User:Gomavs/SoloBuilds/FoW

This article portraits a build designed to solo-farm the Fissure Shore and the Spider Cave areas in the Fissure of Woe as a primary Warrior. Note that there is not one single way to do it right, but multiple approaches, so this article will show different options, as well as one working example.

General
Many monsters in the area you will farm have very strong anti- spell caster skills. Do not bring any spells! (including hexes and enchantments)

Defense
The first thing to consider when setting up a build for such a dangerous area as the Fissure is obviously how to survive. Fortunately, the Warrior-class offers high armor, as well as skills to increase it even further. Possible options are "Watch Yourself!" and Dolyak Signet. With those two skills together, and high enough attributes in Tactics and Strength, you can constantly boost your armor level by 60 points. Adding the right equipment (see below) will render you nearly invulnerable to a large number of foes. Although this is no requirement for this build to function, it is beneficial to set your secondary profession to Mesmer, because with Physical Resistance you will have an even stronger defensive skill at your disposal.

Any combination of two of those skills will allow you to survive just fine. Although for starters you may want to bring all three.

Offense
Both swords and axes work, but better refrain from using a hammer, since the loss of a shield will really hurt. Skills that cause conditions, especially Deep Wounds, can be very effective, but also counterproductive (see enemy notes below), depending on usage. It is usually best just to bring some straight forward attack skills. Options that come into mind are:

Axe Skills
 * Cleave *Elite*
 * Cyclone Axe
 * Executioner's Strike
 * Penetrating Blow

Sword Skills Strength Skill
 * Hundred Blades *Elite*
 * Final Thrust
 * Galrath Slash
 * Power Attack

Tactics Skill
 * Thrill of Victory

Factions Only
 * Triple Chop *Elite*
 * Dragon Slash *Elite*
 * Standing Slash
 * Silverwing Slash
 * Quivering Blade *Elite*

Pick three or four skills of your liking, but consider adrenaline and energy costs (don't bring only skills that need adrenaline, since you will need it for "Watch Yourself!" also. Likewise, don't bring too many energy consuming skills when using Physical Resistance). Cyclone Axe and Hundred Blades are very useful to build up adrenaline. For the same reason, consider bringing Flurry, Flail or Auspicious Parry (but only if you don't use Physical Resistance, since you can only have one stance active).

Healing
Despite your high armor, you will still be taking damage from spells, conditions and the occasional lucky hit, so you need to be able to heal yourself. The only real option you have for this is the Healing Signet, unless you have access to Nightfall then Lion's Comfort is better.

Utility
The shore and the spider cave are quite close to the starting point, but unfortunately there are some very strong groups of Shadow Army creatures in between. You cannot kill those with this build. To get to the shore, you will need a skill that increases your movement speed. If you have Nightfall, Enraging Charge is the best option for this, as it can be used to give you an adrenaline head-start. Other than that, use Sprint.

Attributes
Your attributes depend, of course, on the skills you chose to bring. Normally you will want a very high Tactics, so Healing Signet and "Watch Yourself!" (if you decide to use it) are as effective as possible. Likewise, if using Dolyak Signet you should try to raise your Strength to 15. With that, the signet can be kept up constantly. Also, the armor penetration granted by Strength helps a lot. Of course, your weapon attribute should be at least 12.

Example
You may wish to start off with only minor runes until you get some experience, then build up to using 1, or more superior runes. Consider using minor runes for running then switch to superior (weapon) and tactics when fighting. This will allow you to use Healing Signet less and attack more. Because there is a steady flow of damage, high health is not required.

Armor
All sorts of armor work. Depending on your need for energy, Gladiator's Armor can be advantageous. Otherwise, Knight's Armor would be optimal, because of the additional damage reduction. Use a helmet that complements your choice of skills and attributes. Knight's Armor is advisable if you decide to go with only Physical Resistance and "Watch Yourself!" as armor skills

Runes
Depending on your need of attribute points, and if you're willing to take the risk, consider using superior runes for both Strength and Tactics. A minor rune for your weapon attribute should suffice. You should use at least major runes of Vigor and especially Absorption.

Weaponry
As mentioned above, both axes and swords are feasible. A weapon with a damage bonus while using a stance is best for this build, since you don't use enchantments and it is likely that your health will drop below 50% often. This is best, of course, if you use Physical Resistance. The weapon should have a suffix "of Defense" or better "of Shelter", with an as high armor bonus as you can get. As tempting as it may be, do not use an upgrade "of Fortitude". You will be taking huge numbers of hits, and as such every single point of damage you don't take due to higher armor will add up to impressive amounts of health you don't have to heal on the long term. If you feel like you are not taking too much damage, an upgrade with +1 Axe Mastery/Swordsmanship is advisable. For the prefix do not use an upgrade that converts your weapon damage to elemental damage (most monsters you encounter have increased armor vs. elemental damage). A Zealous upgrade can help with energy management. A Sundering is also advisable though you will need to be careful with energy

Likewise, your shield should offer a damage reduction of -2 while in a stance. Optimal would be an additional armor bonus vs. piercing damage, other than that, a health bonus (while in a stance) is always helpful.

