Trophy Trios: the Three-Box Challenge

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Pithy, Nov 30, 2016.

  1. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    December 21, 2020 update: The trophy trio list was close to four years out of date -- last updated in April of 2017! It now includes some tougher mobs that became doable in Luclin.

    Attention three-box ninjas! I think it'd be fun to create a three-box challenge -- something along the lines of this cool P99 thread about hard solo and duo kills. I've got a starter list of targets, sorted loosely into difficulty tiers, and a sketch of what I think is a reasonable ruleset. Feel free to suggest new targets or tweaks to the rules or difficulty rankings. I'll update this post occasionally to incorporate your good ideas.

    -- rules --

    The point of this challenge is to push the limits of what's doable with 1 person playing at most 3 characters. The idea is to load up 1-3 toons (not necessarily your own), zone in, work your way to the target or pull it to you, and kill it with no outside help. More specifically:

    - follow all TAKP rules (no macroquest, exploiting bugs, abusing IP exemptions, etc.)
    - only one person playing at most three toons
    - the only forms of outside help permitted are
    1. lock picking
    2. ports
    3. long-duration buffs (it's okay to grab aego, C2, and haste from friends before the expedition, but it's not okay to have a shaman friend follow you around refreshing avatar or a bard friend prance around you singing songs)
    Successful kills are attributed to you, the person behind the forum account, but please report which classes you used.

    This challenge is meant to be hard, with the Disciple targets just barely within reach of today's mid-Velious trios, and the Master targets mostly out of reach but likely doable with late Velious gear. The difficulty tiers will need to be fleshed out a bit more, and we'll have to decide how many kills from each tier it takes to earn the title. Again, suggestions are welcome!

    -- trio warm-up --

    [ ] King Tranix in Nagafen's Lair
    [ ] Emperor Chottal in Sebilis
    [ ] Drusella Sathir in Howling Stones
    [ ] Phinigel Autropos in Kedge Keep
    [ ] Royal Scribe Kaavin in Icewell Keep
    [ ] Lodizal in the Iceclad Ocean
    [ ] Neh`Ashiir in City of Mist
    [ ] Tantor in Western Wastes
    [ ] Strong Horn in Western Wastes
    [ ] sebilite protector in Sebilis
    [ ] Tolapumj in Sebilis
    [ ] Priestess Sercema in Siren's Grotto
    [ ] Bledrek or Kerdelb in Velketor's Labyrinth

    -- trio initiate --

    [ ] Vilefang in Dragon Necropolis
    [ ] class minis in Plane of Hate (Magi P`tasa, High Priest M`kari, etc.)
    [ ] a Kromzek Captain in Western Wastes (part of Leuz's Task)
    [ ] Yetarr in Kael Drakkel
    [ ] the tangrin in Field of Bone
    [ ] Vessel Drozlin in Cabilis East
    [ ] Kyenka in Kael Drakkel
    [ ] Mistress Latazura in Siren's Grotto
    [ ] the full plate cycle, including Valorankt Zekkin, in Kael Drakkel
    [ ] Valdanov Zevfeer in Tenebrous Mountains
    [ ] Praetorian Myral in Grieg's End
    [ ] an enraged disciple in Cazic Thule
    [ ] Spirit of Radir / Tawro in Umbral Plains
    [ ] Netherbain Swarmlord in Umbral Plains

    -- trio disciple --

    [ ] any insignia named in Ssraeshza Temple
    [ ] a grimling high priest / High Priest Gakkernog in Acrylia Caverns
    [ ] Trondol Shir quest in Acrylia Caverns (repeated to cheese time limit)
    [ ] Kelorek`Dar in Cobalt Scar
    [ ] Keldor Dek`Torek in Kael Drakkel
    [ ] Prince Selrach Di`zok in Chardok
    [ ] Venril Sathir in Karnor's Castle
    [ ] Queen Raltaas in Dragon Necropolis
    [ ] Queen Velazul Di`zok in Chardok
    [ ] Zordakalicus Ragefire in Skyfire Mountains
    [ ] Maestro of Rancor in Plane of Hate
    [ ] Ixiblat Fer in Burning Wood
    [ ] a windrider drake in Plane of Sky
    [ ] Faydedar in Timorous Deep
    [ ] Talendor in Skyfire Mountains
    [ ] Lord Nagafen in Nagafen's Lair
    [ ] any named piranha in Cazic Thule (on the way to the Slime ring)
    [ ] any brown lizard from the NE corner at 4C in Cazic Thule

