Rune Fencer Solos

I think it was generally assumed to be Fire. But the confirmation of element and vallation effectiveness is good.

On a related note, ever tried Discoid? I can't think of any element that'd be clearly related. But it is affected by MDT, so vallation should work, assuming it has an element to match to.

I haven't, mostly because anytime I'm near a Discoid guy, it either never gets TP (Nyzul) or I'm not on RUN (Zhayolm Remnants). Judging by the animation, I'd wager it's light based.

I've taken so little damage from Discoid from the Grauberg chariot running Tenebrae, or at least he's never killed me and I kill both chariots for lulz between VNM T2 pops, so I'll belatedly second the notion that it's Light damage.

Currently working on RUN/NIN vs. VE AA Taru with intermediate gear and Aettir. Likely to be way more reliable than solo BST. Embolden your Shell instead of Protect (get FoV protect). Abuse Vallation/Valiance for Utsu cast/recast time. I think I just keep getting unlucky with badly resisted Thundaga IIIs and sneaky un-animated melee attacks putting me to two shadows and junk; running Flabra to keep Petrify duration down if it lands could be a mistake.

I might start work on an autoexec that sets Spellcast/Gearswap variables based on whats been most recently 'started casting' at you. Being able to throw up a proper rune should be practiced, but it'd be a nice edge.

Good to have more confirmation on discoid element


Autoexec can't react to things in the chat log. It's specifically made not to.

lua, however can. You just have to set it up right. Supposedly... Personally, I haven't been able to get it to work for me. So I won't be much help to you there.

I pretty much didn't even know Discoid was a crazy damage ability. I might have said 'oh, that actually hurt a little' at triple digits or so. Tenebrae was just intuitive for all the Light affinity of Nyzul/Alexander related things.

Idea is it would only set the variable of a second proxy spell trigger which does then a contextual rune instead of your selected rune (which I already have a variable for, but is based on 'last used' so the interaction might be annoying). Then it doesn't have to worry about other actions or inducing JA delay.

I could even just go full-bore on a plugin for it, but I don't know how Gearswap handles variables yet (still a Spellcast purist).

If you're getting messed up by AA taru, try putting on a little more magic def/taken gear. I find the most damage I take is if I get petrified and I'm stuck for a while. The fight on average takes me like 20 minutes to solo as RUN/NIN on very easy, using either crap augments Crobaci +2 or eminent axe/scimitar.

My first time, I beat it using all espial and the axe/scimitar, which was before they added Pulse. Bring a Vile Elixir or something if you find yourself getting into a tight spot with HP/MP, and save Battuta for Blood Weapon/Soul Enslavement (though you could get away with using it at the start, too). Also not a bad idea to use Odyllic Subterfuge when he uses Manafont.

edit: just did it on Easy, took 24 minutes. Same strategy as above. It's been getting easier to anticipate his WS's, which are usually right after teleporting and then casting a spell, so it was easy to keep up shadows and even throw on a Foil.

edit edit: I had full inventory and was told "You cannot obtain the pluton." but they gave it to me when I checked the circle after clearing some space. Not sure if this is common knowledge, but I was surprised.

Yeah, I'm lacking all the snazzy Dark Rings and whatnot. I think my first hangup is running out of MP around 30% consistently. I got hammered last run and I realize it was because I didn't cast Foil at all, which is a huge help in keeping Amon Drive from penetrating three shadows I bet. I still managed to burn an entire stack of Remedy because he was being particularly dickish and only did four WS that weren't Amon. I'm still running Espial hands/legs/feet for the raw M.Eva. I could stand to throw 5 mil at Relic body +1 if I could get the pages. Only in that last run did I throw Embolden at Shell 5 instead; it made some difference at least but I still just under-resourced.

What rune are you running, or are you reacting to casts?

Edit: Should mention I have Aettir, and holy crap the box goblin is great for getting some useful consumables, just gotta be careful of the medicating ones. Whole rack of X-Potions ready now too.

