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[GW2] Bi-weekly updates to living story continue. Lots of good stuff coming!

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Posts

  • ProbadProbad Registered User regular
    citizen059 wrote: »
    Probad wrote: »
    Magister Sieran is a pretty cool Sylvari!
    Or was until they killed her and gave me Trahearne.

    I agree with this.
    After the battle on Claw Island I sat there for a moment, and then logged out. I think it took me a couple of days to log back in.

    All the characters in the personal/faction stories are pretty cliche, but I was still enjoying Sieran's part. Losing her drained some of my motivation to continue with it. And in reality I haven't gotten a whole lot farther. I remember reading people's opinions on Trahearne, and thinking it couldn't be that bad. And he's NOT bad, he's just...boring. I have no real interest in completing that part of the story now, except to just say "I completed it".

    This is basically me.
    Except that I do take some issue with the game when I feel like I'm playing chapters in Trahearne's personal story instead of mine.

  • DelmainDelmain Registered User regular
    So speaking of builds, what's a good way to build a thief? I'm like 20 atm and running d/d and shortbow. Shortbow for AoE stuff, otherwise daggers. What should I be using?

  • FeldornFeldorn Mediocre Registered User regular
    on mine i went D/D and shortbow, tried condition damage, wasn't worth it, back to power, still using caltrops and stacking bleeds.

  • KylindraKylindra Registered User regular
    Woops, I accidentally in the old thread since I still had it open in my browser window.

    Speaking of new thread, when are we gonna drop all the "information about this great new game that's coming out" business from the OP? Isn't that all a bit irrelevant now?

  • KylindraKylindra Registered User regular
    This could be fun, actually, I haven't done a glass canon build in a LONG time (I am usually a tank n heals guy)

    If you want to play a support-y necro with decent power and not condition-focused, I could explain my build to you. It's evolved over time to fit my playstyle and it's meant to be supporty in dungeons and also capable of serious mob-tagging in group events. I tag all the things and do lots of AoE damage, but I also heal my friends and use conditions strategically for control. Ground-targeted wells and Life Transfer to heal are kind of the big things.

  • HugglesHuggles Registered User regular
    edited March 2013
    @Lucid_Seraph: It's hard to build power necros badly. You have a few options; dagger auto builds life force very quickly and does the most damage, so you can either lean towards heavy death shroud use or focus on lifesteal to keep your health up. Death shroud has a very strong autoattack with good trait support, but it eats into your second health bar the longer you do so. Alternatively you can use the Soul Reaping trait XII and Curses 15 and tap-in-tap-out to maintain permanent fury, alongside good similar trait support, and preserve life force for emergencies.

    Substitute axe if you find yourself too squishy, it's a ranged weapon and well-aligned with the Spite trait line. Staff is universally useful for ranged combat and AoEs. Wells are useful, but none of the utilities really add much beyond more damage.

    E: Also listen to @Kylindra, I know from experience that build works too.

    Huggles on
  • KreutzKreutz Blackwater Park, IARegistered User regular
    Do we still have a Friday WvW crew running? I've been out of town for the last few weeks and haven't been playing GW2 as much.

  • REG RyskREG Rysk Lord Rageface Rageington The Exploding ManRegistered User regular
    Kylindra wrote: »
    Woops, I accidentally in the old thread since I still had it open in my browser window.

    Speaking of new thread, when are we gonna drop all the "information about this great new game that's coming out" business from the OP? Isn't that all a bit irrelevant now?

    I edited the new OP last night like 10 minutes before I needed to sleep. I want to make it better. I do.

  • doomybeardoomybear Hi People Registered User regular
    Hmmm...

    I don't think they'd revive the dead...

    But for some reason, I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

    what a happy day it is
  • KylindraKylindra Registered User regular
    @REG_Rysk:

    I could write up some text for you if you want. I would basically keep the guild stuff, take out the "oh a new game with features!" stuff, and just add all the basic modern links that anyone would need to learn about the game (guild wars official sites, main fan sites and guides, our guild tumblr, etc).

    Would that help?