    -- trio master / group warm-up --

    [ ] Master Yael in the Hole
    [ ] Overking Bathezid in Chardok
    [ ] break-in and 1 wurm in Halls of Testing
    [ ] Terror in Plane of Fear
    [ ] the Va`Dyn in Akheva Ruins
    [ ] Vaniki in Dragon Necropolis
    [ ] Wuoshi in Wakening lands
    [ ] Gorenaire in Dreadlands
    [ ] Lady Vox in Permafrost Keep
    [ ] Severilous in Emerald Jungle
    [ ] Harla Dar in Western Wastes
    [ ] Master of the Guard in Sleeper's Tomb
    [ ] the Progenitor in Sleeper's Tomb
    [ ] 8th shawl crawl in Iceclad Ocean
    [ ] the Servitor of Luclin in Grieg's End
    [ ] Zelnithak in Umbral Plains
    [ ] Escort the Gnome event in Cazic Thule

    -- trio grandmaster / group initiate --

    [ ] break-in and 1 named (e.g. Treah Greenroot) in Plane of Growth
    [ ] a dracoliche in Plane of Fear
    [ ] Zlandicar in Dragon Necropolis
    [ ] Gozzrem in West Temple of Veeshan
    [ ] Telkorenar in West Temple of Veeshan
    [ ] Trakanon in Sebilis
    [ ] Innoruuk in Plane of Hate
    [ ] Rumblecrush in Umbral Plains

    -- trio god / group disciple --

    [ ] Klandicar in Western Wastes
    [ ] Lcea Katta in Katta Castellum
    [ ] Trondol Shir quest (a true success; no repeating to cheese time limit)
    [ ] 1 flurry drake (e.g. an Emerald Defender) in North Temple of Veeshan
    [ ] Derakor the Vindicator in Kael Drakkel
    [ ] Dain Frostreaver in Icewell Keep
    [ ] Velketor the Sorcerer in Velketor's Labyrinth
    [ ] Grieg Veneficus in Grieg's End
    [ ] Cazic Thule in Plane of Fear
    [ ] Lord Feshlak in North Temple of Veeshan
    [ ] Lord Koi`Doken in North Temple of Veeshan
    [ ] Lady Mirenilla in North Temple of Veeshan

    -- group master --

    [ ] 10th Coldain ring war in Great Divide
    [ ] 1 dragon (e.g. Silverwing) in Veeshan's Peak
    [ ] Thought Horror Overfiend in the Deep
    [ ] Sontalak in Western Wastes
    [ ] Aaryonar in North Temple of Veeshan
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2020
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  2. Lenas

    Lenas I Feel Loved

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    Sounds fun.

    Have done all the warm up tier multiple times for sure, outside of Lodizal whom I have only killed once out of necessity. Maybe I'll try one of the Kael mobs soon.
     
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  3. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    I always liked that thread on P99, the downside was it was basically a "what did you do on your enchanter or Torpor shaman" thread because all of the mobs were 51+ and summoned.

    Makes a lot more sense when people have a few boxes and various different class combinations can do most of the mobs!

    Vaniki might be worth listing in master tier?
    Kromzek captain from the Leuz Task quest probably in the disciple tier?
    Zordakalicus Ragefire maybe in the master tier?

