Ask Fatal - Dragon's Tomb Edition (Trickster)

Alright!  Welcome to the final installment of my Dragon's Tomb series of postings.  So far we've covered Fighters, both Tank-style as well as Damage Dealing / Sub-Tank style, Mages, Archers, and now Tricksters.  Sorry to you Cleric lovers out there, but I highly doubt I'll be doing a Cleric version as I really have no desire to level up another Cleric to 80 just for the sake of making a guide!  Let the questions begin!

What is the Trickster's primary role in the party?

This is the question that everyone asks and depending on your playstyle and gear, therein lies your answer.  The Trickster can be extremely versatile if you get a better grasp of some techniques.

Versatile?  Tricksters are squishy by nature right?  What do you expect the Trickster to do?

While it is true that a Trickster's defense and HP doesn't measure up to a Fighter's, the Trickster has the Evasion advantage.  While not the ideal "Tank" in Dragon's Tomb, the Trickster is surprisingly serviceable in this capacity.

Tanking?!  Are you nuts?

Maybe.  But to me, that's the most fun a Trickster can have in Dragon's Tomb.

Yeah, you're a bit loco... wanna explain?

Tanking for a Trickster is a bit err "tricky" in that it involves a lot of cooperation from your party.  This is where the Tanking-Trickster really needs to assert themselves.

Okay, so where to start?

As a Tanking-Trickster, you need to set a few groundrules to the party to make sure that it is successful.  The first off being that YOU set the pace.  So no Archers running up front, no Mages going off to pull, etc.  The reason for this is because you need to establish aggro quickly.

Alright, that sounds reasonable.  What else?

For some reason, Mages are more apt to cast Inferno first rather than Frost Nova.  As a Mage, I never do this, so I don't really understand why they do it, but the Mages I've partied with as a Trickster typically drop Inferno first.  This, for the Tanking-Trickster led party, is a mistake.  This technique for a Trickster takes some timing and a bit of practice.

What's so hard? I just grab a soul and cast Soul Trap right?

Hmm... not so fast.  You first need a better understanding of how Soul Trap works.  If you've ever played as Fighter, you know that the skill Devastate is directional.  Typically you only stun those mobs that are in front of you.  Any mobs behind you will be unaffected by Devastate's damage or Stun effect.  Soul Trap works much the same way.

Okay, so what does that mean for me?

This means that you need to position yourself to set up Soul Trap so that you can freeze as many mobs as possible.  This also means you damage as many mobs as possible.  More damage means more aggro generated towards you.

Establish proper positioning prior to Soul Trap.

Ahh.. that makes sense.  So what's the sequence of events that leads to a successful pull?

For the smaller, regular mobs, typically you need to pull all of the close-ranged melee-type mobs into the ranged mobs so that you can freeze/damage them all together.  If you attack only the melee-types without pulling them towards the ranged, the ranged will continue attacking you, then as the Cleric heals you, they will refocus their attacks onto the Clerics since you are no longer generating aggro.  Again, remember to position yourself in front of all the mobs, you don't want any behind you if possible.

Wow, so I need to understand some basic tanking principles?

Yes.  In order to do this successfully, you need to have a working knowledge of how to tank.  Tanking on a Trickster is much more difficult compared to tanking on a Fighter.

Yeah, I imagine so, but why?

Tanking-Fighters have many advantages over a Trickster trying to fill that role.  As stated before, higher DEF and higher HP for one, but also an abundance of aggro-grabbing skills like: Kick, Mock, Demoralizing Hit, and Slice and Dice.  The Trickster's only source of aggro are generated through damage and positioning.  Again, this is why you need a cooperative party.

So what happens when the party isn't cooperative?  What can go wrong?

Again, a Trickster is not ideal for Tanking in DT, but it can be done effectively.  A couple of the problems aside from just uncooperative party members would be Stuns and Fears.  Nothing's worse than getting stunned or feared before establishing aggro.  This is when chaos typically occurs and party members start panicking.  So again, you need to keep a level head and work on re-establishing aggro.  This doesn't mean killing!  You re-establish aggro via damage, once you established aggro on that mob, target the next one, then the next.  You may have to sacrifice your Soul Trap skill just for the sake of an Aggro grab.

