Curse

azunder · Jul 03, 2006, 12:34 PM // 12:34

The point is that the Scribe does have a lot of influence since it's from anet. I may not like this specific article and I can choose not to read it, but the problem is someone else might like it and believe it. It could encourage having flashy RP based builds that disregard effectiveness.

Yes, uberbuilds and FoTM's have no place in the scribe. But builds on the opposite end of the spectrum (crappy but nice looking builds) like that one shown in the latest edition shouldn't be in there too.

What really made me hate the build here is the choice of Ride the Lightning. What's nice is that the skill's just oozing with flavor. You have an allusion in the name, you get the coolness in the symbolism of electricity/lightning and a very exciting effect (damage and a teleport!). The problem is that it's elite, in a whole new attribute line and (most importantly) not that useful against PvE monsters. It's giving too much effectiveness away for some fluff.

lyra_song · Jul 03, 2006, 01:53 PM // 13:53

Well im glad you found the post funny, that was the point ;P Trying to inject some humor into this thread before it goes crazy. But thank you for voicing your concerns azunder in an understandable and clear way and i agree with your points on the most part.

There is a HUGE difference between the RP and PvE/PvP reality in this game and RP-ish builds that sound really cool on paper (or rather text) is not as effective in the actual battlefield.

Regardless, the scribe is leaning to the RP side of things, effectiveness be damned. Its like how the prebuilds sound cool when you read the description, then you slap your forehead and wonder who came up with it.

My mantra: Just...leave it alone~~~ -.-

JR · Jul 03, 2006, 04:18 PM // 16:18

My only problem with "The Scribe" is that he promotes absolutely horrible builds. PvE or PvP there is still a right and a wrong way to do things, and I'm honestly surprised that Anet didn't get someone who really knows what they are talking about.

Or maybe I just take this game far too seriously?

Dare I say it... L2P?

azunder · Jul 03, 2006, 04:33 PM // 16:33

Well, we can't really judge because this is the first time the Scribe has actually supported a build (I'm not counting the alliance battle builds mentioned because the description was more or less impartial). Let's just hope that the feedback here will make them choose a more useful build next time without sacrificing RP fluff(OPTIMISM!).

myword · Jul 03, 2006, 04:53 PM // 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Scribe

On my way from Maatu Keep to Tanglewood Copse

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaile Gray

but I do know the player who was using the build was observed over the course of several hours

perhaps the reason why a short run from Maatu to Tanglewood became a few hours was... this exceptional warrior build?

unless this was some RP session where they stopped to admire scenery, bury the bodies of dead monsters and feed/rest their characters then ignore me altogether...

lyra_song · Jul 03, 2006, 05:00 PM // 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by myword

perhaps the reason why a short run from Maatu to Tanglewood became a few hours was... this exceptional warrior build?

unless this was some RP session where they stopped to admire scenery, bury the bodies of dead monsters and feed/rest their characters then ignore me altogether...

LOL, well i would assume Anet is peaking from over the shoulder of players (ie: looking at our play logs) and seeing that this weird build was going for a few hours.

striderkaaru · Jul 03, 2006, 06:16 PM // 18:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by JR-

My only problem with "The Scribe" is that he promotes absolutely horrible builds. PvE or PvP there is still a right and a wrong way to do things, and I'm honestly surprised that Anet didn't get someone who really knows what they are talking about.

Or maybe I just take this game far too seriously?

Dare I say it... L2P?

i'm going to have to agree with this.

i understand that it's cool from an rp perspective that the scribe would discuss a novel and interesting build, and not just a simple cookie cutter. however, there are things about the way the scribe portrays it that doesn't even make any sense from an rp perspective.

take into consideration that i'm only looking at this from an rp point of view, as the voice of the scribe is written.

so our hapless warrior, in the heat of battle, manages to build up enough adrenaline to unleash hammer bash and knock the enemy to the ground. hammer bash is a melee attack. so, i would assume that the enemy is knocked down in melee range. while the opponent is down, the warrior summons the powers of earth magic to create an aftershock that deal massive damage to the downed opponent. being knocked down and all, he would still be in melee range as he can't move. severely hurt and knowing there was no way for victory, the enemy gets up (still in melee range, in case you thought he could move while on his ass) and starts to run away.

so, this is where it gets interesting.

