It certainly has been awhile since my last post, but frankly a nice vacation in Cancun, Mexico far outweighs anything WAR has to offer. Sun, margaritas, old ruins, margaritas, family, margaritas, swimming, margaritas...you get the picture.
Played a little bit now that 1.4 is out and I'm not sure I like it at the T2 and T3 stages. I do like the new bracket levels for T2 and T3. I just could never strike a good balance between leveling my actual level to gain new abilities and leveling my renown and Warcamp influence. Now I've more time to level my RR and influence and I might actually get that last item from RvR T3.
1.4 seems....oddly implemented. By that I mean, the focus was to remove the zerg (or at least reduce it), promote small group skirmishes and remove the situation where one side or the other could dominate all three zones which effectively hindered the other side gaining any momentum to outst them. What I've seen lately swings TOO far in the other direction. (Remember, this is not T4. I haven't tried that with the new bracket changes) It Gaiscioch's T3 seige night we spent most of the time running from one empty zone to another, standing around at BOs until the keep was at four stars then quickly purchasing rams to knock the doors down. Even the keeps are merely standing around with the demise of NPC door guards and keep lords. Of all the changes I miss, keep lords are at the top of that list. They were NO impediment to a large 2+ Warband assault, but they did provide the difference defending against a single warband attempt to take a castle. A small warband of one or two groups could hold off twice their number...sometimes...with the Keep lords help. As it stands now, there is NO chance for that to happen. The smaller group of defenders cannot keep an attack off the walls, especially now that most classes can "picklocks" or "airdrop" in from bombers. I think the simple replacement of the keep lords would be a perfect balance of difficult versus achievement.
On a side note, I've been playing my Warrior Priest more. I've come to realize that I NEED to get at least one toon to level 40 as soon as possible. I haven't purchased the RvR pack, and I don't plan to for a while at least. So to assist me, I spent the night in LoTD and gained almost an entire level doing the PQ where you put out burning books and such. Of course my group of 2 KoTBS, 1 Witch Hunter, 2 Warrior Priests and a Runepriest were completely and quickly killed on the third stage of that PQ by a lvl 41 Champion. Even the lvl 39 Knight couldn't tank the damage...unless all the other healers were asleep, but I doubt that.
So, in an effort to "build a better WP", I've added a link to Realm War for my Warrior Priest, JONZAC
Jonzac the Warrior Priest
Given that Realm War doesn't show my 1h hammer alternative, I've added the Pale Cudgel of Neferata link from Arsenal of War.
I've several questions, and I hope that someone...anyone will comment on them.
1. Should I focus on leveling to lvl 40 and ignore my RR? Or should I delay getting to lvl 40 until I can get there at lvl 40R40?
2. What kind of gear should I be getting? Annilator is merely 1 to 6 Realm Ranks away...but it healing focused?
3. I am speced in Grace and have the Wounds buff...with enough in to Salv right now to get the group cleanse tactic...is that appropriate, or should I move back into all Salvation?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
What is a Witch Hunter's Target?
I have been playing my Witch Hunter on Badlands on Tier 2, and as always, I have success as part of a well led WarBand (Thanks Dainain), but I struggle in scenarios. At level 19 and 20 I was still unable to kill shammans, zealots, or DoKs out of stealth. Some of that is gear, I have a less than optimal rapier (Renown purchase at 25 DPS) instead of the higher T2 or scenario reward weapons at 29 DPS. I'm hoping that ANYONE reads this and can help with some advice.
My rotation and such is as follows:
Out of stealth, Sudden Accusations...followed by three Torments then run accusation of Burn Armor for the large DoT. I am using bullets of purety to half their outgoing heals. I then hit Silence the Heretic, followed by more Torments and then accusation (normally Absolution)...I rarely have them down to half health at this time and then their healing and HoTs kick in and I can't outdamage their healing.
I'm positive its the player and not the class...so any tips and suggestions?
On a side note, I was playing on Black Fire Basin and I got to do what Witch Hunters do best...kill people along. I would hide behind a tree near the route back to their base where they would plant the flag...Order was getting farmed short of the flag...I managed four solo kills on flag runners...all Melee DPS types. Isn't it sad I can kill a high damage output character...but lose miserably to healers? Managed all the kills with only one health potion as well. Felt like a good use of my skills as I delayed them winning by almost five minutes...more of a personal victory although I did pull pretty good experience and renown out of that scenario. Too bad I only managed one emblem for my scenario reward.
Fortunately, I leveled him out of Tier 2 in time for the Battle of the Badlands, Tier 3 night...so hopefully I can follow more competent Warband leaders than myself and have Order be successful.
My rotation and such is as follows:
Out of stealth, Sudden Accusations...followed by three Torments then run accusation of Burn Armor for the large DoT. I am using bullets of purety to half their outgoing heals. I then hit Silence the Heretic, followed by more Torments and then accusation (normally Absolution)...I rarely have them down to half health at this time and then their healing and HoTs kick in and I can't outdamage their healing.
