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Topic: Stuck on Winter's Hill

• Alziel
  
  Community Member
  75 posts
  Stuck on Winter's Hill

  3 January 2014 at 2:05pm

  Hi all,

  New to these forums and loving Destiny Quest so far!

  However, I've hit a brick wall in Act 3 and can't seem to get past it. I'm hoping for advice here.

  The sticking point is the battle against the Necromancers and Skeleton Horde on Winter's Hill. I cannot beat this encounter at all or come anywhere close!

  I've completed 'The Warning' and 'Waking the Dead' and I have 37 GC to my name (as I've been buying potions from Lansbury constantly in an effort to get past the Necro encounter). So I don't really have anywhere else to go unless I risk skipping ahead to the blue quest.

  Here's my current set up:

  Mage - Alchemist
  Speed: 11, Brawn: 4, Magic: 22, Armour: 2, Health: 50

  Mantle of Spirit (Curse)
  Crown of Command (Command)
  Rune Clothed Gloves (Charm)
  Illumanti Rod (Overload)
  Funeral Gown (Charm)
  Chains of Binding (Shackle)
  Tiger's Heart (Cat's Speed)
  Velvet Slippers (Haste)
  Silver Cross (Heal)
  Wrath of Ages (Rust)
  Traveller's Band (Charm)

  I have 'Good Taste' and 'Midas Touch' as my Alchemist abilities, neither of which help me here.

  I have four Elixirs of Speed (+4SP for one round) and 1 Oil Flask (2 uses of 2 dice damage ignoring armour in lieu of a standard damage roll).

  Despite trying everything, I am being trounced. By the time I've wiped the Necros I'm usually low on Health and facing Skeletons with 130+ Health and most of my abilities/potions have been used. I obviously have no further options available for getting any more potions or gear with money.

  Oh - the rod that is set up here is the Rod of Enfeeblement (-2 Magic to the enemies).

  Any pointers would be appreciated but to me this battle seems way too powerful for an orange quest - I've not had any issues with any other fights until this point.

  Thanks in advance!

  PS. Since posting this, I had a go at tackling each of the legendary monsters for Act 3 (Chillblain, The Blob, Gorgis, Malcontent and Flay) - I was soundly defeated by each of them (unsurprisingly). So I have just two options left - either keep trying to defeat the Necros and Skeleton Horde or move on to the blue quest and hope for the best. I think I'll try the latter and see how that goes.

  PPS. OK - so now I'm really stuck. I can't tackle the blue quest ('Against all Odds') until I've completed 'Winter's Hill' - so it looks like I'm done for.

  This doesn't seem right to me - the Necro/Skeleton Horde battle appears to be way too difficult for an orange quest, particularly as I breezed through the other orange quest and particularly as I've had no real problems with any enemies previous to this. Is there an error with the stats for this encounter or am I just doing something wrong?
• Vood
  
  Community Member
  14 posts
  Re: Stuck on Winter's Hill

  3 January 2014 at 6:42pm

  I'm no real expert but I did complete LOS and HOF with mage characeters. I'm going mostly on memory but I'm fairly sure you should be 13/14 speed by the blue quest. Your gear looks okay. I don't personally consider charm is of any use in the later acts so I would have swapped those for better stuff. I know others prefer to have a rereoll.

  Wait. Can't you fail winter's hill any way? You don't have to complete it. I need to recheck.
• Vood
  
  Community Member
  14 posts
  Re: Stuck on Winter's Hill

  3 January 2014 at 6:48pm

  Found this old post - http://www.destiny-quest.com/forums/here-be-spoilers/show/839#post839

  I think rod of enfeeblement is right way to go.
• Alziel
  
  Community Member
  75 posts
  Re: Stuck on Winter's Hill

  3 January 2014 at 6:49pm

  Thanks for the response, Vood.

  The three Charm items (Gloves, Traveller's Band and Funeral Gown) all carry +1 Speed as well and every replacement that I've come across so far doesn't have that bonus, so if I swapped them then my Speed would drop even lower which I really can't afford.

  You do need to complete Winter's Hill - if you try to start 'Against all Odds' there is a note at the very beginning stating that you must have finished 'Winter's Hill' before starting the quest.

  Well, I just failed my 26th attempt to kill the Necro and Skeleton Horde. I still have my Speed Elixirs as I know that if I use them and lose the battle again I won't be able to buy any more potions.

  PS. The rod set-up that is suggested in the post that you linked me to above is exactly how I have my rods set up (Rending is North, Slowing is East and Enfeeblement is West). But it's not really helping - if I lose a round (which I nearly always do) I get hammered by 2 dice + 20 Magic minus my very low Armour (2 per blow), and I only have my one Heal ability. So it doesn't really help when I only have 50 Health. I'm seriously considering cheating which I really don't want to do.
• Vood
  
  Community Member
  14 posts
  Re: Stuck on Winter's Hill

  3 January 2014 at 6:53pm

  I looked back at my copy. It is the first hardback so may have got changed. Text for Against All Odds says you must have participated in the quest Winters Hill. It doesn't say you must have completed it. Failing it was ok. I think.....
• Alziel
  
  Community Member
  75 posts
  Re: Stuck on Winter's Hill

  3 January 2014 at 6:59pm

  Mmm - interesting. Mine is the latest edition and it also says 'participated...'. I think I'll take that as a green light to go ahead and play 'Against all Odds' then - doesn't feel much like cheating. Hopefully the narrative will make sense!

  I can come back to Winter's Hill when I've grown in strength.

  Thanks for the help, Vood!

  Update: Just completed 'Against all Odds' and I breezed through it (although all four allied defenders were killed). I switched my left hand weapon to Grasping Grimm, gaining 1 Speed (taking me to 12 Speed) and losing 'Shackle' but gaining 'Rake'. I also gained 130 GC (100 from completing the mission and 30 from Midas Touch), so I can now buy potions again.

  I am now convinced that the Necro/Skeleton fight in 'Winter's Hill' is too tough for an orange quest encounter - it's a much tougher fight than any that I encountered in 'Against all Odds' and that's supposed to be one difficulty level higher.