User:Aspectacle/FoW Spider Farmer

This is PvE specific purpose build to help figure out a formatting template for different build types. It isn't meant to be a complete description of the build and what's here is based on my personal variant of the build.

See also;
 * User:Aspectacle/Minion Master a PvE/PvP build

name = FoW Spider Farmer

type = PvE Specific (Farming)

required campaign = Prophecies

The FoW Spider Farmer is a solo farming build designed to get to and kill Armored Cave Spiders in the Fissure of Woe specifically to get Obsidian Shards. It relies on the high armour class of the warrior to ensure the character takes little physical damage from either the Armored Cave Spiders or the Snarling Driftwood also killed along the way. It utilises speed boosts, good knowledge of the area and NPC spawns to avoid damage which the build is unable to handle.

Advantages

 * Takes very little damage from NPCs which do only physical damage
 * Able to use a speed boost to avoid or minimise fatal damage

Disadvantages

 * Very weak to elemental and armour-ignoring damage
 * Success often dependant on spawn points of Ancient Skales
 * Energy can become a problem
 * Not particularly fast, but is the best way to solo farm the area.

Core skills

 * Cyclone Axe
 * Penetrating Blow
 * Executioner's Strike
 * "Watch Yourself!"
 * Physical Resistance
 * Healing Signet
 * Sprint or other movement speed boost

Variants
The Axe attack skills from this build may be substituted with Sword sttack skills, particularly Hundred Blades.

Prophecies Factions Nightfall
 * Cleave is a suggested prophecies elite
 * Dolyak Signet can be used to replace Physical Resistance but it is has significantly less utility
 * Endure Pain can be added to provide emergency defense over the damage of Executioner's Strike
 * Penetrating Chop instead of its duplicate Penetrating Blow
 * Triple Chop is a nice elite for this build
 * Signet of Stamina can be added to provide emergency defense over the damage of Executioner's Strike.

Profession
This build is always run as a Warrior primary due to the importance of the high armour to the success of the build. The most common variant is to run a mesmer secondary for Physical Resistance. The build may also be run as a pure warrior build.

Attributes

 * High Axe (with head gear)
 * High Tactics
 * Moderate Strength
 * remainder to inspiration magic

Weapons

 * A zealous Axe, preferably 50% always but not required.
 * While in a stance offhand
 * A long range bow for pulling

Runes

 * Sup Absorbtion rune if possible
 * Sup Vigor if possible
 * it is possible to run multiple health reducing sup runes with this build, but it depends on user experience.

armour

 * Gladiator's for extra energy or Knight's for damage reduction.

The farming run
Keep Physical Resistance up at all times when taking damage from spiders or driftwood, make sure that you have enough energy to put it up when it runs out. When in a large group of enemies spam cyclone axe (and triple crop) continuously - the zealous weapon will ensure that you will not run out of energy. Use adrenaline skills as soon as they are charged. In smaller groups consider switching to a non-Zealous, non-Elemental damage weapon to aid energy regeneration and use energy attacks relitively infrequently to assist with e-management.

The run has three distinct parts; the initial dash past foes the build can't handle, picking your way through Ancient Scales killing the snarling Driftwood and working your way through the Spiders in the Spider Cave.

The Dash
As you load hit your speed boost and head immediately to the right, sticking fairly close to the wall and avoiding as best you can the Shadow Army groups. Get clear of the dude at the start quickly so that he doesn't end up getting aggro and dying which ends your farming run. Pause and heal if required part way up the small incline, as the groups arrives from the beach direction run through them and hit sprint to get to the hill thingo. Stand behind that and avoid the three groups which start to come from the beach direction. Run to where those groups were coming from, you should see the first group of Driftwood.

The Dance
Kill off the first group of driftwood, move down and get the dryder, taking care to time skill use to avoid damage from Wastrel's Worry. Watch for the Shadow Army groups from behind. Use your speed boost to avoid the Scales to get to safe places to pull and kill the Driftwood through the next area (need a map to show a good route and possible safe spots?). Always keep an eye out for the Scales wandering around. Driftwood in groups greater than 3 display anti-farming behaviour, leaving the group to heal for a time.

Make your way through this area until you reach the waterfall marking the entrance of the cave.

The Deaths
Pull the Dryders without standing too close to the river. kill them off. Trigger the spiders - Wait for them to arrive, and pull them to a position where you can hit as many of them as once as possible. Then run into them and start bashing. It is essential you keep physical resistance up at all times and heal yourself when you start to get to 1/3 to 1/2 health. Make sure you use "Watch Yourself!" prior to using heal sig to counter balance armour lost while using the skill. Work your way back through the cave taking out the dryders and then the spiders which spawn with them.

All campaigns build
Axe 16(12 + 1 + 3) Tactics 10 (9 + 1) Strength 9 (8 + 1) Inspiration Magic ?