Curse

Red Sonya · Jul 11, 2009, 02:52 PM // 14:52

For the most part (except those who cheat and group up with a friend to get 6 heroes) henchies are the way they are for BALANCE purposes. It's already pretty easy with just 3 heroes. If they allowed 7 heroes or customizeable henchies there wouldn't be any challenge left in the game. As it is henchies remain dumb and it works out well for those that DON'T HAVE NIGHTFALL AND HEROES. Playing with just henchies in Prophecies and Factions is still the best solo w/ai challenge left in the game.

That's the other thing that voids the 7 hereos arguement is that not everybody owns NIGHTFALL or wants to. The 3 heroes were a BONUS to playing with HENCHIES not an in place of. Now I know many of you can play a lot of the game with just 3 heroes, but, you sure can't play the very hard areas with just 3 of them. Lemme see you go through DOA or FOW or UW with just those 3.

So, no just like there should't be 7 heroes there shouldn't be customizeable henchies, but, the one thing I would agree on is a FLAG for each one. Let them keep what skills Anet thinks BALANCES them for the game, but, give us the ability to separate them while we play them.

Of course those that would whine about let those that don't want 7 heroes play with 7 henchies or blah blah blah. Everything effects the game no matter what when changes are made. Thus 7 heroes or customizeable henchies would ALTER the game and the ECONOMY as more players would be able to solo w/ai more content and Faster thus causing mass inflation and things would just get more expensive for those without Nightfall and heroes. Have to keep the game BALANCED for the WHOLE not just for the selfish and greedy.

Let the fires of flame begin I don't really care. It's my opinion an it's also the opinion of Anet (whether it be exactly mine or not) and that's all that matters and will stay the same unchanged.

~~

4thVariety · Jul 11, 2009, 02:55 PM // 14:55

If henchmen were configurable they would not be henchmen, right? Although a community makeover would certainly not hurt. Some skillbars are very weak to say the least.

To some degree the decision making process of Henchmen is the real issue though. When players are down to 100 health all of a sudden and all a certain henchwoman does is to give you Healing Breeze and then all of them leave you out to dry, then...

Red Sonya · Jul 11, 2009, 03:05 PM // 15:05

Remember Alexia is a tank not a monk. Too many people blame her for her own unique personality in the game.

Sure she wears monks clothing, but, deep down all her young life she wanted to be Xena Ultimate Warrior.

I think many players don't know how to really roleplay. They think every class or every ai player should think and operate like THEY THINK and OPERATE! Where's the UNIQUENESS in the ai character if everything is like the player wants it to be? If anything the henchie ai has character in so many ways. Think about it a character that makes you curse the screen is as real as in real life when you curse someone who doesn't do something exactly the way you wanted it?

4thVariety · Jul 11, 2009, 04:03 PM // 16:03

Alesia's Tank behavior only has one reason: HEALING TOUCH.

Any player worth a damn knows not to equip a backline hero with touching range healing spells. She just can't resist helping that poor Sin surrounded by 10 monsters. Which ties back to henchmen needing a community overhaul.

Or you kick all melee types from your H/H setup, then you will be fine as well.

]HM[ Sabre Wolf · Jul 11, 2009, 04:48 PM // 16:48

In short... no... and bring a friend with 3 more heros...

But, the Henchies could use an update to skills... but, should be limited still to the game they are from... only makes it politicully correct.

IronSheik · Jul 11, 2009, 04:50 PM // 16:50

No, they shouldn't. We should just have more henchmen to choose from. Perhaps a Henchman MM (Gasp!), or ones that don't suck in end game prophecies.

Red Sonya · Jul 11, 2009, 05:05 PM // 17:05

Quote:

Or you kick all melee types from your H/H setup, then you will be fine as well.

