Desert of Vashyk
From HGWiki
The Desert of Vashyk is a legendary area intended for parties of levels 45 to 50. The run is split into two parts; Desert, and Dustbone.
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Desert
A sandy region of high temperatures and where the only abundant natural resource is sand.
To enter this region requires nothing more than immortality, though weaker immortals may find it difficult to cope with the enemies found here.
Enemies
Stingers
Found only on the first map of the desert, these foes often prove lethal to the unprepared. Their archers can quickly cut down a party if they do not have adequate immunities. The priests launch large numbers of Implosions followed by Earthquakes. While their DC isn't very high, the sheer number of implosions often overwhelm even people with very high saves. Implosion immunity is therefore recommended for people expecting to be targeted unless they have very high SR or Spell Mantles. Wearing some amount of Positive immunity can help reduce the impact of the Earthquake spams. They are not immune to any element however, and are quickly dispatched if one can last that long. Because the Priests cast a variety of party-damaging spells, they are preferred targets.
Silt Scorpions
These large mutant scorpions are a basic foe in the desert, but are generally dangerous only in large numbers as they are not immune to any damage types. They inflict Slashing Vulnerability on hit, which if left unrestored can make damage input snowball alarmingly.
Silt Scarabs
These bugs are quite small, and difficult to target, but are not especially difficult to kill once targeted. Casters may feel an urge to run away as usual when a mob attacks them, but they should not, as when moving, these enemies go from being difficult to target, to near impossible. They are not vulnerable or resistant to any damage types.
Living Sands
The living sands can infiltrate the lungs of even the most prepared adventurer. They do a DC 50 Fortitude check on hit vs. insta-kill, with no immunity. For this reason it is best to avoid being repeatedly hit by them, These are a type of elemental and highly resistant to most damage types with only electrical damage being very effective against them. Fire also has some effect, so melee users should have Flame Weapon and Darkfire. Ball Lightning is a very good mage spell against them which can be cast from a distance, and an AA using an Electric bow is especially effective. If no other electric weapons are handy, the set mace Aftershock is good to use on them.
Dust Elementals
These large enemies may seem imposing as they cross the desert sands, but are vulnerable to fire damage. They may do large amounts of damage to the unwary, but with the common nature of fire spells, they prove little difficulty to a party with any caster presence. Even engaged in melee they are only a minimal threat on their own.
Sanders
These stony creatures are quite common, and somewhat resistant to most damage types, while vulnerable to cold damage. Their most troublesome feature is that they will sometimes petrify a player. Concealment can reduce the number of incoming hits which will help, or of course an item which provides immunity (e.g. Splint of Elril). They have some spell resistance, but not too high. Cold and bludgeoning damage are effective against them, meaning Ice Storms or AA cold imbue for a similar effect can heavily damage a group. Carrying some Stoneeaters Rings or scrolls of Stone to Flesh can help restore party members who have been stoned.
Drocs
These giant birds are mostly regarded as a mere nuisance, as they are easily killed by death magic, mortal strikes, called shots, or any other instant kill tactics. Even without instant kill abilities they quickly perish in melee. Their only notable ability is to carry off players to their eyrie. Players that are taken there should note that there are 3 loot drops there, but that once you move from the spot where you appear, a number of drocs will spawn and attack. They are especially troubling for anyone attempting to solo the desert, as the map will despawn if you are carried off.
Screelings
These are a type of outsider, and despite their small size can prove quite troublesome. They are fast, hit hard, and somewhat resistant to most damage types, but are vulnerable to acid. Casters of lower levels may have difficulty breaching their spell resistance of 65. Casters can use Mestil's Acid Sheath and let themselves be hit, which is a very fast way of killing them.
Devarials
These are arguably the worst opponents to face in the desert. Their spell resistance of 70 renders them nearly immune to spells from low level immortals. The archers are lethal at long ranges, and the priests cast large numbers of implosion spells at mid to close range. Worse still is that devarial arrows cast Mordekain's Disjunction on hit, stripping the unprepared of any buffs they may have had.
Recommended Tactics
The desert is renowned for massing, where all of the enemies of a map are gathered together to be eliminated at once. This is rightly so as the geography allows excellent defensive positions where a few tanks or a strategically placed wall can entirely bar entrance, allowing the casters freedom to launch spell after spell on a large mass of enemies while remaining in relative safety. For archers that aren't coming to the party, rangers can use their Called Shot ability to kill the devarials at long range.
Almost all enemies found in the desert are vulnerable to the Harm spell. Earthquake is a good spell for low level clerics to use against Devarials because it bypasses spell resistance. Elemental Swarm is excellent against most of the enemies in the desert as it will do damage of the type they are vulnerable to. Mages have a wide variety of mass damage spells to choose from, though Meteors are the classic method. As there is no kickback in the desert most large area spells are excellent for use against massed enemies.
