RD Base Encounter

[bondct]

Been hitting the RD base and its just sadly pathetically easy... I have a copy of the strategy that Static used to use in order to hit the base. I dont have mob stats, but maybe this guide will help with restructuring the encounter so that it takes longer to complete than it does to fly there... I realize that this is giving away the strat... but that gets posted to the forum anyway as soon as someone figures it out and hell... this wasnt easy to pull off anyway... I also realize that the encounter may have been altered from this in live... but even this setup would be better than it is now... tank and spank the rd base somehow just aint right...

RD Base Strat

Requirements:

4 TEs (3 TEs and 1 TT accepted) without RD faction - they shoot and get the faction hits after the kill.

1 JD with positive RD faction. He doesn't shoot so no sacrifice here.

1 JE with group cloak. RD faction doesn't matter. He doesn't shoot, so if he has it, it won't be lost.

This above is a group. Helpful would be a 7th:

1 TT with as maxed as possible shield/hull repair.

RD Base area:

There's some "critical spots" there:

a. The "safe spot". It is NW from the RD Base, on the N edge of the system. It is conveniently located 10k away from nearest Hellbore turrets, and as far as possible from Kuei.

b. The fire spot #1. It is also NW from both the base and west RD Carrier, and a bit up on the Z-axis. It is at least 8.1 k away from the Hellbore Turret on the W Carrier, and 7.6k away from the W Carrier Landing Bay.

c. The fire spot #2. It is a bit NE from the base and W from the east RD Carrier, up on Z-axis. It is at least 8.1 k away from the Hellbore Turret on the E Carrier, and 7.6k away from the E Carrier Landing Bay. Care must be exercised in regard to W Carrier Hellbore as well.

d. The fire spot #3. It is exactly N from RD Base, with symmetric clearings of more then 8.1k from both E and W Carrier Hellbores.

It would be helpful if fellow guildies that are AFK do leave their RD-friendly characters in fire-spots #1, 2 and 3 to serve as visual references and warp-to points at the first few raids.

Equipment:

- repair equipment on the "7th" TT, if one is available.

- reactor recharge devices (Phoenix??) on the JE

- 2 each "dismantled" level 2 Solar Sails on each hitter (one equipped, 2nd in cargo). Sai'li's Circle Device for both hull damage protection and psi deflects. Ivory Wards. Turbos and stuff. 2 stacks each plasma and explosive ammo for each launcher. 3 each for Spites. Any device that improves *impulse* speed uninstalled. 1 Hellbore ML for the inerent debuff.

Proceedings:

- Group leader outside Chernevog groups the JD.

- JD proceeds to RD Base area, and determines the "safe spot"

- Group leader groups each participant, and JD pulls each in to the "safe spot"

- "7th" repair-shop TT (if available) leaves group, and remains parked at "safe spot"

- JD goes to "fire spot #1". The 4 hitters and the JE remain at "safe spot"

- JE initiates group-cloak.

- JD pulls each of the 4 hitters to "fire spot #1". He does not pull the whole group, as JE must remain in "safe spot".

*- JE IS STILL AT SAFE SPOT* (with "7th TT if any)

- JD warps back to "safe-spot" (or the JE that's there)

- on Group Leader's mark, the hitters start shooting Plasma at W Carrier Landing Bay. RDs around start to aggro, shoot at hitters, and try to menace.

- any hitter that's menaced, swaps the cargo Solar Sail engine in and stops dead in the spot, as to not reach in Hellbore range of 8k.

- as soon as 1st hitter gets down to hull, he is required to stop shooting, and the JD pulls the ENTIRE GROUP back to "safe spot"

- JD warps back to "fire spot #1". In the meantime TT works hulls/shields and JE works reactors.

- JE engages group-cloak

- repeat of the above sequence. 4 77%-turbo TEs with PM ammo take 3 turns to kill a Landing Bay. With one TT as hitter, there's maybe 4 turns.

