Curse

Lordhelmos · Mar 08, 2007, 05:54 PM // 17:54

I was actually playing around with some builds for a GvG match, the guild messages me saying that they are in need of a flag runner. At the moment was goofing around in RA with a Melandru Imbue Dervish. I modded the build for flag running as follows:

Wearying Strike
Chilling Victory
Pious Haste
Vital Boon
Avatar of Melandru {e}
Draw Conditions
Imbue Health
Rez Siggy

At the time I was running all radiant armor, 16 scythe mastery, 12 mysticism, the rest in earth, with like 2 in prot. With one attunement rune and a sup vig, I was running about a 33 energy pool.

I was surprise to see that the build worked remarkably well for the game. Since I was running a Mel's imbue, the other team's runner was a cripshot natural stride runner. At a constant 33% speed boost of pious haste, I had the flag stand covered while his runs got shanked from his team's aegis chain. Criphot arrows bounced off me like they were nothing with the avatar running strong, and I was also packing some serious condition removal as well as a 300 pt spike heal, which saved monks many times and even saved the ganker.

I found that you can also recast pious haste while its active to cancel any enchantment you have on, so you can pious haste off the vital boon for a spike heal at anytime, which is pretty useful. Thats at least 150hp every 5 seconds to keep yourself alive, not to mention the health buffer from vital boon.

Also wearying strike + chilling victory is pretty much a slower version of eviscerate and exe, that hits in an AoE. I had a spirit spammer rit that was wiped from 80% hp in one swing.

Overall I was pretty surprised at which the dervish could perform a so many roles at once. When I wasn't capping, I was removing conditions, infusing from the back row on my way to the front, and mowing someone down once I got up to the W/A's and their target.

Maybe we should all be looking at dervishes and their potential to serve as an effective support class in a GvG battle. Its a no brainer that they have so much more potential that just swinging a scythe around.

I was also playing with a Mystic Sandstorm D/A shadow meld build. It was a build that used staggering force, dusk cloak, and aura of thorns. When you monk is assailed by a melee train, you shadow meld to the monk and mystic sandstorm, leaving everyone assaulting him blind, weakened, and then you can mirage cloak or snare with thorns to make your escape. This support build pissed off alot of people in the arenas, especially warriors and thumpers.

JR · Mar 08, 2007, 06:10 PM // 18:10

What happens when your form is down?

Lordhelmos · Mar 08, 2007, 07:24 PM // 19:24

I still have a 233 hp infuse, a +33% runskill that can last forever, and enough spike damage to finish off an important target. Also, the dazed is better on me than it is on the monk. You play more constructively when the avatar is down. Doesn't mean the world is over, or that you lose your usefulness.

JR · Mar 08, 2007, 07:39 PM // 19:39

In a match against an opponent that is forcing you to run flags constantly, this character gives you what? The occasional access to a secondary spike heal and Draw, and if he can afford to hang around for long enough after the flag has been capped you could maybe make some kind of small offensive push.

He can't defend against a gank, he can't play offensively whilst holding a flag, and whilst his form is down just about any other split template character is going to beat his face in.

Byron · Mar 08, 2007, 07:45 PM // 19:45

Flag running, eh? What skirmish and/or healing capability does a dervish have?

Let me get on the soapbox a minute. Draw conditions is naturally suited to a midliner, despite the fact that its very nifty when your form is up. It can have awful implications when you are not in form; drawing blinds, cripple, or weakness just doesn't make sense when you are actually fighting. Imbue health is always a good idea, and it's one of my favorite skills to use. Frontline heals are fantastic.

Furthermore, I'm not sure how I would survive without my 3/4 second attack. Eremites, pl0x. I guess it's clear by now that I'm not a fan of your build...

Lordhelmos · Mar 08, 2007, 07:46 PM // 19:46

I agree with you in also the inability to beat water snare hexes off a support ele. Worth a fun try though. Its gg off something like being galed down and overcapped or even ice prisoned into submission. That on top of the effectiveness of HP spam and the LoD Mo flagrunner. However I will do some messing around with some of those strange dervish skills. Stuff like mystic healing, conditional AoE's that might have some shutdown benefits. Outside of the melee train, dervish have alot of strange and quirky skills. I'm still trying to figure out how to implement some of these strange psuedo support skills into some builds so maybe they will see some useful light.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Byron

The offensive potential of dervishes is too great to let flounder for 60 seconds, IMO. Draw conditions is naturally suited to a midliner, despite the fact that its very nifty when your form is up. It can have awful implications when you are not in form; drawing blinds and weakness just doesn't make sense. Vital boon seems unnecessary, heart of fury in its stead imo. Imbue health is always a good idea, and it's one of my favorite skills to use. Frontline heals are fantastic.

[skill]Vital Boon[/skill][skill]Heart of Fury[/skill]

Furthermore, I'm not sure how I would survive without my 3/4 second attack. Eremites, pl0x. I guess it's clear by now that I'm not a fan of your build...

Yeah ran some inner guild tests vs. a water support runner : of course the result is dervish pwnt.

But like I said, im going to do some kind of experimentation with some of the quirky skills in wind and earth prayers. Perhaps there is no place for a dervish but the frontline. Imbue is ftw, and the 3/4 sec attack is needed into order to get the instant DW off wearying. However wearying is so conditional, its better for go for something more dependable like reapers' or even wounding and drop AoM all together.

Leave the flag running to the eles I guess. Water hex is ftw, its difficult to incorporate an anti hex that can withstand the snare of a dedicated support runner. Even then, he can just gale you down and leave you in the dust.

Byron · Mar 08, 2007, 08:02 PM // 20:02

Yeah, i edited my post, and you posted the un-edited one. Hax imo.

Otherwise, I like new ideas. But I doubt a melee runner will ever be possible given certain unchangable game mechanics. (mainly, you cant hold the flag and attack)

Lordhelmos · Mar 08, 2007, 08:07 PM // 20:07

Maybe they should add a speartip to that flag? Maybe then paragons would have a purpose

Hey, at least you can still dance with it.

Phelann · Mar 09, 2007, 12:49 AM // 00:49

who the RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GO still runs draw conditions?

jummeth · Mar 09, 2007, 10:50 AM // 10:50

Whats wrong with Draw Conditions, it puts the pressure off monks to keep the frontline clean. Although normally on a midline.

I think its going to start being imperitive to run anti hex on a runner soon. Ice Prison, Teinai's Prison is so strong in those departments. Aswell as Gales on the ice of course =P