    -----

    As for me:

    All kills done with 55-58 Druid/Ench/Cleric

    Warm-up:

    King Tranix - Was a stressful time. I hate how everything in that zone sees invis. I also didn't realize how Magic Resistant the FGs are on our server, on P99 you can charm they quite effectively.

    I ended up using some really makeshift tactics to pull an imp pet over to the fire giant area by Rez box pulling with ensnare on the Druid twice. Did the same for King Tranix split. Once he was pulled in, with imp pet on him and slowed it was an easy kill.

    Lodizal - I've done 3-4 times, pretty easy once slow sticks just a very long kill because the charmed pet is bad DPS.

    Haven't done any others in this tier. I don't think Phinigel is doable with my combo due to dispels. Never been past the locked door in sebilis on this server because no rogue. Haven't touched much in howling stones but I may change that soon!

    Initiate:

    I've only ever attempted Tantor on this list. I think because my enchanter was only 57 landing a slow wasn't going to happen and two pets just weren't outpacing my clerics mana bar unfortunately. I think I could do it if I could stick a slow or snare. If not I suppose I could probably just aggro kite and swarm him with charmed pets but it seemed like it was going to take so long I gave up.

    Disciple:

    The Tangrin - This one ate me probably 3 full wipes, ended up binding on the adjacent island to cut down recovery time.

    Basically because of the stun, the fight came down to damage being almost exclusively dealt from the enchanter pet's DS. Which meant he had to stay charmed a very long time.

    My strategy ended up being just put enough aggro in on the Druid and then autorun him into a tree away from the tangrin so that on a break I automatically have a rabbit distracting him until the Druid gets stunned allowing the chanter time to recharm and send the pet back on him. Eventually it worked out. I think on my one kill charm broke and Tangrin killed my Druid then fled.

    Vessel Drozlin - Took me a bit to find a worthy merchant to charm, apparently all the guards are magic immune here! After that happened figuring out how to pull vessel through that God awful maze was probably harder than the fight itself.

    Yetarr - Did this back when I was factioned in Kael. Just snare stick on him run away and repeat until he is single. Send charmed wolf(wolves) on him and slow.

    The rest I've yet to try.

    Master:

    Keldor Dek Torek - This one is all about getting him single. Once single a charmed wolf and cleric can take him down. Done this a few different ways, the easiest was when factioned snare parking Fjokar out of the room and then engaging Keldor on his spawn point with 1-2 wolves. SoS Nuking wizard really hurts though...

    Recently I've been doing this in 3-part pulls by training around picking him out and splitting afterwards to bring him down to WL zoneline. Still always a fight that comes down to a single charm break kills me or not.
     
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  4. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Nice suggestions, thanks Darch! I added Vaniki to Master and the Kromzek Captain to Disciple. Figured the cap'n is a straightforward tank'n'spank, complicated only by the pull (lull works) and the fact that he's not magic slowable.

    I'm on the fence about Ragefire -- and Ixiblat at the Disciple level, for that matter. They'd be great trophy trios, but as they're spawned epic mobs it's hard to get a crack at 'em. I'll put 'em in for now.
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2016
  5. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Here's what I've trio'd so far, btw:

    -- warm-up --

    [x] King Tranix in Nagafen's Lair
    [ ] Phinigel Autropos in Kedge Keep
    [x] Emperor Chottal in Sebilis
    [x] Drusella Sathir in the Howling Stones
    [x] Lodizal in the Iceclad Ocean

    -- initiate --

    [x] sebilite protector in Sebilis
    [x] Tolapumj in Sebilis
    [x] Tantor in the Western Wastes
    [x] Strong Horn in the Western Wastes
    [x] a Kromzek Captain in the Western Wastes (part of Leuz's Task)
    [x] class minis in the Plane of Hate (Magi P`tasa, High Priest M`kari, etc.)

