How to pass AO3 part 1?

[derricks2]

The last boss seems stupid hard, at least for the pugs so far. Even with a group of all 40+ it seems like its just not going to happen.

all the good players see running crush the keeper so its all pre 50s and leachers...

since the only reason to beat part 1 is to get to part 2, what's the best way to go about this? 4 times I've ben in a game where everyone left on the last boss becuse we kept wiping. What's the trick?

[RedRyder]

By adding me. I'll invite my pals

[dirtball]

Wish I could tell you, he's real hard even for 49's. Guess I got a good group back then, sometimes you just get lucky. Gotta keep trying, pot up if you can afford it, and try to keep him in a corner or against a wall and keep him stunned. If he is blown away the stun will wear off and he will kill you one shot before you can regain control of him.

[Lesrider]

Wish I could tell you, he's real hard even for 49's. Guess I got a good group back then, sometimes you just get lucky. Gotta keep trying, pot up if you can afford it, and try to keep him in a corner or against a wall and keep him stunned. If he is blown away the stun will wear off and he will kill you one shot before you can regain control of him.

Actually, all the bosses have been Nerfed since. Have you fought Plothozz since the nerf? He's a pussycat. Doesn't really freeze you anymore and he doesn't need to be pressed up against a wall. He's just an alien with more hP.

I think the problem is the team is 40+, not 45+. Ao3 should NOT be doable by lvl 40s, I'm sorry.

[dirtball]

Les, I'm not starting a fight in any way, but you say all the bosses are easy now. Fact is, some are not all that easy, esp. for lower level players, even 45-49's in AO3. If they were all easy pinks would have no value because bosses would be getting killed left and right.
I played with some junk 50's the last two nights who wouldn't even fight OL and Gurg. They tried once and sucked, so they just kept asking to remake and refight Keeper, Plothozz, and King. My thoughts were that they had little luck beating both OL and Gurgox so stopped trying.

[Lesrider]

Actually, most ao3 rares are not very rare anymore (bc of the nerf) and prices have dropped drastically. So much so that many people have stopped farming keeper, since his items are worth so little now.

I'm not saying the bosses don't require some effort and skill, but to say they're too hard bc a group of 40+ can't beat it is not a good argument. And the lvl 50 players who gave up quickly -- there's plenty of bad lvl 50 players out there, but most of those don't even bother to learn how to do it right. If you try to teach them while playing, they just ignore and keep doing it the wrong way.

I used to play my Mage the most before ao3 came out -- even unlocked the dungeons on my Mage and made it to lvl 50 first on that char. But then I saw how squishy my Mage was, and decided to start working on my bear, bc of the extra survivability. I was a complete and total noob on my bear! I would play crush the keeper and ppl would tell me to pull te beckon to corners. I'd try and get nowhere, bc I had only 1 point in beckon! I had no idea how useful it was back then.
The point is, I learned from playing with others, and respects my bear to a better build, and looked into which skills were most important. And with practice, I got pretty good. The friends I met in ao3 who also still somehat nokbish, ended up growing with me. We continued learning together and became skilled farmers. We used to try teaching others who didn't seem to have a clue, but sometimes people just don't want to learn. They prefer to just run in and do what they want, even if it gets them nowhere.

Anyway, all I'm saying is that ao3 should not be so easy to beat that anyone can run in there and pass through all levels with absolutely no skill. If you're having trouble, ask others to help teach you how to do it (Gurgox is only hard if you don't know how he works or have team members who take orbs at the wrong time, steal them from mages, etc).

So if it's hard, you either need practice or better teammates. Or both.

I still stand my my conviction that a tema of 40+ should not be able to defeat ao3. Unless they've really worked at it, learned from it, etc. But they shouldn't be able to just walk in there and beat it.

[Lesrider]

And btw, the game is a lot more rewarding when you actually practice and learn how to play it best. I've been much more addicted to the game since ao3 than before, bc I found it more interesting. Before that I could just run into a game, mash my skills and be fine. Ao3 gave the game that extra oomph it was missing, to turn it from a run-of-the-mill hack n slash into something more unique and more rewarding. (unless you pvp, maybe -- I guess that adds challenge for people, but I could never get into it. I prefer friendly teamwork to all-out war.)

[derricks2]

Actually, most ao3 rares are not very rare anymore (bc of the nerf) and prices have dropped drastically. So much so that many people have stopped farming keeper, since his items are worth so little now.

I'm not saying the bosses don't require some effort and skill, but to say they're too hard bc a group of 40+ can't beat it is not a good argument. And the lvl 50 players who gave up quickly -- there's plenty of bad lvl 50 players out there, but most of those don't even bother to learn how to do it right. If you try to teach them while playing, they just ignore and keep doing it the wrong way.

