So....what do YOU do with your "optional" slot?

Grammar

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

23 Oct 2006 at 00:44 - 1

The standard warrior build always looks like this (and with good reason):

attack skill
attack skill
attack skill
attack skill
increase attack speed skill (can't wait for Flail!)
self-heal/defense
OPTIONAL
rez

I'm curious what you guys usually throw in your optional slot for PvE.
Another attack skill? Another self-heal/defense skill? Some other utility skill?

Just curious.

kazjun

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2006

HoVa

W/N

23 Oct 2006 at 03:19 - 2

Distracting blow is always a good option

Sasuke The Betrayer

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

Los Angeles

Pink Pearl

Mo/Me

23 Oct 2006 at 03:24 - 3

Attack Skill
Attack Skill
Attack Skill
Healing Signet
Healing Skill (Probably willb e that new adrenaline based heal in Nightfall)
Interruption
Defensive Skill
Rez

I may take out Healing signet nowadays because with an IAS skill I can spam the new Nightfall warrior heal with ease.

-.-

Banned

Join Date: Oct 2006

23 Oct 2006 at 05:17 - 4

Attack Skill
Attack Skill
Attack Skill
IAS Stance
Interruption
Healing Skill
Rez (If I have a monk secondary)/ Evasion Stance
Rez

Wrath Of Dragons

Burninate Stuff

Join Date: Aug 2005

New Mexico

E/Mo

23 Oct 2006 at 05:25 - 5

usually plague touch or bonettis

Legendary Battousai

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

[Ryuk]

W/A

23 Oct 2006 at 05:32 - 6

death charge

Poison Ivy

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

Toronto

Hopping

Mo/A

23 Oct 2006 at 05:39 - 7

Attack
Attack
Attack/Knockdown
Attack/Interupt
Healing Signet
Speed Boost
Condition Removal (If possible)
Rez Sig

Arkantos

The Greatest

Join Date: Feb 2006

23 Oct 2006 at 05:44 - 8

Attack
Attack
Attack
Interrupt
IAS
Heal
Utility
Rez

Marty Silverblade

Administrator

Join Date: Jun 2006

23 Oct 2006 at 06:03 - 9

Elite Attack
Attack
Attack
Attack
IAS (Flurry atm, but from the looks of Flail, I'm considering swapping)
Healing Signet
Attack/Interrupt if needed/Purge Conditions(If I'm in the desert)
Res

jesh

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA

Penguin Village

Mo/

23 Oct 2006 at 08:07 - 10

Everyone is posting "Utility" or "Interrupt". I think he wanted some examples. I like Protector's Strike, Distracting Blow, Consume Corpse... hm the rest is really build dependant. On my hammer warrior, I guess it would be Shock. I haven't played too much with Pheonix yet, I will sometime. None Shall Pass!, To The Limit! and You Will Die! have their uses, I think. Plague Touch is nice...

Why does everyone want Flail? Looks like Dolyak Signet in disguise to me. *kicks it*

A Leprechaun

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2006

23 Oct 2006 at 09:40 - 11

when with a balanced PvE team
-energy attack
-attack
-attack
-attack
-attack
-attack
-watch yourself
-optional
my choices
/E ~ inferno
/N ~ consume corpse, unholy feast
/Mo ~ life sheath(if i know im gonna take a pounding)
/R ~ charm animal(will get rid of 2 attack skills for comfort animal and an animal attack)

thats about it although if im using hammer i use less attacks skills and put in either aftershock or holy + soulstone strike

cR4zY-n^

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2005

Zadar - Croatia

We Work As A [Team]

Mo/E

23 Oct 2006 at 14:14 - 12

Plague Touch.

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

23 Oct 2006 at 14:29 - 13

Group PvE:

Attack
Attack
Attack
Interrupt
Armor Boost
Defensive Stance or another Armor Boost
Increased Attack Speed/Adrenaline Charger
Ressurection

3 attack skills are plenty for me - I find that when I pack 4 one of them is almost completely ignored/underutilized.

Solo PvE (without henchmen):

Low Cost Attack
Interrupt
Armor Boost
Armor Boost
Stance
Self Heal
Self Heal
Flex - depends on the situation. Could be another attack, another heal or another stance.

