Curse

Wise · Aug 30, 2006, 07:42 PM // 19:42

Build that attempts to overload the opposition's hex removal and healing in an annihilation battle. Two Psychic Distractions abuse the fact that teams will no longer be able to run Spell Breaker, and should ensure holding power.

Shock Axe
Warrior/Elementalist

16 Axe (12+4)
10 Strength (9+1)
9 Air

Bull's Strike
Eviscerate
Executioner's Strike
Distracting Blow
Frenzy
Sprint
Shock
Ressurection Signet

PD Illusion
Me/N

14 Illusion (10+4)
12 Inspiration (11+1)
8 Fast Casting (7+1)
6 Domination (5+1)
5 Death

Conjure Phantasm
Images of Remorse
Power Drain
Leech Signet
Psychic Distraction
Drain Enchantment
Consume Corpse
Ressurection Signet

PD Scourger

12 Smiting
12 Inspiration (9+3)
9 Fast Casting (8+1)
3 Domination (2+1)

Scourge Healing
Leech Signet
Power Drain
Psychic Distraction
Drain Enchantment
Spirit of Failure
Smite Hex
Ressurection Signet

Curses Warder

12 Blood (10+2)
12 Curses (11+1)
8 Soul Reaping (7+1)
7 Earth

Faintheartedness
Parasitic Bond
Life Siphon
Reckless Haste
Offering of Blood
Ward Against Foes
Ward of Stability
Ressurection Signet

Blessed Light
14 Divine Favor (12+2)
9 Protection (8+1)
9 Healing (8+1)
7 Inspiration

Reversal of Fortune
Blessed Light
Protective Spirit
Gift of Health
Healing Seed
Signet of Devotion
Inspired Hex
Drain Enchantment

Boonprot

14 Divine Favor (12+2)
10 Protection (9+1)
9 Inspiration

Reversal of Fortune
Guardian
Mend Ailment
Spirit Bond
Signet of Devotion
Inspired Hex
Divine Boon
Energy Drain

This build is the result of me trying to find a competent build in which one can fit two Psychic Distractions. This is meant as a holding build, not a fame farm build.

And before you ask

Scourge Healing is necessary because of Bloodspike, which this monk backline is rather weak against. Perhaps if the meta shows that bloodspike is not viable, a PD dom mesmer or a PD price/spirit hexer could replace the PD scourger.

sno · Aug 30, 2006, 07:52 PM // 19:52

I think a boon prot should have no problem saving a 6v6 bloodspike, or at the very least delay the spike long enough to get a gift of healh in from the blessed light without any problem.

JR · Aug 30, 2006, 08:10 PM // 20:10

Have to say I like the build, only one thing nags me about it; Scourge Healing.

For the amount of attributes points you have to invest I really don't think you are going to get a good enough return out of it. I have never been a huge fan of it, and think that character could probably do something more usefull with the attribute points.

Also; with two PD's I would be tempted to drop Leech Signet for Distortion on the Illusion Mesmer.

Other than that; solid, I like it.

Divineshadows · Aug 30, 2006, 08:17 PM // 20:17

8 hexes (only 5 of which actually cause degen) for a hex overload build? Only 4 of the hexes will be "powered" out via offering of blood. The other 2 hexers will have their skill bar blacked out all too often with psychic distraction (perhaps the most overrated elite in the game). I think the PD scourger would be better suited to be a migraine mesmer and double up on conjure/images. It's not like the other mesmer is going to be able to get conjure/images on all 6 of the opposition anyway.

What is this obsession with Leech Signet I see in all the builds? By default, mesmer interrupts are less efficient than ranger interrupts, but builds consistently selecting the least efficient mesmer interrupt possible?!?

As far as the monks are concerned, I like the combination of spirit bond + prot spirit + booned reversal + healing seed for holding.

yesitsrob · Aug 30, 2006, 08:43 PM // 20:43

Quote:

The other 2 hexers will have their skill bar blacked out all too often with psychic distraction (perhaps the most overrated elite in the game)

Not at all, it's extremely powerful in HA. It's for holding and it does that pretty damn well. In general on an illusion mesmer then sure it's a wasted elite. But considering interrupting ghostlies trying to cap is what actually gets fame i'd say it's a very good skill to be taking - especially like the OP said, SB won't be seen much.

Wise · Aug 30, 2006, 09:18 PM // 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by JR-

Have to say I like the build, only one thing nags me about it; Scourge Healing.

