Need some advice for my POTD upscale run please

[Vasvary5050]

Hi folks. I'm currently doing my first POTD-upscale run. Currently level 8 doing quests around Neketaka. So far I've been okay doing everything up until Neketaka and I've just finished all of the Old City stuff, but now starting to hit my first brick walls (Arkymyr's manor and the Hanging Sepulchers). Can anyone advise on the following 2 questions please?:

1) The main thing that I'm confused about is when is it best to go to these quests areas. According to wiki, Hanging Sepulcher is a level 6 area (though the quest there is still white 3-skulls) and Arkymyr's manor is a level 5 area (though the quest there is 2-skulls). I thought I would go there now because areas that are upscaled by a lot tend to make the mobs with high armour and penetration have stupidly high armour and penetration, but I'm not sure if my reasoning on this is sound. Any advice? Should I come back in a couple of level's time, or is that just making it harder for myself? And Is the upscaling based on the zone's "level" or the quest's level?

2) I'm currently running with 3 companions (Eder as fighter; Xoti as priest; Ydwin as rogue), main character (Kind Wayfarer/troubadour) and 1 custom character (beguiler/assassin). Is this okay for POTD upscale (I'm not planning on doing the mega-bosses this run)

Thanks and best wishes, Vas.

[Fab3686]

lvl 8 seems too low for those areas, maybe 10-11 will be more appropriate. 

Eder is better as Fighter/Rogue (above all as Unbroken/Trickster  ), with this suggestion remove Ydwin (or change her as Mindstalker) from a single wizard (or Druid) and you will be fine.

 

 

[Vasvary5050]

Thanks @Fab3686. I will probably try these areas again at level 10 (in my previous run through I did them at about level 9 I think but that was veteran upscaled rather than POTD). 

I have been thinking of inserting a Druid into the team, and replacing Ydwin with Tekahu is probably the logical way. 

Also toying with the idea of replacing Eder with a soulblade. Never used a soulblade character. The raw damage from the soul annihilation could be quite nice.

 

[Boeroer]

Hanging Sepulchres is very tough. Lvl 6 is too low imo. 

Arkemyr's Manor can be done without any fighting at all - so the level doesn't really matter (except you need a somewhat decent mechanics skill for certain locks and traps). The Steelclads make fighting through the Manor challenging for lowish level parties because their armor is too high for you to do significant damage (usually).

[masterty66]

3 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Hanging Sepulchres is very tough. Lvl 6 is too low imo. 

Arkemyr's Manor can be done without any fighting at all - so the level doesn't really matter (except you need a somewhat decent mechanics skill for certain locks and traps). The Steelclads make fighting through the Manor challenging for lowish level parties because their armor is too high for you to do significant damage (usually).

Honestly ever since I figured out you could do this I haven't fought through the Manor since then. Those Steelclads are a pain in the ass and it's easier to avoid fighting there. 

[Vasvary5050]

Managed to take out the constructs in Arkemy's manor at level 8 in POTD up-scaling, but had to use a bit of cheese. Basically I created a new custom adventurer just to get me through the manor, a pure Psion, who just kept Pain Link on Eder and the rest of the time kept spamming out Soul Shock continually on Eder (a level 1 cipher spell that does shock damage in an AoE - shock damage being the one damage type the constructs have low armour for). Soul Shock is also accuracy vs reflex so the constructs stupidly high deflect and armour became irrelevant, and being a level 1 cipher ability, Psion was able to just continually cast it. Had to be a Psion because weapon damage against the constructs was so low because of their very high armour. Never used a Psion before this. (I am aware that I could avoid killing the constructs but just wanted to see if I could kill my through the manor).

Edited August 30, 2022 by Vasvary5050

[Zoda]

Essence Interruptor usully does the job there fairly easily if you have a decent tank. Sometimes I hire a devoted/ghost heart for the early game to just autoattack through the first few levels with Essence Interruptor. Lord Darryn's Voulge also comes in handy there.

Edited August 31, 2022 by Zoda

[Vasvary5050]

Good tip @zoda. That would probably have been a lot easier than my solution. I will go ahead and pick up Essence Interruptor and LD's Voulge in case I bump into any more of these ironclad constructs and steelclad prototypes whilst still low level.

[dgray62]

You'll likely next encounter them doing the Katrenn bounty, which you can take whenever you want & are ready.