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[WAR] - Ranged DPS: You can run, you'll just die tired.
Shadowfire
Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
ITT we discuss ranged DPS, and how we bring the rape. Inside the spoilers is the information direct from the WAR website.
Order
Dwarf Engineer
"Alright lad, now just pull here, twist, ratchet it down like so – don't forget to keep counting here, because you've got to get to the last bit before you get to five – and then throw it."
– Grom Goldcrank, Journeyman Engineer
From the site:"Alright lad, now just pull here, twist, ratchet it down like so – don't forget to keep counting here, because you've got to get to the last bit before you get to five – and then throw it."
– Grom Goldcrank, Journeyman Engineer
An explosion is the ultimate form of mechanical advantage, so it's no big surprise that the skills of the Dwarf Engineer extend well along these lines. From guns to grenades, he is a deadly ranged combatant who will pelt you with lead from afar and blast you to bits as you close in. He excels when fighting multiple opponents, as many of his explosive attacks are capable of devastating enemies who pack too closely together. The Engineer offers an outstanding blend of flexible firepower which makes him a truly deadly and clever combatant.
Engineer Specialty
The only thing more deadly than a simple bomb is a complicated one, or at least that's the way an Engineer sees things. Using nothing more than the odds and ends they have at hand, Engineers can create a broad variety of useful objects with various purposes and functions. Some of them are even safe enough to give to others. From grenades of various types to mechanical weapon upgrades, the engineer and his allies can use these devices to significantly enhance or supplement their own combat power.
Playing as an Engineer
As an Engineer, the heart of your job is to rain destruction on the heads of your enemies. Like other ranged combatants, you prefer to avoid the frontline. However, unlike most other ranged classes, you reach the peak of your power at a relatively short range. You must maneuver wisely, positioning yourself so that you can strike at your target without exposing yourself to their attacks. You are a capable melee fighter, and you can strike at extended range, but your best attacks – grenades, blunderbusses, artillery bombardment, and more – require a closer position.
Fighting the Engineer
Perhaps the best way to deal with an Engineer is to fight him from afar. If you can effectively out damage him at long range he will be at a serious disadvantage. If you must get in close, be prepared to kill him quickly. Unlike most other ranged attackers, the Engineer loses little in terms of effectiveness in close quarters. He is certainly more vulnerable than a career designed to engage in melee, but this vulnerability does not make him easy meat.
Engineer Look
* Encased in light weight armor (loaded for bear with tools and widgets)
* Armed to the teeth with guns and grenades (and assorted other gadgets)
* Wields spanners and engineering hammers in melee
Career Mastery
The Dwarfs first discovered the secrets of black powder, and no one can rival them when it comes to putting it to good use. Armed with guns, grenades, and gadgets, the Engineers often prepare traps and ambushes throughout the battlefield before the fight begins, and then quickly dispatch any surviving enemies from a safe distance.
Crossbows were good and fine, but nowadays, a gun is better - and if a gun is good, then an automated self-aiming gyro-mounted gun turret with a cyclic grenade feeder and napalm cannister is even better yet! An Engineer has gadgets and gizmos to suit any situation, and is virtually an entire battle line on his own.
Engineer Career Masteries
Path Of The Rifleman
This path focuses on long-range attacks, and taking your time with carefully aimed precision shots. A master of this path prefers to stand back away from the hectic front lines of battle, and dispatch his enemies quickly and cleanly from behind defensive cover.
Path Of The Grenadier
This mastery is primarily focused on grenades and bombs, powerful explosives which may be quickly tossed into the middle of a fray to wreak havoc on enemies. While their effective range may be shorter than a gun's - after all, Dwarf arms aren't exactly build to throw for distance - grenades make up for this through sheer stopping power and swift arming times.
Path Of The Tinkerer
A specialist in this path is concerned mainly with his deployable contructs, preferring to fight from near the safety of his turrets while he lays out his foes with swings of his heavy steel wrench. Master tinkerers have also been known to use additional deployable devices above and beyond turrets as well, and many are the Engineers who've been banned for life from a blacksmith's forge after trying to test and improve the heat thresholds of land mines.
Engineer Specialty
The only thing more deadly than a simple bomb is a complicated one, or at least that's the way an Engineer sees things. Using nothing more than the odds and ends they have at hand, Engineers can create a broad variety of useful objects with various purposes and functions. Some of them are even safe enough to give to others. From grenades of various types to mechanical weapon upgrades, the engineer and his allies can use these devices to significantly enhance or supplement their own combat power.
Playing as an Engineer
As an Engineer, the heart of your job is to rain destruction on the heads of your enemies. Like other ranged combatants, you prefer to avoid the frontline. However, unlike most other ranged classes, you reach the peak of your power at a relatively short range. You must maneuver wisely, positioning yourself so that you can strike at your target without exposing yourself to their attacks. You are a capable melee fighter, and you can strike at extended range, but your best attacks – grenades, blunderbusses, artillery bombardment, and more – require a closer position.
Fighting the Engineer
Perhaps the best way to deal with an Engineer is to fight him from afar. If you can effectively out damage him at long range he will be at a serious disadvantage. If you must get in close, be prepared to kill him quickly. Unlike most other ranged attackers, the Engineer loses little in terms of effectiveness in close quarters. He is certainly more vulnerable than a career designed to engage in melee, but this vulnerability does not make him easy meat.
Engineer Look
* Encased in light weight armor (loaded for bear with tools and widgets)
* Armed to the teeth with guns and grenades (and assorted other gadgets)
* Wields spanners and engineering hammers in melee
Career Mastery
The Dwarfs first discovered the secrets of black powder, and no one can rival them when it comes to putting it to good use. Armed with guns, grenades, and gadgets, the Engineers often prepare traps and ambushes throughout the battlefield before the fight begins, and then quickly dispatch any surviving enemies from a safe distance.
Crossbows were good and fine, but nowadays, a gun is better - and if a gun is good, then an automated self-aiming gyro-mounted gun turret with a cyclic grenade feeder and napalm cannister is even better yet! An Engineer has gadgets and gizmos to suit any situation, and is virtually an entire battle line on his own.
Engineer Career Masteries
Path Of The Rifleman
This path focuses on long-range attacks, and taking your time with carefully aimed precision shots. A master of this path prefers to stand back away from the hectic front lines of battle, and dispatch his enemies quickly and cleanly from behind defensive cover.
Path Of The Grenadier
This mastery is primarily focused on grenades and bombs, powerful explosives which may be quickly tossed into the middle of a fray to wreak havoc on enemies. While their effective range may be shorter than a gun's - after all, Dwarf arms aren't exactly build to throw for distance - grenades make up for this through sheer stopping power and swift arming times.
Path Of The Tinkerer
A specialist in this path is concerned mainly with his deployable contructs, preferring to fight from near the safety of his turrets while he lays out his foes with swings of his heavy steel wrench. Master tinkerers have also been known to use additional deployable devices above and beyond turrets as well, and many are the Engineers who've been banned for life from a blacksmith's forge after trying to test and improve the heat thresholds of land mines.
Order Bright Wizard
"There is a fire within you! Deep in your mind there is a glowing ember which we will fan to life, and build into a blazing beacon. YOU will be the Empire’s greatest weapon! A Pyromancer! Your fire will incinerate the enemy, and purge the unclean! Do not! Be late! For class!"
