The Deep
From Guild Wars Wiki
This is a mission entry. For information on the outpost, see The Deep (outpost).
| The Deep | |
|---|---|
| |
| Campaign | Factions |
| Region | The Jade Sea |
| Type | Elite |
| Party size | 12 |
| Duration | Long |
Locate and defeat Kanaxai.
[edit] Mission information
[edit] Requirements
Access to Cavalon.
[edit] Objectives
[edit] Walkthrough
[edit] Overview
The entire mission area is divided into thirteen different sections, all of them having one or more environment effects active. The environment effects persist until their respective Aspect of Kanaxai in that section is defeated. Obviously, taking down the Aspect of Kanaxai fast and early helps (but don't overdo it). The first and last section do not have Aspects of Kanaxai, while the second section has four. Kanaxai himself is in the last section.
Bear in mind that this mission will take at least 2 hours to complete with a very experienced group, but it is more likely to take around 3-4 hours. The key is to take things slowly and carefully, to prevent being caught off-guard. It is a bad idea to try to rush through this mission as sweeping in certain later sections is required, with large numbers of large hidden mobs.
Due to large mobs, skills that do area damage are very useful and essential to bring (Searing Flames, Meteor Shower, Spiteful Spirit, traps, etc.). Similarly, party-wide protection and healing spells like Aegis, wards, Heal Party, and Light of Deliverance are extremely useful, since they affect twelve party members at once.
Rebirth is required at one point of the mission, as some members of the party must be rebirthed to get them past a locked gate (the alternative takes much longer and significantly more difficult, making it much less preferable). The necromancer energy regeneration of Blood Ritual and Blood is Power is very valuable to monks, since it lets them use Heal Party more often. An enchantment removal skill of some sort is also required for this mission to disable Nightmare Refuge.
[edit] Section 1 (exhaustion)
- Aspect of Exhaustion
- While under this aspect, you suffer from exhaustion every 30 seconds.
This is the arrival room. The party must split into four groups of three. Each group needs to enter through one of four different portals and take out an Aspect of Kanaxai. Plan the grouping and subsequent strategy for the next section before starting the mission; you should not linger in this section for long.
[edit] Section 2 (four separate effects)
- Aspect of Exposure (left portal)
- While under this aspect, you cannot "block" attacks.
- Aspect of Surrender (middle-left portal)
- When under this aspect, whenever you are struck by an attack, you are knocked down.
- Aspect of Death (middle-right portal)
- While under this aspect, you receive 20% less benefit from healing.
- Aspect of Soothing (right portal)
- While under this aspect, it takes you twice as long to gain adrenaline.
In general, Riposte is a good skill against the Aspects of Kanaxai because they only use melee attacks. When an Aspect of Kanaxai is defeated, the exit door out of that small room will open, granting access to the next section, as well as leading to the locked doors of the other small rooms. Large numbers of enemies will stand between each exit, requiring careful pulling, or attempt to run through the mobs. See the next section regarding another method of opening the locked doors.
The room beyond the left portal should have a good protection monk, although powerful healing would still be fine.
Skills like Dolyak Signet, Balanced Stance, and Ward of Stability is very helpful for the middle-left room.
Powerful healing plus strong health regeneration is necessary for the middle-right room.
The room from the rightmost portal will be easier if the primary source damage comes from energy-based attacks and casters.
[edit] Section 3 (health degeneration)
- Aspect of Pain
- While under this aspect, you suffer -2 Health degeneration and suffer from the effects of Deep Wound.
This room is filled with Ripper Carps, Scourge Mantas, Blessed Mantas and Darkened Irukandji. The party should watch out for the Irukandji's Restoration spirits, since they can resurrect. They patrol in several groups with tight patrols. A bad pull will result in a huge aggro. Party-wide healing skills like Heal Party and Recuperation are very useful here.
The groups that managed to kill their Aspect of Kanaxai and entered this section could attempt to clear out this section. Once the Kanaxai Aspect of Pain here is killed, any doors to the previous rooms that are still locked will be unlocked, allowing the rest of the party to go in and help the remaining groups that were unable to break out. Regroup and recuperate before proceeding to the next section.
[edit] Section 4 (slowed movement)
- Aspect of Lethargy
- While under this aspect, you move 50% slower.