Flabra, with barblizzard/barparalyze, since he definitely uses Amon Drive more than any other WS, and it is by far the most debilitating. Bring remedies (for para) and echo drops (silence from guillotine), get Protect and RR from the Field Guide outside (the protect from this is based on your level, so it's better than our native Protect IV). First time I did it, I used a Buffalo Jerky from my Mog Garden cuz I was too lazy to get better food, but now I use Red Curry Bun. My magic defense set is pretty subpar, I only have a 6% MDT dark ring, an engulfur's cape (occasionally absorbs magic damage), and an inquisitor's bead necklace (+8 MDB). Everything else is standard TP gear, and much of that was lacking when I first tried it. Last night was the first time since they added the relic gear that I've fought him. I used the NQ Runeist Coat the first time, got an ore and upgraded it and now I wear it full-time. The rest was all espial for the magic evasion.

For the fight itself, probably the biggest thing is being able to anticipate his WS's and keeping your shadows going. The two biggest issues are time and survivability, the time more so. You shouldn't have a problem surviving if you can keep shadows up regularly. If he teleports and you don't have shadows, get them back up first before running in. If he's casting a -ga spell or otherwise stripping your last shadow, try to time your Utsusemi to go off just after his spell does; the extra second or so window between that spell and his likely use of a WS is enough time to get them back up. Petrify is the biggest threat to your survival, and from the sounds of it, that's your main issue.

Foil is helpful, but you can't rely on it. I have completely evaded Guillotine twice, but all you'll likely get is saving a shadow or two. Still not a bad use of your MP if you have plenty to spare.
Oh, and try to save your pulses for after you've got shadows back up. I usually toss one out after I get hit by a -ga spell or Meteor, but remember to put up your shadows first.

Yeah, I must be just under-resourced and unlucky then. You pretty much spelled out what I was doing and I've even got Aettir, Twilight Torque, Relic Body on top of that. Barblizz+BarPara is probably a good call if you've seen the para resist, because I've never seen the petri resist with 3x Tellus, Barpetri, and Barstone.

Just a vile elixir probably would have saved either of my first two runs. I think the last one was just a shitshow.

Also my enhancing is still under cap, but I don't see that being a huge factor really. Throwing some effort there too.

Last run, I managed to have shadows going for every Amon Drive and not get petrified once, which was probably part luck. It was definitely my smoothest run simply because of that, despite being on Easy instead of Very Easy. Shadows are everything in this fight, if only because of Amon Drive.

Keep in mind that after he warps, he tends to cast a spell, and then throw out a WS right after. This isn't exact, but it's fairly consistent.

Apparently he gets a free WS whenever he idles, because that's twice now he's popped me with Amon when I try to reraise.

Rabbit Pie and Signet probably made a difference, and I wrecked him down to 4%, then he just starting using Amon whenever he *** pleased, like after every cast even if I didn't even hit him. Definitely has some regain shenanigans because SE is a bunch of ***.

I know his pattern dude, I just don't understand how you get so goddamn lucky. That has to be the only difference now: Luck. Maybe VE locks out some tier-IVs and unintentionally makes him cast more -ga instead or something.

This time it was -ga->Ni->Amon->Ichi->Blaze Spikes and another Amon (which must have landed through two or three shadows) before Ni was even ready (yes, vallation up, floored recast) -> Fire III -> Amon that got me. Raised back up not five seconds later and he Amon'd again instantly. Absolutely stupid.

My only mistake was blowing my nq Vile a bit flippantly, and maybe my +1 a bit prematurely (hey, I was in the orange...)

Not sure that he gets free Weaponskills, may just have really high Store TP. When I solo TT on my BLU and my mule's SCH, he only weaponskills every 3~4 jumps. May also be that he gets a progressively stronger regain as his HP deteriorates.

I think most NMs get a free WS after idling.

Ones with Regain, sure. I've not seen normal NMs open up with WSs though. Coming out of idle may also cause them to have a higher chance of spending their accumulated TP, since I doubt they lose it for going idle.

All of the AA's have Regain, and if their HP is below 25%, they'll WS as soon as they get 100% (as all monsters do). You don't see them WS at the start because they need like 300% TP when their HP is that high. If you were to wait a while before engaging though, you'd see them open with a WS.

Entirely different story when he WSes to kill me, I reraise, and he WSes again. 100 TP in five seconds...

If you need time for Regen/Pulse, you can run out of the arena for a little bit, or at least away from him. Just don't go too far or he'll start getting his health back. Also, keep track of how much time you have.

This and the Blaze Spikes also points out that it's not some actually-effective version of Occult Acumen either, though I'm sure he has that too.

Confirmation that Discoid is Light damage:


Also, it does still take the paint off when I don't get a decent resist, and does about 6k instead of 600. Haven't killed this one as often as I thought.

