Curse

ruemere · Jan 14, 2010, 02:39 PM // 14:39

Hello,

running my everyday ap-mopper + ritualist setup, I have found out that it is very useful to have a dedicated hero to support quick MoPping (i.e. triggering Mark of Pain). Yesterday, I have assembled a test paragon, and to my suprise, the hero practically wiped whole groups during Duncan HM (not to mention multiple Charr groups in Grothmar Wardowns during single initial test run).
Of course, the hero was not working alone - it's just that the amount of yellow numbers was very noticeable.

Therefore, I'd like to ask for comments and improvement suggestions.

Team builds for reference:
AP-MoPPer (main): OAdTY0z6VSoxmcBaXMmMRwSoqCA
Ritualist, Offensive: OACjAyhDJPOTlr1MzFt/mbOoJA
Ritualist, Defensive: OACiAyk84MVuWzwp17xBNPbA

Paragon MoP Support: OQKkgVloJjmkvoFW7mP2OWNmOm8G
<pvxbig>
[build prof=P/R wil=5 spe=8 comma=12 lea=9][Spear of Redemption]["Go for the Eyes!"][Soldier's Fury]["Never Surrender!"]["Fall Back!"]["Stand Your Ground!"]["Help Me!"][Signet of Return][/build]
</pvxbig>
- for Duncan HM replace ["Never Surrender!"] with disabled ["Frozen Soil"]
Equipment:
- minor Command (head), minor Spear Mastery, minor Leadership, Survivor + Vigor + Vitae
- Piercing Spear, +5 armor, +5 energy
- Command Shield, + Fortitude, +"Sleep Now in the Fire"
- requires Rigor Mortis hex and sometimes hex removal (condition removal built in)

Current skill setup (please note that with the exception of Soldeir's Fury and Signet of Return, there are no skills which would slow down the hero):
- Spear of Redemption - to remove Blindness and other nasty conditions
- Go for the Eyes! - cheap shout to maintain Soldier's Fury
- Soldier's Fury - main MoPPing support, no micro required, cheap and pretty fast
- Never Surrender - mostly used as anti-degen, optional
- Fall Back - healing for minions (if any), allows more vulnerable characters escape, strong HoT (heal over time) ability
- Stand Your Ground - crucial skill for caster support
- Help Me - good synergy with targeted heals cast by other hereoes and henchmen. Apparently AI takes note of this skill usage and reacts accordingly.
- Signet of Return - With 125 armor (Stand Your Ground) this signet pretty safe to use.

Instructions (stronger opponents, bigger groups):
- Call target (melee type foe preferably), cast Mark of Pain, cast cover hex.
- Spirits will finish the opponent, Paragon will waste the rest of the group.
- Use Reckless Haste/Rigor Mortis, if necessary.
- Use You Move Like a Dwarf, Assassin's Promise and Finish Him once the opponent is near half hp.
Instructions (weaker opponents, smaller groups):
- Use standard combo (YMLAD, AP, one of the following: MOP/RM/RH/EVAS, FH!).

Comments?

Regards,
Ruemere

Shadowphoenix · Jan 14, 2010, 03:27 PM // 15:27

Why do you have in the Paragon MoP support 5 points in Wilderness Survival??, putting points in a line that you don't have a single skill in the build is pointless and useless, spend those points in Spear Mastery or Leadership. In the defense ritualist I suggest replace Signet of Creation for Spirit's Gift or another utility skill, with the buff of the ritualist spirits is better have a utility skill there

. I hope this will help you

IronSheik · Jan 14, 2010, 03:47 PM // 15:47

Minions usually support it better.

ccfrecc · Jan 14, 2010, 03:53 PM // 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowphoenix

Why do you have in the Paragon MoP support 5 points in Wilderness Survival??, putting points in a line that you don't have a single skill in the build is pointless and useless, spend those points in Spear Mastery or Leadership. In the defense ritualist I suggest replace Signet of Creation for Spirit's Gift or another utility skill, with the buff of the ritualist spirits is better have a utility skill there

. I hope this will help you

I agree with what Shadowphoenix said partly... The only time I would put points into a skill that is not needed is when I can't put it in anything else because I don't fulfill the required amount. Then once I get more points and get back to town, I will take them off the useless skill and put them into something I actually use. I don't know why I do it, but I just do...

