Core for a hero team and corresponding tactic designed to guarantee an easy completion of Eternal Grove (mission) in normal and hard mode with the masters reward. This can be done with 7 heroes. Alternatively heroes can be dropped to run the mission for other players.
Overview[]
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Aura of the LichPropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic 19Aura of the LichElite Enchantment SpellAll corpses within earshot are exploited and you animate a level 21 bone horror with 500 Health and 126 armor plus one for each corpse exploited in this way. For 56 seconds, your Death Magic attribute is increased by +1.15245
Animate Bone FiendCoreNecromancer. Death Magic 19Animate Bone FiendSpellExploit nearest corpse to animate a level 21 Bone Fiend. Bone Fiends can attack at range.2535
Animate Shambling HorrorNightfallNecromancer. Death Magic 19Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 21 shambling horror with 500 Health and 126 armor. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 19 jagged horror with 500 Health and 126 armor that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325
Putrid BileEotNNecromancer. Death Magic 19Putrid BileHex SpellFor 24 seconds, target foe suffers -4 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 101 damage.10112
MasochismEotNNecromancer. Soul Reaping 13MasochismEnchantment SpellFor 36 seconds, you have +2 to your Death Magic and Soul Reaping attributes and sacrifice 3% of your maximum Health when you cast a spell.5120
Infuse ConditionPropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic 19Infuse ConditionEnchantment SpellFor the next 72 seconds, whenever you receive a Condition, that Condition is transferred to your closest minion instead.5120
Spirit BondFactionsMonk. Protection Prayers 8Spirit BondEnchantment SpellFor 8 seconds, whenever target ally takes more than 50 damage from the next 10 attacks or Spells, that ally is healed for 62 Health.10¼2
Protective SpiritCoreMonk. Protection Prayers 8Protective SpiritEnchantment SpellFor 15 seconds, target ally cannot lose more than 10% max Health due to damage from a single attack or Spell.10¼5
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Aura of the LichPropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic 19Aura of the LichElite Enchantment SpellAll corpses within earshot are exploited and you animate a level 21 bone horror with 500 Health and 126 armor plus one for each corpse exploited in this way. For 56 seconds, your Death Magic attribute is increased by +1.15245
Animate Bone FiendCoreNecromancer. Death Magic 19Animate Bone FiendSpellExploit nearest corpse to animate a level 21 Bone Fiend. Bone Fiends can attack at range.2535
Animate Shambling HorrorNightfallNecromancer. Death Magic 19Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 21 shambling horror with 500 Health and 126 armor. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 19 jagged horror with 500 Health and 126 armor that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325
Putrid BileEotNNecromancer. Death Magic 19Putrid BileHex SpellFor 24 seconds, target foe suffers -4 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 101 damage.10112
Blood of the MasterCoreNecromancer. Death Magic 19Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 139 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512
Infuse ConditionPropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic 19Infuse ConditionEnchantment SpellFor the next 72 seconds, whenever you receive a Condition, that Condition is transferred to your closest minion instead.5120
Spirit BondFactionsMonk. Protection Prayers 8Spirit BondEnchantment SpellFor 8 seconds, whenever target ally takes more than 50 damage from the next 10 attacks or Spells, that ally is healed for 62 Health.10¼2
Shielding HandsCoreMonk. Protection Prayers 8Shielding HandsEnchantment SpellFor 8 seconds, damage and life steal received by target ally is reduced by 11. When Shielding Hands ends, that ally is healed for 29 Health.5¼15
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Blood is PowerCoreNecromancer. Blood Magic 13Blood is PowerElite Enchantment SpellFor 10 seconds, target other ally gains +6 Energy regeneration.33%1¼
Death Pact SignetNightfallRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Death Pact SignetSignetResurrect target party member with your current Health and 83% Energy. The next time that ally dies within 120 seconds, so do you.312
Signet of Lost SoulsNightfallNecromancer. Soul Reaping 11Signet of Lost SoulsSignetIf target foe is below 50% Health, you gain 76 Health and 8 Energy.¼8
Mend Body and SoulFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Mend Body and SoulSpellTarget ally is healed for 96 Health. That ally loses one Condition for each spirit within earshot.5¾3
Spirit LightFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Spirit LightSpellTarget ally is healed for 156. If any Spirits are within earshot, you don't sacrifice Health.17%514
Spirit TransferFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Spirit TransferSpellThe Spirit nearest you loses 41 Health. Target ally is healed for 5 for each point of Health lost.10¼5
