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A Guide to Sunken City

AuthorMessage
Administrator
Many of you have mentioned that the instanced dungeon known as Sunken City is causing you some troubles. I've put together a few hints and tips to help you get through this area.

1. Group Up! Sunken City and other areas in the Spiral are designed for groups to work together to a common goal. You need to rely on your friends to succeed at these duels. If there's just one of you against the large number of creatures, you're not going to last very long. Team up with your friends or make new friends by offering to join a group.

2. Treasure Cards! Before you head out, make sure you have a good supply of all levels of treasure cards. You never know when that single Humungofrog could mean the difference between moving forward, and having to visit Hilda Brewer for her potions, again.

3. Move at Your Own Pace. Sunken City and other instances like it are unique because the creatures should not respawn behind you. Be careful that no one runs ahead and gets caught, dividing the group between duels. Stick together as a group and you'll be much better off.

4. Four at a Time. Sunken City is meant for four players to explore. If four people stand on the sigils at the entrance, those original four can teleport in and out as needed. If less than four people stand on the sigils at the entrance, friends can teleport in until there are four people total. Once these four people are in, the group is locked. Should a player or players decide not to continue with the adventure, they can remove themselves from the group by logging off or entering a different instance. At that time, the group is open to new members however it is still capped at four people.

5. Healers Never Hurt. Often a dedicated team member from the School of Life can mean a higher win rate for the group. This member of the team keeps an eye on everyone else and stacks his or her deck of cards to maximize the number of heal other cards that appear.

6. Don't Rush. You are not required to complete the Sunken City instance to move forward with Wizard101. If you find you simply cannot get through Sunken City, come back when you are a higher level with more powerful spells. You may find that the area is not as scary as you thought.

7. Have Fun! Sunken City and other Instanced Areas are a different dynamic of Wizard101. They're meant to be hard, and a different type of challenge. Just have fun and enjoy yourself.


community@wizard101.com
Survivor
Sep 01, 2008
22
Nice bit of info, in that regard to getting some people together: Is there a broadcast channel of chat that I am missing? Or should I just stand in the commons home point and shout my quest hoping for a reply...?

Defender
Aug 19, 2008
193
Oh how funny....that I find this NOW after spending 2-1/2 hours last night working my way through to Nightshade and finally a win there (at level 24!).

They pull you right off the sidewalks! You cannot get past them...so you end up battling over and over and over.

Then the second to the last battle we did not know to go up the stairs! We were so excited that was a short battle that we went on to the end to find a locked gate. Hmmm. Remember Golem Tower...same idea folks!

So we did this with 3! I think if you could get a group of 4 it would be easier.

Hint: get one person to run to the next step, then everyone else teleport to that person. Splitting up spells disaster in most cases but I think you would be less likely to get pulled into the street....unless that is part of the instance?

Anyone who thinks this game is not challenging enough should just go try the Sunken City!

Survivor
Aug 22, 2008
7
Sunken City is much easier if you just piggyback your way through the fights e.g some people running ahead and intentionally pulling mobs to tie up the streets around the ground so others can pass up and through, then the players in fights can just flee out and portal to the people who got clear of that street ( stopping for potions or mini games to fill mana if need be ) this method still takes a fair amount of time though:)

I'd recommend against doing Gruls, by the time your leaving wizard city you have a quest to go to Krok which gives more XP just for talking to people in the area, the hour or two you spend in sunken city could have you finished up in the first krok area and 2 levels ahead with MUCH better gear/pet/card/gold drops than anything gruls lair offers.

Only worth doing to possible wipe it off the quest book if that sort of thing annoys you - i wish their was a way to cancel quests from inside the book!

Survivor
Sep 20, 2008
5
If you have to devise ways to fool the game into allowing you play the area as intended, then the area obviously needs some tidying up. I also have a difficult time finding people to group up in areas where grouping is essential due to the times I am able to play. Perhaps these areas could scale better in terms of difficulty if you are only able to solo or duo them. I know that sounds as if it would be a big development endeavour but these really are legitimate concerns. Considering the game doesn't seem to have a huge population, it could be something that would attract more players which would eventually, in turn, help the grouping situation. LFG flags are also helpful.