Okay, so what about the party members?

If you allow the Archer or Mage to get out ahead of you, you're going to have problems establishing aggro and keeping things in order.  I always warn both Archers and Mages to be patient, wait for me to get in there first before they start AOE'ing.  This is especially problematic with Archers.  With a normal Tank, an Archer is free to move out ahead and start AOE'ing to pull mobs back to the party where the Fighter can just Mock them all to him.  This pace setting technique for Archers is detailed in my Archer-DT guide.  However, this does not work well with a non-traditional Tank.  When that Archer starts pulling, they will typically just continue kiting along avoiding damage.  This is extremely problematic for the Trickster trying to establish aggro when his targets continue running down the hall.  So again, rein in your party members and be assertive.  Not rude.  Assertive.

In the case of the Mage using Inferno, you'll see that you'll have a hard time re-establishing aggro without the help of Soul Trap's freeze effect.  It can still be done based on the strength, or in this case weakness, of the Mage, but it's more difficult.  Kindly remind your Mage to Nova first once you've pulled the mobs.

What about those panicked party members that continue just running mobs away?

Well that's really on them.  If they want to pull the mobs all the way back down the hall, then it's on them to finish them off.  If the rest of the party is safe from immediate harm, then by all means, give chase and help, but if there's danger around the main party, focus there.

Okay, I think I understand that a bit.  So what do you use to Tank?

Again, not everyone plays the same way or has the same resources.  I understand that.  This is what I use on my Trickster (Level 89 as of this write-up):
+50% HP/SP Extender
+10 BK Dual Swords (45end 33dex 6int 34spe)
+9 86 Helm (36str 35spr)
+9 85 Wonder W Armor (32end 11dex 43spr)
+9 85 Wonder W Pants (40end 41dex 30spr)
+9 85 Vanity Dance Boots (27end 41spr)
+0 40 Bloody Gem Necklace (3str 5dex 4end)
+0 85 Guardian's Wish Earring (3end 1dex +325HP +4%Evasion)
+6 40 Ring of Chaos (Totals 9str 18end 25dex 13int +42MDef)
+9 40 Ring of Chaos (Totals 7str 21end 20dex 22int 6spr +70MDef)
I always use a full compliment of T4 Scrolls (Vit, Def, MDef, Eva) as well as T1 Speed.

Geez, I can't afford that.  So what do I do with limited resources?

Much of what you can and can't do will be affected by your resources.  I've stated that in pretty much every write up.  How to play DT as a Trix fully +0?  I really wouldn't know.  That's not something I plan to, or would want to do, but I don't begrudge anyone for doing it that way.  Just understand your limitations and work from there.

If I'm fully +0, what can I do?

A fully +0 Trickster at 85 sacrifices about 700 DEF from what I use.  That's significant.  The Trickster in this case is primarily just support.  This isn't enough DEF to really be considered a Sub-Tank either.  If this scenario happens to be you, I would just focus on having Soul Trap ready when you're Tank is pulling as well as focusing your damage primarily on ranged mobs to help out your Cleric.  In the end fight vs. Cornelius, you'd get 1-hit by his AOE.  You're better off not approaching him, honestly.  You could try and help kill the spawned Shellas and Nerpas, but if you do charge in there, you run the risk of getting flattened by the Dragon.

Anything else?
Pre-85, I primarily just filled the "Sub-Tank" role.  I had an incomplete +9 75 Set (+9 pants, +7 armor, +0 boots, +0 hat, +10 Emberflame Dual Swords), but that worked fine for everything except Cornelius.  Again, if you've experienced DT on mutliple classes, you're much well equipped to figure things out and understand how every other party member will react in certain situations.

If you're an aspiring Tanking-Trickster, take it slow.  Keep going into DT with a Fighter as the primary Tank, but take a few opportunities here and there to try and increase your comfort level with Tanking.  Get out ahead a little bit and start the pull.  Work on positioning.  Understand mob positioning in relation to their status effects also (like pulling Krugers away from other idle mobs so in the event you get feared, you don't end up pulling everything).  Basically stretch your limits and improve every run.  I would also highly recommend that you keep HP pots on you at all times.  I carry T3/T4/T5 HP as well as T3 Cure potions into Dragon's Tomb.  T3 Cures are especially convenient during the fight with Cornelius as this will cure his nasty debuff.  Do keep in mind though that a Cure potion shares it's cooldown with a regular potion, timing is critical to this.