I'm positive its the player and not the class...so any tips and suggestions?
On a side note, I was playing on Black Fire Basin and I got to do what Witch Hunters do best...kill people along. I would hide behind a tree near the route back to their base where they would plant the flag...Order was getting farmed short of the flag...I managed four solo kills on flag runners...all Melee DPS types. Isn't it sad I can kill a high damage output character...but lose miserably to healers? Managed all the kills with only one health potion as well. Felt like a good use of my skills as I delayed them winning by almost five minutes...more of a personal victory although I did pull pretty good experience and renown out of that scenario. Too bad I only managed one emblem for my scenario reward.
Fortunately, I leveled him out of Tier 2 in time for the Battle of the Badlands, Tier 3 night...so hopefully I can follow more competent Warband leaders than myself and have Order be successful.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Batte for the Badlands Nov 2nd
Wonderful night in T2 on Badlands! Signed in with my lvl 19 Witch Hunter, Martain, and attempted to get from Ellyrion to Cascades of Thunder (or CoT). Took a long time to find a way over the mountains and, of course, as soon as I reached the summit the warband had taken the castle and then died to the estimated 100+ Destruction horde that had arrived. We then moved to Stonetroll, had the door down but was prevented from capturing the keep by the same large Destro horde.
Our leader, who's name I forgot and can't spell, then split up the three warbands that were participating send each of us to different zones. My warband went back to Ellyrion where we went up and over the mountains and quickly captured the keep from the group that had managed to get past our lines. As a Destro warband arrived we bugged out and quickly moved to the Marshes of Madness and joined another warband to take the keep. We then held as a large two warband group moved into position to siege the keep. They were VERY intent on recapture and a battle that lasted at least an hour quickly developed.
Destro was able to bring the oil down with Ranged DPS and two cannons, which allowed them to bring a ram to the door and bring it down. At that point, an epic fight lasting an hour started at the door. The warband leader from the Gaiscioch guild then ordered a "door" of tanks to "open" allowing about a group of Destro through. After they came through they closed the door and those of us Melee and Ranged DPS burned them down where they were out of rez range. This continued for more times than I can count, although Destro did push through several times with a heavy tank and melee DPS, it was never followed by the ranged DPS or healers and was able to be pushed back.
Our boss also unleashed the "Alter of the Fallen" on them several times. Apparently, the alter confers a large damage against all enemy, or weakens them...I'm not sure which. He opened the door and allowed almost a full warband into the first floor and activated the alter. The second time we did this we pushed out the door and quickly took the remaining attackers down or scattered them to the winds. At this point I had hit lvl 20, and I'm at 95% completed of RR18...all in all a great night.
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Now let's look at the tactics in play last night. First of all the decision to break our force into three seperate groups was risky and does fly in the face of traditional, real world, military where concentration is often the watch word...although Clauswitz states that the offense must be strong at the point of conflict...not necessary strong all over. Breaking up our forces forced Destro to mirror that as Order performed an operational flanking maneuver taking strategic ground, i.e. keeps, away from the main Destro defensive line. It the real world it would have allowed the Defense to kill one group after another, but in WAR this is a valid and reasonable tactic as there is no real impact as the keep is not destroyed and your warriors are not permanently lost as a fighting force.
The tactical actions of our defense was superb, by allowing misinformation to the enemy we lured him into a position of weakness where he was destroyed. There was risk and I can think of several ways to counter that tactic. First, prepare three or four tanks. They follow each other in a train with a one second delay, the first tank hits the shield wall and uses an area knockback to create an initial hole. The second tank moves in and widens the hole if required...if not he moves left to continue to knock back the immediate defense. The third tank comes in and knocks back the defenders who are moving in to plug the hold and the fourth tank moves right to clear that side. The melee DPS needs to be in a group directly on the fourth tanks heels. Its their job to exploit the hole and start moving deeper inside to kill healers first, then melee DPS. Quickly following the melee DPS should be the ranged DPS who should hit the door and just inside start to AOE...using point blank AOE at first to ensure the hole is not plugged. Healers will need to be streaming in as soon as the melee DPS gets inside. In essence, I am borrowing a tactic from bomb wearing terrorists that uses sequential explosions to open a fortified checkpoint or gate...quickly followed up by the other groups to exploit the now open hole and move the fight away from a prepared defensive ground and into an area where the attacker has more and better options. In our fight the healers and ranged DPS NEVER followed the openings that were made by the tanks and melee DPS, allowing Order to take them down piecemeal. Sometimes ranged folks need to understand that closer...especially at a chokepoint that is being breached is better.
Our leader, who's name I forgot and can't spell, then split up the three warbands that were participating send each of us to different zones. My warband went back to Ellyrion where we went up and over the mountains and quickly captured the keep from the group that had managed to get past our lines. As a Destro warband arrived we bugged out and quickly moved to the Marshes of Madness and joined another warband to take the keep. We then held as a large two warband group moved into position to siege the keep. They were VERY intent on recapture and a battle that lasted at least an hour quickly developed.