  • Lucid_SeraphLucid_Seraph TealDeer MarylandRegistered User regular
    Kylindra wrote: »
    This could be fun, actually, I haven't done a glass canon build in a LONG time (I am usually a tank n heals guy)

    If you want to play a support-y necro with decent power and not condition-focused, I could explain my build to you. It's evolved over time to fit my playstyle and it's meant to be supporty in dungeons and also capable of serious mob-tagging in group events. I tag all the things and do lots of AoE damage, but I also heal my friends and use conditions strategically for control. Ground-targeted wells and Life Transfer to heal are kind of the big things.


    ! Yes I would like to know this build, it sounds like the thing I like. Which is, "Smash shit in the face, then turn around and heal"

    I have the sneaking suspicion that every single build I do will be this.

    See You Space Cowboy: a ttrpg about sad space bounty hunters
    https://podcast.tidalwavegames.com/
  • KylindraKylindra Registered User regular
    edited March 2013
    ! Yes I would like to know this build, it sounds like the thing I like. Which is, "Smash shit in the face, then turn around and heal"


    Okay, @Lucid_Seraph, here goes:

    Support + AoE Necro Build:

    Basics:
    Weapons: Scepter/Dagger and Staff
    Traits: 30/20/0/20/0
    Stat Priorities: Power, Precision, Toughness, Condition Damage (don't worry about Vit, you get plenty from Traits)

    Good gear labels to look for: Knight's, Ravager's, Berserker's
    Good runes: Elementalist

    Trait Specifics and Spells to Use:
    Spite: VI, VII, and XII
    Curses: V and IX
    Blood Magic: VI and VIII

    Healing Spell: Well of Blood
    Utilities: Well of Suffering, Well of Corruption, Well of Darkness/Well of Power situationally (I also switch in and out Signet of the Locust and Spectral Walk when I need speed)
    Elite Skill: Lich Form

    What to Actually Do:

    In Outdoor Events/Orr Karma Train:
    You are an AoE machine! You can tag all the things. Put your ground-targeted wells to good use and hit every mob in sight. When your wells are on cooldown, use your staff skills to AoE. When those are on cooldown, switch to scepter/dagger and hit 2,4 and 5 which all hit multiple targets. When all else fails, get in Death Shroud and Life Transfer! Also, Lich Form has a couple big AoEs, but I mostly use it for single target damage on bosses (more on that below).

    Basically, you have a crapton of AoE and mob tagging is your middle name. Your screen will be filled with numbers.

    Dungeons/Fractals/Groupness:

    Healing and Condition Processing: Here's where things get support-y. You have two main healing options, Well of Blood which is your targeted circle heal, and Life Transfer, which will automatically heal people near you when you pop it (EVEN IF you are not damaging a mob and EVEN IF you run out of Life Force before the end). You can also give out a bit of regeneration with Staff 2 (not a big deal but it's still there) and you can cure conditions with Well of Power. You can also pull conditions off your friends and hand them to your enemies with Staff 4. Lich Form 5 also removes conditions from friends. Dagger 4 pulls conditions just off of you but it's still worth mentioning. Oh, and if you happen to be in underwater combat, Death Shroud turns you into a condition factory: 4 pulls it off your friends and 1 hands it to the enemy! Also, if your friends have any projectile finishers, have them shoot through your healing circle from Well of Blood--it'll proc a Combo that removes conditions.

    Mob control: You have a lot of options. Scepter 2 is an AoE chill, this can be amazing in the right circumstances. For more chilling goodness, hit them again with Staff 3 or Death Shroud 2 or even Lich Form 3. Staff 5 is a fear, and so is Death Shroud 3. Dagger 4 is a multi-target blind, and of course Well of Darkness is a huge AoE blind. Well of Corruption gets rid of their buffs, as does Lich Form 5.

    Boss Damage: You already know how to AoE mobs good, now it's time to learn how to do other stuff good too. For max damage on bosses, try this: Start with staff auto-attack to make sure you're full on life force. Then put down your wells (specifically Well of Suffering to make the boss vulnerable) and go into Death Shroud. Hit 1 once for the might (you are traited to get Might from DS auto attack) and then Life Transfer while your fury is still up (you get fury for the first 5 seconds of DS). This will majorly hammer the boss and also heal your friends. When LT is over, use 1 a bunch more for lots of might stacks. Then get out of DS and switch to your scepter. If you put Sigil of Battle on your dagger like I do, then just switching weapons gives you 3 more stacks of might. With all those stacks of might on, it's time to Lich Form. Lich Form auto-attack hits hard, and LF 2 is a big vulnerability mark. If at all possible, time Lich Form to go with a mesmer's Time Warp and just auto-attack. You will love it.


