make good use of your Quiet Miracle line to recover mana.
   
  
• Druids, read Dimbly's Persepective post for healing setup/tips.
   
  
• Beastlords, co-ordinate TB/MGB Paragon.  Single Beast, do TB PoS at engage; then at Avatar 50%.  Multiple Beast in setup, same, but spread Para at each Main room stage.

 

• Magicians, ensure modrod requests are fulfilled.  If setup allows, co-ordinate MGB modrods each main room inactive stage.

 

• ALL Classes, makeup and SAVE spell sets that compliment Tower stage(s) and Main Room.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

For this event, we take Avatar down 25% at a time, in order to spawn tower mini-bosses. 

Each Tower Mini-boss MUST be balanced within 5% of each other AND each has a special mechanic.

Once the mini-bosses are dead, we are returned to Avatar and must take it down another 25% to spawn the next Tower set and so on.

Know your group number please.  You will be assigned to either WEST (Splendor) or EAST (Decay) towers; with an associated channel.

* Warning: Any single failure the miniboss heals 25%; resulting in imbalance.  Turn your TV off imo <shakes fists>!
 

MAIN ROOM - AVATAR

Be aware:

• Avatar shifts forms.  Distinguishable by robe color: Green Robe and Purple Robe

 

• Regardless of which form a DD + Spell Interruption AE fires every 2% of Avatars Health (it'll lock your gems for 10 sec also).

Required Actions:

• SPREAD OUT, but be near your healer EACH TIME we are ported back to this room.  Avoid lingering at the drop point.
   
  
• Do not position in a cubby!  This can block line-of-sight if an ID spawns on you.  In addition, when the stage ends, the portal totems appear and you could be standing in the portal cubby resulting in an early port to a Tower.

 

• ALL MELEE - Do not stand near MT.  IDs can spawn on you, explode; resulting in the MT taking the damage as well.  Additionally, the same applies if an Ooze spawns on you, near MT, the MT is chain DD'd shortly after.

 

• Watch /rs for MT on point each time we return from the Towers.  Strong heals are needed initially each time until we stabilize and reposition etc.

Green Robe form - Avatar of Ladrys:

• Inner Darkness (ID) adds: Explode after 10 seconds for 56k DD + Blind
  
  
• Kill to prevent them exploding.
• Everyone RANGE DPS these when they appear on ETW.  Do not wait for MA call.
• Use a hotkey: /target inner_darkness for quick targeting.
• Pet classes: turn /taunt on, sick pet on ID adds!

Purple Robe form - Avatar of Sholoth:

• Black ooze looking adds can spawn on you and chain cast: Sludge - 5k MANA DRAIN + 2k END + 53k DD + SNARE
  
• MOVE when an OOZE spawns ON YOU!

WEST TOWER - SPLENDOR (Green Robe)

SPLENDOR -> Tower 1^st Stage - Five players Buffless
 

• Assist MA when called on for add killing.

 

• Watch /rs calls for any balance adjustments.

SPLENDOR -> Tower 2^nd Stage -  Totem Hug Stage
 

• Players emoted are hit with a MASSIVE DoT.  You die after 12 seconds unless you move to a Purity Stone that spawns in one of the window inlets.  Fail to move, you die, and BOTH Avatars heal for 25%!

 

• When emoted, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, and RUN TO THE TOTEM.  Even if you are in the middle of a spell cast, or burn, or whatever.  Your top priority is reaching the totem.  Nothing else matters when emoted.

  

• Consider using /shownames off, to avoid extra visual clutter.

Purity Totems & Your Positioning:

• There are four green pads in the cubbies of the room.  It is on these green pads that the purity stones appear.
• Position yourself so you can see three of these pads.  The immediate left and right of port in work well.
• Make sure the large stone in the center of the room is not blocking your view of a green pad.
• When you can see three, and you get the emote trigger, quickly scan your field of view to see if the totem is in one of three spots.  You should not need to rotate your character.
• If it is in one of the three spots, run immediately to it.  If it's not in the three you can see, it must be in the one you can't.  Know where that is, and spin-run to it.
• Don't finish your spellcast.  Don't polish your nails.  Don't finish the pie.  Move it.  You have a serious DoT on you that could even kill you before you reach the pad.
• There is a fail emote.  This means when you fail, we all know you did.  Move it.