- Cindik Antum, Professor of Incendiary Alchemy
From the site:
"There is a fire within you! Deep in your mind there is a glowing ember which we will fan to life, and build into a blazing beacon. YOU will be the Empire’s greatest weapon! A Pyromancer! Your fire will incinerate the enemy, and purge the unclean! Do not! Be late! For class!"
- Cindik Antum, Professor of Incendiary Alchemy
The Bright Wizard is a master of destruction by magic, and a specialist in fire. Fire is at the heart of his every ability, and indeed at the heart of the Wizard himself. Using the power of the wind of fire, he can lay waste to swaths of enemies, or incinerate select foes with white hot energy. His magic feeds upon itself, upon the enemy, and upon the Wizard. Embracing the fires within his mind, the Bright Wizard himself is engulfed in flame. He directs this inferno against his foes, filling them with searing power until they burst, incinerated by arcane flames so hot they threaten to ignite the air itself.
Bright Wizard Specialty
There are secrets which only the Bright Wizards know... The Seven Keys, arcane talismans and techniques too reckless and destructive for the minds of humanity’s Elven tutors, are mastered by every Bright Wizard and afford him considerable power. Each key lends the Bright Wizard’s magic a unique aspect, and all of them expand his power. With his mastery of the magic of fire, and the power of the Keys, his spells burn his foes, and then burn their own magic, combining to create a deadly conflagration.
Playing as a Bright Wizard
As a Bright Wizard you will destroy the enemy with arcane fire, but you must do so with cunning intellect, or risk finding your own end despite your power. Your defenses are minimal, and you are nothing if not obvious. For you, the best defense is your own mighty offense and that can be a very powerful deterrent. Quick decisive action is pivotal to your fighting. You must unleash your spells on the enemy forthwith so that they have the greatest possible opportunity to burn. Then you must take advantage of the opportunities this presents, using other powers to detonate your burning victims. If you are incautious, you may be slain before your enemy is defeated, only for him to fall to your lingering magic, but with skill and quick thinking victory will be yours.
Fighting the Bright Wizard
The only real solution to a Bright Wizard's deadly power is his death, and even this may not save you if he has had time to do his work. His magic lingers and burns, so you must be prepared to withstand not only his powerful direct assault, but the aftereffects of your battle. Resistance to his spells is key in limiting his ability to destroy you outright, but offensive power is equally important for putting him to a quick end. Ultimately, against a Bright Wizard it will be a race to see who can kill who first. However, it is a race for which he is well equipped, and his tools make him more and more potent the longer that race goes on. The Bright Wizard Look
* Effectively unarmored, wearing elaborate and often enchanted robes and regalia.
* Uses a wizard’s staff as a medium for spell casting and for melee in a pinch.
* Shrouded with flames which grow over him and sprout from his equipment in combat.
Career Mastery
Master of the Lore of Fire, the Bright Wizard is the most destructive battle wizard in all of the Empire. The Bright wizard is renowned for his ability to incinerate anything, ranging from individual soldiers to an entire hillside. However, destructive fire is not the only trick in his arsenal. The Bright Wizards is also capable of manipulating the wind of Aqshy to cause a variety of debilitating effects, ranging from thick banks of choking smoke, to withering heat that saps the strength and endurance from even the staunchest warrior. Some Bright Wizards have even been known to dabble in the healing arts, though cauterizing a wound with white hot fire is never a soldier’s first choice!
Bright Wizard Mechanic
Due to the volatile nature of Aqshy, the Red Wind of Fire that they manipulate, the Bright Wizard is always risking a backlash that could incinerate himself as well as his opponent. This buildup of Aqshy is known as 'Combustion' and the greater the level of Combustion a Bright Wizard places into his destructive spells the more likely they will explode with stupendous results (Critical Hit). However, even the most skilled wizard will get burned when playing with fire. Pushing the combustion level too high can result in a backlash of magical energy that will damage the Wizard himself.
Bright Wizard Masteries
Path of Incineration
The Path of Incineration primarily focuses on destructive single-target spells. About half of these spells have high values of Combustion allowing those who master the Path of Incineration to focus on weaving high risk spells in with more reliable destructive magics for optimal single target damage.
Path of Immolation
The Path of Immolation focuses on damage over time and debilitating, lingering debuffs. A Master of Immolation is more patient, relying less on high-Combustion spells with explosive effect and more on slow burns that build up into an unstoppable inferno.
Path of Conflagration
The Path of Conflagration is the most destructive of the Bright Wizard masteries with area effect spells capable of burning entire swaths of land to a crisp. However, Masters of Conflagration must exert the most self-control; most of their spells build up high levels of Combustion and their reckless use could mean the Bright Wizard’s doom as well.
Bright Wizard Specialty
There are secrets which only the Bright Wizards know... The Seven Keys, arcane talismans and techniques too reckless and destructive for the minds of humanity’s Elven tutors, are mastered by every Bright Wizard and afford him considerable power. Each key lends the Bright Wizard’s magic a unique aspect, and all of them expand his power. With his mastery of the magic of fire, and the power of the Keys, his spells burn his foes, and then burn their own magic, combining to create a deadly conflagration.
Playing as a Bright Wizard
As a Bright Wizard you will destroy the enemy with arcane fire, but you must do so with cunning intellect, or risk finding your own end despite your power. Your defenses are minimal, and you are nothing if not obvious. For you, the best defense is your own mighty offense and that can be a very powerful deterrent. Quick decisive action is pivotal to your fighting. You must unleash your spells on the enemy forthwith so that they have the greatest possible opportunity to burn. Then you must take advantage of the opportunities this presents, using other powers to detonate your burning victims. If you are incautious, you may be slain before your enemy is defeated, only for him to fall to your lingering magic, but with skill and quick thinking victory will be yours.
Fighting the Bright Wizard
The only real solution to a Bright Wizard's deadly power is his death, and even this may not save you if he has had time to do his work. His magic lingers and burns, so you must be prepared to withstand not only his powerful direct assault, but the aftereffects of your battle. Resistance to his spells is key in limiting his ability to destroy you outright, but offensive power is equally important for putting him to a quick end. Ultimately, against a Bright Wizard it will be a race to see who can kill who first. However, it is a race for which he is well equipped, and his tools make him more and more potent the longer that race goes on. The Bright Wizard Look
* Effectively unarmored, wearing elaborate and often enchanted robes and regalia.
* Uses a wizard’s staff as a medium for spell casting and for melee in a pinch.
* Shrouded with flames which grow over him and sprout from his equipment in combat.
Career Mastery
Master of the Lore of Fire, the Bright Wizard is the most destructive battle wizard in all of the Empire. The Bright wizard is renowned for his ability to incinerate anything, ranging from individual soldiers to an entire hillside. However, destructive fire is not the only trick in his arsenal. The Bright Wizards is also capable of manipulating the wind of Aqshy to cause a variety of debilitating effects, ranging from thick banks of choking smoke, to withering heat that saps the strength and endurance from even the staunchest warrior. Some Bright Wizards have even been known to dabble in the healing arts, though cauterizing a wound with white hot fire is never a soldier’s first choice!
