The Battle for Lion's Arch

Requirements

 * You must have completed the Mustering a Response quest

Objectives

 * Speak with Bartholos in Lion's Arch Keep to assist with defending the city.
 * Order Firstwatch Sergio to open the front gates.
 * Defend Lion's Arch from the White Mantle onslaught pouring into the city.
 * Kill High Inquisitor Toriimo and his men.
 * Kill Confessor Isaiah and his followers.
 * Kill Lucent the Spectral.
 * Kill Oizys the Miserable and the two Cairns.
 * Kill Ambrillus the Guardian and Talios the Resplendent.
 * Defend Princess Salma with your life. Her death is your defeat.

Reward

 * 30,000 Experience
 * 5,000 Gold
 * 5 Royal Gifts
 * 3 Medals of Honor

Walkthrough
Enter Lion's Arch Keep and talk to Bartholos to be transported into a new instance and begin the quest.

Don't worry about hurrying upon entering - the front gate won't open until you speak with Firstwatch Sergio. This gives you time to organize and prepare by familiarising yourself with the surroundings. This mission is about defending, so keep that in mind when planning your strategy. If Princess Salma dies at any point, you will fail the mission.

Phase One
Once someone has spoken to Firstwatch Sergio, White Mantle groups will begin to enter through the front gate. All enemy mobs will travel down a set path from the front gate making their way towards Salma. This will not change throughout the mission.


 * High Inquisitor Toriimo

The first few groups will be made up of White Mantle only, beginning with a mix of martial classes. After a number of waves, High Inquisitor Toriimo will launch his attack, reinforced by spellcaster groups.


 * Confessor Isaiah

After a couple more waves, Confessor Isaiah will attack with mainly ranged classes and a Jade Construct (the only foe in the first phase that can cast Spectral Agony).

Phase Two
Once you have taken out the two human leaders of the White Mantle, fewer humans will attack and Jade constructs begin attacking. At some point during this phase, Zinn and Blimm will activate their secret weapon which gives all allies in Lion's Arch (including spirits and minions) Spectral Infusion, a special shield that protects them from Spectral Agony and reflects back some damage. This shield lasts for a set duration and will not affect allies created after it is initially used.

Lucent the Spectral

Jade Armors and Jade Bows will begin to replace the White Mantle mobs until only Jade constructs spawn. A Perfected Armor and Perfected Cloak will spawn in different waves until Lucent the Spectral's wave.

Oizys the Miserable and the two Cairns

Jade Cloaks will begin to spawn in addition to the Armors and the Bows. After a couple waves Oizys the Miserable and the two Bow constructs, Cairn the Malignant and Cairn the Vengeful, will spawn.

Ambrillus the Guardian and Talios the Resplendent

A few more waves will spawn, with the second to the last consisting of mainly Jade Cloaks and a Perfected Aegis. The final wave will include Ambrillus the Guardian, Talios the Resplendent, six Jade Cloaks, four Jade Armors, and four Jade Bows. Once they are defeated, a one minute timer will begin before the entire party is transported to a post-battle Lion's Arch.

Tips

 * General concepts
 * The quest will not end if your party wipes: you'll simply respawn next to Princess Salma. All you need to do is make sure she survives.


 * Party composition
 * The design of Lion's Arch lends itself well to Rangers in particular. With a flatbow or longbow, Rangers will be able to do large amounts of damage before mobs even reach the first staircase if they position themselves on the bluffs along the White Mantle routes.
 * Minion masters are incredibly useful due to the large amount of fleshy enemies. Even though the second half has mostly Jade constructs for enemies, the allied NPCs (which die faster at that point) still provide exploitable corpses.
 * Tanks can hold the incoming mobs on the staircase, forcing them to ball up, which maximizes the effectiveness of AoE skills, especially with other team members applying defensive skills (see below).
 * Bonders can be of great use to your party.
 * Minion and spirit walls are effective at blocking incoming mobs.
 * Combine walls and/or tanks with snares, slowing down the enemy and getting to focus on the renewable defenses (walls) or well-armored ones (tanks).
 * e.g. Grasping Earth, Ward Against Foes, or Tryptophan Signet, or "Save Yourselves!".


 * Skill ideas
 * AoE skills like Panic, Spiteful Spirit, Ancestor's Rage, and Barrage with Splinter Weapon are very useful due to the large mobs players will face.
 * Defensive skills which limit damage taken are especially helpful to tanks,
 * Defy Pain, Dolyak Signet
 * Avatar of Balthazar
 * Weapon spells: Resilient Weapon, Weapon of Shadow, and Weapon of Warding are especially powerful because they cannot be removed.
 * Armor of Unfeeling helps to maintain spirit walls.
 * Since you remain stationary for long periods of times, ward spells are useful for protecting and buffing your allies.
 * Traps are very effective at the choke points, notably the main gate and the staircases. Using Trapper's Focus enables you to plant traps before and during combat.
 * Bosses have Natural Resistance and are therefore susceptible to hexes with an effect on end, e.g. Wastrel's Worry.