WHY IN HELL WOULD THE WARRIOR NEED TO RIDE THE LIGHTNING TO SOMEONE WHO WAS ALREADY IN MELEE RANGE!?

couldn't he just sprint after the enemy right away? unless, of course, he stood and gloated for a while, allowing the opponent to gain some distance, but there was no mention of that. so, even from an rp perspective, the way it is portrayed isn't that great.

Ventius Hozza · Jul 03, 2006, 06:21 PM // 18:21

I love it how I always get the worst out of everyone ^^

Ok, so i made amends with Gaile w00t (hail gaile), but the thing I am confused about is firstly: Maatu Keep - Tanglewood Copse = 5 min run with sprint.
Secondly, how in the hell did the warrior get this elite skill: http://www.xennon.co.uk/eliteskills/KurvieFirewing.JPG before he managed to get to Tanglewood?

Zehnchu · Jul 03, 2006, 06:29 PM // 18:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ventius Hozza

I love it how I always get the worst out of everyone ^^

Ok, so i made amends with Gaile w00t (hail gaile), but the thing I am confused about is firstly: Maatu Keep - Tanglewood Copse = 5 min run with sprint.
Secondly, how in the hell did the warrior get this elite skill: http://www.xennon.co.uk/eliteskills/KurvieFirewing.JPG before he managed to get to Tanglewood?

There’s a guy in the GH that takes you to AB. If the character was a PvP he would have the points to unlock the skill, obtaining skill are different from PvP to Pve where Pve has to cap.

JoeKnowMo · Jul 03, 2006, 09:49 PM // 21:49

I've played a hammer warrior for the longest time in GW and while it's nice to hear one mentioned in the Scribe, I have to agree with others that have pointed out that this is a poor build.

The attribute points are also spread too thin in this build. I'm assuming a high Hammer Mastery (13-16), about a 10 in Earth Magic, leaving another 10 or so for Air Magic. That leaves hardly any points for Tactics or Strength, which means very low, if any, self healing.

Anyway, if someone were to try to copy this build, I'd advise them to focus on either Earth or Air. For example, Ride the Lightning + Shock would be more interesting. Or a hammer attack that induces Weakness followed by Stoning for a knockdown. Or just go with Strength and Tactics, take a hammer with a furious mod, begin with To the Limit (for 5 strikes of adrenaline at 11 Tactics), a couple of attacks, follow with EarthShaker, Crude Swing (good adrenaline gain if enemies are bunched up), Tiger's Stance, and another EarthShaker.

I like the Scribe's stuff in general, unlike some who think he writes crap. On the other hand, I think there should be room for disagreement without Gaile and others getting defensive. This was a bad build for the Scribe to highlight. People make mistakes, and the Scribe's only human.

I don't think I have to quit GW or think my opinion is crap just cuz I disagree with one part of what the Scribe said.

Hey, my alliance got mentioned byt he Scribe for free ferries in HzH, which was nice

Quote:

Originally Posted by striderkaaru

WHY IN HELL WOULD THE WARRIOR NEED TO RIDE THE LIGHTNING TO SOMEONE WHO WAS ALREADY IN MELEE RANGE!?

It didn't make sense as to why the warrior was chasing someone after they were already in melee range. Maybe Cynn or another Ele was using Firestorm?

Maybe if the warrior had used Ride the Lightning at the beginning of the fight to get to the enemy healer it would be more interesting.

Kern Wolf · Jul 03, 2006, 10:54 PM // 22:54

Someone tell me WHERE in the scribe's article does he recommend or endorse the warrior's build? It was an OBSERVATION, folks!!! He didn't hail the build as next big FotM for warriors; he NOTED WHAT HE OBSERVED!!! THAT'S ALL!!!

