Curse

tonyh · Jul 19, 2007, 12:16 AM // 00:16

first of all, i would like to tell you all about me: i am a noob.
my current rank is r3, and, rather shamefully, i am one of those 'button masher' spike and gimmick players which you have all talked about in disgust in several other posts.

while i was reading these, however, i realized that i enjoy playing with skill (although i do enjoy winning...) and am now trying to start my own balanced teams, which a few people advised me to do.

i don't know how successfully this will be though, r3s are usually very noobish (yes, i admit it, i am quite noob) and if you here all recommend it. from what I've read about such r3s (and even r4s) most of them cant play a skill bar on a balanced build for his/her life. so i'm wondering if this is a wise idea to do. the other option is to go back to heroway and then quit in a few months because i am too bored.

in case this seems like a good idea (starting my own low-rank balanced teams), is it advisable to play the melee classes (#1) so that i can have complete control over the party (be the party leader)? I (think I) am quite familiar with all the professions and their skill bars and what they generally should be doing. nevertheless, my favorite position is in the support class (monk). it just seems strange that the entire party would take orders from someone in positions 6,7,8.

or should i just pretend im r9 and make r9 groups?
(sorry if encouraged other noobs to do this)

OFF TOPIC:
how do you all arrange your skill bars? i mean as default, the skills are on the bottom of the screen, with health and energy right above the skills (aha, user interface). I usually see people putting them on the left side of the screen, with skill #1 at the top and #8 at the bottom. also skills are arranged in 'backwards' order. For example, devastating hammer- 7, crushing blow- 6, fierce blow- 5, whereas from my idea of common sense, it would be better to put it 1-2-3 or 2-3-4 or something. and finally what is the advantage of putting the skill bars off to the side?

God Apprentice · Jul 19, 2007, 12:25 AM // 00:25

If you're making you're own groups, it probably is best if you play the melee/caller. Also try and learn as many different professions/skillbars, this will help you be a better player.

Nurse With Wound · Jul 19, 2007, 07:51 AM // 07:51

I decided to re-open this after deleting 3/4 of the thread. Behave this time please, and hoppervalley, please think first, post later.

ichigo_panty · Jul 19, 2007, 08:46 AM // 08:46

The best way is to build up your friends list and play with these people most of the time.
These are my personal opinion. A midliner is usually a better strats caller than the melee. The midliner is able to view the battlefield and spot that is overextending/under too much pressure. The melee will sometime miss some overextender or overextended. This is when a midliner can spot it and inform the meleer.

Do not pretend to be r9 if you aren't one. It will give you a bad reputation if they find out that you are only r3.

The skill bars/interface are purely up to your preference. Try and error the different interface layout. You will find the layout that suits you.

Maiyn · Jul 19, 2007, 09:19 AM // 09:19

We were all noobs once, hey, I STILL AM!

Get build templates set up for the whole party, give players their bars / equipment (remember NO sup runes for anyone!). Remember shields with armor vs types of damage for everyone, lightning especially! Play melee caller, friends list people who are enjoyable to play with and good at the game.

Good luck, game needs more people like that.

masta_yoda · Jul 19, 2007, 11:52 AM // 11:52

[QUOTE=ichigo_panty]The best way is to build up your friends list and play with these people most of the time.
These are my personal opinion. A midliner is usually a better strats caller than the melee. The midliner is able to view the battlefield and spot that is overextending/under too much pressure. The melee will sometime miss some overextender or overextended. This is when a midliner can spot it and inform the meleer.

disagree with this, how would the midliner know if the melee is rdy to spike?, what if the melee isnt close enough and come to spike? and to be honest a good melee can easily view the battle field and pick targets to spike.

it is why most teams have a melee strat call for tombs in particular.

as for rank faking goes, if you can peform like a r9 there really isnt a reason why you wouldnt make a r9 group. i dont cncourage you to do this but.... remember rank doesnt mean anything these days.. if you can put together any half decent team that can follow orders, really shouldnt be too hard.

and for your concerns will skillbars. With the set up you were talking about, they are probably left handed. but it doesnt really matter does it =p??

Tea Girl · Jul 19, 2007, 01:13 PM // 13:13

"SHOW YOUR TITLE OR I WILL LEAVE"

if u pug someone like that it's better if you kick him first

Kyp Jade · Jul 19, 2007, 04:03 PM // 16:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by masta_yoda

disagree with this, how would the midliner know if the melee is rdy to spike?, what if the melee isnt close enough and come to spike? and to be honest a good melee can easily view the battle field and pick targets to spike.

I call from midline, IMO its best to call from a braindead bar like fire or water ele or paragon for example. because you have more time to view EVERYTHING, party window to see pressure on your team, you have an easier time seeing low targets. Lots of things the melee character is very limited in seeing, no mater how good a player he is are easier seen from midline. And if your any decent you will actually look where your melee character is before calling.

