[F05 - PP] << Bloodstained Land >> [Shield & Pinball] The Terms

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

<< Bloodstained Land >>

This Quest Takes Place on Floor 5.

This Quest is ONLY repeatable for the Quest Reward Item.

 

 

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After the discovery of Avalanche the Absolute Zero, many information brokers had grown interested… was this the first of many evolutions? Their minds had grew more and more eager, and of course they had hired explorers to find the next evolution… it was a while before any confirmation was given… but then, a group had found one more… many had fell to this boss alone as it had the defence greater than many tanks, and has the power greater… much greater than the previous one… this boss was said to put Avalanche to shame, with this new found information… the information brokers came public about the new boss… Land Shark the Terra Firma.

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<< Land Shark the Terra Firma >>

HP: 650

DMG: 250

MIT: 75

ACC: 0

EVA: 4

 

Abilities:

<< Assault Mode >> : On a LD roll of 10+, this boss will spot through hidden players and the bosses ACC and EVA will temporarily switch for his attack and his attack only and will strike as though it had partial phase on a natural roll of 9, and full phase on a roll of 10.

<< Move Swiftly >> : The skill Concentration will not work on this boss, and players will suffer a -1 penalty to ACC.

<< Hard-Scaled >> : Paralysis and Freeze does not work on this boss.

<< Weak-Spots >> : On a player’s roll of a natural 9-10, they will gain partial phase on their attack.

 

Last Hit Reward: Terra Firma Scale [Unique Item - On Consumption, it will grant any Armor a temporary additional Mitigation slot for a thread, this temporary Mitigation slot bypasses the mitigation enhancement limit.]

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Quest Rewards:

Sandstone Armor Potion [T2 Potion - Gives a player +30 MIT for a thread.]

3 SP

5000 Col

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Recommended Level: 35

Shield had not been on man carries as of late. With his plans for the front lines and the preparations for boss fights, his efforts to assist players who most needed it were falling by the wayside. Aside from that, there were further reasons to begin offering assistance. A number of quest items which could lend considerable benefits on the battlefield had either been spent or had evaded his grasp altogether. Not least of which was the fabled Terra Firma Scale. He had seen it once before, but upon his last tangling with Terra Firma, it had passed to another player who had all but vanished.

"There has to be a good arrangement..." While Shield had passed on a number of quests, being rather tired of grinding his way through familiar quests and the like, there were certain prices he would be willing to concede. He opened a blank notice for the request forum, penning a broad offer to hopefully entice some takers.

Quote

"[Offering to carry any player through any quest under the following conditions]

• Before the promised quest, we first complete the Bloodstained Lands quest together
• You must obtain the last hit item, and must trade it to me - that is my compensation
  • You may choose not to fight until the last minute. I will use Thorns and Bleed to take the boss down to the threshold of death. You just need to step in and deal the killing blow.
  • This means you MUST NOT HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THE QUEST BEFORE NOW!

Your protection is guaranteed. The quest may be dangerous at face value, but I will ensure your safety at all costs. After the item is safely in my inventory, I will post haste join you on your quest, which will be completed in a timely manner. If you need evidence as to my ability complete your quest, I can give you any number of credible references as to my punctuality and reliability."

It was click-bait-y, but this was something for which Shield did not mind swallowing his pride a little to catch the eye. He gave the message one last proof read before posting it. With that accomplished, he began to prepare for any reply offers. He whipped up a side of steak to beef up his defenses and he also set aside a pack of field rations for the sake of his defense. he considered preparing immolation potions as well, but there would have to come a point where he would turn off his defensive damage, and deactivating a potion was not doable mid fight.

By the time he had checked and double checked his preparations, there was already a reply waiting for him in his inbox. Hastily, he opened the message and began to read, already heading for the door. He did not recognize the name at first. "...Pinball..."

Quote

"I saw your offer, and I'm interested. You only need to beat the one quest? I'm a bit new to this, but hopefully I can help you out. When and where do you want to meet up?"

Spoiler

[Posted with permission from Pinball]

He was thrilled that his listing had already produced results, and the relief showed at the usually tense corners of his mouth and in the extra swing in his shoulders. As Shield half-jogged his way along the rolling hills of the eleventh floor, he penned his response, paying little mind to the occasional monster that swiped at him along the way.

