Fastest way to farm archival fortunes?

Aurielle · March 2024

So, I found IA pretty boring on release and (outside of a few leads) didn’t see anything on the merchants worth buying. So I haven’t been running it. Now that there finally is something I find worth buying (class style pages), I’d like to know more from those of you who farm IA regularly.

What is the most efficient way to earn archival fortunes? Spam Arc 1? Farm the first boss of Arc 1 only? I realize that the amount dropped per boss increases past Arc 1, but the time increase involved makes it seem not worth it.

I can finish Arc 1 pretty quickly, but even so, I feel like it’s going to take many, many dull, mind numbing hours to farm all these pages… I’m only at 9k archival fortunes thus far, haven’t seen a single drop so far from any bosses, and I’ve been running it for a couple hours now. The pages can’t be traded, so… any insight or tips/tricks to maximize the farm rate would be appreciated.

Edit: fortunes, not treasures… see what I mean? I run this thing so infrequently, I don’t even know the name of the currency.

cyclonus11 · March 2024

I run the daily quest once per day, and play through the first marauder at minimum. I make sure to kill the scamp every time he appears, and to collect the repeatable optional pages quest when it's available.

Araneae6537 · March 2024

Find someone to run it with — it goes faster and easier with two people, naturally, and greater fortunes each arc.

kojou · March 2024

Araneae6537 wrote: »

Find someone to run it with — it goes faster and easier with two people, naturally, and greater fortunes each arc.

The amount per loot event increases the higher the Arc, so having a friend help you efficiently complete higher arcs will net you fortunes much faster.

Necrotech_Master · March 2024

long runs lol, it takes time, but a run to like arc 8 is like 60-80k archive fortunes

you get a maximum of like 2500-3000 fortunes for arc 1 run, so a single long run is worth like 20 arc 1 runs

going far fast really depends on your vision choices, as focused efforts help a tank spec deal more dmg, and its almost a necessity to have a full tank for marauders after arc like 4-5

most of my "long runs" going to like arc 8-9 usually end up lasting about 6 hours

arc 1 clear takes like 15-20 min, but is kind of boring and no marauders for extra currency

using those time estimates:

1 6 hour arc 9 run is about 75k fortunes
18 20 min arc 1 runs is about 54k fortunes (at 3k fortunes per completion)

so spamming arc 1 runs for 6 hours in terms of fortunes gain is a waste of time compared to doing 1 deep arc run

Aurielle · March 2024

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

long runs lol, it takes time, but a run to like arc 8 is like 60-80k archive fortunes

you get a maximum of like 2500-3000 fortunes for arc 1 run, so a single long run is worth like 20 arc 1 runs

going far fast really depends on your vision choices, as focused efforts help a tank spec deal more dmg, and its almost a necessity to have a full tank for marauders after arc like 4-5

most of my "long runs" going to like arc 8-9 usually end up lasting about 6 hours

arc 1 clear takes like 15-20 min, but is kind of boring and no marauders for extra currency

using those time estimates:

1 6 hour arc 9 run is about 75k fortunes
18 20 min arc 1 runs is about 54k fortunes (at 3k fortunes per completion)

so spamming arc 1 runs for 6 hours in terms of fortunes gain is a waste of time compared to doing 1 deep arc run

Man, six hours… the thought of that makes my eyes bleed. Even farming Arc 1 for 6 hours would be horrendously dull. The deep run sounds rewarding (fortunes-wise), but at the cost of one’s sanity, haha.

Anyway, thanks for the insight, folks. I may just have to accept that it’s going to take a really long time to get these motifs, and the process is going to annoy me immensely. No one in my guilds really seems to run IA all that often, so I’ll mostly have to do it solo. It’s a shame the drop rate isn’t better, and that they can’t be traded. I’d waaaaay rather part with gold than spend any more time in IA than is absolutely necessary.

fizl101 · March 2024

I would group with another dd and go as far as practical. 2 DD burn the early arcs pretty fast. I would personally go at least to end of arc 4 and do as many side quests as possible as they also give fortunes

Adremal · March 2024

I kind of like it, it plays somewhat like Slay The Spire, but I wish the upgrade unlocks weren't gated behind minigames. The dueling one is ok, the goat one is ok I guess, the spirit one I only managed to complete by walking backwards with the psijic rush on which is far from intuitive, and the pac-man is a good idea but I'm at a stage where everything oneshots you and I'll probably never get it done. Also between those nigh-mandatory upgrades, the prices on the weekly merchant and the non-mandatory temporary buff you can get, I'd say the drop rate for books is a tad low.
That and I don't get why is there no difference between solo and duo mode.

