First run-through of Aurum Vale

[MissDiaryHolder]

I have seen guides and heard many things that people hated the dungeon. Now I can say it was a bit annoying but I healed it without much trouble and it was pretty fun considering I despise Malboro enemies. Anyone else actually like this dungeon and would run it again after the first time?

[Edellis]

It was one of my favorites of the pre-50 dungeons. Maybe people just hated it because it wasn't braindead.

[MXMoondoggie]

It's mainly annoying when you get a bad group it was probably nerfed since the game was released and with roulette you can get experienced players for easier runs. The hate for it mostly stems from the last boss and the fact it's quite a dull looking dungeon.

[Aeyis]

It's mainly annoying when you get a bad group it was probably nerfed since the game was released and with roulette you can get experienced players for easier runs. The hate for it mostly stems from the last boss and the fact it's quite a dull looking dungeon.

I think the hate comes more from the fact that people like to speedrun, and noone takes the time to explain boss mechanics to new players = wipe. I suspect many peoples first run of the place were like that.

Right there is the problem. As a healer that dungeon is fun, unless you're one of these healers that at level 45+ still haven't figured out how to use their skills correctly. Try running it as a tank or dps and it becomes a nightmare. Mainly as a tank lol.

Healing that place isnt fun at all with the average group.

[Raminax]

I never quite understood the reputation it has, either. I've leveled my classes mostly through dungeons, so I've done Aurum Vale tons of times. People more often than not understand what needs to be done after a short explanation. The only time I've had a complete failure was when the healer threw a hissyfit and ragequit after the tank kept repeatedly pulling half the room by accident (which said healer could've prevented by... I dunno, putting up Stoneskin on the tank so she wouldn't be pulled in by the frogs. Y'know, being useful instead of moaning) The rest of the group followed suit, sadly.

If there's anything that annoys me, it's the fact that being synced down a single level makes you lose like 70% of your power with the current gear levels. ;_;

[Vidu]

Before hitting level 50 I dont mind that dungeon that much - after that (and you'll have to run it after that... damn you, zodiac!) its just a huge pain. You've nearly got all your skills but missing some of the strongest once. I tend to forget that it isnt a level 50 but a level 49 dungeon and smash buttons that arent working. If you've played a certain class only in level50 content for quite a while you'll have some sort of rotation that includes more or less all your skills so level synched stuff is always a pain. Specially in AV where you feel like "if this was only level50 stuff would die so much faster... wheres my freaking flare?!"

Also as someone who mains tank I have to say: I hate the pulls in there. Unless you're doing a suicide run you have to be very careful. A lot of mobs are ranged so they dont move and even if you're careful not to pull mobs that can be avoided (or that you simply dont want to pull yet because your healer is an level 49 whm with bad gear who had trouble keeping you up against one mob) one of your partymembers will most likely position him/herself right in front of that mob, waving at him and shouting "huh, here I am, attack me, please!"

I do like the boss fights though (even if yeah, hate morbols and as tank it can be a bit tricky to grab your fruity and not get hit by bad breath but thats a matter of learning and timing) since they've got a bit more of a mechanic. Specially on the second boss it can be easy to run oom as whm (or even scholar) when you get a bad group - or simply people with lag - who cant dodge that swing (which can be stunned btw, attention tanks and melees! Save your stuns for that!) so you have to raise several times...

All in all... its not a bad dungeon and I wouldnt mind it to much... if it would only be level 50 instead of getting that level synch...

[RyuDragnier]

People dislike the dungeon because it requires everybody to know what they're doing, and for everybody to be at least competent at their jobs. Otherwise, you will have a bad time. I was lucky enough for my last run to get a party who were competent, including the brand new SMN who was in there for the first time. We explained how bosses went, he did a near flawless job during them. A shame that most people aren't competent, which makes the place either take longer than it should or makes it impossible to do (I'm looking at you, DPS who don't use DoTs and AoEs!).

[MissDiaryHolder]

People dislike the dungeon because it requires everybody to know what they're doing, and for everybody to be at least competent at their jobs. Otherwise, you will have a bad time. I was lucky enough for my last run to get a party who were competent, including the brand new SMN who was in there for the first time. We explained how bosses went, he did a near flawless job during them. A shame that most people aren't competent, which makes the place either take longer than it should or makes it impossible to do (I'm looking at you, DPS who don't use DoTs and AoEs!).

Yes I agree, without knowledge of the dungeon it becomes difficult, that's why I made sure to watch a guide for it :P

[Garlyle]

Yes I agree, without knowledge of the dungeon it becomes difficult, that's why I made sure to watch a guide for it :P

Even if you did, there's no guarantee that your allies will have done so - or that, more importantly, they'll have developped the skills required!
>The pull rooms are huge, open, and full of room to end up pulling multiple groups at once, even by accident. A mispositioned tank - or anyone - can cause a battle to start spiraling out of control quickly in ways that you rarely see with trash pulls.
>Second boss requires players to be watching the cast bar and the boss itself which is a fairly drastic departure from every previous boss
>Third boss can hella punish players that are slower on the draw or badly positioned (Bad Breath and the seeds)

I actually love Aurum Vale. A lot.

[Cutie_McSnuggles]

AV is pretty much my favorite dungeon in the game. It saddens me that it's pretty much the only dungeon that provides any sort of challenge.