The Tanking-Trickster is NOT ideal, but it works.  If there is a Tank-Fighter available, go with that route. it's safer for the party.  But if there are none available, hopefully this helps you fill in that gap.

Below are two walk-through videos, I will be adding annotations to them a bit later.  The first video (which still needs to be uploaded) is a basic DT run with the Trickster serving as the Sub-Tank.  The second video is an example of how to run DT without the traditional tank, with the Trickster filling in.

Video I:


Video II:  Tanking - Trickster

Ask Fatal - Dragon's Tomb Edition (Archer)

Finally, the wait is over, the Archer installment of this guide is complete!  It took me THAT long to get a party!  Haha just kidding, but you Archers out there can feel my pain.  (Screenshots to come, ran out of time today)

First off, I wanted to thank angel61636 for helping me start a party and sticking by me when the party started falling apart.  She could have left for other parties that required a Tank, but she stayed by me.  I never revealed to her who I was, so that makes what she did for me even more heartfelt.  Thanks again.

So let's get started!  First question!

Q: Fatal, why should I party an Archer when just about any other class would make a better choice?
A: This really depends on the make up of your current team.  An Archer can never take the place of an elite Mage, no matter what, but as a secondary Damage Dealer, an Archer can be an excellent choice.

Q: I'm still not convinced, why not use another Mage?
A: This is where it gets a bit tricky and subjective.  A superior/elite Archer can really set the pace in Dragon's Tomb.  An Archer of lesser skill should not.  The Archer needs to know what to pull, how many to pull, and understand aggro in relation to the backline.  While the Tank is pefectly fine as a pace-setter (see my DT: Tank guide), if the Archer is of high enough skill, the overall pace of a complete Dragon's Tomb run will be faster.

Q: Okay, so what should an Archer do to set the pace?
A: Just because an Archer is primarily a backline player doesn't excuse them from scrolling up and doing work.  In my case, this includes the use of speed scrolls.  If the Archer is intent on setting the pace, she needs to go out ahead of the party and start luring back to the main party via kiting.  However, the Archer needs to get a feel of what the Tank and the rest of the party is capable of handling.  For me, I take the first half of the first DT run to kind of sit back and evaluate the rest of my party.  I see how the Tank pulls, what the Tank misses aggro on (oftentimes the ranged mobs), and to get an idea of how active the Mage is.  Keeping an eye on the Cleric's positioning is also important.

Q: Once you have that, you're good to go?
A: For me yeah, I'm extremely comfortable giving myself an honest assessment of my skill and limits.  Having now observed the rest of the party I can start getting more aggressive.  After dispatching the second "boots" miniboss (Magmaton/BigMudMan), I take off for the next area ahead of my party, immediately start luring the Gargoyles, Flame Spirits along the way and then grabbing the Krugers and Caravans in the next area heading towards the "pants" minibosses.

Q: Hmm, okay I get it, you kite them then what?
A: I'll pull them all back to the party as they make their way to the "pants" path.  I immediately pull into the Fighter.  You have to be careful here though, oftentimes a single Mock isn't enough for the Fighter to establish aggro control over your mobs since you've build up a lot through kiting.  Once the Mage drops AOEs, you need to, just like a Mage does, start running tight circles around that AOE area.

Q: Wait, I'm used to straight-line kiting, I need to run circles like a Mage?
A: Yes.

Q: And the reasoning for this is?
A: You need to optimize damage and aggro recovery for your party.  Pulling your kited mobs down the hall does nobody any good.  You're pulling away from the party, the Fighter has to chase and is unable to effectively regain aggro, especially if you're booking it away from him on a speed scroll.  Running tight circles allows you, along with the Mage, to inflict as much damage on to those mobs as possible.  It also increases the Fighter's chance of regaining aggro and landing an effective Devastate to stun all those mobs.