Ugrak · March 2024

I don't really farm IA. Just consistently do the daily through at least arc 1 because it's fast and easy. You get drops and fortunes steadily accumulate. Currently I've got all upgrades unlocked, some monster mask styles and about 110K archival fortunes. Also got lucky and the nightblade half-mask style dropped (plus staff and legs so far).

If in the mood I'll just push it as far as the threads will go, but that of course works much better with an extra player.

Necrotech_Master · March 2024

Aurielle wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

long runs lol, it takes time, but a run to like arc 8 is like 60-80k archive fortunes

you get a maximum of like 2500-3000 fortunes for arc 1 run, so a single long run is worth like 20 arc 1 runs

going far fast really depends on your vision choices, as focused efforts help a tank spec deal more dmg, and its almost a necessity to have a full tank for marauders after arc like 4-5

most of my "long runs" going to like arc 8-9 usually end up lasting about 6 hours

arc 1 clear takes like 15-20 min, but is kind of boring and no marauders for extra currency

using those time estimates:

1 6 hour arc 9 run is about 75k fortunes
18 20 min arc 1 runs is about 54k fortunes (at 3k fortunes per completion)

so spamming arc 1 runs for 6 hours in terms of fortunes gain is a waste of time compared to doing 1 deep arc run

Man, six hours… the thought of that makes my eyes bleed. Even farming Arc 1 for 6 hours would be horrendously dull. The deep run sounds rewarding (fortunes-wise), but at the cost of one’s sanity, haha.

Anyway, thanks for the insight, folks. I may just have to accept that it’s going to take a really long time to get these motifs, and the process is going to annoy me immensely. No one in my guilds really seems to run IA all that often, so I’ll mostly have to do it solo. It’s a shame the drop rate isn’t better, and that they can’t be traded. I’d waaaaay rather part with gold than spend any more time in IA than is absolutely necessary.

right now for time sake i usually do arc 4 clears, as those usually take about 1.5-2 hours with 2 dps, and that nets about 15k fortunes

the amount of fortunes does scale up considerably for later arcs, and things start to "get real" difficulty wise after about arc 5 as even the trash mobs start becoming dangerous (and arguably more difficult than the boss fights lol), but it is really nice to get about 1000 fortunes for each boss, scamp, and bonus portal in the later arcs

the furthest ive managed to go is the start of arc 10, its gets very difficult at that point especially with the marauders lol

Ugrak · March 2024

Adremal wrote: »

I wish the upgrade unlocks weren't gated behind minigames. The dueling one is ok, the goat one is ok I guess, the spirit one I only managed to complete by walking backwards with the psijic rush on which is far from intuitive, and the pac-man is a good idea but I'm at a stage where everything oneshots you and I'll probably never get it done.

I switched to gamepad for the spirit one, but since then I've found simply sneaking works pretty reliably (of course I now have the move speed upgrade so that is a factor too).

Filer's wing was hard. There's a lot of luck in terms of how enemies, traps and stuff line up at times, but overall the tactic seems to be to not rush but still push forward without looking back, dropping inkpuiddles to slow followers, leading them into traps and getting those tomeshells. I really had doubts about ever being able to clear it; then suddenly I had done it.

DigiAngel · March 2024

FWIW it took my 1.5 hours to get 5000 on a one bar warden with ally. Stopped after I died.

Aurielle · March 2024

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Aurielle wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

long runs lol, it takes time, but a run to like arc 8 is like 60-80k archive fortunes

you get a maximum of like 2500-3000 fortunes for arc 1 run, so a single long run is worth like 20 arc 1 runs

going far fast really depends on your vision choices, as focused efforts help a tank spec deal more dmg, and its almost a necessity to have a full tank for marauders after arc like 4-5

most of my "long runs" going to like arc 8-9 usually end up lasting about 6 hours

arc 1 clear takes like 15-20 min, but is kind of boring and no marauders for extra currency

using those time estimates:

1 6 hour arc 9 run is about 75k fortunes
18 20 min arc 1 runs is about 54k fortunes (at 3k fortunes per completion)

so spamming arc 1 runs for 6 hours in terms of fortunes gain is a waste of time compared to doing 1 deep arc run

Man, six hours… the thought of that makes my eyes bleed. Even farming Arc 1 for 6 hours would be horrendously dull. The deep run sounds rewarding (fortunes-wise), but at the cost of one’s sanity, haha.

