Interrupts are hell of annoying

Zhou Feng

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

CATS

Mo/Me

Is the update thing on interrupts even working? The so called delay after an interrupt is used by an archer? Cause it doesnt seem so, and interrupts are friggin annoying. They charge rather quick and makes it almost impossible to play other spells other then <=1 second spells or abilities. Not only that but its annoying as heck. Is the delay even working? Cause Ive been interrupted three times in a row and I dont see any so called "delay" before the next interrupt.

EDIT Can you even dodge this friggin interrupts at all?

Fyre Brand

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2005

Shadowlight Order [SoR]

Yes you can dodge an interupt and yes, as a ranger, the delay is working more than fine. In fact, the delay works too fine, now you actually have to pay attention and use skill to get off a successfull string of interupts.

There are counters to interupts.

Valerius

Valerius

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canada

R/

i'm an interupting Ranger so much fun picking on those poor spellcasters

but really... their not hard to counter... some counters are Mantra of Resolve... Blinding the Ranger... energy denial... there are many counters

One and Two

One and Two

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Aug 2005

You have to remember, just because there are counters, it doesn't mean that a build is overpowered.

You could counter spirit spam and ether renewal in their heyday, would you not call them overpowered?

To the OP, yes you can dodge. It has been covered...kill the ranger, blind, blackout, glyph/concentrate, mantra, instacast with a certain glyph(name?), ect.

coolsti

coolsti

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2005

Denmark

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zhou Feng
Is the update thing on interrupts even working? The so called delay after an interrupt is used by an archer? Cause it doesnt seem so, and interrupts are friggin annoying. They charge rather quick and makes it almost impossible to play other spells other then <=1 second spells or abilities. Not only that but its annoying as heck. Is the delay even working? Cause Ive been interrupted three times in a row and I dont see any so called "delay" before the next interrupt.

EDIT Can you even dodge this friggin interrupts at all?
I love those interrupts! I am playing ranger now, and that is the most useful and powerful aspect of my game! Its a good thing they function like they do, otherwise I wouldn't be able to interrupt so well, heh heh.

bizarresk

bizarresk

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2005

interupter/poison arrow R is the best :P

coolsti

coolsti

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2005

Denmark

Quote:
Originally Posted by bizarresk
interupter/poison arrow R is the best :P
Off topic, but what the heck: Is it? Since I got the elite skill Barrage, I hardly seem to want to go with anything else. And using Barrage negates any kind of ignite arrows or poison arrows preparation. So I stopped using poison and fire preparations. Since barrage is an elite, I can't also take the poison arrow elite.

When you say interupter/poison arrow R is the best, have you considered Barrage?

( I also always try to find room for throw dirt. I just can't help it. I love running in to where my tanking warriors are engaging a group of melee specialists and blinding them, then running away, heh heh).

cynhounds

cynhounds

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2005

Sweet Hillsides

Dragons Family (DF)

R/Mo

I love interrupts too. My ranger loves them, and now my warrior loves them too (distracting blow! yeehaw). And still, casters manage to get spells off. My ele isn't such a crybaby about being interrupted as so many people seem to be.

And I'm with you Coolsti. I do still use apply poison, but basically shoot around poisoning as many as I can, than barrage.

Judge's Insight will add holy damage, and isn't a prep, so barrage doesn't remove it. I've tried that too.

Sofonisba

Sofonisba

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jun 2005

Tucson, AZ

The Black Hand Gang [BHG] and The Black Helm Gang [BHeG]

Even if there is a warrior, if I have the means, I will always go for slowing down the ranger first. Blind, Faintheartedness, Clumsiness, Empathy, Wither, something, anything!

Zhou Feng

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

CATS

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by cynhounds
I love interrupts too. My ranger loves them, and now my warrior loves them too (distracting blow! yeehaw). And still, casters manage to get spells off. My ele isn't such a crybaby about being interrupted as so many people seem to be.

And I'm with you Coolsti. I do still use apply poison, but basically shoot around poisoning as many as I can, than barrage.

Judge's Insight will add holy damage, and isn't a prep, so barrage doesn't remove it. I've tried that too.
Well I dont seem to have a problem as a healer. We have some inta casts. Mo/Me can use Resolve (though I wont use that, too much energy waste) or Concentration if need be. Prot can really survive interrupts because most of their spells are faster then heal. However when it comes to casters who use 1> sec spells its like a living nightmare. Specially for my N/Mo.

nicky nightmare

nicky nightmare

Academy Page

Join Date: Oct 2005

between a rock and a hard place......