Important: Do not forget to bring either a Longbow, Storm Bow or Flatbow for luring. The stats of this weapon don't matter at all, all you need is the long range.

Example

 * Gladiator's Helmet of Major Vigor
 * Gladiator's Hauberk of Superior Absorption
 * Gladiator's Gauntlets of Minor Axe Mastery
 * Gladiator's Leggings of Major Tactics
 * Gladiator's Boots of Minor Strength


 * Either Battle Axe from the collectors Nord Stonegrimm, Sir Pohl Sanbert, or Pietro, upgraded with a Zealous Axe Haft and an Axe Grip of Shelter +7.
 * The Crimson Carapace Shield from Lord Dorn Lendrigen.

Fighting
A typical encounter will start by you using either Physical Resistance or Dolyak Signet. Due to its slowdown effect you may want to wait to use the Signet until you are in melee range of your opponent. Physical Resistance can be used right away, so that it also covers ranged attacks while you are approaching. Once you have closed in on your enemy, use Flurry, Cyclone Axe, Triple Chop or Hundred Blades to build up adrenaline and activate "Watch Yourself!". Now just cycle through your attack skills, reapply the defense skills when they run out and heal whenever necessary. Only use Healing Signet if both your defensive skills are active!

Take heed of the enemy notes below.

Getting There
From the starting point in the Fissure head south, hugging the wall to your right. A group of several Shadow creatures will be in your way. With luck, you can slip past them without aggroing them. If not just keep running till you are right in the middle of them, then use Sprint. Continue up the ledge roughly to the southeast. A group of Shadow Warriors and Shadow Monks will approach from the front. If you didn't aggro the first group or have already broken aggro, you can wait in a small recess in the wall to the southwest until the second group has come to a halt on the ledge above the path. You can use this pause to heal, if necessary. If there is still something chasing you, just sprint on.

As you pass the second group, a hidden Shadow Beast will pop from the ground. This will also aggro the second group, even if you already cleared it. If you didn't take a break earlier, after clearing the first group, Sprint will run out about now and you will have several mobs following you. Do not panic, just keep running straight to the west until Sprint is recharged. Now you should be far enough so that just activating Sprint will instantly break aggro with anything that is still behind you and the mobs will return to their initial position.

You should be in a relatively wide, open area now, with a small mountain south of you. Further from the south, beyond this mountain, three groups of shadow creatures will approach from a pass in the mountainside. Wait behind the mountain for them to clear the pass, but do not wait too long, as one of those groups will circle around the mountain and come at you from the east. The other two groups should disappear roughly to the northwest.

As soon as the way is open, use Sprint to run down the passage in the mountainside, which will lead you to the shore.

First Contact
On the pass down to the beach, a group of three Snarling Driftwoods will approach from the front. Run towards them as quickly as possible, but beware of the Doubter's Dryder and even more so of the Ancient Skales behind them. You should dispatch the Driftwoods quickly and move on to the Dryder, because soon two of the Shadow patrols that you passed on your way here will come back. There is a safe spot between where the Shadows stop and the area where the Scales are. You should be about on it when you are fighting the Dryder, but watch your radar!

After clearing the pass, wait for another patrol of Driftwoods to approach from the beach. Unfortunately it will stop right in the middle of the Skale's area. This is why you brought a bow. Lure them up to your position and always be careful to stay well away from the Skales.

A Day at the Beach
Now you should take your time to take a look at the beach, as far as you can see it from there. You will see multiple groups of Skales, one more group of Driftwoods and a few lonely Dryders. You should plot your course across the beach so that you aggro as few Skales as possible and also, if possible, so that you fight the Dryders one by one. It is often not possible to get past the first group of Skales, without aggroing them, so use Sprint to get past them and break their aggro quickly. After that you have two options: Keep close to the cliff to the north or go straight south to the waterline. Consider which one to use depending on the locations of the Skales (usually it is better to keep north). Wait for the Driftwoods to come to you, or lure them and if you want, also take out the Dryders.

Continue to the east, again using sprint to get past the Skales, if necessary. You will find yourself in an relatively wide area (to the south you'll see Admiral Saidon the Eternal, usually surrounded by Skales). Kill any Dryders in this area, because you may need a little space to maneuver later. To the east, behind some rocks, is the entrance of the Spider Cave, behind a waterfall and guarded by more Dryders.

