Archangels of Armageddon

With all the questions there are about Colosseum, I thought it would be good to have a comprehensive writeup here available for everyone to read. Some of the information is taken from the VN Guide and some has been added/removed according to what is used fairly commonly on Harvestgain Colosseum runs.

This writeup is strictly based off my personal experience and the input of several other HG Colosseum veterans and is by no means the only way to beat Colosseum or to set up a Colosseum run!

*Much thanks goes to the original Vault Colosseum Guide for laying the foundations for this whole thing, and additional thanks to Kromwell, Begley and Commander who helped in refining the formations in each room, as well as to fill in multiple gaps in the section provided here for Archers!

COLOSSEUM OVERVIEW:

 

Beginning at Room 6, a team of 9 must move through a succession of rooms fighting waves of various monsters all within a one hour timer. The following is, I hope, a helpful guide to how many fellows on Harvestgain have adapted the original Colosseum Guide and instructions (much appreciated!) to what we have found to be a consistently sure setup for beating this quest!

The following guide works for both a system of 6 mages and 3 non-mages, or 5 mages and 4 non-mages. *It has been found that with less mages in the fellow more archers are very helpful to fill the void!*

If your group is able to make it to at least the Uber Penguin spawn in Room 17 without the use or Rares, you are probably ready to step up and take the shot at the full thing with Rares!

 

SECTION 1) PREPARATION!

 

This is the area that can most easily make or break a Colosseum Run! Please, check with others on your respective server or in your fellow for any additional information and pointers!

 

For Everyone:

Augs: Enduring Enchantment Augmentation, At least one Archmage's Endurance Augmentation
Misc: Dark Isle items to quickly remove a vitae penalty, Beers, House/Masion Buffs

Optional: Burning Coals, Platinum Spirits, Coral Fragments, Dispell Chugs

 

For Mages:

 

Rares:

2 War Magic, 1 Melee, 1 Magic D. Rares such as Mana C and Spirit Drinker are optional.

Mana C can be used early to help cut on Stam-to-Mana spells and Spirit Drinker can be used later on the TM’s or such to help runs that are going to be close on time.

 

Slayers:

Mukkir Slayer *Bludgeon*
Undead Slayer *Bludgeon*

Ghost Slayer (See Quest Weapons, below)

Olthoi Slayer (See Quest Weapons, below)

Tusker Slayer (See Quest Weapons, below)

Wands (non-quest):

Bludgeon Rend Wand(s) (Preferably one tinked for damage for early rooms and one tinked for Melee D for the tougher spawns. I suggest Dmg tinked be Undead Slayer and Melee tinked be Mukkir Slayer)

Slash Rend

Lightning Rend

Fire Rend

Critical Strike Bludgeon Wand (Tinked for damage)

Acid Rend *Optional vs Ninjas. Fire Rend is also acceptable*
Frost Rend *Optional but helps vs Ravanger/Virindi Spawn in Room 13*

Quest Wands:

Shadowfire Wand *Even casting Tuskerfist w/o vulns it works very well*

Spectral (Soulbound) Wand

Tusker Wand

G-man Wand (Taulandoi/Saulandoi)

 

Spells: *All spells below are Mandatory!*

Tusker Fists

Slash Ring

Fire Wall

Acid Wall *Only needed if you choose to use Acid Rend vs Ninjas*

*It is assumed all mages have full Bolt/Arc ability for all elements, as well as Vuln/Imp capabilities*

 

For Melees:

 

Rares:

One Weapon Skill, One Magic D, One Life Magic. Blood Drinker, Mana C are optional.

Blood Drinker can be of great use if a run will be cutting in close. Mana C is used when fighting Swarm Demons and melees are restaming/healing mages.

