How useful is Dulled Weapon in PvE?

JoeKnowMo

JoeKnowMo

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Oct 2005

Wessst Siiide, USA

Mo/

10e, 1s cast, 12s recharge

Dulled Weapon: For 5...17 seconds, target foe and all nearby foes cannot achieve a critical hit.

I've read comments that besides weapon attribute, the level of a monster/character also affects the chance of critical hits. I haven't seen any math to this effect though.

Since it's AoE, is this spell underrated in PvE? Or are criticals too rare to bother with it?

Hypothetical numbers would be appreciated if you can provide them.

iridescentfyre

iridescentfyre

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2006

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeKnowMo
10e, 1s cast, 12s recharge

Dulled Weapon: For 5...17 seconds, target foe and all nearby foes cannot achieve a critical hit.

I've read comments that besides weapon attribute, the level of a monster/character also affects the chance of critical hits. I haven't seen any math to this effect though.

Since it's AoE, is this spell underrated in PvE? Or are criticals too rare to bother with it?

Hypothetical numbers would be appreciated if you can provide them. Criticals aren't really rarer in PvE than PvP, but aside from a small percentage more damage they don't really do much. In PvP, Dulled Weapon might be nice to deny energy to assassins, but in PvE all it would do is reduce a superficial amount of damage. Protection monks do that better.

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

It actually does prevent a surprising amount of damage against high level enemies, since with higher level and attribute scores comes higher crit rate. However, it's in communing, which means it's pretty much never worth bringing since the rest of communing is a steaming pile of dolyak crap.

I briefly ran it during the 1-week ancestor's rage nerf, since I was speccing communing for weapon of quickening, but other than that, there's better things to spend your att points on. Like restoration.

kenichiukiya

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2006

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Strangelove
since the rest of communing is a steaming pile of dolyak crap. I beg to differ, I've been running communing builds (Offensive spirits + some weapons spells) for as long as I can remember and it's doing very well in PVE. something that doesn't work for you doesn't mean it won't for others. Yes restoration might be very good but I find it boring, that's why i almost never use it except when I was farming.Again, diff ppl have diff opinions.

back to OP, I've never tried using that. hmm...may be I should try it next time when i go in game.

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Painful bond builds and spirit spam are one thing, actually using the pathetic spells in communing is another.

Oso Minar

Oso Minar

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Zealots of Shiverpeak [ZoS]

Rt/

It's somewhat useful specifically against such groups as the Oni popups, but to be honest I feel that it's a waste of a skill slot. Yeah, it's neat that it affects foes in an AoE area, but I think it's so situational that it's not quite worth it for everyday use.

jimmyboveto

jimmyboveto

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

US

Legion of Avalon

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by iridescentfyre
Criticals aren't really rarer in PvE than PvP, but aside from a small percentage more damage they don't really do much. In PvP, Dulled Weapon might be nice to deny energy to assassins, but in PvE all it would do is reduce a superficial amount of damage. Protection monks do that better. Yeah, I've seen it used in arenas before with all the sins running around. Really screws them over, especially the ones spamming death blossom and moebus strike. Other then that, however, i would say the extra slot isn't worth it.

Cebe

Cebe

The 5th Celestial Boss

Join Date: Jul 2006

Inverness, Scotland

The Cult of Scaro [WHO]

E/

Can this skill not be used on packs of Raptors to knock off their Critical Defenses?

[skill=big]Dulled Weapon[/skill]

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestial Beaver
Can this skill not be used on packs of Raptors to knock off their Critical Defenses? [skill]mirror of disenchantment[/skill]

It's best use is on high level enemies using scythes and hammers. Criticals from those big boys HURT.