Curse

faith unyielding · Jan 18, 2006, 10:56 AM // 10:56

I am writing about the helm that is available for only warriors in Henge of Denravi from the armorer Alemeth. This helm shortens duration of hexes cast on you. Upon first inspection one might think this would be like all the other items which shorten duration (quick recovery) on an item. For example, when an item says quick recovery from deep wound, the deep wound is shortened by 33%. Likewise, when an item says lengthen duration, the duration is increased by 33%. So when thinking about the helm one would think that it reduces hex length by 33%. Very powerful even at that number. However, when we are talking about this helm, all hexes are reduced by 50%.

Why do other items that are accessible to other classes specify for one condition. As in shortens crippling duration, or shortens deep wound duration. There are only 9 conditions in the game. Why should it not be shortens duration for all conditions by 50%? Would that not be fair considering this helm reduces all hexes by 50%? But this item says ALL HEXES, this is 64 skills in the game. Elite skills included. When we look at hexes given out by certain classes there are no hexes from the warrior or ranger class, 4 hexes from the monk, and 14 from the elementalist. Furthermore mesmers and necros are the characters which provide most hex spells. Over both the mesmer and necromancer there is a total of 46 hexes, this combined is about 30% of their skills.

For example, lets say you are running a team with 2 W, 1 Me, 1 N and you are facing a team with 4 W. For sake of control lets say all the warriors playing in the battle have the Lieutenants helm on (reduces hex length). The warrior heavy team will have the advantage just by looking at character class because they do not have any hexes to cast and the hexes cast on them will last only 50% as long as they should. By having the necro and mesmer on the one team, with 30% of their skills being hexes, they are at a significant disadvantage. Lets point out another advantage of this helm.

Obviously, hexes will only last half as long if cast on a target with this helm which will make the hexes significantly less effective. Lets look at the skill conjure phantasm. Lets say you have it so this skill lasts for 10 seconds. At 5 pips of degeneration, this hex will last for 10 seconds and do 100 damage. However, if it was casted on a warrior with this helm, it will effectively last for only 5 seconds; therefore cutting the damage in half. Why does no other class in the game get a helm that can effectively cut damage in half? Lets look at the other warrior advantages, they have the best armor in the game, they are one of the best self sustainable characters in the game, and they are able to put out the most damage per second over any other character on average. So why give an already powerful character such an overpowered item? This helm promotes unproportionally heavy warrior teams, as u can see in the top guild teams of the ladder iQ and WM.

This is a problem with resounding consequences. The game play as a whole is significantly reduced when to be competitive teams are restricted to running certain builds or restricted to playing certain character classes. This is definitely a problem when an item, very easy to acquire at that, can devastate two character classes so that 30% of their skills are now not nearly as effective on warriors. This is a problem that needs to taken care of. Why not look at the HoD sword. This sword gives +5 energy and allows for any modifications. This sword cannot be attained anymore because it was deemed to powerful. Then tell me, why would an item that reduces the effectiveness of two character classes
as a whole not be too powerful?

Tainek · Jan 18, 2006, 11:09 AM // 11:09

Space Breaks Are your freind

it makes up for the ench by having only 60AL, which means a lot more damage (i belive all criticals are applied to head, could be wrong)

Tainek · Jan 18, 2006, 11:10 AM // 11:10

from Duplicate thread:

Space Breaks Are your freind

it makes up for the ench by having only 60AL, which means a lot more damage (i belive all criticals are applied to head, could be wrong)

Raxxman · Jan 18, 2006, 11:17 AM // 11:17

simply cause warriors have no hex defense, and taking the helm

A: makes you more vunlerable to attacks as its armour is 40 points lowerer than say the glads helm vs physical when being clobbered in the head.

B: makes you sacrifice a +1 to stat reducing your dammage output/stance duration, etc etc.

C: It makes skills like parasitic bond and warstrels worry twice as effective

Maxiemonster · Jan 18, 2006, 11:24 AM // 11:24

I like it during Droknar's Forge runs. You're constinantly getting hexes in your face, slowing you very much, and this way, it's less painful. During the parts you're not getting hexed constantly, you can always switch to something else, but it helps getting through the Ice Imps and Golems.

chippxero · Jan 18, 2006, 11:24 AM // 11:24

I haven't tested it but it would make Wastrel's Worry do damage quicker surely.

Plus when i am in a town with my warrior, i barely ever see anyone else with the helm.

The lower armor is probably what puts most people off, personally i use it all the time, but then i don't play PvP were it probably would be the most use.

Sekkira · Jan 18, 2006, 11:37 AM // 11:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by chippxero

Plus when i am in a town with my warrior, i barely ever see anyone else with the helm.

That's because

A) It looks like a knight's helm and
B) A lot of people make it invisible

Vilaptca · Jan 18, 2006, 11:47 AM // 11:47

If this were a book nobody would read it. There are paragraphs, it makes reading something INCREDIBLY easier.

Anyways, I think you have some interesting thoughts going on here, but you will lose most of your audience because of your one giant paragraph.

Edit it into something more readable and you should get more discussion.

Ajantis · Jan 18, 2006, 12:06 PM // 12:06

Wastrel's hurts idd hard when using the helmet

But seriously, it IS 60 AL. Nevertheless, it comes from the city of nerfed weapons so get the helmet while you still can

lyra_song · Jan 18, 2006, 01:01 PM // 13:01

I think the Lieutenant's helm is fair on all accounts.

