I used to run Minions + heal/prot monks, then moved to Sabway, then to Spiritway, all with regular tweaking. I've been chewing away at my warrior's heroes for the last week (didn't know the update was coming) whilst capping my last 200 elite skills in HM -- making lots of visits to the same areas helps with comparisons. Since the 7 hero change I've tried a whole bunch of stuff and ended up with a combination that I think basically works but could perhaps be bettered. In particular, with the phsyical buffs I've got I wonder whether I could use a second frontliner (e.g. a Dervish) to make the most of them.
This is where I'm at, the first group that didn't make me think "XYZ is not working":
Self: Adrenal Dragon Slasher OQASEZKTLOnima7gGWXF8Vie
Been running this forever, I tried other stuff and kept coming back to it. I like the quick starting adrenaline chain that keeps on giving, the knockdown to interrupt that meteor storm, and the aggro-attraction plus squishy-protection from SY. The only other bar I run willingly is Enduring Axe when I need Wild Blow for Shiro. But with all the damage buffs I've got now I'm wondering whether I should use more AoE to spread them around.
1. SoS/Resto with Splinter Weapon OACjEyiM5MlzrJGra6NZmSzJHA
Carried over from Spiritway, as I always loved the bar compression. All the Channeling and Resto spells from my "must have" list just fit. It lacks pressure healing. It's a little awkward in that I want the spirits at the front and I want the healer at the back.
2. Minion Bomber with Aegis: OANFQTxW2xnkcQVAawWIegiQABaE
I like Dark Bond because it removed the "Whispers does most of the dying thanks to his superior rune and 3 second spells" problem I used to get. The usual bomber prots are elsewhere, but it gives me a second copy of Aegis -- with enchanting and HSR mods that's usually up. Since he's /Mo, a hard res.
3. SoGM DPS/Debuffer: OAOj0MgMJPO7vZ0ezd2ycOT0I
Standard stuff. I especially like Disenchantment for it's obliteration of strong prots (Vow of Silence, Mark of Protection), and Dissonance for shutting down the nuker I cared about enough to call first. The damage is nice too.
When it's hard enough to need due care, I flag those three as a front line and pull enemies into their range, then switch to melee. The remaining four go behind them:
4. ER Orders: OgRDQcOML1Ct8GD9kYIdSrA
Straight off wiki. All heroes have spears. Blood Ritual helps the mesmer and smiter, whose energy management works on average but is not what you'd call "smooth", and it's nice in an emergency. I don't trust ER on a protter because the AI sometimes just won't cast ER, but I can live with a reduction in kill speed if Orders shuts down for a tea break.
5. Panic shutdown/punish: OQNDApwTO0AXwNVDM6W+EB0I
This is my broad anti-caster mitigation. I think PI would be a better elite if the AI spammed it, but it doesn't so I have Panic. Energy management is touch and go depending on what Guilt/Drain hit.
6. SoLS/WoH Heal & Prot: OANDYZzfOVVNiHxoN9DI1j7K
I went for monk rather than rit so I can have Aegis and hex removal (the SoS has MBAS for conditions). Also the heals are stronger. Dwayna's Sorrow on the minions helps with pressure healing.
7: Smite and Curse Swing Voter: OANDYYzuOV15BExlQ9zDlBLB (varies a lot)
This started because I wanted Strength of Honor and I wanted Mark of Pain. Primary monks seem to lack the energy to be good smiters so I went necro. He ended up as a Swiss Army Knife, this is where I do most of my tweaking to suit the area. SoH is disabled and microed on me. The elite can change to: Signet of Judgement vs Undead (not Ray since it's scattering AoE), Empathic Removal for heavy condition + hex areas (e.g. the plants in Chokin), Reaper's Mark to power hefty non-elites. Non-elites can be Smite Condition/Hex, Scourge Healing, Spear of Light, Castigation Signet, Rigor Mortis, Rend Enchantments, Enfeebling Blood, Reckless Haste...
When there weren't enough corpses I dropped the MM, changed the SoGM Rit to ST protter (which needs Spawning power), and ran the SoGM build on a ranger with 11 expertise + 6 channeling + Spirit Siphon in place of Boon of Creation. It worked well in Ashashdim.
