Curse

TheGizzy · Dec 04, 2010, 01:43 AM // 01:43

I've seen this suggested a few different places, that the alternate "weapon of choice" as it were for an elementalist is a spear/shield combination, but I still have some questions about this.

Like... what sort of stats are we talking about? And since it also seems to be put forth as an ideal weapon in conjunction with having assassin as your secondary, I'm trying to figure out how people are managing to deal any real damage with a spear... since they obviously don't have the spear mastery attribute? Or is the focus not so much on how much damage it deals...?

Same thing with a shield... how much protection can you get without a strength or tactics attribute?

With my longbow (for pulling) I went into the kiddie-zones and killed a bunch of lvl1 stuff until someone dropped a basic white longbow with no req... tossed on Ebon & Fortitude. It says it does 9-13dmg, but what I see when I use it to pull is more like +1's & +2's popping up. LOL I suspect that's because of where I am (EotN...have recruited the Norn & the Vanguard) and the baddies I'm actually paying attention to it on.

So is the spear/shield combo more about getting the added armor protection from the shield than anything? I'm assuming it's used instead of the bow because of the benefit of having a shield... but I've been making a lot of incorrect assumptions about things I've read, and I'd like to stop doing that. LOL How much armor bonus can one find on a shield with no requirements?

I guess I'm just not sure what I should be looking for... can someone please advise me?

maxxfury · Dec 04, 2010, 02:07 AM // 02:07

Shield, 16 armour (you recieve half (8) without points invested)
+30 health mod
&
+10armour vs x or -2 damage enchanted would be the best generic options id think for ONE shield for pve...tho if you can afford them , a full set with armour vs each element/damage type is nice

Martial weapon, sword, axe, spear (ideal as if you auto attack you dont run in like an idiot, and can proc mark of pain from a distance)
+30health mod or +5 armour mod
&
+5energy mod or 10% half casting time mod?

basically a "defensive" or "shield" set, for when your under attack and need more defense...basically. You swap to it when you need it,and swap back to your 40/40 or staff or what ever to cast...its NOT a set for throwing spear damage, and the spear/ect is NOT for speccing attributes points into to deal damage like a paragon would do

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Shield_set

prob missed something but its a start

TheGizzy · Dec 04, 2010, 02:31 AM // 02:31

That's awesome, maxxfury... exactly what I needed. Thank you!

I see so many posts that basically say, "use XYZ..." but they don't explain WHY the reader should be using "XYZ," and so I constantly feel like I'm missing some bit of understanding about how I could be using my available assets to best advantage. I can certainly see why a set of shields each with a different "vs x damage type" could be useful....and expensive. LOL

Would I want to look for shields/spears that also accept inscriptions? I seem to find an awful lot of that sort of thing when I dink around in Nightfall (I'm not yet seriously pursuing that story line). Seems like being able to add a third choice modifier could be useful?

And really stupid question... what does "proc" mean, please?

Thanks again!

Kronk_Shaan · Dec 04, 2010, 03:20 AM // 03:20

Proc, just means providing the necessary trigger to make the skill 'effect' happen. In that case, physical damage.

**Marty Silverblade** · Dec 04, 2010, 03:39 AM // 03:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGizzy

I can certainly see why a set of shields each with a different "vs x damage type" could be useful....and expensive. LOL

For PvE, I honestly wouldn't bother. Having lots of shields takes up a lot of inventory slots, and really, PvE is easy enough once you know what you're doing that it really isn't going to matter much anyway. I go for -2 (while enchanted). As an Ele, you're always going to meet the requirement.

Quote:

Would I want to look for shields/spears that also accept inscriptions? I seem to find an awful lot of that sort of thing when I dink around in Nightfall (I'm not yet seriously pursuing that story line). Seems like being able to add a third choice modifier could be useful?

Shields can accept 2 mods: a handle (+30 health, +45 while enchanted or in a stance, -5/20%) and an inscription (+10AL vs <damage type> or -2 while enchanted/stance or similar).

Martial weapons (a spear in this case) can accept 3 mods: a spear head (irrelevant as they only have offensive stuff; just avoid the elemental ones), an inscription (probably not going to matter here as extra energy won't add much to an Ele and reduced casting time/recharge time mods are not so attractive as you'll want to be sitting in your 40/40 set as much as you can), and a grip (+30 health or +5AL (which I prefer)).

In case you didn't know, a 40/40 set is a wand + offhand that both have 'reduces casting time of <attribute> spells by 20%' and 'reduces spell recharge of <attribute> spells by 20%' on them.

Kelfer · Dec 04, 2010, 08:49 AM // 08:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Silverblade

Shields can accept 2 mods: a handle (+30 health, +45 while enchanted or in a stance, -5/20%) and an inscription (+10AL vs <damage type> or -2 while enchanted/stance or similar).