And how can you rip a build if you don't know EXACTLY what he has in it? No one knows how his attribute points are spread, or what armor he has, or the EXACT skills he's using.

Guesswork doesn't cut it.

JR · Jul 03, 2006, 11:17 PM // 23:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kern Wolf

And how can you rip a build if you don't know EXACTLY what he has in it? No one knows how his attribute points are spread, or what armor he has, or the EXACT skills he's using.

Guesswork doesn't cut it.

It is a hammer Warrior with Ride The Lightning and Aftershock, what more do you need to know?

azunder · Jul 03, 2006, 11:26 PM // 23:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kern Wolf

Someone tell me WHERE in the scribe's article does he recommend or endorse the warrior's build? It was an OBSERVATION, folks!!! He didn't hail the build as next big FotM for warriors; he NOTED WHAT HE OBSERVED!!! THAT'S ALL!!!

And how can you rip a build if you don't know EXACTLY what he has in it? No one knows how his attribute points are spread, or what armor he has, or the EXACT skills he's using.

Guesswork doesn't cut it.

Let me mark the words/phrases that recommend/endorse the build:

Quote:

In these troubled times, most soldiers engage in multiple battles with many different parties throughout their time in Tyria or Cantha. You will find many similar skill combinations and professions used in combat, even when battling alongside strangers. Some common combinations include the Warrior/Monk, the Minion Master Necromancer, and recently, the "Touch Ranger." These professions are popular and powerful and as such have become extremely common.

There are, however, those who pursue more unusual configurations and create abstract strategies in battle. While designing one's own plan of attack is difficult, it certainly has advantages, for opponents generally go into battle expecting to see common strategies, and thus are unprepared for novel concepts of war.

On my way from Maatu Keep to Tanglewood Copse, I observed one of the more creative abstract strategies I have seen. I was in a party with a Warrior/Elementalist using a hammer and Earth Magic skills. To add a bit of spice to his already somewhat rare plan of attack, he also used a single skill from the Air Magic line—Ride the Lightning. It is uncommon for Elementalists to take skills from two different Elemental lines—especially when Warrior is their primary profession—but the strategy did prove quite effective.

The Warrior kept things simple: he attacked his opponent in melee combat until enough adrenaline had built to deal Hammer Bash, knocking his opponent to the ground. When the enemy hit the dirt, the Warrior tapped into his Elementalist Earth Magic with the quick yet devastating Aftershock. As you might imagine, the foe was nearing his demise at this point, and tried to flee. This is when Ride the Lightning came into play.

With his opponent brutally injured from the hammer beating and well-timed Aftershock, the Warrior "rode the lightning bolt" to the fleeing enemy's location and dealt a bit of lightning damage. Far more important, however, was the fact that the Warrior had put himself back in melee range. As a finishing touch, the Warrior used Sprint to keep up with his enemy and ensured the enemy's death in a matter of seconds.

This Warrior/Elementalist proved that unique strategies can be extremely rewarding. Thanks to the Warrior's creative thinking, we were able to reach our destination with no real danger to our party members. The point is to be creative and try diverse strategies in combat. Different trials call for different skills, and there is no one tactic that is right for all situations. So while the pursuit of certain professions and the use of specific tactics can be popular, the novel approach is almost always the most effective.

There is no guesswork, we can read.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kern Wolf

And how can you rip a build if you don't know EXACTLY what he has in it? No one knows how his attribute points are spread, or what armor he has, or the EXACT skills he's using.

I challenge you to make a good build in PvE that only uses the mentioned skills then by filling in the blanks (armor, attributes, etc). You can't.

Kern Wolf · Jul 04, 2006, 12:33 AM // 00:33

2 things, azunder:

1. All you did was highlight his OBSERVATIONS; do you see the words, "I heartily recommend this build to all warriors"? Look at the last line you highlighted:

"This Warrior/Elementalist proved that unique strategies can be extremely rewarding."

The scribe was stating an OPINION based on his OBSERVATION.

