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A Small Problem

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A Small Problem is the 1st quest in The Maleficent Cabal story arcStory arcs are chains of quests that make up a story line.
Completing everything in a story arc often yields a nice reward.
.
The first three quests can be completed in any order to unlock Under the Big Top.
A Small Problem • Partycrashers • The Snitch • Under the Big Top


In the previous tour of "The Fall of Truth", a Dwarf played the role of the Stormreaver -- which outraged many critics.
Now that House Phiarlan has taken over production, changes are afoot.

Requires access to adventure pack: Phiarlan Carnival
A Small Problem
Heroic level: 5
Epic level: 20
Duration: Long
Heroic XP:  ♣1,807Solo/Casual ♦3,236Normal ♥3,460Hard ♠3,684Elite
Epic XP:  ♣10,896Solo/Casual ♦18,798Normal ♥19,437Hard ♠20,075Elite
Takes place in: Mammoth Valley
Bestowed by: Glitter Underhill
NPC contact: Glitter Underhill
Quest acquired in: House Phiarlan
Patron: House Phiarlan
Base favor: 4
Purchase: Phiarlan Carnival or VIP
Extreme Challenge: No
Loading screen

Overview

In order to satisfy her Phiarlan financiers, Glitter Underhill need to replace her Dwarven lead actor with someone.... a bit bigger.

Glitter has asked you to find a Giant and sign him into her cast. She's heard of an unusually capable Giant named Brawnpits, who resides somewhere in Mammoth Valley. You can take one of the caravans from the House Phiarlan Enclave to reach it.

Glitter Underhill can be found in the east section of House Phiarlan, directly north of the Market travel point.


Spoiler Warning: Spoiler material below this point!


Objectives

  • Find Brawnpits
  • Speak with Brawnpits
  • Follow Brawnpits
  • Explain theater to Brawnpits
  • Convince Brawnpits to become an actor
  • Earn Brawnpits' trust
  • Bring Brawnpits some water
  • Crush rocks for Brawnpits' hearth: 6 total
  • Bring Brawnpits the crushed rocks
  • Collect some firewood for Brawnpits: 4 total
  • Seek blessing of the sky spirit
  • (Failure) Do not let Brawnpits die
  • Warn Brawnpits of danger
  • Lead Brawnpits to the caravan
  • (Optional) Brothers Grim survive — Bonus (15%): Heroic( ♣271 ♦485 ♥519 ♠553 ) Epic( ♣1,634 ♦2,820 ♥2,916 ♠3,011 )
  • (Optional) Defeat the enraged hearth spirits: 8 total — Bonus (30%): Heroic( ♣542 ♦971 ♥1,038 ♠1,105 ) Epic( ♣3,269 ♦5,639 ♥5,831 ♠6,023 )
  • (Optional) Find and defeat more rock spirits: 6 total — Bonus (30%): Heroic( ♣542 ♦971 ♥1,038 ♠1,105 ) Epic( ♣3,269 ♦5,639 ♥5,831 ♠6,023 )

What to Expect

  • Spawning/respawning monsters
  • Mandatory jumping game.
  • Protect an NPC (mandatory: Brawnpits)
  • Quest item collection (mandatory: 4 firewood)

