Aside from all the nonsense about solo nerf, and hard mode being too "hard", I wonder... has the update really improved tactics, on the player side?
Giving them proper bars rocks; it allows for the use of shutdown/interrupts, but then that thats countered by casters casting 50% quicker.
I don't see any improvements in the AI itself, comes after casters, which is logical. They run fast out of AoE. Overall, nothing new.
With the boosts to IAS and casting speed, seems like it's forcing players into simply killing the mobs before they kill them via heavy damage. Also, it's easily exploited by backfire and SS. Most of the time, my SS spam killed the groups by itself. Is this suppose to be tactics?
Just seems like more of the same. Not dissappointed, but not overly impressed.
Strategy in Hard Mode
Light of Cantha
Winterclaw
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| Most of the time, my SS spam killed the groups by itself. Is this suppose to be tactics? |
Corinthian
I bet SS, SV and Backfire are nerfed to work on next 1...20 attacks or something. 
EternalTempest
Yes.... having to watch patrol movements, factor in npc's not dying, upgrading my builds.
I love it
I love it
Corinthian
A [wiki]Crippling Anguish[/wiki] mesmer is now viable!!! Awesome.
Arduin
Nothing new really, still breezing through the missions with my MM's and SF-Ele's. When I pull too many groups at once, I just daze and blind them all with my BHA-Trow Dirt-Epidemic combo. On the other hand, the entire Nightfall campaign never made me break a sweat too (except DoA, for obvious reasons). I suppose the last few mission will get a bit harder though.
Light of Cantha
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Originally Posted by Corinthian
A [wiki]Crippling Anguish[/wiki] mesmer is now viable!!! Awesome.
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Hah, seems like curse necros are going to totally dominate PvE. SS, Shadow of Fear, Enfeebling blood, Meekiness... it's all deadly.
Light of Cantha
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Originally Posted by Arduinna
Nothing new really, still breezing through the missions with my MM's and SF-Ele's. When I pull too many groups at once, I just daze and blind them all with my BHA-Trow Dirt-Epidemic combo. On the other hand, the entire Nightfall campaign never made me break a sweat too (except DoA, for obvious reasons). I suppose the last few mission will get a bit harder though.
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Croix_Raul
All in all in later part of the game in NF hard mode people will end up using similar DoA cookie cutter due to the simple fact that you can't out heal double damage and best way to counter is just to cancel them out by prevent damage as a whole.
I wouldn't say its really required to use DoA Cookie cutter but its a good option thou slow and may not be really necessary in hard mode.Some changes to it will still work well
Anyway Trapping ,mm factory with hero corpse is another good option on the list thou a bit on the slow side its still another good option . Not something one can't beat just need some time to get use to it.
As for curse necro I won't say it will dominate in PvE hard mode but more favored in part of a mix team and with a few other good option there still room for other class as a whole.
I wouldn't say its really required to use DoA Cookie cutter but its a good option thou slow and may not be really necessary in hard mode.Some changes to it will still work well
Anyway Trapping ,mm factory with hero corpse is another good option on the list thou a bit on the slow side its still another good option . Not something one can't beat just need some time to get use to it.
As for curse necro I won't say it will dominate in PvE hard mode but more favored in part of a mix team and with a few other good option there still room for other class as a whole.
Zinger314
Spiteful Spirit is overpowered in Hard Mode. No complaints. 
Orinn
ANet once again increased difficulty by simply giving mobs more and faster damage. At least they didn't add more environmental effects or monster skills that doubled damage.
I'm so far enjoying hard mode, though. The hardest fight I've had so far was taking heroes and henchies through the Sulfurous Wastes, and trying to deal with Bohdabi the Destructive. If anyone wants to know, Sulfurous Wastes is one of the areas you need to do something else for first, there are a few groups of Margonites in the northwest that you can't get to because the pillar is still standing.
I'm so far enjoying hard mode, though. The hardest fight I've had so far was taking heroes and henchies through the Sulfurous Wastes, and trying to deal with Bohdabi the Destructive. If anyone wants to know, Sulfurous Wastes is one of the areas you need to do something else for first, there are a few groups of Margonites in the northwest that you can't get to because the pillar is still standing.
lightblade
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Originally Posted by Light of Cantha
Is it? Average mob is going to have 3 warriors or so, and maybe an archer or two. Echoing anguish just to stop two, recharge is 20 seconds, seems silly to me.
Hah, seems like curse necros are going to totally dominate PvE. SS, Shadow of Fear, Enfeebling blood, Meekiness... it's all deadly. |
Kas
Even the same old "send the tank in first" mentality still applies :X
jammerpa
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Originally Posted by Kas
Even the same old "send the tank in first" mentality still applies :X
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That mentality will always apply when u need to control and bunch up aggro unless you're using a b/p group.
Esprit
Because sending in fleshies is the new cool thing to do? Pulling or having your tank aggro is true and tried way of fighting smaller groups and not worrying about getting two or three groups.
If strategy is equivalent to going from two Ele's, ranger, and monk in Great Northern Wall, to an Ele, Ranger, Monk, and Mesmer/Necro with Spiteful Spirit, Empathy, and Reckless Haste, then sure, there's more strategy involved.