2. I am a Warrior/Elementalist; I use swords, though I do have a few hammers in storage. I've experimented with a number of builds; there are several I use that I'm quite happy with. I have a number of Warrior elites, as well as a few Elemental elites. I don't have the Elemental elite, "Ride the Lightning". If I saw what the W/E's build is, I might go capture the elite, and give it a shot; then again, I might not. I applaud him credit creating a build that works for him (note the words, "WORKS FOR HIM"). I see no need for ripping his build, or trying to copy it (no offense, but who are you that I have to prove anything to?) I'm assuming that you have a Warrior character (I hope you use it for more than farming); if so, YOU create the build, see what you can do with it, then can come back here and tell us ALLLL about it..

azunder · Jul 04, 2006, 03:51 AM // 03:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kern Wolf

2 things, azunder:

1. All you did was highlight his OBSERVATIONS; do you see the words, "I heartily recommend this build to all warriors"? Look at the last line you highlighted:

"This Warrior/Elementalist proved that unique strategies can be extremely rewarding."

The scribe was stating an OPINION based on his OBSERVATION.

And I am allowed to disagree with that opinion and give my reasons for it. Why do I care so much about the Scribe's opinion? Because his opinion is very influential. I don't want it to encourage bad buildmaking.

Fine, you actually like the the build that was shown in this edition. But don't you agree that it would be better if the next showcased unique build wasn't just nice looking but also effective? The two aren't mutually exclusive. Unless of course you actually think that build is good...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kern Wolf

2. I am a Warrior/Elementalist; I use swords, though I do have a few hammers in storage. I've experimented with a number of builds; there are several I use that I'm quite happy with. I have a number of Warrior elites, as well as a few Elemental elites. I don't have the Elemental elite, "Ride the Lightning". If I saw what the W/E's build is, I might go capture the elite, and give it a shot; then again, I might not. I applaud him credit creating a build that works for him (note the words, "WORKS FOR HIM"). I see no need for ripping his build, or trying to copy it (no offense, but who are you that I have to prove anything to?) I'm assuming that you have a Warrior character (I hope you use it for more than farming); if so, YOU create the build, see what you can do with it, then can come back here and tell us ALLLL about it..

Yes, testing is not just fun but also necessary. How else will newbuilds be made? But a crucial part of build testing is knowing what works. That warrior in the article needs to work on that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kern Wolf

I'm assuming that you have a Warrior character (I hope you use it for more than farming); if so, YOU create the build, see what you can do with it, then can come back here and tell us ALLLL about it..

No, I have a monk and if a warior does ride the lightning I know a lot of things can go wrong. The mobs might break agro and go for softer targets. Or, he might go out of heal range and i'll have to reposition. The amazing zapping teleport just has too much drawbacks.

Sli Ander · Aug 02, 2006, 02:38 AM // 02:38

Umm.. In case anybody forgot, this is a game. Yes the Scribe leans towards rp, injecting a little flavor into our daily gaming lives. I approve of that, and am quite glad to know that other people are being mentioned in these articles(the part about helpful ppl), because it encourages a gaming community.
But what most people seem to be forgetting is this: What should it matter what someones build is?
I'm against generic builds. I took my monk through Prophecies without using one, instead using a bunch of skills which i slowly put together and tested over time.
Will these skills help me in PvP?I'd probably get creamed.
Will this "build" become widespread and popular?No
Is this the Optimum use for max damage for these skills?No
But its fun, it keeps my character alive, and keeps my character from being a cookie cutter. My monk is pretty unique/wierd, but if it works for me, why should anybody else say anything about it?

Sciros Darkblade · Aug 02, 2006, 05:17 AM // 05:17

The scribe is a dude who travels around Cantha and Tyria (and I guess eventually he'll make his way to Elona) and writes down what he thinks is cool or otherwise worth noting. Maybe this warrior was just super cool. Heck, Sciros is super cool even when the only skill in his bar is Comfort Animal. Plus, you gotta watch out, if word reaches him about how much you dislike him, he might observe you sometime and write about how you got beat up by some pet crabs or something. Definitely something to avoid.