Correction here: -5 vs. Phys. dmg/20% chance is an inscription, NOT a handle.

There is also an inscription -3 dmg while hexed, which can be very useful in certain places.

Mouse at Large · Dec 04, 2010, 11:17 AM // 11:17

There is one thing to keep in mind about using a spear/shield combo. It will move you closer to a targeted enemy than a staff.

AndrewSX · Dec 04, 2010, 03:38 PM // 15:38

Just saying...for the weapon(i prefer spear)there's also the +20% enchantement mod, if you need it.

Quote:

There is one thing to keep in mind about using a spear/shield combo. It will move you closer to a targeted enemy than a staff.

I've never noticed difference in the range of the spear attack to be shorter than the staff's attack(probably because you would never use it).

Bobby2 · Dec 04, 2010, 05:13 PM // 17:13

Relevant sometimes: AI won't target you with caster specific hate if you're wielding martial gear.

chuckles79 · Dec 04, 2010, 10:40 PM // 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby2

Relevant sometimes: AI won't target you with caster specific hate if you're wielding martial gear.

very important for mesmers with Chaos Storm in HM. Very good way to get jacked up in the last room of the Deep.

TheGizzy · Dec 05, 2010, 12:55 AM // 00:55

Wow, fantastic information... especially that bit about not being targeted with "caster hate" (LOL). And that actually explains to me why, when trying various combinations to clear some area or whatever, I can go up against them one time and they seem to flood me with anti-caster spells... and other times they don't. I'm guessing the "other times they don't," I probably had my bow up and didn't make the connection.

I never paid much attention to what was available for shields... I've never found one that had any mods attached, so I didn't look at the available mods as closely as I have with other things.

It's actually kind of odd... I've finished Prophecies, I'm about 2/3rds of the way through EotN... and in all that time, I've never found a modified shield, and never found a green item. Not even once. I stayed in pre until I was about level 12, partly because I just had so much fun hunting charr... yet in the dozens and dozens of times I went up against them I never once found a bag or the salvage kit. Just a little weird that I've not yet found a green item OR a shield with mods. I'll have to keep looking. LOL

Rushin Roulette · Dec 08, 2010, 12:54 PM // 12:54

In Prophecies you wont be finding any Shields you can modify. Spears are impossible to get in Prophecies at all untill you start the War in Kryta part, only due to there being no Paragons in Krytan endiginous mobs.

You should be able to find loads of Shields and Spears in EotN to be honest. All blue, Purple and Golden items are fully modable. You need to use an Identification kit on them first though to be able to see what they have on them. After that you can change or overwrite the mods as much as you want and have on you.

Dzjudz · Dec 12, 2010, 02:29 AM // 02:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxxfury

Shield, 16 armour (you recieve half (8) without points invested)

Just a little nitpick: if you don't meet the requirement on a shield you get 8 armor from it in general (there are a couple of weird exceptions/bugs but not important ones). It doesn't have anything to do with 'half'. So if you're not going to meet the requirement anyway, you might as well take a 10 or 13 armor shield.

Necromas · Dec 12, 2010, 06:10 PM // 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby2

Relevant sometimes: AI won't target you with caster specific hate if you're wielding martial gear.

Conversely, AI will also target you with martial buffs like splinter weapon and judge's insight if you're wielding martial gear.

maxxfury · Dec 12, 2010, 06:16 PM // 18:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dzjudz

Just a little nitpick: if you don't meet the requirement on a shield you get 8 armor from it in general (there are a couple of weird exceptions/bugs but not important ones). It doesn't have anything to do with 'half'. So if you're not going to meet the requirement anyway, you might as well take a 10 or 13 armor shield.

I intended to imply, possibility worded badly, that with the 16 Armour shield, if you didnt hit the req, you got 8 which just happens to be half ^

Tho TY for elaborating my point and fixing it for correct information'ness:P

*this post passed the posters sarcasm detector: no sarcasm found or intended :P* tho i should probably proof read at 2am next time :P

TheGizzy · Dec 12, 2010, 08:18 PM // 20:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dzjudz

Just a little nitpick: if you don't meet the requirement on a shield you get 8 armor from it in general (there are a couple of weird exceptions/bugs but not important ones). It doesn't have anything to do with 'half'. So if you're not going to meet the requirement anyway, you might as well take a 10 or 13 armor shield.

So if I've got what is otherwise a nice little shield... like has an inherent useful health modifier for example... but it's a q12 with 10 armor (made up example), I'm still going to get 8 armor from that?

Just want to make sure I understand... I can't remember the specs off the top of my head (and I'm not logged into the game right now) but I have a shield I held onto just because I thought it was pretty. LOL But it's like a 10 or 12 armor, instead of 16, so I wasn't going to use it. But if I'd still get 8 from it, I may use it instead... assuming I've understood correctly, obviously.