Slayers:
Undead Slayer *Fire Rend*
Mukkir Slayer *Pierce Rend*

Weapons (non-quest):
Bludgeon Rend *If possible, if not use Pierce*

Slash Rend
Fire Rend

Lightning Rend
AR Frost
AR Fire
Acid Rend *Optional vs Ninjas if you choose not to use Fire Rend*

 

Quest Weapons:

Paradox Weapon (if no access to bludgeon rend)

Spectral Wand (used on Olthoi Swarm Demons)

Additional Items:
Melee D Wand or Alchy Grenades for Swarm Demons

 

For Archers:

 

Rares: One Weapon Skill, One Magic D, One Life Magic. Blood Drinker and Mana C are optional. Blood Drinker can be of great use if a run will be cutting in close. Mana C is used when fighting Swarm Demons and melees are restaming/healing mages.

Slayers:

Undead Slayer *Fire Rend*

Mukkir Slayer *Pierce Rend*

 

Weapons (non-quest):
Bludgeon Rend

Slash Rend

Pierce Rend

Fire Rend

Lightning Rend

Acid Rend *Optional vs Ninjas if you choose not to use Fire Rend*

 

Quest Weapons:
Composite Bow/X-Bow *This is used any time melees use AR weapons as well as against the last few Swarm Demons. You will be using Fire, Bludgeon, and Frost bolts/arrows with this!*

Spectral Bow/X-bow *While this is optional it makes the Composite weapons obsolete with its damage so get your hands on one if you can*

Spectral Arrows *Optional*

Additional Items:

Melee D Wand or Alchy Grenades for Swarm Demons

SECTION 2A) FORMATIONS!

There are many various formations that can be utilized when attempting to beat Colosseum. Those who know the AC Vault Colosseum Guide well may notice several are missing in this version. However, this is simply one take of many that can be used, and these are enough to beat it, strictly IMO.

 

General terms that will be used:

Bell- The large bell in the center of each arena (duh!)

Door- The door that you come in through into each new arena. It will be referring to the door you just came through, which will be on the South wall of each room.

Wall- Refers to the SE corner and the first few feet of the East wall of the arena

Circle- Refers to the large, Blue Ringed circle pattern on the floor of the Colosseum

 

Formations:

 

Spread: This formation is as simple as it sounds. The blue ringed circle on the floor of Colosseum is used like a clock and divided 1-12 (12 being due North, 6 being where you enter the room). Each member spreads out at one of the corresponding numbers and attacks from there. This formation is designed to catch spawns in the crossfire of walls and arrows.

 

Ring The Bell: This formation has the melees and archers of the group clustered under the center of the bell with the mages spread out in a slightly larger circle around it. The mages job is to spam Ring spells and eliminate spawns quickly that will rush at them and those under the bell. This is highly effective against mobs like Eaters. Melees and archers must stay closely under the bell for this to be effective!

 

Corner: As plain as it sounds, everyone simply crowds into the SouthEast corner and kills what comes to them. Mages should fire off Walls before spawns appear and then should switch over to bolts or arcs.

 

Crossfire (Xfire): Two parties group opposite each other firing tusker fists (or just Acid/Fire walls vs ninjas) at each other to kill everything that is running in between. One group is stationed in the SouthEast corner (and slightly along the East wall out a bit) and the other group stands just to the left of where they portal into the arena (the left side of the door as you come in is a good boundary). The key here is that melees not get drug into the crossfire when possible, and that the line of people along the Door side of the crossfire let monsters go between into the crossfire if they get trapped behind the fellow members.

 

Corner with Pillars: This formation, used only against the Tremendous Monougas in room 18, is set up almost exactly like regular Corner but with one difference. 2 Non-mage characters (archers if possible) are situated out in front of the rest of the group which is huddled tightly in the corner. These Pillar characters must be close enough to the wall and each other not to allow the TM’s to pass between them. Mages then sit back securely and fire Tuskerfists at the TMs. Melees simply re-stam mages.

 

North: Used only against the final spawn in the last room of the Colosseum (Room 18, Elite Guardians). Everyone simply clusters around the center of the North wall where the door will appear when the quest is completed.

