Hey people, I've been optimizing the Nightfall campaign rush for the past few months. I'm probably going to take a break from Guild Wars, so I want to put out this guide so that other runners can hopefully offer this service and improve upon my tactics. Also wanted to put this guide out there since there will be useful information for people that are just casually playing through the campaign.
With my current builds and tactics, I can run from Consulate Docks to Abbadon in 2-2.5 hours, the exact time depending on whether I'm running 1, 2, or 3 accounts.
I also have tactics for rushing Istan ("Honing Your Skills" to Consulate Docks) in under 90 minutes (maybe even 75 minutes); there's not much demand for this rush so I won't write a full guide on it but the main timesave is using "A Chance Encounter" to quickly power level to 51,500XP or a little more than level 11 (the next few primary quests will get you to level 12 which is required for "The Honorable General"), and then using a ferry to skip the first requirement of "The Time is Nigh."
To preface, you should be an experienced runner before offering this rush. Be experienced in the Kourna/Desolation/Vabbi tour and also be able to do the Factions rush (Kaineng Center to Divine Path) in less than an hour. Here's a great resource for beginner runners: Relative Velocity's beginner guide to running
Here is a run I recorded about 2 months ago. Many of the builds and tactics have since been improved upon and the overall speed is improved, but this run is still decent. I'm not going to write up in-depth tactics for each mission since it would take too long, so refer to these videos:
Also, review all of the Nightfall mission records. A lot of the strategies from these records can be applied to running the missions, even in NM with heroes: https://gwscr.fbgmguild.com/viewforum.php?f=34
And here is a "new" tech that I'll be calling cutscene strats:
This tech allows for the customer to simply take primary quests, twiddle their thumbs, and then accept the reward. It is applicable to most primary quests after Consulate Docks. Read the video description for an in-depth explanation. Cutscene strats require an alt account. I use cutscene strats even for very simple quests because I want the customer to do as little work as possible (I want the rush to be as easy for them as possible, and frankly the run is faster when the customer has less to do).
Also, I highly recommend Toolbox for this rush as it will allow you to instantly load hero team builds. See the attached text document for all of my hero builds. The build will work whether you're running 1 customer or 3. Heroes 5 and 6 are optional on all builds. My builds vary depending on the quest and mission. I recommend against running the exact same builds for all quests and missions.
Last thing, this rush uses anywhere from 75-100e (June 2024 prices) worth of consets, PCons, summoning stones (mainly Guards), and sometimes seals. With the amount people are willing to pay for this rush, you should absolutely be using these wherever they make sense, and often they are required in order for the builds to function as intended. When you are playing in NM with cons up, enemy AI is very "timid" due to the speed boost from the BU. Additionally, you have significant damage reduction to the armor. Therefore, when you have cons up there are a lot of aggressive moves that you and your heroes can get away with in order to complete missions quickly and you can have a team comp that lacks essentially any prot.
First four primary quests for foreign characters (these take about 15 minutes):
Battle Preparations: Self-explanatory quest. Resign as soon as "Command Training" is marked complete. This quest is technically faster if the customer is on their own with three heroes, but I've also had some customers take 15 minutes to do this quest.
Run Kamadan to Great Hall
Securing Champion's Dawn (run Great Hall to Champion's Dawn)
A Land of Heroes: Immediately run northwest to the eastern entrance to the quarry. You do not need to fight the first waves or capture the landing points.
The Time is Nigh: Use your ferry sin and cutscene strats to skip the steps in Churrhir Fields.
Consulate Docks: Refer to my video. Technically the only enemies you need to kill are Captain Lumanda (paragon boss) and his group, Captain Denduru (dervish boss) and his siege engineers, the four groups surrounding the Kournan bombard, and the 6 Elite Spear/Guard in the back. Everything else can be skipped so long as your heroes can get past.
Hunted!: Customer takes quest and then talks to Zudash (who is also in the same outpost).
