User blog:Allgorhythm/Subduing Ur-Dragon Generation 722

After fighting the last several Ur-Dragon generations with a wide variety of teams, using pawns of all vocations, setups, and levels; I resumed my formal investigations with Generation 722. I was focused on how to 'box' the Ur-Dragon into a corner of the terrain that was disadvantageous to him. While keeping him in a subdued state, I wanted to inflict damage that was close to the cap and not exceed it.

My Arisen, Leila, and Main Pawn, Nei, are set up with high stagger and knockdown. They both wear a pair of Barbed Nails giving each an additional 200 stagger and 200 knockdown. Whereas, in the past, I have also equipped the support pawns each with a pair of Barbed Nails, for this round of experiments, I left their original equipment intact. Neither one is equipped with Barbed Nails.

Although a Strider, Nei, is set up to function as a tank. Her defense is above 1,000 and she has 100% immunity to knockdown and stagger. Her role is to 'worry' the Ur-Dragon and distract him from what the other combatants are doing.

Aurelien, the Ranger, is equipped with 100 Mushroom Potages. His role is to fire Great Gamble, doing damage and inflicting stagger and knockdown. This skill depletes all of his sstamina, compelling him to use the Mushroom Potages. Since the Mushroom Potages are group curatives, the entire party's stamina remains full. This especially benefits the Sorcerer, Segnbora, who is able to cast high stamina spells, especially High Fulmination, without the usual constraint of stamina depletion.

Leila opens up with a Downpour Volley barrage of Blast Arrows to help establish dominance from the onset. When the Blast Arrows are exhausted or close to exhausted, she moves to grapple the Ur-Dragon and slash a heart with 100 Kisses. The primary purpose of this is to capitalize on the elevated stagger and knockdown. This not only helps to keep the Ur-Dragon subdued but it also allows her to 'muscle' the Ur-Dragon into a location of her choosing. The other team members bombard the Ur-Dragon with more powerful but less frequent high stagger/knockdown attacks. The result is the Ur-Dragon stays in his 'corner' unable to launch an effective offense.

The first video shows the Ur-Dragon being subdued with Leila on his left shoulder. This is an excellent location to control the Ur-Dragon. Note that the Ur-Dragon does not depart at the 10 minute mark. The fight lasts an additional 2 minutes. The hypothesis is that the high stagger/kockdown attacks are impeding his departure.



The second video shows the Ur-Dragon being subdued with Leila on the Ur-Dragon's left foreaarm. This is not as advantageous as a position higher up. The proximity of the Arisen to the ground induces Aurelien the Ranger to move in to execute close combat attacks. Although he is well positioned at the onset of the fight and unleashes the Great Gamble shots as intended, he eventually moves in between the Ur-Dragon's feet. This is in contrast to the first video where the distance between him and the Arisen encourages him to use ranged attacks.

Aurelien's use of melee attacks in the second video reduces the number of Mushroom Potages he uses. As a result, Leila's stamina is depleted. Nevertheless, this does not occur until after the 10 minute mark has been reached. She drops off to see if the cessation of her attaks will result in the Ur-Dragon's departure. It does, giving more credence to the hypothesis that frequent high stagger/knockdown attacks can impede the Ur-Dragon's departure.