Introduction[]
In PvE, the concept of speed clears for dungeons, elite areas and to farm faction has become extremely popular. The idea of a speed clear is simple: get the end reward in the minimum time possible to maximize the chance of a rare drop or amount of Faction gained in a given time inteval. Speed clear builds are usually quite area specific and generally focus on spiking with AoE or skipping foes. Some of the most popular speed clear builds include: Cryway/FoCway, where balled foes are spiked with armor-ignoring AoE damage; Manly Spike, which uses a combination of Hundred Blades and Whirlwind Attack to mass trigger Mark of Pain and Sinway, a build where every party member has Shadow Form.
Controversy[]
A select group of players were initially driven to faster times by a series of competitive threads on GWGuru, where it was first shown that speed clears halved the time of conventional builds. In response to the change in Ursan Blessing, speed clears became mainstream and the average time to complete elite areas significantly dropped. As a result, speed clear builds were, and still are, the focus of skill changes in PvE. Examples of this include the previous changes in Cry of Pain and Ray of Judgment and the continuing changes to Shadow Form.
Elite Areas[]
Speed clear builds are to get a team of 8 (or 12) through an elite area as fast as possible.
Fissure of Woe[]
The Underworld[]
Urgoz's Warren[]
The Deep[]
Domain of Anguish[]
Estimated Time Taken[]
| Elite Area | Experienced Guild Team | Regular Guild Team | Pick Up Groups |
| Fissure of Woe | < 20 minutes | < 30 minutes | < 45 minutes |
| The Underworld | < 30 minutes | < 45 minutes | < 60 minutes |
| Urgoz's Warren | < 25 minutes | < 45 minutes | < 70 minutes |
| The Deep | < 25 minutes | < 35 minutes | < 60 minutes |
| Domain of Anguish | < 60 minutes | < 90 minutes | < 120 minutes |
Dungeons[]
Speed clears are generally done for dungeons with sought after drops. There are 5 of 18 dungeons this is commonly done in.
Catacombs of Kathandrax[]
Drop: Emerald Blade
Frostmaw's Burrows[]
Drop: Demoncrest Spear, Silverwing Recurve Bow
Bogroot Growths[]
Drop: Frog Scepter
Shards of Orr[]
Drop: Bone Dragon Staff