Curse

Shadow_Avenger · Jun 13, 2005, 02:53 PM // 14:53

Spinal Shivers - Hex Spell
For 12-26 seconds, whenever target foe is struck for cold damage, that foe is interrupted and you lose 10-6 Energy or Spinal Shivers ends.

Because I just have TONS of energy to spend on something as useless as an interupt like this. Oh, gotta love the duration of it too. Useless...

Have been thinking about this skill, not tested it, but was wondering if the plague signet (elite skill ) worked with this.
The you could cast this on a caster, and use plague signet to transfer energy drain effects then just keep firing a cold damage wand / staff at them. Watch every spell get interupted, and their enegry get zapped. (very very deadly PvP skill if you can, when you cast a few curses on them as well.)

Jelloblimp · Jun 13, 2005, 03:10 PM // 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadow_Avenger

Spinal Shivers - Hex Spell(...)
Have been thinking about this skill, not tested it, but was wondering if the plague signet (elite skill ) worked with this.
The you could cast this on a caster, and use plague signet to transfer energy drain effects then just keep firing a cold damage wand / (...)

Plague Signet transfers conditions, "Spinal Shivers - Hex Spell".
My vote for most useless skill is Otyugh's Cry (should have been summon an animal with level equal to your own or something).

BrokenSymmetry · Jun 13, 2005, 03:15 PM // 15:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tellani Artini

Devourers are not animals, they are monsters. If Otyugh's worked on monsters, it would be the only skill in my bar (well, maybe I'd have oath shot too).

Otyugh's cry works on devourers, just try it. I admit, though, that sometimes it's hard to find out what counts as animals, and what doesn't. Spiders do, but trolls and stalkers certainly don't seem to count as animals (seems logical).

Also, Otyugh's cry seems to end when your current target is dead, so it doesn't switch to your next current target, even though it's still in it's 30-second activity period. So, when you're surrounded by a large group of animals/monsters, it usually only helps to kill one of them very quickly.

toastgodsupreme · Jun 13, 2005, 04:33 PM // 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silmor

Dark Pact: combine with Dark Aura for a pretty nice combo - Pact is quite spammable, and there's plenty of ways to regain health.

Problem is cost vs damage output. I'm not complaining about spamability, I'm saying this should ignore armor and at least do more damage than I intend on sacrificing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silmor

Order of the Vampire: 3-13 health stealing means +13 damage on every hit already, as enchantment you can use an enchanting upgrade for 6 seconds which means you can spam this for continual damage buff with only one second downtime. The healing from life stealing is a fun extra.

My complaint on this is that it's an elite. I know, I know. There are a lot of suckass elites in the game. 5 seconds is crap though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silmor

Spinal Shivers: 26 second window in which you can interrupt at your leisure. Grab a cold damage wand and interrupt every skill you don't want that character to cast - 6 energy interrupts are quite decent.

Never thought of using an ice weapon. Was thinking just ice spells.

A lot of these are intended for the W/N who has little to no need for energy. Run up to a caster, cast spinal, then hack away with your ice weapon to shut them up AND kill them at the same time.

mostro · Jun 13, 2005, 04:41 PM // 16:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by toastgodsupreme

Dark Pact - Spell
Sacrifice 10% maximum health and deal 10-40 shadow damage to target foe.

So I'm gonna spend 5 energy, 1 second of casting time, AND 48 health so I can deal 40 damage to an enemy BEFORE armor? Hahahahahha.

Obviously you have not been on the receiving end of a sacrificial necro using dark pact+dark aura+touch of agony

A blood+death necro buffed with superior runes can deal 100+ damage using either dark pact or touch of agony to a target, and 50+ to any adjacent target at the same time. As long as your monk can keep with with your health sacrifices, your enemy will die very quickly. Especially good against warriors since all of these spells/skills ignore armor.

Silmor · Jun 13, 2005, 04:53 PM // 16:53

Quote:

Problem is cost vs damage output. I'm not complaining about spamability, I'm saying this should ignore armor and at least do more damage than I intend on sacrificing.

I believe it does - at 12 blood, 12 death (dark aura can be cast from an external source, say a minionator from your team) you'd spend 5 energy for 41+40 shadow damage, sacrificing 10% (48) +17 health - using superior blood would improve the ratio, but at least the damage output is larger than the cost. If you can deal with the health hits, you end up with a roughly 80 damage spam skill that recharges every 2 seconds, which is at least decently efficient energy-wise.

