Completed Triple Crown Solo on Monk

[Alnaimi]

Managed to complete the game on TCS yesterday, with all Side Quests (Apart from Endless paths of Od Nua).

 

Video of Final Battle:

https://youtu.be/Nkf5NPMe0vw

 

EDIT: The last song was causing the video to be blocked in Canada and some other countries. Sorry for the inconvenience, as I have had to remove the last song, it should only effect the ending however.

 

Character Creation:

 

I chose to go for the Pale Elf, as the racial Elemental Endurance is great (+ 10 Burn/Free DR). And you are still able to wear helmets, Helmet of Darksee which gives +2 Perception is too good to give up, and you can make up for the lack of Silver Tide (Moon Racial) by using the Shod-in-Faith boots.

 

Attributes: 

Might: 18

Constitution: 18

Dexterity: 11

Perception: 10

Intellect: 3

Resolve: 18

 

Abilities (By Level):

1. Torments Reach

2. Lesser Wounds

3. Turning Wheel

5. Long Stride

7. Duality of Mortal Presence

9. Crucible of Suffering

11. Enervating Blows

 

Talents (By Level):

4. Two Weapon Style

6. Peasant Weapon Proficiency

8. Fast Runner

10. Vulnerable Attacks

12. Deep Pockets

 

Strategies:

 

Fast runner and Long Stride was a life saver, and a huge part of my strategy. The two (coupled with sugar early on) allows for the Monk to reach the backline and assassinate the Mages/Archers within seconds, while the enemy Fighters are busy dealing with your summons.

 

The monk lacks abilities / talents that allows for +Accuracy, so rest whenever you can, and make sure to carry Potion of Eldritch Aim for harder encounters or War Paint. 

 

Positioning is key. Use corners, doorways, and narrow paths to your advantage. As this allows you to deal with enemies one by one, while still able to damage the backline with Torments Reach.

 

I always picked the easy way out for quests, and killed only when needed to. The Domenel Family has great side quests, that are not as hard as the others, and takes less time to finish. 

 

Make sure that you select all Passive buffs from quest rewards, this includes Gift from the Machine from atop of Heritage Hill Tower.

 

Before heading into a fight, make sure to look up your enemy. If you have previously finished the game on a different party or difficulty, switch over and check your Bestiary, and if not, you can use this complete bestiary here.

 

For Caed Nua, I brought 3 Potions of Minor Endurance, and 3 scrolls of Fan of Flames, 1 which was used to clear the exterior, and 2 for the Main Hall (while cornering myself in the bottom left corner (as may be seen here). I did this at level 4.

 

Vithracks are complete pain to deal with. (Encountering them during the Sserkal bounty, in Pearlwood Bluff). Make sure to carry Potion of Major Recovery and have your summons up. You want to let your summons flank and attack them, while you tank. Dealing with them one by one is also essential, as you do not want to get chain stunned. Vithraks are not strong towards any particular damage type, using offensive type of scrolls will help tremendously. 

 

The Sky Dragon was the hardest thing I ever done (that and some other close quarter bounties). Make sure to place a Gaze of Adragan trap before the encounter, and stack up on all food and resting boons. Make a rush towards the left area as soon as fight starts, and deal with the Hatchling first; once killed, use any figure to tank and make sure to make a run for when she is about to use Flame Breath (Zooming out may help, as this will allow you to see what ability is being used next on top of her head). Make sure to stand on the side, as to not get hit by the tail whip ability, and have Potion of Major Endurance and Potion of Major Recovery (For the annoying Aura) at hand, also if you got the +2 Item Slot from Deep Pockets, throw in a couple of War Paint.

 

As for the final boss; It was pointed out to  me on another thread that I missed to show the weapons used. The enchantments were Superb, Burning Lash and Vessel Slaying (for the double Judges).

 

Finally, I would like to thank and credit Reddit user /u/PapaMalle, as most of the above was inspired by him.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Alnaimi

[Eos]

Did you use a dark grey font in a forum which has a black background? Trying to be a unique snowflake of special uniqueness here? :D

[Alnaimi]

Did you use a dark grey font in a forum which has a black background? Trying to be a unique snowflake of special uniqueness here? :D

 

Woops, its because my forum theme is set to IP.Board, so it must have changed that automatically for me.

EDIT:  Fixed the document, cheers for pointing out

Edited April 26, 2015 by Alnaimi

[IndiraLightfoot]

Nice to see the TCS done with a monk! Good on you!

 

When I made my TCS, I picked Deep Pockets early, since I needed all those life-saving slots often.

