The only advice I can offer is to minimize grouping with people. If and when you do, be picky about who you take along. Don't invite people just because they say LFG and you need their particular class. Let henchies fill in any blanks. 3 players who know what they're doing and 5 henchies can do a lot better than a party of uncoordinated people with an idiot or two thrown into the mix.
I can only think of two missions (Thunderhead and Thirsty) and a few bonus missions (awaken the druids, save the Chosen, clear the towers) where players would be better than henchmen. Thunderhead is doable with henchies I've heard. I just grew tired of henchies being stuck against the catapults whenever I'd go to fire em. Not sure about Thirsty since henchies absolutely suck at handling more than one group at a time unless you have decent defense/healing.
As long as you're patient and make sure to engage one group at a time, there's really no reason why you should have much trouble. At least your henchies will focus fire, making them vastly more effective than the all too common groups that don't. Yes, the henchies may die more often than you like, but some DP isn't the end of the world. I've been a heavy hench-user with three chars, a monk, mesmer, and ranger, and all of them have found henchies to be far more reliable than most people.
As for the Ring of Fire, the back route isn't necessarily suicide if you can heal your party, interrupt the imps, and/or deal AoE damage. I personally found it a lot easier than going through the front with henchies because the seals chew them up.
|