Quote

"@Pinball,

Excellent. I look forward to working with you. Yes, it's only the one, and even without you dealing much damage, we should be able to get through it relatively easily. Meet me on the fifth floor at your earliest convenience, on the outskirts of Fortaliza. We'll journey to the quest location from there.

-Shield"

He arrived at the teleportation plaza, barely even pausing as he called out the name of his destination and sauntered out as though he had never stopped moving in the first place. Finding his way to the town exit, he set himself down on the edge of the fountain, settling in for a wait as he watched the seemingly endless sandstorm outside fill the desert air with a slight tan haze of stone particles. It was hard to say how long he would need to wait, but he was eager to move, so for now at least, he could remain patient.

Quote

Burning 5 T3 Materials to craft Perfect Mitigation Food

Burning 5 T1 Materials to craft Perfect Loot Die Food

Buying T3 Field Rations from merchant stock

[-5 T3 Materials, -5 T1 materials, -900 Col]

 

Edited April 27, 2018 by Shield

[Pinball 1]

It was with a sense of profound urgency that Pinball made his way through the sandy city of the Fifth Floor. When Pinball had seen the ad, the name of the man posting the offer immediately rang a bell. Pinball had actually asked around for the location of the quest, and waited in the main settlement for the tank's appearance. At hearing the pad go off, Pinball had nervously started on his way over. He hadn't met him in person, but he vaguely recalled Hestia talking to him about one of the strongest duos in Aincrad: Beat and Shield. He knew Shield was the tank of the group, and it struck him as odd that he wouldn't take the quest with him, instead. Still, it was something he simply couldn't pass up. Social, social, be social, Pinball repeated to himself. He knew first impressions were important, and the normally nervous boy didn't want to take any chances. As he ran, he made a mental list of things to do and avoid when speaking to the man. Don't slouch, don't trail off, no weird jokes, and don't do anything weird with your hands. Now the things to do. Make eye contact, speak confidently, and make sure he thinks you know what you're doing. He saw Shield sitting at a fountain, waiting. Pinball stopped in the middle of the street, slowed to a walk, and made his way over. His hands fidgeted at his sides, and Pinball found himself repeatedly glancing over his shoulder. "Uhh," he said, pointing to the man, one hand rubbing the back of his neck now, "are you... the guy?" 

[Shield 0]

Shield had not expected to meet his adventuring partner so soon. The younger player seemed to be a little unnerved, but the punctuality was promising.

Good. We may be able to get through this in a timely manner.

Taking stock of the time, he rose and extended his gauntlet clad hand to the player. "I am. Shield." He nodded towards the edge of the settlement. "We've got a walk ahead of us still, so I'd recommend we walk and talk." Without waiting for a response he strode forward, motioning for Pinball to follow him. "I've heard your name bouncing around at events and such, though I can't say that we've specifically met that I recall. I'm the Tank Senitnel for the Celestial Ascendants. Do you owe your allegiances anywhere, or are you solo?"

They broke the edge of the settlement, making their way out of the safe zone towards Terra Firma's stomping grounds. The sand storm was not intense. It obscured the vision, but it did not sting the eyes or skin. Off in the distance, Shield thought he could make out some familiar stone formations jutting up from the sandscape.

We're getting there. Still some distance to cover.

"I'll also want a basic rundown of your combat abilities and how much you plan to participate," he went on. "That way, I can plan for the fight a little."

Edited April 28, 2018 by Shield

[Pinball 1]

"Shield," he echoed, "right, right." Shield stood, offering a hand. Pinball, hesitating for a moment, and returned the handshake. "Nice to meet you," he said, half-expecting his health to drop, knowing tanks and their thorn damage. Talk and walk, he barely had time to process, before Shield started walking, motioning for him to follow. Pinball, flustered, nodded twice, jogging to catch up to the man. The lanky teenager to long strides as he walked, not wanting to fall behind. When Shield told him he had heard his name around, Pinball flushed. Probably not for anything good, he knew, Froppy's Valentine incident coming to mind. He stared straight ahead as Shield went on. Celestial Ascendants, he thought. Hestia told me about that guild, too. Pinball nodded in response, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Y-yeah. I'm a member of the Guardians of the New Dawn. The one Stryder leads."