Tips and Misc

  • This quest involves fighting along the top of cliff, as well as leaping across gaps – be sure to bring a Feather FallingFeather Falling: This item is engraved with feathers and bestows a powerful magical effect. Whenever the wearer begins to fall from any height, this effect slows the descent dramatically, causing the wearer to fall like a feather. item if possible.
  • Stealing something (which will be a collectable) from the Giant's sack spawns a fight with Thum Grim and Nale Grim.
  • Use the altar in front of the shrines before collecting the water at the waterfall. Using the waterfall first will give you "Cursed Water" and will spawn 2 hostile Water Elementals that do frost damage. You will also get hit with Freezing Spray, which makes you extra vulnerable to cold water.
    • Quest item: Blessed Water – "This is clear mountain water, gathered from a waterfall."
    • Cursed Water – "Something about this water just does not smell right."
      • Brawnpits won't accept cursed water.
    • On Elite, there is a high chance that those elementals are Champions, and they can be respawned at will, with no limit, making this point the best place in the game to farm for Mysterious Remnants. However, the elementals will not spawn as Event Champions (Ghost of Crystal Cove, Shadow of Mabar, or Scourge of the Snowpeaks.)
  • To crush rocks, you need to fight and defeat several Earth Elementals; they are quiescent until you approach them, giving you a chance to defeat the restless animals which are usually nearby. Alternatively, you can go through Mammoth and Rocky Valleys before giving Brawnpits the water and fight the animals separately, if you wish to deal with the elementals on their own.
  • The extra earth elementals for the Optional are mostly down the Rocky Valley; the final one, however, is near the north shrine, which is accessible only by jumping down from the upper level (from near the northeast pile of firewood, west of center on the map). There is an extra set of shrines here.
  • Thum Grim can toss you up to the firewood. Talk to him, then stand on the cauldron in front of him and talk to him again, and he will kick you up. Be sure you're in the center of the cauldron, as your positioning determines the angle at which you are kicked.
  • If you stole from and therefore fought (and killed) the Grim Brothers, you can get to the upper level by going to the northwest corner of the map (through the Rocky Valley) and running up the slope.
  • There are 6 piles of Firewood; you only need to collect 4, but picking up each pile will spawn a fire elemental. The last two spawn when you come back to Brawnpits after collecting firewood.
    • Quest item: Firewood – "Chips and planks that may once have been part of a barrel."
  • Eat Brawnpit's Stew to gain 15 minutes of Jump +30Jump +30: Passive: +30 Competence bonus to the Jump skill..
  • The Sky Altar requires you to jump across several gaps. Even with the stew's jump bonus, Feather Fall is still required for most classes. It's actually easier to start by going up the northwest slope (through the rocky valley), rather than running to Thum Grim and have him kick you.
  • After speaking to the Sky Spirit, you're given a 30-second Feather Fall; you should be able to jump and land in Brawnpit's Camp.
  • On any difficulty above hard (Heroic up to Epic Elite) Tieflings may spawn at the altar. The Sky Spirit will be aggressive until they are defeated.
    • Like any Air Elemental, the Sky Spirit can throw you around, and possibly off the platform.
  • The Tieflings which attack Brawnpits are Evil Outsiders; they're immune to cold and fire.
  • You don't get the "Brothers Grim Survive" Optional until you get near them with Brawnpits; at this point, you can no longer open their sack; however, Brawnpits will give you "Holiday Presents" (an extra chest, spawns Grim's Bracelet) for completing this Optional.
  • On Elite:
    • As soon as you get the objective to jump up to the Air Shrine, quite a few respawning casters will appear on the rocks you need to jump on to get up to it, and they cast Phantasmal Killer quite a bit, so a Deathblock item will come in very handy. You can bypass the casters by having one member of the party jump up to the shrine before turning in the firewood and simply having them use the air shrine as soon as the rest of the party is ready to defend Brawnpits.
    • Brawnpits' canine Messengers will spawn just before you reach the caravan with him and attack.

Epic Strategy

  • Clear your way to Brawnpits, do not touch the big backpack where the giants are on the way.
  • After talking to Brawnpits and receiving the first objective of obtaining the blessed water, clear the map of all wolves and clear the spiders up rock canyon. Spiders can be stunned to make that part of the task a little easier.
  • Return the water to Brawnpits and obtain the crush rock objective. Head up rock canyon and a good crowd control caster can Otto's Irresistible Dance the Earth Elementals. Clear all of the earth elementals and then use the hidden shrine in the north east corner of the map (There is an earth elemental there as well).
  • Return the crushed rocks and get the firewood objective. Fire Elementals can be danced just the same as the earth elementals. Collect just enough Firewood to complete the objective.
  • Upon returning the firewood to Brawnpits, 2 more Fire Elementals will spawn and attack Brawnpits. Dance them and take them out.
  • As soon as you get the objective to jump up to the Air Shrine, quite a few casters will appear on the rocks you need to jump across to get up to the objective, and they cast Meteor Swarm a lot. They will re-spawn as you jump from rock to rock, so do not jump back and forth. The Sky Spirit will be hostile as long as there are Tieflings and other creatures on the same rock as him. Kill them to be able to talk to him and advance the quest.
  • Quickly jump from the Air Elemental's shrine to Brawnpits and kill the spawns there. At this point everyone that needs to shrine should use the one at the Water Element's shrine.
  • Clear up to Brawnpits' nephews. After collecting the "Holiday Presents" continue on and clear one more set of mobs, this is last set before the end fight. Park Brawnpits here and hit him with every extended buff you have. All player characters at this point need to go back and use the shrine at Brawnpits' camp. After shrining, everyone should head back to Brawnpits and buff up.
  • Brawnpits' canine Messengers, 1 more spirit of the hearth, along with several re-spawning tieflings will spawn just before you reach the caravan with him and attack.

