Hard to get group to do Sands?

[rawrketties]

So for these past few days I've been trying to get a group together for Sands, for ADQ as well as the actual raid. Tbh, I'm appalled at how long it takes o.o; To my best knowledge these are probly the most popular quests in sands?? Yet it took me 3 days jus to find/partly fill a group for ADQ to flag, so we were only able to do casual. For the actual raid, we waited about 45 mins straight to fill, and ended up not having even one healer, so we were forced to run it on norm. I'm really hoping this is NOT the norm, yet I've experienced this for almost a week straight >.< Jus wanted to know what u guys think. Anyone who regularly runs this is also welcome to reply with/PM their toon's name so hopefully it wont be as hard to get a group next time =X

[rawrketties]

Bump. This feels like waiting to fill a group all over again lol

[Rumbaar]

Yeah the 6 man flagging quest for the 12 man raid isn't the best mechanics in the game.

Of all my capped toons, I've only ever run it once.

[psymun]

Are you referring to doing this at level, or with level 20 toons?

[bree22]

these quest/raids tend to be run by higher lvl toons. I personally solo the pre raid just to reflag. I will post a group and some will join while i am doing it. As for the raid, you can run it underman when over lvled. I just ran the raid the other day with 7 on elite with one healer. Most raids (p2p) are done for the purpose of completion not xp. Also you will see VON run this way. a small group will start part 5 and then wait for the rest of the group to fill just before completing to start part 6.

[Tsuarok]

So, you really do this raid for loot. You just have to eat the xp loss and expand your range to be from 13-20.

I usually put up the LFM, solo the preraid on normal or casual until the boss, then change the LFM to indicate that I'm holding the quest at the boss so that people can get flagged easily. Fills up fairly quick.

I was able to keep it on timer for about a month, but I canceled my VIP and haven't picked up the pack yet, so I haven't run it in a while.

When I get it again, you should see me every Thursday and Sunday nights with the LFM up. Look for Drauqa.

[rawrketties]

Ah okay, thanks for the clarification guys! That makes sense. Altho, today's run had the lvl range 14-20, so today must've been a slow day. The previous days I had tried for exp and that might've been why. Thank you all very much!

[IAmDesolator3]

The real, actual reason that nobody seems to know about is very complex and not well known. Lvl 20's want to do epics. Sands epic items are the most expensive and most powerful. The ADQ preraid is the easiest quest to run in and pull some seriously hardcore buffs and tricks and solo your way to 2-3 chests depending on your class. So after I ransacked the chests, I have to wait 7 days.

So I thought hey, let's do the raid while I'm waiting. So I completed the preraid on casual. But nobody runs the raid so I was stuck being flagged for 3 days. It had been 5 days total already so 2 to go on my ransack reset. So today I FINALLY find a group for the raid and did it and now I have to wait 3 days on timer to be able to do the preraid on epic again.

Here's the best part! If you're flagged, you can't re-enter the preraid and you can't abandon the quest. You literally have to complete the raid to get back inside the preraid on epic. I'm pretty hardcore and I couldn't quite manage to solo the raid on normal because of those massive 6 hits with knockdown. So now we're at 8 days total and I only needed 7 for the reset.

So in other words, nobody runs the raid because it locks up access to the preraid for a long, long time in some cases. Also the loot is mediocre.

[Khanyth]

Maybe it's the time of day that you're running it, or bad luck....

I've never not had a problem either joining or setting up a ADQ raid run

[kernal42]

Here's the best part! If you're flagged, you can't re-enter the preraid and you can't abandon the quest. You literally have to complete the raid to get back inside the preraid on epic. So in other words, nobody runs the raid because it locks up access to the preraid for a long, long time in some cases.

The scenario you suggest is pretty unlikely for most players. While epic seals are nice to have, I don't see why anyone would prioritize this above running the actual raid. Except, of course, if they have nothing to gain from the raid, but that's obviously a separate issue.

Also the loot is mediocre.

Like...the torc? It is true that most players will find the DQ raid to have low priority. It's convenient, though, that in half an hour you can run the preraid and short-man the raid (or solo, if you're a halfway-decent caster).

Cheers,
Kernal

[IAmDesolator3]

lol halfway decent caster? I have 312 HP and nonstop self healing and she basically 1 hit me with her 6 swords. The only way to beat her is to somehow not get near here and she has a ridiculous run speed boost. And you'd put the raid above free solo chests in a sands epic? WHAT?! WHAT?!?!?! You aren't level 20, are you?

[Attropos]

lol halfway decent caster? I have 312 HP and nonstop self healing and she basically 1 hit me with her 6 swords. The only way to beat her is to somehow not get near here and she has a ridiculous run speed boost. And you'd put the raid above free solo chests in a sands epic? WHAT?! WHAT?!?!?! You aren't level 20, are you?