Explorer
Sep 21, 2008
67
csillver wrote:
Nice bit of info, in that regard to getting some people together: Is there a broadcast channel of chat that I am missing? Or should I just stand in the commons home point and shout my quest hoping for a reply...?


That's what I did for about a hour trying to find nightside (still didnt find it :()

Survivor
Sep 28, 2008
8
Shunned wrote:
If you have to devise ways to fool the game into allowing you play the area as intended, then the area obviously needs some tidying up. I also have a difficult time finding people to group up in areas where grouping is essential due to the times I am able to play. Perhaps these areas could scale better in terms of difficulty if you are only able to solo or duo them. I know that sounds as if it would be a big development endeavour but these really are legitimate concerns. Considering the game doesn't seem to have a huge population, it could be something that would attract more players which would eventually, in turn, help the grouping situation. LFG flags are also helpful.

Actually it would be extremely simple to make it so its easy for one to two people to do the instance. A few statistical changes and it's done. Also, I don't believe such a minor change would increase population. I do think there should be some form of broadcasting to communicate with other people across the worlds for forming groups for instances. Considering that would be manipulated for a universal chat and not necessarily for grouping up, maybe make it so it is Menu Chat but have every single instance listed on it.

Explorer
Jun 21, 2008
61
:PSunken City can be done with as little as two people. I helped many people in beta and live get through it.

Before you enter, be sure to make friends with all in your group if you aren't already. This will be helpful if someone must flee to get more mana or health although it is STRONGLY advised to have your potions, mana and health at full force before entering.

You will get pulled in a fight when you first enter the game no matter how far from the street you are. After that, talk to Marla by the tree. She will tell you to go to the tower down the street. Once you defeat that tower, one in your group can go back to her while the others go by the gate. All who enter together will get credit if one talks to her. Once that person finishes talking to Marla, they can teleport to the rest of the group. BEWARE, you will see a lot of ghouls passing in front of the gate so don't go rushing thru the gateway. Once they pass and you get thru, talk to Marla again(she's inside the area you are in now, don't go back outside the gateway) and she will send you to another tower. Defeat the enemies within and then one goes talk to Marla while the rest wait at the final gate. Do as before and have the one teleport to the rest of the group when they finish speaking with Marla. Now you will go to the last tower but you have two battles in the tower instead of one. When you are finished, you will have to talk to Marla one more time before leaving the area. Please note the above was the best case scenario for Sunken City.

One of your group will probably get pulled into a fight whether you or they wished to. UNITY is very important in Sunken City. If one gets pulled in a fight, all shall join to get it over as soon as possible. Also note that the enemies including street ghouls are at least 500 each. Two enemies for one person and one additional enemy for each joined person after that. Good Luck! Sunken City is a tough assignment even for seasoned players. :)

Mastermind
Sep 20, 2008
336
8)
I want to add a bit of something I have seen:

:Know Your Magical Elements:
Watch the symbols by the Monsters' names, and try using the opposite Element < Myth vs Storm > <Life vs Death> <Ice vs Fire>. The first mobs are all Myth, and Resistant to Myth. Using Storm Magic, especially Kraken and that "Shark" Spell are wise choices. Conjurers would be VERY wise to include the Prism Spell which converts Myth into Storm.

:Teamwork:
This is something I have found painfully true: If you have four wizards working together, they would impossibly wise to stick to their School's strong points: Myth, Storm, and Fire hammering at the enemies, Life healing everyone, Balance - with its unique assortment of "variable" spells - adjusting the odds in the team's favor, and Ice slowing things down with spells like Freeze. Believe me, it does work! And Treasure Cards only add to the havox.

