Guild Wars 2

Hi there!

I’ve found myself in a somewhat difficult situation. I started working toward Nevermore, my very first legendary after 3 years of playing the game, and have finished T1 and T2 and most of T3 – then I found out that one of the ravens you need to find is inside a fractal that only occurs and level 20 and above (the Solid Ocean fractal).

This is a problem because I haven’t run many fractals and while I can get the other ones at low levels, I have no agony resistance allowing me to go into a level 20 fractal to get this last raven. This is kind of a nightmare since I don’t want to spend ages waiting for laurels to get trinkets that I can put infusions in, spend a lot of gold doing so as well, for a part of the game I don’t even spend much time in or particularly enjoy. It seems crazy to have to go to all that trouble just so I can run into one particular fractal and find a stray bird…

So I guess my question is 1) any advice on this problem? I don’t think there’s any way to get agony infusions that won’t be a major headache on top of the gagillion other things I have to do for Nevermore and 2) is there any way to taxi into this particular fractal – in such a way that I could grab the raven without dying and then get out of there? and 2-B) Is there anyone out there who would think about helping me do so? I would love you forever.

Thanks, forums!

I would imagine that, if you can use your class defensive abilities well enough, you’d get through level 20 fine without any AR because level 20 only requires 8 AR. If you’ve never done that fractal before, read up on it a bit before jumping in. Once you’ve seen the basics of the fight, then just join a group for it. Odds are you’ll be fine.

If you really want to get the AR, though, you could probably just get by with one Versatile Simple Infusion (gives you +5 AR); you’ll take a bit more Agony damage, but it won’t be as bad as going in with 0. Those infusions cost 75 fractal relics and are bought from one of the vendors in Fractals. If you’ve done the fractals needed for other tiers of Nevermore, you should probably be close to 75 relics. However, you’ll need to have a trinket, weapon, back item, or armor piece that can accept an infusion. So, if you don’t currently have ANY gear that can take an infusion on your character, you’re going to have to buy/earn one.

There are Living Story achievements that give an ascended accessory for completing them, but that will take some time. If you have laurels saved up at all, you’d be better off just buying an ascended trinket from the laurel vendor. Similarly, if you’re in a guild that does guild missions, you can do missions to get commendations, and then use the commendations to buy an ascended accessory. Again, that will take some time because you need 12 commendations (plus some gold) for each accessory you get.

You can survive that fractal with 0 AR, you’ll just take 10% of your health per tick and might need a rez from your party members once or twice. The main AR check is when you first arrive at the Jade Maw (end boss). Where is the raven? You might not have to go all the way to the end, unless fractal completion is needed.

You can also get plus 5 AR infusions, the “versatile” ones, for 75 fractal relics each. Those go in armor, trinkets, and weapons, so if you have even one ascended item and have accrued 75 relics, bam, there’s enough AR for the level 20 (plus 10 would be better, but plus 5 will do you fine. Just don’t try to heal while the agony buff is on you, heals won’t affect you, cast your heal as soon as the buff is gone). Note that if you put your plus 5 in a weapon and you weapon swap, you will be back to 0 AR while equipping the alternate weapons.

I’m in a guild that likes to help out with fractals and can likely get you through that one. If you’re on NA ping me around reset time as I expect I’ll be back in for dailies before another Hearts and Minds run. I should be able to scare up enough folks to help you, AR or no AR.

Donari.5237:

You can survive that fractal with 0 AR, you’ll just take 10% of your health per tick and might need a rez from your party members once or twice. The main AR check is when you first arrive at the Jade Maw (end boss). Where is the raven? You might not have to go all the way to the end, unless fractal completion is needed.

I’m looking at it on the Wiki, and I don’t believe it needs completion at all – apparently it’s in the northern section of the boss fight, just waiting there. So if I could get in to the fractal and find it I’d probably be okay – especially since I’m largely traited for survival above all else anyway. Problem is, I’d hate to get a bunch of people to help me with it and then just abandon them once I found the raven, since that would be a real jerk move. But then, with no AR, I don’t know if I’d be more of a hindrance than a help anyways.

I’m on the Sanctum of Rall server, so if you think you could get some folks to help me out that would be amazing. I’m not sure if I’ll be around just after reset today – if not then I will be tomorrow. Let me know what you think! And thanks!

The raven isn’t there until after the boss is dead, according to the wiki. So, you’ll need to just do the whole fractal, which shouldn’t be a problem.

“Complete any level Solid Ocean Fractal. Double-click the Subtle Spyglass with the Spirit Containment Unit in your inventory while standing near the raven, located at the end of the fractal after defeating the final boss, off to the far-right.”

The moment you touch the floor of the room, you’ll get hit by agony which ticks a fixed % of health, so toughness and vitality won’t help you survive.
The raven is in the north east part of the boss room. You enter the area via the south, so will likely aggro the mobs as you try reach it. You could try, but I don’t think there is a safe way to get the raven without starting the encounter.
As Donari says, it’s not hard to get the AR. You should have some relics from doing the other collection items, and you can do the T1 dailies which give a pristine relics each (converts to 15 regular relics).

RoseofGilead.8907:

The raven isn’t there until after the boss is dead, according to the wiki. So, you’ll need to just do the whole fractal, which shouldn’t be a problem.

“Complete any level Solid Ocean Fractal. Double-click the Subtle Spyglass with the Spirit Containment Unit in your inventory while standing near the raven, located at the end of the fractal after defeating the final boss, off to the far-right.”

