Curse

TheGizzy · Feb 20, 2011, 07:28 AM // 07:28

In a discussion about GW2, I mentioned how I will miss having heroes in the new game, and that got me thinking...

I love having heroes. I enjoy equipping them, changing their builds, dragging them all over hell and gone with me. I am very much looking forward to the 7-hero build when it is released, and I'm excited by the prospect of building a nicely balanced team of heroes to accompany me in further exploits & explorations!

My friend Missy and I play together... we often make cracks about having to take Death Nova away from Olias because he will sometimes do little more than stand way back with his minions and cast DN on them over and over and over... they don't jump into the fray, and he drains all his energy recasting DN on them. So we put him in a "time out" when he is "misbehaving" and micro-manage DN. That tendency to "misbehave" has helped mentally create a personality for him.

In my mind, each of my heroes has a different personality... a different "feel" to them. Am I alone in this? I know that in past discussions here about pets, we've talked about what it felt like to set our first companion loose at the menagerie... I was one of the ones (but not the only apparently LOL) who had to keep running back to make sure they'd give me my Melandru Stalker back before I was willing to go out and try to charm another pet. *grinning* I didn't expect to find myself feeling a similar attachment to my heroes, but I do... I rely on them to help keep me alive in a battle, to help me get through a mission, to meet my goals. I'm going to miss their "companionship" when GW2 comes out... and maybe that makes me enjoy their presence that much more in GW1.

What about you? Do you find that you are somewhat "attached" to your heroes? Do you see patterns in their behavior (like my issue with Olias & his use of DN) that become "part" of them in your mind? Do you find that you have a standard three who accompany you most often? Does it bother you on any level if you have to leave one (or more) of those three behind for one reason or another?

What personality quirks have you noticed in (or attributed to LOL) your heroes? And how often do you find yourself lecturing them about proper use of their skills? ROFL

Damian Greenthumb · Feb 20, 2011, 07:58 AM // 07:58

I dont often lecture my heros.

Unleash a torrent of profanity and jestures, yes.

**cosyfiep** · Feb 20, 2011, 08:36 AM // 08:36

I have given mine nicnames....sosuke is so sucky, dunkoro is ducko or dummy, etc... I gave up talking to vekk since he rarely listens and just does as he pleases (seems to have a bit of his dad in him...ok more than a bit)..and yes I have had to speak with olias on many occasions---and he no longer has death nova since he cant seem to use it correctly (and sometimes refuses to use AotL)....
I like to bring gwen, kerien and pyre ...just to see how they interact (they usually all ignore each other)....

Raven Wing · Feb 20, 2011, 09:35 AM // 09:35

My dunkoro often tend to get lost in speculations about strategy. Often when he is about to give "advice" of what to do and getting ready to a speach the rest of his team is hurt or dead....ooops was I supposed to heal?
I open his bar and he got plenty of energy and nice heal skills recharged and ready to use, but he just idles. Then HE gets time out for the next trip and I take Tahlkora or Ogden or henchmonks instead.
Zhed is well known, in my guild he is called Zhed Aggrohoof. To him everything whatever it is legless snakes or insects with lots of legs are "imprudent two-legs" and must die immediately, it doesnt matter if hes out of energy or anything, he aggros them.

Bassma · Feb 20, 2011, 09:43 AM // 09:43

Practice practice practice makes perfect. I've tried all kinds of synergy builds on the heroes I do use and eventually found the best dps for several of them. They don't use every build and every skill for sure like we do and in the order we do so you just have to keep practicing till you find the right combo's. Like I did with my Discord build for heroes. Others laughed at it like it was for humans but it works perfectly for the way I have built my heroes and they will take a mob down within seconds now. Olias makes a great monk though with the right skills. Livia and Master and myself are the destroyers. I hardly have to take any other henchmen in most places anymore. Sure in hard mode I need more damage and healing power but I've found I do rather well just playing in normal mode with the 4 of us. Sometimes it's just fun to watch Master and Livia and Olias play and I just go around collecting up loot. Those are my favorite ones an occassionally I'll take Gwen for interupting power and leave Livia at home. I love the interupt henchie archer as well. The Faction female monk is pretty useful too what's her name Kim? or something like that.

Raven Wing · Feb 20, 2011, 10:25 AM // 10:25

Kihm is in NF, maybe you think of sister Tai.
And yes some skills are just not good for heroes, you can get far by tweaking their builds.

Lasai · Feb 20, 2011, 10:45 AM // 10:45

Yes, even though I know the AI is pretty much the same, I swear my heroes all act differently.

I tend to use Talkora as a Monk simply because I think dunk and ogden are leeeroyish incompetants. Even with the same skills... they just do dumb things. When I use a hero monk, it is Talkora, and she is the one with me when I NEED one.

I adore Xandra.. she just rocks. I spoil her too. She is the kid in my group, to me. I have her along most of the time.