Miendrak'el Myrth (MeM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zhou Feng
its like a living nightmare.
have we met?
lol j/k but considering my ranger used to be an interrupter i can give you some advice on how to avoid it..... as mentioned above certain spells will keep you from being interrupted and you can blind em but there are also stances that give you chnces to avoid projectile attacks you may want to look into those.... only heard of em never used em and i dont know what class theyre for so you might not be able to get em.....

McMullen

McMullen

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

R/W

I like to keep one interrupt skill handy since it fires instantly, even if you just let another arrow fly.

But your archer does stand still like a lemon for a second after firing so the delay works just fine.

Yukito Kunisaki

Yukito Kunisaki

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2005

Chicago, IL

W/N

There's too many things that stop a non-caster from being useful on the battlefields...

Being able to be interrupted is one of 3 little things that stop a caster utterly...

What are the 3?

Energy Denial [which is now nerfed to hell]
Interruption
Spell Breaker {E} [which only a monk primary can get the most benefit from]

Don't even start on how many billion ways there are to stuff a non-caster. Don't even complain.

The fact that Interruption is actually the only feasible method to stop a caster outside a specific Scenario, I'll still say you casters got it good...

McMullen

McMullen

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

R/W

That just made rangers seem so over-powered since they can pack blinds (throw dirt, dust trap), defensive stances (dodge, escape, whirling defence, lightning reflexes, dryder's defenses) and interrupts..

Having said that, it does take skill to use them effectively.

mr_boo

mr_boo

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA US

SoF

Mo/

One thing I know that helps against Ranger interrupts is using the environment. Hide behind pillars or seek lower or higher ground. Make the Ranger have to move to reach you. I don't really play Ele's that often, but in that case, you might want to try faking a spell (ie casting the spell and quickly cancel it by moving)...I'm not sure how effective this would be. Fire Eles just have it pretty bad though I have to say.

ChoKILLate[FDG]

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

[FDG]-Fudge

Mo/Me

1.) you may be facing more than one ranger
2.) you may also be facing a mesmer that has several spell and skill interupts that cant be dodged
3.) you may be running up and casting too soon with the most powerful (ie...longest casting spells). Wait a bit for the battle to engage, use a few small spells, then try a big one. In PvE you are likely to do more AoE because the enemy is now engaged and no longer moving.
4.) In PvP, what the hell are you doing trying to bring any spell longer than 2 sec?!

Shifty Geezer

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

The Luckless Marauders [OOPS]

E/Mo

Cancelling a spell consumes the mana though. Starting a fireball and dodging just blew you 10 manapoints for nothing, and fire's the cheapest element to use.

Pevil Lihatuh

Pevil Lihatuh

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2005

Yorkshire, UK

R/Me

I was playing PvE with my ranger today, and it occurred to me suddenly what 99.9% of the ranger-interupt-haters are probably coming up against.

Choking gas.

Because when I play any of my other interupts, I have to watch a good 2 spells get cast between interupts, unless I bring nothing else on my skill bar except for distracting shot/punishing shot etc. If people are moaning about skill interupts, then they're against dist/punish. Those complaining of skills more than likely has choking gas targeted at them. Or someone next to them does.

mr_boo

mr_boo

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA US

SoF

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shifty Geezer
Cancelling a spell consumes the mana though. Starting a fireball and dodging just blew you 10 manapoints for nothing, and fire's the cheapest element to use.
Hmm good point...like I said, I don't typically play Eles, and so I don't typically get nailed with Ranger interrupts as often as they do.

Zhou Feng

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

CATS

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yukito Kunisaki
There's too many things that stop a non-caster from being useful on the battlefields...

Being able to be interrupted is one of 3 little things that stop a caster utterly...

What are the 3?

Energy Denial [which is now nerfed to hell]
Interruption
Spell Breaker {E} [which only a monk primary can get the most benefit from]

Don't even start on how many billion ways there are to stuff a non-caster. Don't even complain.

The fact that Interruption is actually the only feasible method to stop a caster outside a specific Scenario, I'll still say you casters got it good...
Hmm e denial still works just needs more dedicated skills now, unlike before though IT WILL never be as good as it was *sniff* good bye "overpowered e drain"

Zhou Feng

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

CATS

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by McMullen
I like to keep one interrupt skill handy since it fires instantly, even if you just let another arrow fly.