If strategy is equivalent to going from two Ele's, ranger, and monk in Great Northern Wall, to an Ele, Ranger, Monk, and Mesmer/Necro with Spiteful Spirit, Empathy, and Reckless Haste, then sure, there's more strategy involved.
Nekretaal
Mobs are just as dumb, they have improved numbers. I dont think that play gets any better as a result of this.
Winterclaw
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Originally Posted by Zinger314
Spiteful Spirit is overpowered in Hard Mode. No complaints.
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Ouchie
I really haven't seen a challenge (using a standard B/P team). However, the new items, lock picks and titles are enough to keep me happy, as well as the bonus xp and gold.
Now counting down the hours till I can leave work and go home to play
Note****
I have not yet tried any of the elite missions, I am curious has anyone else?
Now counting down the hours till I can leave work and go home to play
Note****
I have not yet tried any of the elite missions, I am curious has anyone else?
tyche7
I didn't have enough time to really give a definitive strategy other than the things we know already work.
I did notice more mobs, more patrols, more kiting, and faster casting in hard mode. You basically just need to take a balanced party with certain builds in to be able to effectively go through it it seems. Pulling seems more essential and so does "shutting down" (e.g. interrupting) the foe now more than ever.
I'll post more after I've played more this weekend (-:
I did notice more mobs, more patrols, more kiting, and faster casting in hard mode. You basically just need to take a balanced party with certain builds in to be able to effectively go through it it seems. Pulling seems more essential and so does "shutting down" (e.g. interrupting) the foe now more than ever.
I'll post more after I've played more this weekend (-:
XvArchonvX
Balanced Domination build = pwnage. Good balanced curses builds are the same. Enchantment removal now really makes a difference in PvE.
mqstout
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Originally Posted by Winterclaw
Expect SS and backfire to be nerfed in a week or two.
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GourangaPizza
Meh. I think the part regarding "decreased casting time" and "shorter recharge time" need to be revised. I'm having some difficulty clearing Mourning Veil Falls when the Rit boss's Channeled Strike is spammed every so often that my party is obliterated. I have a stinking impression that the hard mode benefits stacked with the boss's half casting time.
Samurai-JM
They won't start nerfing skills from hard mode, almost guarenteed. They said on the official site that they will adjust hard mode in certain areas where the difficulty is outrageous or certain techniques make it oo easy.
Bryant Again
Anyone figure out how to clear those huge Desolation mobs yet?
Asrial
The biggest change I'm seeing, as a result of Hard Mode, is that our cookie cutter use for everything builds no longer work.
I'm going in with a standard smiting monk (me), critical barrager, healing monk, and a minion master and I'm getting raped at various stages in the first mission of Prophecies.
However.
I know that if I spec myself as more of a healer (with a little enchant removal), set the minion master to SS and the like, add enchant removal and protection (IE: aegis) to the healer, and ramp up the damage output by the 4 member...
I'm sure the mission will be easy.
I'm going in with a standard smiting monk (me), critical barrager, healing monk, and a minion master and I'm getting raped at various stages in the first mission of Prophecies.
However.
I know that if I spec myself as more of a healer (with a little enchant removal), set the minion master to SS and the like, add enchant removal and protection (IE: aegis) to the healer, and ramp up the damage output by the 4 member...
I'm sure the mission will be easy.
Shanaeri Rynale
An obvious tip, but it's spooky how you can subconsciously slip into it.
Rule #1 of hardmode. Forget how you used to play, treat every mob as if was an UW one and you're a level 10.
You'll fail the missions if you play like you did in normal mode
Oh and Mesmers are nice for pesky monk mobs.
Rule #1 of hardmode. Forget how you used to play, treat every mob as if was an UW one and you're a level 10.
You'll fail the missions if you play like you did in normal mode
Oh and Mesmers are nice for pesky monk mobs.
Buster
Well so far the strategy i been using with people is let the war aggro , then i arcane echo SS and mobs are done My SS has no probs in hard mode and it will be interesting to see what build i will be using for my mesmer.
Guardian of the Light
My friends and I ran in with 1 Warrior 2 Barrage rangers and 1 monk. After running into the first mob with a monk we soon reliezed that we needed new builds. I ran a Broadheaded Arrow ranger and the warrior ran a better tankage build and my monk friend adjusted his bar. We beat the mission. However we still ran into a few problems like monks dodging Broadheaded Arrow while a warrior is chasing them and charr warriors with Wild Blow owning our rangers.
Overall tactics have increased to a point where you need to start thinking. Theres room for improvement but I like where it's at.
Overall tactics have increased to a point where you need to start thinking. Theres room for improvement but I like where it's at.
XvArchonvX
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Originally Posted by mqstout
If they start nerfing skills because of how they function in Hard Mode, I will be supremely disappointed. It's bad enough PvE players have to deal with professions nerfed to death because of PvP (Paragon...)
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Jebus
How can you possibly beat all those Kournans at Gandara? It's just impossible...