Alright everyone, hands up to those who think they've seen the most ridicilous build ideas in RA. There are many different versions, and not everyone of them works. I'll admit I've used RA to test many of my builds, even those I would naturally assume was going to be a complete disaster. Something might look brilliant in your head, but fails completely when you go into the real game.
My problem here is, I have to go all the way through RA trying to test the build (this especially applies to all sorts of PvE builds). And I can imagine how extremely annoying it must be for those 3 other individuals to see the whole group lose just because of me, or any other person who tries out a new "test" build in RA. I know I get really annoyed when I see someone trying some utterly wasted combo. But can't really test it anywhere else, what shall we do?
The most natural thing to think about would be the Isle of the Nameless. Here you can find a wide variety of targets to practice on. But as always, there's something shattering that delusion.
And the big problem with the Isle is that it's simply to small and narrow-minded. It's a good start for those who are new to the game and PvP, but if you want to test something there, it really isn't the right place. In the Isle of the Nameless, you can only
* Fight 1vs1 style against the Masters of *That really doesn't work out completely. For PvP builds, the Masters work to some extend. But what if you want to try out a build that focuses on AoE damage, or a against a special build you can't find on that island? Then your lost. If you try to use the island for testing most PvE builds, your also lost. You simply don't see a Elementalist in PvE going 1vs1 against a enchantment removing warrior. There's many other excamples also, what if you want to try out a new monking build that doesn't target yourself? Or even more annoying, testing out a new version of a 55hp build or 1hp?
* Hit dummies
No, the Isle of the Nameless simply doesn't suit all those purposes. But yet, I don't want to go to RA and waste other peoples time? Perhaps that stupid n00bish smiter monk was just testing out a new way to farm sardelac sanatorium?
And besides, going to RA is also a rubbish way to try and test a build, even a PvP one. You don't have any clue what you will face, so you won't be sure if you'll even meet the foes your special build focuses on.
Indeed, it isn't easy. Testing out builds should be easier, and those going to RA shouldn't always have to worry about getting a bunch of people with their test builds. So perhaps someone could read through my post and say what they think? My suggestion is this:
Tester Arena
This place should be something like the Isle of the Nameless, although only separated into two parts. The first place would be something like the old Isle, where you have AoE-dummies, but these dummies (sheep, grawls or whatever) should be able to move out of the AoE skills. Being able to set their health bars and armour would also be great, so you can try and determine how much damage your build would do own an enemy. they should have something like the Masters on the Isle, a small circle they can move around in (about 1 and a half aggro circle perhaps?) If you have any other suggestions of what these moving dummies should be able to do, then please feel free to post it below.
Now for the second part, that is my real idea. Imagine this;
You are in an explorable area (just like the Isle), in a small locker or something alike. Below you, you can see a gladitors arena (a circled battleground). You can first set your own skills, attributes and so on while you are in this explorable area. I'm outmost tired of having to go back and fourth between the Great Temple and the Isle, just to change one single skill or an attribute point. I want to be able to do that while I'm in this certain explorable area, so I won't have to waste so much time. That's a bit off the point, let's continue here.
When you are satisfied with your skills and setup, you enter the arena (straightaway, no 15 seconds of waitning), where you fight against your own Hero's, the Hero's that YOU can decide should use what sort of skills.
Just imagine how much easier testing would be, if you could try out all sorts of combinations fast and easy, against the foes of your choice. Also, it's an marvellous way of trying to simulate a PvE fight. I know there are many PvE farming builds that require the farmer to be attacked (builds that utilizes energy management from skills like essence bond and such). I think you should have a maximum of 3 Heroes, just as in PvE. And perhaps even a way to give them either NM AI, or HM AI, who knows?
After the fight is over (if they die, you die, or you decide to cancel the fight) you return to back to your old position, in the locker. Now, if you wasn't completely satisfied you can then rearrange your skills, replace some or even try a new build. Things would be so much easier if we didn't need to teleport back and fourth from the Isle and the Temple (or from a RA battle, for that sake). I'm not sure how it would be to try and make a RA simulation (meaning, you get 2 extra NPC-teammates to fight off the 3 Hero's of yours), so any help would be appreciated.
In the end, it is those who go to RA who will benefit from it. If all people is going to the backyard to test out good/awful builds, it would make leave the better people off in RA. It won't remove ragequitters and "noobs", but atleast all the "try-and-completely-fail-at-the-exspense-of-others" would be gone. And after all, don't we all want that?
Cheers: Wyat (and forgive me for any spelling mistakes)
(how embarrasing)
