Partycrashers?!

[vVAnjilaVv]

Did I completely miss something or is the end fight of this quest extremely difficult. I was solo'ing it with a level 5 WIZ on normal and the whole quest was going fine, then I got to the end fight and it was utter chaos.

There were so many mobs in the room it went yellow alert instantly and I kept getting tripped, sound blasted, and fascinated so I really had no chance.

Was wondering if I skipped over something or if this end fight is really that hard.

[MateCarefor]

You skipped something.
Possibly more than four things.

(poster note: Really love this adventure and the alternate ending mechanics - kudos, Turbine!)

[FuzzyDuck81]

look around the party, see what you can find before going on to the last fight

without spoiling too much... trueseeing & some decent charisma-based skills can help

[bobbryan2]

This is the one thing I dislike about partycrashers. The skill checks definitely don't take the quest level into consideration.

I love how you told a level 5, solo wizard to have true seeing. How are they supposed to get it again? It's a level 5 spell for pete's sake.

You can uncover one of the tieflings with a spot check of around 8 on hard. But it has to be at a specific time in her patrols.

You can see the other tiefling with a wisdom check... a hireling cleric will usually do that for ya.

But yeah.. I wish there were ways to uncover the tieflings that didn't involve specific skills and stats that a character may or may not have.

[vVAnjilaVv]

Hmmm...tyvm for the tips....it seems this quest is a bit more involving than it already seemed to me.

On a plus not I did put ranks into spot and with Heroism, Owl's and some good Spot goggoles I should be able to spot this stuff I hope. Also would carrying a DTS wand around with me be a good idea, so I can activate hidden doors?

I was liking this quest somewhat, then I just got floored in the end fight and about wanted to quit the game LOL.

Think I am gonna do a little "cheating" and go in with my 20 ranger......I know my spot has to be good enough for normal on that toon and I have the VoM/Mantle set for the TS stuff.

Anyways...thanks again for the replies...very much appreciated

[JollySwagMan]

A note here - if you accidentally talk to Cyan again before uncovering any plots, you don't have to follow her into that room yet. That end fight has claimed too many permadeath characters already. Had a smooth run last night after completing almost all of the optionals.

[vVAnjilaVv]

Yes, I would have to say the most important optionals are the band of tieflings behind the locked door and the casters that charm the elves.

I managed to get these two optionals done while scouting with my level 20 and found the end fight was basically non-existent.

This is a pretty tough quest tho for level appropriate and being only level 5, good challenge. Makes stuff like 3BC and other things around this level seem like a joke.

[Aashrym]

There's a nice chest on one of the optionals in the room where the urn is behind that locked door. I found bluff useful in this quest.

First time I did the hard fight scene at the end until after talking to the guests.

[bobbryan2]

Yes, I would have to say the most important optionals are the band of tieflings behind the locked door and the casters that charm the elves.

I managed to get these two optionals done while scouting with my level 20 and found the end fight was basically non-existent.

This is a pretty tough quest tho for level appropriate and being only level 5, good challenge. Makes stuff like 3BC and other things around this level seem like a joke.

Yeah, first time I tried to solo it with my level 5 fighter... I got the first tiefling with a hireling cleric. Then I took out the side rooms. And finally, I tried everything to get the waitress... to no avail.

I had finally given up, and just going to finish it... and lo and behold... I hit a spot check, because she was pouring a drink right by Cyan.

So... I think it's a spot check at a certain time when she stops by certain guests. I had an 8 spot at the time and noticed it on hard.

[samthedagger]

This is the one thing I dislike about partycrashers. The skill checks definitely don't take the quest level into consideration.

I love how you told a level 5, solo wizard to have true seeing. How are they supposed to get it again? It's a level 5 spell for pete's sake.

You can uncover one of the tieflings with a spot check of around 8 on hard. But it has to be at a specific time in her patrols.

You can see the other tiefling with a wisdom check... a hireling cleric will usually do that for ya.

