If you don't have them, download maps at http://www.mapfiend.net/ They have a bunch of the skellies labeled on the map - it was really useful, as when I went for the hilt was only my second time navigating najena. One place they're *not* labeled on the map is where Ravenia found them by the lake near Najena's room. This is where I got the drop on the 2nd spawn cycle.
I can't say much by way of difficulty for these because I came in at lvl 70 and wiped them out at every loc I could find. Got it in about 30 min of camping. Interesting to note that while everything was kos to me, "a skeleton" was the only mob that aggroed me =)
Any Pallies who try to solo these skeletons in your mid-20s beware, they are a little higher lvl than is said here (lt. and dark blue to a lvl 32) and they hit pretty nasty. Not bad to do once you get at 32, but I would suggest having both your Instrument of Nife Proc cast on you at all times and your undead nukes loaded.
I've now killed 80 of these blasted things. I've gained 3 levels on nothing but "a skeleton" so I guess I can't complain but I wonder if the hilt will ever come.
I went into Najena today and got the hilt on the 5th kill of A Skeleton. At lv 65, these buggers came right at me. I think the total hp on these guys are around 900ish and they hardly hit me at my level. Dont take these guys for granted if you are down around the 25 mark. I found them in 2 spots. First, a single in the room to the right of Bonecracker's main hall. It has a brick setting. Then, there are 2 more at the pond to Najena's room. Thats where I got mine. Only took me like 2 years to get. Thanks.
It was a cake walk to solo the three surroundin the pool at 30 only hassle was the occasional ogre guard wandered by and agroed and ran a few times no return trains though so more of an annoyance than anything else for my pally used up lots of bandages bring empty bags exp is good solo at thirty use your nife spell it will make you glad to be a pally
I have done half dozen of these so far, and this is one VERY tough skellie, no matter what it cons. At my current level of 24, I have met 1 light blue, 2 dark blues, 2 whites and a yellow con(very tough fight...thank Tunare for LoH). Some decent loot, but no nobleman's hilt as of yet...Still trying though. I am getting some half-decent xp in the process anyway.
Iaiadar Paladin of the 24th Light Suire of Divine Light Karana Server
I was reading this very page, when I heard goblins attacking me. I switched screens and killed it, and 2 others... Got Blade of Nobility after 6 kills.
Took about 20-25 kills to get the hilt. They con both green and light blue to my lvl 38 pally, and hit pretty hard. I found I could run between the one at the entrance, the one at the spiral staircase and the one at the water, med, then repeat and not have to wait long for any respawns.
When my DE rogue was 33, the skeleton still dished out 50+ hits. Be wary if you're a rogue...you'll win but the victory will be a bitter one with 50% of life remaining....(he conned light blue too !!!)
When I finally got my hilt, after a couple days of playing around in here and many many skeleton kills with no luck, the next three skeletons I killed ALL had the hilt. All three hilts had to rott, no one was in the zone to take them.
FYI...these guys ( at least the 3 skellies by the pond) are on a 10 minute timer exactly. plenty of time to kill, med, kill, med, kill, rinse and repeat.
I've been through 30 or 40 of these so far and no hilt.
-Baelnorm ElMarr Mithanial Marr Server 33rd Level Pally Knights of Marr
The first time I was medding up in the entrance hallway just before the ogre and his skeletons. My pet was 63 percent and I was at full mana and full health. This skeleton came around the corner, hit me and my pet attacked. I casually blasted it once and noticed that its health moved only a little and then I remembered what this thing really was. I then started to nuke it as fast as I could. My pet died soon after and I kept blasting and its health started to fade. We were even as far as very little health and I was short of mana and my newbie level blast spell (which I always keep up in case this sort of thing happens) was the only spell that I could use (very little mana left). I got hit, did my death spiral turn around and I managed to get off one final blast of this newbie spell and it was stunned, I blasted it again and it died. I sat down, looked at my health and I had 4 HP's left. Way too close for a Mage but man it was a cool fight. The second time I was sitting minding my own business when a level 51 (I forget his class) ran past me with this skeleton on him so I did him a favor and started blasting it and I sent my pet to attack it too. Much easier this time with a healthy pet. I dinged to 28 when I killed it this time and it's not every day a 27 Mage gets to save a 51.
The skeletons named simply, "a skeleton", are MOBs that infrequently drop the Noblemans Hilt, a needed component of the Ghoulbane quest.
In addition to the less frequent noblemans hilt, they drop small ringmail and a few platinum on the nicer drops or cloth sandals and a few gold on the chincy drops. They seem to be warriors and cast no spells, but they may have a damage shield cast upon them by one of the nearby magicians. They hit for up to 60 HPs. Upon slaying them, the only faction adjustment is the lowering of Najena faction.
I went into Najena alone in my low 20s (I forget which level exactly), for the sole purpose of getting a con check on "a skeleton". Sure enough, the skeleton found me before I found him. To complicate things, one of the ogre guards was still blue to me, so he jumped into the fight. Unfortunately, I was unable to target the skeleton in that short time before I had to run for the zone, so I did not get to con him.
I went back to Najena at level 29 to find nothing conned blue to me except tentacle terrors and "a skeleton" on the route to the skeletons. This meant that I could handle a solo fight with the skeleton and run back to the zone to meditate for the next fight. I fought the skeleton at the spiral staircase, and recooperated until the next one popped 10 minutes later. In short, at level 29 you paladins can likely solo these if you are careful and don't get jumpy with the Lay Hands.
Infrequently is the word when it comes to the drop rate of the hilt for Ghoulbane. I have killed 'a skelton' 23 times now and it just dropped. As to the level of 'a skelton' it is still dark blue to a level 31, and the spawn time is 10 minutes. Thorfrey, 31 Paladin to Brell Serilis
My paladin soloed here at 30 for the Nobleman's Hilt and found that I could meditate/heal at the bottom of the spiral staircase where I could watch the first skeleton's spawn spot. Adjusted the view (F9 key) so that I was looking as if from the top of the stairs. Whenever an Ogre Guard patrolled down the stairs, I would stand and smile as he passed by (green to me obviously) and then sit down again until he came back.
My paladin went from level 26 to level 33 mainly soloing these mobs. Yes they hit hard - but their exp and loot is usually excellent - often a few pp plus an item that you can sell for a few pp more. Plus there are four of them so by the time you have healed and medded there is usually always one to take on. Plus the undead frogluks in the pool are a nice distraction.
Once you hit level 30 and/or get your ghoulbane these skeletons get a LOT easier.
As many have found this skelly is a tough mob. He is mid 20's but this is an undercon. He can hit for 60 and has far more hit points than the other skellies in the zone. That said he is also a very important mob. His main loot is the "nobleman's hilt", used for the Ghoulbane quest. The skellies spawn in very particular places and are numbered skelly #1, skelly #2, etc to those questing for the piece. They are on an 8 minute death to spawn cycle so you should have plenty of med time while camping these creatures.
Zahmlikker Cheekeemunkee 33rd season Dwarven Paladin of Vazaelle
Actually I think hes closer to 33 since he currently cons dark blue to me at 33. Hits pretty hard and usually takes me down to 2/3rds or even 1/2 health after a particularly nasty battle. My AC isnt great but isnt terrible either (682AC) and my health is pretty good (1019 buffed with my Symbol and Center).
-Baelnorm ElMarr Mithanial Marr Server 33rd Level Pally Knights of Marr
If this is the skellie just inside the door entrance then she is very tough to take down. We tried and both of us, a 18 Shadow Night and I was a 17 Mage at the time, died. Not a pretty sight but it was a learning experience.