Droknar's Forge run

The most well-known run in the game, the so-called Droknar run is the only way to get to the Southern Shiverpeaks without ascending first.

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, designed for groups of six level 20 adventurers (the maximum party size from the Beacon's Perch starting point). The run takes about twenty to thirty minutes for an experienced runner.

Some players in Beacon's Perch offer to run others to Droknar's Forge for a fee, or sometimes for free. Be wary of anyone who asks for money up front, as it is more than likely a scam to just take your money. Most runners won't ask for actual payment until partway through the run (be wary of a potential scam). The price varies, and you may be asked for more if you join a group with two or more runners (sometimes called dual runners).

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.

This run was nerfed via changes to the monsters along the way, making it more difficult to run through. However, runners are adapting to the changes and continue to offer runs to other players.

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.