As you can see, my primary goal is to stay alive in solo PvE, versus many other solo PvEers who try to kill their opponents faster than they can kill you.

Yukito Kunisaki

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2005

Chicago, IL

W/N

23 Oct 2006 at 14:45 - 14

Plague Touch fits the bill pretty much perfectly.

The Optional slot I always use for ya know, that 'one' skill that you 'seem to need' all the time rather than 'just in case' since 'in case' always rears it's medusa ugly head every time...

Any skill I think that removes a warrior's weakness [namely anti-hex/condition] is the most efficient way to add to your option slot... At least for me.

XvArchonvX

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

23 Oct 2006 at 15:02 - 15

W/N: PLAGUE TOUCH FTW!
W/Mo: Purge Conditions
W/A: Dash
W/R: Apply Poison or Antidote Sig

TadaceAce

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2005

23 Oct 2006 at 15:06 - 16

how about...
ias
attack skill
attack skill
attack skill
attack skill
attack skill
attack skill
rez

healing sig is as worthless as you can get cause when you need the healing you better not be using healing sig. This post is a pve perspective btw since that sounded really stupid in a pvp perspective

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

23 Oct 2006 at 15:08 - 17

I use either Distracting Blow or "To the Limit" in that optional slot.

Jeremy Untouchable

Wow Stole my freetime

Join Date: Mar 2006

Arkansas

None

W/E

23 Oct 2006 at 18:43 - 18

anyone who brings all attacks or all heals/defence isnt a good warrior. period i'm with jetdoc, i never bring more then 3 attacks.

attack
attack
attack
interupt
bonettis
dol sig
heal sig
rez or sprint

Evilsod

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2006

England

Lievs Death Squad [LDS]

24 Oct 2006 at 00:08 - 19

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremy untouchable

anyone who brings all attacks or all heals/defence isnt a good warrior. period i'm with jetdoc, i never bring more then 3 attacks. Funny, i could say the same thing about warriors who bring Dolyak Signet for general PvE.

Oh and Sever, Gash, Galrath and Dragon have been working quite well for me.

Spader

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2006

W/Mo

24 Oct 2006 at 02:02 - 20

cyclone
whirle
pentrating chop
attack
vangorus spirit
attack
res sig
rebirth X_X

deals damage and i have full confuidencne in my PuG. normmally i don't get past whirly.

stueyman2099

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2005

Clan W A S D [WASD]

W/E

24 Oct 2006 at 02:16 - 21

For PvE:

Tigers Stance (Will be replaced by Flail shortly)
elite attack skill
attack skill
attack skill
Healing signet
Bonnetti's Defense
Distracting Blow
Rez

Narayanese

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

24 Oct 2006 at 06:32 - 22

My skillbar is generally:

IAS
self heal
cancel stance (or attack if I don't frenzy)
res
elite attack
attack
attack
interrupt or condition removal

With nightfall, I think I'll be using
IAS=Flail, self heal=Lion's Might, cancel stance=Enraging Charge

Interrupt is either Disrupting Chop or Distracting Blow,
condition removal means Plague Touch (eat that, dirt throwing monsters!)

jesh

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA

Penguin Village

Mo/

24 Oct 2006 at 08:50 - 23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Narayanese

Interrupt is either Disrupting Chop or Distracting Blow,
condition removal means Plague Touch (eat that, dirt throwing monsters!)

If all you're scared of is throw dirt, you can just use a wand until the monster wastes throw dirt on someone else.. or you can hit Distracting Blow as soon as it comes up to you. (Why else does a ranger monster run up to you?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evilsod

Oh and Sever, Gash, Galrath and Dragon have been working quite well for me. Evilsod.. I tried Dragonslash recently and was a little puzzled on the usage. Sure, you can take only Sever and Gash, and spam that with Dragonslash, but in that case, what do you have Galrath for? It seemed to me like other attack skills were only there in those periods of time when To The Limit! and For Great Justice! were recharging, which actually was not that often at all. I either felt like I needed more +43 attacks, or more other skills and just keep Sever and Gash only. I don't know, if you could explain that to me, that would be great.

