Talk:The Strength of Snow

does not take 25 minutes....

easily completed in about 10 minutes tops

A few things that need to be checked:

• I think this is a solo quest, but I haven't tried entering with another player.
• When Freezie died, I could of sworn I got a morale boost even though he is on my side. It could have just been a coincidence with a grentch boss dying at the same time.

Tedium 00:37, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

It's solo, and at this time you do get a morale boost when any boss dies (this also occurs in the alternate quest in this area).--Warior kronos 02:21, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

I think it meant that it takes 25 minutes if you let the snowmen do all of the fighting in the last part and you don't help at all. Diokana 21:12, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

Anyone know if this and Straight to the Heart is repeatable or not?

This one is, haven't checked Straight to the Heart. Like the other repeatable quests, you just have to re-zone in either Lion's Arch or Kamadan after you get the reward to take it again. Tedium 03:05, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

Does this trick even work, i waited forever, and it just got a place where the snowmen would be killed off before one grench was killed, making it an unwinnable quest when done that way, maybe I landed on a glich or a bum chance, but i think Anet has gotten wise to our tricks.

Draw aggro and run around while dodging. While you have their attention, the snowmen will rez and begin to whittle away at the Grentches. Zephyrus Favonius 06:11, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

I was wondering about the time because it SEEMS to take forever. So with my warrior's run buff and avoiding all fighting except for the first two waves at the end, then waiting out the rest, it took 12 minutes according to /age. Close to 13 cause it said 12 before i picked up shards and did chest and still said 12 as i exited.

Nightfall required?

Since i am not getting the quest option from the Rift Warden in LA, i guess this quest requires Nightfall. Should it be noted out in the article?--Fighterdoken 07:12, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

I heard people saying you need Eye of the North, but I can't confirm. Whatever the requirement is, it should be noted. Tedium 07:37, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

I only have NF and Factions, and these two quests are NOT availible. Silavor 18:23, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure EotN is required. It is availible for my main account, which has all GW installments, but not my secondary, which has all campaigns but not EotN. --84-175 (talk) 18:29, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

EoTN is required considering you get taken to an EoTN Dungeon!--MxBadBoy 00:29, 20 December 2009 (UTC)

Tips?

This quest is extremely hard to do, maybe some tips would be nice from people who have completed this quest? - (Minami Kaori)

Well I found it easy by ignoring the first few fights and run to Freezie. MageMontu 06:55, 24 December 2007 (UTC)

I'm having trouble mostly at the last fight (with Freezie), the Holiday Blues skill is absolutely useless, plus the Grentches always gang up on me even though I'm trying to hide among the snowmen. Wish Anet would have a different unique yuletide skill for Necromancers for PvE. - Minami Kaori, 8:07 CST, 24 December 2007

In the last fight, if you think there will be too much Grentches, step out of aggro range and just let the snowmen lower their numbers a little. The snowmem will ressurect if they die. - Kouadio 08:04, 26 December 2007 (UTC)

The article say "When you reached Freezie and killed the first 2 waves, you can simply go back where you came from and wait out the battle". I prefer running to the door at the end... TulipVorlax 00:06, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

I got killed when went back where I came from. Probably didn't go back far enough. But waiting at the door is doing the trick for me. --Lady Rhonwyn 15:20, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Hard Mode

Because there's a chest at the end, do you get more drops in hard mode? - JoPeTalk 01:42, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

There is no hard mode. --66.190.15.232 01:55, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

Bugs?

Well I was doing this quest and decided to just run past all of the first fights and then help the snowmen at the end for a faster completion and more chests overall and I noticed a group of grentchs attacking a sneaky grentch. The sneaky grentch was the last grentch encountered before you fend off the waves of grentches with the snowmen and it was following me to the snowmen when one of the waves spawned and started attacking the lone grentch. Similar events happened whenever the last grentch before the waves met a wave. I'm just assuming that they made all of the waves allies and all of the other mobs allies but neglected to make sure that the waves and earlier mobs were allies. In an earlier run I also happened upon a grentch that got stuck behind a wall in the North East corner of the room when one of the waves spawned in something like the 2nd or 3rd wave though I was able to hit and kill it despite that. Mayonade 02:32, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

Unable to repeat

I've zoned, killed mobs, changed districts, gone to guild hall, gone to other outposts/towns, etc. This quest just isn't available.

