Again with the spider killing?

[mobrien316]

Trying to PUG Sleeping Dust today, and the first group I joined was already inside. I hurried to catch up and saw that when I got in (maybe four or five minutes after the rest of the group entered) they were already down to one spider before failure. Somebody killed the last spider in the next few seconds (before I could even catch up with the party) and that was that.

We decided to try again. After we killed all the available spiders, I ran back and picked up the journal. When I did, I reminded everyone that we were no long able to kill spiders, so no area of effect spells except acid, no pets, no blade barriers, and no two-handed weapons.

We encounter the next group of spiders and immediately one dies. I see our warforged barbarian is whaling away with his greataxe (my dwarven cleric had exchanged his own excellent greataxe for a so-so mace and shield when I picked up the journal) and the glancing blows are killing the spiders. I point this out to him and his response is, "Oh, well. All I have is greataxes."

He continued to whale away with his greataxe until his glancing blows killed five spiders (which was only a minute or two later.) Another party member asked if we wanted to try it one more time. I said I would if we could all agree to stop doing anything that killed spiders. Mr. Uberaxe said if he didn't use his greataxe he wouldn't have anything to do.

Another party member said that Mr. Uberaxe would be more helpful if he just piked at the entrance, since at least than he would be causing everyone else to fail over and over. I had to agree.

Some people really don't get it...

[Gurei]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a wf barb benefit most from using a greatsword?
Anyways, as a wiz your best bet is starting the group and making sure that everyone knows acceptable courses of action, listed below for anyone that could use the pointers :D

Let Sleeping Dust Lie Strategy: arcanes and clerics in the party split up going down different tunnels using destruction/ finger of death. If they go down the same tunnel, theres a high chance that both casters going down the same tunnel will attempt to one-shot the same ogre, resulting in one of the two instakills being directed at a spider instead, losing out on an extra chest (or worse, 5 spider deaths after journal and game over). either make sure everyone else pikes it or intimi tank the spiders while instakiller kills the ogres. side not: intimi tanks best go down the same tunnels as the arcane, who could use someone else taking the hits :)

[Superspeed_Hi5]

Your first mistake was going back in with that barbarian. Anyone that when told to put away their two handers and doesnt isnt someone you can run a quest with failure results with.

Also you should have reminded everyone to put away vorpals as well.

Finally for the second poster the WF barbarian probably gets better results from the GA for the x3 Crit. After that the falchion is a better choice over a greatsword.

[Sarisa]

People need to remember to take off their silly Mabar cloaks in there too.

[Galeria]

Paralyzing weapons for the win!

[Battlehawke]

This is one quest where you have to be a jerk when forming the group. Everyone knows I'll let anyone in my pugs, but when it comes to this one......... As soon as I let someone in I type in part chat, "welcome, you know to NOT kill the spiders, and no AOE, THF, pets, or Death Aura, correct?" If they do not respond after that I add their name to it and repost, and after that a private tell. No response = The Boot. Then I send a private tell that says "let me know when you get back and can conmunicate, will try to save your spot".

Sometimes they are actually afk, & I respond with "sorry is a quest where you really need to communicate with us and if you can't answer, I can't risk it"

[dunklezhan]

The spiders in the Vale are totally immune to acid. Extrapolate, and take a wizard or Earth Savant and a ton of tower shields.

[Such755]

The best strategy for this quest (And well, any quest) is:
1) Don't be stupid.
2) No, really, don't be stupid.

There's no certain party lineup, everyone can do well in this quest, I found that arcne using dancing spheres are the best to help with the careful killings. Dance them all and pick your targets one by one.
Not to mantion that if you have the time and patience, sing target instakills are the best way (Finger of death, phantasmal, destruction...)
If you see an a**ho*e in your party who doesn't listen - Leave.
Sleeping dust in particular is one of the easiest vale quests, if not THE easiest, if no one is stupid in the party.

[stoerm]

What they said.

I enjoy this quest because it requires a kind of role reversal. It's a question of mentality, melees need to know when to just ride along. It's is also a good lesson for those divines who normally insist on being nannybots - lead for a change and put Destruction to good use.

[PNellesen]

People need to remember to take off their silly Mabar cloaks in there too.

Yup, I learned this the hard way right after the first Mabar event back in 2010. The level 12 and below cloaks are ok, but not the ones with the Nightmare Guard on them.

[balancetraveller]

Happened to me as well like 2 days ago. Too many fancy items and spiders were being mysteriously killed by proc effects... Then all melees were striped nake after 4 spiders were dead :D

[Postumus]

I see our warforged barbarian is whaling away with his greataxe (my dwarven cleric had exchanged his own excellent greataxe for a so-so mace and shield when I picked up the journal) and the glancing blows are killing the spiders. I point this out to him and his response is, "Oh, well. All I have is greataxes."



What, he can't punch stuff? Or just stand there and block?

[Superspeed_Hi5]

What, he can't punch stuff? Or just stand there and block?

Or sit there and calmly stick his thumb up his own ass in order to prevent any spider deaths.