Curse

Necromas · Aug 10, 2009, 11:54 PM // 23:54

I guess this is kind of like the old skills of the day, but don't expect a series or anything unless someone else wants to do it.

Attribute: Air Magic (range is 0...12...15)
Campaign: Core/Factions

Whirlwind/Teinai's Wind
5

3/4

8

Spell. All adjacent foes take 15...51...60 cold damage. Attacking foes struck by Whirlwind/Teinai's Wind are knocked down.

So we have a pretty spammable skill, low cost, low cast time, low recharge. Damage is pretty low (5 less than flare), but at least it can hit multiple foes. The real point of this skill though is that it has an AoE knockdown effect, which is effective at even 0 air magic. This makes it very easy to fit on anyone with an elementalist primary or secondary because it costs no attribute points to be useful and little energy.

Usage
Melee disruption (linebacking): Here is where this skill shines, since melee characters have to get within it's range to attack and have to bunch up to attack the same target, making it easy to hit multiple foes. It can be spammed just to reduce pressure from melee and assist in kiting, but an experienced player can time it carefully and predict when the enemy will use an attack skill that is important to interrupt.

Ranged disruption: Adjacent range is more of an issue here, and if they are smart, ranged enemies will never bunch up, but it works just the same on anyone using a bow, spear, or even a wand. Melee though is still the reason you should be taking this skill unless playing PvE.

Who Should Use It
Linebackers: This skill is very strong for linebacking, because of the AoE and that it is one of the most spammable knockdown skills in the game at only 8s recharge, 5e, and no exhaustion. Unlike shock or bull's strike though (energy skills linebackers normally take), it is a unitasker, and won't be of much use when not linebacking.

Anyone: This skill alone is enough to make anyone a pseudo linebacker in pvp, or just to help with kiting. In pvp though it is a fairly specialized skill to take on someone who is not a linebacker. However, it has good use in PvE as a general defensive skill or to assist in tanking. Have two people in your party with this skill or one with both copies of it and you'll see a lot of monsters on the ground.

What prevents people from using it more?
Shock: Linebackers like to carry shock instead because it can be used in a pinch to knockdown anyone, while exhaustion prevents shock from being as spammable, they rely on hammer attacks and bull's strike for most of their linebacking.

Class/Bar Compression: Monks would have a lot of use for an AoE melee knockdown, but generally take other secondaries so they can use skills like shield bash, balanced stance, or channeling. Or they just don't have room on their bars.

Thoughts
So, is this skill a strong and underused linebacking tool? Or is it just too specialized / energy consuming (for warriors) to make it into builds?

riktw · Aug 11, 2009, 12:09 AM // 00:09

not so good as shock, as when you press shock, the moment you touch someone he is knocked down.
for this you have casting time, someone could run away, use interrupt, or prot the ones getting attacked

Killamus · Aug 11, 2009, 12:57 AM // 00:57

Shock has a 3/4th cast too. Only difference is that affects the target, so no matter how far away they get, they'll be KD'd. I don't like shock myself, mainly due to exhaustion, but that's me. Also, I highly doubt that in 3/4th of a second, someone is going to get far enough away to not be KD'd.

_Nihilist_ · Aug 11, 2009, 01:28 AM // 01:28

It's not used as much as Shock, despite Shock's Exhaustion, because Shock is used to knocklock. It's a guaranteed KD. Whirlwind/Teinai's Wind only KD's if an adjacent foe is attacking.

Most of the time that Shock would be used, the target is (or is getting ready to be)casting, not attacking.

Pocketmancer · Aug 11, 2009, 01:59 AM // 01:59

This used to be used in a farming build I've had with Bed of Coals. Much more effective there than as a lineback defensive skill.