Q: Hmm interesting. So what about ranged mobs?
A: Ranged mobs are a bit tricky.  Again, this goes back to your Tank.  If your Tank doesn't properly establish aggro on the ranged mobs, it's up to you, the Archer to do so before the Cleric starts getting hammered.  Ideally, you establish aggro early and pull those ranged mobs back into the pile of melee mobs that the Fighter is controlling.  The Fighter can attempt to establish aggro on the ranged mobs, but is more likely to just stun them with Devastate.  By then the Mage AOEs will have probably wiped them out.  Just like a Mage, an Archer is excellent at outrunning Nerpa's Slow Arrows when a speed scroll is active.


Q: Any other thoughts on setting the pace?
A: Yes.  While we, as Archers, can be extremely helpful at setting a fast pace through Dragon's Tomb, you may run into players that just don't see it that way.  The Tank, or oftentimes the Cleric, may tell you to slow it down or just, "cut it out you freakin' noob!", but don't get discouraged.  Again, this goes back to a little bit of ignorance as far as what an Archer can actually do for a party in DT.  I would relent, have the Tank set the pace and you can work within those boundaries.  It makes your life a lot easier honestly.  Players often fear the unknown, they fear change, so something like an aggressive, capable Archer throws them out of their comfort zone, but understandably so.  As your party gets more familiar, keep pushing the boundary that your party has set, but not so much that you get kicked out! 

Q: What are some other roles or tasks an Archer should be used for?
A: Archers are great at pulling the mobs that inhabit a miniboss room also.  With the targeting reticle for their AOEs, it's easy to safely pull those suckers out without activating the miniboss.  Once pulled, just simply lure those mobs into the path of the Tank so he can Mock and the party can finish them off.

Q: Okay, so Cornelius... now what?
A:  As far as positioning goes, the Archer should have the same thought process as the Mage.  Do not stand next to the Cleric.  Stand off to the side, within healing distance of the Cleric, but not so close that Corny's charge attack wipes you both out.  Archers, and Mages, should ALWAYS immediately target the summoned mobs once they appear.  Let the Tank continue to pound away at Cornelius while you take out the Shellas and Nerpas.  If you have aggro on all of the Shellas, go ahead and kite them away or preferably run them back into Cornelius where the Mage can drop an AOE on them.

Q: Help! My Tank got feared and I have aggro! I'm outta here!
A: NO NO NO! Just like the Mage, running for the exit is NOT an option.  You need to do one of several things depending on the situation.  If the Tank is dead, then you need to kite Corny away from the Cleric and the dead Tank so that the Cleric can revive the Tank.  Once the Tank is back up and ready, head back to the Tank, allow him to Mock and Kick him then cast a Nature's Protection to aid him in re-establishment of aggro.  If the Tank was simply Feared and you ended up with aggro, head back to the Fighter, stay within Kicking/Mock range and slow down your attacks.  You don't want to completely stop as Cornelius may target the Cleric, but you want to slow down your attacks enough so that the Fighter isn't struggling battling you for aggro either.

It is difficult for an Archer to pull sufficient aggro once Cornelius has targeted the party's Cleric.  The Cleric is typically in panic-mode, spamming all manner of healing skills amplifying their aggro.  Your damage simply can't keep up with that, best thing to do is just keep at it and hope the Tank recovers in time.

Q: That gives me a better idea of what to expect out of an Archer for DT, thanks!  Any last pearls of wisdom?
A: You're welcome, and yes.  As with any class or role you play, you need to take a serious, honest look at how well you handle your responsibilites in any given situation.  While it's easy for us to think we're of an elite skill level, sometimes we just aren't.  The sooner you come to grips with that, the better off you'll be.  When you lower your pride, the learning process begins.  Your eyes will open and you'll start to observe things more clearly.  Other people are counting on you to handle your role effectively in instance dungeons, when you can't the whole party suffers.  In the case of Archers, we already have a tough time finding a party, when others experience an unskilled Archer just breezing through DT on other people's hard work, that really puts a sour taste in their mouth and they won't give another Archer a chance, but the opposite is also true.  Be the example, not the excuse.