Bright Wizard Mechanic
Due to the volatile nature of Aqshy, the Red Wind of Fire that they manipulate, the Bright Wizard is always risking a backlash that could incinerate himself as well as his opponent. This buildup of Aqshy is known as 'Combustion' and the greater the level of Combustion a Bright Wizard places into his destructive spells the more likely they will explode with stupendous results (Critical Hit). However, even the most skilled wizard will get burned when playing with fire. Pushing the combustion level too high can result in a backlash of magical energy that will damage the Wizard himself.
Bright Wizard Masteries
Path of Incineration
The Path of Incineration primarily focuses on destructive single-target spells. About half of these spells have high values of Combustion allowing those who master the Path of Incineration to focus on weaving high risk spells in with more reliable destructive magics for optimal single target damage.
Path of Immolation
The Path of Immolation focuses on damage over time and debilitating, lingering debuffs. A Master of Immolation is more patient, relying less on high-Combustion spells with explosive effect and more on slow burns that build up into an unstoppable inferno.
Path of Conflagration
The Path of Conflagration is the most destructive of the Bright Wizard masteries with area effect spells capable of burning entire swaths of land to a crisp. However, Masters of Conflagration must exert the most self-control; most of their spells build up high levels of Combustion and their reckless use could mean the Bright Wizard’s doom as well.
Elf Shadow Warrior
“We have lost our families, our lands, and our innocence. Even our kin look upon us with suspicious eyes, for all they remember are the atrocities of Malekith and his ilk, not the nobility of those who remained. It is for these reasons we fight this Shadow War, for redemption can only come from tears and blood. Only when Malekith breathes his last, his heart pierced by Nagarythe steel, shall we ask Lileath for forgiveness. Until that day nothing will stand in the path of our vengeance...”
- Filamar the Swift, Shadow Warrior of Nagarythe
From the site:
“We have lost our families, our lands, and our innocence. Even our kin look upon us with suspicious eyes, for all they remember are the atrocities of Malekith and his ilk, not the nobility of those who remained. It is for these reasons we fight this Shadow War, for redemption can only come from tears and blood. Only when Malekith breathes his last, his heart pierced by Nagarythe steel, shall we ask Lileath for forgiveness. Until that day nothing will stand in the path of our vengeance...”
- Filamar the Swift, Shadow Warrior of Nagarythe
When Nagarythe was riven by civil war, most of the Elves there sided with the Witch King, later becoming Dark Elves. Those faithful to the Phoenix King swore to fight Malekith and his treacherous forces. These ill-fated Elves became the Shadow Warriors. The darkest, most sinister and brutal of all the High Elves. The Shadow Warriors are masters of ambush and guerrilla warfare. They strike swiftly and noiselessly with deadly accurate volleys from their longbows, before charging forth to slay any survivors with a flurry of blades.
Shadow Warrior Specialty
The Shadow Warriors of Nagarythe persue their Shadow War against the Dark Elves with a single- minded focus. In order to excel at his lonely and thankless task, the Shadow Warrior trains endlessly, perfecting techniques specifically suited to one aspect or strategy of combat. These “strategic maneuvers” can be divided into three major groups: Scouting, Skirmish, and Assault. Scouting maneuvers focus on moving into territory ahead of the vanguard and striking out at critical locations from long range. Skirmish maneuvers focus on hit-and-run tactics using powerful short range bow attacks that can be unleashed on the run. Assault maneuvers focus on slaying their opponents at close range with quick, graceful strikes of a longsword. These strategies, when combined with the Shadow Warrior’s burning desire for vengeance, result in a potent offensive warrior capable of acting alone or as the scout for a larger group.
Playing as a Shadow Warrior
To excel as a Shadow Warrior you must carefully observe the flow of the battle and choose the best strategy for the situation at hand. A Shadow Warrior must always be aware of his opponent’s location. This is critical to making the most of his maneuvers and the abilities associated with them. A Shadow Warrior should also fight with a cool head and understand that his vengeance should only be unleashed at the most ideal moment on a weakened opponent. This boiling rage will add power to many of his attacks allowing him to quickly kill a properly weakened foe.
Fighting the Shadow Warrior
When fighting a Shadow Warrior you must always be aware of his mobility, and reduce or eliminate it entirely. If a melee career does not do so, the Shadow Warrior will constantly be moving and harassing you from range, making it difficult to catch him. Ranged attackers should attempt to keep the Shadow Warrior at a reasonable distance. They will still take a beating from his long range archery, but a Shadow Warrior poses a much more significant threat if they are allowed to come into short range. It is only then that they can unleash abilities that are suited for interrupting spells.
The Look of the Shadow Warrior
* Elegantly tooled light leather and scale mail armor
* Thick hoods and mantles, draped over concealing cloaks
* Wields finely crafted longbows and a thin razor sharp Elven longsword
Shadow Warrior Specialty
The Shadow Warriors of Nagarythe persue their Shadow War against the Dark Elves with a single- minded focus. In order to excel at his lonely and thankless task, the Shadow Warrior trains endlessly, perfecting techniques specifically suited to one aspect or strategy of combat. These “strategic maneuvers” can be divided into three major groups: Scouting, Skirmish, and Assault. Scouting maneuvers focus on moving into territory ahead of the vanguard and striking out at critical locations from long range. Skirmish maneuvers focus on hit-and-run tactics using powerful short range bow attacks that can be unleashed on the run. Assault maneuvers focus on slaying their opponents at close range with quick, graceful strikes of a longsword. These strategies, when combined with the Shadow Warrior’s burning desire for vengeance, result in a potent offensive warrior capable of acting alone or as the scout for a larger group.
Playing as a Shadow Warrior
To excel as a Shadow Warrior you must carefully observe the flow of the battle and choose the best strategy for the situation at hand. A Shadow Warrior must always be aware of his opponent’s location. This is critical to making the most of his maneuvers and the abilities associated with them. A Shadow Warrior should also fight with a cool head and understand that his vengeance should only be unleashed at the most ideal moment on a weakened opponent. This boiling rage will add power to many of his attacks allowing him to quickly kill a properly weakened foe.
Fighting the Shadow Warrior
When fighting a Shadow Warrior you must always be aware of his mobility, and reduce or eliminate it entirely. If a melee career does not do so, the Shadow Warrior will constantly be moving and harassing you from range, making it difficult to catch him. Ranged attackers should attempt to keep the Shadow Warrior at a reasonable distance. They will still take a beating from his long range archery, but a Shadow Warrior poses a much more significant threat if they are allowed to come into short range. It is only then that they can unleash abilities that are suited for interrupting spells.
The Look of the Shadow Warrior
* Elegantly tooled light leather and scale mail armor
* Thick hoods and mantles, draped over concealing cloaks
* Wields finely crafted longbows and a thin razor sharp Elven longsword
Destruction
Chaos Magus
“Let mere Wizards have their simple fire. The flames of Tzeentch are by far the more subtle, the stranger, and all the more powerful for it. Who is more deeply burned? The man who is scorched and recoils, or the man who accepts the flame, thinking it is but warming light?”
- Tor Ravenson, Magus
From the site:
“Let mere Wizards have their simple fire. The flames of Tzeentch are by far the more subtle, the stranger, and all the more powerful for it. Who is more deeply burned? The man who is scorched and recoils, or the man who accepts the flame, thinking it is but warming light?”
