Curse

Xue Yi Liang · Sep 25, 2005, 05:33 PM // 17:33

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way - or the first to even post about this but I have to get this off my chest.

I'm finding myself playing more missions and quests as a soloer with henchies (whenever possible).
The downside is obvious.
The upside is, in missions like Thunderhead and Ring of Fire, I don't have to deal with people bickering over who didn't listen or who's a "Leeroy." I play GW to relax, and I don't feel like reading that all the time in a game. Even quitters don't bother me as much as whiners.

The henchies are pretty laid back.
They're not the best players but they never complain.
And, while a bad henchie gets himself/herself killed - a bad player will get the whole team killed.
Henchies are as patient as the day is long - If I have to go afk for a minute (even 30 minutes) in a mission I don't have to worry that one of them will get impatient and start to aggro.
Even if I feel like quitting - the henchies don't hold it against me the next time we quest together.
Sure, there are some things they can't do - so I can't play the whole game with them. But I'm glad they're around.

Darriths Novastar · Sep 25, 2005, 05:38 PM // 17:38

a little bit of tactics and the henchies can go all the way really. My main char is a nuker so at first the henchies didnt work quite like I wanted to I discovered attack stop attack stop method to get them to run ahead for me to aggro. Henchies rock although I think the Mehnlo and Lina have a grudge against me :P

Jessy · Sep 25, 2005, 05:39 PM // 17:39

Hear, hear.

Sounds like I am not alone. I love henchies. They are polite, try their best in doing their respective jobs, and don't irritate me.

Kai Nui · Sep 25, 2005, 05:40 PM // 17:40

I completely agree. Henchmen at level 20 are better than most players. So once you're at Dragon's Lair, you shouldn't use any people, unless you're organized to kill Glint. Past that everything including bonus is easy up until parts of the ring of fire. I suggest just going with only 2-3 real people that you know and all henchmen. That way you're just friends playing which isn't hard to coordinate and you still have pretty good players with you also.

MindBullets · Sep 25, 2005, 05:44 PM // 17:44

I agree that using the Henchies in my particular case is easier.
I'm having a hard time having the warrior run ahead and get aggro for me however.
I was told to use Ctrl-Shift-T...but this didn't do anything for me.
Am I doing it wrong?
I sometimes wonder if he knows he's running to his death being lvl 3 and all, while I'm lvl 7(at least I think he's lvl 3).
Please help me understand better how to get him to aggro...what is the attack, stop, attack method?

I'm getting very frustrated and am debating going back to my warrior instead of my monk...

Mind

Sol Faithman · Sep 25, 2005, 05:54 PM // 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xue Yi Liang

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way - or the first to even post about this but I have to get this off my chest.

I'm finding myself playing more missions and quests as a soloer with henchies (whenever possible).
The downside is obvious.
The upside is, in missions like Thunderhead and Ring of Fire, I don't have to deal with people bickering over who didn't listen or who's a "Leeroy." I play GW to relax, and I don't feel like reading that all the time in a game. Even quitters don't bother me as much as whiners.

Dude, I feel the same way - if none of my guild mates are around, I'd much rather farm or hench than join a pug.....that is when I can get into a group coz I'm always coming up against the "you're a w/mo...noob" kind of attitude which I find really annoying coz I've got over 750,000 exp so I'm no noob.

I play to enjoy and relax as well, have a bit of banter and a laugh, take my time, take in the scenery etc. My guild mates all feel the same way which is cool coz we get to have FUN along the way and get the satisfaction that we completed a quest/mission through thought and skill rather than blindly running from one messy encounter to the next. I'm not into agro, I try and think about targets and pulls and protect the squishies as much as possible unless I'm asked to lead and call, but even then I don't go off on my own.

I'm based in Europe but play on the American servers (I know, boo hiss for going to the dark side), so if ever you want to party up with me (or my guild mates), I'd be more than willing to help out on missions and quests and all importantly have some fun playing the game was all love.

Rich

Aetherfox · Sep 25, 2005, 05:57 PM // 17:57

agreed... hooray for henchies. = )

though i wish you could sorta customize, even slightly, the skills that henchies bring. for example, you might want to pick several flavours of necro. or a mesmer that actually does something. =p

the level 20 henchies with elites are so effective they're scary. only perhaps the top 20% of players floating around in the game can match them in effectiveness, and they only use 4 skills? try picking any 2 random monks from a pug and i don't think they will match mhenlo + alesia in effectiveness and vigilance.