:Equip For Success:
I am as vain a Player as any, to the point that I will Dye and match what I have on my Wizards to their theme. But Sunken City is no place for that. Gear must be able to give a lot of Resists and Health, with Mana being also a great concern. If you pick up something in a Drop that gives you even a tiny amount of increased defense and / Life, put it on; You will be needing it later. And something few players think about, I've noticed, you want a few Wands dealing different kinds of damage. Minions hate Storms; those Banshee-like ghosts drop from Life damage; and that's only the beginning. It might cost you some Gold; but it will give you an edge later on, in the City and beyond....

:Time Factor:
Sunken City is a survival marathon, period. If you die, you have to start over. If you Quit, you come back at the Nightside Death School. If your intended party goes in before you reach them, .... you are on your own, because you can not Teleport to them! I have tried; I know this to be true. Be ready to spend a good of time conquering this area, because you have few other real choices.

thank you

Daniel DragonSinger (level 21 Conjurer, and still trying...)

_

Developer
If you're having trouble finding people to group with, you can go to your spellbook, find the Realms tab on the right, and look at the realms on the left page to see if any are more crowded than others. The more crowded ones might be better for grouping. I myself have continuously stated with menu-chat that i was going to do Sunken City while standing in the commons just outside the waterfall and I did find someone to go with that way!

Survivor
Jul 05, 2008
5
Survivor
Sep 17, 2008
22
I agree with number 6! I got in to Sunken City at about level 14 and I realized right away that this was not for a weak new comer trying to best this city all by herself. I am waiting to become more powerful and now I am. Would a level 25 do? I am going to do it with my friend who is level 21 but she might not be able to do it until Sunday... Wish us luck!
Taylor Swift (my name on wizard 101) :D

Survivor
Oct 04, 2008
3
My sister did Sunken city with her friend. She stayed up till 9.30 at night. She did when she was level 25 and her friend was level 21. I am level 29 and I have not done it. But i'm waiting to get another P.C. or we could get a disk that would make our mac be able to download P.C. games so my sister can help me. And if your level 20 or below I would not do it. :) :-) :D :( :-o 8) :x :P :?

Survivor
Jul 07, 2008
14
I remember doing this the first time during Beta. SO much easier the second time.

It took me about 3-4 hours with two people. We had four in the beginning, but one abandoned us right away, and another after the first boss. I think I was level 13-18, somewhere in there. So it IS possible to do it under level 20. My partner was around the same level as I was too.

But after that, I think I made a vow to keep that badge up forever. Then Beta erased, and I guess they made it easier after that.

Delver
Sep 25, 2008
211
Does anyone know where Sunken City and Nightside is actually located?

I can't find it!!


Survivor
Dec 21, 2008
7
Nightside is located behind the waterfall next to Rainbow bridge in the commons of Wizard City."Death school is the best school"

Squire
Dec 02, 2008
543
There's a waterfall by the rainbow bridge. Walk through the waterfall and you'll see a door behind it. Nightside is through that door, though you probably can't go in until you have the quest for it.

Delver
Sep 25, 2008
211
Thanks, I did find it before you posted, but the quest I got it to go to Sunken City. I assume Nightside and Sunken City is same thing?

As you go through the door, you don't need to be Necromancer to get in. I got quest to defeat Grubb which is where the circles on the floor lead to as it is blue for my level 17 Pyromancer. Since everyone is suggesting to wait until your level 20. I think I will!!

From Mary WindStrider 8)

Survivor
Dec 28, 2008
1
Maryanne20 wrote:
Does anyone know where Sunken City and Nightside is actually located?

I can't find it!!



it is under the waterfall in the commons. start from the star in the center. head towards unicorn way. at rainbow bridge before crossing turn left. go through the waterfall then through the door. if you can't, make sure you have a quest there. if not keep doing quests if you're not payed you can't get in.

Squire
Dec 02, 2008
543
In the commons, there is a waterfall by Rainbow Bridge. Walk through the waterfall to get there.

