Sir Iceman · Feb 13, 2006, 04:28 PM // 16:28

I have been running a healing Monk in PvE since the game came out. For most of the time I???ve used 2 Major runes on my Tattoo armor to boost Healing & Divine Prayers. And for most of the Missions & Quests I???ve pretty much kept off of the radar as far as being the enemy???s target. Since the price of Superior runes has taken a turn for the good. I???ve upgraded both runes to Superiors. With that, my Hp has dropped from 450 to 400. But the big PITA has been the increased amount of attacks I???ve had to endure.

Recently we did the Final Mission in the game. There were 3 of us that needed to get our Monks through. So we took them all in at the same time. 2 Healers 1 Bonder. All 3 of us had the same armor. But the difference was the rune selection. The other healer had 2 Majors. The Bonder uses mostly Minors, because rather than switch armor when he does Healing etc. He just switches points. His armor remains the same. So the main key is the Hp differential.

Enemy attackers are now running past the other Monks to get to me. And I am doing nothing special beyond healing. I insured the Warrior I am healing has engaged before I get close. As I have done for months before. I have a very good connection with him. And we work well together. So there was nothing out of the ordinary. My wife who usually heals the other Warrior, only becomes the target when I am taken out. Or when I???m able to escape by running clear across the battle.

My question is: Is there a correlation between the lower Hp and AI targeting? Has the increase in attacks been due to this? Should I go back to 2 Majors? I prefer to give the max amount of healing possible and would prefer to stay as I am. But being a burden to the party is not my idea of responsible teamwork. Or is this increase because of the nature of the enemy? And it???s just a spot of bad luck that I???m the ???Target du Jour???.

TIA
Sir Iceman

quickmonty · Feb 13, 2006, 04:33 PM // 16:33

It seems (maybe just my imagination) that the mobs try to target the weakest (i.e. lowest HP). They tend to go after characters that have a high DP (and lower HP) also.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Caged Fury · Feb 13, 2006, 04:43 PM // 16:43

I can only confirm by saying I've noticed this as well. Foes seem to target those with higher DP or lower health...not sure if it is lower max health though.

When I play my warrior (level 20) and I get all the aggro, the moment Little Thom/Stefan (level 17) get close, foes ignore me and go for them. My higher level means more health.

I sometimes partner another monk who is mainly a smiter, we're both level 20, use tattoos and one major rune, rest minor. Therefore same amount of health. When he engage, gets the aggro, and fighting; me switching (during battle) to a piece with a superior healing for a boost in healing, the foes tend to suddenly go for me - even though they're outside of my aggro circle. Other monk has lower health from being beaten on and I have full health cos I'm out of harms way. Only difference now is that I have lower max health due to sup. rune.

striderkaaru · Feb 13, 2006, 04:59 PM // 16:59

it seems as if mobs will target the one they can kill off the fastest. this means the person with the lowest AL and hp. lowering your hp via runes may be the reason why you're so popular with monsters now.

also, 2 major runes is a terrible setup. you can have the same effect with less health loss with a superior + minor + stat scalp tattoo.

for example, let's say you have a +1 healing tattoo and major runes for healing and divine.
healing: +1 (scalp) +2 (major rune) = +3
divine: +2 (major rune) = +2
health loss: -100 (-50 x2 majors)

you can have the exact same stats by doing this instead.
healing: +3 (superior rune) = +3
divine: +1 (scalp) +1 (minor rune) = +2
health loss: -75 (1x superior)

same stats, less health loss. 2x majors is never a good idea.

DeanBB · Feb 13, 2006, 05:01 PM // 17:01

Lower armor is another factor. A group of guildies did the ascension missions and the one needing to get thru of course had only a partial set of AL60 armor and was most frequently targeted. She actually had higher health since wasn't using any superiors, only 1 major.

When I take a level 20 back to Old Ascalon to help out a guildie it is pretty funny to see the monsters run right past me to attack the low level toons.

I dunno, I don't think I'd put more than 1 bigger rune on a PvE toon other than for specific builds like a 55hp monk. I use 1 major on my monk when healing and 1 superior when smiting. The rest of my toons use 1 superior.

Sir Iceman · Feb 13, 2006, 05:53 PM // 17:53

Caged Fury: I've noticed this about the DP effect. But from what you've mentioned about armor switching, it would seem that my problem is due to the decreased amount of Hp.

Striderkaaru: This idea of 1 Superior & 1 Minor makes good sense. At the cost of an other piece of armor & 1 Minor rune I could set my character up this way. If this helps based on what Caged Fury mentioned. Then I???ll stay with this. I believe the healing loss would only be 6 points. Not 100% sure on the numbers.