Tae Lia · Jan 14, 2010, 04:41 PM // 16:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowphoenix

Why do you have in the Paragon MoP support 5 points in Wilderness Survival??, putting points in a line that you don't have a single skill in the build is pointless and useless, spend those points in Spear Mastery or Leadership. In the defense ritualist I suggest replace Signet of Creation for Spirit's Gift or another utility skill, with the buff of the ritualist spirits is better have a utility skill there

. I hope this will help you

As pointed out in OP, those points are for FROZEN SOIL when your doing Duncan HM >_>

Shadowphoenix · Jan 14, 2010, 05:12 PM // 17:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccfrecc

I agree with what Shadowphoenix said partly... The only time I would put points into a skill that is not needed is when I can't put it in anything else because I don't fulfill the required amount. Then once I get more points and get back to town, I will take them off the useless skill and put them into something I actually use. I don't know why I do it, but I just do...

Yeah I know what you mean, I always do that when I go D-Slash to fill the last 3 points in the line Command or Motivation even I don't have the requirements to use a skill in those lines to full capacity just did it to use all of those points.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tae Lia

As pointed out in OP, those points are for FROZEN SOIL when your doing Duncan HM >_>

Oops my bad I didn't see that part

(shy face)

ruemere · Jan 14, 2010, 09:34 PM // 21:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowphoenix

Why do you have in the Paragon MoP support 5 points in Wilderness Survival??, putting points in a line that you don't have a single skill in the build is pointless and useless, spend those points in Spear Mastery or Leadership. In the defense ritualist I suggest replace Signet of Creation for Spirit's Gift or another utility skill, with the buff of the ritualist spirits is better have a utility skill there

. I hope this will help you

Oops, my bad. I have left stats untouched after Duncan run. By default, the points would have been assigned to Spear.

Regarding Signet of Creation:
- 0 mana.
- in order to fully benefit from strong spirit protection, all 3 protection spirits need to be put up as soon as possible, and then Armor of Unfeeling must be cast
0.75 + 1 + 0.75 + 1 = 3.5s casting
3 x 0.75 = 2.25s aftercast
So the basic combo takes 5.75s... that means you get Meteor Shower or something else nasting going on.

With signet of protection, this time is shortened to 4.35 (signet + aftercast + Armor of Unfeeling).
What's more important, once the spirits are gone, thanks to Reclaim Essence, the hero can almost immediately put them in play again. This is a huge boost if you're fighting HM elementalists (Drought, for example) or if you need to survive prolonged battle (Duncan HM).

At least, that's the impression I have after testing with and without Signet of Creation.

Regards,
Ruemere

mage767 · Jan 15, 2010, 06:00 AM // 06:00

Looks good enough for necro primary, but doesn't seem to be useful by other primaries (except A).

HigherMinion · Jan 15, 2010, 10:46 AM // 10:46

I would have thought since you now realise how great a paragon can be at quickly pw0z0rig MoP targets, you would have ditched the "offensive" Ritualist.

I generally run with:
1x Para
1x MB
1x ER hero

And in areas without many fleshy foes, another paragon is thrown in; same with playing with a second player, we put two more paras in and an Orders bitch.

Edit; Oh, more energy from SoLS is better than quick single-target DPS from Barbs? You shouldn't have energy problems, Rumey.

AtomicMew · Jan 15, 2010, 07:27 PM // 19:27

http://pvx.wikia.com/wiki/Build:Team...geon_Spiritway

The para is not for MoP Support, it's for Spirit Support.

Basically, the skill you are missing is Anthem of Envy. Combine that with spirits amp up the damage like nothing else.

ruemere · Jan 15, 2010, 11:23 PM // 23:23

Are you sure that Anthem of Envy affects with spirits? As far as I can tell, spirits "attack" instead of using "attack skill".

Regards,
Ruemere

AtomicMew · Jan 15, 2010, 11:40 PM // 23:40

Yes, I am positive. Tested it on MoD. I don't recall if it affects bloodsong/vampirism, but it definitely affects everything else.

Charlotte the Harlot · Jan 15, 2010, 11:41 PM // 23:41

I can confirm this as well, my spirits were applying conditions from crippling anthem and anthem of weariness.

HigherMinion · Jan 16, 2010, 03:09 AM // 03:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by trcvrs

http://pvx.wikia.com/wiki/Build:Team...geon_Spiritway

The para is not for MoP Support, it's for Spirit Support.

Basically, the skill you are missing is Anthem of Envy. Combine that with spirits amp up the damage like nothing else.

I'm saying; if Rumere is running a MoP, and wants to get the most out of the skill; get atleast one more physical hero. And the buffs from Paras are rather helpful.

