Lanterns in the Mists mechanics

[Mindos]

1. Using the lantern stops the damage over time, but when should you use it? Before the Mist Stalker spawns? Or do you have to wait until you start taking damage from the mists?

2. Is it hitting the Mist Stalker or being hit by the Mist Stalker that also gives you a damage over time?

3. How long does using the lantern last? Does it just remove whatever damage over time you have on you, or does it give you some immunity for X number of seconds?

4. The Mist Stalker spawns on top of you with agro on you, but if it loses agro, how far away can you be when it dies? Do I have to be within melee range to get credit for the kill?

My main concern is the timing to prevent any damage over time whatsoever.

 

[glass_jaws]

According to the FAQ they put up, you have to be within 45 meters of it when it dies to get lantern credit. What that distance in game is, I don't actually know but not pure on melee range.

 

[Ryiah]

My main concern is the timing to prevent any damage over time whatsoever.

You're worrying needlessly. Mist Stalkers are weaker and deal less damage than the trash enemies in a quest. You only have to concern yourself with the very early levels when you won't necessarily have a way to heal yourself or deal decent damage, but Frenzy (Level 3 Barbarian hireling) can solo them in Saltmarsh and below so even that doesn't matter.

 

[kimberlyte]

You're worrying needlessly. Mist Stalkers are weaker and deal less damage than the trash enemies in a quest. You only have to concern yourself with the very early levels when you won't necessarily have a way to heal yourself or deal decent damage, but Frenzy (Level 3 Barbarian hireling) can solo them in Saltmarsh and below so even that doesn't matter.

One of my first red-named spawns was in the final waterworks, level 4 quest. It was a surprise to have around five CR11 lantern mobs spawn and start whacking our three level 5 characters around, leaving our lifeless bodies for the rats to eat. I don't remember if/when the red named spawned along with their friends, but I did check the mob CR after my character was dead.

I haven't noticed a DoT ticking on me since I've mostly used the lantern for crowd control as soon as they spawn in. When in groups, lanterns tend to be used by multiple people. I think the CC effect is shorter than the cooldown time, so it would be worth staggering the use in a party. I can take out the red named spawns solo now at level 9, but they're still tougher than packs of trash.

 

[Ryiah]

One of my first red-named spawns was in the final waterworks, level 4 quest. It was a surprise to have around five CR11 lantern mobs spawn and start whacking our three level 5 characters around, leaving our lifeless bodies for the rats to eat. I don't remember if/when the red named spawned along with their friends, but I did check the mob CR after my character was dead.

That's a very rare encounter in my experience. Most of the time it's a single enemy. Typically a Bone Naga or Silith Dancer.

 

[kimberlyte]

That's a very rare encounter in my experience. Most of the time it's a single enemy. Typically a Bone Naga or Silith Dancer.

I'm at 500 durability on my lantern, so roughly 100 spawns. I haven't kept track, but I'm seeing the five-mob lantern groups more than 5% of the time.

 

[Reglad]

Oh boy.. I would love to fight them .. but most of the time when mist(s) spawn the screen freeze and I cant move and suddenly the mob CAN move.. and again a dead HC character to delete.. but im dumb enough to start again

 

[kimberlyte]

I learned from the hound event to go slow until the ruleset was clear, the server lag stabilized, and critical fixes to the event mechanics were made. After watching video of a season 6 group die to hound DoT while swimming on the first day or two, I waited until after the patch to seriously run any characters.

We're not there with Cormyr yet. I'm using the softcore lantern because I'm not interested in losing all progress to a lag spike or overtuned mob packs at certain levels. I take my hat off to the people willing to pug with skull lanterns right now.

 

[eartheyes]

i have only played solo so i cant speculate or claim be a pro of the mechanics(since i assume they at least couls be very different in a group)
i typically do any buff/defensive casting right when i get the cue that stalker is near, then as soon as i see it i click my lantern then dps it...there are many different stalkers that act differently and it changes as you level, but this has been my strategy as i have gone along...lvl 10 is my highest toon so far on the server.

 

[Ryiah]

I learned from the hound event to go slow until the ruleset was clear, the server lag stabilized, and critical fixes to the event mechanics were made.

Same, and I experimented on Khyber over multiple past lives to create a character with high survivability. To date this character has only died once and it was because I didn't realize a large number of enemies could spawn at once and I didn't have decent self-healing yet.