Quote:

My complaint on this is that it's an elite. I know, I know. There are a lot of suckass elites in the game. 5 seconds is crap though.

I imagine with a physical attack-heavy group the amount of health you steal (damage them, heal you) in those five seconds is quite worth the 10 energy spent - at 1 attack per second (rather slow considering swords/axes) four attackers would steal around 260 health. You can be one of them, easily making up for the initial 17% health sacrifice I think - could also combo with Order of Pain for double that damage output if you're in an attacking team setup anyway.

Elythor · Jun 13, 2005, 06:09 PM // 18:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by toastgodsupreme

Order of the Vampire {Elite} - Enchantment Spell
Sacrifice 17% of maximum health. For 5 seconds, whenever a party member hits a foe, that party member steals 3-13 Health.

For an elite, this one is pretty ****ed. I mean, 5 seconds? COME ON!

Have you ever tried using Minions and Order of the Vampire together? Calculate 20 bone fiends with OotV on them...how much damage would that be?

It is totally worth it as an elite skill.

Studio Ghibli · Jun 13, 2005, 06:45 PM // 18:45

Illusionary Haste and Illusionary Weakness are both very useful skills.

With the first, not only do you get a 33% speed boost, the spell is able to be recast before the spell even runs out, allowing the spell to be continually used. Sure, it comes with a Crippled effect, but when you need a speed boost (to run crystals, to avoid aggro, to LOSE aggro), it's a nice touch.

Even more, with a necromancer, the condition can be plague sent. I think that's some lovely icing on the cake.

I've used Illusionary Haste on my Nec/Mes for a number of things, including Aurora Glade and Riverside. it's fun stuff. I'm curious how fast the recast would be on a fast-caster primary mesmer.

Did I mention Illusionary Haste -moves- faster than Sprint, and has a quicker recast?

As for Illusionary Health, you.. cast the enchantment.. and then heal yourself full..

.. voila. You now have an extra +X health.

While I can understand confusion on the first, I figured the latter was a given.

Studio Ghibli · Jun 13, 2005, 06:50 PM // 18:50

Oh, as for the dark pact/touch of agony+dark aura thing, that's actually where I used Illusionary Health. I'd cast the enchantment, heal up, and then run in.

Was a nice way to keep myself alive a little longer while I ran around stabbing stuff in the face.

It's a -real- nice way to do damage if you have a way of staying alive long enough.

Asplode · Jun 13, 2005, 06:56 PM // 18:56

Say...humans are animals, no? Would be pretty funny if Otyguh's cry worked in PvP XD

Lebdan · Jun 13, 2005, 07:18 PM // 19:18

You can always carry soul feast to regain all the hp you lost from sacrifices. After 5 dark pacts, it's hard to imagine someone will be still alive.

Studio Ghibli · Jun 13, 2005, 07:39 PM // 19:39

:nods: I used Soul Feast as well.

Just Illusionary Health was to be maintained as an, "Oops, I forgot to use Soul Feast" precaution.

Icarium · Jun 13, 2005, 07:54 PM // 19:54

Hi just thought id add my 2 cents

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius

As a warrior primary, my vote for most useless skills go to Fear Me and Frenzy.
They're not as bad as Unnatural Signet, but pretty useless from a cost/benefit point of view IMO. Can't see any use which would justify wasting slots on these.

Frenzy is a wonderful skill i have equiped all the time as for building adrenal skills nothing else seems to come close. 33%faster attacks for 8 seconds is damn nice when somthing has to go down quick. As for "Fear me" yea only one person using it dosemt amount to much . . but 4+ people using it destroys mage energy regen and keeps it pinned down.(wasnt there threads posted about this skill being spammed?)

My vote for most worthless skill has got to go to "Mind Wrack" search out the many posts about this slot waster :P

Firax · Jun 13, 2005, 07:57 PM // 19:57

Quote:

Order of the Vampire {Elite} - Enchantment Spell
Sacrifice 17% of maximum health. For 5 seconds, whenever a party member hits a foe, that party member steals 3-13 Health.

For an elite, this one is pretty ****ed. I mean, 5 seconds? COME ON!

Order of the Vampire works with minions?! SWEET! Do you have confermation on this?