Run Yohlon Haven to Command Post via Arkjok Wark (using /N hero to gate glitch) and then to Sunspear Sanctuary. Then run to Venta Cemetery and Gate of Desolation. Customer may AFK for about 10 minutes here.
Map back to Sanctuary and exit into Marga Coast. Customer talks to Elder Jonah and then runner can immediately talk to the guardsman and enter the gate.
The Great Escape: One of the few quests where the customer actually has to do something. Despite what the quest log says, customer does not need to talk to Nerashi. Map to Yohlon Haven. Run to the Kournan scout patrols, avoiding or running past enemies on the way. If you're using my builds, you'll permanently have Incoming/Fall Back up. Once the three patrols and Commander Kubeh's group are dead, customer talks to Koss and then the team resigns. Map to Sanctuary.
And A Hero Shall Lead Them: This is the most important quest to use cutscene strats for. Map to Venta, and have your alt walk out into Sunward Marches and talk to Command Suha.
Venta Cemetery: Refer to my video. The Sunspear Evacuees have "Snake AI" (same behavior as the snakes in Foundry of Failed Creations). If you ping an enemy and stay far enough ahead of the Evacuees, then they will follow you without trying to fight anything. Tell your customers that they absolutely cannot move during this mission. If they do move, then the Evacuees may not follow at the start.
The Council is Called: Self explanatory. Tell your customer to stand next to Elder Suhl until he is done with his dialogue, and then map to Sanctuary.
To Vabbi!: Customer talks to Dunkoro (Command Post) and then Nerashi (Jahai Bluffs). Then they can stay put while you complete the rest of the quest (my video does not show these updated strats). Nerashi will follow the runner (or whoever is moving/pinging) She must walk past three different trigger points. Run past all enemies on the way to these trigger points, and then kill the Kournan patrol. Resign once the patrol is dead. OPTIONAL: Have an alt with the quest talk to Dunkoro and Nerashi. The quest will update for the customer once the Kournan patrol is dead.
Centaur Blackmail: Customer talks to Zhed (Command Post) and Master of Whispers (Jahai Bluffs). Then everyone immediately runs towards Kodonur Crossroads. Zhed should be outside of compass range once he and Master of Whispers are done with their dialogue. Zhed will appear in the party menu, but will be grayed out. Customer will still be able to trigger the cutscene at Hajor Firemane. OPTIONAL: Use an alt to talk to Zhed, Master of Whispers, and then Hajor while everyone else stays back.
Kodonour Crossroads: Refer to my video. The Veldrunner Centaur's do NOT need to survive. Flag your heroes so that they kill groups with Taskmasters while you run around with SoH and Dash and free the Centaurs.
Mysterious Message: Self explanatory. Use Make Haste/Fall Back on the customers. Have them take Master of Whisper's quest line (Secrets in the Shadow)
Secrets in the Shadow: Simple quest. Kill fast. Enchantment removal, interrupts, and Mistrust make quick work of the eles here. Tell customers to talk to Dehjah then stand next to Master of Whispers and resign once they have "To Kill a Demon."
To Kill a Demon: Similar quest to above. You can kill the groups in any order. I go from right to left, moving closer to Dehjah. Customer needs to talk to Master of Whispers. Once everything is dead, they talk to Dehjah and trigger the cinematic. OPTIONAL: Use an alt to talk to Master of Whispers and Dehjah.
Rilohn Refuge: Refer to my video or Flo's record video. You will need to resign at the start if there's no wars or dervs nearby for the first gate glitch. For the second gate, you can glitch or just wait until the dialogue is done and the gate opens (if you attempt to gate glitch, run to the right gate instead of the left). I use Grenth's Aura instead of Staggering Force because it's safer.
