Air Drop
Air Drop
- Year
- 1325 AE
- Storyline
- Personal story
- Chapter
- Victory or Death
- Location
- Cathedral of Zephyrs
(Malchor's Leap) - Level
- 80
- Choice
- Priory's Plan
- Preceded by
- Hunters and Prey
- Followed by
- Blast from the Past
- API
- 326
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Loading screen |
Air Drop is a mission in the personal story for players persuing the Priory's plan.
Objectives[edit]
Secure the Searing Cauldron at the Cathedral of Zephyrs.
- Put on the golem battlesuit prototype.
- Speak with the pilot Arda Gyreshriek
- Kill the Risen around the Searing Cauldron
- Contact Arda using the communication relay golem.
- Defend the cauldron until Pact reinforcements arrive.
- Kill the remaining Risen and speak to Laranthir.
- Locate the imperiled tank column
- Reach the stranded tank crew.
- Escort the crew back to the tank commander.
Rewards[edit]
Click here to edit the reward data
- All professions
- 26,670
- One of the following:
Clerics Spineguard of Sapphire, Berserkers Spineguard of Ruby or Rampagers Spineguard of Coral 
Obsidian Shard (3)
Bag of Loot (3)
Aviator Badge
Walkthrough[edit]
On the airship walk outside and interact with the Golem Battlesuit. This will transform your character into a golem for the rest of this instance.
You will be fighting multiple large groups of enemies here in your golem battlesuit. As usual with any bundle, it takes a few groups to get used to the controls.
- Battlesuit skills
| # | Skill | 
|
|
Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Punch | 1 | Hammer your enemy with your fists. | |
| 2 | Turbo Laser | 6 | 5 | Annilhilate [sic] all foes in your path with a devastating laser beam. |
| 3 | Teleporter Relay Device | 2 | Teleport yourself to the marked location, electrocuting foes on either end. | |
| 4 | Lightning Field Generator | 8 | 45 | Channel a field of localized lightning around your suit. |
| 5 | Locked | You cannot use skills while transformed. | ||
| 5 |  Signal Mortar
|
20 | Mark your target with a green smoke grenade for the airship's cannons. |
Usage tips for the altar defense part:
- Face towards enemies as they approach and use skill 2. This will apply over 4000 damage per pulse and inflict burning to every foe in a line.
- Use skill 1 once foes reach you. This skill deals 4000 damage twice to up to 5 nearby foes.
- Use skill 4 if you are struggling in a long fight.
- You can still use your utility and elite skills.
After defeating numerous waves the Pact forces will arrive. Descend the steps of the temple down to the plains beneath and find the first tank crew members. An enormous group of Risen stands between you and the rest of the tank crew, so, naturally, you must wade through them with your suit and kill the Risen. Since the Risen are more spread out here, the Turbo Laser isn't going as effective as earlier in the mission. Reach the remaining tank crew and bring them back to the first crew.
NPCs[edit]
Allies[edit]
- Various
- Order of Whispers Agent (dead)
- Priory Arcanist
- Priory Researcher (dead)
- Priory Scholar (dead)
- Vigil Crusader
- Vigil Marksman
- Vigil Tactician
- Vigil Warmaster
- Whispers Agent
Foes[edit]
- Risen Abomination
- Risen Acolyte
- Risen Corrupter
- Risen Drake
- Risen Gorilla
- Risen Jester
- Risen Knight
- Risen Noble
- Risen Pirate
- Risen Plaguebearer
- Risen Putrifier
- Risen Raptor
- Risen Squire
- Risen Villager
- Undead Abomination
Dialogue[edit]
Talking to Arda Gyreshriek before putting on the suit:
- Arda Gyreshriek: Welcome aboard, Commander. I'm your pilot, Arda Gyreshriek. I'll get you to the site and serve as your air support once you hit the ground. Better suit up now. We don't have much time.
I have a few questions about the mission.
- I'm here to support you, Commander. Ask away.
- What's our objective here?
- We're locating the Searing Cauldron in the Cathedral of Zephyrs and clearing out the Risen. That battlesuit behind you will provide all the firepower and protection you'll need.
- How are we collecting the Searing Cauldron?
- Laranthir of the Wild has a team standing by. Once you clear the zone, they'll move in, secure it for transport, and take it away.
I have another question.
That's all I needed to know. I'll suit up now.
- That's all I needed to know. I'll suit up now.
- That's quite a suit back there. Tell me about it.
- Heh. I could talk for hours about that suit. The controls should be familiar, but the weaponry…all cutting-edge stuff. It'll make more sense once you're inside it.
- I have another question.
- Okay, I'll suit up now.
- What's your story, soldier?
- Not much to tell. I was a chopper pilot running supplies and air support for the Iron Legion near Blackblade Lake. I heard the Pact needed pilots and…well, I've always wanted to slay a dragon.