 

SECTION 2B) STRATGEY!

Now that the fellow is all equipped and the formations are known, its time to decide who goes where and how each class type should operate within the formation to be most productive. There are also some helpful tips/strategies that can be used by each type of character and by the whole fellow to save lots of time!

 

Picking Spots Within Formations:

 

Spread: Ideally you want to have your mages opposite one another so that their walls act like mini-crossfires, with archers and melees space in between. It can help to draw a clock out and place people around it. With a 6 mage, 3 non-mage fellow the group is relatively easy. Mages get Even number spots (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12) with archers/melees taking up any of the odd numbered spots. A 5 mage, 4 non-mage fellow is a bit more complicated but works fairly similarly. In this case mages should take spots 12, 3, 6, and 9 with the fifth mage taking any of the spots in between. Wherever the fifth mage is put it is suggested that an archer goes opposite them as they tend to provide the next highest amount of firepower to balance out the formation. Again the remaining melees and archers can fill in where needed.

 

Ring the Bell: Mages should pick spots similar to where they stand in spread in regard to their location around the Bell. Melees and archers need not worry since they are clustered in the center.

 

Corner: No explanation needed.

 

Crossfire: Preferably your 2-3 most vulnerable mages should be situated in the Wall position (in the corner) with the remaining 3 mages situated at the Door position. If you have only 5 mages (thus 2 in the corner) it helps to put 2 archers with them to again balance the firepower. The remaining 2 non-mages can be placed with either 1 at each spot or both at the Door position.

 

Tips For Each Class:

Mages:

1) You and Tusker Fists are the key to this quest! Get your wall spells going as fast as you can and keep spamming them, even if you don’t see any monsters yet!

 

2) When you first get into your spot for a formation, odds are you aren’t going to be facing the right way immediately. That’s ok, start your wall spell then anyways! Turning around only takes half a second but that puts you half a second further into your cast to get those walls going faster! You’ll be well turned and pointed in the right direction before your wall spell finishes and it will be out sooner as a result!

 

3) Hold your spots! It’s critical that mages remain grounded when casting walls! Remember, your wall spells are designed to trap monsters between your opposite mages incoming walls! If you start moving too much this won’t be happening.

 

4) Know when walls are unnecessary. Sometimes walls are not needed or even as effective as bolts. If you can finish off the last monster or two, especially in crossfire, without the time delay on walls, switch and kill it with bolt/arcs.

 

Melees:

1) Learn what signifies that a monster is about to run in the opposite direction. Ex) learn to see the half second pause and turn. Use this time to hit the Back arrow in order to stop attacking it and not rush headlong after it, taking out walls. *Another way to prevent this easily is use Full Power hits when you can*

2) If you do get dragged, don’t despair! Rather than hastily trying to back pedal your way out, once the drag happens roll with it and follow the monster. He will chew out the walls in front of you and when you catch him, simple move around him again so the walls hit him in the back and not you. This is critical for the Crossfire formation and slightly helpful in Spread formation.

3) When in Spread, you don’t need to really have a spot, just stay on the outside of the circle and stick near mages. The mage doing the most damage draws the largest crowd, so find this mage and stick close as this will give you the most chance to get hits in from next to the mage while not stopping wars from getting to and from him as well.

 

Archers:

1) Have a sufficient supply of arrows either fletched ahead of time, or partially fletched. Behind mages you do the most damage, so if you do have to fletch more of a certain type of arrow mid-run, make sure to do it either in between spawns or while waiting for the door to the next room.

 

2) Pick smart targets. Archers have a huge advantage over mages in that they can kill from and distance AND don’t have the added headache of being able to select fellow members while it combat-mode. If you want to drop the first half of a spawn and prevent the second part, as an archer look for the monsters in the corners that the walls don’t reach and that melees can’t make it to. You can select and kill them the fastest!