As they passed the settlement's borders, Pinball found himself squinting to try and see clearly. It didn't seem as though the sandstorm was terribly wild, though it did prove to be a minor annoyance. When Shield asked him for a basic rundown of his combat abilities, Pinball found himself fumbling to open his menu. He equipped his spear, holding the Two-handed weapon in one hand, using it as a walking stick. "Uhh, right," he began, trying to quickly formulate an adequate response, "so I use a Two-handed spear I won in a raffle. Two freeze, Phase, and Cursed are the enhancements." He closed an eye tight, tilting his head ever so slightly. His hand rubbed against the jar hanging from his waist, the glass filled with a dark, foggy looking substance; it was the home of his ghostly cat, Zomekko. "Umm. A Damage familiar. I have a couple of ranks in Charge, the Ferocity modifier, and..." He glanced to Shield as he said this, a sheepish smile tugging at his face, "absolutely no mitigation. Like... None. At all."

[Shield 0]

"I remember hearing about that weapon," Shield said, shaking his head. "Powerful item, that. Sounds like you're solid DPS then. I'm the opposite, so it should be a good match for the fight. If you're comfortable participating, I'll be able to turtle and feed you energy until it drops."

Ahead of them, the stone formations slowly changed in their character and shape, becoming more jagged and sharp the further they wandered. Before long, Shield could hear a slight rumbling i the ground. He knelt down, touching the sand with his fingertips. It did not shift, or at least not right away. The sound died down. Then, without warning, the sound returned, this time more ferocious than before. Shield leaped back just in time to avoid a massive raking claw that lunged up at him out of the sand. 

"It's been a long time, sandy," he taunted, pulling out his iconic shield, upon which the fierce face of a manticore gaped its fanged mouth. Likewise, Shield pulled in air sharply, ignoring the sand in the air, immediately expelling the air and sand in one sonic burst. "Let's see how you fare against me this time, you misshapen mook!"

Terra Firma, whose name not appeared by its health bar, swiveled its beady eyes about to lock onto Shield. Angered, it took a few swipes that the heavily armored player, but its attacks found no purchase. "You're going to have to take us more seriously than that."

Quote

Recovery [+0 EN]
Action: Focused Howl > Terra Firma [-7 EN]

[H:7] Shield - HP: 1650/1650 | EN: 137/144 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 214 | EVA: -1 | THN: 69 | ENV: [9-10] 18/4 | BH: 82 | HLR: 135/4 | REC: 3 | LD: 11 | PRO: 3 | TNT

<<Land Shark the Terra Firma>> HP: 650/650 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 0 | EVA: 4

ID# 100414 results: Craft: 1 [No Rec] Loot: 6 [No Assault Mode] MOB: 1 [Miss]

Abilities:

Spoiler

 

<< Assault Mode >> : On a LD roll of 10+, this boss will spot through hidden players and the bosses ACC and EVA will temporarily switch for his attack and his attack only and will strike as though it had partial phase on a natural roll of 9, and full phase on a roll of 10.

<< Move Swiftly >> : The skill Concentration will not work on this boss, and players will suffer a -1 penalty to ACC.

<< Hard-Scaled >> : Paralysis and Freeze does not work on this boss.

<< Weak-Spots >> : On a player’s roll of a natural 9-10, they will gain partial phase on their attack.

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by Shield

[Pinball 1]

"Yeah," he said in response, "I guess it is." He had never really paid it much thought, though, now looking back on it, he realized it had proved an invaluable tool. It slipped his mind from time to time that most people don't possess a weapon like this. Though, he reflected, the frontliners probably do. "Yeah," he said again, this time nodding, gritting his teeth, "I'm cool with fighting." Pinball wasn't sure what he meant by turtling; he had never heard of the term before, but he could probably piece it together. 

Pinball watched from behind as Shield interacted with the sand, confused. The rumbling snapped Pinball out of it, however, and he hefted his spear, jumping backwards out of reflex as a claw burst from the sand. Oh, Jesus Christ, he thought. As Shield howled (or at least, Pinball thought that was what it was), he rushed forward, his spear glowing a bright purple as he ran towards the creature. "Zomekko!" The gaseous familiar burst forth from the jar, swirling around his body until she spread across his spear, enveloping the weapon in a shadowy aura. He launched himself into his Sword Art, not wanting to waste Charge yet... and sand got in his eyes. The monster scuttled away as Pinball stumbled forward, its attention evidently still on Shield. His face went red, embarrased he had missed his first attack. "Whoops." 