For the amount of attributes points you have to invest I really don't think you are going to get a good enough return out of it. I have never been a huge fan of it, and think that character could probably do something more usefull with the attribute points.

Also; with two PD's I would be tempted to drop Leech Signet for Distortion on the Illusion Mesmer.

Other than that; solid, I like it.

I'm a little shaky on the scourge healing myself. It may turn out that it is a wasted character, especially if the metagame switches to two boon prots. I think everyone's waiting to see if someone busts out a nasty NR/Tranq before doing that though. However, I do think that scourge healing has a lot of potential in 6v6, because you can effectively keep scourge on over 50% of the other team. That's going to lead to a lot of pressure on the healers.

But if it does not work out, there are other options for that character.

About the two leech signets, they are there in case someone does bring SB. The warrior can't always be counted on to get the shock in, so they are there as a way out if everything else goes wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivineShadows-

8 hexes (only 5 of which actually cause degen) for a hex overload build? Only 4 of the hexes will be "powered" out via offering of blood. The other 2 hexers will have their skill bar blacked out all too often with psychic distraction (perhaps the most overrated elite in the game). I think the PD scourger would be better suited to be a migraine mesmer and double up on conjure/images. It's not like the other mesmer is going to be able to get conjure/images on all 6 of the opposition anyway.

The number of hexes in a build is unimportant. It is rather the frequency with which they are applied that is relevant. Low recharge hexes and lots of energy management = hex overload.

The mesmers may go entire matches without using Psychic Distraction. Their hexing will not be hindered by PD because they won't be using it when trying to kill things. They will use it only when holding. It is useful for interrupting ghosts, and for interrupting key offensive spells. In effect, it is one skill that allows the character to change his role from offense to defense if necessary, and when holding it indeed is necessary.

Let me say this again. Psychic Distraction one of the best skills in the game for interrupts on ghosts. Since holding HoH is what the entire format is all about, I'd say it's a fairly useful skill to have.

Divineshadows · Aug 30, 2006, 10:05 PM // 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wise

About the two leech signets, they are there in case someone does bring SB. The warrior can't always be counted on to get the shock in, so they are there as a way out if everything else goes wrong.

Weapon swapping to a negative energy set and using a single copy of signet of disenchantment and then doing psychic distraction is better than bringing 2 copies of leech signet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wise

The number of hexes in a build is unimportant. It is rather the frequency with which they are applied that is relevant. Low recharge hexes and lots of energy management = hex overload.

Still there is a distinct lack of anti-caster hexes such as diversion, shame, migraine, etc. Your build is going to have to kill things and I just do not see mild degen plus one warrior doing it. I see nothing that can help spike assist with your warrior and since one warrior should be easy for the opposition to track and shutdown during his adrenal spikes, then you must be counting on mild degen to kill. Anyone with scourge healing on them will just let their team know so that their boon prot can do the healing on that player to bypass the hex altogether.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wise

The mesmers may go entire matches without using Psychic Distraction. Their hexing will not be hindered by PD because they won't be using it when trying to kill things. They will use it only when holding. It is useful for interrupting ghosts, and for interrupting key offensive spells. In effect, it is one skill that allows the character to change his role from offense to defense if necessary, and when holding it indeed is necessary.

I still do not see 2 copies being necessary for situations preventing ghostly heroes from capping. You have a warrior with shock and distracting blow and your 2nd mesmer could always just carry cry of frustration instead.

You're fooling yourself if you think that the mesmers will not need to use psychic distraction during normal non-altar matches. You'll want to interrupt and disable heal party (albeit disrupting chop and distracting shot do a much better job at this) since it more than counters the mild degen output of this build. You'll want to interrupt expel hexes and/or blessed light, because they also pose threats to this build. You'll want to interrupt NR or as you already mentioned key offensive spells from the enemy. I think you'll find your team trying to interrupt a lot more of the key defensive spells/skills than you expected, because this build lacks damage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wise

Let me say this again. Psychic Distraction one of the best skills in the game for interrupts on ghosts. Since holding HoH is what the entire format is all about, I'd say it's a fairly useful skill to have.

With only 6 elites, you really think psychic distraction is so good that it is worth 2 of the elites? The build in my eyes still lacks the damage necessary and too much utility/interrupts to get to HoH, so unless the players get map skipped from Zaishen to halls I just do not see it working out.

Clinically Proven · Aug 30, 2006, 11:32 PM // 23:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divineshadows

The build in my eyes still lacks the damage necessary and too much utility/interrupts to get to HoH, so unless the players get map skipped from Zaishen to halls I just do not see it working out.

