Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Thanks to Kebia of Oggok for acquainting me with the Sundered Splitpaw: Delving zone!

If you've chosen to pre-order the adventure pack, the Splitpaw Saga access quest is available to you.  In it you'll find not just the key to get you into the upcoming SS zone, but also a scalable (meaning the mobs and experience adjust to your level or your group's average level) instance which can be soloed or duo'ed for a gain of about 10% exp total for a half an hour's work (this is for levels 41-50, at lower levels its likely more!).

Note that a "Captive Audience" zone is also available by getting a proc hit from a Splitpaw Abductor. If you're in your 20s or 30s, just fight the mob and go easy.  If you're in your late 30s, early 40s, or 50, sit down in front of the mob, yes sit down while fighting, to get sent to Captive Audience.  In the jail area, you'll find boxes and planks, and an NPC with instructions on how to place them.  Place them close to the cage on the outside toward the left, then, once inside, they can be moved in the cage with you. I beleive 3 boxes were enough to get up there. Your only goal is to work back to the terraporter to escape. (Thanks Aphi of Oggok!)

To enter the zone, you must first /claim and examine a "darkened shard," then work your way past the late 20's mobs guarding each gnollish terraporter (boney arch structure adorned with crystals) in the Thundering Steppes. There are four terra porter locations, here's two:

**Tower 2 Terraporter: next to Tower 2 (check your map!) in northern TS.
**Double crater terraporter: not far from T2 at location +707, -404.

Note that if you're 30 or below you should approach these locations with caution, as they're guarded with late 20's mobs. 

Required level: 20 Max level 50. Once you've retrieved the second half of the shard you /claim'ed, you'll be able to repeat the quest. 

Before you begin, it's important to know the types of gnolls you'll be encountering. Knowledge is power, and knowledge will help you save power if you can recognize which gnolls are the mez, the healer, and the fighter. Why flail away at the fighter only to have him healed by the priest gnoll, while the coercer stifles your casting / combat abilities? Knock out the mages and healers first, then the fighter.

Here are the basic gnoll types you'll be fighting, by first word of their name (e.g. "a Rosch mal deceiver" is a mage):

Rosch - mage (important: deceivers are coercers, see below)
Nisch - priest (healer)
Lteth - scout
Tesch - fighter

For more detailed information on subclasses names, visit this SOE forum thread.

Fighting your way through the Sundered Splitpaw zone:

I personally know of a scout, priest, and warrior class that have soloed the zone with success; it can be done, but you'll have to fight smart, especially if you're a "squishy" like my healer. The hints and tips apply whether you're solo or grouped, however.

A few hints and tips:

**Clear all roaming single mobs before taking on the groups: you won't be able to afford much in the way of adds!

**Buff / Vitae / Ward to full before each encounter: once combat begins, there's a good chance you'll be silenced.

**When fighting groups:


**Pull them into a safe, open area. The zone still has serious pathing issues, and you might not be able to target the mobs effectively in the few tight corridors throughout the zone.  They will, however, be able to target you! Mobs have been known to disappear into walls too.

**Take out the coercer type (Rosch mal deceiver) and the illusionist type (Rosch mal sycophant) gnolls first! The deceivers stifle, which is very uncomfortable, especially if you're nothing like a pure melee class. Sycophants charm you, which is worse in that when charmed, the mobs will stop attacking you. This breaks the enounter, and you won't get exp or loot when the charm breaks and you're again under attack. Note: some folks say that the enchanter types will only use damage spells if you leave them till last, I haven't found this to work though. Feel free to give it a shot if our method doesn't work for you though.[br]

**Next, the healers (Nisch): These won't be able to do much for the enchanter gnolls if you kill them quickly, and you want to take them out before they can patch up the tank and scout units.[/li]

**Third, the scouts (Lteth) and leftover mages (other Rosch) Get rid of that DPS!

**Finally, the fighters. (Tesch)


**You'll encounter movable chests which work exactly like placing house items. This is required info to complete the final step of the zone. Once you've killed the named mob deep inside the zone, he'll drop a key for a chest located atop a steep platform. This chest includes the darkened shard you'll need to fuse your half to to gain Splitpaw access. To get to the chest: place one box about 5 meters from the base of the chest platform. Stack two boxes stairstepped atop one another, then stairstep these (together) atop the one you first placed. There's a fourth box if you need it, but if this halfling can make it up there with three boxes anyone can. Open the chest with the key (or whomever looted it must do so), then examine the chest for the quest update! Note: this won't complete the quest, you'll have to live with it in your quest journal until the release of the Splitpaw Saga.

Congratulations! You're ready to enter the Splitpaw's domain in southwest Thundering Steppes ("A Gnoll Cave" on your map)!