Player Stats: 

Spoiler

Level: 34
Health: 680 | Energy: 68
DMG: 15 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3

Skills:

 Combat skills:
►<<Charge>> [13/50]: Rank 2 - Novice

 Weapon skills:
►<<2H Assault Spear>> [50/50]: Rank 5 - Grandmaster

 Armor skills:
►N/A

 Extra skills:
►<<Familiar Mastery: Fighter>> [18/18]: Rank 3 - Grandmaster
►<<Martial Arts>> [0/50]: N/A

 Utility Skills:
►<<Fishing>>

Modifiers:
►<<2H Assault Spear>> Ferocity: +1 Base DMG

Inventory
»[Equipped] [Demonic] Naughty or Nice Blade: +2 Freeze, Phase, Cursed
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Leather Armor of the Amatuer Duelist: +3 EVA
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Warrior’s Focus: +3 ACC

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- Combat - 

Spoiler

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Dimension Stampede] Miss! [-2 EN]
Terra Firma: ID# 100429  BD: 2+3-1= 4 (Miss!) 

[H:7] Shield - HP: 1650/1650 | EN: 137/144 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 214 | EVA: -1 | THN: 99 | ENV: [9-10] 18/4 | BH: 82 | HLR: 135/4 | REC: 3 | LD: 11 | PRO: 3 | TNT
[H:0] Pinball: 680/680 HP | 66/68 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

<<Land Shark the Terra Firma>> HP: 650/650 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 0 | EVA: 4

Abilities:

Spoiler

<< Assault Mode >> : On a LD roll of 10+, this boss will spot through hidden players and the bosses ACC and EVA will temporarily switch for his attack and his attack only and will strike as though it had partial phase on a natural roll of 9, and full phase on a roll of 10.

<< Move Swiftly >> : The skill Concentration will not work on this boss, and players will suffer a -1 penalty to ACC.

<< Hard-Scaled >> : Paralysis and Freeze does not work on this boss.

<< Weak-Spots >> : On a player’s roll of a natural 9-10, they will gain partial phase on their attack.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by Pinball

[Shield 0]

Quote

Cooldowns: Parry [0/1] Vengeful Riposte [0/3]
Passive [+1 EN] Recovery [+3 EN]
Action: Parry [-4 EN] [Vengeful Riposte]

[H:7] Shield - HP: 1550/1650 | EN: 137/144 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 214 | EVA: -1 | THN: 69 | ENV: [9-10] 18/4 | BH: 82 | HLR: 135/4 | REC: 3 | LD: 11 | PRO: 3 | TNT
[H:0] Pinball: 680/680 HP | 66/68 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

<<Land Shark the Terra Firma>> HP: 507/650 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 0 - ENV [3/4 remaining]

ID# 100432 results: Craft: 12 [REC Proc] Loot: 18 [Assault Mode Proc] MOB: 10 [+1+4=15 - Hit! 250+2/2-25=101 dmg - Riposte: 250+2/2=126 dmg, Envenom: 18 dmg]

Spoiler

<< Assault Mode >> : On a LD roll of 10+, this boss will spot through hidden players and the bosses ACC and EVA will temporarily switch for his attack and his attack only and will strike as though it had partial phase on a natural roll of 9, and full phase on a roll of 10.

<< Move Swiftly >> : The skill Concentration will not work on this boss, and players will suffer a -1 penalty to ACC.

<< Hard-Scaled >> : Paralysis and Freeze does not work on this boss.

<< Weak-Spots >> : On a player’s roll of a natural 9-10, they will gain partial phase on their attack.

 

A miss. He won't have lost much energy. I should focus on defense.

Shield nodded to himself, lifting his vanity sword out to prepare to counter whatever attack the fabled land-shark had in store. "Don't let it wrong-foot you," Shield growled to his companion, his dark eyes following the heavily armored beast before them. "It's incredibly hard to hit. Unless it goes full assault, it-" The claws began to twitch, and with a lurch, it jerked forward with unearthly speed. It was beside Shield before there was time to react, only managing to duck partially behind his shield and swing upward with his sword as two spear-like talons lanced all the way through his body.

As the sand settled around them though, Shield smirked as he noticed that his flailing defense had accomplished its goal, redirecting two of the talon upward into the underside of Terra Firma's jaw.