But your archer does stand still like a lemon for a second after firing so the delay works just fine.
what exactly does the delay do anyway?

Jczech

Jczech

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

Mo/

Glyph of concentration is your best friend if you're getting interrupted. You could be dazed, with Migraine and Arcane Conundrum on you, with half a dozen rangers spamming interrupts at your rediculously long cast spell, and it's still going to go off.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yukito Kunisaki
Being able to be interrupted is one of 3 little things that stop a caster utterly...

What are the 3?

Energy Denial [which is now nerfed to hell]
Interruption
Spell Breaker {E} [which only a monk primary can get the most benefit from]
Obsidian Flesh works too. Death also stops a caster completely and utterly , so maybe it should be 4 (or 5 if Obsidian Flesh isn't the same as Spell Breaker)?

ChoKILLate[FDG]

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

[FDG]-Fudge

Mo/Me

A mesmer is probably the best interruptor. Distance does not matter, type of bow/fire rate is not an issue. I use Backfire and Power Block to mess with casters. Backfire deal 140 full damage to any caster everytime they cast! This is great on fast casters like other mesmers, necros, or monks. For the slower single attribute dedicated caster like the ele or monk, I use Power Block. This keeps the caster from from using any spells in the attribute I just blocked for 14-15 seconds! There are a few other interrupt spells I take depending on where I am.

Pandora's box

Pandora's box

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2005

Netherlands

Mo/W

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fyre Brand
In fact, the delay works too fine, now you actually have to pay attention and use skill to get off a successfull string of interupts.
He means: you simply need to be FAST!

To the OP: I agree with you that skills with casting cost >1 are becomming pretty useless. I wonder if this was meant to be. If not, some more balancing might happen in future. So enjoy the interrupts now!

mr_boo

mr_boo

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA US

SoF

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pandora's box
He means: you simply need to be FAST!

To the OP: I agree with you that skills with casting cost >1 are becomming pretty useless. I wonder if this was meant to be. If not, some more balancing might happen in future. So enjoy the interrupts now!
I sincerly hope that they don't balance the game in such a way that interrupts (both Mesmer and Ranger) become weakened...granted the last update, they added that delay to the Ranger interrupts and nerfed the Mesmer's Energy Denial...so if they go further it seems to me you may be weakening Rangers and Mesmers too much and limiting the scope of there abilities.

Fyre Brand

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2005

Shadowlight Order [SoR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pandora's box
He means: you simply need to be FAST!

To the OP: I agree with you that skills with casting cost >1 are becomming pretty useless. I wonder if this was meant to be. If not, some more balancing might happen in future. So enjoy the interrupts now!
Well you do have to be fast, but that's not really what I meant.

Previously you could fire off concusion, distracting, and savage really fast. Now there is a delay before you will even fire another arrow or use an attack skill. You only normally notice the delay when attacking normally if you are using rapid fire skills (like Tiger's Fury for example). I can't remember the delay exactly but I think it is 2 seconds or near there. So even if you are firing faster than that, and you use distracting shot, then there is a 2 second delay before you will be able to fire or use another interupt. Before this last update there was no delay.

In addition to the standard skills that prevent interupts another skill strategy is to sacrifice a spell and draw the interupt, then cast the spell you want to get off. Of course this isn't effective against multiple rangers or mesmers, but in the case of just one hounding you it can make them waste their interupt. With the delay, timing the interupts for the ranger requires some pretty good focus and timing reflex. Mesmer is clearly the interupt king at the moment. They are faster, not to mention the damage or energy denial they cost is much nastier than the ranger.

Mhydrian

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2005

R/Me

Well right after they nerf the living hell out of the entire mesmer class then. Because annoying is being permantly snared by hexes, or backfired, or fragged. This game is already caster heavy, god lets destroy the one class that is supposed to counter casters.

coolsti

coolsti

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2005

Denmark

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChoKILLate[FDG]
A mesmer is probably the best interruptor. Distance does not matter, type of bow/fire rate is not an issue. I use Backfire and Power Block to mess with casters. Backfire deal 140 full damage to any caster everytime they cast! This is great on fast casters like other mesmers, necros, or monks. For the slower single attribute dedicated caster like the ele or monk, I use Power Block. This keeps the caster from from using any spells in the attribute I just blocked for 14-15 seconds! There are a few other interrupt spells I take depending on where I am.
Hmmm. Regarding backfire, if I remember correctly, it works and deals damage only to the first spell that the one who is hexed casts, then backfire ends. So it is incorrect to say "every time the caster casts", it is only the first time (please correct me if I am wrong!).