Argen · Aug 02, 2006, 07:07 AM // 07:07

I think the scribe is just there so that some staffer at ANet can let loose with his writing bug. Anyways, I see no harm in it, and its kinda of a quaint read at the end of the week.

glountz · Aug 02, 2006, 08:38 AM // 08:38

Gaile, I must say that I will also be "negative" about The Scribe.

Promoting a unique build, instead of a team build, whereas GW is IMO team-based and ANET promotes cooperation and teamplay, is a first mistake. Especially when some missions cannot be beaten with well prepared team builds/strategies.
Just for fun I tried the build. With a 15/10Air/10Earth skill attribute. This build is severely flawed, not because of KD/AS, but because of Ride the Lightning. Ridiculous damage. And, more, as a warrior, I had soon great energy problems (10 energy + exhaustion on a 25 (at max) energy warrior? Please. Especially after Aftershock - you fall in the negatives). As you have Bash, your AD is also very low. No energy and no AD, for what? Minimum efficience. Plus, monsters flee rarely.
The build is poor. Because of Ride the Lightning. The KD/AS combo, still, is okay. Promoting such a poor build is really promoting mediocrity and Leeeroy attitudes. Especially when Canthan Missions need some skill, if you want to have Master level.
You want to describe each week a good and original PVE build? Contact oOo. Ask them and offer them 1 dollar for the build. Let them even write the text.

Secondly, here an there, I hear "The Scribe is RP oriented". What? When? Where? I'm a Pencil&Paper RPG player from the age of 11. I still play.
Please look in the Lyssa's Fiction forum. There is there RP-oriented text. The Scribe is not RP oriented. He only describes his meetings : "X helped Y" "Z used a combination of B and A, wow."
An RP text must be like a fantasy books, with characters, feelings, heroic and glorious adventures. That's not the case with The Scribe. You want an RP oriented text each week? Contact Ristaron, or BahamutKaiser, or whoever in Lyssa's Forum. Pay them 1 dollar for an RP text each week which will be a lot better than the literature The Scribe write.

Thirdly, I won't go back on wording errors. On a international forum, okay. But on the Guild Wars Official Site ? Please. Someone already pointed out this. I didn't manage to refind the thread.

What's the problem? The problem is that you're a COMPANY. You have to be serious and professional. The Scribe is obviously not. It's like you can do the most balanced game at this time, with excellent 3D mapping and programming, but are unable to write an interesting, clever, skill-promoting and serious text.
I don't read the Scribe anymore, but I'm bothered to know that maybe young people read it.

What makes me really upset, is that The Scribe is probably paid to play so much time and to finally write so poor texts.

Fire him. Change him. The Scribe is an excellent idea. But it seriously turned out to be a joke. There's a lot of players around here that could do really a better job than The Scribe actuallly do.

I don't know if The Scribe is written by Alex, The Frog or you, Gaile, but I begin to wonder after your defensive attitude about a text which is clearly poor, I mean if you're not a 14 years old Leeroy, and have some professionnal sense.

Seriously, it needs improvements.

/rant

Yichi · Aug 02, 2006, 09:22 AM // 09:22

Honestly there are 2 things that bother me.

1) everyone seems to be flaming for somethign that another person is running. they never said you had to run it or that it was fast becomming the new build to run. they just said that this particular warrior came up with an off the wall build and it worked for him. have fun with it. its not hurting you by him running that in pve, so let the guy come up with an extremely retarted build and have his fun. The point the scribe was tryign to make here is that sometimes a little creative thinking can go a long way.

2) having said that, promoting builds such as these will draw even more attention AWAY from the warrior class. they are already known to be stereotyped as the "Leroy Jenkins" class along with assassins simply because people wont play them to their effectiveness. Having the scribe glorify a build that basically teleports the warrior out of healing range and away from the party by sprinting after them with such a build, will only further the stereotype that warriors have about rushing into things and not being a team player. so its kind of a double edged sword.

(Cliffnotes version: scribe telling you that sometimes a little creativity is good, but a build such as this in the wrong hands will add to the leroy theory on warriors.)