- Tor Ravenson, Magus
The magic of Tzeentch is sorcery in its purest form - the raw power of the warp unleashed on living flesh. Using this power, the Magus can wreak incredible destruction, but his powers can cause effects more sinister than simple death. The dark magic of the Changer of Ways infects those touched by the Magus’s fires, tearing at their souls and bodies, diminishing their hearts and spirits. From atop his Daemonic Disc of Tzeentch the Magus rains corruption over the battlefield, annihilating his enemies with the sheer power of the Aethyr and the massive strength of his own will.
Magus Specialty
All manner of Daemons are counted amongst the numbers of the Raven Host, but the Magus uses the power of only one such creature – the arcane and powerful Disc of Tzeentch. He is forever bound to this living platform, and it is utterly ruled by his will. Wielding the power of the Aethyr, the Magus unleashes his spells from atop his mount while commanding the mount itself to unleash its own mighty powers. Channeling his dark powers through his Disc, mortal and Daemon achieve potent synergy, and leave only devastation in their wake.
Playing as a Magus
As a Magus, the primary tactical questions you must answer in battle are which of your abilities will be most effective, and where best to apply them. Your damage dealing power will be well applied in almost any situation, but an in depth understanding of the secondary effects of your spells is also pivotal to maximizing your effectiveness and potency. You are versatile, but you must select the best tools for each fight in order to succeed. Supplement this with good use of your Disc and its special abilities and you will have mastered the basics of playing the Magus.
Fighting the Magus
Defeating a Magus is largely similar to defeating any other powerful damage dealer. He is deadly, but fragile, possessing very limited defensive capabilities. The key special consideration springs from his versatility. If you assault a Magus with one particular approach, he may well have an offense to counter your own. Thus you must either employ a variety of attacks to circumvent this, or be ready to change tactics with extreme agility to react to whatever trick the Magus happens to pull out of his hat.
Magus Look
* Wears light ornamental armor with elaborate robes.
* Wields a staff inscribed with symbols of Chaos and imbued with dreadful arcane power.
* Rides and fights from an arcane and powerful Disc of Tzeentch at all times.
Magus Specialty
All manner of Daemons are counted amongst the numbers of the Raven Host, but the Magus uses the power of only one such creature – the arcane and powerful Disc of Tzeentch. He is forever bound to this living platform, and it is utterly ruled by his will. Wielding the power of the Aethyr, the Magus unleashes his spells from atop his mount while commanding the mount itself to unleash its own mighty powers. Channeling his dark powers through his Disc, mortal and Daemon achieve potent synergy, and leave only devastation in their wake.
Playing as a Magus
As a Magus, the primary tactical questions you must answer in battle are which of your abilities will be most effective, and where best to apply them. Your damage dealing power will be well applied in almost any situation, but an in depth understanding of the secondary effects of your spells is also pivotal to maximizing your effectiveness and potency. You are versatile, but you must select the best tools for each fight in order to succeed. Supplement this with good use of your Disc and its special abilities and you will have mastered the basics of playing the Magus.
Fighting the Magus
Defeating a Magus is largely similar to defeating any other powerful damage dealer. He is deadly, but fragile, possessing very limited defensive capabilities. The key special consideration springs from his versatility. If you assault a Magus with one particular approach, he may well have an offense to counter your own. Thus you must either employ a variety of attacks to circumvent this, or be ready to change tactics with extreme agility to react to whatever trick the Magus happens to pull out of his hat.
Magus Look
* Wears light ornamental armor with elaborate robes.
* Wields a staff inscribed with symbols of Chaos and imbued with dreadful arcane power.
* Rides and fights from an arcane and powerful Disc of Tzeentch at all times.
Goblin Squig Herder
"...an' dis one's Chompy! Chompy's a right devil he is! Rip a bugger right in two! See dis scar 'ere on me arm? Dats ol' Chompy's 'andywork! I'mna go grab 'im... "
- Greenstumps, Goblin Squig Herder
From the site:
"...an' dis one's Chompy! Chompy's a right devil he is! Rip a bugger right in two! See dis scar 'ere on me arm? Dats ol' Chompy's 'andywork! I'mna go grab 'im... "
- Greenstumps, Goblin Squig Herder
One-on-one a Squig is no match for the likes of a Hammerer or Ironbreaker, but the problem there isn't the match, it's the numbers. The toothy embrace of a pack of Squigs has brought down many a hearty warrior, and a Squig pack is never more effective than in the hands of an expert Herder. Using tools ranging from pipes to goads to bits of giblets, the Squig Herder drives his minions to a killing frenzy while fighting safely behind the lines. The Herder's own ranged fire combines with the attacks of his minions to challenge any foe.
Squig Herder Specialty
It's all about the Squigs – at least as far as the Squig Herder is concerned – and he knows all there is to know about these feisty critters. Commanding a pack of Squigs culled from those types he has learned to train, the Squig Herder can inflict serious damage on his enemies. With experience, he can learn to tame a broad range of breeds, control more powerful Squigs, and acquire more specialized abilities such as taking direct control of his Squig. His minions will even fight on after his death, wandering off only when the battle is done.
Playing as a Squig Herder
As a Squig Herder you lead from the rear, turning your Squigs loose on the enemy and supporting them with commands, arrows and bait while safely out of harm's way. The most critical elements of your strategy revolve around your choice of Squigs for your pack, and the abilities you use to support them. Your various breeds offer you tools for different situations, and you must mix and match them to meet your needs. Tactically speaking, your job is to kill the enemy while avoiding his counter-attacks – both you and your Squigs are deadly but fragile beasts.
Fighting the Squig Herder
The Squig Herder is essentially a fire-support career who wishes to hit you without being hit. As such, you'll need to deny him that opportunity. Attacking him or his pets early – either one, as the pets will live on after their master's death – is a sound strategy which will quickly reduce his damage dealing power. You must also be alert however, as Squigs can bypass your own line with their fast leaping movements and strike at your back field. You must strike a balance between the defenses you can muster against enemy melee fighters and the nasty beasts gnawing at your heels.
The Squig Herder Look
* Lightly armored in leather and equipment harnesses (often made from Squig skins)
* Outfitted with numerous and varied Squig herding tools (made from anything and everything)
* Carries a bow or spear for personal combat (or uses his Squig pipes for calling Squigs)
Squig Herder Specialty
It's all about the Squigs – at least as far as the Squig Herder is concerned – and he knows all there is to know about these feisty critters. Commanding a pack of Squigs culled from those types he has learned to train, the Squig Herder can inflict serious damage on his enemies. With experience, he can learn to tame a broad range of breeds, control more powerful Squigs, and acquire more specialized abilities such as taking direct control of his Squig. His minions will even fight on after his death, wandering off only when the battle is done.
Playing as a Squig Herder
As a Squig Herder you lead from the rear, turning your Squigs loose on the enemy and supporting them with commands, arrows and bait while safely out of harm's way. The most critical elements of your strategy revolve around your choice of Squigs for your pack, and the abilities you use to support them. Your various breeds offer you tools for different situations, and you must mix and match them to meet your needs. Tactically speaking, your job is to kill the enemy while avoiding his counter-attacks – both you and your Squigs are deadly but fragile beasts.