Besides, backfire is not an interruptor. It won't stop the spell from being cast, it just punished the caster with damage. Backfire is also too slow to cast. So I haven't used backfire with my mesmer for quite some time now. I usually use cry of frustration and power leak which cast far more quickly and do stop the skill (cry) or spell (power leak) that is being cast.

I play ranger and mesmer quite a bit now, I love both classes, and I really don't know which can be considered the better interruptor. Cry and power leak are quick, but then they have a long recharge time; savage shot is also quick and distracting shot is not too slow either, but both recharge fairly quickly and cost not much energy to use (my experise is usually set to 12).

I love those interrupts! And I love interrupting warriors as well when I play mesmer: clumsiness and ineptitude are two of my current favorites.

Xanthar

Xanthar

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

Earls Cendr??e [TEA]

This is a mite off topic, so please excuse my transgression eh?

Coolsti, backfire will remain for its full duration regardless of how many spells the target casts, and will punish the caster for any completed casts of spells during that duration. This means that interrupting a backfired player is kinda counterproductive... But on the other hand, a good player will only cast if it is strictly neccessary while under backfire, it being a powerful disincentive to cast.

That backfire behaves like this means it has one of three effects:
1. A bad player will continue spamming, oblivious to the massive health loss of each spell. Many will commit suicide this way.

2. A better player might cease casting altogether, meaning a virtually complete shutdown. Yay!

3. A good player will carefully watch the situation, and gauge the risk of casting through backfire as opposed to the loss of not casting.

It is only a player of type 3 that it can be productive to interrupt even while he/she is hexed with backfire - Every cast is likely to be of great import, either an attack of opportunity (meant to kill a teammate of yours) or a defense (meant to save a teammate of your opponent).

Blah. Already to verbose. Suffice to say, that interrupting (and spending time babysitting) a backfired player is more often than not a waste of time

coolsti

coolsti

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2005

Denmark

Still off topic (please excuse, OP):

Wow, all this time I been playing Mesmer I never realized that about backfire! Guess I got to read the fine print. Anyway, that means Backfire would be an excellant choice against Monk bosses in the Ring of Fire missions! The problem here is that the Monk spells cast too quickly to be able to consistently disrupt them with ranger shots or mesmer disrupting spells. Cool!

Cunning

Cunning

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2005

Vabbi, Elona

Ex Talionis [Law]

Me/

A smart player would say "I have Backfire on me!" Then it's removed.

As a Mesmer I almost feel overpowerd when versing most casters, especially Elementalists and Necros. I always carry 4 or 5 spells that can interrupt a caster, 1 interrupt deals a small amount of damage, 1 deals a lot of damage, 1 removes a lot of energy, and one gives me a fair amount of energy.

I use backfire as a backup; incase I happen to miss an interrupt, or if my interrupts are recharging.

The only interrupt I use that's easy to avoid is shame/guilt (depending which one I carry), all you have to do is not cast a healing (shame) or attacking (guilt) spell. A lot of monks tend to carry mantras that make my interrupts almost useless, but backfire is still there as a backup.

I'll never forget the day in 4vs4 arenas when everyone but me and the enemy elementalist were remaining. We just stood there for a couple of seconds contemplating the situation, ie - He had no chance of winning, period. He could have easily killed me with his staff if he never tried to cast though.

ChoKILLate[FDG]

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

[FDG]-Fudge

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by coolsti
Still off topic (please excuse, OP):

Wow, all this time I been playing Mesmer I never realized that about backfire! Guess I got to read the fine print. Anyway, that means Backfire would be an excellant choice against Monk bosses in the Ring of Fire missions! The problem here is that the Monk spells cast too quickly to be able to consistently disrupt them with ranger shots or mesmer disrupting spells. Cool!

Yup on the monk bosses there and the desert mission with the monk boss and priest I use backfire and power block. Power block keeps the boss from using any healing spells on the priest for 14 sec, then backfire damages the priest whenever he tries to heal himself...over and done in under 20sec!