Gwen.. I feel the same towards Her as hero as I do as NPC. pretty meh. She is the last to get hero armor, I never put her statue up, I dont care what her weapon looks like. If norgu wasnt such a dipstick I would replace her. she is there for her skillset only, and if I can get by without her, I do. She does a decent job.. but I would ship her off in a heartbeat if I had a choice besides Norgu. The more ANET inflates her "Heroic" role, the less I like her.

For some reason I love Jinn and Melonni, and stick them in groups even if marginal just so they dont "feel bad". Same with Jora.. she always gets to rawr in my goof off groups.

Liv and Hayda are like.. reliable. I give em thier skills and let em do thier job.. and never worry about them. My Livs are nearly always curse build so she doesnt have to manage minions, and I can take her anywhere. Olias does bug me a lot, as he seems to forget he has to follow me.. or has a too broad interpretation of "flagged" followed by his silly death scream, and me going wtf were you DOING OVER THERE.

Vekk.. omg. I despaired of him EVER learning. You have a staff, it is ranged, RANGED you little twit. Finally I gave him a modded club of a thousand bears, an earth ele build, and let him happily bash away like the frustrated little caveman he wants to be. Surprisingly it works.

Thackaray, IF I ever allowed him in group, would get staked out as bait. I wont even rune him.. and I think I stole his bow. After Hearts of the North I have an irrational hatred of him that just won't go away. I have every other companion in game in my HOM.. and I can guarantee he wont ever be there.

Hench.. well I did all of Proph with just hench.. and the two standouts I recall are THOM NOOO!!! and then omg .... alesia..come back...

Re. pets.. My ranger had the first Stalker she tamed in pre.. right up to Menagerie coming in.. other pets I forced my heroes to tame. I did the same.. showed Persis to the keeper then ran to check if she really was available before I would EVER turn her loose. I have now every charmable pet in game.. and still, Persis is the one that always goes back on my bar.

Shadowspawn X · Feb 20, 2011, 01:28 PM // 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGizzy

... they don't jump into the fray, and he drains all his energy recasting DN on them.

If you ping your targets the minions will follow and you won't have that issue.

Kook~NBK~ · Feb 20, 2011, 01:38 PM // 13:38

"Zhed"- Centaur for "Leeroy!" I haven't taken him in a party (except where mandatory) in a very, very long time. (Nice to see that I'm not the only one who has experienced this.)

Olias - Sometimes I think that he thinks that PvE is a spectator sport and is only there to provide the spectators. (as a MM, of course)

Talkora gets all the best drops.

Jora has a kind of "Oh goody! I get to kill something!" mind-set.

Gwen has a split personality. Give her the same skills, weapon, team, and even the same mobs (the same everything), she'll do very well or she'll suck. It just depends on which Gwen shows up.

Malla13 · Feb 20, 2011, 03:27 PM // 15:27

Ooooh yes. My heroes and I are good buddies (when I don't want to strangle them). XD

Xandra is almost always in my party. I know the AI is all the same but she's probably one of the more obviously reliable heroes that I have. I never have to watch her energy or micro anything I give her.

She's just awesome.

Livia is pretty much the same way. Whispers and Olias are pretty much stuck with their bars (because they're idiots and it if ain't broke I'm not about to "fix" it for them) but Livia gets the experimental builds. Seems to me that she can run a variety with at least some efficiency.

And I know I shouldn't bother with melee heroes much because the AI is questionable at best, but I've got a soft spot for Koss (I think it's all about his fabulous hair) and Kahmu.

They've got personality! Actually in my crazy-detailed character backstories Kahmu is married to my main Elementalist.

As far as the henchmen, Herta's proven pretty useful to me, and the majority of the GW:EN henchies are pretty solid.

Factions has some interesting henchmen as well, and I'm including Su in that even if her MM build isn't that great. Prophecies...let's just say I reeeeeeeeally like heroes. XD

Cale Roughstar · Feb 20, 2011, 03:28 PM // 15:28

Dunky, Oggers, Tahlk, Whisps, and Crazy Horse are just some of the nicknames I have for the losers who like to tag along.

MithranArkanere · Feb 20, 2011, 03:32 PM // 15:32

I don't see any of that, all I can say about my heroes is that I set each of them with a builds that I see that fit them the most. I also give them each a pet based on that.