    Hope that helps!

    Kylindra on
  • DelmainDelmain Registered User regular
    How the hell do combo fields and finishers work?

  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    Delmain wrote: »
    How the hell do combo fields and finishers work?
    http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Combo

  • UnluckyUnlucky That's not meant to happen Registered User regular
    They're complicated. Honestly I only started understanding them once the major WvW guilds started using them. I know having a fire combo field with a blast finisher gives everyone in the field might. I know that damnit!

    Basically, do a finisher in a field, everyone gets a bonus. What bonus' depend on what combo.

    Fantastic
  • KylindraKylindra Registered User regular
    edited March 2013
    Delmain wrote: »
    How the hell do combo fields and finishers work?


    Roughly speaking, fields are circles/lines and finishers are actions. Combine a field with a finisher and you get a combo! The field and finisher can be from two different players or the same player. The type of field and finisher determines which combo you get, according to the rules set out in the table on this page: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Combo

    Example: I put down a Well of Blood, which is my healing circle as a necromancer. It puts a circle on the ground that lasts for 10 seconds. If me or one of my friends uses a Projectile Finisher (like a warrior shooting a gun or a ranger shooting a bow) through my circle (standing in it, or shooting a mob in it), it produces a Combo that Removes Conditions. This procs at the site of the thing being shot--so it will remove a condition on an ally near the mob.

    If you want to make combos happen, you don't necessarily need to memorize that table, you just need to read your spells and see which ones produce fields and finishers. They will say it in the spell descriptions, so just read!

    When you're in a group, put down fields in useful places. Or if you see a friendly circle on the ground, get inside it and spam your finishers! You'll proc all kinds of neat stuff.



    Kylindra on
  • Lucid_SeraphLucid_Seraph TealDeer MarylandRegistered User regular
    Man, I always forget about those because my Engineer build doesn't have very many of those. With my Warrior it's like "oh right those are a thing?"

    See You Space Cowboy: a ttrpg about sad space bounty hunters
    https://podcast.tidalwavegames.com/
  • UnluckyUnlucky That's not meant to happen Registered User regular
    I too have combo issues on the builds I run on my engineer. Levelling up, I'm using the vulnerability flamethrower build. My fields are pretty much fire or bust.

    Fantastic
  • VivixenneVivixenne Remember your training, and we'll get through this just fine. Registered User regular
    @Kylindra

    so at the moment the links to TS3 and Guild Bank Rules and Guild Mission Schedule - the ones at the top of the page - they're not prominent enough? should I bold the links or move them around?

    XBOX: NOVADELPHINI | DISCORD: NOVADELPHINI #7387 | TWITTER
  • DraygoDraygo Registered User regular
    Warrior has the longbow which has both fields and finishers on that weapon.

  • doomybeardoomybear Hi People Registered User regular
    edited March 2013
    For a discussion of combos: Data! Including all skills across a profession except Ranger pets, racial skills, underwater skills, single-weapon versions of thief dual skills, and elites:
    Combo Fields
    Elementalist, 12 (3 from Conjures)
    Engineer, 7 (Counting Toss Elixir U as 1)
    Guardian, 10
    Mesmer, 5
    Necromancer, 8
    Ranger, 4
    Thief, 4
    Warrior, 1

    Blast Finishers
    Ele, 9 (1 from Conjures)
    Eng, 11 (6 from Detonation)
    Gua, 2
    Mes, 1
    Nec, 3 (2 from Minions)
    Ran, 0
    Thi, 1
    War, 8 (5 from Banners)

    Leap Finishers
    Ele, 3 (2 from Conjures)
    Eng, 1
    Gua, 1
    Mes, 4 (1 from an Illusion, 1 from a Phantasm
    Nec, 0
    Ran, 2
    Thi, 1
    War, 4

    Projectile Finishers Small means 20% chance
    Ele, 7
    Eng, 5 (2 Small)
    Gua, 0
    Mes, 3 (1 from Phantasm)
    Nec, 1 (1 Small)
    Ran, 13 (4 Small)
    Thi, 12 (3 Small)
    War, 13 (4 Small)

