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Illuminary Obelisk (IO), also known as Rune Shield Tower, is a group instance for players of level 65 and above, whose entrance is located in Lobneru Lagoon and Whisperleaf Forest in Levinshor. It was originally introduced in 4.5 as the first "tower defence" instance, in which players must activate four generators and defend them from incoming waves of the Pashid Destruction Unit.
As of 4.7, along with Danuar Reliquary, this instance features an Infernal version, which acts as harder mode to obtain the purification supplies to purify gear dropped from the regular instance.
Backstory[]
Due to Balaurea's soft ground, this gigantic Danuar artifact was built as a shield generator; creating a protection from incoming attacks. However, the unit's constant assaults caused the device to shut down. As Daevas discovered this spire and learnt its functioning, they have made their objective to restore it and maintain it. The danger continues, as Beritra is willing to send as many troops as possible to destroy the tower which is holding back his advance. Not only troops, but powerful machinery as well.
After several confrontations, the Balaur stationed in Idian Depths destroyed the entrance, preventing Daevas from going inside. However, Elyos and Asmodians discovered alternative corridors in Levinshor, allowing them to continue protecting the obelisk.
Walkthrough[]
Upon arriving to the entrance, players may choose whether to enter to Illuminary Obelisk (standard version) or Infernal Illuminary Obelisk (hard version).
General[]
Once inside, players will find themselves on top of a platform high above the rest of the instance. The map is composed of a central tower connected to the walls through four narrow bridges; two of them on the near top (East Platform and West Platform) and the other two slightly lower (North Platform and South Platform). Each bridge possesses a <Shield Generator>, respective to the platform it is on (Southern Shield Generator on the South Platform, etc). On the bottom, players will see a whirlpool in a sea of Ide, and falling to it will cause an instant death to the player. In order to move around the instance, players will have to rely on gliding around the area and using windstreams. The inner chambers of the main obelisk do have elevators, however they are dismissed due to their low speed. Dying inside the instance will allow the group to resurrect on a lower platform near the bottom, without Soul Sickness and full HP and MP.
The goal of the instance is to fully charge all four generators, requiring three charges each, and remaining that way for 30 seconds. This will allow the group to proceed to the Shield Generation Hub, a platform above the tower in which they will fight <Test Weapon Dynatoum>, the main boss of the instance. However, in order to succeed and proceed to the boss' room, players will need to do it within 30 minutes and protecting the several waves of Balaur incoming when the generators are being charged. Running out of time results in the end of the instance. However, if a generator is destroyed, the group may retry as much as needed to charge it as mobs will disappear and the generator will respawn.
The first phase of the instance requires special roles to be taken. One of them will act as a Collector. This player will need to scout around the instance for <Crystalline Idium Pieces> from <Flourishing Idium> and <Danuar Cannonballs> from their respective chest. The former is required to charge one stage of a generator, and since each of them requires three charges, the Collector will need to find twelve <Crystalline Idium Pieces>, and charge the <Shield Generator> when the group is ready to take on the waves. <Danuar Cannonballs> are required to use the <Danuar Cannon>, placed on the sides of the bridges. They are crucial in the final charges as the amount and strength of the mobs increments, requiring the skills offered by the cannon:
- <Bombardment (Cannon)> - Deals damage on several Balaur soldiers
- <Thunderbolt (Cannon)> - Temporarily paralyses Balaur soldiers
While the <Crystalline Idium Pieces> can be collected by multiple people and each person does the charge, <Danuar Cannonballs> must only be looted by the one person who is dealing with the cannon, as each attack consumes a cannonball. If the Collector is the one taking care of the charges and the cannons, it is suggested to adjust the loot settings as fitting so make the collecting more efficient.
Another role is the Patrol or Defender, probably the most important one. This one is heavily suggested to be fulfilled by a class with AoEs and high survivability. As the group moves on with the instance, they will have to leave the generators they have already fully charged to this person, as Balaur will still attempt to seize the generator. However, these waves are only composed of <Pashid Destruction Unit Bombers> and <Pashid Destruction Unit Manipulators>, easy mobs to dispose of. As the group moves to the second <Shield Generator>, this person will stay back at the first one, riding these Balaur. And when the group moves to the third <Shield Generator>, this person will be the one defending the ones on both sides on the same level. These mobs will spawn every two minutes after the generator receives its charge, meaning the player has two minutes to dispose of the wave and move back to the other side. They will have to repeat this until the first stage of the instance ends.
First Stage (Defence)[]
The group will open the fence on the entrance platform, take the quests from the NPC and glide down to the tower, starting up the 30 minutes countdown. Players can take this time to prepare for this stage, however they should not take too long.
The Collector (or more) will scout around the obelisk and its surrounding platforms for the <Danuar Cannonballs> and <Crystalline Idium Pieces>. After having collected a generous amount, they group may begin charging up a generator. Generally, players parties will tackle the upper bridges first, either the West Platform or the East Platform. This makes moving around easier when transporting to the third and fourth <Shield Generator>. The Chanter, Cleric or Songweaver present should make sure to buff the four generators with their buffs, giving more room for errors if someone is overwhelmed by waves.
The whole group will gather at their first generator and charge it, opening an Abyss Gate on the other side of the bridge, marking the beginning of the waves. As the waves will not begin until a charge-up is attempted again, the players may choose when it is a good time to pop one. This varies per group, depending on how swiftly they may overcome multiple mobs. After being done with the first <Shield Generator>, they will leave behind the Patrol to deal with the secondary waves. Meanwhile, the rest of the group moves to the second generator. If needed, the Patrol may momentarily join the group with dealing with those waves.
