Droknar's Forge run

The most well-known run in the game, the so-called Droks run is the only way to get to the Southern Shiverpeaks without first ascending. Traveling south from Beacon's Perch, passing through Lornar's Pass, Dreadnought's Drift, and Snake Dance, one will eventually reach Camp Rankor. From there, one must travel through Talus Chute to reach Droknar's Forge. The entire journey is rather long and perilous due to deadly combinations and high concentrations of foes along the way. Due to its popularity the Droks run is also a very popular target for scamming.

Pricing
Due to its popularity and difficulty most Droks runners charge a fee for the run. Usually experienced Droks runners will charge 3-4 platinum. However, prices vary depending on demand and the availability of runners. Usually demand peaks in the afternoons and evenings and during these times there is stiff competition among runners for business. The result is runners underpricing other runners driving down the price of the run by as much as 2 platinum.

It is also possible to find individuals running to Droks for tips. Runs for tips are essentially free runs where customers determine the payment for the run. It is common for customers to not tip anything for the run, and for this reason runs for tips are more commonly offered by inexperienced runners (or those runners feeling generous).

Payment
Terms of payment are usually stated in a Droks runner's advertisement, which might look something like this:

eg. Running to Droks 3k | 2k @ Snakes | 1k @ Rankor | show money | no afk

Payment is usually done twice during a Droks run, the 1st upon entering Snake Dance, and the 2nd at Rankor. Due to people leaving the group prematurely at Rankor to void paying, it is also common for Droks runners to request the 2nd payment at Grenth's Footprint, which although not part of the route, can easily be reached from the lower parts of Snake Dance.

Other Terms
Another frequent method scam runners is to AFK (away from keybord). When asked for payment these "AFKers" fake being away, unable to respond and make payment with the intention the runner will keep going instead of continually waiting or for another player to pay for them. For this reason many runners state no AFK in their advertisement. How runners ensure AFKing does not happen varies, some runners perform periodic checks, others simply refund and terminate the run.

Many runners will also ask customers to "show money" as proof that the customer can pay the fee during the run. This resulted from players who, unable to make payment during the run, would leave upon reaching the destination without paying.

Scamming
Due to the popularity of Droks runs and the gold involved Droks runs are popular targets for people looking to make quick gold by scamming you out of yours.

Common Scams
Common scams by runners include: 1. Asking for all or some of the total fee before starting the run 2. Collecting payment at the first payment point and then leaving 3. Demanding more for the run under threat of leaving

Common scams by customers include: 1. Not bringing their money to make payments and leaving at Rankor without paying 2. AFKing to avoid payments 3. Re-negotiating the terms of the payment during the run 4. Randomly leaving during the run

Avoiding Scams
Unfortunately most scamming happens on the run where it is very difficult to prevent it. Once a group leaves Beacons that group cannot separate until Rankor. The key to avoiding scams (for customers) is choosing a good runner. Chosing runners recommended by friends is always a good tactic. Also choose runners from reputable running guilds like A V A T A R [GODS]. Choose pro runners who are dressed in expensive armor that reflect their earnings from frequent running.

For more information on scamming please see potential scam.

Reasons for Getting a Droks Run
Some players want a shortcut to Droknar's Forge so that they can purchase the highest level armor in the game, as well as some skills that are not normally obtainable until reaching the Crystal Desert. The stronger armor makes playing the rest of the game easier, and also gives these players a distinct advantage in low level PvP arenas, such as those in Ascalon, Yak's Bend, and Kamadan. Other players do not care about the game's storyline (especially after multiple times through) and simply want to get to the high-level areas quickly.

Note

 * There are two other ways to get max armor rather early in the game. Both require you to get to Lion's Arch and travel to one of the other campaigns. Typically both of these ways are easier and cheaper than getting a Drok's Run. You need to own another campaign to be able to travel there, otherwise the quest needed to unlock travel to that campaign will not be available.
 * For the Factions Campaign: After you arrive in Cantha you will be on the docks outside of Kaineng Center. Inside Kaineng Center you get find an Armor Crafter that makes Max Armor. This is currently the easiest way to get Max Armor for characters from Tyria.
 * For the Nightfall Campaign: After you arrive in Elona you will be in Kamadan. You will probably find people offering ferry service to the Consulate Docks area, which has a max armor crafter and storage. This ferry service may either be free or involve a fee. Ferrying involves joining the character offering the service on the quest The Time is Nigh, which is very short and deposits the party at the Consulate Docks.