So, overall... I've got Orders and Smites and Curses to boost my warrior, prots and panic and minions/spirits for mitigation, extra damage from spirits and the mesmer and spears hitting Barbs/MoP. It covers enough bases to handle any mob I normally meet (it's not meant for Varesh/Shiro/Rotscale). I've got 3 hard res, which I like for missions with no shrines. I've got 4 direct heals split over 2 characters, which is lovely when you catch an un-protted spike.
It seems very solid, only one mob gave me a hard time (wiped despite being careful) and I think that was meant to be fought in Junundu worms. It is perhaps too solid -- maybe I could get more damage. I didn't miss SY when it was replaced with Signet of Capture, whereas I leaned on it pretty hard in the H/H days.
I think this setup is working in that it's doing what it set out to do: supports a player warrior as lone frontliner against a wide variety of opposition. However, I'm wondering whether I should be setting out to do something else, and looking at Dervish/Paragon heroes. Alas I have no clue about either profession. So I'd be grateful for informed opinions.
Any comments about the specifics, rather the than the overall shape of the team, would be welcome too.
WTB feedback on my Warrior's heroes
Morte66
loopysnoopy
Two great options for Orders one is Dwayna orders spammer or use a Nec Blood washer/orders
http://www.gwpvx.com/Special:PvXDecode?title=Special%3APvXDecode&wpBuil d=OgSlwqpo6tOE68eNEQV279d%2BSf5%2B&wpName=Dervish+ Orders&Go=Submit+Query
Sup in Mysticism Minor in the rest
http://www.gwpvx.com/Special:PvXDecode?title=Special%3APvXDecode&wpBuil d=OAlkYgEsZdmzP2QAVHaV1BRGGHD&wpName=Meh+a+flesh+w ound&Go=Submit+Query
Minor in Soul Sup in Blood
But that's just what I tend to favour as er orders is a tad iffy other wise I like the setup will post more of a reaction when I get on Guild wars and test them.
http://www.gwpvx.com/Special:PvXDecode?title=Special%3APvXDecode&wpBuil d=OgSlwqpo6tOE68eNEQV279d%2BSf5%2B&wpName=Dervish+ Orders&Go=Submit+Query
Sup in Mysticism Minor in the rest
http://www.gwpvx.com/Special:PvXDecode?title=Special%3APvXDecode&wpBuil d=OAlkYgEsZdmzP2QAVHaV1BRGGHD&wpName=Meh+a+flesh+w ound&Go=Submit+Query
Minor in Soul Sup in Blood
But that's just what I tend to favour as er orders is a tad iffy other wise I like the setup will post more of a reaction when I get on Guild wars and test them.
Hells Fury
1. I would drop painfull bond heroes aren't good with it. Instead put Kaolai.
3. You could run him BUT he will often run out of energy (even with ER casting br). Also w/o spirit summon he can't drag them and creating them in every battle is slow. You could speed up things with Soul Twisting but i'd rather use something else.
4. Drop grasping earth , put ward against foes, ER can afford it
6. No, go N/rt heal. You can put prot spirit on mm.
7. Drop SS. It just isn't worth it. Energy,dmg, recharge and the speed at which things die make SS look like crap. Instead take Icy Veins. Drop balthazars aura for Judges Insight. It's good as cover enchant, armor penetration and vs undeads. (dunno of you noticed but attribs are messed in last one , 12 healing prayers)
3. You could run him BUT he will often run out of energy (even with ER casting br). Also w/o spirit summon he can't drag them and creating them in every battle is slow. You could speed up things with Soul Twisting but i'd rather use something else.
4. Drop grasping earth , put ward against foes, ER can afford it
6. No, go N/rt heal. You can put prot spirit on mm.
7. Drop SS. It just isn't worth it. Energy,dmg, recharge and the speed at which things die make SS look like crap. Instead take Icy Veins. Drop balthazars aura for Judges Insight. It's good as cover enchant, armor penetration and vs undeads. (dunno of you noticed but attribs are messed in last one , 12 healing prayers)
Daesu
Looks like a decent build, but it has more heals than needed. I also don't like your panic bar. Here is what I use for my warrior (player bar shown below ):
I am still experimenting and trying to optimize it. Ignore the Asuran Scan on the player bar, I have not updated my player bar template yet.