With the second generator fully charged, players may then move to the third and fourth generator on the lower bridges. If the previously charged generators received considerable damage, the group's healer may take this opportunity recover their lost HP and hurry to the remaining generators. With the upper <Shield Generator> charged, the Patrol will have to constantly swap between them to slay the Balaur which spawn every 2 minutes.
A similar strategy is used for the final two generators, with a second Patrol dealing with the third generator when the group attempts the fourth one. It is during these fights where the person handling the <Danuar Cannon> may need to step in and make use of it as these last waves will be conformed by tougher soldiers. Its attacks and paralysis crowd control will prevent the group from being overwhelmed by them.
Finally, with all generators charged, the party will only need to hold for 30 seconds more. With that accomplished, all waves will end; despawning all active mobs and making appear the <Shield Control Room Teleporter>. As there is no time limit to enter, players may take this time to recover and settle for the next battle.
Second Stage (Boss)[]
With the generators in place, players may proceed to the second phase of the instance. In this one, the group will have to face <Test Weapon Dynatoum> (it will spawn as <Remodeled Dynatoum> if in Infernal Illuminary Obelisk), and defeat it within 10 minutes, making damage dealers crucial. If the group fails, they may however reattempt the boss as much as they desire.
Once the group is ready, the party may interact with the <Shield Control Room Teleporter> and be transported to the Shield Generation Hub, a platform on a higher level in the obelisk. As they zone in, players may avoid moving to prevent the fight starting.
Across the fight, the boss will use <Pepper the Area>, an AoE affecting the area around the boss, whose damage can be avoided by stepping outside of the circles which spawn on the ground when it is casted. Likewise, it will also cast <Lay Waste>, which works as the opposite, an AoE attack which affects the whole platform except for the area around directly under the boss. Other skills include <Pummeling Blow> (a frontal AoE attack), <Chaingun> (single target attack) and <Direct Strike> (in which the boss changes targets and deals damage in a frontal line AoE shape).
While keeping an eye on the boss, the group will also need to watch out for the Mine Traps summoned. These mobile explosives will chase players around the arena from time to time, As they began glowing, everyone must step out of them as they will explode.
At 50% of HP, <Test Weapon Dynatoum> will turn much more aggressive. It will keep using the previous skills, however more dangerous ones will also be added to the mix. <Guided Missile> (a frontal AoE attack) will be used, as well as the <Binding Chains> (puts a random player in an unremovable Aether's Hold state) and <Salvo> (deals considerable damage on the mid-air target) combo.
Finally, at around 25% of HP, Dynatoum will spawn Maintenance Devices, generators which will begin casting <Emergency Repair>, recovering a chunk of HP of the boss. Due to this very damaging skill, it must be everyone's focus to take them down before they finish casting it.
If the party managed to overcome its whole arsenal, they may then loot its remains for two bundles, one for each person. <Illuminary Obelisk Supply Chest> will contain crafting materials, while <Dynatoum's Equipment Chest> will give the player a random piece of either eternal or mythic gear of the instance. Additionally, the boss may also drop wings or a <Illuminary Obelisk Idian Pouch> (containing Idians), which will have to be rolled on by the group.
Infernal Illuminary Obelisk[]
Difficulties greatly increment in the Hard Version of the instance, requiring the group to take a different approach.
- Players are given 25 minutes, instead of 30 minutes, to power up the <Shield Generator>.
- <Flourishing Idium> and <Danuar Cannonballs> chests are considerably rarer to find, there only being one up at a time. Groups will require a much more fluid movement through the instance and possibly a secondary collector.
- When powering up <Shield Generator>, all Balaur waves are composed of elites, as opposed to the regular version, where only the third and fourth generators got them. This requires stronger damage on the party's side.
- During the boss battle against <Remodeled Dynatoum>, it will additionally use <Gas Eruption>, a skill which puts enemies within a certain range of a random party member in a Silenced state. The attack power of the boss is also greatly boosted.
Quests[]
Elyos
- Strengthen the Defense [?]
- Destroy the Destroyers [?]
- A Test Weapon [?]
- [Hero/Group] A Test of Courage [?] (Infernal Illuminary Obelisk)
Asmodian
- Protection Tower Researcher Kamaz [?]
- Defending the Pashid Destruction Unit [?]
- The Powerful Mechanical Weapon [?]
- [Hero/Group] A Test of Valiance [?] (Infernal Illuminary Obelisk)
Prizes[]
Illuminary Obelisk[]
- Aegis eternal weapons and armour
- Brazen Aegis mythic weapons, armour and accessories
- Brazen Bulwark mythic armour
- <Conqueror's Mark> (removed as of 4.8)
- Composite Manastones
- Crafting materials
- Idians
- <Bulwark Burster>
- <Brazen Bulwark Burster>
Infernal Illuminary Obelisk[]
- Pure Dynatoum's Radiant purification cruxes
- Pure Dynatoum's Radiant mythic headgear
- Pallasite materials
- <Pure Dynatoum's Radiant Wing Feather>
Media[]
Trivia[]
- The instance's entrance was originally placed in Tower Mausoleum in the eastern section of Idian Depths. However, it was moved to Levinshor in 4.7.
- The final boss, <Test Weapon Dynatoum>, was a design used to build one of Beritra's invasion bosses, sharing a similar set of skills and patterns with it.
- Like Illuminary Obelisk, Stonespear Siege and part of Drakenspire Depths follow the "tower defence" set up.