But yeah.. I wish there were ways to uncover the tieflings that didn't involve specific skills and stats that a character may or may not have.

I, on the other hand, love it. There need to be MORE things like this in the game so having different skills gives you more options. Give some more value to those rogue and bard skills. I mean, I love rogues and bards, but one of their key class features (skills) is really reduced in value because of the fact that there just aren't that many useful skills in the game.

And no, the skill checks are not that hard to meet. If you play on Normal, anyone with max ranks alone is probably enough. If you play on hard, you might need a decent related stat or a good item. If you play on elite, you need max ranks, a good related stat and a good item, but it is still manageable. Elite is for the best of the best. If you ain't the best of the best, you ain't elite.

[bobbryan2]

I, on the other hand, love it. There need to be MORE things like this in the game so having different skills gives you more options. Give some more value to those rogue and bard skills. I mean, I love rogues and bards, but one of their key class features (skills) is really reduced in value because of the fact that there just aren't that many useful skills in the game.

And no, the skill checks are not that hard to meet. If you play on Normal, anyone with max ranks alone is probably enough. If you play on hard, you might need a decent related stat or a good item. If you play on elite, you need max ranks, a good related stat and a good item, but it is still manageable. Elite is for the best of the best. If you ain't the best of the best, you ain't elite.

A few points:

1) Elite is not for the best of the best. Best of the best is a meaningless phrase anyway. And good luck completing a TR1 or 2 without running quests on elite.

I wouldn't even say epic is for the best of the best. But at least that would be a little closer.

2) Secondly, my dislike was not for the wide variety of skill checks used.. my dislike was for requiring a level 5 spell for a level 5 quest. It's bad design to need a spell 4 levels higher than the quest.

3) Alternatively, I loved Crucible. The variety of skill checks were wonderful for mitigating various damage.

[samthedagger]

A few points:

1) Elite is not for the best of the best. Best of the best is a meaningless phrase anyway. And good luck completing a TR1 or 2 without running quests on elite.

Okay so maybe you don't have to be the best of the best. But you have to be very well equipped and well-thought out for most elites past the Harbor. And bringing TR into it is a pointless argument. There's no excuse for a TR NOT to have the best at-level equipment.

2) Secondly, my dislike was not for the wide variety of skill checks used.. my dislike was for requiring a level 5 spell for a level 5 quest. It's bad design to need a spell 4 levels higher than the quest.

I don't think anyone said you needed it. It was offered as an easy way to figure stuff out. But that's what higher level characters do. "They have a spell for that." I ran this without TS and still managed to avoid the end fight completely by using skills. TS just makes it easier. Are you complaining that the quest isn't easy enough? I really don't think I understand your point of view.

Anyway, I liked it.

[Rodrak]

2) Secondly, my dislike was not for the wide variety of skill checks used.. my dislike was for requiring a level 5 spell for a level 5 quest. It's bad design to need a spell 4 levels higher than the quest.

You don't need true seeing at all in partycrashers even on elite (maybe on epic). Granted, the fake marks area is a lot longer without TS but for the optionals you can use spot or (I think, not tried) high wisdom to find tieflings and then high bluff or intimidate to force the fights. And most likely every TR character have TS at level 5 from voice+mantle combo so it's a shortcut for them. Clerics can probably use TS scrolls at level 7 too (for elite).
BTW: doing all end fight optionals on hard/elite is worth the effort as you can get 2 end chests on hard and 3 on elite (most likely only if all 3 optionals are done, as I remember doing 2 of 3 once and I had only 1 chest after finish), plus the extra chest in private rooms on hard and elite. All extra chests can drop random named items from that quest.

[bobbryan2]

I don't think anyone said you needed it. It was offered as an easy way to figure stuff out. But that's what higher level characters do. "They have a spell for that." I ran this without TS and still managed to avoid the end fight completely by using skills. TS just makes it easier. Are you complaining that the quest isn't easy enough? I really don't think I understand your point of view.