I can't even remember if I beat it on the character but for some reason i can't get the quest.

I did however complete all 4 of the EotN quests...is there any chance that once you do that you can't repeat this quest? Or am I just glitched?

Having that same problem :(

The quest is mutually exclusive with the other quest and only repeatable after collecting your reward/abandoning and rezoning. -- Karasu (talk) 10:21, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

Try changing districts that's how I repeat the quest! --MxBadBoy 00:30, 20 December 2009 (UTC)

Bustling Snowman

There are Bustling Snowmen in this quest that are warriors with the shout "Let's Get 'Em!". The question of whether the Bustling Snowmen are rangers or warriors seems to be random, although they are always one of those two professions. Someone please confirm and add it to the wiki. Blood Red Giant 23:08, 23 December 2008 (UTC)

Survivor

It should be noted that deaths here will not affect survivor status. I am not going to add this to the page as I am unsure about confirmation. Oma 02:03, 30 December 2008 (UTC)

Confirmed, just checked right now. --King Of Kamelott 02:07, 30 December 2008 (UTC)

That's.. awesome. Although, it makes sense now why the grentches don't give experience. Blood Red Giant 04:50, 30 December 2008 (UTC)

CCS Drops

Well, I have been doing this run for a while and I noticed that if u let the snowmen at the end fight u get tons more CCS shards than helping them. This could just be coincedence, but im gonna keep letting them do the work, cas when i help i get maybe 8-10, without my help i get like 13+. Has ne1 else noticed this? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.201.36.89 (talk • contribs) at 18:57, December 30, 2008 (UTC).

It takes more time too though. 145.94.74.23 14:16, 5 January 2009 (UTC)

I actually found I got more CCS drops when helping them than not more of the time but I'd say it's more of a coincidence and the number dropped is randomized. And as 145.94.74.23 mentioned it also takes longer not helping. --Kakarot 14:21, 5 January 2009 (UTC)

You got any statistical data to back this up? I've been fighting along with the snowmen every run, and the amount of CCS differed a lot (as in, 5-15). --Arduinna 14:22, 5 January 2009 (UTC)

Has anyone else notice that the CCS drops have been reduced this year? Out of all my runs in previous years I averaged ~15 CCS but this year I am averaging ~12 CCS. KJZ 02:31, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

coming back?

is this going to be here in the upcoming wintersday?AurenX 06:48, 11 December 2009 (UTC)

One would assume so, but the Rift Wardens haven't appeared yet, so one can't know for sure. --Threid 04:15, 19 December 2009 (UTC)

Odd models showing up

On my first attempt, I encountered a "snowman" named Radiant Snowman, but the model was a mage in dark robes. After his group defeated the Grentches, his model changed to snowman and ran off. His animations in the first skin appeared to be those of a Mesmer.

On my 2nd try, I encountered the same model, this time a Grentch named Speedy Grench but it was the same model. It didn't affect the game but it was odd. Anyone else see this? Just out of curiosity, can anyone identify that model? --Brucifer 22:40, 20 December 2009 (UTC)

[.]

Avatar of Grenth (snow fighting skill) ← Vili 点 22:44, 20 December 2009 (UTC)

What Radiant Snowman? — Balistic 23:03, 20 December 2009 (UTC)

I've seen strange models subbed for the snowmen and the grentches. The grentches' form can be explained by Avatar of Grenth, but what of the snowmen? I'll upload some screenies later. --Threid 01:51, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

Some of the snowmen carry Avatar of Dwayna. That might explain it.--Pyron Sy 01:56, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

good bug?

would hate for them to fix it but if your about to get hit with a "yellow snowball" and you kd them the affect of disease will not start until they stand, so if u hit them with a snow ball with hidden rock and then a mega snowball the disease is half over before it stars to degen, works the same with there kd too some times...also dmg wont be applied until they get up...anyone else getting something like thisAurenX 20:30, 25 December 2009 (UTC)