Mavrik · Sep 25, 2005, 06:03 PM // 18:03

yes, horray for henchies! they earn those dye drops, gold drops, key drops and what not. I use them a lot but will join people for quick missions like The Undead Horde from Beetletun, thats always fun with people who never did it before... "OMG There are more coming?! AHHHHH!" hehe But yes, henchie rule. Sure they can be mindless but their smarts is more then a lot of people you could team up with. Only problem I've had with hench is the lack of commands for them. I'd prefer a /Stay command so I could pull enemies to them. Or in the case of the Seaboard mission where you need to stand in the fountian's circle to survive best... henchies don't tend to stay in that and like to stand or walk through poison water.

But... ROCK ON HENCHIE!

huh · Sep 25, 2005, 06:05 PM // 18:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by MindBullets

I agree that using the Henchies in my particular case is easier.
I'm having a hard time having the warrior run ahead and get aggro for me however.
I was told to use Ctrl-Shift-T...but this didn't do anything for me.
Am I doing it wrong?
I sometimes wonder if he knows he's running to his death being lvl 3 and all, while I'm lvl 7(at least I think he's lvl 3).
Please help me understand better how to get him to aggro...what is the attack, stop, attack method?

I'm getting very frustrated and am debating going back to my warrior instead of my monk...

Mind

Try using Ctrl-Shift-Left Click.
You'll say something like "I'm targetting xxx" and if you're near enough, all the henchies will start attacking the target even if you don't.
And if you are afraid of aggroing more than one mob, just keep running back. The henchies will follow and so will the mob that they aggroed.
Henchies are pretty damn good I must say.

edit: you might have to left click twice...I can't remember

Slimcea · Sep 25, 2005, 08:30 PM // 20:30

I've been using henchies for a long time now, save for the 3 missions that I find undoable with them (Dunes of Despair, the Magumaa crystal attuning mission and Thunderhead Keep).

Multiple reasons really, the first (and most important) being that henchies don't grouse and leave if you've run into a setback, nor do they bitch at all if you go afk in a mission. Secondly, they don't trash talk, try to sell items that I'm not interested in or spam chat with nonsense like the sexiness of your avatar. Lastly, they're predictable. I can catch aggro precisely with them, which is something that about half of PUGs find hard.

A good PUG still surpasses a henchie team, but increasingly, I find that getting good players in anywhere except SF has become pretty tough.

Age · Sep 25, 2005, 08:47 PM // 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by MindBullets

I agree that using the Henchies in my particular case is easier.
I'm having a hard time having the warrior run ahead and get aggro for me however.
I was told to use Ctrl-Shift-T...but this didn't do anything for me.
Am I doing it wrong?
I sometimes wonder if he knows he's running to his death being lvl 3 and all, while I'm lvl 7(at least I think he's lvl 3).
Please help me understand better how to get him to aggro...what is the attack, stop, attack method?

I'm getting very frustrated and am debating going back to my warrior instead of my monk...

Mind

When playing with henchies you don't need to call target just press C then spacebar or \ that key then press spacebar.The time to press T is when you are with real players especially PvP.I never press T when useing henchies.I don't mind useing henchies on quest but in missions I haven't had the best of luck with them and at Iron Mines.when I was in SF they the party started to blame I had to say stop the blaming and of course I was playing my Monk and they started on me that is when I said it ppl get a little nervy someone just needs to take a lead in a party.

Elythor · Sep 25, 2005, 08:52 PM // 20:52

Finished Ring of Fire with henchies. And I was running a Curse/Blood Necro with 2 capture signet and a rez signet on me. Yup, I only brought 5 skills! So any thing is possible with henchies.

The only problem I found is playing Aurora Glades. Can't keep up much with the running.

Fantus · Sep 25, 2005, 09:00 PM // 21:00

Henchies rock. Sure, they mess up sometimes - but they will mess considerably less things up than your average PUG. When no guildies are around, henchies are my first choice for just about anything. They even work nicely in those missions some people say are impossible to do with henchies (like Thirsty River, Elona Reach or Ring of Fire). I found all of those easier to do with Lina and company than with PUGs.

It sucks badly that you can't take them into UW or FoW. This is the reason why I go there considerably less often than in any other area of the game. Most PUGs just suck and the longer I am playing GW the less inclined I become to join a PUG.

