How good do i need to be to kill my first dragon? Solo.

How good do i need to be to kill my first dragon? Solo.

I was like to prevent me from sending myself to the spirit world, like i always do, prematurely. Figured I'd ask roughly how high should my life, skills, etc be before i try to face down my winged foe!

Last i checked he 1-2 shot me. Havent done much with him after that.

 

thats interesting - i am curious for the answers!

 

I've heard people say the Dragon wasn't intended to be killed solo. However I think that is a flawed statement. Especially since the Stag Encounter has a nice big Dragon there to fry us.

It must be intended after seeing that happen several times

 

You wont find it. The people who are able to do so (probably a dozen) are very tight lipped about it, you wont find any videos I know of because they have a very nice financial reason why not to (they sell the stuff in bulk on their vendors). I know of one who will take people to do it and talk about it to the point where you can probably figure out but I think that is only for guild mates. He took me in a group to the monkey room once and I learned enough to return and at least learn it myself.

I would love for someone who does these things post a video showing everyone how to do it.

 

I would think this should be possible close to adv level 95ish, but with the changes to the defensive buffs, I am not so sure any more.

As I understand this, it is all about the following:

1. Having high Adv Level and Dex (so you hit often and crit a fair amount)
2. Nearly GM in the standard defensive buffs
   • Glancing Blow
   • Defensive stance
   • Fortify Defenses
   • Shield of Ice (and very high attune in water to beef up shield of ice)
3. Train Str should be at least 80, especially if you wield just about any two-handed weapon like hammers, swords, axes, poles
4. Either REALLY high skill in the following life skills (with 80+ attune), OR lots of Imbued potions
   • Healing Touch (fastest/most effective heal for self-healing in the life tree)
   • Healing Grace (HoT)
   • Life Power (innate)
5. Probably want to be very high (80+) in these innates
   • Deflection (Damg Resist)
   • Endurance (for str)
   • Sympathy of Stone (defense)
   • Bulwark of Earth (more defense and str)
   • Armor Weak Points (weapon crit modifier)
   • innates of whatever weapon class you use (damage related/etc)
6. Fireflies skill at 80ish (critical chance debuff for the target? - not exactly sure how this one works)
7. Learning how to jump over the tail swipe consistently.
8. *edit Also need 80+ attune in Fire Magic (almost forgot this ever important one!)

This is my take on it. I am working to try to get there someday. I have never done it solo, but a friend and I can easily take the lower level dragon down consistently (if I act as DPS and healer, and he tanks).

Those with more experience, let me know if you mostly agree...

 

I don't just do it for guildmates, I share my knowledge with anyone who is willing to ask. My most recent sharing of knowledge was with rada torment with ideas for the mages in the rise. I should make a video though, I just don't know how really. If anyone wants to give me some pointers on how to make a video and post it that would be much appreciated. Keep in mind, I'm super computer illiterate and might have some questions you find very simple.

 

Not sure why this should be such a secret. It takes the average player like a year or more to get to this point, and I am sure they DO intend on most people being able to solo it once newer episodes come out anyway. Right? I mean, we're all going to be pretty powerful one day, and then they will simply add more content that we can NOT solo in E2, 3, 4, etc... It is the natural progression of things. It would be a bit sad if we all got to adventurer level 100+ and could not solo nearly all of the stuff on Novia. There are huge landmasses that we're going to see popping up in a couple of years. These places will undoubtedly be more advanced, with harder stuff in general.

 

To add to this... I used to play UO. I remember the first time I saw the Greater Dragons. They killed me nearly instantly every time I so much as looked at them. I eventually got to the point where I could solo them with the right gear, skills, and care. I loved it. It was among the pinnacle of my experiences in that game.

I want Shroud to give me those moments too. Not only when I am in a group of 4+. Grouping is super fun, but sometimes you just can't find people to group with every single time.

My point is this:

It took me over a year to get to the point in which I could solo the Greater Dragons, and once I got there, that became one of my favorite things to do. When I first saw them, I thought it was likely impossible to kill one solo unless you had your own tamed Greater Dragon. In time, I think Shroud can be this good for all of us!

 

After the BS listing of “Dragon Slayers” in the prior telethon the Devs will hopefully look into making such creatures impossible to solo. A few ideas have been tossed around, but one that just occurred to me was that dragons snd other boss creatures could put a stacking debuff on their main target that lowers healing effects.

 

If you make it impossible for me to solo, its just pretty much impossible and becomes pointless content in the game. Already with the last changes to fortify defenses and the avoidance skill changes, only a few people can solo the low dragon in southern grunvald. You want to give something that can hit for 600+ damage a healing debuff, who is ever going to be able to kill it then, even with a party, do you see what I'm saying? I just find it funny most people who say it should not be soloable, are the same people who cannot solo it.

 

Mac 2 you have an excellent point here, if people like you cannot solo it, no group will ever be able to do it except groups made of people...like you...What about you or me Vallin? You would not like to be able to go kill dragons with your guild mates? I do.

 

I did him alone at 82 (max) but most people wouldn't call it solo.

I was multiboxing a dedicated tank, dedicated healer, and dedicated DPS (no macros, all gamepads and foot pedals). It took maybe 10-15 hours (hundreds of deaths) of trying to finally get him down. I've gotten him to <20% about 5 times.

My advice:

• keep all defensive buffs up, (avoid/Dodge 60%+)
• you absolutely need to stack healing debuffs like rend or it will be impossible.
• Fireflies should stay up too
• Be prepared for 10min encounter, so if you can't remain focus-neutral casting, get some more fustian cloth

Though it sounds like a huge advantage to have 3 avatars it really isn't. You have to do way more upkeep to keep them all alive, taunt is bad so my tank had to waste more than half of his casts on it, etc. I think if my tank Avatar (only adv ~70) had slightly better damage and some healing, it would be much simpler to manage it all with just him.

 

Devs, can we please make mac2 the metric stick to judge encounters with? I would like to make sure at least he can solo all mobs in the game.

 

I am probably one of the tankiest players in the game, I also have all my heals GMed. What I am saying is, if something blows me up, no one is going to be able to take that damage. Don't try and give me sarcasm and BS about this like I'm trying to think only for myself. This will effect everyone who ever tries it. Don't want to see that, and want to attack me for what I'm trying to say, fine. Let your egos fly.

 

How is obvious group content "pointless" if you are unable to solo it? Please help me understand.

Keep in mind many games have had mechanics where characters can get one shotted and still successfully complete the encounter.

 

It's fairly difficult to solo even at my level (117).

The dragon hits pretty hard and if he gets you with a nice crit, no amount of potions or buffs will get that dent out of your skull.

Fire warding gear and good armor and sword are a must but it becomes a lot easier if you have a healer around.

 

Because not even a group will be able to do it. Do you understand? Gmed heals, top tank in the game, cant do it, who can? I cannot make this any clearer.

 

I have perfected the technique of hurling insults at him and running.

 

*sigh* I knew ye when ye wielded a pole

 

are you saying it's hard?
*ducks incoming*