Terribly designed

Who made this quest? From start to finish the design of this quest is just terrible. First off its pretty much impossible to effect the number of snowmen you have at the end, as the same amount are left alive at the end of each fight regardless of if you interven or not (this is made easy by the fact that even heading straight to each fight, most of the snowmen are dead by the time you get there). The snowmen fail to even attack the grentchs at least 1/2 of the time. Daze is completely ineffective on the grentchs as well. I have hit a dazed grentch with a snowball 3x while he is in the middle of casting his own snowball and it fails to intruppt. All its good for is the inital knockdown. Necromancers get screwed over as their unique skill is 100% worthless since you fail upon dieing. And to top it off it is nearly impossible to legitlly play the end since the snowmen die faster than a rose in the arctic and theres really nothing you can do with 5+ grentches attacking you. Its a failed design in a mission when all your actions during the mission are virtually pointless. (doesnt matter how well you do any of the previous battles) and the accepted strategy for completing the quest is to basically sit out the main part of it (the final battle).

Its laughable that one of the 2 ways to get one of the rarest items in the game is by playing arguably the worst designed quest in the entire game.--68.10.228.187 01:10, 26 December 2009 (UTC)

well as "ill designed" the mission is get over it...so what if u sit at the end and watch maybe thats what they wanted u to do, and as the daze not working right, i dont even need it...just tossing what is it 5 snowballs at them kills them have the fisr 1 kd and wow u got hit once and they died, and with the nec skill, i love it put use ice fort then holiday blues and then enjoy a snowcone...and wow everything in range died and your perfectly fine...so the mission has a little flaw in that its so ez to complete and one of the most expensive items drops less than .035% of the time(which not many people will get anyway) i think the only one thats complaining is you and im betting its cuz your probably not too good at it...as ez as it is....oh and sign your comments =PAurenX 07:24, 27 December 2009 (UTC)

At first I thought this IP's post was a lrn2play, but then I realized it was a 4/10, 3 of that 4 being that I assumed it was a lrn2play. --Kyoshi (Talk) 07:28, 27 December 2009 (UTC)

Actually Dazed is working as it should. Snowballs are spells and when you hit a dazed foe with a spell it does not interrupt them. Since you can not attack with a weapon it shouldn't be able to interrupt. The purpose of daze in here is to slow down the casting speed of the snowballs to give you a chance to just dodge them. Brian78wa talk 06:40, 19 December 2010 (UTC)

Drops not random

I get the same items from the chest every time, and no the mini is not one of them. Ramei Arashi 04:27, 27 December 2009 (UTC)

There is only one random drop out of the bunch. You'll always get a snowman, an eggnog, a wintergreen cc, and a fruitcake. The fifth item will be a random item.--Pyron Sy 04:41, 27 December 2009 (UTC)

Opening Chest starts timer?

Is this mere coincidence, or does opening the chest start the return timer? I opened the chest and didn't have enough time to pick up the remaining CCS that were littered everywhere. :-(--Cyberman 22:51, 6 February 2010 (UTC)

Nope, it's not a coincidence, opening the chest starts the timer, which is why you should collect the CCS first. -- Lacky 14:34, 7 February 2010 (UTC)

And you can even get lazy and let the Unclaimed Items window pick up your chest loot for you. Just not the CCSs. --Axis 09:49, 19 December 2010 (UTC)

time

I know the times that are on the main page are average times, but i seem to be running it in 6-8 min plus the minute or so to accept the reward and retake the quest. Id say the average is more 8ish than 11ish. Not going to change the main page, but I thought id leave this here. the_decline 10:42, 19 December 2010 (UTC)

also, i just ran the quest and had a time of 6min with /age (so anywhere between 6-6:59) and the chest appeared. contrary to the "minimum 8 min" it says on the main page.

chest appeared but still 4 grentch alive

Never seen this happen before but 4 of the grentch apparently got stuck, when the others including boss were killed the chest appeared with the 4 still standing around. Ramei Arashi 00:34, 25 December 2010 (UTC)

The Notes section states that "The chest will spawn on the defeat of Grentchus Magnus and his group, even if there are other Grentches still alive." --Silver Edge 03:56, 25 December 2010 (UTC)

Misson fail and quest complete.