(during all the ordeal above, the only target that's fired at is the W Carrier Landing Bay)

As soon as W Carrier Landing Bay is down:

- JD goes to "fire spot #2". The 4 hitters and the JE remain at "safe spot"

- JE initiates group-cloak.

- JD pulls each of the 4 hitters to "fire spot #2". He does not pull the whole group, as JE must remain in "safe spot".

*- JE IS STILL AT SAFE SPOT* (with "7th TT if any)

- JD warps back to "safe-spot" (or the JE that's there)

- on Group Leader's mark, the hitters start shooting Plasma at E Carrier Landing Bay. RDs around start to aggro, shoot at hitters, and try to menace.

- any hitter that's menaced, swaps the cargo Solar Sail engine in and stops dead in the spot, as to not reach in Hellbore range of 8k.

- as soon as 1st hitter gets down to hull, he is required to stop shooting, and the JD pulls the ENTIRE GROUP back to "safe spot"

- JD warps back to "fire spot #2". In the meantime TT works hulls/shields and JE works reactors.

- JE engages group-cloak

- repeat of the above sequence.

After both E and W Carrier Landing Bays are down:

- JD goes to "fire spot #3". The 4 hitters and the JE remain at "safe spot"

- THE HITTER GROUP SWITCHES TO EXPLOSIVE AMMO

- JE initiates group-cloak.

- JD pulls each of the 4 hitters to "fire spot #3". He does not pull the whole group, as JE must remain in "safe spot".

*- JE IS STILL AT SAFE SPOT* (with "7th TT if any)

- JD warps back to "safe-spot" (or the JE that's there)

- hitting group fires at RD Ships around. Same engine swapping in case of menace.

- as soon as 1st hitter gets down to hull, he is required to stop shooting, and the JD pulls the ENTIRE GROUP back to "safe spot"

- JD warps back to "fire spot #3". In the meantime TT works hulls/shields and JE works reactors.

- JE engages group-cloak

- repeat of the above sequence as it's farming for more Tac8s.

- JD warps back to "safe-spot"

- at Group Leaders mark, switch back to PLASMA and kill Comm Array, then finish last RD Ships around.

Kuei Station is now left to harvest. Plasma for shield, explosive for hull.

JD and JE go in and loot the kill. JE wormholes everyone out.

- Hit-squad (TEs, shooting TT) will not impulse around. The only actual need for movement is if the JD drops you a bit far from the Carrier Landing Bay, and it's out of your missile range. The 2nd cause of movement is menace, and this will be stoped as fast as possible by switching engines. I actually sit the whole time with cargo and equipment windows open

- Firing and movement discipline is of utmost importance.

- There's a spot for an 8th raider. It's kinda' "sacrificial lamb" position, but it helps alot. It is for a RD-friendly JD equipped with Chimaeras. His task is to stay near the 2 landing bays and repeatedly try to debuff them. He will be insta-killed by the carrier Hellbore right after a successful debuff. He is alone in his task and he pulls back to base so no faction hit is registered.

[Suricata79[IS]]

We've made a few breakthoughs the last week or so with mob AI. The days of soloing raid mobs will soon be at an end....

Right now we still have to work out how we are going to to progressive spawns so we can actually have the raid encounters progress like they used to. The RD base is going to be a fun encounter to work out, since there is so much going on in that fight.

[tbohner]

Avani, your guide is spot on.

As Suri said, we just need to let our code catch up with content.

[seekeronos]

We've made a few breakthoughs the last week or so with mob AI. The days of soloing raid mobs will soon be at an end....

Right now we still have to work out how we are going to to progressive spawns so we can actually have the raid encounters progress like they used to. The RD base is going to be a fun encounter to work out, since there is so much going on in that fight.

A "sensing" question if you will:

Is the goal to make the bosses exactly (or more) difficult than in Live? Or will the difficulty level still be adjusted down to account for differences in playerbase (a few dozen thousands of players, several hundred OL150+ toons) from Live to Emulator (few hundred players, several dozen OL150+ toons) ?

