Curse

The Swordleader · Dec 19, 2008, 07:19 PM // 19:19

I have been doing couple UW lately with perma Shadow form in A/ME or A/E and i must i like them both but i'd like to start chaos planes and everything i see are from couple months and not sure since nerf they work and i have problem in the A/E energy management compares to A/ME one. Couple tips would be appreciate like where to place your self for more aggros, how to get to planes >.<, what are the skills order appart from keep SF that i know. Equipements, got totem axe =). Which build is better all these think that comes in my mind and that if experts like you know how to solve my problem and have the time for it could do it. Allright ill be back in 7 hours lol work and ill be back to answer questions concerning my prob. Gl and keep the good work guys .

Dark Paladin X · Dec 20, 2008, 06:24 PM // 18:24

I'm sorry buddy, but even with simply using Glyph of Lesser Energy or Spirit of Failure, energy management is the problem with the decreased recharge and duration. As such, farming in the UW with sin has been officially nerfed (according to PvxWiki) and thus impossible to farm sololy without having to counter the enchantment removal and the annoying interrupts in the UW.

However, to counteract the energy problems with an A/E. I would suggest [Air of Superiority] and [Earth Attunement] in conjunction with [Glyph of Lesser Energy] and a high energy set. This kind of conjunction won't allow to farm Underworld, but you won't come across any problems when it comes to Raptors outside of Rata Sum. If you bring Essence of Celerity, it might save you a mere five energy and allow you to farm with a scythe or daggers.

Tom Swift · Dec 20, 2008, 08:09 PM // 20:09

You can still solo the planes. Just use zealous weapons. Take a high energy set but use it only in emergencies (like when a darkness uses "fear me" just when you need to cast SF) and for the run to the planes.

Takes longer and is trickier than it used to be but can be done.

Thought I would try and see what is the best set up:

A high energy set can get you 73 energy for a sin (full radiant/atunement except for shadow arts mask +5 on weapon +15 -1 regen on offhand). But the cost will be that you will have only a 3 pip energy regen (1 pip is 1 energy point every 3 seconds) sp you will only be gaining 26 energy during the 26 second SF is up. It takes 30 energy to do the shadow form chain for a net loss of 4 energy every 26 seconds.

A staff will give you 61 energy (+10 for the staff +5 for the head +5 conditional inscription. You will, however, have full 4 pip energy regen giving you about 35 energy gain during the 26 seconds. The Sf chain cost 30e and GoLE > standard of honor > sliver armor costs 5e but are cast slightly less often then the sf chain. You will have a very slight energy gain assuming you cast everything at exactly the right time, add no extra skills into the mix and that no graspings use "fear me"

A zealous weapon will knock you back 1 energy pip to the 26 energy gain during the SF duration but....

daggers will add 20 energy during the same time assuming constant attack speed. the cost will be that you will have max energy of 46 and can not hit the aataxes without triggering deadly riposte. you will also not be able to use daggers to pull back aataxes that run away in hard mode. Total energy gain in 26 seconds = 46

A scythe (averaging 2 creatures with each hit - can be as high as 3 or as low as 1) will gain about 29 energy during that same time period but with the same limitations as daggers. total energy gain in 26 seconds = 55

A zealous spear will gain you 17 energy during the 26 seconds. But, it does not trigger deadly riposte, can be used to call back aataxes that run away in hard mode and allows you to bring an offhand for an extra 12 energy and other bonuses (you could add the +15-1 inscription but the energy gained from regen would be only 2 pips, putting you back at a total gain of 35) total energy gain in 26 seconds = 43

Of course, these are all assuming constant attacks which isn't going to happen in actual play.

I find a spear works best while fighting aataxes, a scythe when only graspings are left and when there are large groups on the planes, a staff for +4 energy gain on the run to the planes, and daggers when only 1 or 2 enemies are left, making multiple hits with a scythe impossible.

Anyway, the point is, you can overcome the energy problems plus add another skill like Ural's Hammer or Intensity to the damage chain if you use zealous weapons. but no matter what you do, you have very little energy to spare if you you make a mistake. I find that full run doesn't take much longer than it did before the nerf but I die more often because of dumb mistakes. There is only 1 second leeway and you must plan a few seconds ahead to make sure you have enough energy for the shadow form chain. So, in the long run it has slowed my ecto farming.
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As for the run to the plains, there are other posts here that cover that.

One thing I will add, though,

If the entrance to the mountain is blocked you can still salvage the run as the range of sliver armor is outside the range of the traps. Gather the aataxes and graspings around you and approach the behemoths, Cast your damage chain and then gradually move closer to the behemoths until one starts to take damage and dies. Back off and let the traps it set trigger (there will usually be 2 sets of 2 traps so don't do anything till the 2nd set goes)

Dark Paladin X · Dec 21, 2008, 09:09 PM // 21:09

If I could try and help out. I may recommend this build:
http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:A/..._Shadow_Scythe

The Critical Strikes and IAS will help compensate the energy pool. You will need Essence of Celerity for this however.

faraaz · Dec 22, 2008, 09:44 AM // 09:44

Pfft...people need to learn to adapt.

I now exclusively run A/Me solo echo perma sf build in UW.

True that you cant do smites with this, but chamber, pits and plains can all be solo farmed in each run, which is plenty of ecto drops for me!

A/Me has INSANE energy management options, so that is never the problem.

aubee · Dec 22, 2008, 04:36 PM // 16:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by faraaz

A/Me has INSANE energy management options, so that is never the problem.

Yeah, the energy problem is solved, but the damage options are more limited. Isn't it fairly slow as A/Me?