Tactical-Dillusions · Sep 25, 2005, 09:01 PM // 21:01

And when you die, it's usually a case of watching the henchies mop-up for you instread of them all screaming "OMG you suck", before logging out.

My only beef with henchies is that they don't talk. It would be nice if alesia could tell you what her energy level is at or even engage in humourous conversations.

Eve: "Stefan, use your healing signet buddy!"
Lina: "Take that mesmer out guys!"
Cynn: "Dunham, that sound is annoying the hell out of me"
Dunham: "Sorry"
Beast Master Archer: "I'm attacking Flesh Golem"
Stefan: "O.K. i'm on it!"
Devona: "Dunham, don't just use your wand, you noob"
Stefan: "Nice heals Mhenlo"

Imagine going for dinner and they're engaged in a converstaion when you return.

Stefan: "C'mon lets take 'em!"
Lina: "No, Beast Master Archer is AFK, we should wait"

romO · Sep 26, 2005, 12:49 AM // 00:49

i hear you man. i do all of my missions and skill caps with henchies these days. its just not worth the time finding a group that turns out to be terrible or leaves midway through.

and beast master, that would be simply the best thing in the world. i would do everything with henchies then. tombs... gvg... hell i would just sit in dist and talk to them.

ratatass · Sep 26, 2005, 12:55 AM // 00:55

1. Never done a skill cap with real people. Never.

2. Doing most missions with Henchies. But then again missions are all repetition now. Since I have done each a million times.

Yes, Henchies are ok.

I bet in team Arena I would do better with a henchie team...

Too bad you cant try Tombs with them. Probably do well

Ratatass

One and Two · Sep 26, 2005, 02:43 AM // 02:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tactical-Dillusions

Eve: "Stefan, use your healing signet buddy!"
Lina: "Take that mesmer out guys!"
Cynn: "Dunham, that sound is annoying the hell out of me"
Dunham: "Sorry"
Beast Master Archer: "I'm attacking Flesh Golem"
Stefan: "O.K. i'm on it!"
Devona: "Dunham, don't just use your wand, you noob"
Stefan: "Nice heals Mhenlo"

Imagine going for dinner and they're engaged in a converstaion when you return.

Stefan: "C'mon lets take 'em!"
Lina: "No, Beast Master Archer is AFK, we should wait"

What are you on again?

but skill capping is much easier with henchies...almost afk

Mirra The Restorer · Sep 26, 2005, 03:14 AM // 03:14

I love the henchies. At level 20 they absolutley rock. But I do have to say, not as any argument or even devil's advocacy, that i have had some on my most rewarding experiences and GW relationships forged out of PUG's. The ratio to good pugs to bad is pretty awful, but it is important imo to group up sometimes with total strangers. talk before you leve town. make sure they seem cool. if they do, try goin go out. make sure to communicate what you think is best. The experience of being ignored by noobs over and over has your spirits down i know....but having a REALLY good game with a group of strangers doesnt just HAPPEN. u have to work at it. And with that work comes a sense of pride (esp at the end when everyone is like "that was a really great group!"..."can i add u too my buddies list? ur a really good ranger!") that can be contagious and make everyone feel really good and its GOOD. can't get that from miss lina ;D

Eltargrim · Sep 26, 2005, 03:32 AM // 03:32

While for the most part I prefer henchies, I'll never forget my best experience with a PUG - ever.

We pulled together some random people, and proceded to enter the Elona mission. I was leading the group, because I'd had the most experience with it (I had failed twice before with some pretty awful PUGs). We proceded to get the first crystal; easy as pie. The second one we got raped. Two seperate groups ambushed us, and just shut us down. The same thing happened on our second try. The third time we tried something new; we sneaked by them. What happened?

We won. We then proceeded to fight our way to the Arena mission thing (I can't remember it's name, it's the one where you have to fight 1 group, then 2 groups, and then 3 groups) and beat it. Unfortunately, that was when we had to break up.

The amazing thing is that the team followed calls, the Monks worked together (Spreading their healing effectively, having complimenting builds), the Ranger kept their monks from healing too badly, and the Warriors didn't aggro everything in sight. Great fun

The Purple Pants Guy · Sep 26, 2005, 03:49 AM // 03:49

I've thought of an advertising slogan!

Henchmen - THE BEST!