Exactly and that is what I do play with all ranged characters and she works fine in my groups. See there is a STRATEGY to playing with Heroes and Henchies just because you or someone else doesn't know it or realize it doesn't mean there should be 7 heroes or the ability to configure the henchies to the simpleton way you or others play. But, you seem to know the strategy I'm just not sure you use it correctly.

IronSheik · Jul 11, 2009, 05:11 PM // 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Sonya

Exactly and that is what I do play with all ranged characters and she works fine in my groups. See there is a STRATEGY to playing with Heroes and Henchies just because you or someone else doesn't know it or realize it doesn't mean there should be 7 heroes or the ability to configure the henchies to the simpleton way you or others play. But, you seem to know the strategy I'm just not sure you use it correctly.

God forbid having a melee character. Let me just get on my wammo and whip out that longbow.

Red Sonya · Jul 11, 2009, 05:32 PM // 17:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronSheik

God forbid having a melee character. Let me just get on my wammo and whip out that longbow.

Actually before they nerfed that Elite Rage skill you could make a powerful melee warrior into a powerful fire warrior. The skill was the one that gave you high percentage of critical hits with a fire weapon be it wand or melee. Coupled with that fire ele skill the gave you constant burning with every hit and some aoe spells that cost 5e or 10e and the energy glyph and you could do some powerful damage from distance. A lot more than you ever could with a bow. I ran though Nightfall with this build and it was excellent in most instances. Thing I found most troubling was there were a lot of blinders when playing a melee character and they were pretty useless anyways. If I stayed back I hardly ever got blinded and I could use my FLAIL skill for constant speed of attacks when I wasn't raging. Another skill that went well with that raging elite was "I will Avenge You" since it gave a speed of attack without having to take away a STANCE. Man I was frying everything with that build.
Besides Melees are a dime a dozen. People should be more creative with their classes. there's thousands of combinations out there people haven't even thought of yet that are better than the cookie cutter builds you see online.

IronSheik · Jul 11, 2009, 07:25 PM // 19:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Sonya

Besides Melees are a dime a dozen. People should be more creative with their classes. there's thousands of combinations out there people haven't even thought of yet that are better than the cookie cutter builds you see online.

First, melees aren't a dime a dozen...don't see where you come up with that, sins warriors and dervishes make up a huge population of mains. And the only one that makes a decent ranged is a sin.

You're saying that you should use a Hamstorm/Ranged build over a conventional warrior? Just because people haven't thought of it? The reason people don't use ranged warriors is because they're..bad. Warriors have 80 AL, 100 AL with physical, not including shield, they belong in the front line, not back with monks, and if your whole party is ranged...wouldn't enemies just walk back more? You'd have to completely rely on minions/summons to keep enemies at bay.

Accursed · Jul 11, 2009, 07:29 PM // 19:29

If the henchman builds are accessible, then what's the point of heroes?

drunk n angry · Jul 12, 2009, 06:51 PM // 18:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Improvavel

So the only reason people play with you is because they can't use 7 heroes?

Must be good be you...

no, i'm saying that it would ruin the NEED for another human player and thus ruin the multiplayer part of the game. this game is meant to be played with others but has the option of henchmen as a fall back for when there are no humans who want to play with you cuz you act like this XD. have a good day sir.

Seraphim Angel · Jul 12, 2009, 08:39 PM // 20:39

What I wish is that they gave them a little number next to thier name like heros so I can micromanage them better. Also be able to flag them individually instead of as a group. Just like heros.

Nodakim · Jul 12, 2009, 08:50 PM // 20:50

Would work if you could limit the attributes and skills the Hench can use.
So basicly Cynn(Fire Elementalist) could just use fire skills and the fire element attribute.
And you couldnt manipulate the runs,insignias,weapons on her.
You couldnt cast instead of her also.
Then my answer is yes.Do it.

Ctb · Jul 12, 2009, 09:02 PM // 21:02

I don't see what difference it makes when hero/hench AI is still so incredibly stupid that if you don't micromanage them they're practically pointless.