And if your playing balanced, you need to be pressuring a team more than your spiking them with your melee, so your melee chars will have ample time to prepare for a spike while you request pressure wherever you feel pressure needs to go. ALso when you DO call a spike, take time before hand, should take a second or so, to glance at where some people are.
1) Your melee character(s)
2) SCreen to search for extended targets
3) Pick target, and go.

Btw, mesmers make life a lot easier if you need to spike someone down. SHame/blackout ftw

Gimme Money Plzkthx · Jul 19, 2007, 05:36 PM // 17:36

While it is very difficult to accomplish in HA, the best way to go is having multiple people with brains in the group. The main caller will probably be melee (of course, melee always calls spikes, but I'm talking strats too), while a midliner or even a backliner can point out anything he misses... which, if he's good, should be very little or nothing. Really though, it's best if everyone is communicating and knows what they're doing, not one person micromanaging.

masta_yoda · Jul 19, 2007, 09:50 PM // 21:50

meh from my experience particularly ha.... it has always been the melee calling strats, well at least in terms of spiking.

i do agree the more brains the better

Tegato · Jul 20, 2007, 12:17 AM // 00:17

It doesn't matter if you don't know they're ready or not. What matters is that you tell them beforehand you're going to call a spike. As a midliner, you should:

1) Survey the area, look for potential targets
2) Seize the opportunity, if you see someone low, you can call an immediate spike, doesn't matter if they're ready or not. Just pound on him, and hope for the best
3) Know what you're running, and what the other team is running.
4) Don't hesitate to call spikes. For example: "Get ready for a spike.....3...2...." And BOOM, your #7 got spiked. Don't stop calling the spike, keep going, finish calling, otherwise you'll just end up wasting more time.
5) Know when to retreat/go more offensive.
6) Too many stuff, so I'll just say this. Don't be a hard-ass. You're the strat-caller/spike caller. Be humorous, be talkative, let them know your voice, so they'll be more comfortable with you.

Lorekeeper · Jul 20, 2007, 01:57 AM // 01:57

good advice already given to you but i have one thing i want to say and knowing me itll take a whole essay to say it but here goes.

leading a team of totally random unknown pugs is very hard and the amount of micromanagement/preparation/explaining you have to do as leader is quite alot. Also you need to spend a bit more time... talking to your team to make sure it gels and they get used to you and your attitude/style.

leading a team of people you know well and play with on a regular basis is so much more relaxed, if you are starting from scratch then you will obviously have to suffer from the stress of cultivating a team of pugs into a team of regulars who play together alot.

the biggest challenge for you as a team leader in HA is finding the right individual players to include in this team of yours. Most of the time you will find that pugs will rage quit after a defeat so things will be difficult at the start. But if you persevere, and learn how to recognise the players who are worth inviting again and again, your HA team will begin to develop. The biggest mistake you will make is to expect success early on... but you need to be realistic with yourself and with your team. Its not easy being good at this game when running a balanced build in HA, balanced builds are a challenge even for the best teams/players out there alot of the time. The point is... dedicated balanced players arent 100% interested in farming fame. They are interested in improving themselves... proving their skill... showing people you dont need to be lame to win... i personally enjoy the jealously some people have when they see you are running balanced and they are running some lame gimmick. If you are just interested in making a team quickly... and winning some fame... i would suggest you dont bother trying to form an effective balanced build and just go run one of the current gimmicks.
You need to commit yourself to the balanced build and if you dont have the commitment it wont work.

good luck!

baz777 · Jul 20, 2007, 07:01 AM // 07:01

I gave up trying to play HA intelligently and, like you, I now just go along with what ever is the flavour of the month. Spent 4 hours in HA recently over 3 nights unsuccessfully trying to get in a team with my Mes.

Good advise above. Ask those joining your team to ping their skill bars and ask questions of them. For me at least this inspires some confidence in the team leader if he has a broad knowledge of the different professions and the fact that he may actually have a game plan.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask advice of the other members in the team regarding builds, they probably know their own, (if different to yours), professions better than you and what may work best.

Best of luck, admire what you’re trying to do.

shoogi · Jul 20, 2007, 09:15 PM // 21:15

from my own experience, forming a pug is a huge headache which i dont recommend. it depends what build ur making, but if its balanced than id be surprised if u finish the team in 30 min. and then ppl gtg, or rage after lose to heroes in underworld... especially if ur not an experienced player (assuming that u arent, since u say so), so my advise is dont make ur own pick up groups.

so, u ask, what do i do? well, i answer, as said in earlier comments, play with ppl u know- ur guildies and friends, then their friends and their guildies, so its not a random pug. random pugs are harder to organize and usually suck.

then, u say sadly, i dont have friends/guildies (not saying that this is the case =\). so, i reply, get some. join a dedicated pvp guild. add players that u like to ur friend list. until that happens, let som1 else spend 2 hours forming a pug, be the joining guy (might be tough to find, but there are SOME balanced groups left).

final tip - dont start a group until u have a very clear idea of the build ur running. running a build that u just made up, apart from usually losing, will make ur team look unorganized and noobish to the lfg's in the district, causing them to not join ur group. i rarely join groups which ad "GLF R#+ X or Y".