Archmage Xylem as DK?

[Deleted]

Having quite the trouble with this quest, I´ve read that the encounter is unfair for DK, but there are still people who have beat him, any suggestions? Maybe Frost is useless to beat him with?

[JackWest]

Well. I killed him on the fourth try as frost dk. Only had issues with clearing my way through spikes. Did it by saving Rime proc and using it on the middle one, then just walking out. Then on the "images" phase his location was on the opposite side of the room (there is flashing circle on the ground where he is) so I just ran while killing 2-3 images on the way to heal myself. Once I reached the shadow phase with the void, it was one shot. When he starts casting, run far, 2-3 shot the 3 adds then kill him. Of course also back paddle so you keep him on the edge of the aoe, since he recasts him if you get him out. I think I was around 930 ilvl, shit legendaries(prydaz and quest ring) and no set bonuses back then

[Bloodyleech]

3-shot him with decent gear (920ish). Save up Rime for spikes is the most important part. Image-phase spot him and kill some images for selfheal (Wraith Walk rules).
Shadowphase get him to the edge and backpaddle him to death - when he casts, run away from him and don't kick or grip him! Kill both adds (RW them for slow) and run back in his direction. Backpaddle him to death
Blood is way harder than this.

[Ophenia]

If you're struggling, don't forget about the death strike procs to heal you from time to time. Ice spikes and Clones are proc'ing it so it's quite easy to survive.

That would be easier to give you advices if we knew on which point you're struggling.

[Shelly]

Just keep practicing and working up your gear in-between mage towers.

First phase the most important part is don't move until you have a clear path.

Image phase just go methodically from image to image, take your time and heal between them.

Arcane phase with the shadow orbs is simple, avoid the orbs and try to save your interrupt for when he channels into the Eye.

If you can get to the demon phase it'll all be cake.

[Piz813]

Having quite the trouble with this quest, I´ve read that the encounter is unfair for DK, but there are still people who have beat him, any suggestions? Maybe Frost is useless to beat him with?

I waited till I out geared it

920 equipped should be fine. Plenty of vids on the YouTube's

[Deleted]

Maybe I can clear him now then, I just hit 920, well lets try it again then!...Once mage tower is back up.

[Nnyco]

using dark succor effectively and defense legendaries in p1 is the key, best to make a dark succor aura

[Derah]

au contraire, this guy is easiest to kill as a DK, since we can heal up most of his damage. Dark Succor well used means you can top yourself back up with each spike phase. And even without it, one of the perks in your artifact makes it so that IBF increases the healing of your normal Death Strike to "Lay on Hands" levels, healing you multiple millions per use.

Even the completely unbuffed DS can still negate a frostbolt or two. Personally, I just brute-forced it. By which I mean, I outgeared it then used the raw damage to beat him. I was 931 when I got him down.

And the legendary necklace that gives you a bubble is GOD-SENT on this fight. Seriously, I did like two dozen attempts without it, and died all the time. Then did 3 attempts with it, and got him down.

[Darktbs]

The challenge is actually covers many things from the Frost Dk.

-You can get procs from the Ice spikes(like others in this thread said) and kill them with either Rime procs or Remorseless winter.

-You don't need to run to the Archmage in the first phase since you can just Death Grip him

-Anti magic shell for dangerous situations and if you got the Lego cape(which i used) its a nice healing addition to the Shadow phase.

The only thing difficult is getting to him in the shadow phase.

You can go yolo and run to him while using AMS or kill the images and healing on the way.

If you're having trouble killing the images quickly use Howling blast and Frost strike, finish with Obliterate and save Rime procs for the next one.

The only Unfair challenge of all the 36 is the Aff warlock.

[Nefarious Tea]

I did it at a 920 ilvl with no relevant legendaries (I had the Blood belt and Soul of the Deathlord for raw stats).

I also never bothered to save Rime for the ice ring, or AMS.

Just talent into Frostscythe, use Remorseless Winter on CD and laugh maniacally.

[Deleted]

Did it at ~900ilvl during Nighthold, with Sephuz+Aggramar. I used Sindragosa and BoS for ice spikes, which were my biggest problem. Death strike, AMS and death grip make the rest of the fight quite easy. Don't rush "bubble phase", you can get to him safely by killing the adds and healing yourself without wasting cds.