"Now! He'll be vulnerable after that attack!" he crowed into the short-lived and uneasy silence. Terra Firma began to struggle, trying to extricate its natural weapons, but shield locked his arm around the offending claw, trapping the field boss in place, at least for the moment. Much to his satisfaction, he noticed that there was also an icon by the beast's health bar, indicating that his Envenom had triggered. "I'm fine! Just take advantage of the moment!"

Edited April 28, 2018 by Shield

[Pinball 1]

Pinball watched as the monster's attack bore into Shield, briefly worried for the tank. The man's health dropped, but, looking at the monster's, he saw that it wasn't nearly as much as its own health did. Gotta love tanks, he thought, not for the first nor for the last time. Pinball took a hop back, wiped the sand out of his eyes, and activated his Sword Art. Shield called out for him to attack now. Why? Is it weaker, or something? Pinball shook his head. Don't question it. Just attack! Pinball ran at the creature, this time activating Charge; he was attacking in earnest this time. Pinball's attack bore into the now almost still boss, doing his best not to hit Shield. Four quick stabs, followed by a jumping slam caused the monster's health to drop a good amount, and Shield hadn't been hurt in the exhange either. Pinball stepped back, taking a breath, and prepping himself for his next attack. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 hour ago, Shield said:

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Dimension Stampede] [+1 EN, -17 EN] / Charge! +2 Base 
Terra Firma: ID# 100439  BD: 5+3-1= 7 (Hit!) ~ 15= 15*15= 225-75= 150 DMG

[H:7] Shield - HP: 1550/1650 | EN: 137/144 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 214 | EVA: -1 | THN: 99 | ENV: [9-10] 18/4 | BH: 82 | HLR: 135/4 | REC: 3 | LD: 11 | PRO: 3 | TNT
[H:1] Pinball: 680/680 HP | 50/68 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

<<Land Shark the Terra Firma>> HP: 357/650 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 0 - ENV [3/4 remaining]

  Hide contents

<< Assault Mode >> : On a LD roll of 10+, this boss will spot through hidden players and the bosses ACC and EVA will temporarily switch for his attack and his attack only and will strike as though it had partial phase on a natural roll of 9, and full phase on a roll of 10.

<< Move Swiftly >> : The skill Concentration will not work on this boss, and players will suffer a -1 penalty to ACC.

<< Hard-Scaled >> : Paralysis and Freeze does not work on this boss.

<< Weak-Spots >> : On a player’s roll of a natural 9-10, they will gain partial phase on their attack.

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by Pinball

[Shield 0]

Quote

Cooldowns: Parry [1/1 - Ready!] Vengeful Riposte [1/3]

Passive [+1 EN] Battle Healing [+82 HP] Recovery [+0 EN]

Action: Energize > Pinball [Shield: -9 EN, Pinball: +8 EN]

[H:7] Shield - HP:1597/1650 | EN: 128/144 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 214 | EVA: -1 | THN: 69 | ENV: [9-10] 18/4 | BH: 82 | HLR: 135/4 | REC: 3 | LD: 11 | PRO: 3 | TNT
[H:1] Pinball: 680/680 HP | 58/68 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

<<Land Shark the Terra Firma>> HP: 269/650 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 0 - ENV [2/4 remaining]

ID# 100440 results: Craft: 1 [No REC] Loot: 19 [Assault Mode Proc] MOB: 5 [+1+4=10 - Hit! 250-214=35 dmg, THN: 69 dmg, ENV: 18 dmg]

"Good!" Shield whooped, struggling to hold on for a few more seconds. He lost out on that tug of war, and without missing a beat, Terra Firma vanished again. Shield had no time to track him down or prepare a counter-attack this time, so instead, he used the split second to swing his sword, firing a pule of pale blue light at Pinball. The wave hit the other player, and his energy bar surged back towards the top. "He's still in attack mode so keep up-"

Once again, he felt claws lance into his body, though not with nearly the precision of the last strike. Shield heard the creature unleash a shrill roar which rattled his digital eardrums, but otherwise did not harm him. Watching the beast's health bar, it dropped considerably further and turned a bright yellow. "Below half! I'm going to have to swap out gear, so the rest of the damage is up to you!"

