User:Ravious/HardModeSuggestions/CrystalDesert

Desert Griffon
[W26, "I Will Survive!", Berserker Stance, Final Thrust, Healing Signet ] [W26, Berserker Stance, Galrath Slash, Savage Slash, Final Thrust, Rush, "I Will Survive!", Healing Signet, Griffon's Sweep ] Notes: Just fleshed them out a bit more. Having Berserker Stance with only Final Thrust is kind of a waste, and so I added Galrath Slash and Rush to utilize the Adrenaline gain a little more. Griffon's Sweep will help a little against blocking.

Dune Burrower
[Ranger, CHECK IN HM, Healing Spring, Hunter's Shot, Precision Shot, Serpent's Quickness ]

Hydra
[E26, Fireball, Inferno, Meteor, Phoenix ] [E26, Glyph of Renewal, Inferno, Fire Attunement, Glyph of Elemental Power, Fireball, Meteor, Phoenix, Flame Burst ]  Note: The fire king of the Crystal Desert. Everyone remembers their nasty meteors, but I was most afraid of their Inferno usage. If I could pick at the Hydra AI, I would have it start off with the usual Meteor, followed by GoR, then two Infernos, all while under Fire Attunement. If I could do even more with the AI, I would have them each choose different targets for Meteor, then each 2 would run up to a separate target and unload Inferno.

Minotaurs
[W26, Endure Pain, Healing Signet, Mighty Blow, Wary Stance ] [W26, Mighty Blow, Irresistible Blow, Bull's Strike, Endure Pain, Healing Signet, Wary Stance, Defy Pain, Wild Blow ] Notes: The Minotaurs are the tanks of the Crystal Desert, and their species pretty much holds the spot for beatstick enemies. Their attacks are not about knockdown so much as just a severe beating and making sure there is no dancing ranger in front of it. Coupled with the two Health increasing skills should also make them more challenging and test the survivability of the party.

Rockshot Devourer
[Ranger, Level 26, Distracting Shot, Dust Trap, Flame Trap, Barrage ]

Salving Cactus
[Monk, CHECK IN HM, Healing Seed, Holy Wrath, Orison of Healing ]

Sand Drake
[E26, Earth Attunement, Aftershock, Earthquake, Ward Against Melee, Stoning ] [E26, Earth Attunement, Ward Against Foes, Glyph of Energy, Earthquake, Aftershock, Armor of Earth, Ward Against Melee, Stoning ] Note: Where Hydras are king of fire in the Crystal Desert, the Sand Drake's are the kings of earth. I would edit their AI to run up to a group, use Ward Against Foes, followed by an Earthquake and Aftershock. Ward Against Melee and Armor of Earth should slow down their demise. I don't expect these to be too hard considering their mob placement, but compared to the slow, kind of boring creature they were before, I think this is a vast improvement. Ward Against Foes could produce a lot of fun trying to run away from these things.

Sand Elementals
[Elementalist, CHECK IN HM, Aftershock, Eruption, Shock ]

Sand Giant
[Necromancer, CHECK IN HM, Giant Stomp, Plague Touch, Signet of Agony, Vile Touch, Vampiric Touch ]

Sand Wurm
[No Skills to Redo]

Storm Kin
[Me26, Clumsiness, Conjure Phantasm, Power Drain, Shame, Soothing Images ] [Me26 Clumsiness, Conjure Phantasm, Power Drain, Shame, Soothing Images, Ineptitude, Arcane Conundrum, Imagined Burden ] Note: I remember absolutely hating or loving the Storm Kin. It seemed like either I could rip through them like butter, or they would make sure my party and I were worthless. I added Ineptitude for a little more melee control and damage, and Arcane Conundrum to harry casters while Power Drain is recharging.