~Firax

Evan The Cursed · Jun 13, 2005, 08:03 PM // 20:03

Wastrel's Worry is another one I can think of.

I mean sure sometimes you'll get lucky... but how much can you rely on luck?

Edit: Though I wonder... would a Wastrel's Worry -> Shatter Delusions work?

Bingley Joe · Jun 13, 2005, 08:13 PM // 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icarium

My vote for most worthless skill has got to go to "Mind Wrack" search out the many posts about this slot waster :P

Really? I don't find it to be all that useless, although it is admittedly very conditional.. but for mesmers, causing those conditions to occur is the name of the game

Quote:

Spirit Shackles - Hex Spell
For 8-24 seconds, target foe loses 5 Energy whenever that foe attacks.

+

Quote:

Mind Wrack - Hex Spell
For 20 seconds, if target foe's Energy is zero, that foe takes 40-75 damage and Mind Wrack ends.

So in PvE, what I do is cast Spirit Shackles on enemy rangers, count a second or two to let the energy de-gen set in, then hit them with Mind Wrack. They're plenty dumb enough to tear themselves apart this way

At the moment, Ortyugh's gets my vote for most useless skill, but I'm intrigued now by the possibility that it works on more than just the 'charmable' kinds of animals.. I'll have to do some experimenting with it when I get home later, although I just can't see it ever being more than a 'novelty' skill at best...

dargon · Jun 13, 2005, 08:20 PM // 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icarium

My vote for most worthless skill has got to go to "Mind Wrack" search out the many posts about this slot waster :P

I don't know about Mind Wrack being useless. It regularly burns me when I'm killing mergoyles. Mind Wrack + Spirit Shackles = each attack costs me 5 energy and when I run out I hurt. Of course, I've also found a solution to killing the mergoyles without feeling the burn. Poison them and then dodge their attacks. Reapply as necessary

BrokenSymmetry · Jun 13, 2005, 08:35 PM // 20:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bingley Joe

At the moment, Ortyugh's gets my vote for most useless skill, but I'm intrigued now by the possibility that it works on more than just the 'charmable' kinds of animals.. I'll have to do some experimenting with it when I get home later, although I just can't see it ever being more than a 'novelty' skill at best...

Otyugh's Cry is very useful in the following quite common situation in PvE: You have a high-level boss surrounded by a large number of lower-level animals (devourers, spiders, etc.). Use Otyugh's Cry when targeting the boss, and all these animals will attack the boss, and the boss will be killed very quickly.

Counter to expectations, Otyugh's Cry does not affect the non-aggresive, charmable animals that roam most zones. It only affects the aggessive monsters that ANet has classified as "animals".

Because Otyugh's Cry doesn't work on pets of opposing rangers, I don't see a use for it in PvP. Though having it affect other rangers' pets would be fun, and fit in with GW's paradigm that there must be a counter against everything, and currently there are no specific counters against pets (although requiring an extra skill for pets, blocking your skill bar, can be seen as a "counter" against pets).

Granamyr · Jun 13, 2005, 08:39 PM // 20:39

How to lose 10 energy:

Divine Spirit (Enchantment Spell) For 1..9 seconds, Monk spells cost you 5 less Energy to cast. (Minimum cost: 1 Energy.) 10 Energy/.25 sec cast/60 sec recharge

Considering after-cast and spell-cast times, you're lucky to break even and this is at level 12. It is utter trash at anything less and yet it is one of the first Divine Favor skills you get. I pity the person that equips this with a DF less than 12. Then look at the recharge - 60 seconds....I guess that's there so you have a full minute to dwell on the idiocy of this skill. They need to make it elite so that even the not so bright among us won't even use it.

It's just sad because this used to be the best monk skill in the game. Now it's the worst. If I was Divine Spirit, I'd want the icon changed so that people would remember my former glory.

Icarium · Jun 13, 2005, 09:01 PM // 21:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bingley Joe

Really? I don't find it to be all that useless, although it is admittedly very conditional.. but for mesmers, causing those conditions to occur is the name of the game

+

So in PvE, what I do is cast Spirit Shackles on enemy rangers, count a second or two to let the energy de-gen set in, then hit them with Mind Wrack. They're plenty dumb enough to tear themselves apart this way

yea i was aware of that combo, but as a w/r it never seemed to do much . . but how you apply it to ranger primaries . . . .now it just sounds evil

*runs to draknars forge arena's*