Aht Urhgan Mission 42: Path of Darkness/Strategies
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Strategy 1:
This strategy involves a party setup similar to the next mission, which is why it might be beneficial. The format is: 1 tank (NIN used, but PLD/NIN would work), 3x DD/NIN, 1x RDM/BLM, 1x Healer. In both of the first two rooms, the BLU sleeps easily even though the gears do not. The RDM will run in and sleep II the BLU, then each of the melees will grab one of the Imperial Gears. The healer will watch the party; the RDM will watch the BLU, while the melees handle the gears. Once the gears are down, focus on the BLU.
The same strategy is used in both rooms. 2 things are important to note here: First, the melees must pull away from the BLU and toward Naja. If the gears are positioned right, Naja will not attack the BLU until it is the only target. In the first room, we used two corners of the room the BLU spawns in and two corners of the room the party starts in, and this worked very well. In the second room, we used the east portion of the room, and the previous two rooms. If they are positioned correctly and the RDM sleeps so that the BLU stays in the same general area, Naja will only attack gears. The second is that everybody should be somewhat self-sufficient (Potions, /NIN, etc) as spreading out makes it more difficult on the healer.
Once the second form is down, the Soulflayer is fairly easy with this setup. No job, melee or BLM, seems to do particularly outstanding damage to the Soulflayer. Heal to full after the last room, have the tank run in and the party just tough it out. Healer must watch for Paralyze, Curse, and Bio, as with /NIN on all melees there is not significant need for massive healing. The RDM can usually do a fine job assisting in healing.
Other format changes that will work: One, two, potentially even 3 of the DDs can be exchanged for BLMs. An actual tank of some sort is needed (PLD/NIN, RDM/NIN, or just NIN), but the gears are susceptible to bind and gravity, so a kite/bind/nuke strategy can work. A BRD in place of a DD can work as well, provided a DD is comfortable handling two gears or the RDM is able to bind/gravity one of the gears. Sleeping the gears does not work all that great in either room. It will land in the second room, but it will not last long.
Notes: Had DD/NIN x4, RDM, and BRD and did fine. I was the BRD and accidentally subbed BLM and we still cleared. Basically each melee should be able to handle their own gear. When fighting the soulflayer, don't bother with the curse effects if you are melee-heavy as they will simply get cursed again and again.
Strategy 2:
PLD/ WAR (tank), NIN/WAR, WHM, DRK and DD x2
A well equipped PLD can kite the gears in both rooms. On my attempt at this mission I was wearing the Adaman Hauberk Set. Two crucial points of emphasis for this strategy to work.
1) The PLD must run into room1 and room2 ahead of Naja. Don't even give her a chance to target one of the gears. 2) The PLD DOES NOT engage the gears at all. The PLD merely sight aggros them with an earth staff equipped and proceeds to kite the gears while the rest of the party engages Amnaf.
While the PLD may not engage the gears or target any of them with Provoke or Flash, the PLD may however use Sentinel, Rampart and Defender at the outset to mitigate damage taken at the start. With the gears distracted, the NIN tanks Amnaf. The DRK stuns in order to prevent the damage output from Amnaf's BLU magic from getting out of hand. It's crucial that the healer be able to keep an eye on the PLD kite, Naja, and the rest of the pt and heal as needed. Using this strategy it's not necessary to sleep the gears. Once Amnaf is taken down, the party can proceed to taking out the gears one by one.
Strategy 3:
This strategy focuses on the second, and arguably most difficult, room.
Second Room: Another strategy for this room involves a different tactic used by a party in the Unicorn Server.
When doing the strategy above, my party was consistently slain when our mages kept trying to sleep the Imperial Gears. NOTE: I would not suggest doing this on the 1st OR 2nd room. Due to the Blue Mage's convenient Flee effect, Naja's first target more often than not is the blue mage forcing your party's strategy to immediately change if they can't put the gears to sleep.
Note Again: The gears cannot be slept easily. I would not recommend this as a tactic unless you have a Red Mage or Black Mage with a very high merited or equipment enhanced skill! As for Bard, an unmerited Bard with 126 CHR could not stick Lullaby on Lightsday during Light weather. Your mileage may vary.
Here is how we easily beat the second room: Party Setup PLD/WAR SAM/WAR WAR/NIN THF/NIN RDM/BLM RDM/BLM
The Thief (or another designated member) will be responsible for kiting the gears. Now that the first room is clear, this can be done easily. Ensure the thief has a Reraise Earring Utsusemi and Flee ready as they will be needed. Additional Note: Thief works incredibly well for kiting the gears. With Strider/Trotters and a full Evasion gearset (around 301 skill + 50 evasion bonus,) the gears are basically a non-threat. Use the pillars in middle of the rooms while kiting to your advantage as well, and they'll almost never catch up let alone drop a Thief's shadows with with that much evasion gear on. Save Flee in the case of a freak accident and you need a moment to recover. If the pillars are used effectively while kiting, +movement speed gear may not be necessary, although it certainly adds a significant margin of safety. If using +movement speed gear, it is not necessary to use Flee in the initial pull.