Destro was able to bring the oil down with Ranged DPS and two cannons, which allowed them to bring a ram to the door and bring it down. At that point, an epic fight lasting an hour started at the door. The warband leader from the Gaiscioch guild then ordered a "door" of tanks to "open" allowing about a group of Destro through. After they came through they closed the door and those of us Melee and Ranged DPS burned them down where they were out of rez range. This continued for more times than I can count, although Destro did push through several times with a heavy tank and melee DPS, it was never followed by the ranged DPS or healers and was able to be pushed back.
Our boss also unleashed the "Alter of the Fallen" on them several times. Apparently, the alter confers a large damage against all enemy, or weakens them...I'm not sure which. He opened the door and allowed almost a full warband into the first floor and activated the alter. The second time we did this we pushed out the door and quickly took the remaining attackers down or scattered them to the winds. At this point I had hit lvl 20, and I'm at 95% completed of RR18...all in all a great night.
---------------------------
Now let's look at the tactics in play last night. First of all the decision to break our force into three seperate groups was risky and does fly in the face of traditional, real world, military where concentration is often the watch word...although Clauswitz states that the offense must be strong at the point of conflict...not necessary strong all over. Breaking up our forces forced Destro to mirror that as Order performed an operational flanking maneuver taking strategic ground, i.e. keeps, away from the main Destro defensive line. It the real world it would have allowed the Defense to kill one group after another, but in WAR this is a valid and reasonable tactic as there is no real impact as the keep is not destroyed and your warriors are not permanently lost as a fighting force.
The tactical actions of our defense was superb, by allowing misinformation to the enemy we lured him into a position of weakness where he was destroyed. There was risk and I can think of several ways to counter that tactic. First, prepare three or four tanks. They follow each other in a train with a one second delay, the first tank hits the shield wall and uses an area knockback to create an initial hole. The second tank moves in and widens the hole if required...if not he moves left to continue to knock back the immediate defense. The third tank comes in and knocks back the defenders who are moving in to plug the hold and the fourth tank moves right to clear that side. The melee DPS needs to be in a group directly on the fourth tanks heels. Its their job to exploit the hole and start moving deeper inside to kill healers first, then melee DPS. Quickly following the melee DPS should be the ranged DPS who should hit the door and just inside start to AOE...using point blank AOE at first to ensure the hole is not plugged. Healers will need to be streaming in as soon as the melee DPS gets inside. In essence, I am borrowing a tactic from bomb wearing terrorists that uses sequential explosions to open a fortified checkpoint or gate...quickly followed up by the other groups to exploit the now open hole and move the fight away from a prepared defensive ground and into an area where the attacker has more and better options. In our fight the healers and ranged DPS NEVER followed the openings that were made by the tanks and melee DPS, allowing Order to take them down piecemeal. Sometimes ranged folks need to understand that closer...especially at a chokepoint that is being breached is better.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Why do I and others roll alts?
As I start yet another order character...without having a lvl 40 to my name, I have to ask the question...why? Why are alts so insidious and so prevalent? I suppose a quick review is in order...I have a lvl 32 RR 29 Warrior Priest, fully Salvation specced for healing. I have a lvl 19 WH, lvl 17 IB, lvl 13 Engineer....do you see the trend. Lately, the last few days I've been playing a Shadow Warrior in PvE and Scenarios.
I figured a look at my "Main" a pro's and con's list might be in order.
PRO.
- I can at least get into T4, as I've blogged earlier I even got into a successful city defense...which was a lot of fun.
- I'm just now hitting new content and new areas, learning the backstories and exploring the "oRvR Lakes"
- I like healing and keeping a group alive
- I'm in a new guild that is very active
CONS
- I'm in T4 as the lowest possible level, making me rather ineffective although I'm much more effective at helping than a lvl 32 melee toon is going to be.
- oRvR is confusing as all get out, and I only stay alive in the middle of the zerg, which makes oRvR a little less enjoyable as fights can be over before I even arrive...the exception are keep takes where I stand around spamming HOTs and the occasional group heal...which only heals two folks as the others are all out of range.
- I'm a secondary healer and incapable of keeping my group alive if I was the only healer
Neither the Pros or the Cons heavily outweigh the other...so why can't I focus on one character? T3 and T2 are often the same as T4 where the only way to survive is join and follow the zerg. Maybe if I understood the map lockdown mechanics it would make more sense. Maybe its the fact that T3 and T2 are easier to accomplish anything with less than four warbands.
I think that it boils down to three things. First, alts are guilt free. Most are not in guilds so the pressure to show up and stay late is much lower providing that "I'm here for fun" factor that can be missing when you’re pushing into a city. Second, T3 and T2 maybe more balanced and more importantly there are fewer areas to fight in making it easier to find an opponent. Last, there are fewer people in the zerg. The Battle of the Badlands as the sole exception, its easier for smaller warbands and groups to make a difference.
Combining all these together gives us a glimpse into why folks continue to spend copious amounts of time on two, three or even six other alts....of course; I could just hate my Warrior Priest as well.
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