I'v wanted a full npc group for all areas since I first discovered fow/uw.
But I would rather be allowed to use 7 heroes than henchies. We should be able to use 7 heroes all the time, and In the elite areas like fow/uw (elite to some) deep, urgoz, and all the other areas that exclude henchies.
I'm not a big fan of henchies, I used them to beat prophecies. Which was no easy feat for me, but I did it. I played with players maybe 5 times total in the first year of playing gw, and honestly, i had more success with henchies than i did players. I failed less.
I got halfway through factions before i took a break from the game, and came back with nightfall, got my heroes and fell inlove, I beat nightfall pretty easily with heroes and henchies, Only grouped with players twice, Both times were friends. Then I went back and beat factions with my heroes and henchies. Did not group at all.
It would be very nice if anet finally allowed 7 heroes and stopped bsing around. Stop with the excuses and the reasons why promoting group play is a goal and let us players have our 7 heroes. Players who like to play with other humans will continue to do so, those of us who do not socialize will be able to enjoy the game even more. 7 heroes would save a lot of time building new characters who can solo specific areas. Also even people like myself who normally hero/hench play with people sometimes, like our guildmates and such. But it would be nice to have the option to control our own experiences and no longer have to put up with npc henchies who use skills at the wrong times.
Henchmen act like they are on drugs, The fighter is ok because its another body to soak damage, the guardian is ok because its the same as the fighter except it has rez sig. The healer is ok, it heals better than some monk players I'v seen. But most of the others are not very good. Like the earth ele. Who drops wards 50 feet from where the combat is taking place. Or the mes who likes to interrupt weak skills and allow the monsters to hit with the big spells.
7 heroes = players right to choose.
Guildwar heroes are awesome and I would love to use 7 of them.
1 minion master
2 stance tank
3 fire ele
4 healer monk
5 prot monk
6 smiter monk
7 earth ele
thats just one set i would love to run.
OR
3 fire eles
2 healer monks
1 paragon
2 ritualists
OMG! wet dream!