Jade Scarab
[N26, Chilblains, Parasitic Bond, Plague Touch, Vile Touch, Feast of Corruption ]

Marrow Scarab
[N26, Plague Touch, Vampiric Touch, Virulence, Well of the Profane ]

Rock-Eater Scarab
[W26, CHECK IN HM, Penetrating Blow, Wild Blow ]

Scarab Nest Builder
[R26, Barbed Trap, Distracting Shot, Dust Trap, Flame Trap ]

Enchanted Bow
[R26, Concussion Shot, Marksman's Wager, Penetrating Attack, Throw Dirt, Debilitating Shot ] [R26, Concussion Shot, Marksman's Wager, Precision Shot, Throw Dirt, Penetrating Attack, Debilitating Shot, Lightning Reflexes, Resurrection Signet ] Note: These things were already pretty much okay. Added Lightning Reflexes to add another defense on Throw Dirt, and I added Precision Shot to work with the Wager. Concussion Shot+Marksman's Wager should be this creature's pony.

Enchanted Hammer
[W26, Counter Blow, Defensive Stance, Heavy Blow, Staggering Blow, Backbreaker ] [W26, "For Great Justice!", Counter Blow, Backbreaker, Defensive Stance, Heavy Blow, Staggering Blow, Belly Smash Resurrection Signet ] Note: Enchanted Hammers already have 6 skills in HM, so I just added FGJ! to give them more adrenaline right away, and RezSigs as all Enchanted will have.

Enchanted Sword
[W26, Endure Pain, Hamstring, Thrill of Victory, Warrior's Endurance, Riposte ] [W26, Endure Pain, Hamstring, Wild Blow, Thrill of Victory, Warrior's Endurance, Riposte, Power Attack, Resurrection Signet ] Note: Might as well utilize Warrior's Endurance, and did so by adding Wild Blow (only Adrenaline skil is Riposte, anyway), and Power Attack.

Losaru Bladehand
[W26, Riposte, Seeking Blade, Shield Stance, Sprint, Flourish ] [W26, Riposte, Deadly Riposte, Seeking Blade, Power Attack, Shield Stance, Sprint, Shield Bash, Flourish ] Note: Okay, this is horrible creature design for Hard Mode. Adding Flourish does nothing when the only attack skill that recharges is Seeking Blade at a 4 sec. recharge. So, I added Deadly Riposte, Power Attack, and Shield Bash to make Flourish worthwhile.

Losaru Bowmaster
[R26, Read the Wind, Storm Chaser, Hunter's Shot, Concussion Shot ] [R26, Read the Wind, Hunter's Shot, Crippling Shot, Distracting Shot, Concussion Shot, Troll Unguent, Throw Dirt, Storm Chaser ] Note: Not much to add. The AI should watch for moving players and target them with Hunter's Shot. Their AI should want to spread chaos. Throw dirt on nearby melees. Crippling Shot anybody. Concussiont Shot and Distracting Shot casters.

Losaru Lifeband
[Mo26, Heal Other, Protective Spirit, Reversal of Fortune, Shield of Deflection ] [Mo26, Pacifism, Vigorous Spirit, Protective Spirit, Reversal of Fortune, Heal Other, Remove Hex, Shield of Deflection, Vengeance ] Note: Shield of Deflection is a hard skill to want to use with just the Monk profession. It is very expensive and very short lived. I just basically tried to round out the Lifeband as well as I could, and I think Vengeance should make things a little more interesting in Losaru fights.

Losaru Windcaster
[Me26, Backfire, Chaos Storm, Diversion, Mantra of Lightning, Panic ] [Me26, Arcane Echo, Chaos Storm, Leech Signet, Power Leak, Diversion, Mantra of Lightning, Panic, Backfire ] Note: The main thing is to keep the casters moving. Two Chaos Storms for each Windcaster should do this decently, coupled with a Power Leak. Leech Signet should help with the energy problems a little.

Forgotten Arcanist
[CHECK IN HM, Earthquake, Ether Renewal, Kinetic Armor, Stoning ]

Forgotten Avenger
[CHECK IN HM, Concussion Shot, Marksman's Wager, Penetrating Attack, Throw Dirt ]

Forgotten Champion
[CHECK IN HM, Endure Pain, Hamstring, Thrill of Victory, Warrior's Endurance ]

Forgotten Cursebearer
[CHECK IN HM, Consume Corpse, Deathly Chill, Order of the Vampire ]

Forgotten Illusionist
[CHECK IN HM, Chaos Storm, Energy Burn, Ethereal Burden, Mantra of Recovery, Power Drain ]

Forgotten Sage
[CHECK IN HM, Aegis, Orison of Healing, Vigorous Spirit, Word of Healing, Restore Life