Originally Posted by
Ruejade
Well, elite maps are maps in AL which unlocks at lv 25. You can access them by pressing the "elite maps" button at the lower right corner when you open the world map tab.
Elite maps have the same layout as their normal counterparts. Which means, the monster distribution and boss abilities are the same. Therefore, "elite players", or players who try to find the fastest and best strategy to conquer the elite maps usually study the maps in normal mode.
Here are some differences between elite and normal maps:
1) When viewing locations in the World Map tab, elite map names are written in brackets, in example: [Forest]
2) Elite Maps are timed, which means the time taken for you and your team to complete the map is recorded. Timer in the elite maps are started when, 1. Monsters engage you in battle (Timer starts the moment it sees you, a hit is not nesscary) or 2. An action is performed on an object in the map(breaking crates, opening chests).
Sometimes, when entering elite maps, caution is needed because other people would not be able to join the map once the timer is started. Therefore, keep an eye on your pets!
After running elites a few times, you would notice that the runs are categorized into Pure Runs and Enhanced Runs.
Pure Runs are runs which are done without any additional advantages. In example, everyone in our team should not have an elixer that is able to boost the speed of running the map, such as the damage elixer, damage reduction elixer, and the speed elixer. I am not entirely sure, but I think EXP elixers and the Reroll elixer would not turn the run into an Enhanced Run. One more thing to note is that, once you used an on spot revive(plat revive), the Run would be counted as an Enhanced Run.
If you run finished the elites map in the fastest time in AL, you would be granted a position on the leaderboards and be granted a banner at the end of the season if you managed to maintain to have the fastest time finishing an elite map.
3) Elite maps are harder than Normal Maps. Therefore remember to stock enough potions!
4) Elite maps drop better loots than the Normal Maps. In elite maps, you can obtain Elite Chests by defeating bosses. Elite chests has the word "elite" in their name such as Elite Chest II(drops from elite maps of First Expansion), Elite Banded Chests(drops from the Dead City Expansion elite maps) and Elite Pirate Chests(drops from Kraken Isles Expansion elite maps).
The elite chests are also divided into different rarities(copper,silver,gold) with gold chests having the higher chance of getting elite pinks(end-game elite gear). Of all the chests, only Elite Chests II are non-tradable, which means they can't be sold.
Now, regarding farming elite maps, here are some of my suggestions.
1) Elite Brackenridge (more commonly known as Elite Village or Elite Jarl)
This would be one of the easiest and fastest Elite Maps to farm in. Usually players just run towards Jarl(which spawns without players killing any monsters) and kills him to get their loot. Most players kill the group of monsters near Jarl before engaging him.
Jarl drops Elite Chests II, which you won't be able to sell. However, the chests contain some gear which is currently high in demand such as the lv 25 Agile Lifethief of Potency, and certain lv 25 rings and amulets. The advantage of Elite Brackenridge is that it is highly PUGable. In others words, you can run it easily with random players and do not need a fixed party for the farming to go very smoothly. Just enter Elite Brakenridge from the World Map tab and farm away! A word of caution though, Elite Brackenridge is one of the maps where the timer might accidentally be started due to your pet attacking the bush located near the spawn area! Just to be safe, dismissing your pet before entering the map is a viable option.
2) Elite Southern Seas (or Elite Seas/Elite Boat)
Introduced in the new Kraken Isles Expansion, this is the map which gives a more consistent income if farmed well. In this map, you would not need to run to the boss, he will come to you! Players usually stick together, killing off the monsters that appear and finally defeats the boss. Dying doesn't matter in this map because you would spawn right beside the boss when reviving(plat revive in this map is not..NOT encouraged). The boss here drops Elite Pirate Chests which worthy the most currently among the other elite chests. If you're lucky, you might even get Bloodhammer headpieces, which only drop from this boss. One disadvantage about this map is that the timer starts by itself, therefore having a party would be best, since it is very inconvenient to run it with random people.
These two maps above are the best maps to farm, choose Jarl if you want a fast and safe run, but beware that your income is highly unsteady. If you're willing to use potions( I mean like 30-50 per run ), running Elite Seas will give you a more steady income. I would encourage you to sell your chests, and only open them when the chests prices dropped to an insignificant amount compared to your gold reserve.
Here are some other elite maps which you might to run:
Elite Windmoore Harbor(Elite Harbor)
Averagely puggable, boss drops Slicing Flintlocks, new elite Rogue dagger
Elite Rooks Nest
Hardly puggable, recommended to be done with a good party. Players run this map to hunt for Malison eggs, which drops from the boss.
Elite Tower of Mardrom(Elite Tower)
Hardly puggable after the Kraken Isles Expansion. Players run this map before the expansion to obtain Elite Banded Chests, which contain Demonlord gear.
Elite Grog Beach(Elite Beach)
Hardly puggable. Players run this map to obtain Elite Pirate Chests and the rare Bloodhammer body pieces, which sells for quite a high amount of gold.
Now for my final advice: No Pain No Gain. Elite Maps are HARD. However, the rewards are equally awesome! Don't try to save you pots especially when killing bosses. Remember, if you're not there when the boss is defeated, you would not get drops from the boss. One little tip would be if the boss is almost dead, and unfortunately he killed you before he died, do not revive immediately! Stay dead at where you are, and wait for you team mates to finished the rest of the boss' hp. After that, revive and return to collect your loot. Do this only if the boss is almost dead, staying dead and only collecting loot is called leaching and is frowned among players. That's all, have fun hunting elites!
Ps, woah when I finished this people already posted before me, I just realised I took 40 minutes to write this..@.@
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