Nice. Getting a Liement absorb is a really good definitive confirmation of element. Hard to pull off though.

The Grauberg Chariot's Discoid does variable dmg. IIRC, the theory was the DMG was based off of the DMG dealt to the chariot since the last time it used discoid? and possible varies with TP.

Oldwiki says this. "Magical AoE damage dealing half of the the total damage inflicted to it since the last time Discoid"

So, if it uses a few non-discoid TP moves and takes extra dmg before using discoid the base dmg could be a lot higher. So rather than failing to resist, the base dmg could have just been really charged up. Actually, I didn't think there was a resist check on static DMG moves like dicoid. But well, that's just a baseless old assumption of mine

So, now we need to get a Liement absorb like that on an Arrogance Incarnate. <,<;

I consistently took a quarter or less what Aleky (THF) did. 5k vs 23k, etc.

Just attempted the AA Galka on VE without really knowing what to expect. Got him down to 10% before I timed out. Didn't realize he gets unlimited wyverns haha, maybe I'll try it again when I have an Aettir.

I recently soloed the BC for Dosis Tathlum comfortably on Normal. Yet to get the drop but I'll keep chipping away at it.

When you get drawn in at the beginning move your character as close as you can to the boss worm so the other worms around it won't beat you in the back. Then just spam WSs (Resolution), Swipe and Lunge when you have the openings.

I was RUN/whm, cures were a great help as well as erase when you get bound and want to move to the next worm. It's a fairly intense fight until you drop the boss worm. After that it get substantially easier.

Are the little worms sleepable? I'm thinking Shockwave abuse...

Edit: Apparently no. Nothing in my log about them ever waking up anyway.

Yeah the worms can be slept its an old strat that still works..

Highly doubt it in this version. Normally I get a spam of 'xxx is no longer slept.' when spamming Shockwave. Didn't see a single one, and I wouldn't expect all 15 worms to resist a half dozen times each.

Fought the AA Mithra on very easy, turned out to be even simpler than the Taru. Her regular hits are surprisingly weak, and her only strong WS is Rampage. The tiger is kind of annoying though, remedies were necessary. I messed up late in the fight, and switched to Tellus at the 25% mark, figuring she either did Charm when I wasn't paying attention, or just wasn't going to use it. Ended up getting charmed around 15% and she regen'd all the way up to 75%. Still finished at 20 minutes in, which is what I usually take to do a whole VE Taru. It seems her only real protection is her evasion, which on VE, isn't all that much when you have a 119 weapon.

According to the Beastmaster VS. AA thread, they can drop their gear on VE, despite the terrible drop rate. Mithra should be ok to tackle on Easy, I think. I wanna tackle the Elvaan next, though I don't expect to win, I can maybe experiment with Arrogance Incarnate.

While I have a clean strat BST strat on VE Mithra, I think I'll give RUN a shot.

You were /NIN?

Yep, and to play it safe, I wore a little bit of accuracy gear (Buremte Gloves, Evasionist's Cape, and Honed Tathlum). Surprisingly, her accuracy is not that great, and she seems to WS not as much as the Taru does. Just remember to keep Tenebrae going until you see Charm go off, then switch to Tellus. Barblizzard/paralyze might help resist Roar, but I never once managed to resist it (though I don't think I had them on). If she's below 25% and hasn't Charmed yet, Barthunder should keep you safe. I never saw a Cloudsplitter do more than 70 damage, and most did 0.

I yolo'ed her /SAM and got to 35% in less than ten minutes and then... I kinda forget what happened. I didn't notice Seigan fell off or something, and she got super lucky with a full damage havoc spiral followed by a double attack, both crits, from her tiger. I think I took less damage leaving the mandy up. Might even be safer to just WS the pet dead whenever she pulls one and melee her down, lol.

Don't uh... underestimate Hume. He doesn't have those accuracy problems or weak hits. Three crit round for 250-300 each followed by a 1600 Swift Blade.

You might be right about that Mandy, and also the only WS it uses that messes you up is the sleep (which you can either have a Frenzy Sallet/Poison Potion or just take the hit). I ignored the pet when I realized she was just going to keep resummon them, though it is worth nothing that she takes a little longer to resummon than the Galka does, and she has to go through a summoning animation, during which she can't do anything else.

The Hume is seriously crazy.