    Whirl Finishers
    Ele, 0
    Eng, 0
    Gua, 3
    Mes, 2 (2 from Phantasms)
    Nec, 0
    Ran, 1
    Thi, 1
    War, 5 (1 from Banner)

    Finishers Total
    Elementalist, 19 (3 from Conjures)
    Engineer, 17 (2 Small, 6 from Detonation)
    Guardian, 6
    Mesmer, 10 (1 from an Illusion, 4 from Phantasms)
    Necromancer, 4 (1 Small, 2 from Minions)
    Ranger, 16 (4 Small)
    Thief, 15 (3 Small, 2 from Stealth)
    Warrior, 30 (4 Small, 6 from Banners)

    Edit: Geth auto-awesome'd this post?

    ?

    doomybear on
    what a happy day it is
  • ICUbICUb WARegistered User regular
    You're about to be [redacted]



    Bnet tag: Nermals#11601
  • Cobalt60Cobalt60 regular Registered User regular
    You said one of the bad words!

  • KylindraKylindra Registered User regular
    Vivixenne wrote: »
    @Kylindra

    so at the moment the links to TS3 and Guild Bank Rules and Guild Mission Schedule - the ones at the top of the page - they're not prominent enough? should I bold the links or move them around?

    The positioning looks good, but can you up the font size? You have a thirty foot tall title and then these itty bitty links to content. :)

  • GeodGeod swim, swim, hungryRegistered User regular
    Kylindra wrote: »
    @REG_Rysk:

    I could write up some text for you if you want. I would basically keep the guild stuff, take out the "oh a new game with features!" stuff, and just add all the basic modern links that anyone would need to learn about the game (guild wars official sites, main fan sites and guides, our guild tumblr, etc).

    Would that help?

    Yeah, let me know if you want help for that too. The OP has needed a cleaning for awhile now imo.

  • ArdorArdor Registered User regular
    Delmain wrote: »
    So speaking of builds, what's a good way to build a thief? I'm like 20 atm and running d/d and shortbow. Shortbow for AoE stuff, otherwise daggers. What should I be using?

    For going through PvE content, put a pistol offhand and use black powder. Pulsing blind which allows you to really make many fights with normal and veteran mobs easy, since they can't hit you.

  • DelmainDelmain Registered User regular
    Ardor wrote: »
    Delmain wrote: »
    So speaking of builds, what's a good way to build a thief? I'm like 20 atm and running d/d and shortbow. Shortbow for AoE stuff, otherwise daggers. What should I be using?

    For going through PvE content, put a pistol offhand and use black powder. Pulsing blind which allows you to really make many fights with normal and veteran mobs easy, since they can't hit you.

    I'm duoing with my gf's guardian.

  • KylindraKylindra Registered User regular
    So after Guild Bounties tonight, NICE went in search of the Secret Cat Room!

    And then we took off our pants.

    rFjhDU5.jpg


    Where is the Secret Cat Room, you ask? It's a secret! :P

    Full album at http://imgur.com/a/I3A7e#0

    Pants-free Shennanigans FTW!

  • VivixenneVivixenne Remember your training, and we'll get through this just fine. Registered User regular
    Kylindra wrote: »
    Vivixenne wrote: »
    @Kylindra

    so at the moment the links to TS3 and Guild Bank Rules and Guild Mission Schedule - the ones at the top of the page - they're not prominent enough? should I bold the links or move them around?

    The positioning looks good, but can you up the font size? You have a thirty foot tall title and then these itty bitty links to content. :)

    hmmm I'm not actually sure if I can up the font size due to the theme I'm using, but I'll dig around in the code and see if I can increase it for just that line

    XBOX: NOVADELPHINI | DISCORD: NOVADELPHINI #7387 | TWITTER
  • VivixenneVivixenne Remember your training, and we'll get through this just fine. Registered User regular
    Vivixenne wrote: »
    Kylindra wrote: »
    Vivixenne wrote: »
    @Kylindra

    so at the moment the links to TS3 and Guild Bank Rules and Guild Mission Schedule - the ones at the top of the page - they're not prominent enough? should I bold the links or move them around?