AtomicMew · Jan 16, 2010, 03:24 AM // 03:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by HigherMinion

I'm saying; if Rumere is running a MoP, and wants to get the most out of the skill; get atleast one more physical hero. And the buffs from Paras are rather helpful.

Yes, but the para is more useful as a Anthem of Envy spammer. Without a tank, anyway, you wouldn't be able to group them up, since they are staggered, and so MoP wouldn't be all that great in duncan HM.

HigherMinion · Jan 16, 2010, 02:52 PM // 14:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by trcvrs

Yes, but the para is more useful as a Anthem of Envy spammer. Without a tank, anyway, you wouldn't be able to group them up, since they are staggered, and so MoP wouldn't be all that great in duncan HM.

I generally don't have to ball, there are times when mobs run into eachother, and this is when you attack.

Also, I would never have considered to do this mad dungeon h/h.

ruemere · Jan 17, 2010, 10:04 AM // 10:04

Thank you for your comments.

Regarding adding more physicals - when I run H/H, I usually use Devona. When I run along with a friend, I usually ask him to bring some physical support.
Finally, in two-player team, I usually replace defensive ritualist with one of the Necro/Rts:
OAhjYghsoSWbYMSTTODTjTJgXMA
OAhiYwh8YtjmSzJ3wccWVvYA
(replace Xinrae's with SoS if needed)

E/Mo protector is useful, but one of the above is usually more effective for my teams.

Regards,
Ruemere

HigherMinion · Jan 18, 2010, 02:33 AM // 02:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruemere

Thank you for your comments.

Regarding adding more physicals - when I run H/H, I usually use Devona. When I run along with a friend, I usually ask him to bring some physical support.
Finally, in two-player team, I usually replace defensive ritualist with one of the Necro/Rts:
OAhjYghsoSWbYMSTTODTjTJgXMA
OAhiYwh8YtjmSzJ3wccWVvYA
(replace Xinrae's with SoS if needed)

E/Mo protector is useful, but one of the above is usually more effective for my teams.

Regards,
Ruemere

Recently I have been running in 2-player teams; two healer:

E/Mo ER infuse hero
N/Rt OoV Restoration hero. Looks identical to your Xinrae's weapon thing, without splinter and with OotV and sometimes Mark of Fury or Strip Enchantment. Works wonders with heavy physical teams, and also casters with spears.

The damage for casters even is immense, if you were in, forexample, an EBSoH, enchanted with OoV and the foe had barbs. Topping on the cake if you have GDW cycling in your party. Bye bye target!

ruemere · Jan 18, 2010, 11:03 AM // 11:03

Agreed.

The hidden strength of double (or even single) Xinrae's Weapon is that it damages opponent in addition to healing. While E/Mo Protter works hard to prevent or decrease damage, Xinrae's Weapon does both and more.
Of course, by itself the skill does not suffice, but with some additional support spells it works great.

Regarding Order of the Vampire, I have found it a bit long on casting time side. While it is effective, I like the crucial spell to take as little time as possible, since it's hard to predict when AOE (or target's demise) will cause our physical to stop attacking and start running.

Oh, and one thing more, Soothing Memories is an overkill spell for the first build. It's not really necessary there - replace it with anything you feel like using... Good replacements:
- Foul Feast
- Spirit Transfer

Regards,
Ruemere

HigherMinion · Jan 18, 2010, 03:09 PM // 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruemere

Agreed.

The hidden strength of double (or even single) Xinrae's Weapon is that it damages opponent in addition to healing. While E/Mo Protter works hard to prevent or decrease damage, Xinrae's Weapon does both and more.
Of course, by itself the skill does not suffice, but with some additional support spells it works great.

Regarding Order of the Vampire, I have found it a bit long on casting time side. While it is effective, I like the crucial spell to take as little time as possible, since it's hard to predict when AOE (or target's demise) will cause our physical to stop attacking and start running.

Oh, and one thing more, Soothing Memories is an overkill spell for the first build. It's not really necessary there - replace it with anything you feel like using... Good replacements:
- Foul Feast
- Spirit Transfer

Regards,
Ruemere

I would have to disagree about Xinrae's weapon. It's a bit like Reversal of Fortune and Reversal of Damage mixed into one skill. It lasts one attack only, which doesn't really appeal to me as an elite skill.

You like your elite skills to be quick casting, I prefer mine to be in effect for as long as possible. I run my OoV/resto build with a 20% ench and 20/20 blood mod.

Much more useful life steal and party-wide.