[gkathellar]

Is there any reason to use Darksee over Lillith's Shawl?

[Alnaimi]

Is there any reason to use Darksee over Lillith's Shawl?

 

The increased stealth was not really needed for me, as by the end I was able to deal with any encounter. 

Also having Helmet of Darksee (arguably the best headgear for this setup) allows me to use Finreah's Grace, which compensates for the low base dexterity.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Alnaimi: I adore how you patiently used your figurines for those Woedica titans and then Thalos, only to lure him into that trap at the end. Brilliant.

[Ormag]

Do you use double spears? Any reason not to use rapiers/daggers which also have +acc?

[knownastherat]

Well, there is no other way to do it really. The fight revolves around splitting them up, watching their buffs and final blow on Theos. There are couple of variations, one of them includes getting the game to pause by alt + tab to desktop just before the fight, but as far as I know all of them include decoys to isolate and possibly summons to deal some damage/cause distraction/flank.

Edited April 26, 2015 by knownastherat

[IndiraLightfoot]

knownastherat: I certainly only know my way of doing it, and it also included using triple-summon figurines, but I relied heavily on confusion, toing and froing, and now and then having Thalos himself finishing off his beloved Woedica titans:

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/78425-wonderful-game-with-a-few-bugs-and-yes-triple-crown-solo-is-definitely-doable-spoilers/?p=1673487

Edited April 26, 2015 by IndiraLightfoot

[Alnaimi]

Do you use double spears? Any reason not to use rapiers/daggers which also have +acc?

 

Because the Peasant Weapon Proficiency both cover Unarmed and Spears

[IndiraLightfoot]

Pulling this off with a monk is extra neat, since you can't enchant fists for some extra accuracy and such. I'm impressed.

[knownastherat]

Good for you. Considering their Will landing those spells on triple crown .. but I would not know, never played cipher that far.

 

I will stand corrected then. Unless for some kind of mind control, that is the only way to do it as far as I know.

[knownastherat]

Pulling this off with a monk is extra neat, since you can't enchant fists for some extra accuracy and such. I'm impressed.

 

I am sorry but again, not really. Its doable with exceptional weapon.

[gkathellar]

Pulling this off with a monk is extra neat, since you can't enchant fists for some extra accuracy and such. I'm impressed.

 

Fists don't lack for accuracy and damage. The real issue is that you can't get properties like Draining on them.

[Ormag]

Heh gratz btw, didn't think it was possible

[MadDemiurg]

Well, if you get lucky with wiz you can petrify everything from start. Not for Ironman though. Cipher can buff up his accuracy to be super high, but I don't remember how much will Thaos has. It's actually much easier to dominate statues - they have crap will unless Thaos buffs it - even then this can be prevented with arcane dampener ring.

[knownastherat]

For first 102 sec around 167 iirc.

[IndiraLightfoot]

 

Pulling this off with a monk is extra neat, since you can't enchant fists for some extra accuracy and such. I'm impressed.

 

I am sorry but again, not really. Its doable with exceptional weapon.

 

Yes, with a weapon sure, but I was talking about fists, as in Unarmed, or are they accuracy-boostable as well?

 

EDIT: gkathellar: Where do fists get accuracy bonuses from? 

Edited April 26, 2015 by IndiraLightfoot

[knownastherat]

Of course, someone can prove (me wrong;) by pointing me to vid where for example someone beats it solo fighting them like real man 3 at the same time. That is more than fine.

[IndiraLightfoot]

knownastherat: The only thing like that I've seen is a barbarian retaliation build. Try googling it.

[knownastherat]

No thank you. I mean, the final fight is standard and there is nothing special about it any more.

[MadDemiurg]

For first 102 sec around 167 iirc.

Max effective cipher accuracy is around 160, so yeah, that's like 22% miss chance, so luck reliant. After that though he'll make a nice puppet). And both statues have crap will save (1 is a bit better but still not super impressive).

 

 

knownastherat: The only thing like that I've seen is a barbarian retaliation build. Try googling it. 

Retal won't work there - Thaos is ranged and there are only 2 statues (that also like to cast spells)

Edited April 26, 2015 by MadDemiurg

[Eos]

Of course, someone can prove (me wrong;) by pointing me to vid where for example someone beats it solo fighting them like real man 3 at the same time. That is more than fine.

 

So manliness is equal to taking the direct yet stupid approach? You so sexist D:

[IndiraLightfoot]

MadDemiurg: I haven't tried the retaliation build myself, so I don't know what other tricks it has up its sleeves, but you are right of course. You need to occupy or somehow disable them from knocking you down and cast their spells.