Anyway, thanks for the insight, folks. I may just have to accept that it’s going to take a really long time to get these motifs, and the process is going to annoy me immensely. No one in my guilds really seems to run IA all that often, so I’ll mostly have to do it solo. It’s a shame the drop rate isn’t better, and that they can’t be traded. I’d waaaaay rather part with gold than spend any more time in IA than is absolutely necessary.

right now for time sake i usually do arc 4 clears, as those usually take about 1.5-2 hours with 2 dps, and that nets about 15k fortunes

the amount of fortunes does scale up considerably for later arcs, and things start to "get real" difficulty wise after about arc 5 as even the trash mobs start becoming dangerous (and arguably more difficult than the boss fights lol), but it is really nice to get about 1000 fortunes for each boss, scamp, and bonus portal in the later arcs

the furthest ive managed to go is the start of arc 10, its gets very difficult at that point especially with the marauders lol

If I can find a reliable partner, doing Arc 3 or 4 runs may be the way to go. It’s probably a build issue for me, but I just can’t get past Arc 3 solo. The Arc 3 marauders are simply too much for me. I can get past Arc 1 and the first cycle Arc 2 boss in 20-22 minutes, and if I get lucky, I get a marauder during that first Arc 2 cycle. That seems to be the sweet spot for me, as far as efficient solo farming goes. But still way too slow, considering the number of fortunes you get in return.

I just bought my first page and got… a shield.

Thanks, RNGesus.

Necrotech_Master · March 2024

Aurielle wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Aurielle wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

long runs lol, it takes time, but a run to like arc 8 is like 60-80k archive fortunes

you get a maximum of like 2500-3000 fortunes for arc 1 run, so a single long run is worth like 20 arc 1 runs

going far fast really depends on your vision choices, as focused efforts help a tank spec deal more dmg, and its almost a necessity to have a full tank for marauders after arc like 4-5

most of my "long runs" going to like arc 8-9 usually end up lasting about 6 hours

arc 1 clear takes like 15-20 min, but is kind of boring and no marauders for extra currency

using those time estimates:

1 6 hour arc 9 run is about 75k fortunes
18 20 min arc 1 runs is about 54k fortunes (at 3k fortunes per completion)

so spamming arc 1 runs for 6 hours in terms of fortunes gain is a waste of time compared to doing 1 deep arc run

Man, six hours… the thought of that makes my eyes bleed. Even farming Arc 1 for 6 hours would be horrendously dull. The deep run sounds rewarding (fortunes-wise), but at the cost of one’s sanity, haha.

Anyway, thanks for the insight, folks. I may just have to accept that it’s going to take a really long time to get these motifs, and the process is going to annoy me immensely. No one in my guilds really seems to run IA all that often, so I’ll mostly have to do it solo. It’s a shame the drop rate isn’t better, and that they can’t be traded. I’d waaaaay rather part with gold than spend any more time in IA than is absolutely necessary.

right now for time sake i usually do arc 4 clears, as those usually take about 1.5-2 hours with 2 dps, and that nets about 15k fortunes

the amount of fortunes does scale up considerably for later arcs, and things start to "get real" difficulty wise after about arc 5 as even the trash mobs start becoming dangerous (and arguably more difficult than the boss fights lol), but it is really nice to get about 1000 fortunes for each boss, scamp, and bonus portal in the later arcs

the furthest ive managed to go is the start of arc 10, its gets very difficult at that point especially with the marauders lol

If I can find a reliable partner, doing Arc 3 or 4 runs may be the way to go. It’s probably a build issue for me, but I just can’t get past Arc 3 solo. The Arc 3 marauders are simply too much for me. I can get past Arc 1 and the first cycle Arc 2 boss in 20-22 minutes, and if I get lucky, I get a marauder during that first Arc 2 cycle. That seems to be the sweet spot for me, as far as efficient solo farming goes. But still way too slow, considering the number of fortunes you get in return.

I just bought my first page and got… a shield. Thanks, RNGesus.

if you plan on running solo, i would heavily recommend a tank companion, as they make dealing with the marauders a lot easier (they are virtually unkillable right now outside of a few bosses, usually the cycle 4 ones give them the most trouble)

i havent actually received any style pages yet, but i have gotten all 5 of the new mythic leads at least once, and at least 1 new furnishing plan

last night i did a run with 2 dps (the person i ran with swapped to more tanky gear in arc 3), and we cleared arc 4 in like 1 hour 40 min without losing any threads but decided to stop there for the night lol

ill probably be running it more again now that theres new drops from it, i had taken a break from a lot of runs when i was basically out of new stuff to get lol

AndyMac · March 2024

I'm usually out of lives during Arc 3 atm - but I need a much better build 😆

The Fortunes seem to add up anyway with regular runs. I get to about 100k and then buy the provisioning mat pouches. These can drop the rare ingredients - including Aetherial Dust 😊 These pouches REALLY pay off.

