Frenzy = PvE safe?

Cathode_Reborn

Cathode_Reborn

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Sep 2006

I've been playing my war alot more recently and I'm starting to get tired of Flail - it's an adren hog sometimes, and that self-snare is horrible in HM. I usually run a somewhat standard "SY" dragon slash build but I've been really tempted to replace Flail with Frenzy + Rush. Has anyone had decent experience with it in pve? I plan on trying it out. The double-damage could probably be handled with Sentry's insignias (+10 in stance) and +10shield vs. some type of ele damage, since they tend to hurt alot in HM.

Another option I had in mind was Tiger stance + Dwarven stability at a max rank with high str - it becomes a long lasting ias with no drawback. Only thing I didn't like is DS taking up a pve-skill slot.

Stormlord Alex

Stormlord Alex

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Beyond the Forest of Doom, past the Cavern of Agony... on Kitten & Puppy Island

Soul of Melandru [sOm]

W/E

Frenzy is fine. Stick Prot Spirit on one of your heroes, bind it to a key and have them cast it on you when needed.

I still prefer Flail - in HM, you're gonna need Rush to chase things anyway when they run 'cuz of the inherent speed boost, and Flail doesn't make you explode if things go awry.

Tbh... the 'best' option is a max rank Drunken Master with a handful of spiked eggnog or aged dwarven ale.

Marty Silverblade

Marty Silverblade

Administrator

Join Date: Jun 2006

There's nothing wrong with using Frenzy in PvE, you just have to know how to use it right. Either be one of those uber pro people that know when the damage is going to come or have a hero with prot spirit ready.

kel77

kel77

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2007

The Deep South

The Arctic Marauders[TAM] Former Leader and Officer | [SMS] Alliance

W/E

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormlord Alex

Tbh... the 'best' option is a max rank Drunken Master with a handful of spiked eggnog or aged dwarven ale. I agree, that's what I've been using. It lasts a long ass time and the effects are noticable, even while sober

As for frenzy, in HM it will be extremely dangerous without something like p spirit because you will get hit for 200-300 dmg quite often while using it.

Tab

Tab

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Oct 2006

Under a bridge

Team Quitter [QQ]

Mo/

Frenzy is fine. I use it because I don't like flail ;o.

Cherng Butter

Cherng Butter

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

Maryland

The Mirror Of Reason [SNOW]

E/Mo

You could always run Brawling Headbutt to keep your HM enemies snared and within reach, if they start to run around. Frenzy is ok if you're smart about it though.

Tyla

Emo Goth Italics

Join Date: Sep 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by ibreaktoilets
Frenzy is fine. I use it because I don't like flail ;o. QFT!

Frenzy is leet in PvE!

OMFGimCUTE

OMFGimCUTE

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

a box

I hop around

W/D

frenzy is awsome in pve, you just gotta know when to use it and when not to.

Sir Pandra Pierva

Sir Pandra Pierva

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

Sardelec yelling at Tenshi

Angels Of Strife

E/

i wanna link to this thread when people start bitching at me for using frenzy even if I use it properly

Kenny Mack

Academy Page

Join Date: Dec 2007

Avatar Of Heroes

W/

i quite commonly run Frenzy in Hm.

its an awesome way to take down bosses quick, all u have to do is have another stance in your bar in case things get too heated, for example a speed buff like enraging charge, activating it will remove frenzy.

whufc89

whufc89

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2007

UK

E/

Frenzy is good yeh but if like most warriors you get in the thick of big battles and all the enemys are close then [skill]flail[/skill] is also good.

Crom The Pale

Crom The Pale

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2006

Ageis Ascending

W/

Be very aware of your suroundings when using frenzy....

I was in Factions using Frenzy on a mesmer when two eles hit me with Dragon Stomp at the same time....OUCH!

Sab

Sab

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Dec 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Crom The Pale
Be very aware of your suroundings when using frenzy....

I was in Factions using Frenzy on a mesmer when two eles hit me with Dragon Stomp at the same time....OUCH! I use Flurry on my Mesmer...wait what?

Khasar

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2005

The Crystal Desert

Guild of Dangerous Surprise[GODS]

Were you using IW? Because thats kinda the only reason a mesmer should be runing around with a sword that I can think of and if thats the case use Flurry like Sab lol

No One Famous

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2008

I think he means he was in the Frenzy stance against a mesmer, not a mesmer using the skill Frenzy.

Yukito Kunisaki

Yukito Kunisaki

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2005

Chicago, IL

W/N

I think the only 'weakness' of frenzy is that it sorta demands you bring a cancel stance.

Even if your teammates bring a prot enchant, if the enemy shatters it, YOWCH, extra damage.

There are quite a few cancel stances I think work well with frenzy if you've got the resources.

Rush
Sprint [well, if adrenaline gathering is a large issue for you and you've got E to spare]
Bonetti's Defense (need energy?)