Fighting the Squig Herder
The Squig Herder is essentially a fire-support career who wishes to hit you without being hit. As such, you'll need to deny him that opportunity. Attacking him or his pets early – either one, as the pets will live on after their master's death – is a sound strategy which will quickly reduce his damage dealing power. You must also be alert however, as Squigs can bypass your own line with their fast leaping movements and strike at your back field. You must strike a balance between the defenses you can muster against enemy melee fighters and the nasty beasts gnawing at your heels.
The Squig Herder Look
* Lightly armored in leather and equipment harnesses (often made from Squig skins)
* Outfitted with numerous and varied Squig herding tools (made from anything and everything)
* Carries a bow or spear for personal combat (or uses his Squig pipes for calling Squigs)
Dark Elf Sorceress
“A Sorcereress must walk the dark paths of the Realm of Chaos, the deep pits of the oceans and the bowls of the fiery mountains in her quest for knowledge. The channeling of the raw Winds of Chaos is what gives the Sorceress her power. The Creatures of the Chaos Hells will bow to her will in the end. Such Power is vast but dangerous and the aspirant to the Dark Convent of Sorceresses must be courageous and strong.”
- From the sixth book of secrets by Kaladhtoir of Clar Karond
From the site:
“A Sorcereress must walk the dark paths of the Realm of Chaos, the deep pits of the oceans and the bowls of the fiery mountains in her quest for knowledge. The channeling of the raw Winds of Chaos is what gives the Sorceress her power. The Creatures of the Chaos Hells will bow to her will in the end. Such Power is vast but dangerous and the aspirant to the Dark Convent of Sorceresses must be courageous and strong.”
- From the sixth book of secrets by Kaladhtoir of Clar Karond
In times of war the Witch King calls upon his Convents of Sorceresses to rain death and destruction down upon the target of his ire. Their magical prowess will blight the warriors of the opposing army, scorch their souls from their bodies and bring ruination and curses aplenty upon their heads.
Sorceress Specialty
Like their High Elf kin, the Dark Elves are innately magical creatures. However, Dark Elf magic users do not commune with the magical energies of the Winds of Chaos and attempt to use them in harmony; instead they use sheer force of will to bend the Winds to their dark intentions. This form of magic is known as Dhar, or Dark Magic. Dark Magic spells are incredibly destructive and capable of shattering almost any defense. However, this power does not come without a price. If the Sorceress’s will falters even a little the unstable power of Dark Magic will turn back upon the caster with a powerful backlash.
Playing as a Sorceress
The Sorceress is a powerful offensive caster, knowledgeable in the arcane arts that cause pain and suffering. A Sorceress can call upon the Dark Arts to curse her opponents causing lingering anguish. She is also proficient in manipulating the Winds of Magic to create powerful destructive spells. However, her most powerful asset is her Dark Magic. By sheer will alone, the Sorceress can gather the magical energy around her to increase the destructive power of her spells. The more Dark Magic gathered by these workings, the greater the destruction a Sorceress can cause. However, the greater the Dark Magic gathered, the harder it is to control. A Sorceress must always carefully juggle the destructive power of her spells with the will it takes to control such powerful energies. Failing to do so will result in a backlash of magic that can severely injure the caster.
Fighting the Sorceress
With almost no physical protections, the Sorceress is vulnerable to both melee and missile assaults. However, one must time the assault perfectly in order to guarantee success. Opponents must learn the tell tale signs of a Sorceress who has built too much Dark Magic and strike only after that magic has turned on her. At this point, the Sorceress is weakest to both physical and magical assaults. Striking at a Sorceress fully in control of the Dhar around her will result in a rapid and painful demise.
Sorceress' Look
* Ornate robes of finely cut silks, embroidered in dark script
* Wickedly pointed headdresses and circlets encrusted in gems
* Wields twisted staves of metal and wood that pulse with dark energies
Career Mastery
The Sorceresses of the Druchii are the true power of the Dark Elf armies. Blades may be turned aside and shields may be crushed, but what soldier can stop a flow of living shadow and darkness? Tearing the Winds of Magic asunder, the Sorceresses bring forth devastation on an unimaginable scale, raining destruction down upon their helpless foes.
The weak High Elves teach that the Winds of Magic must be used in balance, through precise and careful crafting, but the Dark Elf Sorceresses scoff at their foolish cowardice. Every Dark Elf knows that when you want something, you simply take it - all of it. A Sorceress uses her Dark Magic to pull power indiscriminately from all the Winds of Magic, driving her magical potency to levels that her weak High Elf cousins could scarcely dream of. The Winds themselves fight back against such overwhelming use of power, however, and reckless Sorceresses will find themselves facing a Backlash against their unnatural use of power, but such is the price of victory - and surely, any Dark Elves clumsy enough to be destroyed by their own Backlashes would clearly be too foolish to live long in Druchii society regardless, yes?
Sorceress Masteries
Path of Agony
The Path of Agony is mainly concerned with slaughtering individual enemies in the messiest and most direct ways possible. This path contains a somewhat equal mix of volatile Dark Magic spells and more stable magic.
Path of Calamity
The Path of Calamity is favored by the more subtle and insidious covens of Sorceresses, and is primarily focused on longer-duration effects. A Master of Calamity prefers to hinder and wound their enemies over time, until the effects have built up enough that their foes are already dead, and just don't realize it yet. This path has fewer Dark Magic abilities, and relies more on a steady pace of destructive stable magic.
Path of Destruction
The Path of Destruction is for the Sorceress who believes that killing one enemy is nothing but a waste of time that could be much better spent killing ALL of their enemies. Spreading vast, sweeping swaths of darkness and death across the battlefield, the Masters of Destruction gamble the most heavily on numerous Dark Magic spells.
Sorceress Specialty
Like their High Elf kin, the Dark Elves are innately magical creatures. However, Dark Elf magic users do not commune with the magical energies of the Winds of Chaos and attempt to use them in harmony; instead they use sheer force of will to bend the Winds to their dark intentions. This form of magic is known as Dhar, or Dark Magic. Dark Magic spells are incredibly destructive and capable of shattering almost any defense. However, this power does not come without a price. If the Sorceress’s will falters even a little the unstable power of Dark Magic will turn back upon the caster with a powerful backlash.
Playing as a Sorceress
The Sorceress is a powerful offensive caster, knowledgeable in the arcane arts that cause pain and suffering. A Sorceress can call upon the Dark Arts to curse her opponents causing lingering anguish. She is also proficient in manipulating the Winds of Magic to create powerful destructive spells. However, her most powerful asset is her Dark Magic. By sheer will alone, the Sorceress can gather the magical energy around her to increase the destructive power of her spells. The more Dark Magic gathered by these workings, the greater the destruction a Sorceress can cause. However, the greater the Dark Magic gathered, the harder it is to control. A Sorceress must always carefully juggle the destructive power of her spells with the will it takes to control such powerful energies. Failing to do so will result in a backlash of magic that can severely injure the caster.
Fighting the Sorceress
With almost no physical protections, the Sorceress is vulnerable to both melee and missile assaults. However, one must time the assault perfectly in order to guarantee success. Opponents must learn the tell tale signs of a Sorceress who has built too much Dark Magic and strike only after that magic has turned on her. At this point, the Sorceress is weakest to both physical and magical assaults. Striking at a Sorceress fully in control of the Dhar around her will result in a rapid and painful demise.