Protective Was KaolaiFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Protective Was KaolaiItem SpellHold Kaolai's ashes for up to 51 seconds. While you hold his ashes, you gain 10 armor. When you drop his ashes, all party members are healed for 70 Health10125
LifeFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12LifeBinding RitualCreate a level 11 Spirit with 220 Health and 68 armor. When this Spirit dies, all non-Spirit allies within its range are healed for 6 Health for each second this Spirit was alive. This Spirit dies after 20 seconds.10¾20
PropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic 19Aura of the LichElite Enchantment SpellAll corpses within earshot are exploited and you animate a level 21 bone horror with 500 Health and 126 armor plus one for each corpse exploited in this way. For 56 seconds, your Death Magic attribute is increased by +1.15245
NightfallNecromancer. Death Magic 19Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 21 shambling horror with 500 Health and 126 armor. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 19 jagged horror with 500 Health and 126 armor that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325
EotNNecromancer. Death Magic 19Putrid BileHex SpellFor 24 seconds, target foe suffers -4 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 101 damage.10112
EotNNecromancer. Soul Reaping 13MasochismEnchantment SpellFor 36 seconds, you have +2 to your Death Magic and Soul Reaping attributes and sacrifice 3% of your maximum Health when you cast a spell.5120
PropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic 19Infuse ConditionEnchantment SpellFor the next 72 seconds, whenever you receive a Condition, that Condition is transferred to your closest minion instead.5120
FactionsMonk. Protection Prayers 8Spirit BondEnchantment SpellFor 8 seconds, whenever target ally takes more than 50 damage from the next 10 attacks or Spells, that ally is healed for 62 Health.10¼2
CoreMonk. Protection Prayers 8Protective SpiritEnchantment SpellFor 15 seconds, target ally cannot lose more than 10% max Health due to damage from a single attack or Spell.10¼5
PropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic 17Aura of the LichElite Enchantment SpellAll corpses within earshot are exploited and you animate a level 19 bone horror with 460 Health and 114 armor plus one for each corpse exploited in this way. For 50 seconds, your Death Magic attribute is increased by +1.15245
NightfallNecromancer. Death Magic 17Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 19 shambling horror with 460 Health and 114 armor. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 17 jagged horror with 460 Health and 114 armor that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325
EotNNecromancer. Death Magic 17Putrid BileHex SpellFor 22 seconds, target foe suffers -3 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 93 damage.10112
CoreNecromancer. Death Magic 17Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 127 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512
PropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic 17Infuse ConditionEnchantment SpellFor the next 66 seconds, whenever you receive a Condition, that Condition is transferred to your closest minion instead.5120
FactionsMonk. Protection Prayers 8Spirit BondEnchantment SpellFor 8 seconds, whenever target ally takes more than 50 damage from the next 10 attacks or Spells, that ally is healed for 62 Health.10¼2
CoreMonk. Protection Prayers 8Shielding HandsEnchantment SpellFor 8 seconds, damage and life steal received by target ally is reduced by 11. When Shielding Hands ends, that ally is healed for 29 Health.5¼15
NightfallRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Death Pact SignetSignetResurrect target party member with your current Health and 83% Energy. The next time that ally dies within 120 seconds, so do you.312
FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Mend Body and SoulSpellTarget ally is healed for 96 Health. That ally loses one Condition for each spirit within earshot.5¾3
FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Spirit LightSpellTarget ally is healed for 156. If any Spirits are within earshot, you don't sacrifice Health.17%514
FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Spirit TransferSpellThe Spirit nearest you loses 41 Health. Target ally is healed for 5 for each point of Health lost.10¼5
FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Protective Was KaolaiItem SpellHold Kaolai's ashes for up to 51 seconds. While you hold his ashes, you gain 10 armor. When you drop his ashes, all party members are healed for 70 Health10125
FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12LifeBinding RitualCreate a level 11 Spirit with 220 Health and 68 armor. When this Spirit dies, all non-Spirit allies within its range are healed for 6 Health for each second this Spirit was alive. This Spirit dies after 20 seconds.10¾20
The three core heroes provide the required defense; you and the remaining party members are mainly responsible for damage dealing.