Recommended Immunities
After the first map levitation is required to avoid instant death as a result of quicksand. This can be provided by race (e.g. Planewalker, Fallen Angel, Pharlan), the set lev ring, or other items (e.g. Amulet of Adaptation, Ring of Windworking, Ice Climbing Boots). Mordekain’s Disjunction immunity is also recommended if a player has any buffs they consider worth keeping. Piercing resist or immunity is also useful to reduce the damage taken from the plentiful archers. Implosion immunity and petrification immunity are worth considering if this is problematic for your character.
There is one small map in the desert where the party goes inside of a tower. Here levitation is not needed, but cold and negative immunity is. There are several Lost Souls of Vashyk in this area which do party cold and negative kickback.
Dustbone
This run is the second 'required' run for entry to the Hells. At the end of the run is a Mentari Mindstill that is required to open the way to Thids (The 3rd required run for entry to the Hells). Although the tag is not required to progress further on your journey towards the Hells. Once entered is a place where teleportation using the pc scry is disabled, and rest is not allowed. To rest one must use the Ring of Planar Traveler, or run back out of the area. Also there is no ring charger at the end of this run, so if you have yet to acquire Zerial’s Token and are not intending to acquire it on this run, then you should try to conserve your rests.
Enemies
You now are entering the very landing zone of the Harbinger so many years ago, where it shattered the very fabric of reality, and outsiders are common here.
Screelings, sanders, silt scorpions, dust elementals, and sanders are seen on this run also. There are additional enemies to consider here however, most of which are immune to harm spells.
Xevils
One of these is seen on the last map of the desert, but likely didn’t prove much more than an interesting bit of variety. These outsiders are vulnerable to sonic, and barbarians enjoy raging against them. Xevils are not much of an opponent, with no kickback, and the only thing to note is that occasionally they will stone a player who failed a save.
Barbed Devils
These creatures are the first enemy you will encounter on the run that does kickback damage, in this case piercing and negative damage to the hitter. They are vulnerable to cold damage, and the kickback is only against the player that attacked them.
Fleshers
These enemies do personal kickback of acid damage, and will attempt to unequip the player’s armor versus a discipline check. Casters may find themselves without clothing fairly often, but it is only removed to their inventory so once combat ends they can easily re-equip it. Fleshers are vulnerable to fire damage and to Harm. Clerics or Turners using Harm on the fleshers is greatly appreciated by tanks.
Abimanders
These often cause parties of otherwise prepared adventurers trouble. They do 100 fire and 30 magic damage kickback to all party members each time they are attacked. They are invulnerable to fire damage, and many a Bloodfire Mage has found out to his party’s seething rage, that while brand does no damage to abimanders, it can wipe his own party. Abimanders are however vulnerable to cold damage. These also posses spell resistance of 65.
Lost Souls of Vashyk
These enemies do party cold and negative kickback. They in turn are immune to negative and cold damage. However they possess all of the typical weaknesses of undead. Branding can once again cause a party wipe, and anyone that has forgotten to neg pot will die quickly. When resurrected, immediately drink a new neg pot or you will die again very quickly. They also possess spell resistance of 66.
Recommended Immunities
Fire and Cold are critical to have as near to 100% as possible. Neg pots should be up at all times as well. Magic immunity and resist is also highly desirable to protect against abimander kickback, but the fire damage is larger and so should be a priority if it is necessary to prioritize. Acid immunity is also needed if you intend to attack fleshers, as these will do personal acid kickback. Many are the BFMs that have killed themselves as well as their target by branding fleshers without having enough acid immunity or resistance.
Boss Battle
Dustbone is a powerful opponent, and a contingent of Lost Souls lays in wait with him. Dustbone as with all dragons possesses a breath weapon of terrible power. He deals out magical, electric, fire, and negative damage with every attack and his breath weapon can do hundreds of points of damage of all of those types. Fear immunity is also a must have, as with any dragon battle. Having cold immunity for the lost souls, and then switching that out for more electric, fire, or magic immunity once they are dealt with is a good strategy. He also deals negative kickback to the hitter, which makes negative protection doubly important.
Dustbone is immune to acid, cold, electric, fire, and negative damage. Sonic, divine, magic, and positive damage are thus necessary. Clangs and barbarian rages are useful for tanks. Casters will find it difficult to deal with Dustbone’s spell resistance of 80. At a minimum Dustbone should be Morded, and it is preferable that if a druid is around that he be Nature’s Balanced or Frailtied. This will allow spells to land more often. Alternatively if his spell resistance cannot be dropped sufficiently, Earthquake is an effective spell to use against him.
Dustbone also heals himself once, so do not despair if he seems to have healed completely, he only does so once. Once Dustbone is reduced to just dust, you gain the key to his sanctum. There you will find three Dustbone Weapons, which are some of the best weapons in the game, and a Dustbone AA longbow. There will also be a Mentari Mind Still which is the consumable key required for the Illithids run.
An observant adventurer will also note Dustbone’s table, and the stool he liked to relax on.
The chain of climbing found here is used near a boulder in the Pit to allow a party to exit directly from there to the first map of the desert, avoiding the need to fight respawned enemies on the way out. Also in the pit is access to Zerial’s workshop if you are level 55 or over and have the Illithids’ tag.