- I have another question.
- We're going to get along just fine, Arda. I'll suit up now.
- What do you know about Laranthir of the Wild?
- He's a Vigil big shot. Most sylvari I've met treat war like a learning experience, but he understands a cause worth fighting for is also worth killing for. And dying for.
- I have another question.
- Glad to have him backing us up. I'll suit up now.
- I'm ready to go. I'll suit up now.
- Understood.
Upon wearing the battlesuit and talking to Arda Gyreshriek (cinematic):
- Arda Gyreshriek: I'm jealous, Commander. You get to pilot the meanest battlesuit ever built right into Zhaitan's backyard.
- <Character name>: You should be. I've heard great things about it. Can't wait to put it to the test.
- Arda Gyreshriek: You're outfitted with the finest weaponry in the Pact. Energy beams and ballistics, offense and defense, all cased in Deldrimor steel.
- Arda Gyreshriek: There's even a teleporter adapted from advanced Inquest gear. You're a walking murder machine.
- Arda Gyreshriek: I'll be up here watching you at every step. Mark your targets with smoke grenades, and I'll make it rain fiery death.
- Arda Gyreshriek: Here comes the drop zone. After you land, I'll feed you updates through the Communications Relay Golem. Good luck, and give Zhaitan my regards.
Upon landing on Cathedral of Zephyrs:
- Communications Relay Golem: We're connected, Commander. Standing by high in the sky.
After clearing the area and talking to the communication golem:
- Communications Relay Golem: This area is secure. I'm signaling the Pact forces to begin their offensive.
- Communications Relay Golem: Multiple hostiles converging on you. Dig in. This could get ugly.
- Communications Relay Golem: Pact forces have engaged the enemy.
During the fight until the backup forces arrive (order and repetition depending on spawns):
- Communications Relay Golem: Enemy inbound from the west, closing in fast on your position.
- Communications Relay Golem: Enemy approaching from the east.
- Communications Relay Golem: Multiple hostiles from the south.
- Communications Relay Golem: Multiple abominations converging on your location. Advise caution.
- Communications Relay Golem: We have a problem, Commander. Some heavy hitters are moving in.
- Communications Relay Golem: Orrian giant closing fast. Stand ready.
- Communications Relay Golem: Pact forces are making steady progress. Hang in there.
- Communications Relay Golem: Pact forces are halfway to your position.
- Communications Relay Golem: Pact forces are advancing.
- Communications Relay Golem: Pact forces are almost to you. Not much longer.
After killing the final wave (cinematic):
- Laranthir of the Wild: Impressive, Commander. I'd hoped you would leave us some, but this works, too.
- <Character name>: As long we have the cauldron, you've done your share. Is it secure?
- Laranthir of the Wild: Secure and ready to be deployed. Our offensive is stalled at the Cathedral of Verdance. I hope we can punch through the resistance.
- <Character name>: I was concerned at first, too. Don't be. Marshal Trahearne convinced me the risk was acceptable.
- Laranthir of the Wild: You're right, of course. Our sorcerers have more control than the Flame Legion Shamans did centuries ago. Any damage we do to Orr, we also do to Zhaitan.
- Laranthir of the Wild: I'll have the cauldron loaded onto your ship. You made this possible, you should have the honor of setting it off. Meet us at the target when you're ready.
After the cinematic:
- Communications Relay Golem: Commander, I have visual on a Pact tank column pinned down near your position.
- Communications Relay Golem: They're about to be overwhelmed. If they don't get help fast, they're dead.
- Laranthir of the Wild: Save that column, Commander. My squad will prepare the cauldron for extraction.
Approaching the imperiled tank column with Magister Cuth (in-game cutscene):
- Magister Cuth: Commander! We were overrun. More of my troops are trapped, but I can't get to them.
- Magister Cuth: There's an Orrian army between us and them, and our cannons are inoperative.
- Magister Cuth: But you could cut through the enemy with your suit and bring that tank crew back alive.
Upon reaching the tank crew:
- Vigil Marksman: Thank the gods you're here. We need you to lead us out of here, now!
After getting the tank crew back to Magister Cuth:
- Magister Cuth: Nice work, Commander, and nice suit. Let's regroup with the warmaster and tell him how many lives you just saved.
My story[edit]
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Notes[edit]
- The golem suit behaves mechanically like a hammer. As such, kills will count towards the Hammer Master achievement.
- The Risen at the end of this mission (during the "Reach the stranded tank crew" objective) are unusually susceptible to damage. With the high base damage of the golem suit, it is very easy to obtain the Master of Overkill achievement.
- The Vigil Marksmen you rescue will follow you everywhere after returning them to safety. Unlike most friendly NPCs in the game, they do reasonable damage.
