Caves of Donn

[[Image:|32px]] Overview
The Caves of Donn is an Instance that is located in the Wilderness area of Concordia on Foreas.

Intel Recon

 * Classified:


 * AFS received an open ended distress call from a Forean Village by the name of Mar Fend. The village is notable for it's proximity to an Eloh cave system called the Caves of Donn.


 * The caves are entered through an opening at the base of a large tree. AFS Intel wants detailed reports of what's happening in that region, including the reason the initial distress signal was sent.

Shrines
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 * Caves of Donn

[[Image:|32px]] Walkthrough
This instance has an integrated mission to acquire one of the Logos (Heal). There are a couple different Logos in this instance, so you should make sure to have all that you can from the NPC in Alia Das. If you want to solo this area you should be at least level 10. The quest line is broken into a few different sections that you will complete as you make your way through the Caves, along with a side-quest that will net you a few Forean squad members for the instance. I suggest having at least 1 EMP weapon (pref. rifle), Lightning at 2+, a shotgun, and a couple other rifles.

After you initially enter the area you'll talk to the NPC just inside the first area. There will be a ramp that rises to the top of a hill in front of you, and a tunnel off to the right. The NPC will trigger a Bane invasion force after you talk to her that lands in front of you at the top of the hill. You're going to want to assault the hill to clear the Bane, complete the mission and learn the Logos (Trap)located at the top. There are going to be a shield drone, at least one healer and multiple soldiers and machinas that teleport in. Take out the shield drone first with your EMP gun, then start working your way through the healers, then machinas, then the soldiers. Use your lightning as much as you can, and your shottie for anything that gets really close. Make sure that you pick up the corpse loot from the machinas as you kill them, if possible, to make sure they don't respawn. Run back down the hill towards the entrance to regen as needed (probably at least once), until the area is cleared.

Your next step is through the tunnel. There is a side quest here to save some lost NPC's, given from a dying Forean just inside the tunnel. Don't bother picking it up right away, as it is timed and you will not be able to complete it yet. As you walk through the tunnel there is an exit off to the right that you're going to ignore for now. If you follow the tunnel straight through you'll come to a cavern inside the mountain. Not sure if this is a bug, but once you enter the tunnel and go around the first bend, you will get mobbed by the small insects that spawn there. The first thing to do is hop around the corner and use your lightning to take out the egg sac along the left wall. After that, take a couple down with your lightning, then run back out, as they won't follow you out of the tunnel. Repeat this a few times until they're down to a manageable number. You can then proceed through to the other end, taking any stragglers out with your lighting or shotgun.

Just outside the far end of the tunnel there are going to be 2 or 3 of the big spiders. The best way I've seen to take them down is to hang back inside the tunnel a bit, so they can't close to melee range, then use your lightning as much as possible. When you run out of power (and you will), use your EMP gun to take down their armor, then laser or physical rifle to take down their health (throwing in as much lightning as you can, also). If they get close to you do the same thing with the lightning, but use your shotgun to keep them away from you and do as much damage as you can. If you already talked to the dying Forean like I told you not to, there will be a couple of machinas at the end of the cavern just hanging around; go ahead and take them out, too. Head back to the dying Forean and take his mission, then run back into the cavern and kill the machina that just spawned, then head to the back of the cavern and talk to the NPC back there. Your mission will complete and the 3 Foreans back there will join your squad.

Head back to the little side-tunnel and go down it. Take out the egg sac and whatever insects have spawned, then move to the mouth of the tunnel. There are some more spiders just outside, go ahead and use the same strategy listed above to get rid of them. This area opens out to the right, with a large hill and another tunnel along the left side of the wall. The hill has two ramps leading up to is in a semi-circle. Viewed from above it looks like a set of pincers. The next fight is probably the hardest one in the instance. At the top of the hill there is a boss Bane, a shield drone, multiple healers, soldiers and machina, and 4 spiders thrown in for fun. You're going to want to be patient here, and you will probably lose one of your squadmembers. I suggest taking out the shield drone first, preferably from as far down the ramp as you can. There is a large rock on the lower section; you can try to reach it from there if you like. A lot of times you won't be able to see them well enough to target the drone from there, though. After the drone hit the healers, then the boss, then the soldiers and machina, then the spiders. Don't be too proud to run back to the tunnel and regroup, nothing will usually follow you there. Once you're finished with all of them your mission will update and you will light the beacon that is at the top of the hill.

The next step is through the next tunnel back at the base of the hill. There are a few insects and egg sacs in here, make sure to take them all out so you don't have anything constantly spawning behind you.

The next area is a real ambush waiting for you. The exit from the cave leads up a slope to the right, and there is also a small bowl off to the left. There is a mortar and some Bane there, and there are also quite a few soldiers and machina all along the top lip around where you come out of the tunnel. Basically you're going to be like the proverbial fish in the barrel. A hit and run tactic is your friend here, especially considering there are a couple of the spiders just outside the mouth of the tunnel, also. Try to take them out first, along with whatever Bane happen to aggro on you. Then you're going to want to make quick forays out and up the ramp to take out all the machina at the top. They are spread out, so you're going to want to make a few trips of running up, killing 2 or 3, collecting their corpse loot so they don't revive, then heading back down to the tunnel to regen. Make a quick stab to the left, also, to take out the Bane in that small bowl with the mortar. Once you're not constantly being shot at, you can regen fully, then take out the mortar (it's also an optional part of the mission here in the instance). Next to the ramp up is your second beacon that you need to light. Head up the ramp and across to the other side and you'll see a ramp down to the mouth of another tunnel. There are a few Bane here that you should be able to mop up fairly easily before heading on through.

This is another short tunnel with some egg sacs and insects. Terminate and move on.

The next area is the last fighting you'll do. The tunnel opens onto a plateau with a few raised platforms. There is a shield drone to the left, and quite a few soldiers, healers and machina scattered around. Nothing too tough here, just blaze your way through until the area is cleared. Light the last beacon in the middle and the doorway to the Logos chamber will open for you. Once you acquire Heal, you can take a teleport in the same chamber to instantly portal to zone entrance.