Normal versus Hard ToD

[grodon9999]

My 'static' group has gotten normal down to a science and we want to move up to hard and then elite. None of us have done it on hard yet and need some information so we know what we're in for. The way we do it on normal require zero expendables has gone very smooth lately (first couple of runs were not so smooth . . .). it took a lot of trial and error for use n00bs to get there, but it was well worth the effort.

Part 1: The easiest way we've gotten part 1 to work is having my ranger hate-tank the judge while everyone else kills the Orthon and the trash. Caster handles the doggie, evasion guys kill the elementals. My healers prefer it this way because it's easier to not have to worry about curses until the end.

With the right raid buffs and yugo-steroids the ranger who tanks the Judge is pushing AC of 75-80 and HP should be over 600 if Double-Madstone procs. I usually stand in the bottom right corner in the traps so if I get wing-buffeted if doesn't throw me across the room. One of the healers stays on the ranger and toss a heal once in a while, the party comes over and dispatches the Judge after the orthon is dead.

Will this still work on hard? Does the judge have a significantly higher hit-bonus that 75 AC will go from a "scroll heal once in a while" to "spammed heals?" Is the reflex save on the traps noticeably higher that standing in them on a 30 DEX ranger is no longer viable?

Part 2: I'm sure everyone does this the same. We have a few excellent kiters who rotate in and out. They drop firewalls and everyone else just beats the heck out of the big farking devil. We take two DPS pauses to prevent the summoning of the lag-monster.

Does this still work? are the wraiths faster/smarter? I'm assuming the Devil is just tougher with more HP, are there any other variables that need to be accounted for?

Part 3: We've done this with both hate and intim, but my healers prefer intim as it requires less healing. I also have a guildie with a 700+ HP Stalwart Defender who can survive a "1" on a disintegrate save. When we have the two intims we have whomever has the most HP tank Horoth, everyone else beats on him. When sulu drops tank #2 gets his aggro and all but one DPS pulls off of horoth. We leave one DPS on Horoth in case tank #1 gets stunned, he'll only turn around and hit that one guy instead of running across the room causing a Chines fire-drill. Light monk puts grasp of Earth on everyone, caster handles the Orthons.

It is my understanding that killing Sulu on hard/elite is pointless other than for bragging rights because the chest is bugged.

Will a 700 HP Stalwart still be able to tank Horoth on hard? Are there any other surprises? My initial thoughts are have a barb hate-tank Horoth and have the SD just intim Sulu and stall him.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[moops]

Everything is the same, hard does not seem that much harder--elite is a pretty big step up tho--FFor hard for part 1 the trap things might take out a couple of your lower HP non evasion types if they have some bad luck. On hard, I usually make sure that people can remove their own curses just in case they have been flung across the room into Lava and spikes.

A 700 AC tank is fine on hard, and on Elite.

Should you choose to go a WF BArb route, just remember that the fight is a bit longer--thus more resources--even on normal for some WF Barbs it takes 2 casters and 1cleric and 1 Bard to keep them up--so bring enough healers for the WF.

But honestly since the sulu chest is bugged I haven't done it on hard in 2 months or so.

There are many different stratigies for part 1, Im sure people will post theirs:) But I kill the judge first and put a couple high DPS/AC people +Bard on the Orthon and they come down at about the same time or close to it.

[gwlech]

A 700 AC tank is fine on hard, and on Elite.

I would say so!

[grodon9999]

There are many different stratigies for part 1, Im sure people will post theirs:) But I kill the judge first and put a couple high DPS/AC people +Bard on the Orthon and they come down at about the same time or close to it.

yeah - we've done it both ways but I generally tend to listen to my healers and do whatever is easier for them. most of the people watch their own curse but when you have raged barbs you need a little more TLC from the healers.

[grodon9999]

So we just did it on hard. part one was rough because of the traps, my normal strategy don't work as you can't stand in them while tanking. Part 2 and 3 went smooth.

And an Encrusted Ring dropped!