While having the ability to kite Blackbeard's Ghost with one two Terrans is a bit ridiculously easy, requiring a 50-max-level-player raid to take him down would be jumping to the other extreme a bit too fast.

My feeling should be an AI that has GoBB call upon some of those minions of his... and that engaging him means bringing perhaps two full groups with a few spare folks as a "repair shop".

As things stand, GoBB and Controller are pretty much events that you'll not want to bring that fleet of PWs to.

[Suricata79[IS]]

The exact number of players required for each raid has not yet been decided, we have a very versitile mob editor though, so tweaking encounters will be relativly easy. For the time being, I'm setting up the bosses so you should need atleast a full group of players, this is an on going process though, so don't expect all these changes at once. Also there are a few balance issues with some player skills and some items that need ironing out before all of this can be done. Rest assured though, raid bosses will not be soloable for much longer.

[seekeronos]

Does this also presage the return of the Warder and Scooter/Bogeril bosses?

[Jamosite]

I get people want a challenging... but i sense some want it to be increasingly too difficult.

here is my take on this subject, do not make "Classic live" raids harder then they were in live

Make bigger, better , harder epic encounters for new content.

Not everyone has 10-15 hours a day to play the game.

Just a afterthought.

[Jamosite]

Funny . . . this brings back memory's of the Gouz Battle plans on Andromeda . . . I wish i saved the link because this is very similar and posted on there home page.

[seekeronos]

It is kind of interesting to see plans like those.

I remember doing Dynamis (endgame content) in Final Fantasy XI where we had these insanely complicated plans.

Then a guild with 30 BLMs (black mage/ DPS caster class) and 6-group or two of RDM/DRKs (Red Mage/debuff caster) to cast tier III -ga (AOE) elemental spells made short work of all those fancy plans*

*one exception being Dynamis-Xarcabard when fighting Dynamis Lord. You'd need some Paladins rotating through "invincible" (a short-timed, all-aggro-to-me job ability) to hold his hate, and 12 RDMs with DRK (dark knight) subjobs to Chainspell/stun him, then he went down pretty quick.

[Desperada]

On the note of raids, is the fishbowl and controller going to go back to the original tiered methods? Kill some trash, small boss, more trash, slightly less small boss, etc etc and finishing with the big guy. Also curious if the old lure method will be used again for fishbowl or if it will be the current less restrictive method of doing it.

Also on the note of raids, what about the bunyip? We gonna have to start feeding him again sometime?

[Suricata79[IS]]

All the raids in live will be recreated as they used to be (possably with tweaks to take into account the lower server population). Right now we have to work on the coding to do this properly (would rather do it properly that a half baked attempt), but before that, all the mobs in the database are been revamped, this includes having thier skills added, been able to use multiple weapons, having the correct shield and hull values etc...

Realistcially, it is going to be 1-2 months for the mobs and loot database to recieve the full overhaul, once that is done I should imagine we'll be ready to start working properly on the raids, starting with getting the ones currently ingame working properly. I have quite alot of documention already compiled for most of the raids, there is just quite alot of groundwork that needs doing properly first. For now though, you should see some of the raid bosses ingame becoming significantly harder in the coming month as thier stats are brought inline, so you might need to actually assemble a group to kill some of them soon.

[Antoriaset]

I liked it a teensy bit better with 2 JD's that pulled back and forth, obviously with no cloak but still a TT (or 2 for faster action). I set the SS up 100k away well outside the perimeter guns. Was a fun mini raid.

[Desperada]

Not sure if you've got this info suricata, but I figure I may as well post it anyways. Its a full writeup for the Zekes raid mission and what you need to do it.

http://www.rivenport.com/special/zekes_day_o_reckoning.html

Also, I found the specific pop rock mob drop I was trying to remember the other day. http://www.earthandbeyond.ca/itemsmarket/pages/item.php-item_id=3812&tab=Locations-Prices&qual_mode=1&qual=100.htm

Cl50 Dimming Obtenerates from l8 pop rocks, with the brownish crystal titan style model. Trying to remember that thing was bugging me for days.

