Improving AoE to prevent running AI

ump

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2005

First of all, I want to thanks ArenaNet for realizing that the update on the 10th was not working correctly and quickly fixing it on the 11th. I'm still baffled how an enemy group of snow ettins decided not to continue to chase me when I was about to die with every party member except Thom already dead, but that's a different issue.

Now I'm not sure how they fixed it, whether the AI wait a few seconds and then run, but I have a suggestion for them to test out to improve AoE effects. Why not have all AoE spells affect all creatures, not just enemies? That way, if a tank wants to group all the monsters together so that someone can hit any AoE effect, then the tank would also be affected. If a Fire Storm is hurling at a group, make even allies affected by the Fire Storm. That way, the tank would need to be buffed in order to withstand the blast, or else, they will die quickly and the enemies will retarget. If the tank runs away, then enemies can retarget. This way, the running away can be eliminated altogether. Also, AoE effects and tanks are not useless like they were in the 10th patch.

Mordakai

Mordakai

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Kyhlo

W/

No way.

AoE would be totally useless in Groups if this was implemented.

Also, doing this would not solve the inherent problem: Will monsters run from AoE spells or not?

I often cast Fire Storm on nearby creatures, would that mean I would get hit with my own spell?

Would an enemy casting Fire Storm with his own group in the AoE cause them to run away from themselves?

ump

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2005

Quote:
AoE would be totally useless in Groups if this was implemented.
Care to explain why? The way I see it, it wouldn't be useless, just conditional. Sure you wouldn't be able to echo spam nuke everything in sight without putting the tank in danger. Also, it would make a "Protection of Fire" spell useful.
Quote:
Also, doing this would not solve the inherent problem: Will monsters run from AoE spells or not?

I often cast Fire Storm on nearby creatures, would that mean I would get hit with my own spell?

Would an enemy casting Fire Storm with his own group in the AoE cause them to run away from themselves?
No, I suggest they would not run away anymore. If you are casting close to you, yes, you would also be affected.

melbo

melbo

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2005

New York

E/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by ump
Care to explain why? The way I see it, it wouldn't be useless, just conditional. Sure you wouldn't be able to echo spam nuke everything in sight without putting the tank in danger. Also, it would make a "Protection of Fire" spell useful.

No, I suggest they would not run away anymore. If you are casting close to you, yes, you would also be affected.
...Let's say I cast firestorm on enemies surrounding my tank. The tank would run out since they're being damaged (or whoever else the enemies are focusing on). Then the enemies would chase them, and go out of range of the AoE, or aggro on another member of the group and ignore the tank.

You're faced with the same problems that you have with this update, but with a LOT more angry teammates that you accidently killed/weakened.