[/list]
SPLENDOR -> Tower 3^rd Stage - Books

• Assigned players will handle book passing.

 

• Book order is given during prep; repeated before T3 engage.
• Book works just like any clicky-item.  Drop it into an inventory slot, and right-click it.
• Everyone add the FIRST player in the order to your ETW.  On engage, a random player receives the book on their cursor.
• Anyone NOT in the Book order, that gets the book, is to PASS IT TO THE FIRST PERSON IN THE ORDER!

 

• Inner Darkness (IDs) adds in play just like main room.  Kill FAST before they explode.

EAST TOWER - DECAY (Purple Robe)[/size]

DECAY -> Tower 1^st Stage - Decaying Flesh & Zombie Illusion

• Use/Ask for Single-Target Corruption cure ONLY WHEN ZOMBIE ROT Buff begins to fade (flashes).

 

• Healers, maintain/discuss within your group setup, who is to maintain GROUP Heal-over-time spell.

   

• Healers, mem Single-Target Corruption cure.  Only cure others when they ask.
   
  
• Healers, DO NOT use RC AA, or Cleric epic click.
   
  
• Paladins, DO NOT use Splash during this stage.

 
DECAY -> Tower 2^nd Stage - Jump/Window Stage
 

• Random players emoted to JUMP OUT THE WINDOW!  IF you fail, you die, and Avatar heals 25%!

 

• When emoted, STOP WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING AND JUMP.  Even if you are in the middle of a spell cast, or burn, or whatever.  Your top priority is jumping out the window.  Nothing else matters when emoted.

DECAY -> Tower 3^rd Stage - Books

• Oozes spawn on you (just like main room).  MOVE when you see one spawn on you to avoid the chain DD + Blind!
• Book order is given during prep; repeated before T3 engage.
• Book works just like any clicky-item.  Drop it into an inventory slot, and right-click it.
• Everyone add the FIRST player in the order to your ETW.  On engage, a random player receives the book on their cursor.
• Anyone NOT in the Book order, that gets the book, is to PASS IT TO THE FIRST PERSON IN THE ORDER!
 

• Watch /rs calls for any balance adjustments.

[Jube]

Furro said - "Purity Totems & Your Positioning:

[ch9702] There are four green pads in the cubbies of the room.  It is on these green pads that the purity stones appear.
[ch9702]Position yourself so you can see three of these pads.  The immediate left and right of port in work well.
[ch9702]Make sure the large stone in the center of the room is not blocking your view of a green pad.
[ch9702]When you can see three, and you get the emote trigger, quickly scan your field of view to see if the totem is in one of three spots.  You should not need to rotate your character.
[ch9702]If it is in one of the three spots, run immediately to it.  If it's not in the three you can see, it must be in the one you can't.  Know where that is, and spin-run to it.
[ch9702]Don't finish your spellcast.  Don't polish your nails.  Don't finish the pie.  Move it.  You have a serious DoT on you that could even kill you before you reach the pad.
[ch9702]There is a fail emote.  This means when you fail, we all know you did.  Move it."

This is a solid tactic but IF you are like me and pretty much only ever play in first person, you can easily (maybe not as a tank) run around the room in 12 seconds to find the totem. Start at one spot and just go along the wall in a circle 'till you find it.

*edit ALSO: People missing Window emotes should practice at a local highrise.

[Furro]

 
Defeated Friday, July 13, 2012!  Outstanding work everyone!

For those wondering, yes we have to farm this event, just like Beast.  The reasons are simple:

• Book evolution (progression)
• Gear intake to strengthen us for the path ahead (and we're going to need it).

T3 Book Progression Note:

Just a friendly reminder, T3 takes 13 wins to advance.  Within this tier, segments of us are at various stages of book progression, ranging from 46% spread down to 0%.  Farming T3 will expedite this process considerably.

[Poddo]

Honestly this is not a hard event this is a  mechanic based event.   Follow emotes  and you win.  So do not be a "slacker clown"

[Furro]

Bump.

Our strength is logistically challenging events of this nature.  However we should never let our guard down on this event.  We suffer the most deaths when we get sloppy and slack thinking it's a cake walk.

This event continues to be a source of gear both via drops and vendor currency.  It will remain a priority in our cycle.