Need Advice Kzarka Insta-Kill Mechanics

[Karna5]

Hello. For the last many months I've been trying to do the Barrier of Infestation questline in which I need to kill Solo versions of Kzarka five times in 6 1/2 minutes per encounter.

It took me around 20 tries to kill the first (Depraved) Kzarka, and tonight I attempted the second (Transmuting) Kzarka.

I recognize that Kzarka has an instant kill mechanic in which no matter how much health or DP you have you will instantly die unless you hide behind a pillar during those attacks.

The problem is I cannot identify any visual or audio warning that the instant kill attack is coming and that I need to hide behind a pillar.

I recorded this film of tonight's attempt, and I died four times:

1. At the 2:53 mark a message popped up saying "Kzarka emits an overbearing aura." I was in the middle of an attack animation when it popped up, by I immediately tried to run away and was killed outright at the 2:58 mark before I could get to a pillar. I had 6004 hit points and 383 DP, though I'm told that doesn't matter as this attack kills anyone unless they're behind a pillar.

2. At the 3:17 mark I die again, but I don't see what killed me or how I should have known I should be hiding behind a pillar.

3. At the 3:55 mark again I am insta-killed but cannot see what did it or how I should have known to be hiding.

4. At 4:58 it popped up the message "Kzarka emits overbearing aura"while I was stuck inside Kzarka, and at 5:02 I instantly died before I could go anywhere.

There simply is no visual or audio warning that it's time to hide. Twice there was a message with only 4 seconds warning which is not enough to get anywhere, especially since it can take more than 2 seconds to stop an attack and start moving. And two times there were not even that pseudo-warning.

I can't afford to keep using instant resurrection elion tears for this quest line. I've already wasted more than 20 of them and have not even defeated the second of five Kzarkas. So any help telling me how to know when to run behind a pillar instead of dying would be greatly appreciated.

https://youtu.be/hPD36Q34iIw

I'm giving up on this quest until I hit 300ish AP and 400ish DP for now, unless somebody can tell me a viable way to know that an instant kill attack is happening be it through visual or audio clues.

Post Script: I decided to try one more time tonight and test a few things.

a) Can I use Q-Guard Block? Answer: No, Kzarka penetrates the guard and disables it.

b) Can I cautiosly wait for the message and use s+f leap attack to get free and hide? Yes, I succeeded at it once, but I had no way of seeing when the insta-kill mechanism was over. So I thought it was over and started attacking again after several seconds, and I got killed. There's just no way I can see or hear to know it's safe to attack.

[2 tay 3 súng]

I completed the quests long ago. Back then I only had like 28x and 36x DP or so (similar awk AP to yours).
400 DP won't help you because there is insta-kill attack, you have to know the mechanics (which you actually don't).
Sorry I can't recall the mechanic correctly, but when I played as Maehwa he only insta-killed me once per session by his special move.

The special move takes a while to finish, so you have to stay safe until he finishes his attack. I think the moment is when he is cooled off and the red rain stopped.

My other recommendation is to pick another class with higher DPS, as Guardian seems slow and may take a longer time to finish Kzarka.

Currently there is an event where you can copy gear with the cost that is way less than normal, so you should utilize that advantage for the quests.

After watching your clip, there are something I would like you to improve:
- Use Simple Cron Meal (1 silver at Ellie shop).
- Use Church buffs.
- Use AP furniture buff.
- Use Spirit stone of destruction buff since you can't afford Vell Heart.
- Use Perfume of Courage for the fight (stop using it again after the first death).
- Use Immortal frenzy draught for both higher monster AP buff.

[Karna5]

Originally posted by 2 tay 3 súng:

I completed the quests long ago. Back then I only had like 28x and 36x DP or so (similar awk AP to yours).
400 DP won't help you because there is insta-kill attack, you have to know the mechanics (which you actually don't)....

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm already tagged with my awakened witch who is less damage per second than my guardian, haha. In addition to 285 Awakened AP I also had 186 extra monster AP and anther 20 monster AP from my special moves. I'm pretty sure I'd have been able to kill this kzarka in time if I had a way of seeing the special attack coming with enough time to run away and if i could be sure I know when it's time to return. My four deaths lost not only a lot of elion instant resurrection tears but a lot of time.

I just spent 200 of those marni fuels tagging my Guardian/Witch, so unless it's only 10 fuel or less to tag again with a ranger or something I'd rather not waste more fuel so soon after tagging my witch. But I'll look into the event.

I just wish the dev team would put in audio and visual clues on when it's not safe to be out and with enough time for a slow-attacking slow-moving class to escape. Thanks :)

[Karna5]

Quick update: I took 2 tay 3 sung's suggestion and tried another character class.

2tay is correct that there's currently a 90% off tagging expense, and I was planning to try my ranger. But one of my three witches was already tagged with my guardian. So I tested my witch first, and she beat kzarka without dying.

First I'll explain why my awakened witch is who I tag with my guardian. Where my guardian is a melee class and slow and unable to fight in areas over her gear score, my witch's strength is survival. She can't do as much as my guardian in damage output, but she can dance circles around almost anything without getting hit.

My witch for the test did not use church buffs or tent buffs. Any quest which requires those is unbalanced and stupid in my opinion, so I refused it.