Edited April 28, 2018 by Shield

[Pinball 1]

He didn't know what Shield was doing when he pointed his sword at him, and for a moment, Pinball considered dodging. Instead of damage, though, his energy shot back up, and a wave of relief washed over him. He had never seen the skill channeled through the sword; he was so used to Hestia's taps. He flinched when the monster dug its claws into Shield. "Oh, damn it!" Shield told him to attack, though, and that's what he'd do. Pinball gave his spear a preemptive twirl, and activated Dimension Stampede once more. Don't miss, he thought. His attack rammed into the creature at full force, its health dropping low. To Pinball's disappointment, none of his effects had activated throughout the fight, though the red gashes now littering the creature's natural armor was a pleasant sight regardless. "Nearly dead." 

- Combat - 

Spoiler

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Dimension Stampede] [+1 EN, -17 EN] 
Terra Firma: ID# 100442  BD: 6+3-1= 8 (Hit!) ~ 15*15= 225-75= 150 DMG

[H:7] Shield - HP:1597/1650 | EN: 128/144 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 214 | EVA: -1 | THN: 69 | ENV: [9-10] 18/4 | BH: 82 | HLR: 135/4 | REC: 3 | LD: 11 | PRO: 3 | TNT
[H:2] Pinball: 680/680 HP | 42/68 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

<<Land Shark the Terra Firma>> HP: 119/650 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 0 - ENV [2/4 remaining]

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by Pinball

[Shield 0]

Quote

Cooldowns: Vengeful Riposte [2/3]

Passive [+1 EN] Battle Healing [+82 HP] Recovery [+0 EN]

Action: Remove Gear [Stinging Nettle: -18 ENV, -54 THN, -3 REC]

[H:7] Shield - HP:1615/1650 | EN: 129/144 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 214 | EVA: -1 | THN: 15 | BH: 82 | HLR: 135/4 | LD: 5 | TNT
[H:1] Pinball: 680/680 HP | 42/68 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

<<Land Shark the Terra Firma>> HP: 86/650 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 0 - ENV [1/4 remaining]

ID# 100444 results: Loot: 20 [Assault Mode Proc] MOB: 6 [+1+4=10 - Hit! 250-214=35 dmg, ENV: 18 dmg]

Abilities:

Spoiler

<< Assault Mode >> : On a LD roll of 10+, this boss will spot through hidden players and the bosses ACC and EVA will temporarily switch for his attack and his attack only and will strike as though it had partial phase on a natural roll of 9, and full phase on a roll of 10.

<< Move Swiftly >> : The skill Concentration will not work on this boss, and players will suffer a -1 penalty to ACC.

<< Hard-Scaled >> : Paralysis and Freeze does not work on this boss.

<< Weak-Spots >> : On a player’s roll of a natural 9-10, they will gain partial phase on their attack.

 

He's within one hit now. Time to shed the defensive damage.

Shield swiped down his menu, and at the same time he did so, Terra Firma vanished once again. It was still on the attack, not letting up. Perhaps it sensed the danger it was in. With only a matter of seconds, Shield managed to unequip his Stinging Nettle just before feeling another stab of claws through his abdomen. Glancing up at the crimson healthbar of his adversary, he saw it only tick down a small amount from the hit. He had made it just in time.

"One more should do it!" he crowed, lifting one leg and pushing the dying shark creature off of him with his boot. "You've got plenty of energy and he's not in any danger from dying at my hands. It's just a matter of time now! Let's finish this thing so we can get to your half of the bargain!"

Edited April 28, 2018 by Shield

[Pinball 1]

Pinball was surprised by Shield's deciding to unequip his armor, but after a moment, his reasoning clicked into place. He wants me to finish it, he reminded himself, that was the deal. Take the LA bonus, and then he'll help you through a quest. Pinball nodded, noticing the slight distance between him, Shield, and the creature. He rolled his head around his shoulders, his heartbeat ringing in his ears. Don't mess this up, he thought anxiously, and don't get hit by that thing. Those were the only two things that he shouldn't do. Besides that, he knew he was overreacting, but he didn't want to seem like he couldn't do anything in front of the Frontliner. Pinball beelined towards the Terra Firma, kicking up sand as he ran. The boy jumped, landing his four stabs in rapid succession, then, as he fell back to the ground, landing his jumping slam across the length of the mob. The Terra Firma let out a horrible death cry, before abruptly halting, and then shattering into hundreds of blue polygonals. 