This room is filled with different kinds of Leviathan Fish. The party tanks can form a wall on the left side and pull the first group. Block the Leviathan Arms and take out the Leviathan Minds and Leviathan Heads first. Repeat this with the center group and the right group as well. Casters should be wary of Choking Gas used by the Leviathan Heads. Warriors with "Charge!" or Sprint can counteract the environment effect. Once the mobs are cleared, the party can take out the Kanaxai Aspect of Lethargy.
After clearing this section, look around for square, wooden boards spread out close to the next gate (which leads to the next section). If there is one character standing on each of them, the gate will open. The moment any of those standing on the boards step off, the gate will close. It closes too fast for the these characters to run through. As such, these five characters must be left behind as the other seven head into the next section.
It is very important to note the following: immediately after the seven has gone through the gate, the remaining five must quickly run up to the gate and stand right next to it. This is because once the seven reaches a certain point past the gate (usually after clearing two groups of Outcasts), a very large mob of Sapping Nightmares and Freezing Nightmares will spawn in the corners of this section and head towards the gate. The five characters left behind will almost certainly die. Since they will all die by the gate, it is easy for the seven beyond the gate to use Rebirth and bring the dead ones across. Recall will save you from dying if you are an assassin.
Note that it is possible to kill all the spawned nightmares, since the seven can come back to the gate and support the five. Killing all the nightmares will open the gate permanently. This is mostly considered pointless by many, since the sheer number of enemies in this mission and their high levels will easily remove the death penalty incurred.
[edit] Section 5 (energy loss)
- Aspect of Depletion
- While under this aspect, every 30 seconds, you lose 10 Energy and take 8 points of damage for every point of Energy lost this way.
There are quite a few Outcast mobs in this section. As mentioned in the previous section, the first two or three groups would have been taken out already. Careful use and management of energy is very important here, especially for monks. When engaging these Outcasts, casters should watch out for Maelstrom. Also, avoid standing near corpses if possible, since Outcast Deathhands has the skill Putrid Explosion.
When Kanaxai Aspect of Depletion can be reached, pull it away from the remaining three or so mobs and take it down. Then proceed to clear the rest of the mobs to clear this section.
[edit] Section 6 (no spells)
- Aspect of Failure
- While under this aspect, all of your spells fail.
This section renders casters almost useless. The key to clearing this section is to stay outside of it. Tanks in the party need to set up a wall at the gate into the section. Any trappers should stay behind them and trap the gate area. Casters should stay behind the walls on both sides.
Designate one of the tanks to go in and pull the mobs to the gate. Since Outcast Reavers use "Charge!", they are easy to pull. Block them at the gate and take them down. Repeat this for all the mobs that can be pulled (leaving some Outcast Raiders and the Kanaxai Aspect of Failure).
At this point, the party can actually choose to ignore this Aspect of Kanaxai and head into the next section (killing it is not required). This usually depends on whether a chest has spawned amongst the Outcast Raiders on the higher platforms. If there is one, the party would need to run into the area and past the enemies to right before the stairways down. There is a corner there where the environment effect is not active, allowing casters to function normally. Pull the Aspect Kanaxai down to that area and kill it. The remaining Raiders are easily killed once the environment effect is lifted.
[edit] Section 7 (no enchantments)
- Aspect of Shadows
- While under this aspect, you cannot use enchantments or be targeted by enchantments.
Sweeping this section is absolutely essential. There are many Oni of the Deep popups here. Due to the environment effect, strong healing skills are essential.
The central area of this section has the Leviathan seemingly trapped in jade. As the party closes in, it breaks free and starts attacking. Ignore both the Leviathan and the surrounding Reborn Irukandji and their Disenchantment spirits. These Irukandji respawn quickly and indefinitely when killed. There is another groups of Oni popups that lie just past the Leviathan. Before engaging that group, make sure to stay outside the range of the Leviathan's attacks as the combined damage easily overwhelms the healing capabilities of monks in the party (as no enchantments are possible).
The Kanaxai Aspect of Shadows stands past the previous group of Oni. Killing it will ease the difficulty of this section. Killing the Leviathan is now possible (although there's really no reason to). There is one more large group of Oni before the next set of stairway down.
At the top of that stairway, there is a single Reborn Irukandji. Do not kill it (or if it is dead, wait for it to respawn before continuing). This Irukdanji makes the next section easier.
