Question about huntin OTF...

[stallion4]

I'm thinkin about headin to OTF for the first time as a level 85 cleric. How do clerics hold up in OTF and does anyone have any suggestions or information they can share with me about the area or pertaining to hunting a cleric there?

Feel free to PM me or just post here. Any information would be appreciated.

[AestheticDeath]

The cleric you have already successfully hunted the ducts in OTF around lvl 79. Shouldnt have any problem there as long as you stay light. Outside, I dunno. Whats yer self spelled TD and DS now? And what will you be able to add on from outside spells, if anything.

PS, I am assuming you havent changed the training plan from the caster he was.

[stallion4]

Self spelled DS is mid 500's and TD is near 400 and I'll be able to add some other spells as well. My CS is 440 and how do you know exactly who I am? Unless I posted it elsewhere before or you just KNOW..I drink a lot. My apologies heh.

[GuildRat]

Better question...what's your self spelled DS in offensive and on the ground? You'll be there alot.

My advice is to stick to the ducts until about 90'ish, then start "piddling" in the area just outside so you have a safe place to run and lick your wounds.

[stallion4]

Isn't there an area where you can avoid the griffins and in turn avoid more of the "on the ground an in offensive" business? Just curious. I hear a lot about how empaths are great hunters there. Wondering why a cleric can't be..?

[Asha]

DS 550, keep your WoF up if you can afford the mana.
Becouse in a heartbeat it'll drop to 300+ for 20 seconds +, and you'll need it.
Also your TD is a little low so scroll crazy to get that up. Seer and adepts have no trouble in ruining your hunt with that low a TD.
Your CS will be ok since cleric based critter TD's are low enough. Just as before, watch those Seers.
And if you're runestave and you are disarmed.. good luck. Janissaries will love you, mate.

[stallion4]

Yeah..I can afford the mana. I don't use WoF currently. Brawling/shield use is my plan. No runestaffin..hate the damn things personally. I appreciate the information. My TD will be higher from outside spells and another level or two. Keep the information comin if you got it.

[Gan]

Clerics are great hunters there. Just remember you'll be facing critters 89 and up in the main area, with manuever attacks (griffin screeches, call wind from griffin wings, flying (a lot), etc), guild skill attacks (sweep, disarm, warcry, footstomp, cheapshot), scout ambushing DS pushdown, weapon throwing DS pushdown, AND force on force DS pushdown from frequent and viscious swarms.

Overhunting the main area can be dangerous to ones health... and gear.

[Asha]

Brawl shield will be good since they can't disarm left hand.
Use WoF, get that TD up and you'll be as good as you're gonna get for otf man.
I think you should go for it.

[GuildRat]

The west woods are ok,but you still have the occasional scout, and greater construct. Scouts ambush and drop a pure's DS to offensive, unless said pure is doubled in perception. Janissaries disarm if you're a runestaff user. Again, you'll learn well in the ducts, or even in Maaghara at 85 trains. Avoid the rush to death by hunting the barrier proper "just because you can" mentality.

Maaghara has good treasure, the ducts are great as long as you can take a garrote every now and then.

[stallion4]

I may just end up stomping the rift for another few trains. It's incredibly easy and I hunt 5 with relative ease at 85 if I'm in the mood for a REAL quick fry. 3 is a walk in the park and the learning is very good. So I may hold off for a while after hearin all the opinions/facts about huntin OTF at that train.

[GuildRat]

Smart move....and get in some perception if you plan on hunting OTF.

Think of your DS in OTF as offensive DS and prone....and think of your TD as having all of your spirit spells dispelled. That's the worse case scenario that a cleric faces there.

[Gan]

Do your research. Know your threat assessment plan when you walk into a room (which critters to attack first, second, etc.).

Know what spells work best on what critters so you're efficient in your attack delivery.

Know what areas tend to swarm/gen and which areas have intermittent contact.

