Build:Team - Fast Faction Farming
Contents
1 Build Concept
2 Build Details
2.1 The Runners
2.2 The Door Man
3 Running Routes
3.1 The Bridge
3.2 The Shore
3.3 The Mushrooms
3.4 The Stairs
4 Notes
The FFF (Fast faction Farming) team is a build designed to perform the quest Securing Echovald Forest in Melandru's Hope as rapidly as possible for the purposes of faction farming. The quest offers 400 Kurzick Faction as a reward and with this build, the Lutgardis run can take 1-2 minutes. Which means that 10k Faction (25 runs) would take between 25-50 minutes depending on team skill. This is currently the fastest known way of amassing Kurzick Faction. Teams starting this run form in Lutgardis Conservatory.
Build Concept
The main concept of the build is to perform the quest before taking it from Scoutmaster Arne. The quest requires players to go near four way points in Melandru's Hope. However, taking it will cause Luxon raiding parties to spawn out of nowhere near those four way points. If players touch these way points then speak to Scoutmaster Arne, then the quest will be immediately updated as being done and they can get the reward.
Since all that is required is to get to those points, the build is based on four runners hitting those spots as quickly as possible then killing themselves (saccing) very fast. The group then resurrects at the door, where Arne is standing, they take the quest, the reward, and exit.
The core build requires 4 runners, however, points can be combined (when there is a shortage of runners) and there is an optional 5th role:
Bridge runner: Runs and dies in the middle of the bridge.
Mushrooms runner: Runs and dies at the giant mushrooms (or shrooms).
Stairs runner: Runs and dies at the base of the stairs to the Jade Flats (Kurzick).
Shore runner: Runs and dies at the northern shore of the lake.
Door man (optional): A player who speeds up re-entry into Lutgardis for maximum time efficiency.
This leaves room for three saccers who just run in and die then collect their reward with everyone else after resurrection.
The route to the bridge Easy route to shore Speedy route to shore The route to the mushrooms One route to the stairs Slightly different route to the stairs
Build Details
The Runners
The best combination for running is Assassin/Ranger. While any of the runs can be performed by virtually any profession combination in a variety of creative ways, the A/R combination provides the longest cover from enemy spells and attacks, constant stance running and the fastest deaths at the end of the run. R/A is nearly identical in doing this with the disadvantage of a shorter Shadow Form, and the advantage of longer stances that run at 33% faster movement speed as well as a great chance of evading attacks.
Assassin / Ranger Attribute Rank
Shadow Arts 12 + 3 + 1
Wilderness Survival 12
Dash
Dark Escape
Storm Chaser
Shadow Form
Dark Prison
Death's Charge
Optional
Optional
Ranger / Assassin Attribute Rank
Expertise 12 + 3 + 1
Shadow Arts 12
Wilderness Survival 3 + 3
Dash
Dodge
Zojun's Haste
Dark Escape
Shadow Form
Dark Prison
Death's Charge
Optional
Note: To use Factions-only skills, the ranger can go with 16 Wilderness Survival and Storm Chaser instead of Dodge and Zojun's Haste.
Equipment:
Weapon Set 1: A Vampiric Weapon of Enchanting. If the weapon is one-handed, the off-hand could be a Focus Item to provide a little extra energy or a Shield to provide extra armor from hits. The enchanting upgrade makes Shadow Form last 20% longer and the Vampiric upgrade is to prevent health from going back up after Shadow form runs out.
Weapon Set 2: A Vampiric One-handed Weapon of Enchanting and the -50 health Grim Cesta.
Weapon Set 3 (optional): For inexperienced runners, they may wish to have a set with no Vampiric upgrade to prevent themselves from dying before they want to.
Usage:
Invoke running stances one after the other.
Use Dash when available, but best to save it when you need to break aggro.
Use Shadow Form when approaching Mantis Dreamweavers.
Use the two shadow stepping skills (Death's Charge and Dark Prison) to zip faster through enemies while Shadow Form is on.
As players get to their spots, their Shadow Form will have worn off (so their health would be around 50), so they switch to the -50 health set to die on the spot.
Useful Skills:
Shadow Refuge for healing in case something goes wrong.
Heart of Shadow is used by more seasoned runners as a heal and a way to escape imminent death.
Shadow of Haste is also very useful in a few spots. It can allow the Stairs runner to combine it with Mushrooms. It can also allow any runner to return to foes after hitting their way point to die if he/she does not have the proper saccing equipment.
Run as One is an extra running skill available.
The Door Man
All this player has to do is wait by the entrance until the runners hit their spot. They will usually call out to signal completion with:
bd: Bridge done.
md: Mushrooms done.
sd or std: Stairs done.
shd: Shore done.
ad: All done.