Sorceress' Look
* Ornate robes of finely cut silks, embroidered in dark script
* Wickedly pointed headdresses and circlets encrusted in gems
* Wields twisted staves of metal and wood that pulse with dark energies
Career Mastery
The Sorceresses of the Druchii are the true power of the Dark Elf armies. Blades may be turned aside and shields may be crushed, but what soldier can stop a flow of living shadow and darkness? Tearing the Winds of Magic asunder, the Sorceresses bring forth devastation on an unimaginable scale, raining destruction down upon their helpless foes.
The weak High Elves teach that the Winds of Magic must be used in balance, through precise and careful crafting, but the Dark Elf Sorceresses scoff at their foolish cowardice. Every Dark Elf knows that when you want something, you simply take it - all of it. A Sorceress uses her Dark Magic to pull power indiscriminately from all the Winds of Magic, driving her magical potency to levels that her weak High Elf cousins could scarcely dream of. The Winds themselves fight back against such overwhelming use of power, however, and reckless Sorceresses will find themselves facing a Backlash against their unnatural use of power, but such is the price of victory - and surely, any Dark Elves clumsy enough to be destroyed by their own Backlashes would clearly be too foolish to live long in Druchii society regardless, yes?
Sorceress Masteries
Path of Agony
The Path of Agony is mainly concerned with slaughtering individual enemies in the messiest and most direct ways possible. This path contains a somewhat equal mix of volatile Dark Magic spells and more stable magic.
Path of Calamity
The Path of Calamity is favored by the more subtle and insidious covens of Sorceresses, and is primarily focused on longer-duration effects. A Master of Calamity prefers to hinder and wound their enemies over time, until the effects have built up enough that their foes are already dead, and just don't realize it yet. This path has fewer Dark Magic abilities, and relies more on a steady pace of destructive stable magic.
Path of Destruction
The Path of Destruction is for the Sorceress who believes that killing one enemy is nothing but a waste of time that could be much better spent killing ALL of their enemies. Spreading vast, sweeping swaths of darkness and death across the battlefield, the Masters of Destruction gamble the most heavily on numerous Dark Magic spells.
I will update the next post as people give some impressions of the classes. Discuss!
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Engineer
Words of wisdom from meatflower:
The turrets damage isn't anything to right home about, but their utility as a distraction and psuedo-push-back effect is amazing. Drop a flame turret on the front lines and enemy tanks and melee dps will move back. Position a bombardment turret within reach of the enemies healer/caster bank and watch them scatter. People either react to turrets by moving away or wasting time attacking them. That's time they're not killing our guys or healing theirs.
It's all about maintaining range and getting off those rifle shots. While we have some melee abilities, they're mostly a means to slowing down our enemy so we can get them back at range. Barbed Wire available at R10 is a 10 second 30 ft. root on a 20 second cooldown. Combine that with an easily spammable melee snare and you've got a recipe for kiting. The first Morale ability is a very nice knockback effect. I've sent many a confused Destro player flying off a cliff to a watery grave on Nordenwatch. Stonetroll Crossing center spire? Even better.
Our DPS could use a little bump but even at 13 in T2 I'm routinely getting top kills and top 3 damage. I've been told our damage falls behind a bit later up in rank but our crowd control abilities get even better.
Bright Wizard
Shadow Warrior
My impressions:
My favorite spec looks like it will be Skirmish. This is the big harasser skillset - bleeds, snares, all the things that piss the other team off. The best part? These abilities can be used on the move! So when that tank is chasing you, start running and drop a snare and a bleed on him. Awesome.
I don't have much more to say about the class. Any other impressions from folks are welcome.
I think most people will go into Scout, but skirmish adds a lot of AoE and control. Most Skirmishers will want to advance into the scout tree far enough to get Glass Arrow to complement this. The tactic that makes your Spiral Fletched arrow an AoE (split arrows) is awesome, as is Keen Arrowheads, which makes your Takedown duration 15s. Since the cooldown on Takedown is 15s, that means you can perma-snare someone... and kite them to death
Assault is actually surprisingly effective once you develop it. The key to remember is you arent so much making an MDPS by going assault, you still have a lot of scary bow abilities. Combining these well is where the power lies.
It costs nothing to switch stances, so make use of them. Sure, you want to focus on the tree in which you've chosen to specialise, but you cant just pretend you dont have other stances. Its insane the number of Shadow Warriors i've seen that seem to think all they need to do is stand somewhere and spam Eagle Eye. Be aware! Think of the big picture. Yeah, you might have the enemy on the run, and a couple of Eagle Eye's might finish them. But if they are running towards an objective you need, switch to skirmish stance and start chasing them, nailing them with spiral fletched arrows! They'll still die, and now you're close to your objective. Always keep thinking about ALL the skills you have, and how you could use them. And dont forget you can melee... the amount of SW's i've seen that just run as soon as someone is in their face. Come on!
Squig Herder
A-Puck says:
I played a Squiggy a bit in Beta and my main is currently a SH, but I never played a high level one, so this is going to be a low level impressions.
First up, you are a PvE god. Your first squigg does an excellent job tanking, with a bit of judicious target switching you can easily get it to tank two or three mobs while you whittle them down (just make sure that you attack the same target as the squigg so you don't pick up aggro). The squigg itself is pretty tough, I could solo a champion at level 4 (I think, maybe 5. I had the snare so whatever that is). It took a while and I had to snare and kite it a bit after the first squigg died, but I did it.
In RvR your main job (at least at low levels) is to annoy and distract casters. Sic your squigg on a healer and plink away. They won't be able to heal nearly as efficiently with the constant damage. Note: do NOT try to do this with a warrior priest, it just makes them laugh. Then they come and rape your face.
At least in low levels, melee -any melee- is going to kill you. Your best abilities all have a minimum range. You are a skirmisher, do NOT stand in the way of melee just run the hell away
Sorceress
From italianranma:
First off, I deal a shit-ton of damage, and even more to other people! My doombolt (a 3s cast spammable single target ranged attack) will at 100 dark magic deal 550~ to other people, and 230 to me (when it backlashes). I pretty much spam that and the Shattered Shadows at my rank (11). I know there are some other useful abilities coming down the line...
The thing about the Sorceress is that you're extremely fragile. Low armor is expected, but as far as defensive abilities go, you don't get your first root until rank 10. So expect that until you reach that rank you'll die when a melee DPS attacks you and you have no support.
So really the class is either really fun doing a ton of damage (when you're supported by a healer) or you just end up dying a lot (no heals).
Now, to all you healer types out there I don't need a lot of healing...just a HOT every so often. And It's literally the difference between me doing 8k damage in a scenario and doing 24k.
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I have yet to meet enemy who can outsmart bullet.
Does anyone else feel like the bright wizard and sorceress are just better than the other RDPS classes?
With a coordinated group: glorious. You can run nice and high dark magic and gets a few heals. Shattered Shadows (ranged AoE) is fucking nasty at 100 dark magic. And it doesn't have a projectile animation, so people don't know who is killing them. I take shots at whoever is brave enough to charge across the open, and at healers in range.
