3 Man HM FoW clear?

Mr Emu

Mr Emu

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2006

W/A

Hi guys, I was just wondering if anyone would be interested in throwing around some ideas for a 3 Man FoW clear with all (most?) quests included. If this has already been done, sorry, and close this post. Other than that, I was thinking that 600/smite would be a good base to work off of and then add one more character. The current 600/Smite build I have been using is thus:
[skill]Protective spirit[/skill][skill]spirit bond[/skill][skill]shield of absorption[/skill][skill]spell breaker[/skill][skill]spirit shackles[/skill][skill]blessed aura[/skill][skill]essence bond[/skill][skill]balthazar's spirit[/skill]

and the smiter:[skill]Signet of judgment[/skill][skill]blessed signet[/skill][skill]aura of stability[/skill][skill]rebirth[/skill][skill]holy wrath[/skill][skill]retribution[/skill][skill]life attunement[/skill][skill]Vital blessing[/skill]

I find that spirit shackles is more effective than SV or AV for taking out the shadow monks. Versus the wiki guide found here http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:Team_-_600/Smite_FoW I can take out most of the shadow groups that are apparently "impossible." I still haven't attempted the 4 monk group in the valley. The lack of purge sig hasn't caused me any problems, you just cast 1-3 and run in; you end up at full health with bleeding. Aura of stability isn't strictly necessary either, if you're lucky with timing it is remotely possible to tank up to 3 abyssals without it.

So far as 600/smiting goes on major obstacle I see is the 2 monk, 2 mesmer groups in forgemaster. The whole group lasts far beyond the duration of Spellbreaker, and then the dual mesmers rape you. According to the talk page of the build posted above, it is possible to take the forest by dropping some bonds and proceeding very carefully, but I haven't tried that yet. The beach/cave is also possible, but the dryders pose some threat as they do very little damage, thus lasting too long, and have spells that can make life very difficult for you.

For the third character, im thinking either and ranger or necro. Either could pack enough utility to make a lot of other things either easier or possible. Taking aura of stab on that character would free up slots on the smiter to take more signets. An alternative build for smiter I was working on for areas with strong monks or bosses was a Me/Mo SoI smiter. Its skill bar was laid out like this: [skill]signet of illusions[/skill][skill]signet of distraction[/skill][skill]signet of disenchantment[/skill][skill]rebirth[/skill][skill]holy wrath[/skill][skill]retribution[/skill][skill]life attunement[/skill][skill]vital blessing[/skill]

Please respond with any thoughts on builds or other possible difficulties.

Trevor The Wave

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

This Is Ukraine [UA]

E/Me

h, ive down this many times. You need a 600 SB bonder, a smite bonder, and the third person really varies. I've played as an ele renewal nuker, or you can bring an SS.

vespertine

vespertine

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

.at

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor The Wave
h, ive down this many times. You need a 600 SB bonder, a smite bonder, and the third person really varies. I've played as an ele renewal nuker, or you can bring an SS. i'd recommend the SS, as its more reliable and mobile (echo, run in, ss, echoed ss, run out, wait for them to die - it also doesn't prevent them from wanding -> more dmg through the smiter) as the nuker, IMHO..

Mr Emu

Mr Emu

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2006

W/A

The things is, I think that greater utility would speed the run up more and open up more areas than just more strait damage. In addition, many of the enemies are casters that are harder to use SS effectively with. One place I can see the use for SS would be the 2x mez+monk forgemaster groups. The question is: What other skills would you run on the SS to speed up areas like the forest?

i kronos i

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

GoTE

N/Me

600 smite Owoj8sQ7KOax7a9IioeBI6D5BA

bonder OwQT44HDnAAy8O4Ll5jehEA last skill is free to be changed around good role

famine ranger OgUTcV8l3RE4BLfChqD0BAIAAA last skill is free i take trolls or running skill

can do the first quest the skeletons and proberly in the forest but famine and spirit shackles will be most of the damage most of the time

getting into the forge looks possable but will be hard as u have to pull the warrior and abyslls into the 6 mesmers and 2 monks should be do able I just always forget to cast fleeting after

you could also use ranger and monk hero but would have to mirco the ranger for sv av spirits and spirit shackles

Sethellington

Sethellington

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Sep 2005

nn

N/

the smiter might have problems keeping up AoS with Holy Wrath around. I'd be interested to try. I play nec btw.

vespertine

vespertine

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

.at

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Emu
The things is, I think that greater utility would speed the run up more and open up more areas than just more strait damage. In addition, many of the enemies are casters that are harder to use SS effectively with. One place I can see the use for SS would be the 2x mez+monk forgemaster groups. The question is: What other skills would you run on the SS to speed up areas like the forest? [skill]leech signet[/skill][skill]power drain[/skill][skill]necrosis[/skill][skill]web of disruption[/skill][skill]empathy[/skill][skill]power spike[/skill][skill]power leak[/skill]

really, there are tons of possible skills.. really depends on the abilities of the necro.. a "hard" interupt is recommended (trolls unguent, healing spring, etc..)

as enemies attack faster in HM SS is very mighty, imho.. we tried with a soul leech/a.echo/backfire necro once, but as the enemies are e-drained they don't cast often enough to make anti-caster skills viable..

AV/SV sounds nice in theory, but it's not really effective, cause the groups that trouble you most (casters) don't deal physical dmg, so it won't trigger..

@Sethellington

AoS lasts nearly 20 secs (with enchant mod), that's more than enough for abyssals, IMHO.. just precast it and you're fine..

anti-kd isn't needed at all, if you just pull 1 abys + 2 rangers (near tower), or 2 abys and nightmares (in the forge)..