My minions lack assertiveness... - Page 2 - Guild Wars Forums

TheGizzy · Mar 20, 2011, 02:29 PM // 14:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaker

ANyway.... The Vile Miasma and Putrid Bile, basically ensure that the hero will want to attack - which makes the minions attack - and not sit around casting spells - which doesn't make the minions attack.

I think you may have figured out the problem.

The builds I run on both Olias & Razah are very "inward" focused. Olias pretty much a) exploits corpses, b) hexes his minions, c) casts prots on the rest of us. Razah a) exploits corpses, b) casts things that DO cause damage to enemies, but it's a secondary effect of exploiting nearby corpses, or c) casts things to support his energy regeneration or to help the party.

So other than Putrid Bile, there's not really anything drawing either of them towards the enemies - and I have a feeling Olias is so busy playing with his meat puppets that he's not even getting around to casting PB until we're well into battle.

I'll play around with that tonight and see if giving them a couple of things to actually do to the foes draws them up from the back a bit more frequently.

syronj · Mar 20, 2011, 02:42 PM // 14:42

Is Verata's Aura any good? Being able to take over hostile undead sounds good in theory, so I got the spell, but I don't know yet if heroes will use it or if it's even effective for my use.

Quaker · Mar 20, 2011, 02:52 PM // 14:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by syronj

Is Verata's Aura any good?

I've never tried it in a Hero build, so I don't know how well they'd use it. In my experience, it's only of limited usefulness anyway. Firstly, it's only useful if the enemy is using minions. And secondly, there's the whole "lose control after X seconds thing".
Like anything, it may be useful to use in places, but not as part of a "default" build. For example, in some areas, where corpses will be at a minimum, I replace Flesh Golem with Jagged Bones. (And, of course, you can always have multiple incremental builds.)

ogre_jd · Mar 20, 2011, 05:13 PM // 17:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by syronj

Is Verata's Aura any good? Being able to take over hostile undead sounds good in theory, so I got the spell, but I don't know yet if heroes will use it or if it's even effective for my use.

There's not really that many foes that use minions you could steal, so I'd say it's not useful.

Urcscumug · Mar 21, 2011, 03:18 PM // 15:18

I don't usually play Necro and haven't given their builds much thought so take this with a grain of salt: I'm usually very pleased with the services of Su (the henchie). She fabricates minions promptly, they stay with the group and tank nicely. See what she uses, maybe there's a hint there.

@ogre_jd: Don't say that with absolute certainty. There's places where the foes are minion masters and will exploit the corpses faster then you/your heroes. It would be useful to be able to steal those minions.

ogre_jd · Mar 21, 2011, 03:35 PM // 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urcscumug

@ogre_jd: Don't say that with absolute certainty. There's places where the foes are minion masters and will exploit the corpses faster then you/your heroes. It would be useful to be able to steal those minions.

Yes, there are a few places - and thus it's worth swapping in at times when you can remember to do so. It is not, however, worth a permanent place on a bar for most players and their Heroes (most people, I'm betting, want something that just works with the minimum micromanaging or readjustment of builds between areas, thus niche skills like Verata's Aura aren't worth considering for general use in an MM build).

Dominatrix · Mar 21, 2011, 04:22 PM // 16:22

I always use two MM's at least in most teams. One without enchantments such as Death Nova etc, and one with those.

The one without enchantments will be in time to tank with his minons in the initial stages of aggro, and right behind that there's a line of reinforcement minions marching down to battle while being enchanted and buffed by their master

(Datura) · Mar 21, 2011, 08:32 PM // 20:32

put fallback! on your mm's bar with 7-8 points in command or put fallback! on any heros bar disable it and micro. only use it when your mm is in the earshot range like right after a battle.

this will help them keep up with the group and make everything faster.
Second, you must pull with a bow. especially in hm. example: flag the group where your standing, switch to your bow, attack the mob, run back to your group.

on your way back UN-flag your heroes so they will spread out and engage.

simple as that.

You can of course flag your mm forward but I dont treat my mm's as spike bait in hm.