DeanBB: This goes along with what Striderkaaru mentioned. So I assume this is where I should be looking.

Thanks to all for your insights. I hope to get more.
Sir Iceman

FrogDevourer · Feb 13, 2006, 06:07 PM // 18:07

Yes, monsters are cheating. They know your HP, your armor and your DP. They'll go to the weakest member. Play with a friend of the same profession with the same skills and equipment. Get killed or use a weaker armor (bought from LA), and you'll always be attacked first.

Two solutions:
- You don't really need two superiors in PvE. Two minors or one minor and one superior should be more than enough. If you're using a staff, buy upgrades with HP (+25 x2 should be enough to do the trick).
- Stay out of aggro range (small radar bubble) especially at the beginning of a fight. If you must heal someone, enter aggro range, heal, get out of aggro range. If things go wrong, use a sprint-like skill to break aggro.

SirAubrey · Feb 13, 2006, 06:35 PM // 18:35

I believe this is true within the same class of character. I notice when I bring my lvl20 monk with others at lower level, the monsters still want to attack me as the only monk. It seems really silly, but it's easy to beat if the others get full aggro then I come in afterward or if the tanks have any skill at body-blocking at all. I also notice i don't get targetted as much if there are a ton of minions running around!

Tarkin · Feb 13, 2006, 08:31 PM // 20:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickmonty

It seems (maybe just my imagination) that the mobs try to target the weakest (i.e. lowest HP). They tend to go after characters that have a high DP (and lower HP) also.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Sadly this can be true... i see that at my playing with henchs, if a hench die, he/she is target from lots more atacks...

Mandy Memory · Feb 13, 2006, 09:39 PM // 21:39

You could always have the bonder bond you...AI is predictable, they will always go for the lowest hp and lowest armor (some equasion that relates the two presumably). Is this bad? Not if you are smart. Protecting/healing 1 person vs 8? Its a lot easier. Just come prepared for it.

Sir Iceman · Feb 14, 2006, 01:05 PM // 13:05

Well, it would seem that the answer to the question of who painted the target would be: ME! Too much of a Hp lowering seems to be the trouble.

I will switch out 1 of the Superiors for a Minor. Based on what you've all said, this should put things back to the way they were. I preferred it when I wasn't healing me.

Mandy Memory: This is also an option that might be worth exploring. It would allow me to run 2 Superiors. But I'd have to see how this taxes the Bonder. A good support Necro would solve that. But that???s a whole other thread.

I thank you all for your insights.
Sir Iceman

fiery · Feb 14, 2006, 02:44 PM // 14:44

Maybe standing to close to your warriors aggro bubble?

Simdarth · Feb 14, 2006, 09:18 PM // 21:18

It would make sense for creatures to go after lower HP/AC by attacking casters. That's what most groups do anyway against the mobs. I've noticed that they attack the monks first in almost all cases, but then I don't do a lot of level mixing so the monks and other casters are almost always the lowest of these two.

FrogDevourer is right, stay out of aggro range unless you are healing someone.

Cherno · Feb 14, 2006, 10:26 PM // 22:26

Hehe, I noticed this in FoW. I was with my ele and almost always have two superiors on. We had a perfectly good tank who was pulling the agro but they would just run right past him and all swarm around me.

This actually worked out well as we had two great monks who would keep me protected while I would fireball, phoenix, fireball them to death.

Venenatus Ensis · Feb 15, 2006, 01:13 AM // 01:13

Mobs now target the player with the lowest health. if you want to avoid that, stay in the back until a warrior has engaged them. They usually stick with the warrior then but occasionally will run towards you.

art_ · Feb 15, 2006, 01:47 AM // 01:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrogDevourer

Yes, monsters are cheating. They know your HP, your armor and your DP. They'll go to the weakest member. Play with a friend of the same profession with the same skills and equipment. Get killed or use a weaker armor (bought from LA), and you'll always be attacked first.