I died at the end and the snowmen finished of the Grencus Magnus. I got the return to outpost button and the chest spawned, but I looked at log and the quest was completed. I was unable to try for drops from the chest yet, I got my quest reward. It may be worth to note this.Yumiko ^,~ 15:41, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

The quest is completed because Grenchus Magnus died from Freezie and his gang. Though its too bad you didnt get the chest, you did get the quest reward :) •••Ganon 09:37, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

anyone not hid

is it possible to complete this fighting every mob, ive tried many times but the ones at the end are too powerfull, i know i can hide by the gate or whatever but id really like to complete it through fighting.Spark-TBa 15:20, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

Perhaps with better, smarter, faster players than us, but I've only come close to managing this feat. It was with a Ranger spamming Flurry of Ice, however, while the Grentches are generally close together, they're very often not adjacent "enough" for this to be of consistent benefit. I don't see how any other class's special ability would fare much better (possibly very strategic/efficient use of the necro's Holiday Blues, but I don't see it happening due to the timing and division of groups). I'm sure it's doable--the devs must have playtested it enough to make it not required to hide like a wimp to let the quest finish itself--but given the numbers, I tend to think it's more a matter of luck, as in enough snowmen randomly ganging up on the same Grentches, and the Grentches not doing the same in return to the snowmen, and/or not focusing down Freezie all the time, etc. IIRC one or two people posting here have implied they've done/routinely do this; a YouTube vid of even one example would be interesting to watch. Kruhljak (talk) 05:36, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

It's definitely possible, I've done it as a warrior (probably one of the better professions because you get to use mega snowball twice as often)). You just have to play aggressively and get lucky 87.113.28.203 13:28, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

I don't hide. That doesn't work very well for me. The Grentches seem to kill the snowmen faster than they can spawn. I'm not a very good player, but I can routinely complete this quest as a Ranger. My trick is to use blue candy so that I can run away and heal when I need to. But, no polar bear yet. :( ~Ragnhilde

Before I learned the sweet spot to hide, I did manage to contribute to the end fight without dying. It helps to have a +20% enchant weapon and something that decreases the durations of Daze and Crippled. You also have to be good at timing when to use the fort, when to run, and which foes to target...and then moving away to heal/recharge when there are more green dots than red.

However, it doesn't seem worth the trouble: stand next to the gate and have a 100% chance to get the end chest (and the same number of shards) or join in the fray and have a chance to die. Takes 3 min to setup and then I can AFK for 8-10 minutes versus 6 minutes of constant work. (Plus: blue rocks sell for 1 200 each and the total reward from this is only about 2.) – Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 02:56, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Grentches using regular attacks?

In my last run I was amused to see a frustrated Dodgy Grentch squeeze in what I assume is one of their regular snowball-like attacks on me. It came between snowball spell castings and hit me for only 12 damage. Anyone else get pelted this way? I figured they were restricted from such attacks the same way you are. Kruhljak (talk) 05:36, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Weird. I went through about 40 runs yesterday and never once saw this happen, today I'm seeing it quite a bit. Damage varies consistently with your character's armor, so this is definitely not one of the spells. Obnoxious little buggers.... Kruhljak (talk) 06:18, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

there are occasional times when a grentch looks like grenth or snowman looks like dwayna,at these tiems ive seen them "wanding" us players. ive not seen a grentch do it yet.Spark-TBa 10:24, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

In my 100 runs so far this year I have been hit for 12 points about four times. It always seem to be the first pop-up that did it. The report of spells used against me did not show anything, so I have no clue what he/it did. KJZ 01:49, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

Observed Chest / Item bug

Observed event where Candy Cane Shards are targetable but cannot be picked up; likewise the chest upon completion was targetable but not able to be opened. Therefore, of course, chest rewards are inaccessible. Very painful to imagine this could be linked to chest spawn containing a mini Polar Bear, but of course that is pure speculation:) --Ashlann 13:42, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

I've never seen this (or heard of it happening), but I doubt it's specifically related to this particular mini-mish (the mechanics for the shards and the end-chest are the same as elsewhere). If it happens to you again, I recommend that you report it to support, since it might be an indication of something else going haywire. – Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 18:17, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Thanks Tennessee - I did report it w/ screenshots. Received a fairly generic reply. I'm sure it was just a fubar GW moment with no logical explanation:) Ashlann 08:55, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

Getting through the 2x2 fight

"Try approaching from the right (downslope) of the bridge, instead of the direct route from the left. This gives the Snowmen a better chance to react quickly."