312 HP is very low for a WF caster (I'm assuming you are WF because you say almost unlimited self healing). To be able to solo DQ, you def need gear, and I'm guessing you are a bit lagging in that department.

[Clayness]

Its been soloed by a lvl 13 monk. And tons and tons of arcanes

[Vengeance777]

Waves of exhaustion was still working on her. Makes the raid a joke to solo. Waves her, lay down firewalls and run circles.

[Keybreaker]

Oh, where to start?

A. You do not need a party to flag for the DQ raid. Wiz King and OOB are popularly solo zerged for xp while leveling.
B. You do not need a party to run ADQ. Hardest part of ADQ is the riddle (which always poses a 50/50 ambiguity) but the fixed solutions are posted on DDO Wiki.
C. DQ raid can be solo'd by either a competent arcane or even a divine caster. Even in the early days of Orien, casters solo'd the raid (sometimes even at level) and invited 'melee pikers' just so there would be more hands in the chest.

Misplaced confidence is far deadlier that Lailat's six swords... One should not assume without evidence or experience that one is the gold standard. Just because you can't do it, doesn't mean it can't be done or hasn't been done... repeatedly, ubiquitously, for years.

But to OP: If you put up an LFM (either for flagging or for raid), you should advertise you're looking for a guide. Otherwise people will generally expect you to guide/lead. Also, there are lots of helpful players who go out of their way to show new players the ropes.

[kernal42]

lol halfway decent caster? I have 312 HP and nonstop self healing and she basically 1 hit me with her 6 swords. The only way to beat her is to somehow not get near here and she has a ridiculous run speed boost. And you'd put the raid above free solo chests in a sands epic? WHAT?! WHAT?!?!?! You aren't level 20, are you?

312 hp is very unimpressive. My first caster had more than that, and I rolled him up before I realized con was important in this game. Not that hp is important for the DQ raid - the key is to not get hit, which is pretty trivial with Waves of Exhaustion as Vengeance is kind enough to point out.

I also spent a few weeks ransacking the eADQ1 chests some time ago (quite possibly before you even rolled up a toon). Then I realized it was a pretty boring waste of time. If I found myself in dire need of a seal I'd certainly give it another go, but until then I'll work on more interesting and profitable things.

Cheers,
Kernal

[Crann]

lol halfway decent caster? I have 312 HP and nonstop self healing and she basically 1 hit me with her 6 swords. The only way to beat her is to somehow not get near here and she has a ridiculous run speed boost. And you'd put the raid above free solo chests in a sands epic? WHAT?! WHAT?!?!?! You aren't level 20, are you?

You have stated a problem, and have asked for help.

This is the part where you gratiously accept advice from those more experienced than you, not berate those who share their knowledge.

BTW what single piece of gear do you possess that it more important to a "Self healing caster" than a Torc?

[IAmDesolator3]

oh yeah, who needs an epic ring of spell storing? Pffft. And 312 HP, wow, that's such ****! I mean I only have a maxed con build, +6 con on an item, toughness, and both toughness enhancements. At the moment I'm stuck without any false life but wizards can wear a helmet better than that minos legens ****. I don't need 100% fortification if I have it already from being undead. If you have far higher HP, you started messing with your magic or removing important lore or SP items you're wearing to do so and that means you're a weak noob.

[Lord_WC]

312hp is more than enough for that raid. I know, I ran 20 completions on my sorc last life. With no spetacular gear or whatever. The key spell - which has been already pointed out - is waves of exhaustion. Speak to her, exhaust, fw, fw, fw, run around, when war comes polar ray her to death.

Torc is absolutely the most powerful item a caster can get. It procs a lot of times, and unless you are in epic you get more sp back than what you require to heal the damage done.

I fail to come up with a setup that interferes with minos. Greenblade, brac of glacier and a gs item covers all your needs. There are also clickies which do not require a slot at all.

Also, just an advice. If you really come to the forums stating you have a problem and you get a helpful and informative reply without any hint of belittling you, you would do yourself a favor and reply to it like any sane person would. Not knowing something won't shrink your epeen. Trash talk will only make you appear as a noob.

[Lorz]

oh yeah, who needs an epic ring of spell storing? Pffft. And 312 HP, wow, that's such ****! I mean I only have a maxed con build, +6 con on an item, toughness, and both toughness enhancements. At the moment I'm stuck without any false life but wizards can wear a helmet better than that minos legens ****. I don't need 100% fortification if I have it already from being undead. If you have far higher HP, you started messing with your magic or removing important lore or SP items you're wearing to do so and that means you're a weak noob.

No. You are incorrect sir.

And you of all people should never call anyone noob.