 

3) Pick your side (Wall/Door) in Crossfire formations wisely! You are gifted with neither the shield that melees have nor the Melee D wands that mages can wield while causing damage. If you think the Mukkir might tear you a new one, let your leader know and get yourself along the wall. Conversely, if you know you’ll be fine there, step up, take the harder spot and do your part to ensure that there are no deaths that could otherwise be prevented on the quest.

Everyone (Character Type Regardless!):

 

1) Kill quickly! It is sometimes mistakenly believed that there are 4 spawns per arena, but there are actually 8 spawns! The first is usually one third the total size of the spawn and is quickly followed by a secondary spawn of the same creature type that is staggard by a few seconds. If you manage to take down the initial creatures before the secondary spawn occurs, you will prevent it from ever happening! This cannot be done in every arena, but it does save time in a lot of them. Rembmer to skip ahead one spawn and get the proper damage ready too if this will take you to the next monster type!

 

2) Listen to your leader! Your leader will be calling out weapons types and formations for each spawn. You must be on your toes and quick to respond. Be ready for the leader's instructions and you will save time.

 

3) The leader should be on the ball! The leader should be calling out what weapon type and formation for each spawn. Without strong leadership, it will take a lot longer to kill, and could jeopardize your chances of completing the Colosseum. *Leaders, it helps to give the information for the next spawn as the last or second to last monster of the current spawn is being killed*

4) Bell Ringer (this may be leader), sometimes it helps to NOT hit the bell as soon as you enter a room. Give your mages a second or two in order to get their wall spells started. When 1 or 2 walls has come out, ring that sucker and let the killing begin!

5) You can never be too prepared. Dispell Chugs, Extra Rares, Burning Coals, Beers, anything and everything that can increase your chances of survival that you can get, you should consider getting!

6) Refresh yourself with the formations and spawns until you can almost simulate a Col run in your head. This isn't a *must* do as someone will always be calling formations, damage type and spawn prior to each room, but it can't hurt! Knowing where you have to be and what you have to face before you even see it is a great advantage  so you aren't switching weapons right as the next spawn hits!

SECTION 3) THE ROOMS!

 

Room) Damage/Vulns – Formation – Monsters:

 

6A) FIRE / FISTS – SPREAD – MOSSYS

 

6B) LIGHT / FISTS – SPREAD – LUGS AND CATS

 

7A) SLASH – RING THE BELL – EATERS

 

7B) LIGHT / FISTS – SPREAD – VIAMONTS

 

8A) IMPS AND SLASH – CORNER – DILLOS AND FAIRIES

*Mages make sure everything is imperiled before switching to arcs/bolts.

 

8B) BLUDGEON / FISTS – SPREAD – CRYSTALS

 

9A) BLUDGEON / FISTS – CROSSFIRE – BUGS

 

9B) FIRE / FISTS – SPREAD – SHADOWS

 

10A) BLUDGEON / FISTS – SPREAD – SLEECHES

 

10B) ACID / FIRE – CROSSFIRE – NINJAS

 

11A) FIRE – CORNER – VINNYS AND TUSKERS

*Virindi will need vulns

 

11B) FIRE / FISTS – SPREAD – GHOSTS

 

12A) BLUDGEON / FISTS – CROSSFIRE – RUSCHK

*Use first War Magic Rare here

 

12B) BLUDGEON / FISTS – CROSSFIRE – MUKKIR

 

13A) AR COLD AND VULNS – CORNER – CARENZI AND VINNYS

*Mages frost vuln and imperil everything, including Virindi, before switching to arcs/bolts

 

13B) IMPS AND LIGHT – CORNER – POTB LUGS

*Mages imperil everything while melees kill

 

13C) FIRE AND IMPS – CORNER – FIRE CATS

*Mages imperil everything while melees kill

 

14A) PIERCE – RING THE BELL – VINNYS

*Use Magic Defense Rare here. Mages Pierce Ring with Spectral Wand, Melees/Archers use Spectral Wand bolt spell