Anyway, I liked it.

My viewpoint is simple.

I would have liked a few more methods of discovering the tieflings. The spot, wisdom, detect evil and true seeing is great. I would have liked a method of uncovering them that didn't depend on skill checks. Perhaps another mission you could have done for someone else that would have pointed them out to you.

Secondly... destroying the fake marks is ridiculous at level. There needs to be a better way to do that one.

[EatSmart]

This is my favourite quest in the game right now, especially epic.

Partycrashers rewards you for playing like a house P secret agent, and punishes you hard for brute forcing.

SPOILERS:

Detection:
There are multiple ways to detect the infiltrators. High spot/wis work for some, having levels of paladin work for all 3 i believe, true seeing works for all. There are probably others. I'll come back and edit this if i can find a more level appropriate wizzy spell for norm/hard/elite.

Dialogues:
High bluff will unlock all the main-hall optionals. High intimidate will unlock 2 of the three, and the one that you cant trigger like that you can brute force with careful body pulling. (Run away first so that most of them reset to where they came from) Heroism, a +5 item and eagles splendor might be enough if your charisma isnt negative. Epic DC for the hardest intimidate is somewhere in the 36-39 range ie "I bothered with this skill for trash control, but I'm not a dedicated intimitank". I dont know what the DCs are for bluff.

Avoiding unnecessary fights:
Getting to the gala after you get through the illusionarium is easier if you dont take the obvious route. You need a total jump of 10, higher makes it easier. There's an extra shrine that way too.
Two optional fights take place in the same room. Do them one encounter at a time and do Malior first. Focus on malior. If you leave enough of the charmed guards alive after fighting Malior you can do the next fight by casting haste and eating popcorn. Same for Epic, but use more buffs and throw some heals.

Locks:
Locked doors have keys, but require legwork. Knock works on the one you need to do for one of the semi-compulsory optionals.

The End:
The more you do in advance the easier this fight is and the stronger your allies. Doing everything you can in advance lets you watch the most awesome NPC bluff check ever.

[Crazyfruit]

Hi EatSmart, Kwiz here. Was a lot of fun running this quest with ya

I'd guess the epic bluff check is somewhere between 35 to 45 as well. Shendo definitely had less than 50 and was able to do them all.

You don't need true seeing at all in partycrashers even on elite (maybe on epic)

Not on epic either. It's much easier to simply kill all the fake marks now unless you spot the right one fast. Especially if you don't turn off the air jets

[cougon42]

After having found the optionals, I don't really consider the boss fight to be the boss fight. I find myself seeing the optional boss after that as the actual boss fight of the quest. Those who have run it know what I'm talking about. I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone else.

[Ralmeth]

Hey everyone,

I just ran this quest for the first time and had a blast! My brother and I rolled up brand new 4th level characters to try out the Carnival quests. We duo'd this as a Paladin and Ranger with no special gear. We took our time, did the optionals, and found the end fight was no problem (it was kinda funny seeing how dejected the end boss looked when we showed up). No special spells or anything were needed, but patience and thinking were. Also what may have been helpful is that for the first time ever in DDO, a Paladin's detect evil worked! Kudos Turbine!!!

Ralmeth

[Missing_Minds]

I love how you told a level 5, solo wizard to have true seeing. How are they supposed to get it again? It's a level 5 spell for pete's sake.

Mantle of the World Shapper + Voice of the Master = True Seeing. Both items are ML 5.

Roll really darn well on a UMD or caster check for use of True Seeing via scrolls?

[bobbryan2]

Mantle of the World Shapper + Voice of the Master = True Seeing. Both items are ML 5.

Roll really darn well on a UMD or caster check for use of True Seeing via scrolls?

Both Items are min level 5, perhaps. But if memory serves, you can't even get them until level 7 at a minimum... which involves doing Threnal 3 levels under the quest level.

Yeah, that's a reasonable expectation for new people...