Snowball Dominance

Defeat Staci Magicalsen's team in a snowball fight.

Requirements

 * This quest can only be completed during Wintersday.

Objectives

 * Speak to Casey Carpenter to enter the Ebon Vanguard Snowball Spectacular. You may only have two people in your party to enter this event.
 * Defeat the opposing team in icy combat. When your Health reaches 0, you're out of the game!

Reward
Completion of this quest gives access to Jingle Bear and White Jingle Moa.
 * 5,000 Experience
 * 500 Gold
 * 500 Vanguard reputation points
 * 10 Wintersday Gifts
 * 5 Frosty Tonics

Walkthrough
During this quest, all party members will be under the effects of Yuletide and have the Yuletide skill bar. Following the initial dialog, both teams will march forward, drop Ice Forts, then, most likely, your team will be hopelessly slaughtered. To win, remain alive while taking out the survivors of the opposing team.

General tips

 * Kite often; the snowballs have a visible arc and can often be avoided.
 * Use Ice Forts to protect yourself when you cannot step out of the way.
 * Be willing to sacrifice your skills for 10 seconds by using "Mmmm. Snowcone!" &mdash; that is more efficient than losing the battle and starting over.
 * Eliminate the most serious threats first. For example, Roland and Ida are lethal with Flurry of Ice and Icicles respectively.
 * Avoid standing near allies to prevent spreading disease between each other and being damaged by area of effect spells.

Ensuring a win

 * Solo method

The easiest and safest method for defeating the opposing team is to run to the left and park yourself in front of the Eye of the North and to wait out the initial onslaught. Pull opponents away from the main group, so that you can deal with them one-on-one. The following technique is slow (about 30 seconds per combatant), but it is reliable.

Prep a Hidden Rock while waiting, target the first enemy, and launch. Alternate Hidden Rock and Yellow Snow until you can fire a Mega Snowball. Take advantage of your profession specific skill.

Either a hero or henchman will work for this mission, although heroes have an edge because their skills can be micromanaged. Remember to disable Snow Down the Shirt, which otherwise causes them to run to melee range, causing over-aggro.


 * Ritualists carry Jack Frost, which provides you with extra ally.
 * Necromancers can be set in the middle of the opposing team's frontline at the start, causing them to suffer severe degeneration at the outset. Disable Snow Down the Shirt, and manually trigger Holiday Blues then Ice Fort. Foes will waste Ice Forts, preparations, and Snow Cones while standing in degeneration zone. Although your hero will die, the opposing team will be vulnerable, making it easy for your team to shoot them down quickly.


 * Dual method

One member of the team starts in front of the opposing team's leader, Staci Magicalsen. The moment they turn hostile, the person in front of Staci launches an Ice Fort and pauses; resist the temptation to move and, alas, be prepared to die. This causes all enemies to use their own Ice Fort skill and to target the protected player. It also bunches up the enemy, making them vulnerable to a Yellow Snow drop in the center.

A safer method that is less effective is to use a Ritualist to summon a Jack Frost in approximately the same location. This also causes some of the enemy to waste their forts and bunches up a smaller number.

The safest method is to apply the techniques of the solo section (above): wait for the battle to settle down and then pick off one enemy at a time.

Soloing (with heroes)
Remember to set heroes to Fight and disable Snow Down the Shirt.


 * Solo method with Necromancer hero (90 seconds)

Flag the Necromancer hero to the right of Staci Magicarlsen. As soon as the enemies become hostile, use the hero's 6th skill (Holiday Blues) followed quickly by #7 (Ice Fort). This causes almost every foe to ball up around the Necromancer, wasting their own Ice Forts and getting stuck in the degeneration well. As the Ice Fort melts, have the hero use skill 8 ("Mmmm. Snowcone!") to continue tanking. The hero will almost certainly die, but leave your foes nicely bunched up.


 * Give the Necromancer hero a pet by making Ranger their secondary profession. The pet will stick around several seconds longer than the Necromancer, allowing more of the opposition to "ball up" into the Necromancer's kill zone.


