A way to control spirits? - Guild Wars Forums

aB- · Mar 12, 2010, 10:31 PM // 22:31

I'm just wondering if there's a way you can control what target your spirits attack? Thanks.

BrettM · Mar 12, 2010, 10:53 PM // 22:53

You control spirits the same way you control minions: not at all.

Raven Wing · Mar 12, 2010, 11:03 PM // 23:03

You can use Summon Spirits for some control, with that you can decide where to place them. At least they dont run off like minions. But you cant decide which of the targets in range they attack.

Elephantaliste · Mar 12, 2010, 11:29 PM // 23:29

I dont know if it still works, but you could use Summon Spirits to synchronize and acquire same target.

Trader of Secrets · Mar 13, 2010, 12:39 AM // 00:39

closest tactic i know is the position spirits so that their edge or their range is nearest to you target and isolated is better, its still kinda random.

Cuilan · Mar 13, 2010, 12:40 AM // 00:40

There's a mod that shows your the effect/attack area of spirits I believe. Never tried it.

Silmar Alech · Mar 13, 2010, 01:35 AM // 01:35

You can control the target of your spirits in a limited way. It's not very reliable, but it works better than nothing.

- Entering combat: if you place your spirit right outside of the enemy aggro, they will not start attacking. If you now attack an enemy yourself with a longbow or with your staff, the spirits will start attacking the enemy you are attacking. (being out of aggro range and attacking with a longbow works, because spirit attack range is longbow range)

- In combat: If you create a new spirit mid-battle and immediately afterwards attack an enemy with your staff, it is likely that the new spirit(s) will attack this enemy.

- In combat: If your spirits attack an enemy you don't want to attack, summon your spirits to a place where this enemy is out of range. Now attack an enemy in range with your staff, and it is likely that the spirits choose this enemy as new target.

- In combat: If the enemy the spirits are attacking is dead, they look for a new target. If you attack an enemy in this very moment with your staff, it is likely that the spirits will choose this enemy as their next target as well.

Instead of attacking an enemy with your staff, calling an enemy with Painful Bond works as well. But remember: Spirits withl a current target will not change their target on such a call. Only spirits with no current target will begin to attack the called target. Once a spirit has a target, it will attack this target until it is dead or gets out of range.

Safest of all: place your spirits so that only one enemy is in attack range of them. After it is dead, summon your spirits in range of the next enemy. If more than one enemy approach, you may pull your spirits back so that only one enemy is in range of them. But this has a drawback: you give up the valuable spirit wall that protects your backline.

I always try to enter combat by spiking away the nearest enemy, but afterwards use the spirits mainly as wall. I try to continuously reposition this wall in such a way that no melee enemy is able to reach my backline. Additionally, I try to control the spirit fire by wanding/calling the desired enemies like I explained above.

Welthas · Mar 13, 2010, 01:38 AM // 01:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuilan

There's a mod that shows your the effect/attack area of spirits I believe. Never tried it.

Here's one..
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Guide...rit_Radar_v1.0

ac1inferno · Mar 13, 2010, 02:20 AM // 02:20

Some information on it on wiki:

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuildWiki

- Attack Spirits will automatically attack any creature within their aggro circle. If a target is already being attacked by an ally, the spirit has a propensity to attack that target. Otherwise, if multiple targets are available, it is unclear which target it selected, although preference will be given to the target with the lowest Armor, or to the target with the closest proximity to the spirit. If a creature in range drops below 50% health, the spirit may switch targets to that creature.
- If an enemy is within attack range but outside of the aggro circle, a spirit will not attack unless an ally (including another spirit) hits with an attack against that enemy.
- Unlike henchmen and pets, spirits will not react to a called target if you do not attack the target as well (i.e., in order to get the spirit to attack, you must use Ctrl-Space instead of Ctrl-Shift-Space).
- If attacked in melee by an enemy, a spirit will always attack that enemy.

Eragon Zarroc · Mar 13, 2010, 04:52 AM // 04:52

u cannot control their targets, only their positions.

Arduin · Mar 13, 2010, 09:39 AM // 09:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eragon Zarroc

u cannot control their targets, only their positions.

So why are the Wiki and Silmar Alech telling us quite the opposite?

Desert Rose · Mar 13, 2010, 11:51 AM // 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arduin

So why are the Wiki and Silmar Alech telling us quite the opposite?

You cannot control which target your spirits attack, but it may be possible to influence their target selection; these two statements are not contradictory.

Quaker · Mar 13, 2010, 08:13 PM // 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silmar Alech

- In combat: If you create a new spirit mid-battle and immediately afterwards attack an enemy with your staff, it is likely that the new spirit(s) will attack this enemy.