 

14B) BLUDGEON / FISTS – CROSSFIRE – BUGS

 

15A) FIRE / FISTS – CROSSFIRE – MOSSYS

*Once only the Mosswart Gladiators remain, imperil/vuln and switch to bolts/arcs

 

15B) FIRE / FISTS – CROSSFIRE – UNDEAD

*Use second War Magic Rare here

 

16A) LIGHT / FISTS – CROSSFIRE – HANDS

 

16B) PIERCE & VULN – CORNER – SWARM DEMONS

*Vulns on closest Bugs. Mages/Melees both use Spectral Wand, Archers can use Blunt Bow if they wish

 

17A) FIRE – CORNER – VINNYS AND TUSKERS

*Virindi will need Fire Vuln

 

17B) FIRE – CORNER – PENGUINS

 

18A) COLD AR / CS BLUNT – SE with PILLARS – TMs

*Melees stand in corner and restam and heal fellow as necessary

 

18B) FROST AR – NORTH  – GUARDIANS

*These actually spawn 3 times! 1 the first time, 3 the second time and 6 the third time. 1 mage will imperil and 1 mage will vuln. Everyone else blasts the Elite Guardians with Frost.

 

JUST BECAUSE THE FIREWORKS WENT OFF DOES NOT MEAN YOU WON! YOU MUST USE THE FINAL DOOR THAT APPEARS IN ORDER TO BE FLAGGED AS A COLOSSEUM CHAMPION!

 

SECTION 4) REWARDS!

Upon completing Colosseum all victorious members of the party are awarded 328,647,655 XP and a Key to the Colosseum Vault! The keys are attuned/bonded. However, you can unlock the chest, step back and allow an alternate toon or friend to loot the chest and get the rewards inside! Inside you will receive 1 of the following 5 Rings at random. There is no order to what rings you get and it is possible to get the same ring two or more times in a row.

 

Rings:

Blue Empyrean Ring: Mana Renewal Other Incantation(+145% Mana Renewal), Empyrean Mana Absorbtion(+100 Mana), Mana Conversion Mastery Incantation(+45 Mana Conversion), Major Pierce Ward

 

Green Empyrean Ring: Empyrean Regeneration(+50% Health Regeneration), Empyrean Rejuvination(+50% Stamina Rejuvination), Empyrean Mana Renewal(+50% Mana Renewal), Epic Bludgeon Ward(+20% Bludgeoning Protection)

 

Red Empyrean Ring: Regeneration Other Incantation(145% Health Regeneration), Essence Glutton(+30 Health)

 

White Empyrean Ring: Major Bludgeon Ward, Major Piercing Ward, Major Slashing Ward

 

Yellow Empyrean Ring: Rejuvination Other Incantation(145% Stamina Rejuvination), Empyrean Stamina Absorbtion(+100 Stamina), Aurlanaa's Resolve(+20% Stamina Rejuvination), Empyrean Enlightenment(+60 Arcane Lore), Major Slashing Ward

 

Colosseum Coins:

Along with the Rings you will be awarded Colosseum Coins based solely on how far along you made it in the 1 hour time span. Not every room rewards Coins. The breakdown is as follows:

 

1-12: None

13: 1 Colosseum Coin

14: 1 Colosseum Coin

15: 2 Colosseum Coins

16: 3 Colosseum Coins

17: 4 Colosseum Coins

18: 4 Colosseum Coins

You get flagged for completing a stage by using the door to the next stage. For example, if you are in stage 13 you kill everything and then portal out, you will not receive the reward of 1 coin for completing the stage. You must use the door to the next stage in order to get credit for completing it. Please note that you receive only the reward for the last stage that you have completed. If you complete stage 14 and leave, you will receive 1 coin. Once you have collected some coins you will be able to purchase special items from a vendor placed in the Colosseum staging area.

*Old or duplicate Colosseum Rings may be redeemed for an additional 2 Coins.