 * Since all enemies start by casting Ice Fort, throw Avalanche (if available) and your first snowballs at those which try to cast Snow Down the Shirt, since those lose their enchantment from moving.


 * Some players prefer to start about 5 seconds before the opposition becomes hostile, which makes it easier to turn attention back to the main character. Proceed as above, but have the necro begin casting Holiday Blues after the cue,


 * Solo method with Ranger hero (120 seconds)

Come as a primary or secondary Ranger and bring a pet. Include a Ranger hero and equip both you and the hero with a weapon that includes a +20% to enchanting modification. Before the fight begins, flag the hero next to your team's leader. Enter the aggro range of the opposing leader. When she turns hostile, target her, throw a snowball, and call her as a target. Your pet will charge. Retreat behind your hero and remove the flag. Your pet will die and your skills will be disabled briefly, but the enemies will be bunched up.

Manually spam the Ranger hero's Flurry of Ice. When your skills recharge from the pet death, start fighting as normal. You should clear the enemies with quite a few allies still alive.


 * Other ideas
 * Ranger characters can spam Flurry of Ice to quickly finish things off.
 * Elementalists should use Icicles after the opposing team is grouped together.
 * Monks should stand as far back as possible from the hero, while remaining within spell range. After triggering the Necromancer's skills, cast Ice Breaker on the hero, then quickly retreat. This allows your Necromancer to survive longer, balling up more enemies and knocking down foes that attack him/her.
 * Other professions might have to isolate some targets to complete the quest.
 * Rangers can also take a Ritualist hero. Have them set up a Jack Frost in front of Staci. Then run a little farther back and set up an Ice Fort. Once the group is clumped, spam Flurry of Ice.
 * Some players consider two of the foes to be especially deadly. Target Carlisle Gavenport and Roland first. Once they've been eliminated, attack the others from the farthest distance possible, so that you don't attract aggro. If you do attract aggro, cast "Mmmm. Snowcone!" and run towards the area where outed players go. You have allies there that will attack any enemies chasing you.

Allies
Humans
 * 20 (20) Brett
 * 20 (20) Captain Langmar
 * 20 (20) Jonathan Blunt
 * 20 (20) Micah Fergson
 * 20 (20) Edwin
 * 20 (20) Lieutenant Thackeray
 * 20 (20) Will Brockman
 * 20 (20) Artificer Mullenix (referee, non-combatant)
 * 20 (20) Casey Carpenter
 * 20 (20) Vael
 * 20 (20) Gedrel of Ascalon

Norn
 * 20 (20) Galbraum the Intoxicated
 * 20 (20) Brartak the Glutton
 * 20 (20) Helga the Cub

Foes
Humans
 * 20 (20) Ebon Vanguard Soldier &times; 5
 * 20 (20) Erich
 * 20 (20) Staci Magicalsen
 * 20 (20) Carlisle Gavenport
 * 20 (20) Roland
 * 20 (20) Ebon Vanguard Monk
 * 20 (20) Maryann
 * 20 (20) Ebon Vanguard Necromancer
 * 20 (20) Orwin Radcliff
 * 20 (20) Allyn Brand
 * 20 (20) Amy
 * 20 (20) Ida

Norn
 * 20 (20) Betsa
 * 20 (20) Rodj

Initial dialogue

 * Casey Carpenter
 * "Hey there! Thanks for clearing out the Charr. I'm being recalled to the field, but I'd love to have one last snowball fight before I leave. The folks around here think it would be great if you came outside and joined us. Oh, and bring a friend."

Intermediate dialogue

 * Casey Carpenter
 * "Your entire party will leave this outpost and be taken to the Ebon Vanguard Snowball Spectacular. Are you sure your party is ready to game on? Remember, this is for you and one friend, so make sure your party size is two."


 * Party size greater than two:
 * Casey Carpenter
 * "You may bring only one additional party member with you, either a Hero, henchman, or another player."