[bondct]

just wanna add that I am not for insanely hard raids... that was not my point... but first time i was in a rd base grp I see someone looting and I was "wait, it's over?" I would like to see raids available on waaaayyyy much shorter timers so more people can do them and its not a huge pia competition where smaller guilds dont have a shot...

"a raid should be like a skirt, easy enough to be fun, but just hard enough to keep things interesting"

(actually everything should be like a skirt)

+1 to whoevers forum tag that I stole that from

[Desperada]

Heh something else I miss from the old style base raid was the epic feel of the areas. On live it was like going into a heavily fortified blockade. You had incredibly powerful turrets with over 20k range or something ridiculous in a huge defensive shell around the area. You had full carriers with hellbore missiles and command centers on them. There were squadrons of ghost shadow dragons patrolling throughout the area. It really made you feel like you were in the enemies home base and in the center of all their military might.

Can't wait for it all to be implemented again.

Also, is it just me or is Nesshix the Hand missing from the fishbowl?

Edited June 28, 2010 by Desperada

[Suricata79[IS]]

Also, is it just me or is Nesshix the Hand missing from the fishbowl?

Nesshix was missing from the mob database full stop until last week! Currently his loot table is on some of the trash mobs in the fishbowel. Right now I'm focusing on getting the 'popular' mobs sorted out in the database, this means the start area mobs, the popular combat leveling mobs (like the mobs in VT and VG) and the mobs in the endgame sectors, such as in BBW, Cooper and Antares, as well as the mobs in Niff. Once they are done I'll start spreading out from there.

The RD base could do with a tweak with its layout, just got to do these things on step at a time :-)

"a raid should be like a skirt, easy enough to be fun, but just hard enough to keep things interesting"

(actually everything should be like a skirt)

+1 to whoevers forum tag that I stole that from

The correct phrase is, "A good debate should be a like a miniskirt, long enough to cover the subject, yet short enough to retain attention" :-)

And I aggree, making things 'too' hard does not always equate to things been more fun, although it also works the other way around as well, making things easier doesn't always make it more fun either!

[Choco]

It is kind of interesting to see plans like those.

I remember doing Dynamis (endgame content) in Final Fantasy XI where we had these insanely complicated plans.

Then a guild with 30 BLMs (black mage/ DPS caster class) and 6-group or two of RDM/DRKs (Red Mage/debuff caster) to cast tier III -ga (AOE) elemental spells made short work of all those fancy plans*

*one exception being Dynamis-Xarcabard when fighting Dynamis Lord. You'd need some Paladins rotating through "invincible" (a short-timed, all-aggro-to-me job ability) to hold his hate, and 12 RDMs with DRK (dark knight) subjobs to Chainspell/stun him, then he went down pretty quick.

Oh... my... God... Don't even remind me about dynamis lol. Played that game for 4 years, 3 of those years I did dynamis twice a week. I would rather have a rabid squirrel claw my eyes out than go through another of those 3-4 hour snoozefests. It really was stupid though how BLMs were so OP. Boss too tough? No problem, just throw more BLMs at it, while the rest of the classes just watch. Almost just like terrans here though right?

Edited June 28, 2010 by Choco

[siadrinkswater]

unless the tethers on RD base mobs have changed in the past few weeks... you can do it fairly easily with PW/TT/JE... and much easier with a second TT.

that being said... who wants to help me get a Hellbore? I keep getting Singularity Mortars or trash

[Suricata79[IS]]

Just remembered I had a map of the RD base, with the turret, carrier and base co-ordinates on it (think it was from Freedom-fighters)

[lpalgarvio[IS]]

really nice guide here =P