AoE Nerf: Overkill

The 10/25 update changed the AI's behavior to AoE to make it respond more intelligently.

Some forms of farming, such as VWK farming and 55 farming, now cause enemies to scatter.

However, I've heard reports that the AoE scatter effect now triggers on any AoE spell!

Skills like Desecrate Enchantments and Deep Freeze I've heard cause the AoE scatter, even on one cast!

Spiteful Spirit, which had never caused AoE scatter since the 11/10 update, now causes the scatter.

Why did ArenaNet nerf AoE this much? Do they want us all to be Warriors?

im gonna say it now bye bye to my 55 =(

That's really odd. According to the update page:

So, if anything, they should be running less. They should only be running if they are almost dead, and if they've got you severely injured they should definitely not run. If, at the very least, this part is true. Makes no sense why they would say one thing, but do the exact opposite.

Don't even say that...I have a strong hatred for playing a warrior. Now I will have to go curl up in the corner and cry while having nightmares of me being a whammi.

I'm very confused by the new AoE effects. I logged on, under the impression that only warrior monsters would really be having different AoE behavior in regards to solo/duo farming. But it seems that EVERYTHING is screwed up.

ok, i understand my Vengeful Rit is now trash...

but what about fire skills? did MS or incendiary bonds cause Aoe now?

You're complaining because Anet is finally attempting to make PvE somewhat difficult? >.>

Actually, I think that was a long time coming...

Sadly., that's a good point. But this update just makes PvE frustrating, not difficult.

(Hopefully the AI won't respond to the AoE in my builds...)

Nah, I love it when PvE gets more challenging, however I fear that unless this is changed, more groups will become warrior heavy because their damage doesn't have such a scatter effect like ele, necro, even mes skills have at the moment.

I like it for this very reason, actually! However, I find it odd that the would say what I quoted, but do the exact opposite. So which is it? Do they run no matter what, or do they only run when seriously injured? If it's no matter what, that actually plays directly into the hands of Monk/Ele casters that use PBAoE as a defensive tactic, which I thought was what they were trying to get rid of based on the idea behind the quote.

I'm not having any trouble farming vermin or trolls with cyclone axe. They do scatter occasionally, but it's not every time I hit the skill. It does make it take longer, but not by much.

Give them time. FoC and Fireball and all the punctuated AoE spells were affected by the first AoE patch, remember, until they fine tuned the system.

edited away...thread updated while i was posting

Lol they run from cyclone axe and tripple chop too you can sleep easy.

My first thought on seeing the farming nerfs was that degen might be a used for mob farming, though it'll be kinda slow.

No, actually they are complaining because they can't solo anywhere or duo areas meant for entire parties. They don't even care about the game itself being hurt.

I don't know - I tried farming vermin and no more than 5-6 would stay on me at once the other 10-15 would sit just outside cyclone range.

I going to say it bluntly.

Scatting on enemies has been randomized. Nuff said.

The reason farming is harder is because crowds are unpredicatble now. There is probably a system of randomization based on their health. I believe that the lower their health gets, the more prone they are to randomly scatter out of aoe. Understand they did this to prevent Tyria and Cantha from becoming a gold mine for Dervish/Monks.

Oh happy day!!




....back to the blow-up doll.




j/k j/k