One last thought:  As you guys know, I've taken every class now, including Tricksters (guide forthcoming) through Dragon's Tomb, so I've seen all sides.  This gives me the best perspective on how to do things the right way here.  If you're a first-time DT'er, take it slow.  Reading through my guides can help you, but they don't replace actually experiencing the dungeon first-hand.

Ask Fatal - Dragon's Tomb Edition (Sub-Tanking/DD Fighter)

Now to be honest, this isn't really a facet of gameplay that I have a whole lot of experience with.  If I play as a Fighter in Dragon's Tomb, I'm typically the Tank.  While I have a DEX heavy Damage Dealing build (40 DEX, 65 STR), I always carry a Tank-like mindset.  So let's see where this goes....

Q: Fatal, what are your thoughts about Sub-Tanking?
A: As prefaced above, I really don't have much experience with it, but this is how I see it.  To me, the "Sub-Tank" should be another Damage Dealing Fighter capable of taking hits from Cornelius as well as other mobs should the main Tank go down or lose aggro to Fear or Stun.

Q: So you would only want a Fighter to Sub-Tank?  Why?  Other classes can take hits too.
A: For me, ideally a Sub-Tank should have aggro generating skills that can be quickly cast to generate aggro as I stated.  I do see a lot of players, like Archers for example, claiming they can Sub-Tank.  While it's true that they can probably take hits from Cornelius, the problem with them, and any other non-Fighter Sub-Tank, is that they have difficulty generating aggro on non-targeted mobs because they don't have specific skills made to do just that.

By the time a Fighter reaches Dragon's Tomb, he has four really good aggro grabbing skills:  Sneering Kick, Mock, Demoralizing Hit, and Slice and Dice.  As a DD Fighter, you still maintain three of those four, unless you're extremely quick to weapon swap from an Axe/2h to 1h.

While I'm not saying that other classes aren't capable of Sub-Tanking, they're just not set up, skill-wise to be as effective as another Fighter would be.  In other words, it's not an ideal situation to have a non-Fighter Sub-Tank, but if you're put into it, you adapt.

Q: So is a true "Sub-Tank" really necessary?
A: Some people seem to think so, I'm not one of them.  Again, for me, the pillars of the DT party will always be Tank, Damage Dealer, Healer.  The other two spots can be filled with whatever.  However those other two slots can be filled to make up for some weaknesses in the party.  This is where players need to come to grips with their own skill level in game.  If the three pillars are highly skilled players with good enough gear to survive a few hits from Cornelius, then the last two positions can be considered luxuries.

As a party leader, if I'm confident in the pillars, I'd look to add an Archer, I wouldn't say out of pity, but let's face it Archers, you're typically the last class parties look for.  If my party is already solid, then by all means, join up and bring a friend!

If the Fighter and DD-Mage are exceptional players, an additional Cleric isn't necessary under most circumstances, just one is sufficient.

Adding an additional Mage, or two(!), is always a nice luxury, DT runs can be remarkably fast with three Mages.

Q: So what are some reasons why Fighters Sub-Tank?
A: Typically it's because of their build, gear, and playstyle.  As a Fighter, I cannot resist doing aggro grabs, no matter the situation.  It's just in my nature to always want to pull aggro and defend my party, that's why I have a difficult time, and don't really have much experience Sub-Tanking.  If a Fighter lacks the defense to step up as the main Tank, then life as a Sub-Tank is their next best bet, but to accomplish that, it's best to fulfill that role as best you can.

Q: So in your opinion, what are the essentials for a Sub-Tank?
A: As a Sub-Tank you do need decent enough gear to withstand taking aggro should the need arise.  If you can't take the hits with just armor alone and Axe in hand, be extremely quick about switching to 1h/Shield to make up for your lack of DEF.  The Sub-Tank/DD should have a +9/+10 two-handed weapon, either 2H or an Axe.

As the Sub-Tank, you need to be cognizant of your Tank's playstyle.  Take some time early on to observe how she pulls and how well she maintains aggro on ranged mobs in particular.  You also should stagger your Devastate so not to overlap each other.  I would allow the Tank to cast that first Devastate and then time yours afterwards.  There's more on the plate for the Tank, so your role as support becomes a bit easier.  Let her cast first, then you follow when the Stun has worn off.

