Superior Runes. When are they worth it?

HawkofStorms

HawkofStorms

Hall Hero

Join Date: Aug 2005

E/

Quote:
Originally Posted by fenix
Ha! Questioning MY abilities? That's rich. I never lose PvE, and I never use Sups. That's because my builds aren't bad, and don't rely on 16 attributes. If you NEED 16 in something for the build to be effective, you obviously don't know how to play. Give me ONE example (aside from more Minions, but MM's are ineffective compared to Fire Ele's or Paragons) where you need 16 in something. I guarantee you don't.

The 75 Health is better because you are less susceptible to being spiked. Since I use prot monks instead of healers, the extra health means that my monks don't need to spam spells all day to keep me alive, as I have 630hp, and only need a few prots. If you are running around with 500hp, you are going to die a lot faster even through prots, which means more spamming spells, which means less energy on the monks, which will make you lose.

Regarding the Minion Master build, I only use 12 in Death because I don't see the need for the extra 2 minions. 8 do just as well as 10 would, considering that most mobs die within the first couple of seconds. Even so, I only used an MM hero (actually, two of them) in Vizunah Square Hard Mode. Everywhere else there are far more effective builds for you to bring, that will kill faster, AND provide better party defense.
Its a personal preference wheter to use Superiors or Miniors. People may claim to be able to come up with numbers to "prove" their point, but as a statistical and mathematical expert myself I know that those "proofs" don't usually hold any water.

It should be about your play style and NOTHING else, especially in PvE where you will be H/Hing everything. If you can succeed and exceed with Superiors, use them. If you prefer minors and think they play into your play style better, use them.

Also, the spiking arguement is a good point, and is the reason health is kept so high in PvP where spike teams/builds are common. So that depends on the area of the game in PvE you are playing (degen heavy areas or places with lots of aoe spikes require health, everywhere else can use +armor insignas, which are superior to straight up damage that's common in Phrophecies, and superiors).

OI-812

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2006

Somewhere between GW and Fchan on the nets

None

R/D

You don't NEED 16 in an attribute to be effective. But 16 Fire Magic can bring the pain, and in combination with [skill]Glyph of Elemental Power[/skill] is fun.

Tarkin

Tarkin

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

W/N

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zahr Dalsk
I can only see a loss of 75 health being detrimental if you have no healing power in your team build.
Agree...

For necros, ele, monks, mesmers, rit a superior is a must...

Yichi

Yichi

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Guild Hall, Vent, Guesting, PvE, or the occasional HA match...

Dark Alley [dR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarkin
Agree...

For necros, ele, monks, mesmers, rit a superior is a must...
no its not...

glountz

glountz

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by fenix
Ha! Questioning MY abilities? That's rich. I never lose PvE, and I never use Sups. That's because my builds aren't bad, and don't rely on 16 attributes. If you NEED 16 in something for the build to be effective, you obviously don't know how to play. Give me ONE example (aside from more Minions, but MM's are ineffective compared to Fire Ele's or Paragons) where you need 16 in something. I guarantee you don't.

The 75 Health is better because you are less susceptible to being spiked. Since I use prot monks instead of healers, the extra health means that my monks don't need to spam spells all day to keep me alive, as I have 630hp, and only need a few prots. If you are running around with 500hp, you are going to die a lot faster even through prots, which means more spamming spells, which means less energy on the monks, which will make you lose.

Regarding the Minion Master build, I only use 12 in Death because I don't see the need for the extra 2 minions. 8 do just as well as 10 would, considering that most mobs die within the first couple of seconds. Even so, I only used an MM hero (actually, two of them) in Vizunah Square Hard Mode. Everywhere else there are far more effective builds for you to bring, that will kill faster, AND provide better party defense.
No you don't NEED sup runes. But you can COPE with it. For an EFFICIENCY boost which will, in most parts of PVE, SAVE you MINUTES of playing.
As you can SWAP armors in PVE, there's no NEED to run ALWAYS minor runes. Swap for a minor only if you know you will face heavy damage.

About the MM story, Minions allows you to trigger SOUL REAPING and ABUSE IT through so many necro builds I can't put them all here. 16 Death will grants you more minions that have more HEALTH (strange you didn't notice that), more DAMAGE, and more efficiency over all other skills. 2 more minions equals +10 group DPS; + more body blocking so your backline stay unharmed while the STUPID AI try to move their Melee to your MONKS (they often stay stucked, and don't even strike). Don't stay at 12 Death, at least boost it at 14 (no health loss either, but I feel you will argue that the efficiency boost is minimal so there's no NEED to afford 300G on a minor rune).

Did Kathandrax without a single death and fear of over aggroing, had some deaths from magma balls of Ilsundur at the end but he killed himself through pain inverter in less than 6 seconds.