With the most exciting update in a LONG time only hours away, and with the announced changes to Pre-Searing and the Legendary Defender of Ascalon Title, I thought it appropriate to start a thread specifically for discussion of builds, professions and tactics in the new pre-searing. So, some questions to discuss:
1) What will be the desirable professions in the new Pre-Searing?
2) How will builds change as players level? What skills are good at the beginning but bad as you level more? What skills are bad at the beginning, but important to use as you gain levels?
3) Where can you go to get the items (runes, insignias, weapons, salvage kits, etc.) that you'll need on your way?
I guess I'll get us started off, even though some of this will have to be speculation until we find out exactly what changes.
1) I think that E/Me will stay a good choice, at least to a point. Flare and firestorm work well in pre, and conjure phantasm rocks. With daily quests I predict Monks will become much more important. Rangers with pets will also be good and probably necros with the new minion controls.
2) Empathy and Backfire for mesmers will definitely go up in importance as you level. Also, with higher expertise, we can expect rangers to want to use Vampiric touch quite a bit. I'd guess flare and firestorm will go down in desirability as you level, but perhaps not too much.
3) This is speculation. Currently the "good" stuff drops only from charr in the northlands. We can hope that the higher level foes in the dailies will also drop runes/insignias... but those charr salvage kits are probably gonna go up in price unless they implement other ways to salvage runes. I'm guessing a lot more players will go after the red iris flowers to get their +1 headpiece from Nick as well, and collector armor will become mandatory.
Just my two cents. What do the rest of you think?
Pre-searing Builds, Tactics and Professions
Captain Bulldozer
Vulturion
Hmm; my thinking is rather different.
Positives:
Warriors would seem the leading DPS profession, since it's hard to find more than 2-3 offensive skills in a single attribute and they won't be spammable; high attribute auto-attacks will be a great asset.
Secondary ranger would seem very popular, as the small party size makes a high level pet a great damage sponge even with zero investment.
Necromancer bone minions stand out also, particularly if the new minion interface gets them into battle a little earlier.
Monks will be far from mandatory, but surely good in any combination with another player.
Negatives:
I don't see how mesmers will fare well against multiple same level foes, with the recharges on Empathy & Backfire.
Elementalists will suffer against same level armor classes, especially rangers - I think they'll be decent overall, but burn a lot of energy to Flare foes down.
The /bonus weapons are likely to be a big factor for at least a few awkward levels when you can reach 9 in 1 attribute but are still low overall; warriors & rangers fare well, but the eccentric GotY weapons will be the only hope for casters (aside from using the warrior or ranger weapons of course):
> Soul Shrieker - curses, which isn't a good fit with pre-searing.
> Luminescent Scepter - domination, which is a good fit indeed.
Positives:
Warriors would seem the leading DPS profession, since it's hard to find more than 2-3 offensive skills in a single attribute and they won't be spammable; high attribute auto-attacks will be a great asset.
Secondary ranger would seem very popular, as the small party size makes a high level pet a great damage sponge even with zero investment.
Necromancer bone minions stand out also, particularly if the new minion interface gets them into battle a little earlier.
Monks will be far from mandatory, but surely good in any combination with another player.
Negatives:
I don't see how mesmers will fare well against multiple same level foes, with the recharges on Empathy & Backfire.
Elementalists will suffer against same level armor classes, especially rangers - I think they'll be decent overall, but burn a lot of energy to Flare foes down.
The /bonus weapons are likely to be a big factor for at least a few awkward levels when you can reach 9 in 1 attribute but are still low overall; warriors & rangers fare well, but the eccentric GotY weapons will be the only hope for casters (aside from using the warrior or ranger weapons of course):
> Soul Shrieker - curses, which isn't a good fit with pre-searing.
> Luminescent Scepter - domination, which is a good fit indeed.
reaperguy
Warrior + Monk/Ranger
Pet,sword,healz..
LDoA Done
Pet,sword,healz..
LDoA Done
Dre
FoxBat
Scaling quests may bring scaling drops from the monsters or an end chest into play. So high level chars might have more options than the /bonus stuff.
Best strategy is more likely, be a good tank and let the imp kill everything...
Best strategy is more likely, be a good tank and let the imp kill everything...
Flem
I wonder if they have plans to provide more skills for higher level players in Pre-Sear?
Ariane
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulturion
I don't see how mesmers will fare well against multiple same level foes, with the recharges on Empathy & Backfire
Shatter delusions FTW ^__^ (Remove one Mesmer hex from target foe. If a hex was removed, that foe and all adjacent foes takes 15...63...75 damage.)
My pre mesmer reached level 12 without dying with no problems and she had not problems dealing with multiple foes
My pre mesmer reached level 12 without dying with no problems and she had not problems dealing with multiple foes
Thorinfire
I have been thinking about this as well. After looking at the available skills (and for various other reasons) , I am going to limit my choices to Ranger and Mesmer.
I am thinking either Ranger/Mo or Ranger Mesmer.
Primary would focas on Expertise, BM using
Dual Shot (no attribute)
Point Blank Shot (Expertise)
Beast Master Skill(s)
Monk Secondary I think would be protection Prayers:
Sheilding Hands
Reversal of Fortune (both Prot Prayers)
Mesmer Secondary I think would be Inspiration
Ether Feast for the quick activation and low energy cost.
On the Mesmer I would go Domination
Backfire
Empathy
Shatter Delusions
with a Ranger secondary, Beast Mastery for the pet.
Thoughts?
Which way would you lean? I am thinking Mesmer because my main is a Ranger.
And another elated topic. I have a second account, and can run two clients at once. Based on what was selected above, what profession would you have for a secondary character, one who could fire and mainly forget skills?
In other words, I want to be somewhat effective, but not have to keep spamming skills to do so.
Maybe Mesmer /Ranger and a Monk?
I am thinking either Ranger/Mo or Ranger Mesmer.
Primary would focas on Expertise, BM using
Dual Shot (no attribute)
Point Blank Shot (Expertise)
Beast Master Skill(s)
Monk Secondary I think would be protection Prayers:
Sheilding Hands
Reversal of Fortune (both Prot Prayers)
Mesmer Secondary I think would be Inspiration
Ether Feast for the quick activation and low energy cost.
On the Mesmer I would go Domination
Backfire
Empathy
Shatter Delusions
with a Ranger secondary, Beast Mastery for the pet.
Thoughts?
Which way would you lean? I am thinking Mesmer because my main is a Ranger.
And another elated topic. I have a second account, and can run two clients at once. Based on what was selected above, what profession would you have for a secondary character, one who could fire and mainly forget skills?
In other words, I want to be somewhat effective, but not have to keep spamming skills to do so.
Maybe Mesmer /Ranger and a Monk?