Technically you can skip Rilohn Refuge if you already have the Moddok Crevice outpost unlocked. However, the overall rush will be longer if you do that. Rikohn Refuge takes 2 minutes. In order to unlock Moddok Crevice early, you would need to spend 3 minutes running from Gate of Desolation to Sahlahjah (which Gate of Desolation already unlocks) then spend 2 minutes running to Basalt Grotto, 3 minutes running to Jennur's Horde (which is automatically unlocked by another primary quest), 1 minute running to Tihark Orchard (also unlocked by a primary quest), 1 minute running to Kodash, and 2 minutes running from Wehnan Terraces to Moddok Crevice. Including time spent running through the outposts and accounting for zone loading, that's 13-15 minutes of running in order to avoid a 2-minute mission. That's if you don't mess up running through sulfur (happens to the best runners) or die to Gravebanes in Vehjin Mines.
Moddok Crevice: Run to the end and trigger cutscene. Flag heroes just past Bayel. If you flag under the bridge, your heroes may focus on the rangers instead of Bayel or the Hunger. If you flag in the right spot, the rangers will still be obstructed.
Have customers take Rally the Princes. Customers don't need to do anything for the next 10 minutes.
Run to Chantry, Kodash, Grand Court, Dzagonour, and Honor Hill. Skip Mihanu Township as you actually don't need it for any later quests. Unlocking Dasha Vestibule also adds unnecessary time to the run. Definitely do not unlock Yahnur Market.
Map back to Kodash.
Tell customers to interact with the "Font of Lyss." Then their quest will automatically update and they can talk to Priestess Haila. Your group will teleport to Tihark Orchard. OPTIONAL: Use an alt and cutscene strats for this quest. Even if you draw on the map, it may take customers a few seconds to find the Font and fully understand what they're supposed to do.
Tihark Orchard: I give the customers the instructions to fastest completion of this mission, and I also provide them Guards, a cupcake, and 5k for the mission.
All's Well That Ends Well: Ignore the first quest requirement about talking to Kehanni. Map to Honor Hill, then use EE and other shadow steps to quickly run through to the Bokka Amphitheater. Zone back into Resplendent Makuun and tell your customers to talk to Prince Bokka the Magnificent. Their quest marker will not point to him, so I usually tell them to follow my heroes and then I flag my heroes towards him. Once they've spoken with him, map back into the Amphitheater, have the customers talk to Vaughn, and then wait through the 3 minutes of dialogue. Prep spirits at "And then the valiant Kournans smote the Istani interlopers with a righteous fury!". Resign once all enemies are dead. OPTIONAL: Add an alt that has already talked to Prince Bokka. That alt can start the dialogue with Vaughn and then map out.
Warning Kehanni: Spell Breaker + Splinter + derv spike the group. YMLaD the Executioner so it stays in the ball. Finish Him on boss. Customer talks to Kehanni and then resigns.
Calling the Order: Use cutscene strats for this. See my video as it shows this exact quest. Done normally, the customer would have to run with the group and talk to 4 different NPCs. Cutscene strats save 5-6 minutes.
Dzagonour Bastion: See my video. I've slightly changed my tactics for this mission. I now immediately flag my heroes to the second portal (1 being on the left, 4 being on the right) so that they kill the Kournans as fast as possible. Once my heroes are on their way, I send all of the Vabbian groups to the east bombard. The 7 Kournan groups that come before the bosses do not spawn on a timer. Instead, they spawn once the previous group is dead, so the faster you intercept and kill, the faster the mission goes. Flag heroes to 2, and then once that group is dead flag them to 3, then 4, then back 3. Right after the heroes are done killing the group at 4, another group will spawn at 2, which you and a triple summon will kill. Then head to 4 to solo the warrior boss while your heroes finish killing the group at 3. Bosses will spawn as soon as the second group from portal 3 is dead.
Pledge of the Merchant Princes: This quest would normally require Mihanu Township to be unlocked, but you can actually just walk east out of Grand Court and have the customer talk to Morgahn. OPTIONAL: Use an alt to talk to Morgahn. Saves some work on the customer's end.
Grand Court: See my video.