Ghull Ka · Mar 21, 2011, 09:46 PM // 21:46

Put the minion summoning skills on necro #1
Put Death Nova on necro #2.

Necro #1 will keep up with you, he has nothing else to do besides keep up with you.

His gloopy army will keep up with him.

Necro #2 will spam Death Novas while he's keeping up with the army, which is keeping up with Necro #1, which is keeping up with you now.

Solved!

Arieon Ito · Mar 22, 2011, 05:46 AM // 05:46

So far I've realised the quickest way to lure a minion army into a mob is to give the necro a corpse to exploit. Sometimes the minions will linger in the back for a bit, but once you've killed one enemy and a minion is summoned, then attacked, the remaining minions will rush to its aid.

Of course Ritu Necros seem to prioritise summoning minions from the first dead body if you've got boon of creation and explosive growth on them which in turn will spur the rest of his minions in the backline to charge forward to protect their new-born teammate.

Otherwise a longbow is always your best friend since you get to fight them on your turf.

Mar 21, 2011, 03:18 PM // 15:18	#25
Urcscumug Krytan Explorer Join Date: Jan 2011 Guild: UNO Profession: W/	I don't usually play Necro and haven't given their builds much thought so take this with a grain of salt: I'm usually very pleased with the services of Su (the henchie). She fabricates minions promptly, they stay with the group and tank nicely. See what she uses, maybe there's a hint there. @ogre_jd: Don't say that with absolute certainty. There's places where the foes are minion masters and will exploit the corpses faster then you/your heroes. It would be useful to be able to steal those minions. Last edited by Urcscumug; Mar 21, 2011 at 03:21 PM // 15:21..

Mar 21, 2011, 08:32 PM // 20:32	#28
(Datura) Academy Page Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South East Guild: Kiss Profession: E/	put fallback! on your mm's bar with 7-8 points in command or put fallback! on any heros bar disable it and micro. only use it when your mm is in the earshot range like right after a battle. this will help them keep up with the group and make everything faster. Second, you must pull with a bow. especially in hm. example: flag the group where your standing, switch to your bow, attack the mob, run back to your group. on your way back UN-flag your heroes so they will spread out and engage. simple as that. You can of course flag your mm forward but I dont treat my mm's as spike bait in hm. Last edited by (Datura); Mar 21, 2011 at 08:34 PM // 20:34..

Mar 20, 2011, 02:42 PM // 14:42	#22
syronj Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Jun 2007	Is Verata's Aura any good? Being able to take over hostile undead sounds good in theory, so I got the spell, but I don't know yet if heroes will use it or if it's even effective for my use.

Mar 21, 2011, 04:22 PM // 16:22	#27
Dominatrix Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Mar 2011 Profession: Me/	I always use two MM's at least in most teams. One without enchantments such as Death Nova etc, and one with those. The one without enchantments will be in time to tank with his minons in the initial stages of aggro, and right behind that there's a line of reinforcement minions marching down to battle while being enchanted and buffed by their master

Mar 21, 2011, 09:46 PM // 21:46	#29
Ghull Ka Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Guild: Grenths Helpdesk Profession: N/	Put the minion summoning skills on necro #1 Put Death Nova on necro #2. Necro #1 will keep up with you, he has nothing else to do besides keep up with you. His gloopy army will keep up with him. Necro #2 will spam Death Novas while he's keeping up with the army, which is keeping up with Necro #1, which is keeping up with you now. Solved!

Mar 22, 2011, 05:46 AM // 05:46	#30
Arieon Ito Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Sep 2007 Guild: [One] Profession: Rt/	So far I've realised the quickest way to lure a minion army into a mob is to give the necro a corpse to exploit. Sometimes the minions will linger in the back for a bit, but once you've killed one enemy and a minion is summoned, then attacked, the remaining minions will rush to its aid. Of course Ritu Necros seem to prioritise summoning minions from the first dead body if you've got boon of creation and explosive growth on them which in turn will spur the rest of his minions in the backline to charge forward to protect their new-born teammate. Otherwise a longbow is always your best friend since you get to fight them on your turf.