Bonus XP

  • Aggression bonus: 34 or more monsters killed +10% Bonus.( ♣181 ♦324 ♥346 ♠368 )
  • Onslaught bonus: 67 or more monsters killed +15% Bonus.( ♣271 ♦485 ♥519 ♠553 )
  • Conquest bonus: 100 or more monsters killed +25% Bonus.( ♣452 ♦809 ♥865 ♠921 )

External Links

Loot

  • Chests: ♦  2 /Normal ♥  2 /Hard ♠  3Elite
    • 1 for earning Brawnpits' trust (found at Brawnpits' camp)
    • 1 after Brawnpits tells the Brothers Grim to leave, if you didn't fight and kill them earlier (found at Grim Brothers' Camp)
    • ♦  0 /Normal ♥  0 /Hard ♠  1Elite at the end
  • Collectables: 22
    • Moss — in a dead-end north of where you startGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Moss — in another dead-end just to the eastGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Mushroom — behind a tree north of the Grim Brothers' Camp, at the forkGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Mushroom — behind a tree in a dead-end just southeast of the camp (The Slithering Pass)Glowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Mushroom — behind bushes south-center of the map (bottom of the slope before meeting Brawnpits)Glowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Flowering Plant — just east of the mountain springCrimson NightshadeLily PetalWoodblossom Nectar
    • Flowering Plant — just east of the first Flowering Plant, behind some bushesCrimson NightshadeLily PetalWoodblossom Nectar
    • Mushroom — northeast of Brawnpits' campGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Mushroom — slightly to the northwestGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Mushroom — up the hill to the northwestGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Mushroom — due east of that, in the northeast corner of the mapGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Moss — southwest of thatGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Moss — in the northwest corner, past the Rocky ValleyGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Flowering Plant — near the northern shrinesCrimson NightshadeLily PetalWoodblossom Nectar
    • Flowering Plant — near the northwest firewoodCrimson NightshadeLily PetalWoodblossom Nectar
    • Moss — south of Brawnpits' CampGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Flowering Plant — nearbyCrimson NightshadeLily PetalWoodblossom Nectar
    • Mushroom — nearbyGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Flowering Plant — east of where Thum Grim throws you (need to cross the gap near the Moss above with high Jump and Feather Fall)Crimson NightshadeLily PetalWoodblossom Nectar
    • Fungus Patch — south of thatGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Mushroom — south of thatGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen
    • Moss — to the northeast (have to leap across several gaps), on way to Giants' AltarGlowmoss SporesScarlet CryptmossSlime MoldBlister BeetleSweet WhitecapSwaying Mushroom ClusterZygomycota FungusDeadly FeverblanchPale CreeperRuddy FungusSanguine MothBloodfeast FungusSwaying Mushroom Spore PodGlowmoss ClumpWithered CryptmossCryptmoss Worm LarvaCryptmossCryptmoss WormLush CryptmossCryptmoss Queen

NPC end rewards

Randomly generated loot, ML correlates with effective quest level.

Named Chest Drop

Last Edited Item Type Enhancements ML Bind Quests
Brawn's Spirits
(edit)
Trinket 4 Bound to Account on Acquire, Exclusive A Small Problem, Brawnpits' camp chest
Grim's Bracelet
(edit)
Necklace 4 Bound to Account on Acquire A Small Problem, Brothers Grim survive chest

Based on A Small Problem loot ( t • e • h )

Monsters

Name ( picture ) CR Type Race
Hellhound( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Magical Beast Hellhound
Malefic Firebreather( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Native Outsider Tiefling
Malefic Illusionist( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Native Outsider Tiefling
Malefic Knife Thrower( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Native Outsider Tiefling
Malefic Seer( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Native Outsider Tiefling
Malefic Strongman( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Native Outsider Tiefling
Messenger of Peaks( view
 • edit )
 ♠11Elite ♦23Epic Normal ♥27Epic Hard ♠33Epic Elite Magical Beast Wolf
Messenger of Pits( view
 • edit )
 ♠12Elite ♦24Epic Normal ♥28Epic Hard ♠34Epic Elite Magical Beast Wolf
Messenger of Plains( view
 • edit )
 ♠11Elite ♦23Epic Normal ♥27Epic Hard ♠33Epic Elite Animal Wolf
Messenger of Prairies( view
 • edit )
 ♠11Elite ♦23Epic Normal ♥27Epic Hard ♠33Epic Elite Magical Beast Hyena
Nale Grim( view
 • edit )
 ♦7Normal ♥9Hard ♠12Elite ♦24Epic Normal ♥28Epic Hard ♠34Epic Elite Giant Giant
Restless Lion( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Animal Lion
Restless Spider( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Vermin Spider
Restless Wolf( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Animal Wolf
Spirit of the Hearth( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Elemental Fire Elemental
Spirit of the Rain( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Elemental Water Elemental
Spirit of the Rocks( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Elemental Earth Elemental
Spirit of the Sky( view
 • edit )
 ♦5Normal ♥7Hard ♠10Elite ♦21Epic Normal ♥25Epic Hard ♠30Epic Elite Elemental Air Elemental
Thum Grim( view
 • edit )
 ♦7Normal ♥9Hard ♠12Elite ♦24Epic Normal ♥28Epic Hard ♠34Epic Elite Giant Giant