As a ranger, I find I want to really get close to the enemy so that I can cancel them faster, as a mesmer, I can keep my distance and fire off backfire right away. After backfire I typically spam Wastrel's worry. If they uses a spell, backfire gets them. If they don't Wastrel's worry nails them.

Valerius

Valerius

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canada

R/

Quote:
Mesmer is clearly the interupt king at the moment. They are faster, not to mention the damage or energy denial they cost is much nastier than the ranger.
while that may be true... Rangers can interupt skills and spells... mesmers can only interupt spells

this makes Rangers more valuable when it comes to arenas... interupting Rez Sigs and other skills really comes in handy

mr_boo

mr_boo

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA US

SoF

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Valerius
while that may be true... Rangers can interupt skills and spells... mesmers can only interupt spells

this makes Rangers more valuable when it comes to arenas... interupting Rez Sigs and other skills really comes in handy
Also, Ranger interrupts re-charge a lot faster as well.

tigernz

tigernz

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

Alberta, Canada

Servants of Fortuna

N/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Valerius
while that may be true... Rangers can interupt skills and spells... mesmers can only interupt spells

this makes Rangers more valuable when it comes to arenas... interupting Rez Sigs and other skills really comes in handy
Slight correction:

Leech sig and Cry of Frustration both interrupt skills, though you are limited by either a 45 sec recharge or a 15 energy cost & 20 sec recharge.

Interrupt rangers are still the biggest pain in the butt in the game though

ChoKILLate[FDG]

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

[FDG]-Fudge

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Valerius
while that may be true... Rangers can interupt skills and spells... mesmers can only interupt spells

this makes Rangers more valuable when it comes to arenas... interupting Rez Sigs and other skills really comes in handy
So not true...Cry of Frustration not only interupts the skill of the person you target, but all foes in the area, and they suffere damage. Combine this with Echo for 2 uses. There is also a signet that interupts skills and when used with a mantra, it instantly recharges.

For the enemy rangers and warrior, that use mostly skills we have a host of other spells like blinding them, or they loose health/energy when ever they attack, one that keeps them from gaining adrenaline...etc.

When in arena, the team should decide who needs to focus on who before a match so that each person knows what skills to bring with them.

Fyre Brand

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2005

Shadowlight Order [SoR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Valerius
while that may be true... Rangers can interupt skills and spells... mesmers can only interupt spells

this makes Rangers more valuable when it comes to arenas... interupting Rez Sigs and other skills really comes in handy
Haha, as I look at your professions. Thats my favorite combo for my ranger. They just work so damn good together.

Oren The Destroyer

Oren The Destroyer

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2005

i may be sounding like a big ol baby, but IMO, casting is nerfed. we should all delete our casters for pvp and just have a smelly warrior-thon
nerfed nerfed nerfed nerfed nerfed

Valerius

Valerius

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canada

R/

yeah... i take Mesmer secondary for Arcane Conundrum... if their foolish enough to cast... i can land a Concussion Shot... this is for Arena's tho... doesn't work if their are two monks cause the other one can just remove hex or condition so...

coolsti

coolsti

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2005

Denmark

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChoKILLate[FDG]
For the enemy rangers and warrior, that use mostly skills we have a host of other spells like blinding them, or they loose health/energy when ever they attack, one that keeps them from gaining adrenaline...etc.
I went out with only henchies last night to the Hells Precipice mission with my Mesmer, to see how my various elite skills perform. I tried Panic, Energy surge (with arcane echo), crippling anguish, and ineptitude. And although each of these elites were great against the warrior types, I found that I generally faired much better with ineptitude. This is despite the fact that ineptitude only affects one foe at a time (causing damage and blinding). On the other hand, Energy surge, for example, causes damage to all surrounding creatures.

I don't know why this is the case; perhaps the combination of the fact that with henchies, all are targetting the same foe that I am targetting, and with ineptitude, this foe is then blinded and therefore helpless. So although ineptitude only affects one attacking foe at a time, I normally take this as my elite nowadays.

Anyway, the point is, when you consider "skill interruption" abilities of a mesmer, and if you consider the usual target of interrupting a skill (as opposed to a spell) to be a ranger or warrior foe, then the mesmer has more than just leech signet and cry of frustration. In effect, things like ineptitude and clumsiness are also extremely effective (although they don't actually stop a skill from occurring).