Yup Monsters love to go for the weak armored person first. When i did Iron Mines with Henchies i was level 7 and in pre armor and i got targeted non-stop. However, the great thing about pve is that its really easy to lose aggro

So just make sure your team-mates/henchies are ahead of you at all times, and kite if any mob comes near you

Feb 13, 2006, 04:28 PM // 16:28	#1
Sir Iceman Academy Page Join Date: Aug 2005 Guild: Kaos Organized Sykotically Profession: W/Mo	Who painted the target on ???my??? Monk? I have been running a healing Monk in PvE since the game came out. For most of the time I???ve used 2 Major runes on my Tattoo armor to boost Healing & Divine Prayers. And for most of the Missions & Quests I???ve pretty much kept off of the radar as far as being the enemy???s target. Since the price of Superior runes has taken a turn for the good. I???ve upgraded both runes to Superiors. With that, my Hp has dropped from 450 to 400. But the big PITA has been the increased amount of attacks I???ve had to endure. Recently we did the Final Mission in the game. There were 3 of us that needed to get our Monks through. So we took them all in at the same time. 2 Healers 1 Bonder. All 3 of us had the same armor. But the difference was the rune selection. The other healer had 2 Majors. The Bonder uses mostly Minors, because rather than switch armor when he does Healing etc. He just switches points. His armor remains the same. So the main key is the Hp differential. Enemy attackers are now running past the other Monks to get to me. And I am doing nothing special beyond healing. I insured the Warrior I am healing has engaged before I get close. As I have done for months before. I have a very good connection with him. And we work well together. So there was nothing out of the ordinary. My wife who usually heals the other Warrior, only becomes the target when I am taken out. Or when I???m able to escape by running clear across the battle. My question is: Is there a correlation between the lower Hp and AI targeting? Has the increase in attacks been due to this? Should I go back to 2 Majors? I prefer to give the max amount of healing possible and would prefer to stay as I am. But being a burden to the party is not my idea of responsible teamwork. Or is this increase because of the nature of the enemy? And it???s just a spot of bad luck that I???m the ???Target du Jour???. TIA Sir Iceman

Feb 13, 2006, 04:43 PM // 16:43	#3
Caged Fury Krytan Explorer Join Date: Dec 2005 Guild: Hearts Of Fury [HoF]	I can only confirm by saying I've noticed this as well. Foes seem to target those with higher DP or lower health...not sure if it is lower max health though. When I play my warrior (level 20) and I get all the aggro, the moment Little Thom/Stefan (level 17) get close, foes ignore me and go for them. My higher level means more health. I sometimes partner another monk who is mainly a smiter, we're both level 20, use tattoos and one major rune, rest minor. Therefore same amount of health. When he engage, gets the aggro, and fighting; me switching (during battle) to a piece with a superior healing for a boost in healing, the foes tend to suddenly go for me - even though they're outside of my aggro circle. Other monk has lower health from being beaten on and I have full health cos I'm out of harms way. Only difference now is that I have lower max health due to sup. rune. Last edited by Caged Fury; Feb 13, 2006 at 04:45 PM // 16:45..

Feb 13, 2006, 06:07 PM // 18:07	#7
FrogDevourer on a GW break until C4 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: In your shadow Guild: Servants of Fortuna	Yes, monsters are cheating. They know your HP, your armor and your DP. They'll go to the weakest member. Play with a friend of the same profession with the same skills and equipment. Get killed or use a weaker armor (bought from LA), and you'll always be attacked first. Two solutions: - You don't really need two superiors in PvE. Two minors or one minor and one superior should be more than enough. If you're using a staff, buy upgrades with HP (+25 x2 should be enough to do the trick). - Stay out of aggro range (small radar bubble) especially at the beginning of a fight. If you must heal someone, enter aggro range, heal, get out of aggro range. If things go wrong, use a sprint-like skill to break aggro. __________________

Feb 13, 2006, 04:33 PM // 16:33	#2
quickmonty Ancient Windbreaker Join Date: May 2005	It seems (maybe just my imagination) that the mobs try to target the weakest (i.e. lowest HP). They tend to go after characters that have a high DP (and lower HP) also. Can anyone else confirm this?

Feb 13, 2006, 04:59 PM // 16:59	#4
striderkaaru Desert Nomad Join Date: Aug 2005 Guild: Scars Meadows [SMS], Retired Officer Profession: W/	it seems as if mobs will target the one they can kill off the fastest. this means the person with the lowest AL and hp. lowering your hp via runes may be the reason why you're so popular with monsters now. also, 2 major runes is a terrible setup. you can have the same effect with less health loss with a superior + minor + stat scalp tattoo. for example, let's say you have a +1 healing tattoo and major runes for healing and divine. healing: +1 (scalp) +2 (major rune) = +3 divine: +2 (major rune) = +2 health loss: -100 (-50 x2 majors) you can have the exact same stats by doing this instead. healing: +3 (superior rune) = +3 divine: +1 (scalp) +1 (minor rune) = +2 health loss: -75 (1x superior) same stats, less health loss. 2x majors is never a good idea.