Make sure no one is resting before and during pull or the gears will break off and aggro them.
Have the Thief pull, Flee, and run. Meanwhile, your tank will immediately provoke the Blue Mage. This is essential, as Naja will attack the closest mob to her, as you must ensure that it is the Blue Mage.
Enjoy your "Tank and Spank" as your heavy DD in the party give the Blue Mage a big dose of fun. As she reaches 30% or so, have your kiter (ours was a THF) run back and have one of the DD (Samurai with Seigan/Third Eye or anyone with Nin sub is ideal for this) grab one of the gears off of the kiter and begin to kill it as the Thief continues his/her kiting route into the other side of the room. Given the damage capabilities of your party's DD, they should have it dead by the time your thief makes 1 pass around the room. Saving TP for the gears when the Blue Mage is about to warp (50% and 30% Health) is recommended, as she will regen to 49-50% no matter how low you get her at the last minute.
Do not fire a ranged weapon with a long delay on the Blue Mage when she is under 55%. It is possible that the arrow will follow her to the next room and initiate the next fight before your party is ready. This is confirmed on completion of the first room, unconfirmed on the second room.
NOTE: It is also possible for the gears to slap the kiter with their Gravity AOE attack as the kiter makes their pass. The party will have to improvise if this is to happen. The tank and available DD can yank 2-3 mobs off of your kiter to help prevent any unnecessary death.
Continue doing this until the gears are killed. If you run into trouble, have your THF use his/her Perfect Dodge and stand away from the party as your DD quickly dispatch the Imperial Gears one at a time. Your thief will need to plan his/her kiting route based on the damage capabilities of your party. For example: A shorter route for a more damage intensive party or a longer route for a less damage intensive party.
Strategy 4:
(SMN BST or PUP), Healer with some sleep spell, 4x DD/NIN
All DD make an /assist macro to assist Naja. First 2 rooms: Pet pull Amnaf. Once the gears pop and start attacking, despawn your pet. All the gears will lose hate and sit around. Have whoever is in charge of sleeps, sleep Amnaf. All DD can assist whoever Naja feels like attacking til that mob is dead and do /assist again to find the next mob. Last room: Keep all the DD alive as well as Naja and you'll win no problem.
Note: We had 2x SMN, RDM, NIN, DRGx2 when we did it. We had no clue when we did the first room that the gears would lose agro when my pet died so we pulled all of them at the same time anyway. 2nd room is when we noticed when my pet died that only Amnaf was running towards us while Naja was solo'ing a gear.
Strategy 5:
PLD/NIN
RDM/WHM
BLU/NIN
BLU/NIN
Yes, four.
We did it after a few unsuccessful runs, failing not through our faults, but because Naja is a bit of a moron, and likes to attack Amnaf, we failed a couple of times before she caught on and started fighting gears instead. Not that it matters, considering no exp is lost upon death.
Round 1: Amnaf + four single gears.
- Enter BC, buff party and Naja, then rest to full.
- PLD runs in, aggro Amnaf, gears pop.
- RDM sleeps Amnaf, DDs kill gears.
- Kill Amnaf as far as you can, stick DoTs on her (Bio II and Disseverment as they will affect her when she runs to the next room.
- When she runs off, rest to full, buff up, etc.
Round 2: Amnaf + four gear-trios.
- Similarly to Round 1, PLD runs in, aggros, pops gears.
- RDM sleeps Amnaf, DDs kill gears.
- Kill Amnaf as much as possible.
Note: We put DoTs on Amnaf just like the previous round, but it appears they don't carry over to the third round.
Round 3: Amnaf as Soulflayer.
- PLD tank, BLU DD and Stun horrid TP moves/-ga spells, RDM heal.
- RDM keep an eye out for Mind Blast's paralyze effects, as it can be rather crippling.
Strategy 6:
PLD/NIN,RDM/BLM,RDM/WHM,DRG/NIN,SAM/NIN,THF/NIN
round 1 + 2 like on strategy 5
every DD pulled a gear into a corner and soloed it like on ODS.PLD tanked one gear untill DDs finished with their gears,after each round full rest.
on round 3 we were unlucky with AoE spells and PLD + THF died with mob 40% remaining,rest of pt was closely dead.RDM used Chainspell & cured himself to full hp + blink & stoneskin up.then put Bio II + Gravity on mob and started kiting it while SAM + DRG attacked it,RDM closely never lost hate.if mob puts bio on kiter dont erase it because it helps if mob hits with sleepga.2-3 minutes left.