):I am still experimenting and trying to optimize it. Ignore the Asuran Scan on the player bar, I have not updated my player bar template yet.
loopysnoopy
Hello again
Did a test of all your builds the results was a bit surprising.
Test area: ToA
Killed 100 foes this included WiK enemies with your original build went okay but seemed a bit hit and miss in certain areas ie hex and energy.
So I reconfigured some not all to a build which was more energy friendly and less clunky.
Test area: ToA
Killed 100 foes this included WiK enemies with the new improved bars went a lot better not as clunky. Still room for improvement.
Add SoH on the dervish too
Oh and i only have one res due to the fact its PVE (HM) or should we call it easy mode now with the 7 h thing
Did a test of all your builds the results was a bit surprising.
Test area: ToA
Killed 100 foes this included WiK enemies with your original build went okay but seemed a bit hit and miss in certain areas ie hex and energy.
So I reconfigured some not all to a build which was more energy friendly and less clunky.
Test area: ToA
Killed 100 foes this included WiK enemies with the new improved bars went a lot better not as clunky. Still room for improvement.
Add SoH on the dervish too
Oh and i only have one res due to the fact its PVE (HM) or should we call it easy mode now with the 7 h thing
Morte66
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hell Darkblight
Quote: 3. You could run him BUT he will often run out of energy (even with ER casting br). Also w/o spirit summon he can't drag them and creating them in every battle is slow. You could speed up things with Soul Twisting but i'd rather use something else. His energy management is Ok (he can regenerate enough in the time it takes the skills to recharge). The problem is having enough energy to cast the bar in the first place. It works with Boon of Creation up and the +15e staff (insightful staff head) that I used to use or the +5e spear and +12e focus I use now.
Quote: 4. Drop grasping earth , put ward against foes, ER can afford it Sounds good, should have thought of it myself...
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For MoP, you can disable it and micro for better targeting. But if you are extremely lazy, you can wait for the AI to cast it well by chance. |
6. No, go N/rt heal.
Why? I use /Mo for Aegis (2 copies means it's mostly up), Dwayna's Sorrow (passive healing), and to get more healing in less time than MBaS + SL. N/Rt offers defensive weapon spells (that never wowed me), more condition removal, and better passive healing. Having compared the two, I've preferred /Mo in actual use. But maybe there's some hidden factor I'm not thinking of. Why do you prefer the Rit? Quote:
Spiritual Pain. The damage is ok, given the short recharge, and in situations where hostile minions/spirits are present it can be useful. Having said that, it is not crucial to the bar so feel free to swap that with your favorite skill if you prefer.
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For Shadow of Fear, I agree with you and I dont really like it on that bar. I will probably remove it, move all the curses skills from the Orders necro to the MM and add OOP and Foul Feast to the orders necro.
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His anthems synergize with the spirits as well as with my warrior's skills and his paragon's skills. Also Fallback is nice when vanquishing, and also healing party members and minions when running around.
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I'm deeply suspicious of ER protters because mine sometimes won't cast ER, so he drops to zero energy and I'm screwed. But maybe it's a peculiarity of my bar, I'll try yours out.
I agree that the AI doesn't always cast ER upon recharge, but I notice that whenever his energy gets low without ER on, he usually casts ER when he can. Make sure to set him to passive and flag him behind so he wouldn't be targeted.
When this is all settled, I imagine I'll map 3 or 4 hotkeys for "have hero 5 use skill 4 on the party target" and whatnot and always load the same heros/skills into the relevant slots. I might disable Rigor Mortis and Mark of Pain which have fairly long recharges so they only get cast when I choose.
[Speaking of MoP, I've been having a go at the 100b/MoP bomb thing. I think 100b is decidedly mediocre without MoP, and to become the elite of choice it needs MoP recharged by AP to fire often enough. But I can't see a hero running AP, unless I disable/hotkey that too. Plus the flagging/pre-protting required to ball up foes, without some hero/minion bridging aggro and un-balling them, is so painstaking that it's often quicker to just attack and get less AoE.] Quote:
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