    -- disciple --

    [x] the tangrin in the Field of Bone
    [x] Vessel Drozlin in Cabilis East
    [ ] Ixiblat Fer in the Burning Wood
    [x] Yetarr in Kael Drakkel
    [x] Mistress Latazura in Siren's Grotto
    [x] the full plate cycle, including Valorankt Zekkin, in Kael Drakkel
    [ ] Prince Selrach Di`zok in Chardok
    [x] Bledrek or Kerdelb in Velketor's Labyrinth
    [x] Dlammaz Stormslayer in Kael Drakkel

    -- master --

    [ ] Maestro of Rancor in the Plane of Hate
    [ ] Kyenka in Kael Drakkel
    [x] Keldor Dek`Torek in Kael Drakkel
    [ ] Queen Velazul Di`zok in Chardok
    [ ] Overking Bathezid in Chardok
    [ ] Vaniki in Dragon Necropolis
    [ ] Zordakalicus Ragefire in the Skyfire Mountains
    [ ] Faydedar in Timorous Deep
    [ ] Venril Sathir in Karnor's Castle

    ----

    I did almost all of them with 60 SK/cleric/chanter. Exceptions are the tangrin, Vessel Drozlin, Emperor Chottal and Drusella Sathir. I did those with mage/cleric/chanter.

    I haven't tried Phinny but I should.

    I've wiped to the Maestro at very low health a couple of times. He's definitely doable, just has a lot of hitpoints and MR and that AE lifetap...

    The plate cycle was super fun. Pro tip: offtank Kromzog Zekkin until all the mobs who spawn off of Grondon Zekkin are dead.

    I'm sure I could kill Kyenka if I could just get him single. He has two linked guards, Vindi/Tormax style. I'll probably end up doing some sort of train/peel pull.

    I crawled back to Keldor for my kill. Tormax was even up, scary! Tanking Keldor on my SK did not work, haha. He owns so hard.

    I haven't tried the Chardok royals yet. Should be fun. Not sure how rough the king will be with his flamesong AE...
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2016
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  6. surron

    surron People Like Me

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    nice job on KDT...

    I'd like to add Queen Raltaas to the list somewhere, that was by far the hardest thing I've ever trio'd... No slow on a lvl 66 flurrying mob that procs shadow step. I don't think any trio could do it unless you are ench/cleric/pet class.
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2016
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  7. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    Queen has the Flamesong AE!

    I'd also like to give the royals a go. Since I could use the prince head and a queen blade for my baby warrior.

    Pets should handle tanking royals just fine it's just breaks would be rough, though with an SK from range you should have no issues... my Druid doesn't hold up nearly as well though!
     
  8. Ravenwing

    Ravenwing I Feel Loved

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    The Prince should be pretty easy, and the Queen certainly seems doable, but trioing the Overking would be a pretty cool feat.

    I did a few runs through the plate cycle to kill time while I was camping my royal Kromriff blood, and root actually works surprisingly well on all but the final mobs.

    If anyone's broken into fear without help (I'd think a solo bard could do it, albeit very slowly! and I suppose any trio with rez might manage some kind of train/kite/camp routine at the north wall), Terror might make a nice addition to the list.
     
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  9. Ravenwing

    Ravenwing I Feel Loved

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    Master Yael would also be a pretty neat 3-box kill, considering the Death Touch.
     
  10. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Haha, yeah I wonder if Nukem could do Yael with wiz/wiz/wiz.
     
  11. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Good call on Queen Raltaas, Surron! I've been meaning to sniff her out and take a few potshots. I stuck her in the Disciplie tier.
     
  12. Lenas

    Lenas I Feel Loved

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    I've done Keldor as a single group with SK tank but yeah it wasn't exactly a walk in the park.
     
  13. Bum

    Bum I Feel Loved

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    Dear Darchon,

    If you would stop doing dumb stuff and dieing 24/7 you could be 60.

    Love,
    Bum
     
  14. sowislifesowislove

    sowislifesowislove People Like Me

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    This is good stuff man. Thanks for doing this.
     
  15. Elrontaur

    Elrontaur People Like Me

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    Once we get AAs I plan to kill most of this stuff 3 boxing with charm pet.
     