Not only is it lower than maximum, it also does not have any modifiers to any attributes. You are taking that extra point out of your attributes that you could use for weapon mastery or something just to have shorter hex duration, which is not always a good thing (Wastrel's Worry = DEATH)

Two April Mornings · Jan 18, 2006, 01:05 PM // 13:05

i just love that thing....solo the mesmer things in desert...forgot their names ATM

LoneDust · Jan 18, 2006, 03:04 PM // 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyra_song

I think the Lieutenant's helm is fair on all accounts.

Not only is it lower than maximum, it also does not have any modifiers to any attributes. You are taking that extra point out of your attributes that you could use for weapon mastery or something just to have shorter hex duration, which is not always a good thing (Wastrel's Worry = DEATH)

Half duration of hexes is simply too good. By taking away +1 attribute and 20 armor on the head piece, LT helm warrior effectively reduced many anti-warrior hexes from the effect of a lvl 12 spell to level 1 or 2.

As for time-triggered hexes, WW and incendiary bond triggers in half of the time, but I believe lightning surge is still bugged and would just disappear with no damage. I wouldn't count on these hexes to help reset the balance, because any warrior with a sense of self-preservation would simply swap head piece in battle when facing a WW spammer.

Jetdoc · Jan 18, 2006, 03:06 PM // 15:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by faith unyielding

The warrior heavy team will have the advantage just by looking at character class because they do not have any hexes to cast and the hexes cast on them will last only 50% as long as they should. By having the necro and mesmer on the one team, with 30% of their skills being hexes, they are at a significant disadvantage.

The helm does not ELIMINATE hexes, nor provide PROTECTION against hexes. It simply shortens their duration. Most of the recharge times on both necro and mesmer hexes will allow that hex to be recast BEFORE the hex expires. Yes, it drains their energy faster, but at the same time this is compensated for by the warrior's reduction in armor (one of his main characteristics).

It's all about balance, and to me the helm doesn't create any imbalances - if anything, it equalizes a portion of the game to make both hexes and armor a bit more vulnerable when these two face each other.

glountz · Jan 18, 2006, 04:09 PM // 16:09

This helm is fair.
You loose 1 mastery point , 40 armor Vs physical, and hexes still hurt you, they are only lessened.
This added to the fact that the warrior painly lack of any condition/hex removal, and this is balanced.
In addition, some spells typically hurt head, like meteor, so when you take one, you feel it (used it against Flesh golems, but Hydras killed me in no time).
Again, you are stronger against hexes, but loose a lot on the other hand.
If it would be nerfed, lower it from 50% to 33% but give it 80 armor and fit its price on Droks ones.

Zrave · Jan 18, 2006, 04:19 PM // 16:19

The denravi helmet has to go, I figure the only reason it hasn't already is that its been available since the start of the ladder season and it would be disruptive to the GWWC to remove it now.

First of all, unless they fixed it, the Denravi helmet makes you invulnerable to Lightning Surge and Incendiary Bonds.

Second, its only available to PvE characters, creating a huge equipment imbalance.

Third, hexes are balanced considering their full duration against removal. With the helmet effect, it is usually not worthwhile to remove these hexes, and therefore not worthwhile to even cast them in the first place.

The loss of armor is mostly irrelevant, you'll take only 5% or so more damage.

Gli · Jan 18, 2006, 04:51 PM // 16:51

I think the armor loss results in a lot more damage. We're talking 40 AL here, compared to max vs. physical helmets.

And youi forgot:

Fourth, it's an unfair item because only warriors get to use an item like this.

aeroclown · Jan 18, 2006, 05:02 PM // 17:02

Seems to me like yet another cry nerf Thread. I mean come on people. Its not overpowered, it dosn't need removal. It hits you 20 Armor points and a Mastery skill.

I just don't get it, when things frustrate people they cry get rid of it, instead of how can I beat it. Then magincially once they get the nerf they cry about something else. Whats the point already ? Why don't we just get rid of armor all together then no one has to complain about nerfs, oh wait ..... Wed have to get rid of that handy dandy skill bar toi wouldn't we ?

Big deal 30% now, is there any body on this forum that has fore sight, they are going to be adding 2 new perfessions per expansion, just becuase its 30% now dosn't mean it won't be 60% later. People are crying nef bat everywhere, and they'll be crying about it later once the expansions come out and they want everything back the way it was, thats my 2 cents.

Divinus Stella · Jan 18, 2006, 05:03 PM // 17:03

I dont think many warriors in pvp will lose much sleep over losing 20AL, 50% hex duration makes them vulnerable to wrastels, but mesmers dont often pack wrastels in just incase they run into a warr with the helm.

The helmet also helps on relic runs a lot, as its usually the warr thats got to do the running they tend to take slow down hex's alot.

sledgeunderhill · Jan 18, 2006, 05:27 PM // 17:27

I've not tried it in the PvP arenas yet for my warrior. Given this, the PvE aspect of this helm vs mursaat in the final missions is quite nice. If you're a warrior, don't think about Ring of Fire or Abbadon's Mouth without this helm. Also, vs Ice Imps this helm is critical for IDS runs as a swap.

An additional comment on the plus side for this helm - It's only available at the Henge, which is quite the trek for the ordinary runner that usually skips the entire jungle.

JR · Jan 18, 2006, 05:41 PM // 17:41

A lot of players I know have made PvE warriors to PvP with, mainly because of this helm. That's serious grind to get a warrior PvP ready,but the fact that the helm is so powerfull makes it worth it.

As with the henge sword, the henge axe, the 20% rockmoulder... It needs to go.