I did use a simple cron meal (+30 AP against monsters) and an artifact/lightstone combination which adds another +30 AP against monsters. I also used my krogdolo Wind's Roar for another +5 AP, and she was using blackstar main, awakening and sub weapons. Her total extra AP against monsters for the test was +196 on top of her 274/285/380 AP/AW/DP. [edit: I had removed my Perilla's Star and intended to use a Tachros Spirit Stone for +5 AP but forgot to activate it for the test]

I recorded the fight and will at some point upload it with more comments. But for now I'm going to see if my witch can once and for all complete this Barrier of Infestation quest which my Guardian simply cannot beat even with the same gear.

post script: The NPC isn't allowing me to take the next quest in the chain. I'm guessing there's a one quest per week limit..

[Karna5]

This post is to share the film of the witch beating a solo Kzarka from the Barrier of Infestation questline.

https://youtu.be/d3bnGDtigUw

Observations from my witch test:

1. Effects Opacity

This quest is like Magnus in which it's absolutely impossible to see the monster attacks unless you enable effects opacity in the display settings. You will notice that with my Guardian test earlier there are no visual signs from Kzarka that anything is coming out of the floor.

The problem with effects opacity being enabled is the whole screen becomes a non-stop kaleidoscope of lights completely blocking all shapes and orientation. Nevertheless, for this quest it must be enabled.

2. Insta-Kill Attacks
I do not know which of the attacks by Karka are the one which insta-kill. So just to be safe my witch made a point of dodging every single time there was anything coming out of the ground. She only attacked when the floor was clear.

3. Character Choice
From this test I have no doubt that my Succession Ranger could also handle this quest (with effects opacity enabled). The Ranger can shoot from next to a pillar and then hide every time something comes out of the ground.

I don't see how my Awakened Guardian could handle the quest with her current gear score. The Guardian does not have the mobility necessary to avoid the insta kill attacks and would spend to much of the 6 1/2 minutes dead.

In spite of effects opacity settings, there needs to be a warning with enough time to hide when playing a slow character class.

4. Summary
If I could ask the dev team for any changes to this quest I would ask:

a) could we get some warning with enough time to hide when we're about to be instantly killed, and

b) could we have an indication of when it's safe to return to the fight.

At the very least audio or video clues would be welcome. In the meantime, it's my opinion this quest can only be accomplished by a limited category of classes unless the characters have so much AP already they don't need the +1 AP from this quest.

Thanks.

post script: I forgot to mention, while my guardian has a 275 hp infinite potion, my witch only has a 200 hp infinite potion and didn't need more. In fact, my witch didn't even have to use any self heals.

[2 tay 3 súng]

Good to see you punched through the trouble. The last quest will be the hardest. It took me 5 or 6 tries to finish (back then).

[Karna5]

Originally posted by 2 tay 3 súng:

Good to see you punched through the trouble. The last quest will be the hardest. It took me 5 or 6 tries to finish (back then).

I appreciate both the help and the encouragement, 2 tay 3 sung. Thanks :)

[Karna5]

Originally posted by 2 tay 3 súng:

...The last quest will be the hardest. It took me 5 or 6 tries to finish (back then).

Hi, I just wanted to give an update. Today I did the third with my witch. First I tried to do it with GUI disabled and tried to use just pure visual and audio cues, but that failed miserably, and I died *laughs*

So then I tried again with GUI enabled and with an immortal beast's draught (+15 AP vs monsters) and Tachros Spirit Stone (+5 AP vs monsters), and I beat the third Kzarka with only 4 seconds left on the clock.

So this post is to say you're right and that ffor the fourth and fifth kzarkas I see I'll need every possible buff I can find, furniture buff, church buff, and I think I'll try to convert my TET blackstar main hand weapon to godr aye DUO by next week for another 3 AP.

This clearly isn't a quest line designed for people who are building up to end game but for people who are already there.

[Karna5]

I did the fifth and last Kzarka from the Barrier of Infestation today, and over the last couple of weeks I believe I've identified the patterns of when to hide and when to attack. So I'm sharing my observations here for reference.

Here's the film of the fifth Kzarka in case anyone wants to see what I describe looks and sounds like.

https://youtu.be/xWCoMn8gLqs

Requirement #1: Don't use an Awakened Guardian. It's impossible for that class to escape the insta-kill attacks of which there will be at least five.

Requirement #2: If you're not already in end gear (and I'm not) get all possible PVM buffs you can to help with your AP. I won't repeat what 2 tay 3 sung above said as I can't top that.

Requirement #3: You must have effects opacity enabled. If you do not do that, you won't see the attacks.

Observations:
1. The red circle attacks will not kill you. But they will both interrupt your attacks and knock you down causing you to lose time. Anything that wastes time increases the chance you wll not kill Kzarka in the 6 1/2 minutes you're allowed, so try to evade during the red circle attacks.

2. Keep an eye on Kzarka's health bar because it will flash a message from time to time underneath it. When that message pops up, Kzarka will unleash an instant-kill attack in 3 or 4 seconds. If you are caught out in the open (not behind a pillar) or without an i-frame you will die.

3. Kzarka seems to consistently unleash 3 instant kills in a row the first time and then one at a time later in the fight with the last one right before it dies. So there are at least 5 instant kill attacks.

4. Don't waste too much time behind the pillar. When you're hiding behind the pillar, as soon as the dust storm or fire storm ends, restart your attack.

5. It's worth trying to get behind Kzarka as much as possible not only because you do more damage there but because Kzarka can knock you down with his fists which will consume time. This said, sometimes Kzarka makes it hard to get behind him, so at least try to drop a few fast attacks or damage over time attacks while you circle.

6. If you have a damage over time attack (such as toxic flood on awakened witch), make sure you drop it as often as you can to help with the overall damage.