Guild Wars Guru

Aggressive Refrain - cracked armour -_-

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Akimb0
Lion's Arch Merchant
• #1
Are they ever going to fix Aggressive Refrain? I don't mind the -20 armour too much since I have a ranged weapon, but it's the fact that it puts a condition on you, which heroes / hench then try to repeatedly spam off you with condition removal, on top of it counting towards skills which can harm you ( e.g. iron palm ) ... I wonder if it would be possible to have it work like the -10 while attacking penalty certain weapons have :S Either way can people suggest alternatives (flail?) or ways to deal with this skill.
the savage nornbear
the savage nornbear
Wilds Pathfinder
• #2
No they are not. It is well balanced.
Konig Des Todes
Konig Des Todes
Ooo, pretty flower
• #3
[Aggressive Refrain]

Pros:
Maintainable +25% IAS
Echo (reapplied whenever a Chant or Shout ends) - easier to maintain
Can go on others

Cons:
Removable -20 armor
High energy cost

The skill needs some cons to it dude! I see nothing wrong with it, if you include a few shouts like [Anthem of Flame] and ["They're On Fire!"] you can eventually maintain it on a full party if you keep a shout ending every 10 or so seconds. So monks remove the cracked armor immediately, 5 energy for a IAS with minimal downsides.

Keep it how it is.
T
Tyla
Emo Goth Italics
• #4
You don't even need the above, you could maintain it with "TNTF" at 12 Leadership.

It's a small price to pay considering how powerful the IAS is.
Zidane Ortef
Zidane Ortef
Site Contributor
• #5
A everlasting 33% IAS that can't be stripped with out the cracked armor penalty it would be imbalanced skill is fine as is.

Don't take singe target Condition removal use stuff like [Pure Was Li Ming]
ac1inferno
ac1inferno
Desert Nomad
• #6
Nothing wrong with [[Aggressive Refrain] as it is. Disable condition removal on your heroes and micro them. If it gave a -20 armor penalty without it being a condition, then Cracked Armor on top would do -40 armor.
bungusmaximus
bungusmaximus
Forge Runner
• #10
Maybe your heroes got too much to do already next to drawing condis? I always stick FF on an mm together with infuse conditions, works like a charm usually. All my olias needs to do is summon up a minion every now and then and remove hexes. Mind you that my mm's don't run death nova (impatient as I am I don't like waiting for olias every time).

As for AR, I hate the nerf, game-wise it's well balanced, but it just doesn't make any sense. I wouldn't know any other way to nurf it though, because you can't cancel it like frenzy, so applying an armor penalty or + damage would make even less sense and would be way too severe.

The only possible solution is splitting the skill PvE/PvP wise like many others. Apply cracked armor in PvP and leave it alone in PvE (Everything is broken in PvE anyways since the introduction of lolpve skills so meh)
My Lipgloss is Cool
My Lipgloss is Cool
Krytan Explorer
• #11
Quote: Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes View Post [Aggressive Refrain]

Pros:
Maintainable +25% IAS
Echo (reapplied whenever a Chant or Shout ends) - easier to maintain
Can go on others

Cons:
Removable -20 armor
High energy cost

The skill needs some cons to it dude! I see nothing wrong with it, if you include a few shouts like [Anthem of Flame] and ["They're On Fire!"] you can eventually maintain it on a full party if you keep a shout ending every 10 or so seconds. So monks remove the cracked armor immediately, 5 energy for a IAS with minimal downsides.

Keep it how it is. Wait, what??
Bobby2
Bobby2
Furnace Stoker
• #13
[mending], [frenzy], same thing.

Good eye
A
Arieon Ito
Frost Gate Guardian
• #14
[smite condition] can be your friend and very effective AoE if you're worried about having a constant 'always on' condition.

Plus with Cracked Amor and [save yourselves!], that means you become the main squishy mobs will rush for. Don't really see the downside there.

And even if it's -20 armor, I trust you have a shield on? That's still 76 armor after cracked armor is applied.
MasterSasori
MasterSasori
Desert Nomad
• #15
Quote: Originally Posted by Arieon Ito View Post
[smite condition] can be your friend and very effective AoE if you're worried about having a constant 'always on' condition.

Plus with Cracked Amor and [save yourselves!], that means you become the main squishy mobs will rush for. Don't really see the downside there.

And even if it's -20 armor, I trust you have a shield on? That's still 76 armor after cracked armor is applied.
I don't recall mobs swarming paras...

-20 is minimal compared to the extra IAS and the SY generated from it.
A
Arieon Ito
Frost Gate Guardian
• #16
Quote: Originally Posted by MasterSasori View Post
I don't recall mobs swarming paras...

-20 is minimal compared to the extra IAS and the SY generated from it. Well, they do in my case since I H/H with all casters and I call/first strike targets. Zero front line = Midline and backline get swamped. Plus, mobs usually do change targets once SY! is up, everyone gets a higher armor rating than I have.

Most reapplications of cracked armor on my paragon during battles get converted into holy damage that the enemy warriors eat since they're fighting around me.
Bobby2
Bobby2
Furnace Stoker
• #17
Quote: Originally Posted by Arieon Ito View Post
Well, they do in my case since I H/H with all casters and I call/first strike targets. Zero front line = Midline and backline get swamped. Plus, mobs usually do change targets once SY! is up, everyone gets a higher armor rating than I have.

Most reapplications of cracked armor on my paragon during battles get converted into holy damage that the enemy warriors eat since they're fighting around me. +1 for Racway!
MasterSasori
MasterSasori
Desert Nomad
• #18
Quote: Originally Posted by Arieon Ito View Post
Well, they do in my case since I H/H with all casters and I call/first strike targets. Zero front line = Midline and backline get swamped. Plus, mobs usually do change targets once SY! is up, everyone gets a higher armor rating than I have.

Most reapplications of cracked armor on my paragon during battles get converted into holy damage that the enemy warriors eat since they're fighting around me.
Well if you use exclusively casters then it would be a different story. However, it is simple to bring one or two henches that are melee oriented.

Worse comes to worse, there is always TNTF which has saved me many times. Maybe experiment with different hero setups?

I recall a Paragon + Derv setup posted somewhere here on guru. Never had the chance to try it, but it looks quite promising, especially since you will be playing para. Synergy is always nice.
MisterB
MisterB
Furnace Stoker
• #19
If you're really worked up about cracked armor from [[Aggressive Refrain], you could always use [[Purifying Finale], or micro a hero to maintain it on you. The cracked armor will never, or very rarely, be applied.
phan
phan
Wilds Pathfinder
• #20
[foul feast] + [plague sending] + [damaageee!] = good spike