Your probable best bet is simply to bring a cancel stance with quick recharge of some form.

Grammar

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

Flail has been pissing me off lately. It's still great in human teams, obviously, but I'm starting to hate it in hero/hench teams.

Heroes/hench AI is extremely skittish, even when flagging them around. Monster AI is also extremely skittish. Put the two AIs together in a fight, and you get chaos.
And by "skittish" and "chaos" I mean a lot of running around. Not kiting, just a lot of running around by both heroes/hench and monsters.
As a warrior with flail, I find that good aggro techniques will only get you so far in this environment before Flail's -33% movement speed becomes a serious liability. Not very often am I able to gather ALL the aggro for the ENTIRE fight like I can in human teams. I can usually gather all or most of it right off the bat, but it's only a matter of time before the monsters' ADD kicks in and they start running around like idiots, chasing your ADD heroes/hench as they also run around like idiots (canceling their own spells in the process), and I'm stuck limping around the battlefield until Flail wears off.

I tried Frenzy, and it sometimes works. But ranged/spell damage can be really hard to see coming, so you'll occasionally get caught with it up and get nailed for some crazy damage before you have a chance to cancel it. PvE monsters are just too damn random with their ranged and spell damage. They just chuck stuff around without thinking about it.
On top of that, if I'm successful in gathering a significant amount of aggro, I WILL be taking damage, so Frenzy becomes hard to use.


Solution: Drunken Master!

Damn I love this skill. It's a good skill when sober, and a crazy overpowered skill when drunk. It's two skills in one (speed buff and IAS), it has no negative effects, it lasts a stupidly long time, and it's perpetual.
Even if you don't plan on spending a fortune on booze to use with it every time (believe me, it gets expensive), it still tops out at 15% while sober, which is pretty damn good considering the above-listed benefits.
I still use Flail with human teams, but I always use Drunken Master now with hero/hench teams.

kel77

kel77

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2007

The Deep South

The Arctic Marauders[TAM] Former Leader and Officer | [SMS] Alliance

W/E

I find DM is great bar compression as well, you have a IAS and speed buff.

Arkantos

Arkantos

The Greatest

Join Date: Feb 2006

W/

Drunken master isn't that great. At r10, you get a 15% boost, which is really nothing. When you're drunk, you get 33% boost, which is good, but you need to get drunk every 90 seconds, which gets quite pricey. It also takes up a pve only skill, and there are quite a few other ones which would be better to take.

Mark Nevermiss

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

I use Tiger Stance on my warrior. She has 13 strength so that gives her 9 seconds of IAS out of every 20. Combined with For Great Justice and Dragon Slash I seem to be doing fine.

Crom The Pale

Crom The Pale

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2006

Ageis Ascending

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by No One Famous
I think he means he was in the Frenzy stance against a mesmer, not a mesmer using the skill Frenzy. Bingo, sorry my post wasn't perfectly clear.

Clarissa F

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2007

Fighters of the Shiverpeaks

Me/Mo

[skill]soldier's speed[/skill] an option? I get 15 seconds of IAS at 10 tactics when carrying FGJ and Watch Yourself. I can deal with the 5 sec window, and need no cancel stance.

Stormlord Alex

Stormlord Alex

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Beyond the Forest of Doom, past the Cavern of Agony... on Kitten & Puppy Island

Soul of Melandru [sOm]

W/E

Quote:
Originally Posted by Clarissa F
[skill]soldier's speed[/skill] an option? I get 15 seconds of IAS at 10 tactics when carrying FGJ and Watch Yourself. I can deal with the 5 sec window, and need no cancel stance. Soldier's Speed is a run buff, not an attack speed buff.

Rush >>>> Soldier's Speed any day of the week

The comparable IAS is [skill=text]soldier's stance[/skill]
One look at it, and I don't even need to tell you why it's terribaed.

Teh [prefession]-zorz

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2007

wisconsin

Spiders Lair Kurz [SpL]

W/A

micro prot spirit on a hero.

Crom The Pale

Crom The Pale

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2006

Ageis Ascending

W/

[skill]Soldier's Fury[/skill] I have yet to figure what the Dev's were thinking when they came up with this and Soldiers Stance at the same time...

Same skill with better rechare/duration with 0 points in it...

The only real downside to either of these is the fact that they are elite. While there are some builds that work with no dmg elite skill, they tend to be weaker than those with one and are just "fun" builds rather than practical ones.

While any IAS is better than no IAS some just do not work under most conditions and others work in almost any condition.

For PvE I would rank them as follows.
[skill]Flail[/skill]
[skill]Tiger Stance[/skill]
[skill]Frenzy[/skill]
[skill]Berserker Stance[/skill]
[skill]Flurry[/skill]
[skill]Dwarven Battle Stance[/skill]
[skill]Soldier's Stance[/skill]

Just my personal oppinion based on the builds I use.