Feb 13, 2006, 05:01 PM // 17:01	#5
DeanBB Forge Runner Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Arizona Guild: Wizardry Players Guild, http://4guildwars.7.forumer.com	Lower armor is another factor. A group of guildies did the ascension missions and the one needing to get thru of course had only a partial set of AL60 armor and was most frequently targeted. She actually had higher health since wasn't using any superiors, only 1 major. When I take a level 20 back to Old Ascalon to help out a guildie it is pretty funny to see the monsters run right past me to attack the low level toons. I dunno, I don't think I'd put more than 1 bigger rune on a PvE toon other than for specific builds like a 55hp monk. I use 1 major on my monk when healing and 1 superior when smiting. The rest of my toons use 1 superior.

Feb 13, 2006, 05:53 PM // 17:53	#6
Sir Iceman Academy Page Join Date: Aug 2005 Guild: Kaos Organized Sykotically Profession: W/Mo	Caged Fury: I've noticed this about the DP effect. But from what you've mentioned about armor switching, it would seem that my problem is due to the decreased amount of Hp. Striderkaaru: This idea of 1 Superior & 1 Minor makes good sense. At the cost of an other piece of armor & 1 Minor rune I could set my character up this way. If this helps based on what Caged Fury mentioned. Then I???ll stay with this. I believe the healing loss would only be 6 points. Not 100% sure on the numbers. DeanBB: This goes along with what Striderkaaru mentioned. So I assume this is where I should be looking. Thanks to all for your insights. I hope to get more. Sir Iceman

Feb 13, 2006, 06:35 PM // 18:35	#8
SirAubrey Academy Page Join Date: Jan 2006 Guild: Angry Dragons Profession: W/Mo	I believe this is true within the same class of character. I notice when I bring my lvl20 monk with others at lower level, the monsters still want to attack me as the only monk. It seems really silly, but it's easy to beat if the others get full aggro then I come in afterward or if the tanks have any skill at body-blocking at all. I also notice i don't get targetted as much if there are a ton of minions running around!

Feb 13, 2006, 09:39 PM // 21:39	#10
Mandy Memory Desert Nomad Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Guild: Xen of Sigils [XoO] Profession: W/	You could always have the bonder bond you...AI is predictable, they will always go for the lowest hp and lowest armor (some equasion that relates the two presumably). Is this bad? Not if you are smart. Protecting/healing 1 person vs 8? Its a lot easier. Just come prepared for it.

Feb 14, 2006, 01:05 PM // 13:05	#11
Sir Iceman Academy Page Join Date: Aug 2005 Guild: Kaos Organized Sykotically Profession: W/Mo	Well, it would seem that the answer to the question of who painted the target would be: ME! Too much of a Hp lowering seems to be the trouble. I will switch out 1 of the Superiors for a Minor. Based on what you've all said, this should put things back to the way they were. I preferred it when I wasn't healing me. Mandy Memory: This is also an option that might be worth exploring. It would allow me to run 2 Superiors. But I'd have to see how this taxes the Bonder. A good support Necro would solve that. But that???s a whole other thread. I thank you all for your insights. Sir Iceman

Feb 14, 2006, 02:44 PM // 14:44	#12
fiery Banned Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: maryland Guild: InYurFace Gaming [IYF] Profession: R/	Maybe standing to close to your warriors aggro bubble?

Feb 14, 2006, 09:18 PM // 21:18	#13
Simdarth Academy Page Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Knoxville, TN Guild: GotL Profession: W/	It would make sense for creatures to go after lower HP/AC by attacking casters. That's what most groups do anyway against the mobs. I've noticed that they attack the monks first in almost all cases, but then I don't do a lot of level mixing so the monks and other casters are almost always the lowest of these two. FrogDevourer is right, stay out of aggro range unless you are healing someone.

Feb 14, 2006, 10:26 PM // 22:26	#14
Cherno Forge Runner Join Date: Jan 2006 Guild: Stars of Destiny Profession: E/	Hehe, I noticed this in FoW. I was with my ele and almost always have two superiors on. We had a perfectly good tank who was pulling the agro but they would just run right past him and all swarm around me. This actually worked out well as we had two great monks who would keep me protected while I would fireball, phoenix, fireball them to death.

Feb 15, 2006, 01:13 AM // 01:13	#15
Venenatus Ensis Academy Page Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Chicago Profession: Mo/	Mobs now target the player with the lowest health. if you want to avoid that, stay in the back until a warrior has engaged them. They usually stick with the warrior then but occasionally will run towards you.