 * Entering Ice Cliff Chasms:
 * Micah Fergson: "You're with my team, &laquo;player&raquo;!"
 * Staci Magicalsen: "Oh, not fair! I wanted &laquo;player&raquo; on my team. Boo!"
 * Micah Fergson: "Our team will crush your team, Magicalsen!"
 * Staci Magicalsen: "Your team doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Balthazar's realm, Fergson!"
 * Artificer Mullenix: "Ladies and gentlemen, let's keep this snowball fight cold, icy, and fun! Last team standing wins!"


 * Hero dependent line, if applicable:
 * Acolyte Jin: "The snow is my arrow, my arm the bow."
 * Acolyte Sousuke: "Why cant I just use water magic? It's like snow&hellip; really wet snow, anyway!"
 * Anton: "Strike fast and leave nothing standing&hellip; or dry!"
 * Dunkoro: "Every battle needs a plan. Every snowball needs a trajectory."
 * General Morgahn: "First we feint to the right, then send a barrage over their defenses&hellip;"
 * Goren: "I don't like snowball fights. I can never find my ball after I throw it."
 * Gwen: "Is that your best shot, or are you suffering from delusions of competence?"
 * Hayda: "I like the snow. It's pristine yet driven, like me!"
 * Jora: "I once killed 20 wolves with 18 snowballs. Who's next?"
 * Kahmu: "There is no pain. There is only snow."
 * Koss: "Cower before the might of Koss!" and "Koss!"
 * Livia: "Interesting game. You take the fallen snow and re-animate it to do your bidding. I like it."
 * Margrid the Sly: "I can pack the snow around cannon balls, right?"
 * Master of Whispers: "The secret to the perfect snowball is&hellip; I've said too much!"
 * Melonni: "We tried to have a sandball fight once&hellip; didn't work."
 * M.O.X.: "TAR-GET AC-QUIRED. COM-MEN-CING BOMB-ARD-MENT." and "ER-ROR: FUN DE-TECT-ED."
 * Norgu: "Come closer! I have a snow-liloquy for you!"
 * Ogden Stonehealer: "Watch out! The Great Dwarf has given me the Great Snowball."
 * Olias: "Like the icy hand of Grenth, may this snowball bring you peace."
 * Pyre Fierceshot:"You will all suffer for my required participation today."
 * Razah: "Why must humans always take something without form and fashion a weapon?"
 * Tahlkora: "I have to make my own snowballs? Wheres the fun in that?"
 * Vekk: "Why can't I use my snowball throwing machine again?" and "Golems would make this easier, you know."
 * Xandra: "Concentration is the key to victory. That and hard-packed snow."
 * Zenmai: "Master the snowball&hellip; size, form, arc&hellip; only then can you master yourself."
 * Zhed Shadowhoof: "Just try to knock me off my hooves, two-legs!"


 * On success:
 * Artificer Mullenix: "The team captained by Micah Fergson has won the snowball fight. Congratulations!"
 * Micah Fergson: "We never could have done it without our team's most valuable snowball thrower, &laquo;player&raquo;!"
 * Staci Magicalsen: "Well played. We'll beat you next time!"


 * On failure:
 * Artificer Mullenix: "The team captained by Staci Magicalsen has won the snowball fight. Congratulations!"
 * Staci Magicalsen: "I told you we'd beat you, Fergson! You could stand to learn a bit about snowball fighting from &laquo;player&raquo;!"
 * Micah Fergson: "I demand a rematch! We'll beat you next time for sure!"

Reward dialogue

 * Casey Carpenter
 * "You have truly amazing snowball skills, &laquo;player&raquo;. That was amazing, thanks for joining in! Some folks found these tonics while we were out there and wanted you to have them."

Trivia

 * This quest was introduced in Wintersday 2008.
 * Prior to Wintersday 2010, this quest awarded 10 Candy Cane Shards instead of Wintersday Gifts. Previously, Wintersday Cheer provided access to the Jingle Bear and White Jingle Moa.