Narayanese

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

24 Oct 2006 at 09:14 - 24

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesh

Hehe, cheating the AI a little. I recently switched to shield and axe on my monk, suddenly I get all sorts of anti-warrior stuff on me

. But they'll just blind some other warrior with throw dirt or blinding flash if I used a wand, and the bit about transfering to your enemy is nice.

Plague Touch also helps againsts weakness and deep wound, and sometimes cripple.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesh

Evilsod.. I tried Dragonslash recently and was a little puzzled on the usage. Sure, you can take only Sever and Gash, and spam that with Dragonslash, but in that case, what do you have Galrath for? It seemed to me like other attack skills were only there in those periods of time when To The Limit! and For Great Justice! were recharging, which actually was not that often at all. I either felt like I needed more +43 attacks, or more other skills and just keep Sever and Gash only. I don't know, if you could explain that to me, that would be great. The cost of galrath is effectively reduced to 4-5a with dragon slash, so it's nice for the spammable extra damage.

jesh

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA

Penguin Village

Mo/

24 Oct 2006 at 09:25 - 25

Your points on Plague Touch are true, which is why I like it, but I also like distracting blow. <3

Anyways I was talking about when you ARE in FGJ.. which attacks do you use? Just deep wound everything? That's why it seems like a waste to me, because if you do Sever->Gash->Galrath, you just missed 1 Dragonslash that you could have burned the adrenaline on.
It feels like, to me, you have to use Dragonslash as soon as possible while under FGJ, or you aren't getting the most of it. I'm so sick of math now though, if someone has an equation or something that states otherwise, go for it. *coughensigncough*

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

24 Oct 2006 at 14:32 - 26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evilsod

Funny, i could say the same thing about warriors who bring Dolyak Signet for general PvE. Are you serious?

SparhawkJC

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

The Amazon Basin

R/Me

24 Oct 2006 at 14:52 - 27

For Great Justice!, To The Limit!, Watch Yourself!.

What can I say? I like yelling in battle.

jesh

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA

Penguin Village

Mo/

24 Oct 2006 at 20:01 - 28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetdoc

Are you serious?

Why shouldn't he be?

Rera

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

24 Oct 2006 at 20:13 - 29

TtL and FGJ are good choices. If you're going to take a defense skill in a group, I prefer "Watch Yourself!" to Dolyak Sig. The movement penalty can become a serious liability if the enemies ever move. Healing Signet doesn't make sense to me when you have monks. You're standing there for 2s, not attacking, taking double damage, to heal ~100+ health. A monk can do that in 1/4s for 5e and no risk.

Aside from attack skills, your bar should gear towards skills that increase attack rate, improve adrenalin gain, or otherwise increase your DPS.

Telcontar of Gondor

Academy Page

Join Date: Oct 2005

[SMS]

25 Oct 2006 at 12:44 - 30

I usually pack Watch Yourself and/or Plague Touch.

Tingi

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Mo/

25 Oct 2006 at 14:26 - 31

me for PvE -

Attack {E}
Attack
Attack
IAS Skill
Other - Interupt/Speed Buff/Extra Deffence
Utility - Watch Yourself usually
Heal Sig
Rez Sig

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

25 Oct 2006 at 14:27 - 32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetdoc

Are you serious?

That decreased movement is killer...

bg_solidsnake

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2006

Bulgaria

25 Oct 2006 at 14:32 - 33

Mend Alignment is good for PVP and PVE

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

25 Oct 2006 at 14:34 - 34

I thought this topic was about the bonus slot form nightfall bonus pack lol!

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

25 Oct 2006 at 22:26 - 35

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnipiousMax

That decreased movement is killer...

Rera

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

25 Oct 2006 at 23:32 - 36

Obviously, you can find instances where the movement penalty doesn't matter. But what happens when it does matter? You say you can't plan for things like a caster causing aoe-scatter, but you can - by not taking Dolyak Sig.