I used to play my Mage the most before ao3 came out -- even unlocked the dungeons on my Mage and made it to lvl 50 first on that char. But then I saw how squishy my Mage was, and decided to start working on my bear, bc of the extra survivability. I was a complete and total noob on my bear! I would play crush the keeper and ppl would tell me to pull te beckon to corners. I'd try and get nowhere, bc I had only 1 point in beckon! I had no idea how useful it was back then.
The point is, I learned from playing with others, and respects my bear to a better build, and looked into which skills were most important. And with practice, I got pretty good. The friends I met in ao3 who also still somehat nokbish, ended up growing with me. We continued learning together and became skilled farmers. We used to try teaching others who didn't seem to have a clue, but sometimes people just don't want to learn. They prefer to just run in and do what they want, even if it gets them nowhere.

Anyway, all I'm saying is that ao3 should not be so easy to beat that anyone can run in there and pass through all levels with absolutely no skill. If you're having trouble, ask others to help teach you how to do it (Gurgox is only hard if you don't know how he works or have team members who take orbs at the wrong time, steal them from mages, etc).

So if it's hard, you either need practice or better teammates. Or both.

I still stand my my conviction that a tema of 40+ should not be able to defeat ao3. Unless they've really worked at it, learned from it, etc. But they shouldn't be able to just walk in there and beat it.

I dont really know what you want me to say. What you said is exactly what I am asking for. I am asking you to teach/inform me how to kill that last boss in AO3 level 1. I have been in multiple full games(most with atleast 1 level 50) and each time that boss destroys us. I have been in games with no 50s, but each member 45+, and again, the tank takes a couple tough hits and the he 1 shots the rest of us.

I dont think it should be easy, I know theirs a trick to it. Thats what I am asking.. whats the trick.. I am asking you to TEACH me what to do... your post said that "I" need to learn, but how can I learn when the people with the knowledge(like you) only say "well you need to learn how to do it." Thats what I am asking, I can learn if someone is willing to try to teach me.

As far as better groups... well my answer is "GOOD IDEA" however, that's easier said than done. At any given time their are 10+ "crush the keeper" games open and mostly full. However, the "close encounters" games.. well your lucky to see 2 or 3... most of which has lots of below level 40's leachers in it(like 20-39s) and the others have 1 or 0 people in it.. so to be honest your LUCKY to find one(even on the weekends in peak time) with even all 40+. So how do you "find" better groups when you have no options.. its not like I am just choosing the wrong game.. im choosing the ONLY game.. so my options are limited.

So I am asking, how do you pass AO3 level 1 if their are no games, no one is running it, and the few games that do exist all have level 30 in it? I cant get to the higher levels to make level 50 friends because 50s dont run the first stage. So i have no backup to call in. At this time, my options are to keep joining games and hope to find one with enough high levels to get to the last boss, and then try to kill him until the others get frustrated and leave. I have no level 50 friends because I havnt been able to play with any levels 50s because they are running levels I cant get to yet. The people I do have on friends list are lower than me or around the same level(46), so I can sometimes get 1 or 2 more level 45-46's but those groups fail on this guy.

So again.. as your post said.. I am not looking for a easy way out. Im a bird and I know how to use my character. If you tell me to push him into a corner.. I know how to do that, if you tell me to chain stun, I can do that... debuff.. I can do that.. etc.. but what I am saying is that this guy is taking 1/2 life per shot on the tank and 1 shotting everyone else. What strategy works on this guy.. maybe you can friend me then and teach me how? You say I need to learn, so teach me.. how can a person learn if theirs no one willing to teach?

[Wyvern]

I solid the whole thing second time with a trash pot

[derricks2]

And btw, the game is a lot more rewarding when you actually practice and learn how to play it best. I've been much more addicted to the game since ao3 than before, bc I found it more interesting. Before that I could just run into a game, mash my skills and be fine. Ao3 gave the game that extra oomph it was missing, to turn it from a run-of-the-mill hack n slash into something more unique and more rewarding. (unless you pvp, maybe -- I guess that adds challenge for people, but I could never get into it. I prefer friendly teamwork to all-out war.)

What I am saying I am not a noob to gaming. I have been playing MMO's since December 1997 with Ultima Online and I have played a dozen or so more MMO's to their end game. However, in each case, when starting out, more experienced players than myself were able to teach me how to play the game. Some things you can learn on your own, but you cant just know all the little tips and tricks yourself. Even you, I am sure, were educated on how to kill this or that boss by someone else. Its all about the people with the knowledge helping the people with out it.

You better believe if you give me a strategy to kill this guy, I will be relaying it to the people I am in the game with.. why because I have the knowledge that they may not. Giving them that knowledge helps them to become a better player and succeed. Thats the point. What would happen if all the teachers in school from 1st grade up just told the kids "well youll know how to do it once you learn it wont you" and thats all they said.. everytime a kid says "teacher, can you explain this to me, I dont understand" .. the teacher responds.. "well figure it out! it will me much better for you once you learn it!!"

[derricks2]

I solid the whole thing second time with a trash pot

Grats.. mind telling me how?