The Sub-Tank/DD should also immediately target mobs with the highest threat level to the backline players (Clerics, Mages, Archers), those being in order:  Nerpas, Krugers, Caravans, Flame Spirits, Fire Shellas, and Gargoyles.  Read the Tankers guide if you're unfamiliar with the status effects the mobs can inflict on you and your party.

Q: What are some options for the Sub-Tank/DD?
A: If I were put into this role, I would pretty much handle the job as a straight line DD, while keeping a watchful eye on the others.  Meaning I would Might VIT, and run a Gabriel Set at all times.  Just be careful as always when to equip your Mighty Set.  If the Tank is exceptional, it won't matter and you can equip/un-equip at any time, but just be aware your defense drops tremendously.  As far as the Gabriel Set (55 Jewelry) what it essentially does is it allows you to have an "endless" Vitality.  The cool down and duration with the Gabriel Set, so long as you have 5 points empowered in Vitality's CD and 5 points in its' Duration, will overlap each other meaning you can recast.  I think there's a slight window without the Gabriel Set, I'd have to double check to be 100% sure.

Q: So how do I handle the final fight with Cornelius?
A: As far as positioning goes, I would try to position myself on the sides of Cornelius, opposite the Cleric.  What you don't to happen is for you to get aggro when the Tank is feared and then having Cornelius immediately launch into an AOE killing you and possibly the Cleric.  So stand off to the side if possible.

Now this part, I'm also unsure of, but what I would do is I would cast Kick and Demoralizing Hit every-so-often.  I wouldn't spam it as I don't want to pull aggro from the Tank, but I want to ensure my aggro level remains higher than that of the Cleric and any of the DDs.  I'll have to field test this later with a decent Tank.

Again, if anyone else has some thoughts on this, by all means leave me a comment!

Dragon's Tomb Solo - Mage's Revenge

Whoops!  Forgot to post this... Well anyway, those of you that are subscribers to my YouTube Channel probably already saw this, but this was a follow up video to my earlier Dragon's Tomb - Mage Solo Video.

This was my first recorded solo kill of Titan.  Again, these runs were done without SparkCash.  No Extenders, Charms, (beneficial) Costumes, Weapon Skins, etc.  This was also done without the use of Blue (Set) Armors.  This Mage is still wearing the same equipment she had in the last video.

So yeah, enjoy the video, stick around for the outtake!

Ask Fatal: Dragon's Tomb Edition (Damage Dealing - Mage)

Since our last Ask Fatal: DT Edition had to do with Tanking, let's explore the next job, Damage Dealing.  I set this one up more like a Q & A... maybe it's a bit more interesting this way? At least it's conversational =)

Q:  So what about Damage Dealing in Dragon's Tomb?  I just blow $#@!$ up right?
A:  So to speak, yes, but there's more to it than just that.

Q: But I'm a Mage, I drop Nova, I drop lag-hell (Inferno), and I'm done aren't I?  I AM MAGE I KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLL STUFF!
A: Here's where it gets a bit more complicated than you realize.  Yes, the primary job of the Damage Dealing Mage is to unleash torrents of hell on the mobs, but the Mage also has an often overlooked secondary role, defense.

Ask Fatal: Dragon's Tomb Edition (Tanking)

After generating some interest in Dragon's Tomb with the release of my Mage solo videos, I decided I'd tackle some questions that I've been asked a few times.  Due to the length of these answers, I'll break these up into several postings.  Look for them in future posts.

Q: What makes up the ideal Dragon's Tomb Party?

A: That's not really as black and white as you think.  There are 3 pillars to every successful Dragon's Tomb Party: the Tank, the Damage Dealer, and the Healer.  Mindblowing right?  Of course not, we all knew that already.  But here, it can't be stressed enough.  Admittedly there are times when one player can fill multiple roles, such as Tank + DD, and that's typically a charmed, extended Mage, but per the norm, the above three roles are your foundation. Much of the success of your party is determined by everyone's awareness and ability to carry out their defined roles.  Those that are unable to can be a significant detriment and danger to the party.  While I wouldn't say to immediately kick them, it can be a time to educate them, tactfully.