Maze of the Ancients
From HGWiki
The Maze of the Ancients is a legendary area intended for parties of levels 40 to 45.
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Description
- The maze can be reached via Drow Tunnels -> Drider Cave -> Great Cavern -> Deepbat Tunnels -> Ancient Cave -> Maze of the Ancients.
- This area is, as the name says, a maze. There are 4 maps filled with holes, ladders and portals. In this maze there are several class secrets and the Sphinx.
The maze leads to the Ancient Dragon Dach'xilith'az'ichityl but you need to find the Seal of Shadows and the secret password before you can fight the boss.
- The run is a free rest zone, Immortal characters will not fugue or limbo in the Maze of the Ancients.
Requirements
- Immortality is advisable (although not required) to enter this area.
- Magical immunity is recommended in the Maze and boss fight, 50% immunity and 10/- resistance or more.
For the boss fight you should also use Negative Energy Protection and have Level Drain immunity, Undeath's Eternal Foe is also advisable unless you want to be blind for most of the fight.
Spawn Structure
Spawns are not dynamic in that the numbers and types of creatures do not scale with player group size, paragon type creatures do not spawn in this area. Spawns also do not change and will always contain the exact same creatures.
Transit
Transit with mobs alive No.
Areas
Ancient Cave
Full of Ancient Guardians (mummies). They have a disarming check against Discipline, DC??. If killed, they release an Umbra, which uses a DC70 death attack - Death Magic immunity is all but necessary (they also Mord on hit so neg prot potions you have imbibed will be dispelled unless you have a Mord immunity item equipped). You cannot enter the Maze entry teleporter until the map is clear.
The Legendary Archer Bow (Arcane Archer class secret) can be found here behind a large door. Inspect the door for a riddle and type the answer into chat to unlock it.
Maze of the Ancients
Each of the four maps can be described on a 10x10 grid. Mapping it is not difficult, but will take some time unless you play a class that can solo quickly. You can't ever leave a map unless it's clear - this includes monsters that aren't in your current room. Thus if you run the Maze with a group, the group should stick very close together... getting separated can mean being stuck until the other half of your party has finished fighting. Portals are one-way, but Ladders and Holes work both ways. Thus, if trying to make a map, it may be best to travel through Ladders and Holes before trying any Portals - you will encounter less respawns.
If creatures spawn that are not in your zone preventing use of the portal/ladder/hole you will need to log out for 3 minutes to despawn them before progressing.
Most casters can work very well even in early 40s here, though some enemies have high Spell Resistance and must be killed by a tank or spells that ignore SR, such as Evard's Black Tentacles and Earthquake. Turners and Pale Masters perform especially well.
| Class Secrets: Spoiler Warning! |
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Hidden in the maze are various class secrets: - Fighter secret Crown of Swords |
| Secret subraces: Spoiler Warning! |
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Somewhere in the maze the Glasdir can be found; it spawns at one of several set locations randomly each reset. The Glasdir must be used near the Sphinx to be teleported to a second Sphinx statue. If you give this second Sphinx the blood of a powerful dragon (Mother of All Dragons, Dach'xilith'az'ichityl, Ssssy'is), you can choose to unlock a Secret Subrace. A different set of Secret Subraces is available for each dragon's blood. Note: You can only use one blood per visit to the Sphinx and if you exit the conversation part way though it will treat this as a completed use although not using the blood. |
Sanctum of the Deep One
The correct path through the maze leads you to the end - the Sanctum of the Deep One. Once you reach this room, you must be able to pass two more barriers. The door opens at a spoken password, like the door outside in the cave; the letters of the password can be found one by one scattered over the whole world of Higher Ground. Ask in chat if you cannot find them all.
| Or Click here. Spoiler Warning! |
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nicturax |
The portal must be opened using the Seal of Shadows on the pedestal; the Seal spawns at one of several set locations throughout the maze each reset, if you do not use the seal and return to Ascension (or other sunlit areas) it will crumble to dust.
The portal leads to the Shadow Prison, where Dach'xilith'az'ichityl has been imprisoned.
Map and Videos
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Monsters
At first glance, it looks like there is only one type of enemy in the maze, but there are three - each identifiable by color. All deal Bludgeoning and Magical damage.
- Purple: highly spell resistant (SR 85), but weak in melee. Use SR-ignoring spells, bring a high-level caster, or kill them with physical attacks.
- Blue: no Spell Resistance, and an easy target for casters. Melee attackers will receive Magical kickback.
- Red: If hit by any type of damage, they'll explode, causing Magical damage and yielding no experience. It's a reflex save against DC50, and Evasion works. If these are instantly killed without damage (such as with Undeath to Death, Sunburst or Turning), they will not explode and will yield experience. It is best not to use active damage shields unless you (and party members near you) are all but immune to the explosion damage.
Boss Strategy
Dach'xilith'az'ichityl is only vulnerable to Magical and Divine damage; tanks will have a difficult time hurting him unless they have access to a +15 or greater weapon buff to eliminate the dr (if you can use the +15 vs Dragons Bastard Sword dropped by Lithiucshas (see Lair of Lithiucshas) this can help a lot). Casters will have to fight his 80 Spell Resistance, so a high level and a SR-decreasing effect will help greatly. If you cannot damage him fast enough via normal spells, some custom HG Epic Spells can beat his regeneration - the most common effective ones are Starfire and Missile Barrage (requires a sr check to hit). Resting is possible in the Shadow Prison if you can get the boss to one corner and rest in the other.
Apart from blue Guardians, you will face Dach'xilith'az'ichityl's arsenal, which includes the standard draconic Fear, a Blindness aura, strong melee attacks, and a breath weapon that deals Magical and Negative damage.