More veteran groups will say nothing and either all hit their spots and die, or the stairs runner (the last to get to their spot if all runners start at the same time) will call their health or their equipment to signal that the stairs are done.
As soon as the door man sees that all points are called complete through one of the above means, he/she will take the quest from Arne, immediately take reward then use map travel to return back to Lutgardis Conservatory. Do not just walk through the portal or you will have a very angry team. Once there, the door man will go up right next to the entrance to Melandru's Hope. As soon as the party re-appears in Lutgardis, he/she will rejoin them then step back into Melandu's Hope. This saves about 10-15 seconds per run.
Running Routes
The four routes pass through few to several groups of Mantis, the Mantis present two dangers:
Mantis Dreamweavers will throw Crippling Anguish at a runner and that usually marks the end of the run. If that is not enough, they will quickly have two hexes on their target, then crush them with Accumulated Pain and Fragility.
Mantis Hunters start off their attack with Leaping Mantis Sting which will cripple a moving foe. If a Mantis Hunter is about to strike a runner, they should stand still and take the hit as the consquences are very dire if they succeed in crippling the runner. Whether the runner is slowed by crippling or Crippling Anguish, these hunters can very quickly finish them off with Twisting Fangs.
After the runners clear the Mantis, the only danger to look out for is the Dragon Moss. They have powerful elementalist spikes in the form of Arc Lightning and Shatterstone.
The Bridge
The shortest of the four runs, the bridge presents the runner with a short challenge of 3-4 Mantis groups. The runner should run straight up the hill until they are near foes, invoke Shadow Form and just run by them (see the bridge route map). There is little need to shadow step or even use an enchanting upgrade for this run.
The Shore
The easiest run of the four, the shore can be done by simply jogging (with no run skills) to the spot. If the player follows the easy route, they will come across a pair of Mantis just before their way point. If they wait for a few second, that patrol will move away clearing the way. Doing this with a run skill on will guarantee death before the last runner (stairs runner) as the player can use that same patrol to die quickly.
To perform the Shore really fast, the alternate route can be taken:
As players spawn into Melandru's Hope, they will see a patrol of 2 mantis heading left. Click on them to follow them.
As they move, a patrol will come from behind them towards the player.
As that patrol nears radar range, the player should invoke Shadow Form, then shadow step to the patrol he/she was following (which would now be behind the incoming patrol), then just run into the water and stay by the cliff until they get to the shore then sacc.
The Mushrooms
One of the harder runs because it requires good timing of skill usage along with enemy movement:
The player heads straight to the cliff ahead of him/her using Dark Escape (starting with Dark Escape instead of Storm Chaser is relevant in this run)... As their radar nears that of the two patrols below they invoke Shadow Form and then press C (closest target) and shadow step to that target.
They will then wiggle free of those two groups (if for some reason the runner is stuck, they should invoke the other shadow step skill).
Head down the slope past one then another group of Mantis.
There should be one more group on the slope going upwards. Target this group then invoke the second shadow step (if it was not already used). This group likes to move away from the runner, but they soon meet a group of Dragon Plants and stop.
By this time two things are happening:Shadow Form is flashing, and the player is amidst the fight between the Mantis and the Dragon Plants (either side will land a random hit on the player if Shadow form runs out). Hit Dash and follow it with Dark Escape (to half the damage from any attacks).
The Stairs
There are two routes to the stairs, the first is basically straight down the middle and the second is with a slight swerve to the right. The second path is less dangerous as there are fewer groups, the first route is slightly shorter.
Taking the first path down the middle:
Start out as the Shore fast run. Follow the same pair and Shadow form at the same time then shadow step past the second group.
Head down into the center of the lake, find a group that is in the center and use your second shadow step.
As you start clearing the clog of Mantis groups, Shadow Form should be flashing, so hit Dash to make sure you lose all enemies.
Continue to the base of the stairs and die there.
Taking the second path:
Start out as the mushrooms runner, and use the first shadow step the same way.
Head down the slope and head towards the stairs. there should be one or two groups coming towards you.
Use Tab till you find a good target and then use your other shadow step skill. Continue as in the first path.
Notes
If any player takes the quest too soon they can jeopardize the runs, mainly the bridge, the mushrooms and the stairs.
The bridge runner should be careful not to venture too far north in the Dredge infested areas past the bridge. This will trigger another Resurrection Shrine and may cause the party to spawn in that area after death and have to all run back to Arne... taking an F out of FFF (the first one)...
If the Luxons have taken over Lutgardis conservatory as a result of Alliance Battles, then the door man (or the shore runner, or one of the saccers) needs to speak to the Luxon Priest and bribe him so that the party can res by the door. Otherwise, the party will res in the middle of Melandru's Hope which will greatly slow down the run.
Yay
- or nay? 