-----

Sunken City is readily soloable for a character in the late 20s, and probably sooner than that for at least some classes. The best I've done is soloing it without dying as a level 28 death wizard. At that level with other classes, taking a few deaths scattered through the instance is more typical.

Walking out of the instance or logging off (or being disconnected!) will reset it immediately. Dying and fleeing do not do this. If you die, you have a few minutes to get back to the instance before it resets, and if you get back in time, you can continue from where you were.

It's important to distinguish between the fights that you have to do, and the ones that you can skip. Most of the mobs wandering in the streets can be skipped. There is a group of three that you have to fight right when you first enter, and another right in front of the building where you do the first quest. The rest of the fights that you cannot skip are in buildings, with the exception of Grubb.

Other mobs wandering the streets sometimes come very close to sidewalks. In these places, they stay quite far from the center of the road. As such, the center of the street is safe! Especially in the area with living scarecrows at the end, it helps to get to the center of the road and run down it that way.

Note that any mobs in fights that cannot be skipped will not respawn (apart from bosses if you lose the battle). As such, if you fight three mobs, kill one, and then die, when you get back to the instance, that one will still be dead. The same battle is then 1 on 2, which is far more manageable. That lets you pare down groups. The only things that block you from completing the instance are if you can't kill one before you die, or if you can't beat a boss that starts the battle alone.

As such, if fighting a large group, it's vital to focus your fire and make sure you kill something. A blade, a trap, and a high damage spell will usually do the job pretty well. That might not finish off a mob, but should weaken it enough to finish it within a couple more attacks, perhaps from wands.

Depending on what you think of your chances of winning a battle outright, you may or may not wish to go with area attacks when fighting 1 on 3. They're certainly less efficient for killing a single target.

Don't bother healing if you're fighting 1 on 3. You need those pips for damage, and mobs will damage you faster than you can heal. If a fight is 1 on 2, healing barely does better than treading water, but can still be valuable if you're waiting for a good damage card to come up. Be sure to discard some every round if in this circumstance.

Shields are a lot less useful here than later in the game, as mobs mostly use one pip attacks.


Delver
Sep 25, 2008
211
Well I'm now level 21, so if anyone wants to help me as I don't think I'll be able to do it by myself. I'm Mary WindStrider I'm on when it is usually crowded on Ambrose Area 1. So it is morning for me, when it is day before at night probably for you as I'm from Australia.

Explorer
Dec 14, 2008
51
my sister has completed sunken city but i haven't. i have 1,308 health and 138 mana,but that doesn't sound good yet.so i will wait till i get like 1,400 or 2,000's and go to Sunken city and maybe bring some friends along and life wizards. i will keep this in mind proffeser greyrose.

Survivor
Jul 16, 2008
8
race101 wrote:
my sister has completed sunken city but i haven't. i have 1,308 health and 138 mana,but that doesn't sound good yet.so i will wait till i get like 1,400 or 2,000's and go to Sunken city and maybe bring some friends along and life wizards. i will keep this in mind proffeser greyrose.



I beat Sunken City with less than one thousand health with 2 friends so I think you can do it.

~Helryx

Explorer
Dec 14, 2008
51
Helryx wrote:
race101 wrote:
my sister has completed sunken city but i haven't. i have 1,308 health and 138 mana,but that doesn't sound good yet.so i will wait till i get like 1,400 or 2,000's and go to Sunken city and maybe bring some friends along and life wizards. i will keep this in mind proffeser greyrose.



I beat Sunken City with less than one thousand health with 2 friends so I think you can do it.

~Helryx
thank you Helryx i will try to complete sunken city.hope we meet someday!

Squire
Dec 02, 2008
543
Going by max health by itself isn't a very good indication of how strong your character is. A storm wizard with 1000 max health might well be able to solo it. An ice wizard with 1000 max health is on the low side even for a group. It's not that storm is stronger; it's that in the above example, the storm wizard has maybe 15 levels on the ice wizard--and 15 levels is a big difference.