Know when NOT to stick in a room after it starts to swarm. Know where your safe spots are (nodes, sancted areas, etc.)

Know the effects of using 130, 225 as well as where you go when you decay (hint: you dont land outside the barrier).

Know which critters will disarm you, which ones will steal from you, which ones will rip your gear out of your hands after you've died.

Basically go in with a plan, test the fringe areas out and become acustomed to hunting Ithzir/Griffins/Constructs before hitting the high-gen areas along market road and west river to really test out your mettle.

You can see some glorious examples of how bad things can go wrong in the death folder here on the PC. Just do a generic SEARCH for ITHZIR and you'll see some logs of folks (including me) getting smoked. Take note of how and why and try not to replicate it.

And remember, no matter how good your plan is. There is strength in numbers. That applies to whether or not you take someone with you, or when you realize that the Ithzir can and frequently do act in concert with their attacks.

All in all, OTF is my most favorite place to hunt. Great treasure, and it keeps me on my toes as well as affords me the opportunity to help others with rescues and recovery of lost gear.

[GuildRat]

Hell a 1 HP strike can smoke ya in OTF...and redux be damned. All in all...crystal-edged weapons suck!!!

[Asha]

Enjoy though, it's insane how you never expect to die and they still find a way to off you.
Usually it's due to supprise RT when you're pure.
I could never have hunted there in a swarm if it wasn't for 410/35.
Take 4x weapons and give it a go. It'll be a good way to learn at your train.
You'll probably do really good with the information you've got now.
Or really bad without major/minor ewave, heh.

[GuildRat]

Minor sanct and run like hell....if you're not stuck in RT. Or kill something with a seer or an initiate present....they'll cast it for ya.

[stallion4]

May just end up holding off for a few more levels. My empath friend is about 3 trains from capped and I know he is interested in taggin along but wants to cap beforehand. We'll see. Thanks again!

[Asha]

Remember to tell your empath friend the only good he can do in OTF is to wait by the barrier to heal you. :)

[GuildRat]

Remember to tell your empath friend the only good he can do in OTF is to wait by the barrier to heal you. :)

Harsh....very harsh.

[stallion4]

Why couldn't he just hunt? Or are you assuming that it's a multi-account deal? Because it's not. He just said he wanted to wait..works for both of us because I can level up some too and it'll be a bit easier for me. Doesn't everyone here sit and bitch about how easy it is for empaths there? I think it'd be stupid for him to sit and wait..

[TheEschaton]

I think the implication is that if he's 97 trains, and hasn't yet hunted in OTF, he's gonna be a nuisance, not a help.

-TheE-

[TheEschaton]

Or, yanno, that he's a pussy...

[stallion4]

Well he hasn't hunted..but he'd learn slowly just as I will. Not that big of a deal. Just another challenge to take on is all. And no, he's not a pussy. Anyways..thanks for the information. I appreciate it when the all knowers light it up with info. Will just have to work on trainin up and give it a shot in the future. Thanks again!

[Asha]

Good luck, man.
After Shan it's the best/most fun hunting ground in game, easy.

[GuildRat]

Well he hasn't hunted..but he'd learn slowly just as I will. Not that big of a deal. Just another challenge to take on is all. And no, he's not a pussy. Anyways..thanks for the information. I appreciate it when the all knowers light it up with info. Will just have to work on trainin up and give it a shot in the future. Thanks again!


17 minutes or less to fry at cap...that's not learning slowly. For a pure...probably faster than me being a square.

Good luck in the barrier, lookin forward to dragging a new corpse. ::grin::

[Lucos]

Hell a 1 HP strike can smoke ya in OTF...and redux be damned. All in all...crystal-edged weapons suck!!!

So true. I tell everyone that your DS needs to be right around 440. That's 440 in your worst case scenario. If you are a pure, 440ish in stance offensive and prone. If you are a square, 440ish DS in full offensive standing. That will get you past 99% of the flare deaths from crystal weaponry.