Itzy Bitzy Spiders
Lure the first two Dryders away from the cave entrance with your bow, and fight them so that your aggro bubble does not touch their initial position. After you have dispatched them, get a few steps closer to the third Dryder and watch your radar for red dots appearing. Immediately retreat to the wider area to the west (which you have cleared before). Now several groups of three Armored Cave Spiders each will come out of their hiding, one after another, and exit the cave. Wait for them to spread out a little, then engage. Due to the large number of opponents, this is going to be a quite long fight, but you can always break away to the west, using Sprint. During this fight take special care not to aggro any Skales, which may be nearby to the east.

Once this fight in done, the easy part starts. Just enter the cave and kill any Dryders and Spiders you will find. You will not encounter any other creatures in the cave, so you can advance relatively easily. But beware of Shadow Beasts, which may be hidden close to the other end of the cave. If you happen to aggro them when approaching the last Dryder, just sprint back into the cave and wait till the Spiders have taken care of the Shadows.

Now you should have killed 51 Armored Cave Spiders, 12 Snarling Driftwoods and up to 15 Doubter's Dryders, which is about all you can hope to achieve with this build. Of course, you can try to continue further to use any Obsidian Keys you may have found or brought. However, there usually is at least one chest in the area you cleared.

Shadow Creatures
As described above, there is a multitude of Shadow creatures, which you have to pass on your way to the beach. Most dangerous are the Shadow Elementals close to the starting point, as this build is not designed to withstand huge amounts of elemental damage. Also beware Empathy and Spiteful Spirit from Shadow Mesmers and Shadow Beasts. All types of shadow creatures are hostile to all other inhabitants of the Fissure and will engage them on sight. This may especially happen at the pass down towards the beach, where a Shadow patrol may steal your kills of some Snarling Driftwoods.

Note that you can use the Shadow beast popping up for your own good. Make it cast Spiteful Spirit and Mark of Pain on you, or just Mark of Pain, for that's what you are going to use. Immediately after it has cast Mark of Pain on you, use sprint and run into the Snarling Driftwoods, breaking its aggro. Now the only thing you need to do is to stand there and use your defensive skills, because they are enemies of the shadow army as well as yourself and will take huge amounts of damage due to beating on you. You will take no damage from it as it only damages adjacent allies of targeted foe.

Snarling Driftwood
These warriors are just pathetic. Once you have your defenses up, they will not be able to damage you at all. There is, however, one possible danger: If you are engaged in a fight with Driftwoods and want to break away, because you happened to aggro some Ancient Skales, for example, you will probably be crippled and you will find that Protector's Strike is very well capable of penetrating even your high armor level.

Note that you can use the Shadow beast popping up for your own good. Make it cast Spiteful Spirit and Mark of Pain on you, or just Mark of Pain, for that's what you are going to use. Immediately after it has cast Mark of Pain on you, use sprint and run into the snarling driftwoods, breaking its aggro. Now the only thing you need to do is to stand there and use your defensive skills, because they are enemies of the shadow army as well as yourself and will take huge amounts of damage due to beating on you. You will take no damage from it as it only damages adjacent allies of targeted foe.

Doubter's Dryder
As you are no spell caster, the only way for these Dryders to damage you is Wastrel's Worry. Which they will spam. Of course you can easily counter it by spamming skills yourself. Just do not use your attacks as soon as they are recharged, but wait for the Dryder to cast Wastrel's Worry. You will not need your defensive skills in a fight with a Doubter's Dryder, but they can of course be used to end Wastrel's, too. Keep in mind that every Dryder in the cave will spawn six Armored Cave Spiders.

Ancient Skale
Immediately after aggroing them, they will hit you with Life Transfer and Life Siphon for -10 health degeneraton. Once damaged, they will use Grenth's Balance. You will have a very hard time to outperform this with both healing and damage. This is why you should flee them. If you find it hard to get past them, consider boosting your health by swapping armor parts with major or superior runes for parts with minor runes only (don't forget to swap back after you clear the Skales) or using a shield with additional health while hexed. Also, skills like Endure Pain can be helpful.

Armored Cave Spider
They always come in groups of three, although at the cave entrance it will be next to impossible (but also irrelevant) to spot which ones belong together. Once you have your defenses up, their attacks should deal next to no damage. You will still be poisoned, though, and will have to heal yourself frequently. The spiders have the nasty habit of healing each other with Healing Springs. One possibility to overcome this is to wait outside the aggro radius for the spiders to spread out far enough so that they are out of each other's healing radius. However, this time consuming tactic often is unnecessary, as the spiders will stop using Healing Spring as soon you are stand immediately adjacent to them (Note: You know you are within range if your non-AoE melee attack can hit them. Being able to hit them with AoE weapon skills such as Cyclone Axe or Hundred Blades is not necessarily close enough). So when engaging a group of Spiders, position yourself so that you are standing right in the middle of them.

Note that if you use conditions on them, you grant them a relatively potent self-heal (Melandru's Resilience), and they will try to use Healing Spring even if you are in melee range.

Alternatives

 * A W/Rt can use Resilient Weapon for negating the poison and some extra armor.