Attack at the Kodash: Customer has to talk to Butoh the Bold and then stay by him. Even though there's a cutscene in this quest, there's no way to avoid the customer having to talk to Butoh. No point in using alts here. During this quest, you will notice there are 5 Vabbian Commoners that run into the Grand Forum of Vabb. Once each of these Commoners finish running along their path, a group of Margonites spawn near them. So if you want to finish this quest ASAP, you need to make sure the Commoners run as fast as possible. That means no spirits or minions as they'll bodyblock, and "Make Haste" on the Commoners.
Heart or Mind: Garden in Danger: Simple quest. You can use an alt to run to Hedge Wizard Lohhaj if you want. Saves some work on the customer's end.
Jennur's Horde: Watch my video or the record video. Grab a Light of Seborhin and run past the first 3 Harbingers. Use it on the 4th Harbingers (left or right, whichever one has fewer enemies near it) and then have your heroes engage the Margonites up ahead. Pull the Harbinger of Nightfall into your heroes so he stays aggroed onto them. That way there's less running to do and you can get drop the Lights more frequently.
Crossing the Desolation: Map to Gate of Desolation. Use cutscene strats for this/have an alt talk to Dirah Traptail. Otherwise, this quest would require the customer to talk to 6 different NPCs and run around quite a bit. Cutscene strats save 5-6 minutes.
Gate of Desolation: Refer to my video or to Flo's record video (though he uses a different route through the first patch of sulfur than me).
Have customer take A Deal's a Deal.
Run to Bone Palace back entrance (your character should have A Deal's a Deal marked completed) and then run to Ruins of Morah. Customer may AFK.
Map back to Bone Palace.
Exit Bone Palace into Joko's Domain and kill the Margonite group. After the cutscene, the quest will update.
Customer takes Horde of Darkness.
Map to Ruins of Morah.
Reroll to a different character to run the rest of the campaign.
Exit Ruins of Morah into Alkali Pan and use life steal/degen to kill the Colossus. Quest should update and then customer talks to Captain Mehhan.
Ruins of Morah: Use my build, or the build on PvX. People have been running this mission since before 7 heroes.
Uncharted Territory: Run to Gate of Pain. Due to the environmental effect, you will need 17 in Mysticism in order to maintain Pious Haste. I use a superior rune + egg. Enter Gate of Pain, and then exit it. Run forwards a little towards the bridge to trigger the quest to update, and then the customer can talk to the Tortured Sunspear. OPTIONAL: Use an alt to talk to the Tortured Sunspear. Saves a few seconds depending on the customer.
Gate of Pain: Refer to my video. Just kill fast for this mission. You could try to do the fancy trigger point strategy that is used in the mission record, but I have found to be very tough to do with heroes and it would only save 2 minutes over current strategies. Maybe someday I'll do it regularly during runs.
Kormir's Crusade: Refer to my video. Just need to escort Kormir to the next outpost. OPTIONAL: Use an alt to talk to Kormir once she is done with her dialogue.
All Alone in the Darkness: Here are new tactics that are not reflected in my build or videos. Either a) reroll to a character that has this quest, or b) add an alt that has this quest. Talk to Kormir, flag your heroes by the portal behind you, and then run by yourself past all of the enemies until you are just outside of compass range of Scout Ahtok. Flag your heroes through the portal so they join you, and then walk towards Ahtok and defeat the Margonites. Depending on the number of heroes you have (if you have 3 customers and are playing on an alt with your main still in the party, you'll only have 3 heroes) you may want to pop cons/Tengus for this fight and micro heals on Ahtok. I recommend playing as A/Mo and bringing Infuse.
Gate of Madness: See my video.
Abbadon's Gate: See my video. Blow up Abbadon in 1 go. Cast all spirits, put down Ward of Stability, and then once you can attack Abbadon hit him with one dagger chain followed by PI.
If any other runners have ideas for other timesaves, feel free to comment.
