Ok, so I've done five runs and have yet to get any rewards from this challenge.
First run I used my (steadily improving) torching skills to grab a cornucopia of purples. Easy! Next up I ran out the clock looking for a Progenitor Crystals. I couldn't find them ANYWHERE. So the first run was total failure -- zero treasure.
So, I hopped onto ddowiki and learned that the Progenitor crystals are locked in secret rooms (marked on the wikimap). So for my next run, I fought my way to the bat-keyed progenitor crystal and set up a teleporter and a torch line all the way to the gate. Then I ran out the clock looking for a bat-key. Blast! Failed again!
Third and fourth and fourth runs I tried to get the progenitor crystal from the scorpion-keyed vault, but I kept running out of time.
Finaly on my 5th run I got lucky and blazed a path from a teleporter to the scorpion vault. I even had the keys to turn off security and open the gate! All the while I heard the kobolds getting killed by something. So I ran back, killed the giant and resurected the kobolds. Then I bought more barrels to clear the way through the green crystals first. Finaly, I jumped through the portal and was surprised to see a bunch of drow, giants and scarrows yelling at a kobold. The Kobold was hiding in a little field of kobold soulstones.
So my last run was a fail too. It was such a fail I couldn't even find the progenitor crystal! I didn't see it on any of the kobolds. I didn't see it laying amongst the pile of soulstones. I didn't see it in the center of the vault where I left it just a miniute ago. So I followed the line hoping to see the progenitor crystal in transit, but time expired and I was kicked out. I dunno how close that was, but next time I'll be sure to be there when the kobold grabs the progenitor crystal.
Dead Kibild = no EPIC crystal.
ReplyDeleteRegarding tactic's, I've gotten in the habit of Duo'ing this with a few different buddies. What works for us is I go clear with blade barrier + 1 teleporter. when I get a good group, drop teleport, yell back to my companion, and he show's up to run line.
Meanwhile, I clear more map, kill more critters, and get crests. At the 5 minute mark(+2M are added when kobold grabs crystal) We shift gear based on what crest's are handy, and which one has best teleporter spot.
The new crystal's are:
1(Scorp) Behind the rest shrine that's under giant encampment.
1(Octo) Through the left wall back corner in the waterfall room.
1(Bat) to the Far North, and slightly west.
Anyway, when lines all run and such for main crystal.. we hightail it to start, pull out hirelings(Leave near beginning, more mob's occur there), and get back to crystal kobold(Hopefully before he has it). the other kobolds serve as cannon fodder, and we try to grab all the aggro and run 'em PAST the teleport point so the kobold can port back unmolested.
regarding hirelings I use a paladin(Uma stonefist) and my buddy uses a cleric.
Admittedly though, this is a Viable strategy for 2-manning it on Epic difficulty. Me think's you can have a much easier time of it.
PS: Hope it helps.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Colossal is one of the ones I don't even bother to attempt solo. When in a group on my bard, I tend to cast every buff I have on the kobold with the crystal - invisible, displacement, blur (for when displacement runs out and I don't notice), rage (HAS to give him at least a *few* more HP), GH, FoM, haste, songs, etc. - and then personally babysit him through. (On my monk, I just run through and try to get all the aggro I can, making sure to concentrate on the casters lol)
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