Also, even in good tanking situations, the only time you won't ever have to move is if all of the enemies are melee. How often is this true?

jesh

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA

Penguin Village

Mo/

26 Oct 2006 at 00:10 - 37

Dolyak is also funny in that the more strength you have, the longer it lasts, and the longer you're incapacitated. I think arena net could really make this skill useful if higher strength increased the armor added *as well* as lowering the recharge, say.. at 12 strength it would be down to a recharge of 7 seconds. How cool would that be? It's not like it takes time or energy to activate it, so it'd be a win/win skill. Need to go after a caster? Not a problem.. a few seconds won't gimp you too bad.
I guess a less effective solution would be to make it a stance so you can cancel it, but that's one of the benefits of it in the current form - you can easily be in an IAS at the same time. I don't know. I still don't like it. *sniffs the dolyak and wrinkles nose*

Evilsod

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2006

England

Lievs Death Squad [LDS]

26 Oct 2006 at 01:33 - 38

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesh

You still have to wait around for your adren skills to charge. This is PvE we're talking about, enemies die very quickly, especially when your a Dragon Slash warrior spamming +40ish attack skills w/ Bleeding and Deep Wound (and Gash cycled).
Against some enemies who obviously have very good healing and several melee range targets (Dredge for example) the ability to spread around Bleeding can easily cause just as much, if not more damage than using Silverwing, enemies can cover for spam damage easily via Shield Guardian, constant degen they're not so good at. Try it on Mungri Magicbox, you need either an extremely powerful spike (usually meaning a deep wound is involved) or masses of degen (traps) to just bore away at them before you can finish a Gardener off.
Besides its not like i'm missing out... Sever, Gash, Galrath, Dragon, Gash, Galrath, Dragon, etc... if the enemy has a condition removal, the deep wound is reapplied w/ additional damage or you could replace Sever onto another adjacent target and switch back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetdoc

I guess it depends on what your role is.

If you are an aggro holder (as most warriors are asked to do in PvE) and you do your job properly, that decreased movement isn't hardly a factor. If you're "gimped" by the movement penalty because you let some enemies into your backlines, then I think that's more a question of your ability to play that role. Either that or you have a caster using AoE effects that scatter your aggro, which I don't believe you can plan for in using your build.

Personally, I like bringing Dolyak into PvE fights when my role as a warrior is clearly defined as such. Thats why i said general. Its still a waste imo even in places like FoW where it helps a great deal against Abyssal. But people who take it into fights where they obviously have no use for it are another thing, Vizunah? Unwaking? Gyala/Eternal? Thunderkeep? People use it there... why? It does help if you can simply run in first and take masses of agro and hold it around you, but if they scatter your a waste of space.
A monk can quite easily cover for the damage caused by a few Skeleton Berserkers once the agro has taken. Endure Pain is more useful, you can run upto Skeleton Icehand/Ether Breaker groups and just activate that, your move speed isn't retarded (till Deep Freeze hits), most of the damage is armour ignoring/penetrating. An extra 200-280 health can be alot more useful than an extra 30ish armour considering the downside to the armour, any monk worth his salt can recover you 500 hp quite easily, specially as you've just taken the majority of the spike damage in 1 go leaving them quite open for the kill, not to mention you can actually attack them if they move.

Lord Nibiru

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Croatia

KoD

Mo/

26 Oct 2006 at 08:04 - 39

Well,in PvE I am tanker.Build looks like:

Attack skill Suna and Moon Slash
Attack skill Silvering Slash
Attack skill Pure Strike
OPTIONAL ( well,Doylak Signet for me is MUST if you tank,or for runner( but no Droknar run) Sprint
Healing skill Healing Breeze
Healing skill Healing Hands ( well,I am tanker in PvE,PvP is difference)
Rez skil Light od Dwayna ( 25 energy...but I am tanker,next skill gives me energy so i have 25 energy very soon,and I like this skill better than other Rez)
Balthazar's Spirit ( nice skill for me because I am tanker,i alwaqys get energy so I dont have energy problem)

well,this is my PvE warrior,it do great damage because skills that can't be evade or block and i fast get adrenaline because Sun and Moon Slash and Balthazar's Spirit

Rera

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

26 Oct 2006 at 17:25 - 40

Tanking no longer exists. Maybe people will finally stop thinking defensive skills and self-heals are effective.