Energy surge mesmer heroes are recommended. For this mission they can run Chaos StormPropheciesMesmer. Domination Magic 16Chaos StormSpellCreate a Chaos Storm at target foe's location that lasts for 10 seconds. Each second, foes adjacent to this location take 26 damage and lose 2 Energy5230 to make use of the choke points.
Bringing one additional healer and resurrection skill improves the reliability.
Avoid spirit based builds due to their lack of mobility.
Do not bring a third minion master.
"Fall Back!"NightfallParagon. Command "Fall Back!"ShoutFor 4..9..10 seconds, all allies within earshot gain 5..13..16 Health per second while moving and move 33% faster. "Fall Back!" ends on an ally affected by this Shout when that ally successfully hits with an attack.1020 or other IMS are not required. Within the eternal grove you have a permanent 25% IMS.
Usage[]
Flag positions for the core hero team. Click to enlarge.
Luxon phase
Position your heroes with flags.
protective spiritCoreMonk. Protection Prayers 8Protective SpiritEnchantment SpellFor 15 seconds, target ally cannot lose more than 10% max Health due to damage from a single attack or Spell.10¼5 minion master halfway between the central/west tree and left/south gate.
Blood of the MasterCoreNecromancer. Death Magic 17Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 127 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512 minion master halfway between the central/west tree and right/north gate.
Core healer in the centre of the eternal grove. He'll be able to reach all tree singers with LifeFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12LifeBinding RitualCreate a level 11 Spirit with 220 Health and 68 armor. When this Spirit dies, all non-Spirit allies within its range are healed for 6 Health for each second this Spirit was alive. This Spirit dies after 20 seconds.10¾20 and still be in range of the minion masters to heal them.
Keep the remaining heroes unflagged so they follow you into skirmishes.
Always let foes aggro the minions before attacking them with your remaining team.
Ignore siege turtles; LifeFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12LifeBinding RitualCreate a level 11 Spirit with 220 Health and 68 armor. When this Spirit dies, all non-Spirit allies within its range are healed for 6 Health for each second this Spirit was alive. This Spirit dies after 20 seconds.10¾20 outheals their damage even in hard mode.
After 7 minutes of luxon attacks the second wave of siege turtles arrives. At this point, leave the eternal grove with your non-core heroes, run past the central/west siege turtle and assault the turtle and its accompanying rangers which spawn uphill. Killing this group triggers the second part of the mission with a cutscene.
Afflicted phase
Restore the previous flagging.
The intermediate cutscene spawns two luxon soldiers and pet companions per gate. The pets are unkillable but will despawn alongside the luxon soldier's corpse. You can use these immortal pets as a buffer to give you some more time to finish a fight on one side. If only one side has immortal pets left, prioritize killing the afflicted there first.
Fend off the afflicted alternating between the two choke points. Make sure that there aren't too many on one side at once so your minion reserves don't deplete.
Always let foes aggro the minions before attacking them with your remaining team.
You can use the elite juggernauts as a fortification of your minion wall. Don't have them follow you, as they're moving very slowly, and instead place them slightly behind the minions.
Notes[]
Bringing death nova on the heroes is not necessary as the tree singers have Death NovaCoreNecromancer. Death Magic 19Death NovaEnchantment SpellFor 30 seconds, if target ally dies, all adjacent foes take 120 damage and are Poisoned for 15 seconds.52 at 19 death magic and will use it on the minions.
After the first cutscene some of the Luxon, including siege turtles, may turn allied and assist you in fending off the afflicted.
Even if turtles stay hostile, their siege attack is likely to be useful as it'll hit the afflicted.
Melee players should bring a healer among the additional heroes to survive the afflicted soul explosions and occasional aggro.
Exemplary Video[]
Simulation of running the mission for four other players at once by playing with just the core heroes:
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