Pinball hit the hot sand with an, "Oomph!" Using his spear to help lift him back to his feet, he glanced at his health bar, surprised to see the excess of both energy and health. Tanks, he thought admirably. A rewards screen popped up in front of Pinball; he had received both a potion and the LA bonus. That's what Shield wants. Pinball made his way over to Shield, materializing the Terra Firma Scale, flipping it this way and that as he analyzed it. He finally looked back up to Shield, and held it up for him to see. "This the thing?" Pinball tossed the scale over to him. "As promised." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

-Combat- 

Spoiler

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Dimension Stampede] Hit! [+1 EN, -17 EN] 
Terra Firma: ID# 100446  BD: 9 (Crit+1) [Freeze Proc] <<Hard-Scaled>> [Phase Proc]<<Weak-Spots>> ~ 15+1= 16*15= 240-37= 203 DMG

[H:7] Shield - HP:1615/1650 | EN: 129/144 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 214 | EVA: -1 | THN: 15 | BH: 82 | HLR: 135/4 | LD: 5 | TNT
[H:2] Pinball: 680/680 HP | 26/68 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

<<Land Shark the Terra Firma>> HP: 0/650 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 0 - ENV [1/4 remaining]

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by Pinball

[Shield 0]

Shield let out a sigh of relief, nodding as he stored the scale in his inventory. He had no reason to distrust the player, but it would have been well within Pinball's capabilities to teleport away with the thing. It would have soured things between them, and overall been a risky move depending on how likely Shield might be to hold grudges, but so far at least, the deal had gone through smoothly. He straightened up, dusting off his legs and continuing to navigate through his menus to swap out his combat gear for his searching gear.

"We have a little extra time,"  he thought aloud. "I'm likely going to head up to the twenty-second floor to do a little poking around for some gear. Care to join me? I figure it couldn't hurt to try to squeeze a little extra Col out of the trip." Regardless, there was no longer a need to haunt the desert. Shield motioned for Pinball to follow him and started making his way back to town. "You did well out there," he added. "Terra Firma is an ugly cuss, but you kept your head and kept the hits rolling."

[Pinball 1]

Seeing Shield's relieved expression, he couldn't help but feel satisfied as well. He didn't know what the item did, but for such a high-leveled player to ask for help getting it probably meant one of two things; it was an extremely rare item they couldn't get by themselves, or they genuinely needed help. Judging by Shield's performance in the fight, Pinball came to the conclusion that his reasoning was definitely leaning towards the former. Pinball hopped in place, idly kicking up sand, before he walked over to Shield, who was now going through his inventory. He waited for a moment, then, when he was motioned to follow, Pinball happily obligued. "Yeah, I'm fine with that," he said. "I've never been to the twenty-second floor, though. What's it like?" The highest floor Pinball had been on was the twenty-first, and the only reason he had gone up that high was because he had had Hestia with him and it was only for gathering materials. He was sure he wouldn't be able to fight anything that high up. 

When Shield commented on his performance, Pinball blushed. "Nah," he said, "it wasn't really that hard. And I missed my first attack. I would have hurt it worse if I hadn't have missed." Pinball tried his best to keep up with the man, though he wasn't sure what he should say in a situation like this. Shield had offered him to come, and Pinball had immediately accepted. Wasn't that a bit dangerous? Pinball scratched the side of his head, then asked, "So, what does that item do? The scale." 

[Shield 0]

"The twenty second floor is pretty tame for a third tier area," he explained, moving his hand slowly in front of him as if to mime a flat landscape. "Lots of fields and forests with a few mountain ranges. It's mainly fishing villages up there, so nothing too extreme. Really, I just tend to check a few spots for chests to see if anything has refreshed."

The desert stretched out ahead of them, the sandstorm picking up force now as if angry at them for breezing through such a dangerous fight so easily and with so little damage. "The scale? It increases your maximum defenses for a short period of time," he said, thumping his chest to produce a big, hollow thud. "It's an impressive piece, though not every player has much use for it. Some DPS such as yourself might never have a need to even put their defenses up to the regular cap, let alone exceed it. You seem to do well enough playing a glass cannon, and you're not the only one, either."