Just keep practicing, if you can get him to shadow phase it's basically done.

[Ozzyorcborne]

I two shot this one at 925. Dark Succor, Prydaz and Sephuz really help here.

[3DTyrant]

I'm assuming as a Frost DK Acherus Drape over Soul of the Deathlord for this fight? It's either Toravon's + Drape, or Troavon's + Soul for my only choices.

[Phookah]

I'm assuming as a Frost DK Acherus Drape over Soul of the Deathlord for this fight? It's either Toravon's + Drape, or Troavon's + Soul for my only choices.

I'd just go for more dps, drape is so awful. I did the challenge without a secondary legendary because all I had was drape and it broke my T21 set and I was like "nope"

[3DTyrant]

I'd just go for more dps, drape is so awful. I did the challenge without a secondary legendary because all I had was drape and it broke my T21 set and I was like "nope"

Fair enough, thanks for the input

[Deleted]

Still failing...I got to the demon phase and failed, I´ve looked at guides but they show different talent trees then I have, is there a difference on EU and US? Doubtful but still...
I looked at a youtube video but the talenttree looks different then mine, making me unable to pick the same talents.
I picked Runic Attenuation and Horn of winter cause I keep running out of runic power.


I got the legendaries Koltira´s newfound will on ilvl 1000 and Toravon´s whiteout bindings on ilvl 970...
And despite if I do everything correctly, even having my health almost at maximum, I STILL fail and it takes me an eternity to get Xylems health under half, and that is doing everything next to flawless, the interupts, quickly take down the razor ice´s while healing myself, death gripping him, using flask and well fed for run buff...What am I doing wrong.

[Deleted]

Still failing...I got to the demon phase and failed, I´ve looked at guides but they show different talent trees then I have, is there a difference on EU and US? Doubtful but still...
I looked at a youtube video but the talenttree looks different then mine, making me unable to pick the same talents.
I picked Runic Attenuation and Horn of winter cause I keep running out of runic power.

I got the legendaries Koltira´s newfound will on ilvl 1000 and Toravon´s whiteout bindings on ilvl 970...
And despite if I do everything correctly, even having my health almost at maximum, I STILL fail and it takes me an eternity to get Xylems health under half, and that is doing everything next to flawless, the interupts, quickly take down the razor ice´s while healing myself, death gripping him, using flask and well fed for run buff...What am I doing wrong.

I would pick winter is coming and gathering storm instead of aboms might and FS. This is mainly to get faster out of Icicles and the adds in P2. Maybe murderous efficiency since it requires lessthought that HoW.
With that being said, I did it recently out of boredom at Ilvl 93X without any set and compared to doing it as a warrior at 90x (without shoulders) it was easy. So getting more gear trivializes the fight. I went through each phase only once. I went with my normal DPS gear and talents (and Bracers+Belt).
Use the icespikes for healing, you don't need to kill all of them and pull xylem with deathgrip for the first part. During the shadowpart take your time to look for your next target and don't panic but kill the first add immediately. Pay attention to their casts. Use AMS to quickly go through the beam and kill an add on the other side. Then proceed towards his position while going for the adds on the way and remember to use deathstrike after each add. I killed 4 I believe though 3 would have been enough.
Remember to use IBF+DS if you are low or just AMS to soak. The rest is dodging and interrupting but rember to keep a type of interrupt for his channelthingie.
The second phase is not noteworthy. You just need dmg and maybe your Winter/gathering Storm for the small adds. If you lack damage use drums.

PS: the different trees are before the talentrework and after

[Deleted]

I'd use drape if you're having any sort of trouble with images as the healing from AMS can come in handy, but really with decent gear it shouldn't be a problem as long as you're managing death strikes properly.

[Mil Mascaras]

If I recall correctly, 913 ilvl is where most agreed that it got easier.

I was 909 when it came out and couldn't get past the second dark phase.
Waited to get to 913 and went down in two tries after.
Used Prydaz and cape.

Don't forget that you can swap back to normal dps gear in the intermission.