Cold as Ice

Overview
Summary
 * 1) Speak to Sif when you are ready to face the Glacial Griffon.
 * 2) Destroy the Glacial Griffon and prove your valor to Sif. Earn your song!
 * 3) See Sif Shadowhunter for your reward.

Obtained from
 * Sif Shadowhunter in Sifhalla

Requirements
 * Anything You Can Do

Reward
 * 500 Norn reputation points
 * Skills
 * "I Am Unstoppable!"
 * Perfect Salvage Kit

Dialogue
 * "[Difficulty: Master] [Solo Quest] Are you ready to tackle a worthy quest, ? In the highest icy reaches live the glacial griffons. They are deadly and prey mostly on wolves, bears, and other large game. I have spread wolf carcasses around the village to attract one of these beasts. Your task is simple: single-handedly slay a glacial griffon. Only then will your deeds be worthy of song; only then will your fame rise to the level of a true Norn."

Reward Dialogue
 * "What a welcome sight! I didn't expect you to return, . At least, not in one piece. Slaying the glacial griffon is a deed worthy of many songs, starting with this one.


 * Hail! Hail! Witness the skill!
 * Body parts strewn, flesh from the kill
 * , you are second to none
 * May your legend ring true from dusk 'til sun


 * Catchy, eh? Well... it's a work in progress."

Walkthrough
The Glacial Griffon brings a combination of spirits that can shut down a wide variety of builds. Shadowsong shuts down attack-based characters, Dissonance shuts down casters, and Bloodsong does steady damage through protection skills. He also utilizes Pain. Spirits also have long range, and the griffon will use terrain to its best advantage. On top of it all, the griffon does devastating melee damage.

Fortunately, the Glacial Griffon has no healing or energy management skills. Health degeneration (burning, poison, disease, Conjure Phantasm/Nightmare, etc.) can degen it to death. As a spellcasting profession, strong energy denial (Energy Burn/Surge, Malaise, Wither, Ether Lord, etc.) will keep him from renewing any of his spirits.

Bleeding, as of the update October 27, 2007, no longer does damage to the griffin, just stops his regen.

An easy way to beat him would be to bring a longbow and apply poison. Try to lure the griffon so that it goes into a corner and doesn't move. From there move to a high vantage point and degen him to death with the bow. Be wary when you start out, that he doesn't make his spirits and then hide behind them as you won't be able to hit him without taking massive damage.

Another easy way to defeat the griffon is to use a bison tournament build, so any/rit with Agony, Vampirism, Shadowsong, Bloodsong, Dissonance, and pull with Painful Bond.

Also, there are some exploitable corpses around the area. A perfect way to beat the griffin if you are a Necromancer is to go Ritualist as a secondary, and use Animate Bone Horror, Animate Bone Minions, Animate Shambling Horror, with the elite skill Order of Undeath. Order of Undeath will do the extra damage you need in order to overpower the griffin quickly. Equip Gaze of Fury to kill off his spirits, and use Necrosis for extra damage. He will be dead in a little over a minute.

One more way is to continuously interrupt him by using four interrupt skills with the Warrior elite Flourish.

Note: The Griffon starts out as an ally for the first few seconds. Consider using this time to cast Live Vicariously or Life Attunement on it.

Note: As of October 27, 2007 the Griffon has incredibly fast regeneration.

Trivia

 * The quest name is a reference to the song "Cold As Ice" by Foreigner, keeping with the musical theme of this quest chain.