Agreed, kill/blind/cripple war and where's the damage? The degen from conjure/faint/siphon is quite easily healable even by an IWAY orders necro with healing breeze.

Wise · Aug 31, 2006, 04:37 AM // 04:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divineshadows

Weapon swapping to a negative energy set and using a single copy of signet of disenchantment and then doing psychic distraction is better than bringing 2 copies of leech signet.

Between the weapon swapping delay, cast time of the signet, the aftercast, and then finallly being able to PD, you're looking at .5+1+.75+.5+.25 = 3 seconds. And then you have to hope that Spell Breaker is the top enchantment. And you have to hope that the ghost doesn't get SBed halfway through his cap because then you're screwed.

Or you could bring leech signet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivineShadows

Still there is a distinct lack of anti-caster hexes such as diversion, shame, migraine, etc. Your build is going to have to kill things and I just do not see mild degen plus one warrior doing it. I see nothing that can help spike assist with your warrior and since one warrior should be easy for the opposition to track and shutdown during his adrenal spikes, then you must be counting on mild degen to kill. Anyone with scourge healing on them will just let their team know so that their boon prot can do the healing on that player to bypass the hex altogether.

Scourge Healing lasts for 30 seconds, recharges in 5. With all that energy management that character will be able to spam scourge upon recharge. That means he could theoretically keep it up on the entire team. Realistically one can expect it to be up on 4ish people, making it pretty much impossible to heal without triggering it. If the boonprot were to do all the healing on scourged targets, he'd run out of energy rather quickly. This would make the degen rather less mild.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divineshadows

You're fooling yourself if you think that the mesmers will not need to use psychic distraction during normal non-altar matches. You'll want to interrupt and disable heal party (albeit disrupting chop and distracting shot do a much better job at this) since it more than counters the mild degen output of this build.

Degen = Rock
Heal Party = Paper
Scourge = Scissors

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divineshadows

You'll want to interrupt expel hexes and/or blessed light, because they also pose threats to this build. You'll want to interrupt NR or as you already mentioned key offensive spells from the enemy. I think you'll find your team trying to interrupt a lot more of the key defensive spells/skills than you expected, because this build lacks damage.

You're absolutely right that Expel Hexes would own this build. It IS a hex build, after all. Every build has counters, but I doubt we'll see much of expel hexes in a 6v6 metagame. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't see how in HA one could justify bringing that elite. And as for NR, yes it is a threat, but it can be killed/shocked/dblowed/leech sigged.

As for the damage of the build, it's not intended to roll through teams in 2 minutes because of it's overwhelming damage output. Rather it's intended to be the maximum amount of defense/interrupts (aka holding power) you can fit into a 6 man team and still get kills. It's based on the assumption that a good group will be able to wear down the opposition despite being slightly handicapped in annihilation battles, and then shine on altar maps.

Divineshadows · Aug 31, 2006, 06:15 AM // 06:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wise

Rather it's intended to be the maximum amount of defense/interrupts (aka holding power) you can fit into a 6 man team and still get kills. It's based on the assumption that a good group will be able to wear down the opposition despite being slightly handicapped in annihilation battles, and then shine on altar maps.

My point is that this build exceeds maximum defense/interrupts and has sacraficed too much on damage. I just do not see it getting kills on anything but totally unprepared teams and even then very slowly.

audioaxes · Aug 31, 2006, 06:48 AM // 06:48

i dont see the point of 2 players with pd
the build overall seems like it lacks enough pressure to crack a good team before they kill you

JR · Aug 31, 2006, 07:21 AM // 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wise

Heal Party = Paper
Scourge = Scissors

In this analogy I would liken Scourge to those ridiculously crappy plastic safety scissors you get in pre-school.

Kabale · Aug 31, 2006, 09:18 AM // 09:18

Quote:

i dont see the point of 2 players with pd
the build overall seems like it lacks enough pressure to crack a good team before they kill you

I'd agree with this and what Divineshadows has been saying. It seems you lack damage, and 2x PD is a bit overkill. Maybe just have 1 Ranger with interrupts spreading poison and bleeding, heck you could even bring Rotting Flesh on him or something.

But on the other hand, if you manage to get to Halls with it, there is nothing more comfortable than being able to interrupt damage and hex people so they do reduce damage to you. I definately think the problem will be getting there, but you could always rely on facing builds that don't work at all, or only work because of 1 or 2 easily shut-down skills, which I believe we should see plenty of this weekend