Curse

Lordhelmos · Mar 10, 2008, 02:32 PM // 14:32

With the new update I decided to try something new with the little time I'm on. Since Psychic Instability and Cry of Frustration are both unconditional interrupts that got a huge buff, I wanted to see how well the AI uses them. The result was a hero build that nails a good 50-70% of monster skills. In most caster areas, these heroes can render so many enemies near useless with a ridiculous amount of disruption that is near unattainable by a human character.

Anyway, here's the build:

Me/X: Hax Interrupter

~Weapon: Magekiller or similar dom staff

~Armor and Runes: Minor insp., dom on headgear, and fast-casting with an attunement rune and a vigor rune for the free spaces. Energy management isn't too bad so a combination of radiant insignias and survivors works. If you are feeling cheap, get prodigy insignias.

~Attributes:
FC: 9
Insp: 11
Dom: 14
Leftovers: Rez Skill Line (/Rt for flesh, /Mo for chant)

~Skills:
Psychic Instability (E)
Power Drain
Power Spike
Power Lock
Cry of Frustration
Drain Enchantment
Optional (Leech Sig for another unconditional int., hexbreaker, or mantra of flame for kathandrax/fire dungeons)
Rez (/Rt Flesh, /Mo chant)

The build doesn't require any management aside from manual target selection, since the hero is pretty much going to trash anything that casts 1 sec. or more. With the unconditional interrupts, the hero nails enemy res spells, troll unguent, heal sigs, and lion's comfort as well. It's pretty useful in any area, but especially mean in caster heavy dungeons like Kathandrax and the burning forest, where you probably wont see a single cast from a targeted flowstone elemental or burning spirit.

It's also pretty nice for annoying enemy spirit spammers, since the hero is pretty good at nailing spirits with cry. Any monk based enemy mobs can also be completely ripped apart when the hero is set to target the enemy healer. This is especially useful in 2 mo enemy groups such as the Bloomings that spam glimmer of light in Bogroot Growths and Dredge Bonders in the eschovald.

For the conditional skill, leech signet is pretty good for additional energy management, but I switch to hexbreaker or a mantra when in a element or hex heavy zone.

Anyway, enjoy.
-Helmos

Siirius Black · Mar 10, 2008, 03:52 PM // 15:52

Sounds intersting, but
I'm a little lazy, can you post the build code???

DarkSpirit · Mar 10, 2008, 03:59 PM // 15:59

I have not tried the new and improved Psychic Instability yet. I use a similar build on my Gwen but with Mantra of Recovery instead. I wonder if Psychic Instability is now a better choice.

With MoR, I also made Gwen (Me/Mo) bring Vengeance, which is nice during tough combat.

Gift3d · Mar 10, 2008, 04:05 PM // 16:05

Looks like a standard interrupt bar, with nearly non-existant energy management. Gotta admit, the title of this was misleading, i thought i was gonna come across someting... ya know... original/special/new. Sigh.

Angels Guidance · Mar 10, 2008, 04:31 PM // 16:31

Yeah, its not surprising to see skills being interupted 0.1 sec into casts without the use of daze. PI is a great skill now (alongside crys buff) it seems that they are trying to get mesmers more into skill interupt, or atleast level them with rangers. Good news for heroes, no so much for pvp, interupt is pretty mindless if you've got decent ping + reactions... wanna see some new changes to other dom skills. They deserve something like the necro's recently got

N1ghtstalker · Mar 10, 2008, 04:31 PM // 16:31

sounds nice
i'll try it out
allthough the manual selecting is a bit bad cuz i'm lazy =P

Trvth Jvstice · Mar 10, 2008, 05:54 PM // 17:54

My interrupt Gwen uses [skill=text]power block[/skill], should I switch it out for [skill=text]Psychic Instability[/skill]?

EDIT: The build I'm using for Gwen is an exact copy of the Me/Mo Power Block Hero build on pvxwiki. She still won't interrupt Giant Stomp though, I think the only skill that can reliably stop that is [skill=text]distracting shot[/skill].

distilledwill · Mar 10, 2008, 05:58 PM // 17:58

I used Gwen a lot during the first few parts of EoTN and yes, the interupt power is pretty tasty. Although, the build you have seems to be pretty much just interupts.

Id just use:
[card]Mantra Of Recovery[/card][card]Cry Of Frustration[/card][card]Power Return[/card][card]Power Drain[/card][card]Drain Enchantment[/card][card]Revealed Hex[/card][card]Ether Feast[/card][card]Resurrection Chant[/card]

Or, as Trvth Jvstice mentions. Switch out Mantra for Power Block and then power drain for something else, posibly Another hex removal.

System_Crush · Mar 10, 2008, 09:48 PM // 21:48

I wish mesmers would get more global interrupts that do not gain an effect on a spell or chant, other than just [skill=text]Cry of Frustration[/skill]
Heroes don't seem to use, for example [skill=text]Leech Signet[/skill], correctly(Saving them to only interrupt spells even if there are way more important things to interrupt).
For that reason I've come to rely on ranger interrupters more...

