Samples and Hacking

Baba's Halloween Outfit 2009, click for full view

Babaengy, Babaemphee and Tireen returned to the mutant caves to collect the bio-samples that are required by the next part of the “Collar of Amplification Quest”.  To save time, (i.e. only one trip to Ace Starr) Tireen would grab the three samples prior to talking with Starr, and then after getting the mission, she would hand them in and complete the mission.  Babaengy and Babaemphee have already collected the three pieces each during their many trips so far to the Delta section.

The samples required are: Pulmonary from Bio-Constructs, Cardiac from Shadows, and Liver from Vindicators.

As a side objective they would also try and reach the final section of the caves to get a Beta clearance tag for Tireen off the bodyguards there.

The run down there was fairly uneventful, save for some tool who  trained a blaster beetle from the hanger on to them while they were rebuffing in one of the rooms just outside the hanger.

The rest of the trek went well and Tireen was able to collect the three pieces she needed.  The caught up with another team by the time they hit the last section with the bodyguards and bio-constructs which helped as the bio-constructs in that area are rather close together and it is hard to avoid having to fight more than one at a time.

Tireen managed to grab a Beta clearance tag off on of the bodyguards and with some RL4 issues pressing they decided to use her Trader’s grid warp to leave, rather than fight their way out, or fight forward to the next golf ball and emergency exit.  This later required them to fly back out from Bliss, but hopefully they will not have to do that too many more times.

Gathering Next to Ace Starr

The next day they flew to meet with Starr, and each one in turn first talked to him to get the samples mission individually, and then again each one talked to him to hand in the samples and getting their rewards.  Tireen’s reward brought her close to dinging 79.  The then talked to Starr again and got the computer hacking mission.

Starr gives the person taking the mission a small hacking device and instructions on how to obtain some secret data on green slips from the terminals found in the computer core.  They fought their way through the mutant caves, and Tireen’s extra shotgun damage really did help make things go faster, however, her being quite a few levels below them, and having skimped on her body development, the have to stop often to give the heal pet a chance to top her off or in bad cases, use some of her own health kits.

When they reached the computer core, there was another small team there, which appeared to be doing the same thing.  Babaengy, Babaemphee, and Tireen took on clearing the west end of the room and then they each took their turn hacking one of the terminals closest to the entrance.  They all were successful in getting the needed green documents, so they only had to jog back to the emergency exit, and return to Ace Starr and give him the documents to complete the mission.  In their haste, Tireen forgot to loot the bodyguards for a Gamma clearance tag.

Bigger Shotgun for Tireen, QL 122 Vektor

When they did complete the mission, it had no effect on Babaengy and Babaemphee as they have experience turned off (because they are level 100), but Tireen got her next ding (79).  She was excited after allocating out her new IP points as she would be able to equip a higher quality shotgun. Her current gun as QL109. First she had to check the ‘Baba’ group inventory database () to find that they had a QL 122 Vektor Shotgun on one of their mules named Babtrice.  After she retrieved the shotgun, she visited the nearest backyard to drain up of some low mobs which then allowed her to equip the new gun. With shotgun expertise running, she is just barely out of being over equipped with this new weapon.

The next day they returned to Biomare, but bypassed Starr.  He only has one more quest to give out, and that is the final one in the ‘Collar of Amplification’ quest which is to kill the Lab Director.  They did not want to take this until Tireen has Gamma Clearance and she has her own recapture beacon.  This way they can either camp safely at the end of Gamma section, or get there using the warp if they have to leave or get sent to reclaim.

Chillin in Bliss, Closest Reclaim for Clan.

The headed straight for the computer core specifically to let Tireen grab a Gamma clearance tag.  When they reached the narrow Vindicator section, they were caught behind a team consisting of a lowbie and an engineer with Mochams who had cast a Slayerdroid.  These two toons preferred to let the Slayerdriod do all the fighting, and while it looks impressive, by itself, it takes much longer to kill the vindicators than it takes TEAM PETS. They had very slowly advanced to the middle section of the ravine and the Slayerdroid was fighting the last vindicator by the bridge, when one of the vindicators just behind them respawned and attacked Tireen.  The team was focused on watching the Slayerdroid ahead, and did not notice Tireen was in trouble until it was too late.  Babaengy and Babaemphee ran back to the previous golf ball and took the emergency exit.  Since they have their Gamma clearance, they did not have to fight their way back.  Tireen soon rejoined them after a quick flight from Bliss.