Or, attack a target and then summon the spirit(s).

Quote:

Instead of attacking an enemy with your staff, calling an enemy with Painful Bond works as well.

Speaking of Painful Bond - sometimes it's more productive to put PB on the target that the spirits are attacking, rather than trying to change the spirits' target.

MisterB · Mar 13, 2010, 08:25 PM // 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuilan

There's a mod that shows your the effect/attack area of spirits I believe. Never tried it.

Those mods show the area of effect of Nature Rituals, not Binding Rituals. Binding Rituals have varying areas of effect. Spirit radar mods will show you what range your spirits must be placed in order to avoid killing any duplicates.

Silmar Alech · Mar 14, 2010, 01:16 PM // 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arduin

So why are the Wiki and Silmar Alech telling us quite the opposite?

There is no contradiction. You may have noticed that I always wrote: "...it is likely..." and wiki tells about the initial target selection: "...it is unclear which target is selected..." I elaborated about this initial target selection if a spirit has no current target and how to force a new target selection, since this is the only thing you are able to influence with a higher level of probability.

Mar 12, 2010, 10:31 PM // 22:31	#1
aB- Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jun 2005	A way to control spirits? I'm just wondering if there's a way you can control what target your spirits attack? Thanks.

Mar 13, 2010, 01:35 AM // 01:35	#7
Silmar Alech Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Europe Guild: Tom Son [TS] Profession: E/	You can control the target of your spirits in a limited way. It's not very reliable, but it works better than nothing. - Entering combat: if you place your spirit right outside of the enemy aggro, they will not start attacking. If you now attack an enemy yourself with a longbow or with your staff, the spirits will start attacking the enemy you are attacking. (being out of aggro range and attacking with a longbow works, because spirit attack range is longbow range) - In combat: If you create a new spirit mid-battle and immediately afterwards attack an enemy with your staff, it is likely that the new spirit(s) will attack this enemy. - In combat: If your spirits attack an enemy you don't want to attack, summon your spirits to a place where this enemy is out of range. Now attack an enemy in range with your staff, and it is likely that the spirits choose this enemy as new target. - In combat: If the enemy the spirits are attacking is dead, they look for a new target. If you attack an enemy in this very moment with your staff, it is likely that the spirits will choose this enemy as their next target as well. Instead of attacking an enemy with your staff, calling an enemy with Painful Bond works as well. But remember: Spirits withl a current target will not change their target on such a call. Only spirits with no current target will begin to attack the called target. Once a spirit has a target, it will attack this target until it is dead or gets out of range. Safest of all: place your spirits so that only one enemy is in attack range of them. After it is dead, summon your spirits in range of the next enemy. If more than one enemy approach, you may pull your spirits back so that only one enemy is in range of them. But this has a drawback: you give up the valuable spirit wall that protects your backline. I always try to enter combat by spiking away the nearest enemy, but afterwards use the spirits mainly as wall. I try to continuously reposition this wall in such a way that no melee enemy is able to reach my backline. Additionally, I try to control the spirit fire by wanding/calling the desired enemies like I explained above. Last edited by Silmar Alech; Mar 13, 2010 at 01:48 AM // 01:48..

Mar 12, 2010, 10:53 PM // 22:53	#2
BrettM Desert Nomad Join Date: Aug 2008 Guild: Fuzzy Physics Institute Profession: E/	You control spirits the same way you control minions: not at all.

Mar 12, 2010, 11:03 PM // 23:03	#3
Raven Wing Jungle Guide Join Date: Nov 2005 Guild: The Imperial Guards of Istan [TIGI] Profession: N/	You can use Summon Spirits for some control, with that you can decide where to place them. At least they dont run off like minions. But you cant decide which of the targets in range they attack.

Mar 12, 2010, 11:29 PM // 23:29	#4
Elephantaliste Krytan Explorer Join Date: Nov 2008 Guild: adblockplus.or	I dont know if it still works, but you could use Summon Spirits to synchronize and acquire same target.

Mar 13, 2010, 12:39 AM // 00:39	#5
Trader of Secrets Jungle Guide Join Date: Jun 2006	closest tactic i know is the position spirits so that their edge or their range is nearest to you target and isolated is better, its still kinda random.

Mar 13, 2010, 12:40 AM // 00:40	#6
Cuilan Forge Runner Join Date: Mar 2008 Profession: Me/	There's a mod that shows your the effect/attack area of spirits I believe. Never tried it.

Mar 13, 2010, 04:52 AM // 04:52	#10
Eragon Zarroc Atra estern?? ono thelduin Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madness Incarnate Guild: [Duo] Profession: W/P	u cannot control their targets, only their positions.