Arath.inc

Arath.inc

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2007

Norway

A/

I don't use frenzy. Either i use tiger stance or flail, mostly tiger stance though.

Though frenzy works good if you got some dmg reduction to cover for the extra dmg you receive, you can also use a hp regeneration spell, or a block/dodge skill.

Feurin Longcastle

Feurin Longcastle

Academy Page

Join Date: Oct 2006

I find Flail and Enraging Charge to be superior to Frenzy+cancel stance in HM. EC charges Flail as well as serving as its cancel stance, and most enemies don't kite for the speed penalty to really matter. That and no instantly dropping from some of the harder hitting enemies.

I bring "You Move Like A Dwarf!" to off-set what little kiting I experience.

Sir Pandra Pierva

Sir Pandra Pierva

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

Sardelec yelling at Tenshi

Angels Of Strife

E/

i have been running tiger stance as well.

Legends

Legends

Academy Page

Join Date: Dec 2007

[Merc]

P/Rt

[skill]Frenzy[/skill] & [skill]Protective Spirit[/skill] are your best friends.

Yet, [skill]Soldier's Fury[/skill] is the best damn IAS skill out there.

Marverick

Marverick

Forge Runner

Join Date: Aug 2006

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Crom The Pale
[skill]Soldier's Fury[/skill] I have yet to figure what the Dev's were thinking when they came up with this and Soldiers Stance at the same time...

Same skill with better rechare/duration with 0 points in it... Soldier's Fury takes one second to cast, which means that every ten seconds you spend an additional 1.75 seconds casting it, and thus not attacking.

Soldier's Stance is instant activation and the shout isn't hard to achieve.

...but both suck for Warriors.

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 Legends
Yet, [skill]Soldier's Fury[/skill] is the best damn IAS skill out there. On topic: No, it's not.

Crom The Pale

Crom The Pale

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2006

Ageis Ascending

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marverick
Soldier's Fury takes one second to cast, which means that every ten seconds you spend an additional 1.75 seconds casting it, and thus not attacking.

Soldier's Stance is instant activation and the shout isn't hard to achieve.

...but both suck for Warriors. The differnce is one is a stance that requires 13+ points in tactics to maintain and can be easily removed while the other is an echo once applied is there for its duration. The time it takes to activate is imaterial to the benifits it gives.

While both are bad for a war the paragon skill is far far superior. Note that on a Paragon this IAS will last for 30sec with a normal Leadership attribute alotment.

Stormlord Alex

Stormlord Alex

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Beyond the Forest of Doom, past the Cavern of Agony... on Kitten & Puppy Island

Soul of Melandru [sOm]

W/E

Quote:
Originally Posted by Crom The Pale
While both are bad for a war the paragon skill is far far superior. Note that on a Paragon this IAS will last for 30sec with a normal Leadership attribute alotment. Paragons don't need it.
They have Aggressive Refrain which lasts indefinately.

And I'd definately rather use Stance than Fury... taking ~2 seconds out to cast my IAS every 10 seconds is really hurting your pressure.

Age

Age

Hall Hero

Join Date: Jul 2005

California Canada/BC

STG Administrator

Mo/

I use frenzy in certain areas where it is safe to do so and I alway make sure I have sprint along.I find it a little but more usefull than flail.

bigtime102

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2007

Pumpkin Pie

/thread

You can't see me

You can't see me

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2006

USA

P/W

Honestly, I prefer flail in PvE. I don't have to click it as often, and I hardly feel the difference otherwise, since most mobs are fairly tight unless you fail and they're running back and attacking your casters, who in turn kite, making you run more because the rest of your frontline isn't doing their job. But when it comes to when to and when not to use Frenzy, it's another reason I prefer flail, as it's far more flexible and you can use with mobs with very high DPS. Even with Prot Spirit, you're still taking 60 damage per hit with some of the higher leveled casters, and those 60's add up when you're fighting a large mob. (Unless you're using a Sup Rune and you only have 450-500 health.)

Frenzy is safe, though, don't use it if you're not experienced with its effects and what they do when used at the wrong time.

Draginvry

Draginvry

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Oct 2007

The Underground PvP Society (PVPS)

N/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by bigtime102
Pumpkin Pie While this is good for bar compression, it is terrible on your cash to be buying pies for every mission. Unless the OP has some large stockpile I'm unaware of.

ShadowsRequiem

ShadowsRequiem

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Inde is Smoking [Hawt] *ToA*

W/E

Pvers+frenzy = Bad idea

Most should stick with flail :P

I remember trying to explain what a cancel stance was to someone in a group -.-

Targuil

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2007

Tampere, Finland

Keep Dreaming [Yawn]

E/

Use flail and don't fail.

RhanoctJocosa

RhanoctJocosa

Legendary Korean

Join Date: Aug 2006

The Benecia Renovatio [RenO]

W/

Frenzy is fine and all, but if you're actually doing something difficult I don't see why you wouldn't go Flail or Essence/Drunken.