[Wyvern]

I'm a Mage lv 50 with a trash pot... What I'm saying is that 5 40-50s maybe 2 having a few pots WILL do this lvl. I promise.

[Lesrider]

Hi Derrick, sorry I think I was responding more to dirtball's posts than yours.
About yours, I was simply saying the group of 40+ should not be able to beat it too easily. I wasn't saying you personally should be unable to do so, with a half-decent team.

I just want to be clear -- have you tried hosting your own game and waiting for others to join? It's been a long time since I've done ao3 1, so I'm not sure if you may just be missing out on full games, or there really is no one playing that right now. If you create your own game, you can boot people who either are low lvl, or just not doing their part. It's a good way to build a party that can stick with you to the end. If you have tried hosting your own games and still no luck, all Icanny say is take RedRyder's offer and let him help you. If I'm on at the time, and not busy, I'd be glad to help as well. Just add Sylvanesti.

And again, unless the boss in ao3 1 is harder than plothozz in VL now, there really isn't that much of a strategy anymore. Used to be you needed to pin him against the wall and keep him there, or he could wipe the whole team. I used to find my tank bear dead after the cutscene! Now he doesn't freeze much and doesn't hit nearly as hard. So there isn't really any need of a real strategy, as far as I can tell. Gurgox and OL, are a different story, though. When you get there, strategy is necessary.

[Lesrider]

Err... Make that Silvensti, with an "I". Not sure why I put a "Y," but just go by my sig

[Pharcyde]

Bosses are WAAAAAAAYYYYY TOOOOOOO SQUISHY.

I'll keep it simple. I ran a test to prove my point. I, a single lvl 50 mage has soloed every boss in alien oasis 3. I only needed a tank pot on Overlord, all the others I did just fine without any boosters (other than free buffs).

So it doesn't really have to do with skill as much of level. But being able to solo bosses in int gear takes a magnitude of skill though.

[Fyrce]

Um, does Plohtoxx still kill people? I think he MIGHT have killed my bird once in like the last 30 games. Maybe. And that was probably due to lag. He is a puppy now.

And wyvern said how he did it: trash pot. Check out elixir list in shop.

Sounds like I might have to go check out Ao3:1 again. Used to do it periodically to help people finish it but haven't done it since the nerf and CS. Particularly since I haven't had help requests like I used to get for Keeper, OL, etc. Probably because people can do those bosses now.

[derricks2]

I still havnt had the time to get on and PM you all yet. I will hopefully be able to do this sometime today. I would like to get this guy down. The other bosses in AO1 part 1 went down like easy, this last guy just has seemed to drop everyone. Thanks for the info and help everyone.

[AhLiap]

" I have been playing MMO's since December 1997 with Ultima Online "

oh man how i missed that game, with my keep, my tamer, my bard and my mage...

[FluffNStuff]

Was leeching yesterday (will post full experience later) but wanted to comment on plot hole. Joined a late ao3.1 map with my level 26 Mage (equipped with level 19 staff and level 12 armor) and essentially walked the 40-45+ through the process with 5 mobs left. The trick is to have one player leash plot hole as far as they can so he keeps resetting. While they have him distracted, the others kill the mobs. And once he is alone, he is a joke.

[Kalielle]

I think the problem is the team is 40+, not 45+. Ao3 should NOT be doable by lvl 40s, I'm sorry.

^ What he says.

And as for not having any level 50 friends to call for backup - I'd just like to mention that when AO3 came out nobody had any level 50 friends, and the maps were quite a bit harder, and we managed to do it anyway.

OK, now on to strategy. Plothozz moves away from whoever his main target is - that is, from the person who has aggro - and he also has ranged attack and freezes you. So if whoever has aggro is not careful about where he is positioned, the boss can start moving away from the wall and making the whole team chase him, and because he freezes you'll have trouble catching up with him. Meanwhile you'll pick up the smaller mobs from all around the map and they will kill you. Don't know if that's the trouble you've been having, but that's one scenario I've seen happen.

So you want one or two tanks to go and attack him first. He's going to freeze them so a mage should be ready to heal them as soon as that happens, so the tanks can keep going. They should take care to always have the boss be closer to the wall than they are - that is, never get between the boss and the wall. In fact, everybody in the team should be farther away from the wall than the boss. I've seen times when some bird gets aggro and is standing there next to the wall, and then the boss starts moving away and running all over the map.

Some inexperienced players tend to just let auto-attack move them, instead of always holding a hand on the joystick to make sure they're exactly where they want to be in relation to the boss. You don't want them on your team. Tell them to go practice on Bastet in the AO1 boss level, and come back when they manage to kill her without running her into Anubis.

Now if you guys are doing all of the above things and still getting one shotted - I'm afraid there's not much advice I can give for that other than getting better armor, and/or agreeing as a team to all do armor pots for the game. After all it's just a one time expense and after that you'll have the leveling level unlocked.