    The positioning looks good, but can you up the font size? You have a thirty foot tall title and then these itty bitty links to content. :)

    hmmm I'm not actually sure if I can up the font size due to the theme I'm using, but I'll dig around in the code and see if I can increase it for just that line

    done

    XBOX: NOVADELPHINI | DISCORD: NOVADELPHINI #7387 | TWITTER
  • doomybeardoomybear Hi People Registered User regular
    Maybe make the profession icons bigger? So that the menu looks like an inverted pyramid. I like shapes.

    what a happy day it is
  • BethrynBethryn Unhappiness is Mandatory Registered User regular
    I love that the kittens are being trained to fight combat dummies in the SCR.

    ...and of course, as always, Kill Hitler.
  • Cobalt60Cobalt60 regular Registered User regular
    Holy hell are our late night 'commanders' terrible.

  • MegaPureiboiMegaPureiboi Registered User regular
    Who was it? During the week the overnight EST commander, Z the Bored, is pretty good.

    Xbox Live: Keml0
    Steam: Kemlo
  • UnluckyUnlucky That's not meant to happen Registered User regular
    Yeah, Z is generally pretty on the ball. I happily follow him around and do his bidding.

    Fantastic
  • KatanastrokeKatanastroke A painter who only used red Registered User new member
    Bethryn wrote: »
    I love that the kittens are being trained to fight combat dummies in the SCR.

    Indeed. Secrets like this are a large part of what makes the game so fascinating, all those little details that bring the world to life.

    GW2: Kraig Sybrant | Olórin Gandalf | Felix Of The Charr
  • ZoelZoel I suppose... I'd put it on Registered User regular
    edited May 2013
    Unlucky wrote: »
    Yeah, Z is generally pretty on the ball. I happily follow him around and do his bidding.

    Z hates me because I steal his militia on accidents.

    in general though we need more militia commanders and SEA players, or just more organized groups in general.

    we had cimon going last night and I've never actually seen him before, but he seems to be okay

    if you want to be a commander there are plenty of people on the server who will help you out with practicing that. I say this with absolute confidence as the fifth best commander in [RET].

    I guess now is a good time for me to throw out the fort aspenwood wvw deeets

    community ts is kindly managed by Kylia of [AVTR], ask in team chat for it and get someone with the dorito by their head to make you a fort aspenwood member.

    We also have a place where tarnished coast trolls us at www.fort-aspenwood.com

    Zoel on
    A magician gives you a ring that, when worn, will let you see the world as it truly is.
    However, the ring will never leave your finger, and you will be unable to ever describe to another living person what you see.
  • ZoelZoel I suppose... I'd put it on Registered User regular
    Unlucky wrote: »
    They're complicated. Honestly I only started understanding them once the major WvW guilds started using them. I know having a fire combo field with a blast finisher gives everyone in the field might. I know that damnit!

    Basically, do a finisher in a field, up to five people get an effect. What effect depends on what combo.

    The finer details are worthwhile.

    a finisher works on the "on top" field in a stack, e.g. if I drop a light field and bob drops a fire field right after, any effects will use the fire field, and the light field is ignored for blast finisher purposes.

    (so don't drop a field when you see a guild group stacking up or you might wipe them)

    The BIG TWO are fire and water

    Smashing fire gives you might and is usually used at the start of an encounter. Water does a SIGNIFICANT aoe heal for each blast and is generally used mid encounter before turning around.

    Electric can only be made by eles, and is used for group swiftness

    Ethereal gives chaos armor

    Light gives retaliation

    and the others are less important.

    [RET]/[Shh] had an organized 20v20 GvG with [RISE] recently and you can see the use of the big two here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpwXxEvTK4U

    kind of an embarassing video for me since I canary and end up the only person downed in both fights.

    A magician gives you a ring that, when worn, will let you see the world as it truly is.
    However, the ring will never leave your finger, and you will be unable to ever describe to another living person what you see.
  • DraygoDraygo Registered User regular
    I think frost blast is underused by zergs and should be used right after stacking might.

    chilling a lot of enemies that attack you really does slow down incoming dps and movement. Either that or they should be chaos shielding (because chaos shields are awesome).

This discussion has been closed.