Koss - Axe-Tactics. I use him mainly to get rid of stances, some interruption, deep wound, and give a little support to the party.
Dunkoro - I set him to healing prayer mainly.
Melonni - I usually set her with earth prayers, and avatar of menaldru or dwayna, and builds with heavy enchantment usage.
Tahlkora - This one I set with protection builds.
Zhed Shadowhoof - Water for this one. Never go anywhere near flame titans or fire elementalas without Zhed.
General Morgahn - Morgahn I set mainly with leadership-spear. "They're on Fire!" Anthem of Flame, etc.
Goren - Goren is the hammer guy. I'm fond of a particular build with dwarven battle stance.
Acolyte Jin - Jin is my interruption ranger. Spreading Dazing and Chocking gas.
Margrid the Sly - Margrid is usually a second interruption ranger, or a beast master.
Master of Whispers - I set master of whispers with curses builds.
Norgu - I usually set him with illusion builds, against attackers, or to support interruption, or with a Psychic Instability and domination spells, to support Gwen when she goes Panic. No one castas with those two together!
Acolyte Sousuke goes usually earth or fire.
Razah is usually the spirit spammer with channelling or communing.-
Olias & Livia. Olias should have death magic builds, but I like Livia better and use death magic more, so I switched them, and olias is stuck with blood, and livia gets death.
Zenmai&Anton - Seriously. Anyone uses them? Really? Who? Ha!
Ogden Stonehealer - This one's my smiter.
Vekk - Air weapon-hate builds.
Gwen - Domination mainly. Panic, regret, power block, etc...
Xandra - Restoration or communing, healing and support mainly.
Kahmu - He usually gets grenth or balthazar avatars, and builds with few enchantments on.
Jora - Sword. I usually make her bring dazing, crippling, and some damage sometimes.
Pyre Fierceshot - I give pire short or hornbows and use him for clrippling, and barrage builds.
Hayda - Command mainly.
Keiran Thackeray goes motivation. I keep the bow and make him use volley to build up adrenaline quicker.
M.O.X. - I usually give him builds that rely less on having enchantments on, and Forsaken insignia.

As for the pets:
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/User:...nArkanere/Pets

jazilla · Feb 20, 2011, 03:50 PM // 15:50

I keep telling Olias to stop staring at my Gaki's thong. Olias can't help it though. I think it's Olias' chaps that are the problem really.

ruk1a · Feb 20, 2011, 05:19 PM // 17:19

jora is hot, nuff said

Verene · Feb 20, 2011, 05:24 PM // 17:24

I've long since given up on Vekk and Zhed. I think they're both miffed about being elementalists and the fact that they can't really do damage in HM, and so they want to be warriors instead.

Olias is sometimes more of a cheerleader than an actual participant. He will also sometimes ignore minions to cast Death Nova on me.

I used to always use Melonni, but her following me fearlessly into the heart of battle would sometimes overaggro and I wound up leaving her behind. Thanks to the update, she's back and stapled to my party window, and we're a two-woman team of whirling death.

syronj · Feb 20, 2011, 05:40 PM // 17:40

Being a noob, I'm still learning what skills to give the heroes, but there are a few trends. I seem to end up with Ogden as monk/rit, Pyre for ranged/necro, and Jora or MOX as the tank. Zho seems to be a survivor, usually the last one to fall when a party gets wiped, though Ogden hangs in there too. I've grown to appreciate Lina for her drive to protect other characters, and Herta for her resurrecting ability (in addition to being smoking). I'm not using Gwen much so far, maybe because I'm used to having to leave her out of the group while I run missions to help Keiran get her, and partly because I'm not certain yet of how capable she is.
I've gone back to using heroes meant for a particular campaign more often lately -- Nightfall heroes for the Nightfall campaign, etc. It started seeming too easy to unleash EotN heroes on earlier games such as Prophecies.
Edit: Sorry for mixing henchmen in with heroes above.

Necrodolly · Feb 20, 2011, 06:26 PM // 18:26

I usually just yell "Olias, you suck!" at the screen.

Chrisworld · Feb 20, 2011, 08:28 PM // 20:28

Even though heroes are nothing more than AI and copypasta code, they do seem to have their own personalities. Even from account to account too. For example, if my friend and I were to run the SAME Mesmer build (down to weapon stats and armor stats) on both of our Gwen's, my Gwen ALWAYS sucks at the game. In fact, all of my heroes suck, cept' for Ogden. He has a manly beard and he is good at healing himself while I'm dying.

ensoriki · Feb 20, 2011, 08:44 PM // 20:44

I swear the AI isn't copy paste.
Olias loves to be where he shouldn't be, always.
If I flag him, he's somehow farther away from the flag then the melee heroes and henchmen. How I have no bloody clue. I could give Livia the same build and she will behave herself.

If im lazy and running away from a foe, even if I turn off all of Olias' skills somehow, some how he is still at the back, being attacked by monsters as we're half a danger-zone away from him.
Dudes a serious masochist just loves getting hurt.

Vekk with ER won't die for whatever reason it doesn't even make sense to me, he has nothing to heal himself with, just can reduce damage he and we take and yet, everbody could be dead, and Vekk will be there at full friggen health. Give anyone else the same build, and they're dead. Do monsters like Asura or something?

Vekk is tank, Olias is idiot.

Cuilan · Feb 20, 2011, 09:05 PM // 21:05

I don't have any attachment to the heroes because they're all the same mindless bots that are hardly aware of anything.