Anyway for a PvE mesmer Taking Advantage of the limited diversity of foes is often a good Idea, [skill=text]Mirror of disenchantment[/skill] is great skill to take.
I think I liked the old instability better though, then again after the attack interrupting skills had their recharge nerfed it wasn't much use anymore...

DarkSpirit · Mar 11, 2008, 12:32 AM // 00:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by System_Crush

I wish mesmers would get more global interrupts that do not gain an effect on a spell or chant, other than just [skill=text]Cry of Frustration[/skill]
Heroes don't seem to use, for example [skill=text]Leech Signet[/skill], correctly(Saving them to only interrupt spells even if there are way more important things to interrupt).

Other than CoF, Leech Signet and Psychic Instability, there are also Complicate, Signet of Disruption (if target is hexed), Web of Disruption, Psychic Distraction, that can also interrupt non-spell skills.

I dont think we need to bring too many spells-only interrupts other than Power Drain (for e-management) and Power Return (for short recharge, low energy).

Racthoh · Mar 11, 2008, 06:15 AM // 06:15

Broad Head Arrow > heroes loaded with interrupts. It will get more interrupts for less energy and fewer skill slots. Since casters never move, outside of charr who like to get into their formation, the arc time of BHA is a non-issue.

For non spells, Distracting Shot.

kel77 · Mar 11, 2008, 07:42 AM // 07:42

Bah, I find my gwen a far more reliable interupter then my BHA rangers tbh.

Lordhelmos · Mar 11, 2008, 12:44 PM // 12:44

Energy management is fine with just drain ench and pdrain. It's because the recently cut the cost of cry and buffed PI. The point of having PI is to give the hero an unconditional interrupt that is non spell based for hitting skills like rez and troll.

On the subject of Broadhead, we all know hero archers have problems with line of sight obstacles. Its not fun watching a ranger hero was 2 BHA's on a flight of stairs or a big rock. With PI you don't have that problem.

I don't see a problem with loading a hero with a ton of interrupts, since they can use them better than humans. With 7-12 monsters in a mob, the more interrupts you have, the better. Even with MoR, only having 2 interrupts on a bar won't even come close to putting a dent in a mob.

Drake Keyotte · Mar 11, 2008, 02:12 PM // 14:12

I decided to spend some time and retool Gwen from her previous build Helmos provided, "Gwens Mystic Weapon Goes Pew Pew Pew" which was different and fun.

After new runes and the elite skill cap she was ready and we took off from Doomlore Shrine heading to Catacombs of Kathandrax. What I noticed however is that sometimes Gwen would not cast a spell or would just cast Mantra of Flame. Other times she seemed quite proficient at casting her interrupts and did and excellent job. Note that I had her on Avoid, Guard and Attack and it made no difference

Does it make a difference on what foe she is facing? Against some Char she would not cast anything. Against Flowestone Elementals Gwen seemed to go through her skill bar nicely. I dont want to micro manage her skills and wonder if there is something I am missing here and wonder why she casts spells sometimes and not others?

Thanks for the response

kel77 · Mar 11, 2008, 03:52 PM // 15:52

well if you have her on avoid, she won't int anything.

Targuil · Mar 11, 2008, 03:55 PM // 15:55

If this works in HM, i could even try this.

Drake Keyotte · Mar 11, 2008, 03:58 PM // 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by kel77

well if you have her on avoid, she won't int anything.

Like I said, I had her on attack, defend and avoid. I know what avoid does, but just tried it on a group to see if it made a difference. Had her on attack most of the time since I wanted her casting her interupts.

DarkSpirit · Mar 11, 2008, 04:05 PM // 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lordhelmos

I don't see a problem with loading a hero with a ton of interrupts, since they can use them better than humans. With 7-12 monsters in a mob, the more interrupts you have, the better. Even with MoR, only having 2 interrupts on a bar won't even come close to putting a dent in a mob.

Doesn't that depend on how you set Gwen up? Aggressive or Guard?

Trvth Jvstice · Mar 11, 2008, 04:15 PM // 16:15

I have Gwen set on guard, against some groups she interrupts like crazy, on others she often just runs around avoiding mele. I'm pretty sure it depends on the group you're facing. I have yet to see her interrupt a monster attack like Giant Stomp.

Drake Keyotte · Mar 11, 2008, 04:21 PM // 16:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trvth Jvstice

I have Gwen set on guard, against some groups she interrupts like crazy, on others she often just runs around avoiding mele. I'm pretty sure it depends on the group you're facing. I have yet to see her interrupt a monster attack like Giant Stomp.

glad to see someone else noticed this. She likes to run around sometimes doing nothing except for occassional sounding like Monica Seles. There is a thread started about AI going bonkers and acting willy nilly. (no intention of a hijacked thread here)