[edit] Section 8 (teleport and knockdown)
- Scorpion Aspect
- While under this aspect, every 30 seconds, you are teleported to the nearest foe and knocked down.
The sudden teleport makes this section one of more difficult sections in the Deep, due to the confusion it causes. The environment effect here is the sole reason to keep the Irukandji at the top of the stairs alive. Since the effect teleports a character to the nearest foe, by staying nearer to the Irukandji than the mobs below, party members will not suddenly find themselves in the midst of a large mob. Party-wide healing are again very important here.
Bug.The first part of this section should be cleared with most of the party at the top of the stairs. One puller needs to sweep the bottom of the stairs for hidden groups of Oni of the Deep. There are several groups, with some spawning some distance from the stairs. The party must be patient and wait at the top of stairs and take the Oni down as they come.
Once it appears that no more Oni are charging in, pull and take out the nearest patrol of Outcasts, and then another patrol to the right of that first group. The path is now clear to a flight of stairs to the right. The whole party should run and hide here. From there, another patrol can be pulled and taken out. In general, every party member must anticipate the teleport and be ready to regroup with the rest of the party when it happens.
Next, hug the right wall and engage another group of Outcasts that stands before the Kanaxai Aspect of Scorpions. Once that Aspect of Kanaxai is taken out, there should be about groups of Outcasts left, which the party can either ignore or easily take out.
When fighting the Aspect of Kanaxai, healers must be very watchful as the effect will pull everyone to it. With powerful melee damage and Demonic Agility, it can kill a party member (especially casters) very quickly while they are still recovering from the knockdown. Party-wide protection spells like Aegis, Shelter, and Displacement are very useful.
[edit] Section 9 (damage while moving)
- Aspect of Fear
- While under this aspect, you move 10% faster. You take 25 damage each second you are moving.
Monks need to be watchful of party health and use skills like Heal Party often.
Upon entering, it will appear empty. Do not enter the corridor and turn the corner before regrouping. Make sure the whole party is together, and as one, run into the corridor and turn the corner, and keep running. Large mobs of Oni of the Deep and nightmares will spawn behind the party and start to chase them. The best counter strategy is to keep running until the party reaches a sharp corner. Casters must bunch up into that corner and tanks need to body block and protect the casters. If the body block is set up correctly, traps and AoE damage will take the enemies down easily.
Once the pursuing mobs are killed, the party can go back to proceeding slowly. Along the way, there will be three long bridges spanning gaps. At the end of each bridge, there is a Thorn Flower and several groups of Oni popups. By this point, the party should already be reacting naturally, with tanks taking up body blocking positions and casters taking enemies down from behind.
The Kanaxai Aspect of Fear stands at the end of the last bridge. It is up to the party whether to sweep and pull the Oni first or to pull the Aspect of Kanaxai first.
[edit] Section 10 (energy depletion damage)
- Aspect of Depletion
- While under this aspect, whenever your Energy hits 0, you take 50 damage.
From this section onwards, the scenery will change. The party has progressed through the depths of the Jade Sea and has now entered the caverns deep beneath the sea itself. These dark and misty caves hold some of the most beautiful scenery in the game.
There are a lot of Sapping Nightmares in this section, and they specialize in draining energy. Be extra careful of their Chaos Storm and use skills like Blood Ritual or Blood is Power to counteract energy loss. Fortunately, they are quite easy to take out with proper tanking and caster damage from outside aggro.
Killing the Kanaxai Aspect of Depletion is not necessary, as the party can just hug one side of this section and go past it.
[edit] Section 11 (conditional health degeneration)
- Aspect of Decay
- While under this aspect, if you are Poisoned or Bleeding, you suffer an additional -4 Health degeneration.
This section is a circular cavern with a path circling up to a central mound. The Kanaxai Aspect of Decay stands atop that mound. The path around the mound is full of flowers that inflict bleeding and poison on party members. Careful sweeping is also required, as there are hidden groups of Oni scattered from the entrance until the exit. The flowers can be "deactivated" by clicking on them.
The better strategy is to avoid the central area altogether and ignore the Aspect of Kanaxai (again, not required to kill it). The exit is to the left, as such, tanks should sweep and pull mobs from the left side of the cavern. When sweeping, pulling, and engaging mobs, make sure that battles do not occur within range of any flowers.