[Pinball 1]

That's a fair explanation. Pinball lifted his hands to cover his face as the sandstorm raged. Squinting his eyes, he occasionally wiped his face to brush the sand off. "Yeah," he finally said, his voice raspy as he inhaled bits of sand, "that makes sense." He coughed. Pinball raised his eyebrows when Shield told him about the scale's use. That is pretty valuable, he thought. Maybe you should have just sold it to him instead of asking for a quest. Pinball shrugged as Shield went on, explaining to him that he wouldn't have much use for it - which he knew already. "Nah, I get it," he said, "I don't use mitigation at all, really. That'll probably have to change pretty soon, but even then, it's probably going to be kept to a minimum." Pinball kept walking, his feet trudging through the dense sands. He went silent for a moment. Then, grasping for conversation topics, "So... what made you play the tank?" 

[Shield 0]

"I run the numbers game on any situation I'm in," Shield replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I've been that way even back in the real world. When I got into gaming, I saw how important tanks were and knew that it would be easier to be one and find DPS to fill in around me than to be a DPS and hope to land a good tank. In any case, I got my start in another game altogether. Was the leader of one of the top guilds, too. Eventually, my at the time rival and I ran out of new ways to improve, so we decided to relocate our rivalry here. When we got stuck, we knew we could rely on each others' abilities, so it made sense to keep doing what we each knew we were good at."

It was perhaps more than Pinball had asked, but it wasn't like they were simply going to arrive back in town if he was more brief with his words. "Besides, I need to survive this. I have reasons to get back to the real world. Is there a reason behind your build, aside from the advantages of dealing more damage?"

[Pinball 1]

Shield's elaborate repsonse both surprised Pinball and satisfied him. It was a really interesting explanation, and Pinball loved a good story. When he was asked about why Pinball picked up the spear, he sighed, then laughed. "Yeah, no, it's the damage," he said, shaking his head. "Two-handed weapons seem to put monsters in the dirt real quick." Pinball shrugged, his smile fading. "But if I'm being honest, I don't even really like it." Pinball gripped his spear as he walked, trying to find the words that best expressed his discontent. "I don't even really care about the damage anymore. I won this spear in the Christmas raffle, and I wanted to be able to put it to use the best way I could. That required me to pick up a two-handed weapon." Pinball paused before he went on, "but, I originally started with a dagger. I had plans to switch to one of the one-handed swords when I got enough points to put into it, but then the raffle happened." He stopped, glancing up and down his weapon. "One of these days I might have to drop it. I don't really know what it is, but I don't like two-handed weapons, even with the damage differences." 

[Shield 0]

Shield thought over his words, rolling them back and forth for a minute before offering a reply. "You know, sometimes it's just a matter of tweaking a build to fit your play style a little more. It sounds like DPS wasn't your original calling. What would you think about pausing on that track and developing other abilities? There are plenty of ways to diversify now that you have a basic combat skill under your belt. Maybe focus on scouting. It's a profitable line of work, and having a good weapon will maximize your returns if you're looking to gather loot. Plus, you find enough items, you might magically find the one that fixes your build for you."

He flourished the tip of his sword to emphasize his point, hearkening back to the Energize skill he had used. "Even though people think of me as a pure tank, I'm actually a large part scout and support. I'm not fully either of those other roles, but what it's done is turn me into an expert at finding unique items. I'm sturdy enough to grind my way through any fight, I have good odds to get items, and then between fishing and my search skill, plus my access to Merchant items, I've become somewhat of an expert at tracking down chests."

They made their way back into the main settlement, and Shield continued to lead them to the teleportation plaza. "Coral!"

[Pinball 1]

Pinball took in Shield's thoughts, but wasn't quite satisfied with his answer. What do you want to hear, kid? Pinball nodded. Pause on that track, the words echoed in his mind, sending a chill down his spine. He wasn't sure that was the best option. What had he come into the game wanting? What made him the way he is now? Pinball didn't know, and, truthfully, he couldn't remember why he had started down the path of a DPS player in the first place. He was hit with a wave of nausea; the realization made him sick to his stomach. Gah, I can't think straight. Pinball shook it off, and when the two made it back to the main settlement, Pinball jogged ahead. He slowed to a walk, then waited for Shield to go ahead to the floor first. I don't know where I'm teleporting, he thought sheepishly. Pinball hopped on the teleportation pad, then, repeating Shield's command, said, "Teleport! Coral." In a flash of blue light, he stood in Coral. Locating Shield, he asked, "Where to?"