Running the Gauntlet

[Mikhaila]

I got a chance to run the gauntlet for the first time last night. Very fun on several levels.

-Challenge. Part of the fun of a game is being challenged. If you effortlessly run through dungeons, some of the fun goes away. This was anything but boring.

-More of the game is used. Suddenly potions I've never bothered to use become essential. So are poetry, meditation, caligraphy, small damage boosts. I'll be going through my storage and pulling out lots of "I'll save this, it might be useful someday" ingredients. Someday has showed up. Toxin resist potions? I need to make about 20.

-Strategy. With multiple mobs that take a lot of damage to put down, and different abilities, the group needs to communicate and coordinate.

-Interesting Loot. Level 85 versions of earlier loot is fun. Some of those items have abilities that are nice for some builds, but only come on level 20/30/40 equipment. I would like to see some of the loot on bosses with normally low levels have some upgraded abilities. The mods are level 85, but the innate abilities are very poor.

-Placement. I like that the entrance is in Fungal Fortress. This means that a group that can't run though FF to get to the gauntlet isn't ready for the stuff in the gauntlet. Since this is an un-instanced linear dungeon, having more groups in it, (especially groups not ready for it), would cause havoc.

-Curses. Long fights mean you have to deal with the curse from the boss during the fight. Just another added variable you have to take into account.

Over all, quite fun.

[INXS]

Boring? WT and GK become boring when you wait for the usual people, all maxed to run them.
I see mostly always the same groups running those giving little room for newcomers to participate.
Try running it with some lv 60/70s and make it fun again, unless you become like most that are just annoyed to those kinda conditions.

[Mikhaila]

I don't think it's possible to run the gauntlet with 60/70.

The group I did it with had 3 new people, including myself, and 3 who had run it before. It was a good group but we still struggled at times, and had to use eternal greens when Resurrections weren't available.

Once people figure out all the encounters, and pack along all the potions needed, it will get easier, but I don't think it will ever be like dailies where you carry low level people.

[sleepgoofy]

How to collect it? I really want to run the test.

coreball