[edit] Section 12 (damage unless skill used)
- Aspect of Torment
- While under this aspect, you take 50 damage every 3 seconds if you don't use a skill.
This section has an environment effect similar to Wastrel's Worry. The long and winding path hide many hidden Oni and nightmare groups. The same strategy as before applies to tanking them. At the end of the path waits the Kanaxai Aspect of Torment, accompanied by a group of Outcasts (though it can be pulled separately).
[edit] Section 13 (heavy health degeneration)
- Nightmare Aspect
- While under this aspect, you suffer -8 Health degeneration.
This is the final section. Kanaxai can be found standing in here seemingly alone. The constant -8 health degeneration makes it imperative that some form of party-wide healing is available. Note that this environment effect does not go away even after Kanaxai is killed.
Kanaxai is no pushover. He hits very hard and very fast. Each successful hit also knocks his target down. He also uses an enchantment called Nightmare Refuge (1-second cast time, 10-second recharge), which makes all spells and attacks that target him to fail 50% of the time. In addition, that enchantment also heals him for 1,000 health if it is not removed within 10 seconds (before it expires). And finally, like the Aspects of Kanaxai, he stops taking damage at 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20% of his maximum health. To resume normal damage, a knockdown is necessary (although life stealing skills continue to function). The difference between Kanaxai and his aspects are that each of Kanaxai's knockdown will spawn a mob of eight creatures:
- Sapping Nightmares (above 80% of maximum health)
- Freezing Nightmares (between 60% and 80% of maximum health)
- Oni of the Deep (between 40% and 60% of maximum health)
- Random mixture of the above (below 40% of maximum health)
Skills like Spinal Shivers (or Shivers of Dread) can prevent Kanaxai from using his enchantment. Even better would be Revealed Enchantment or Inspired Enchantment to remove it. Since it is a monster skill, the removal skill is immediately recharged.
A conventional strategy is to body-block Kanaxai and trap all around him and around all monks when he is knocked down. With sufficient traps, the spawned creatures will fall quickly.
An alternate strategy exploits the fact that Kanaxai can have a maximum of 24 creatures (3 spawns) spawned at any one time. The idea is to trigger the spawns away from Kanaxai's default spot. The steps are as follows:
- Pull Kanaxai to one side of the cavern. Note that it is very difficult to pull Kanaxai. A well-protected caster is a better Kanaxai puller than a tank. Let Kanaxai attack the caster and have the caster pull back slowly in staggered steps.
- With Kanaxai near one side of the cavern, body-block Kanaxai and knock him down 3 times in succession, causing 24 creatures to spawn. The moment they spawn, the whole party must run back to the previous section. Do not kill any of the spawns.
- When the party escapes back to the previous section, Kanaxai will return to his original spot in the cavern, and the spawns will home at the location where they spawned.
- After recuperating, the entire party should head back in and head to the opposite side of the cavern (away from the spawns). Pull Kanaxai to that side, and body-block him to prevent him from running. Now the whole party should give everything they've got to take him down. Remember to have one party member tasked to constantly remove Kanaxai's enchantment.
Variations from the above do exist, such as a tank to pull and run around maintaining aggro of all the spawned creatures while the rest party takes down Kanaxai. The assassin skill Recall allows that tank to quickly escape from the mob.
[edit] Creatures
30 Kanaxai
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Death
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Decay
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Depletion
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Exposure
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Failure
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Fear
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Lethargy
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Pain
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Scorpions
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Shadows
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Soothing
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Surrender
- 28 Kanaxai Aspect of Torment
24 Oni of the Deep
24 Blessed Manta
- 24 Scourge Manta
- 28 Ripper Carp
24 Reborn Irukandji
- 28 Darkened Irukandji
- 28 The Leviathan
28 Leviathan Arm
28 Leviathan Head
28 Leviathan Mind
[edit] Notes
- Zodiac weapons can only be found in the Deep and Urgoz's Warren (elite mission in the Echovald Forest).
- There are no henchmen available for this mission. Heroes however are allowed.
- You Move Like a Dwarf is a very useful skill, as it can be spammed to knockdown and more easily kill Kanaxai and his aspects.
| Missions in the Jade Sea |
|---|
| Boreas Seabed • Gyala Hatchery • The Aurios Mines • The Deep • The Jade Quarry • Unwaking Waters • Zos Shivros Channel |
| Towns and outposts • Explorable areas • Landmarks |