Ahh, that sucks. Thanks for the heads up though!

onevstheworld.2419:

The moment you touch the floor of the room, you’ll get hit by agony which ticks a fixed % of health, so toughness and vitality won’t help you survive.
The raven is in the north east part of the boss room. You enter the area via the south, so will likely aggro the mobs as you try reach it. You could try, but I don’t think there is a safe way to get the raven without starting the encounter.
As Donari says, it’s not hard to get the AR. You should have some relics from doing the other collection items, and you can do the T1 dailies which give a pristine relics each (converts to 15 regular relics).

When I said traited for survival, I meant with traits – not vitality or toughness. I’m a reaper and everything I’ve got it set towards making my death shroud a no-dying mechanic. So if it’s even a little possible to get through that level fractal with no AR, I may be able to do it. And I think I sold my fractal relics as, like I said, I don’t have any real interest in fractals and didn’t know I’d be needimg them. So I also really don’t want to spend a few days working for gear I don’t even really want… I think I’ll try winging it. Thanks for the advice though!

You can’t sell your relics… they get deposited into your account wallet.

It may be possible with a reaper… your shroud can absorb part of the agony damage.

onevstheworld.2419:

You can’t sell your relics… they get deposited into your account wallet.

It may be possible with a reaper… your shroud can absorb part of the agony damage.

See! Shows how much I know.

And yeah, that’s what I’m thinking – then I’ve got traits that regen health while I’m in shroud etc. I might be able to scrape through?

Yeah, there’s no way to sell your relics. They’re in your wallet. But I think you’ll make it through the fractal fine even with 0 AR; you’ll just need to pay close attention to your health. It would also be good to just give your group a heads up that you don’t have AR yet.

RoseofGilead.8907:

Yeah, there’s no way to sell your relics. They’re in your wallet. But I think you’ll make it through the fractal fine even with 0 AR; you’ll just need to pay close attention to your health. It would also be good to just give your group a heads up that you don’t have AR yet.

I always do pay close attention, I’m weirdly neurotic about how much I dislike dying. And yes, I will definitely tell whoever I end up running with!

The relics are the dungeon tokens of fractals. If you’ve done a few fractals you should have 75 by now, they drop at about the same rate as the dungeon ones do.

By “pay close attention” it means make sure you’re topped off before the AR starts ticking as it is absolutely unavoidable damage. I wish I could tell you when in Jade Sea the AR ticks happen, other than when first setting foot on the boss platform, but I have enough AR to handle a level 60 fractal and am still not even personal level 50 so I’ve outgunned it all for a long time. 1% ticks are barely noticeable. So if there’s AR before that platform, you could find yourself downed. That’s what party members are for!

The description is wrong, the Raven is there from the start. If you have a thief or a mesmer, you can stealth past the mobs and just walk to the Raven. Or let another player stealth you.
If you still need help, you can whisper me ingame. I have accounts on both servers.
I added a screenshot to show where the Ravens exact location is.

I just finished Nevermore and the last collection has you doing more low level fractals. It would be well worth your while to earn some fractal relics and get yourself a simple infusion and a trinket to put it in. You can buy one with laurels

Sarwo.6918:

The description is wrong, the Raven is there from the start. If you have a thief or a mesmer, you can stealth past the mobs and just walk to the Raven. Or let another player stealth you.
If you still need help, you can whisper me ingame. I have accounts on both servers.
I added a screenshot to show where the Ravens exact location is.

That’s super helpful, thank you very much! I may well whisp you to take you up on that

Ophidia Moonstone.2587:

I just finished Nevermore and the last collection has you doing more low level fractals. It would be well worth your while to earn some fractal relics and get yourself a simple infusion and a trinket to put it in. You can buy one with laurels

After I ran into the current problem I checked to make sure all the T4 ones can be done below level 11, and they can – so if I can figure out this one raven in the Jade Maw boss I won’t need to bother.

Update: A guildie helped me through the boss to the raven! Problem solved. Also for future reference it turns out the raven may be there before the boss is defeated but it can’t be picked up for the collection until the boss is dead. Just FYI!

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this.

I’m going to need to go to the Solid Ocean Fractal for the Bifrost collect and I hadn’t realised it was only available at higher levels. (I’ve done it before and my personal Fractal level is only 9, but maybe it was changed at some point.)

I guess I’ll need to get some agony resistance.

It’s not really that much higher a level as it starts at 20 and can be done with no AR, at least if your party is willing to pick you up off the floor if you fall. I don’t recall if it was ever at a lower level before the revamp, but you could have done it as a level 20. You can go in any level fractal your party can open, and as long as it is your current level or higher you will get one more personal level upon successful completion.

But as noted above, just plus 5 will carry you through and you don’t have to do anything complicated to get that plus 5. One ascended item from any source and 75 fractal relics which you should have if you’ve made it up to personal 9, boom, there you go.

I wasn’t able to help Astalakio as my fractal buddies weren’t on when s/he contacted me last night, so hurray for that getting done regardless! And I cannot aid you, Danikat, since I’m NA. But I offer my moral support and my heartfelt assurances that you can do it, you only need to find a few helpful sorts.

Oh I know I can do it. I just didn’t realise I’d need to get up to level 20 and get some agony resistance and I’m almost up to that part so I was in for a nasty surprise.

You really don’t NEED the AR, though, Danikat. If you do choose to get it, you probably already have enough relics from doing the other fractals for Nevermore to pick up a versatile infusion. That would be more than enough to counter most of the agony effect.

This fractal is easy to do without any AR. Just tell your party beforehand that you don’t have any and would prefer to sitout the boss fight (you will still sometimes get hit with agony but its easy to survive if you aren’t getting hit by the boss or the other mobs on screen) and most people will be fine with that as long as they know beforehand.

You can get enough AR for that using https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Anguished_Tear_of_Alba but it requires the first fractal mastery.