Allies
Humans
 * 20 (20) Deep Root
 * 20 (20) Dian Fermati
 * 20 (20) Bartholos
 * 20 (20) Gavin
 * 20 (20) Firstwatch Sergio
 * 20 (20) Gareth Quickblade
 * 15 (20) Lionguard x8
 * 20 (20) Shining Blade Warrior x2
 * 20 (20) Snakebite
 * 20 (20) Sorim
 * 20 (20) Watchman Arad
 * 20 (20) Master Scout Braden
 * 20 (20) Master Scout Shelby
 * 20 (20) Ralph Bronwell
 * 20 (20) Saphir
 * 20 (20) Scout Melthoran
 * 20 (20) Shining Blade Ranger x10
 * 20 (20) Mary Farson
 * 20 (20) Princess Salma
 * 20 (20) Livia
 * 20 (20) Nola Sheppard
 * 20 (20) Dinas
 * 20 (20) Koro Sagewind
 * 20 (20) Councilor Vaylor
 * 20 (20) John Bronwell
 * 20 (20) Lawrence Crafton
 * 20 (20) Shining Blade Elementalist x5
 * 20 (20) Rigo Bolan
 * 20 (20) Alari Doubleblade
 * 20 (20) Magi Malaquire

Asura
 * 20 (20) Blimm
 * 20 (20) Zinn

Foes
Humans (White Mantle)
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Knight
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Zealot
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Scout
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Seeker
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Abbot
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Priest
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Fanatic
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Ritualist
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Sycophant
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Adherent
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Savant
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Enforcer
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Ritualist
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Champion
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Zealot
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Devotee

Jade constructs
 * 24 (26) Jade Armor
 * 24 (26) Jade Bow
 * 24 (26) Jade Cloak

Bosses
Humans
 * Confessor Isaiah &rarr; Incendiary Arrows and Expert's Dexterity
 * High Inquisitor Toriimo &rarr; Eviscerate

Jade constructs
 * Perfected Armor &rarr; Devastating Hammer
 * Cairn the Malignant &rarr; Magebane Shot
 * Cairn the Vengeful &rarr; Prepared Shot
 * Perfected Cloak &rarr; Oath Shot
 * Perfected Aegis &rarr; Ward Against Harm

Mursaat
 * Ambrillus the Guardian &rarr; Glimmer of Light
 * Lucent the Spectral &rarr; Crippling Anguish
 * Oizys the Miserable &rarr; Corrupt Enchantment
 * Talios the Resplendent &rarr; Thunderclap

Initial dialogue

 * Princess Salma
 * ''"The White Mantle army is teeming around us. Rather than waiting until they break down the gates, we will strike first. If it all comes down to one fight, it's going to be on MY terms. Come midnight, we open the gates to draw them in, and then funnel them through that glorious choke point while our archers rain down the fury of the Krytan people upon their heads. Wave after wave, they shall feel the sting of our arrows. And when the Mursaat run out of fools to send, they will personally enter battle and our moment to end this will be nigh.
 * Bartholos is organizing the defense. Speak with him to help fortify both the city and the people for battle. That is, assuming you do intend to help?"

Intermediate dialogue

 * When loaded:
 * : "The city defenses are complete, your Highness."
 * Princess Salma: "Excellent. Then we are ready. Order Firstwatch Sergio to open the front gates."


 * When Toriimo appears:
 * High Inquisitor Toriimo: "Your archers are no match for my elementalists!"
 * High Inquisitor Toriimo: "Before this night dies, I will see this city burn to the ground!"


 * When Isaiah appears:
 * Confessor Isaiah: "People of Lion's Arch! Hear me!"
 * Confessor Isaiah: "Unlike the Old Gods who have abandoned you, our gods are with us here today to ensure our victory!"
 * Confessor Isaiah: "Surrender now or face your doom!"


 * After Isaiah's defeat:
 * Blimm: "Now?"
 * Zinn: "No, not yet."
 * Blimm: "How about now?"
 * Zinn: "No! We must wait for maximum impact. We can only do this once and I have no idea how long it will last!"
 * Blimm: "Could have been whole golem. Never enough time. Waste. Waste of core energies."
 * Zinn: "The client demanded adaptability and the client got it."


 * Shortly after Lucent the Spectral's defeat:
 * Zinn: "Now! Bartholos, send in your warriors!"
 * Zinn: "Blimm! NOW!"
 * Blimm: "Now? But you said..."
 * Zinn: "Yes, and now is the time! Activate the core you imbecile!"


 * When Talios appears:
 * Dinas: "That's them! Talios and his pet physician. The Mursaat leaders."
 * Dinas: "Kill them and victory is assured!"

Reward dialogue

 * Princess Salma
 * "Victory is ours!"