I've had one new gold style page drop from a scamp or Marauder - can't remember - but it's a gold drop so ofc it's going to be rare.

Ugrak · March 2024

Aurielle wrote: »

It’s probably a build issue for me, but I just can’t get past Arc 3 solo. The Arc 3 marauders are simply too much for me.

It is very reliant on getting some good offensive visions such as scorching support and ferocious support as a foundation in order to not become a slog, but I tend to switch to tank build when reaching arc 3.

I once started a run with a tank build and met Molag Kena on arc 1, doing the lightning waves mechanic where you have to kill four NPCs. And my damage was so low I could only take down two of them before the boss ended the mechanic and restarted it after a second or two. Boss is also immune to damage during the mechanic. I just jumped off the platform and went to the DPS build.

That said, a tanky oakensorc (sargeant and alessian order) provides a nice middle ground and didn't really struggle until deep into arc 4. I might try that one again now that the sorc shield got a heal on top.

Treeshka · March 2024

Well first try to get the upgrades that boosts your visions and the one that makes you choice three visions instead of two.

After that get a build that focuses on status effects. Warden is best for this and easy to build up. Ice Furnace and Heartland Conqueror as sets.

Then if you are solo do the Arc one and two, if you do not get any Focused Efforts by the end of Arc two, you need to reset. In my opinion it is not worth to keep going without any Focused Efforts if you want to farm efficiently. If you are duo it is basically the same.

For other side content you can do them, they do not take much time but some people also skips them until certain Arcs. Because they always take the same amount of time but the reward is based on your Arc.

Dagoth_Rac · March 2024

Ugrak wrote: »

Aurielle wrote: »

It’s probably a build issue for me, but I just can’t get past Arc 3 solo. The Arc 3 marauders are simply too much for me.

It is very reliant on getting some good offensive visions such as scorching support and ferocious support as a foundation in order to not become a slog, but I tend to switch to tank build when reaching arc 3.

I once started a run with a tank build and met Molag Kena on arc 1, doing the lightning waves mechanic where you have to kill four NPCs. And my damage was so low I could only take down two of them before the boss ended the mechanic and restarted it after a second or two. Boss is also immune to damage during the mechanic. I just jumped off the platform and went to the DPS build.

That said, a tanky oakensorc (sargeant and alessian order) provides a nice middle ground and didn't really struggle until deep into arc 4. I might try that one again now that the sorc shield got a heal on top.

Try Sergeant + Leeching on an Oakensorc. It is a lot of healing in trash pulls. I do Leeching + Critical Surge + the CP that gives you 1500 health recovery if you do not use your ultimate (I just slot Flawless Dawnbreaker for the weapon/spell damage) + Sugar Skulls. My health barely moves and the DPS really ain't that bad, even without Focused Efforts, especially if you have Ferocious Support and Scorching Support.

Pixiepumpkin · March 2024

I stopped caring about the rewards and stopped running it. Its way way way too boring for me to spend my luxury time dredging through the slag in Infinite Archive. I'd rather watch a fly buzz around the window.

tsaescishoeshiner · March 2024

The fastest way is to optimize for a certain arc. Because the farther you go, the tankier you have to be, and the slower it goes.

To get to arc 5-6, you don't need to be quite as tanky as going to arc 8+, so you can build juuust as tanky as you need for arc 6, and then just focus on damage. I'd consider like 35k health and 30k resistances, and a nice DPS set.

The Heartland Conqueror build might not be as helpful there, as it helps with debuffs on the marauders, but I guess it could work if you use it for a Weapon Power enchant.

kevkj · March 2024

If you want to farm, it is probably best on something like Arcanist and aim to complete Arcs 3/4. You can go a full damage squishy build and blast through the first 2 Arcs under half an hour regardless of visions and then you just go until you run out of threads from marauders. Aiming to reach Arc 6 or further solo makes your runs take a lot longer because you have to use safer setups until you get a marauder every arc from 3 or 4 onwards.

BXR_Lonestar · March 2024

You earn more fortunes the longer you stay in it, so I honestly think the best way to earn them is to go in there with a good partner with good builds and see how long you can stay in there for.

Either that, or simply go in with DPS minded characters and go burn the first 2 arcs, reset and repeat.

Rittings · February 15

I get the value of a deep run, but like all things MMO, there are diminishing returns. That meaning, if the time taken to complete an arc is longer than running multiple lower arcs for more fortunes - then you've hit your own personal soft cap.

It's all down to the individual(s) in question. I can go pretty deep into the archive, but by 8 I'm more of a tank build and therefore each arc is going to take an awful long time... thus making it not worthwhile if all I'm after are fortunes.