This time when they reached the vindicator section, there were no other players around, and the made their way through very methodically.  Babaengy is making good use of his blind/debuff aoe.  In addition to debuffing the tough mobs, he tries to cast his bots short term aggression trim at the same time and then be able to time them together.  The trimmer has no way to know when it is in effect other than trying it and getting an error message saying it is already in use.

Team Pets and Trader Tireen, Relaxing With Gamma Clearance

They got to the computer core eventually and after Tireen collected a Gamma clearance tag, they retired to the room just before the golf ball where she swiped her badge and upgraded it to Gamma clearance.  She walked up to one of the respawned bodyguards in that room and was ignored as she wanted.  They then decided to camp there, as their next objective was to get Tireen a recapture beacon.  It had been close when just Babaengy and Babaemphee completed it, so hopefully Tireen’s additional firepower will give them a better margin of victory there.  Once she has that, they may all return to do an Insurance save in Borealis, and then return to Biomare to camp for the Lab Director.

In a few days the Halloween festivities will kick in on Ruby-Ka, and the creepy Uncle Pumpkinheads will most likely return.  They may take a break from Biomare to go hunt Pumpkinheads with Baba with hopes of finding some nice Lya’s gear.   Babemphee is just two points of MC away from equipping a better attack pet and only 10 or so away from the next heal pet.

Naked Lab Director

Killed Lab Director at base of West Tower, with no Executive Defenders spawning

Team Pets have been having a hard time trying to get at the Biomare Lab Director.  This past Thursday, they made the run down to his office, only to have a solo level 78 Crat pass them and beat them to it.  We are not sure if the Crat was victorious or sent back to reclaim.  It appeared that lost as when his dot disappeared there were still several defenders and guard dots to be seen on the mini map.

Babaengy and Babaemphee waited until the area had re-spawned and the made their run.  After taking out the two outside guards, Babaengy waited standing on one of the down ramp platforms at the top of the west tower, while Babaemphee with her pets put on wait by the Engy, ran back and from the open door tagged the director with her main debuff and then high tailed it back to Babaemphee.  Once there she put her pets back on guard her, and the team waited.  The director ran right past them, and landed on the bottom level of the tower.  Babaengy’s attack-bot jumped down after him, but when Babaemphee sent her attack and mezz pet down, they took the long way down the ramp.

Golfball or Security Teleporter?

She forgot to sent the heal-pet on the attack pet, but soon the attack pets had the director down to about 25% health, and he had not spawned any defenders.  Babaengy has read in some forums that there is an 80% chance of the defenders spawning.  The director managed to take out Babaemphee’s attack pet, but Babaengy’s bot and a lower level attack pet that Babaemphee could cast without trader Tireen’s wrangle were able to finish him off.  Two of the bodyguards at that level were attracted and Babaengy and Babaemphee jumped down there to help the pets finish them off, so they could still loot the director before his corpse rotted.  This time around he only dropped a single executive order, no CDR.

Floating Building in VW, Seen on a practice run with trader Tireen joining TEAM PETS

The next day, after some thinking it over, Team Pets decided it would be worth it to do what-ever was needed to bring trader Tireen along.  She brings some healthy damage dealing, but most importantly her wrangle so they can recast top pets if needed.  It took several hours to for them to accompany her through the quests to get her alpha card.  The combination for their high level, max pets and the traders extra damage, made the beginning quests a breeze.

At one point  a tool noob trained about 15 floaters and bloaters on to them when they were getting rebuffed in the room just outside the first sewer section.  That was fun, as it just helped Tireen level faster.  They had no trouble putting that train to rest.

Once they get Tireen her gamma clearance, the team can camp there and not have to put up with the boring 10 minute jog down there from the front door.  They mainly want another CDR for Babaengy, but if things go well, they may all try to complete the full quest line for the collar reward.