They hurt things. A lot. But they don't have much in the way of tricks.
I'm also a Shadow Warrior. I'll be going with a scout/skirmish spec, myself. My brother and a couple of his friends have been Elder Testers, and all three have gone SW's for release. So i've seen quite a lot of high level SW play.
I think most people will go into Scout, but skirmish adds a lot of AoE and control. Most Skirmishers will want to advance into the scout tree far enough to get Glass Arrow to complement this. The tactic that makes your Spiral Fletched arrow an AoE (split arrows) is awesome, as is Keen Arrowheads, which makes your Takedown duration 15s. Since the cooldown on Takedown is 15s, that means you can perma-snare someone... and kite them to death
Assault is actually surprisingly effective once you develop it. The key to remember is you arent so much making an MDPS by going assault, you still have a lot of scary bow abilities. Combining these well is where the power lies.
It costs nothing to switch stances, so make use of them. Sure, you want to focus on the tree in which you've chosen to specialise, but you cant just pretend you dont have other stances. Its insane the number of Shadow Warriors i've seen that seem to think all they need to do is stand somewhere and spam Eagle Eye. Be aware! Think of the big picture. Yeah, you might have the enemy on the run, and a couple of Eagle Eye's might finish them. But if they are running towards an objective you need, switch to skirmish stance and start chasing them, nailing them with spiral fletched arrows! They'll still die, and now you're close to your objective. Always keep thinking about ALL the skills you have, and how you could use them. And dont forget you can melee... the amount of SW's i've seen that just run as soon as someone is in their face. Come on!
edit: This is an absolutely fantastic Shadow Warrior guide, written by one of my brother's friends. I've yet to see as in-depth a guide as this on any class, let alone on SW's.
I do not feel inferior to BW's and Sorcs. They have their strengths, i have mine.
Anyone got a high-level Magus? How do they do in RvR?
Sounds like every other class, in a way. If Shadow Warriors are in a great group, they can bring mass amounts of damage. If the group is bad, you will be destroyed.
Added your comments to the second post. Thanks for the info... I only got to 13 in the beta, so I never got to try the talents out. I really just liked the look of the skills, and I'm glad to see that Path of the Skirmisher seems as fun as I thought. I figured I might need to invest into Scout, but I was hoping I could do Skirmisher primary, and Assault secondary.
To be different.
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Yep skirmisher is fantastic, you'll enjoy it i'm sure. I didnt see the guys go skirmisher/assault, but i did see it assault/skirmisher and it was pretty nasty. It worked really well as part of a melee heavy rvr group.
First off, I deal a shit-ton of damage, and even more to other people! My doombolt (a 3s cast spammable single target ranged attack) will at 100 dark magic deal 550~ to other people, and 230 to me (when it backlashes). I pretty much spam that and the Shattered Shadows at my rank (11). I know there are some other useful abilities coming down the line...
The thing about the Sorceress is that you're extremely fragile. Low armor is expected, but as far as defensive abilities go, you don't get your first root until rank 10. So expect that until you reach that rank you'll die when a melee DPS attacks you and you have no support.
So really the class is either really fun doing a ton of damage (when you're supported by a healer) or you just end up dying a lot (no heals).
Now, to all you healer types out there I don't need a lot of healing...just a HOT every so often. And It's literally the difference between me doing 8k damage in a scenario and doing 24k.
This is so so true. I have already had many PQs and scenarios where I have to sit on my hands because I don't have enough HP to survive another backlash.
I'll be going Agony/Destruction, probably. I'll make a final decision as I get into tier3-ish, but bursting down people (especially when they try to run) is just too much fun.
Most folks are saying the class needs a bit of a bump, and I don't completely agree at the moment. As no one has gotten to higher levels just yet. Performance at higher levels, with a full compliment of skills is where discussions can be had.
But the Herder can be somewhat underwhelming at lower levels. We're not dishing out massive amounts of damage, and can't really kill more than one target at a time. So maybe a slight buff is needed, but only effecting lower levels.
That said, the Squig can mess up healers from what I've seen. If I see a Runepriest hanging back, healing, I put the Squig on him and he gets unhappy. He doesn't die, but he is unhappy. The IB he was healing, he probably dies.
Also at lower levels the Herder doesn't have much in the way of escapability. You get a melee DPS on you, you're Fleeing. The snare shot (Stop Runnin'!) is ranged, so you can't really get far enough away to actually use it.
Escapability gets better I believe. I would sort of like to have a melee-range snare, but it might be too much.
Added your impressions to the second post. Thanks for the heads up - the sorceress actually sounds pretty awesome!
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I played a Squiggy a bit in Beta and my main is currently a SH, but I never played a high level one, so this is going to be a low level impressions.
First up, you are a PvE god. Your first squigg does an excellent job tanking, with a bit of judicious target switching you can easily get it to tank two or three mobs while you whittle them down (just make sure that you attack the same target as the squigg so you don't pick up aggro). The squigg itself is pretty tough, I could solo a champion at level 4 (I think, maybe 5. I had the snare so whatever that is). It took a while and I had to snare and kite it a bit after the first squigg died, but I did it.
In RvR your main job (at least at low levels) is to annoy and distract casters. Sic your squigg on a healer and plink away. They won't be able to heal nearly as efficiently with the constant damage. Note: do NOT try to do this with a warrior priest, it just makes them laugh. Then they come and rape your face.
At least in low levels, melee -any melee- is going to kill you. Your best abilities all have a minimum range. You are a skirmisher, do NOT stand in the way of melee just run the hell away
I'm playing a Zealot and my friend is playing a Sorc -- we had some fun in PQs last night. I made sure to always HoT her. It's strange not, too... we're both going to be primary targets and last I looked I'm not taking down any DPS class that's trying to kill me! I need healthy DPSers on my side
I actually didn't notice her health going down any but that may have just been because, well, I kept HoTs on her.
There are a few tricks that I learned from pugging as a Sorceress. I just hit RR10 before logging off last night, which means that I had no AoE root to save my ass. Also, I have been going for many of the unarmored tome unlocks so I am running around naked, and thus more fragile than most sorceresses, yet I am usually in the top 3 for damage.
The key I found to surviving is stealth. This includes hanging out at max range, and hiding behind objects. In addition to those hints, try using spells that don't have graphics that come from you (e.g. doombolt). It is a lot easier to snipe at people if they don't see an incoming projectile that they can trace back to you. Gloomburst, chillwind, and dhar wind all have graphics that just show up around the target so they have no idea where the attack is coming from. This cycle also vents your dark magic, which is essential if you are pugging and not receiving heals. Once your target finally sees you, you can start throwing out your doombolts and toss your mage bolt.
Another key to getting high damage as a sorceress is mage bolt, use it as often as you can. I love watching 1/4 of a person's life bar drop in one hit :twisted:
On a more personal note, when I am pugging, I will start out focusing on healers to help the group as a whole, but people are good at healing healers, or at least good at healing themselves, so my attention often strays to people who usually don't get healing...that's right the DPS classes. My favorite targets are Bright Wizards (class rivalry FTW!). I love hanging off to the side of a battle, and stealth casting on them.