Some good heavy attack tanky builds can get you to arc 4/5 pretty quickly though, and those are likely the better options for farming

Orbital78 · February 15

My arc can blast through arc ones pretty fast. Doing it once a day nets you an extra 1000, gear box, verse, and poly ulti consumable. As you go deeper they really slow down and require more specialized builds to survive. I got a lot just completing the sets and collectables.

I don't usually want to devote hours to runs but as mentioned, that is when the income racks up. I haven't timed my Arcanist but arc one plus Marauder doesn't take long. I did that with my templar main to level the new companions as well. You also get companion gear RNG rolls.

DenverRalphy · February 15

Rittings wrote: »

I get the value of a deep run, but like all things MMO, there are diminishing returns. That meaning, if the time taken to complete an arc is longer than running multiple lower arcs for more fortunes - then you've hit your own personal soft cap.

It's all down to the individual(s) in question. I can go pretty deep into the archive, but by 8 I'm more of a tank build and therefore each arc is going to take an awful long time... thus making it not worthwhile if all I'm after are fortunes.

Some good heavy attack tanky builds can get you to arc 4/5 pretty quickly though, and those are likely the better options for farming

Yeah. Unless you get all the best offense visions, the time investment begins to outweigh the reward.

I have a sorc 1-bar heavy attack build that I've taken to arc 6 before just quitting because it got too boring. However I like it for farming Arcs 1-3. I rarely go past arc 3 unless I get lucky with a string of great offense visions to keep the pace going, otherwise at that point the time investment just isn't worth it to me.

Could I increase speed by going to a 2-bar setup? Sure, probably (I've often been critical of 1-bar setups). But when I do that, I start to burn out much faster which IMHO is not ideal because IA is more a marathon than a sprint. So I prefer a 1-bar setup so I can just kinda relax as I go along.

Munkfist · February 15

It all depends on how quickly you can run.

Arc 1 Tho'at takes ~8-9 minutes with questions Visions. If you can manage Arc 3 in under an hour, that'll yield fairly significant coinage with low effort.

The further you go, the more currency you'll get, but that leaves things up to rng.

I typically run to Arc 6-7, this feels like the sweet spot, unless I've had great luck with visions, as I just use a basic dps setup instead of something catering to higher arcs

Smitch_59 · February 15

I can't get much past arc 1.

Orbital78 · February 15

Smitch_59 wrote: »

I can't get much past arc 1.

Console? use a tank companion, they are some what more balanced to be useful in there. What CP are you, have you tried an oakensoul build? Addons like Code's Combat alerts will help with dodge timing and some mechs.

This is the sorc build I typically use, though I do use Beacon of Oblivion some too instead of Mora's thesis, Noble duelist, or graven grasp. Heavy weave into shields or heals and you should be able to get pretty far.

Sorcs can be pretty tanking once you get used to them, heal pet, powerful shield, and a well timed block with bound aegis can mitigate much. I can live through vCR Zmaja heavies and such, but sadly need two bars for later hardmodes.

allochthons · February 16

I farmed 2 arcs a day until I filled my stickerbook, and I have all but 1 or 2 of the class style pages now.
For me, doing those 2 arcs just became part of my routine, like writs. It's fast, you don't lose your mind from boredom (as fast), or burn out (as fast). Now I have a buffer of archival fortunes, so I can afford any of the monster style pages that come up.

Use a Mystery Verse on Tho'at 1, use a Mystery Transformation on Tho'at 2. Call it a day.

Oakensorc is great.

I also use a modified build from The Gameroom, the "two button solo arcanist" build here:
https://www.thegameroom.tv/arcanist-builds
Hexos, Briarheart, Slimecraw and Oakensoul with a lightning staff. I run Flail, Beam, a heal, Wall of Elements, Inspired Scholarship, and Tide King's Gaze. The only hard piece there to get is Oakensoul, the rest is overland, from Traders, or from one of the easiest vet dungeons in the game.

I only use my ultimate on the bosses, or for 'oh crap' moments, because the build uses the red CP point "Strategic Reserve - Gain 30 Health Recovery for every 10 Ultimate you have." (The build recommends Gibbering Shelter for the Ultimate, and only ever used for 'oh crap,' but I swapped in Tide King to burn down bosses faster. Tomefoolery is a great verse for this build, because you can refill your ulti really fast.)

Definitely have a tank companion. If going into Arc 2+, I highly recommend Azander, because for some reason, he's the least likely to lose taunt on the mauraders. I slot Puncture as his first skill, and his class taunt as the 4th, and he does just fine.