From Guild Wars Wiki
The Shadow Nexus is a Challenge Mission where your party must close Torment rifts before a rip between the mortal world and the Realm of Torment is created. Each open rift is guarded by a Margonite Portal Mage, which must be killed in order for the rift to close. Each rift is also guarded by a number of Torment creatures and Margonites, starting with two and increasing as the mission progresses. Each open rift adds one pip to the total rift progress bar. The mission is untimed, but it ends if your party wipes or if the progress bar fills completely. There is no way to actually reduce the rift progress; it can only be slowed by closing rifts. The party receives 1 point for every creature killed, and 10 points for each portal mage killed.
[edit] Mission Information
[edit] Rewards
Each party member has a random chance to obtain a Mysterious Armor Piece whenever a Margonite Portal Mage is killed. Like other armor pieces given in other challenge missions, they do not drop on the ground; they are automatically placed in the player's inventory. These pieces can be used to upgrade the visual appearance of certain hero armor to Mysterious armor. This upgrade is available for Norgu, Goren, General Morgahn, Zenmai, and Olias.
[edit] Tactics
- Use the Mission Map (default hotkey U) to see all the rifts and their current states. Gray rifts are inactive, and have no units there. Red rifts are active and contributing to the rift progress. Use this information to save as much time as possible when moving between rifts.
- Once the party zones in, there is a one minute countdown before the mission begins. Because not all the rifts are visible in the Mission Map to start, use this time to explore to the north and reveal the last three rifts.
- Warriors should bring speed-boosting skills like "Charge!" to save time while moving between rifts.
- The portal magi are powerful air elementalists. Their Invoke Lightning can wreak havoc on groups that are not prepared. There are a few steps teams can take to prevent wipes:
- Bring skills that increase armor against elemental or lightning damage (Mantra of Lightning, Ward Against Elements).
- It is highly recommended for monks to bring a form of damage mitigation, like Protective Spirit or Spirit Bond. Remember to pre-prot.
- Ritualists, like Monks, should bring skills like Shelter to reduce damage taken by Invoke Lightning.
- When engaging portal magi, spread out, so that the mage's Invoke Lightning will only damage one team member.
- Rangers and Mesmers should bring interrupts. Interrupting Invoke Lightning is the best way to prevent damage. Rangers can also bring skills like Broad Head Arrow to keep the mage dazed.
- While only the portal mage needs to be killed to close a rift, it is advisable to kill the surrounding creatures as well, as they will remain when the rift reopens, making it harder than it should be.
- After clearing a rift, move away from it as quickly as possible. This is imperative because often the rift may reopen while you are engaging a nearby rift, which can cause unwanted aggro, usually wiping teams.
- Similarly portals have been known to reopen when a mage has been killed. This can unleash another group upon an ususpecting team and wipe them.
- The portal mage is not in the same group as the creatures guarding it, so if possible, pull the surrounding creatures before engaging the mage.
- The portal mage is a boss, so skills with long recharge times will be available more often. Players should bring Resurrection Signet, as it will always be available.
[edit] Mission NPCs
Torment creatures
Margonites
[edit] Bosses
[edit] Trivia
- Early after Nightfall's release, many players were unable to access this area due to a crash bug that was associated with zoning. It has since been resolved.
28 Blade of Corruption
28 Arm of Insanity
28 Word of Madness
28 Shadow of Fear
28 Herald of Nightmares
28 Rain of Terror
28 Spear of Torment
28 Scythe of Chaos