The turrets damage isn't anything to right home about, but their utility as a distraction and psuedo-push-back effect is amazing. Drop a flame turret on the front lines and enemy tanks and melee dps will move back. Position a bombardment turret within reach of the enemies healer/caster bank and watch them scatter. People either react to turrets by moving away or wasting time attacking them. That's time they're not killing our guys or healing theirs.
It's all about maintaining range and getting off those rifle shots. While we have some melee abilities, they're mostly a means to slowing down our enemy so we can get them back at range. Barbed Wire available at R10 is a 10 second 30 ft. root on a 20 second cooldown. Combine that with an easily spammable melee snare and you've got a recipe for kiting. The first Morale ability is a very nice knockback effect. I've sent many a confused Destro player flying off a cliff to a watery grave on Nordenwatch. Stonetroll Crossing center spire? Even better.
Our DPS could use a little bump but even at 13 in T2 I'm routinely getting top kills and top 3 damage. I've been told our damage falls behind a bit later up in rank but our crowd control abilities get even better.
Haven't tried out PvP yet.
Something to always remember in the back of your head when playing a DPS class, and especially the engineer is what damage type you are doing. Engineers have the huge benefit of very easily switching between corporeal and physical damage. Don't shoot at tanks, lob grenades at them (after you have debuffed with acid bomb). Against squishies, you have the option of shooting them too.
Brightwizards: Elemental / Corporeal
Sorceror: Corporeal / Spirit
Magus: Elemental / Spirit
Squig Herder: physical mostly
shadow warrior: physical mostly
It's very important to remember that with an acid grenade debuff on, your Firebomb deals more damage than your rifle shot.
It is good times. Also, a completely different experience from my zealot (a million times better in solo PvE). I love them both now
It shoots enemy players backward. Far backward.
It is both useful, and hilarious, especially when the "knockback" is over a cliff.
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I like the look of thier style and the floating disc idea intrigues me.
Hell yes, the high point of my playing yesterday was knockbacking some random DOK into the explosion on Khaine's embrace (they died).
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Oh I'm sorry... I really couldn't hear the rest of what you said there...
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Its hard to get into for the first 7 levels or so, but once you get those 8-10 abilities, oh my god. I knew something was wrong when I wasn't enjoying myself (played it to about 14 in PW), but then I got Point Blank Shot, and then Draw Blood, THEN Whirling Pin... So great. Without these abilities, its pretty painful though. Whirling Pin especially makes skirmish/ assault play much more doable.
All night I was running with the Candymancers, I dont think we lost one scenario (due to our awesome healers mostly). The highlight of the night would have to be when a Chosen jumps after me (myself being a tad wounded), I whirling blade, back up, takedown (40% reducing speed debuff), then acid arrow etc his arse till he gets to me and I knock him back with the morale. From there I finish him with the spiral fetched arrows as he runs away. The scenario ended with his death.
Also, who else loves drawblood? Its just a dot, but its quick, and an instant cast. Great to use while skirmishing around.
Edit: I probally will also be going Skirmisher/ Assault when I have the points.
I forget at what levels you receive these skills, but by level 12 you have access to both a ranged snare and a 10s pbaoe root w/ 30 yard range.
These two skills are absolutely fucking fantastic. Especially in the Tier 2 scenarios which mostly involve CTF like objectives. Defensively, you can pretty much lock anyone down who wants to run off with the objective. Offensively you can follow the carrier around and lock down anyone chasing him.
The pbaoe root has a really generous cool down considering how genuinely useful it is. Especially for this early in the game.
I'm worried people will see it and decide Bright Wizards need a nerf. What they don't realise is that a lot of that damage comes from self-backlash and timing Detonates to hit the maximum amount of enemies (aoe DoT and my favourite spell)
I frickin' love Bright Wizards though. My favourite class of any RPG ever. Oh and I just got my healing debuff (playing with fire) - time to make Destruction cry even more.
It took me up until level 10 to really explore the stances, due to lack of abilities.
It seems that in PvE I am in Assault Stance most of the time and in PvP I am in Skirmish. Scout has the nice range length buff, but I seem to value running and shooting while keeping Take Down active a bit more.
I really like this class due to the "toughness" ie. not spamming 1 or 2 skills all PvP fight long. You really need to work to be a good SW player and Stance Dance.
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Rank 10 - Fire Cage. Suddenly, all those melee in T1 are LOL as long as you don't attack them. This becomes less true in T2 as they get root breaks. Still useful with multiple Bright Wizards spamming it to keep the other team's melee from doing stuff in scenarios. This is especially true because Destro people tend to be melee lovers. You'll later get a tactic that halves the cooldown of this and your detaunt. However, you may not need to use this much in later stages anyway.
Rank 14 - Detonate. At this stage you have 3 dots and you can start using them as your primary attack.
Rank 17 - Fuel to the Fire. This effectively increases your dot damage by 20-33% as long as they are not removed/the person would have died from the normal dot duration.
Rank 21 - Playing with Fire. Healer killing spell. 50% healing debuff that damages the healer if they heal the debuffed person. Add a rank if you're keeping Fuel to the Fire.
Rank 25 - Withering Heat. THE main Immo spec killing spell. Once you get this, you can completely forget about those old DD spells in the other trees. This is what will kill that marauder or witch elf running towards you before he gets to you. Add more ranks if you're using Fuel to the Fire or Playing with Fire.
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The PB AoE snare is (http://www.wardb.com/spell.aspx?id=1831) Stick Squigz! Gained at lvl10, and basically changes life for Herders.
Lvl9 and below, melee DPS messes us up. We have no means of escaping melee range, except for Flee.
It's important to note the Sticky Squigz is around the Herder, not the Squig. Apparently at some time during the Beta it was around the Squig and could be used in interesting ways. But by being around the Herder, it's mostly defensive.
Magus is a very strange beast. They are like an affliction warlock if they had aoe dots, combined with an engineer from TF2. You are the most survivable of the clothies, and with some healing support you can literally route zergs. I love the class to death, and can't wait to try out some of the higher level stuff. I plan on going Change to 13 (Indigo Fire, Endless Pandamonium, Dissolving Mist, Wild Changing, Seed of Chaos) and then demonology to 5 (Chaotic Attunement, Agonizing Torrent) making me an aoe dot god. Combine me with healing support and say a Sorc or Magus helping me aoe and that is some disgusting group destroying action.
I think the 13 point Demon ability is very good, but not for what your suggesting. Much more for battlefield control and setting up AoE spots for yourself and Sorcs at range.
Messing with healers is just plain fun. As soon as you get word of pain it's just child's play to take out an archmage, or rune priest. Just start your normal dps rotation. Then slap on a 3-stack of word of pain which reduces their healing(lowers willpower), and time a doombolt and gloomburst to hit right when the word of pain stacks explode. You can drop a healer from 75% to 0 if you get some good crits. Of course, this probably changes once dispels are more common.
PVE is just cake. Just keep your dark magic above 60 in between mobs and you'll take more damage from backlash than the mobs when you're 2-shotting equal levels. In PQs it can be hard to not kill yourself against bosses if you don't have anyone tossing a heal your way. I've finally learned to just use Dhar wind every once in a while. The damage may not be great, but if you get under 50% health and you're risking backlashes and AOE attacks from the boss, you're probably going to die.