I removed the advice above (which has appeared in several forms) because I have been unable to replicate it. I've gone right, gone left; I've headed for the Grentch as soon as they are targetable and taken the longest possible route to the bridge. The results are consistent: the winner of the fight is determined by which grentch and which snowmen spawn (some are more durable than others or better suited against particular opponents). Since we can't choose which NPCs spawn there, I think it's ultimately more helpful to point out how to ensure that the player can win against two Grentch (if either snowman survives, it's usually not a problem).

However, I think it would also be useful to have a walkthrough for running the quest (for a change, no pun intended). This is also the most difficult spot to run through, even with "Let's Get 'Em!", Avalanche, and a speed-boosting candy. – Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 06:27, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

I've experienced that after getting close enough for the single grentch to pop-up from the snow (before the bridge), it is wiser to run as fast as possible to the 2x2 fight. I think the main reason is that the grentches are activated and will start fighting as soon as they touch your compass on the compass map, whereas the snowmen will only start fighting when they are within your agro bubble (at least in this place). So being delayed by the single pop-up grentch will cause you to get those 2 other grentches stuck on you for longer than desired. Also; the faster you can pass by them, the higher chances you got of avoinding them, and it is generally impossible to skulk past them, unless the snowmen are there to keep them busy long enough. (hope I didn't misunderstood the place in question) 77.213.235.141 22:00, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

You ID'd the right spot. And yes, I think most NPCs (hostile or friendly) activate near the edge of the compass circle, so, yeah, getting to the fight more quickly lessens the disadvantage for the snowmen (who are farther away to start).

But consistently, I've noticed that Blessed Snowmen almost always survive while some of the other types almost never do (also depends on which grentches are there). – Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 23:18, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

I've noticed the same thing about the Blessed Snowmen (obviously being kept alive thanks to Avatar of Dwayna), but I'm pretty sure this tactic is favorable if you want to run through quickly. But beware that the single pop-up grentch can be an elementalist (frozen/freezing or something?), and if that's the case, it may be better to kill it off than try and run (grentches run with a permanent speed boost, around 10% I think) 77.213.235.141 23:32, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Are you saying that you can avoid the first pop-up before the 2x2? I haven't managed to do that (and trying to run around them tends to delay my ability to activate the snowmen in the 2x2 fight). I suppose if you don't get icicled or rocked by the first pop up then you might be able to escape all three (and maybe the fourth). I find that unreliable and unpredictable, even with "Let's Get 'Em!" In contrast, if prepped with a Hidden Rock, fighting all four is consistently fast. – Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 23:38, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

It does depend on a bit of luck. First of all, if it has icicles, then it's faster to kill it off, but if not, throwing a hidden stone snowball at him will help delay him, since he will be dazed and casting snowballs slower and will quickly fall behind. When trying to run from him, don't spend too much time zigzag-ing in atempt to dodge snowballs, this will only delay you even more, but of course try and dodge hidden stone snowballs. I will go do some testing soon, and I admit I'm not 100% sure what works exactly. It might have just been thanks to the Dwayna Snowmen having high survivability 77.213.235.141 10:46, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

I stick with my theory; it is possible to skip by the 2x2 spot, without being a warrior (using "Let's get 'em") and without the snowmen being Dervishes. As mentioned before, the biggest obstacle is the pop-up grentch being an Elementalist, but if this is not the case, just run past him and do the occasional dodging from his snowballs when he cast them (having him targeted will keep you aware), and quickly run past the 2x2 the shortest way possible 77.213.235.141 11:53, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

I've found that the originally quoted tip (not sure from where it comes) is solid. Approaching the first pop-up grentch from the right (lower ground) rather than the left (higher ground) seems to delay the gentchies in the subsequent 2x2 from turning hostile, resulting in an easier fight. Lord Flynt (talk) 17:47, 31 December 2016 (UTC)