  16. Elrontaur

    Elrontaur People Like Me

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    I don't think he's possible with 3 boxes, but would love to be proved wrong. Charm pets and summoned pets maybe?
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2016
  17. Ravenwing

    Ravenwing I Feel Loved

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    The problem is that DT mobs seem to DT multiple times in a row if their current target is a pet or a charm pet when it goes off. (Which they shouldn't, incidentally - anyone know if this is a bug or something put in because of pre-Kunark drama over people killing Fear golems with magician pets?)

    Otherwise, I think it'd be possible to burn him down with a MAG/CLR/ENC trio as long as the ENC dies last. I think it could still be done, though. You'd just have to rez your first toon very fast a couple of times. Or maybe bind up top and jump back down ...
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2016
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  18. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Hm, yeah that "if pet is Top Hate, DT pet owner and instantly refresh DT" mechanic is nothing I ever saw on AK.

    Yael would probably be 3+1-killable today if toons on trader accounts could enter the Hole. Eat the first DT on a throw-away trader alt, burn hard for the next 90 seconds...
     
  19. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    Depending on how quickly you can zone, I think it's feasible to have a toon eat DT, send in chanter pet, Rez toon, get in on toon, get a heal, and get in melee range to eat next DT.

    Just a matter of whether you can zone quick enough and not have the chanter get summoned when the DT Taker gets back on the aggro list after each death.
     
  20. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Yeah, Delorne soloed the Fear break-in on AK by swarm kiting. I'm sure he had a big mana pool and lots of flowing thought, though. Not sure how long a Velious-era bard with little or no FT could sustain swarm kiting -- 2k mana is only 33 charms! Delorne also had Call of the Banshee, which caps at 57. Solon's Bewitching Bravura caps at 51, and TAKP allaclone says scarelings, shiverbacks, etc. can hit level 52.

    With Boltran's Agacerie capping at 53 and castable in 2.3 seconds with AH3 and cleric spell haste, I wonder if an enchanter with junk buffs, SoW, some MR gear and a big mana pool could break into Fear with bardly swarm tactics. It seems doable, though you might have to gtfo and med/heal a couple of times.

    Anyhoo, I added break+Terror to the Master tier.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2016
  21. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    Do trash in fear not summon?

    I forget if it's only Amygadalan or if AK had mobs in there summoning if over level 51.
     
  22. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Trash does summon. Del could tell us exactly how he did the break, but I'm guessing he rounded up a big enough train to kill whatever charmed pet he threw at it within a couple of ticks.
     
  23. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    I did that on my break with my bard but I seem to recall the Scarelings creating problems for me. Because when charmed they do bad things.

    I think I ended up just rooting lots and killing it after this failed on the bard?
     
  24. actualspaide

    actualspaide People Like Me

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    Can I request an exemption to use triumph in this?:)
     
  25. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    HmMm. I kinda like the idea of doing whatcha can with your own resources (including your own dudes), but if opening it up to other people's toons would be more fun for more people then I'm game! What do you guys think? I can think of some hilarious targets to try with enc/enc/enc, but hell if I wanna level more chanters...
     
  26. ingwit

    ingwit Member

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    Are puppet strings or soulfires considered outside help? I'd imagine those items trivialize a lot of these encounters.
     
  27. actualspaide

    actualspaide People Like Me

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    Pro tip you can split kromzog zekkin and not even deal with him until all of grondons are dead:)
     
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  28. Bum

    Bum I Feel Loved

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    Wts max geared any class toons info pst
     
  29. Haynar

    Haynar Administrator

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    You mean rent out?
     
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  30. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Bit of a slow reply, whoops! I think strings and soulfires are just fine. In a 'true solo' challenge they have a huge impact, making clerics and shamans superpowered, but in a trio challenge not so much. Also, if strings allow trios without enchanters in 'em to access more of these targets then I'm all for it. A lot of these mobs would be pretty tough without charm.