Curse

HigherMinion · Feb 05, 2012, 04:36 AM // 04:36

I was trying to find a use for Expel Hexes in PvE, and it was pointed out by everyone I was discussing this with, that Shatter Hex was always the better choice.

Apparently a single skill to remove up to two hexes and recharging in half the time of Shatter Hex, is considered bad and not worth the elite slot. Who cares about the damage from Shatter Hex? You want hex removal, you take it. You want damage, you take it in the form of a different skill. Then I looked at Hex Eater Vortex...

Hex Eater Vortex is an elite skill; it's cooldown is 15s and @14 Domination, deals 86 damage. It also arbitrarily removes one enchantment from each foe in the area.

Shatter Hex is not an elite skill; cooldown 10s and @14 Dom, deals 114 damage in the same range as HEV.

When did that elite become so arbitrary and shitty compared to Shatter? Which needs nerfing/buffing? Does there need to be more incentive to dedicating an elite slot to hex removal?

Hooper287 · Feb 05, 2012, 05:25 AM // 05:25

I don't really care about nerf/buffs anymore. The point of making a video game isn't so you have to change almost EVERYTHING later on in the game, even if they think it makes the game "more balanced". Why bother even making a GW2, for all we know they're just going to change all the things in the game because someone will QQ about something not being fair etc. On topic though, that elite is f--king awesome, especially considering it has no attribute, which is like wtf ever because most monks want Mo/Me for energy management. Trust me, all these Meta builds aren't what they seem to be. I personally enjoy making my own hero teams for each and every different area, spending the time to do everything correctly, seeing how different mix of skills work. It's funny how a team with what looks to be random skills can actually blow apart a certain area of the game, truly amazing. Try working away from Meta and what other people say, test it out, I remember when I started making my own bars, I think my jaw fell off...
Cheers and good luck with your future adventures using Expel Hexes

Axel Zinfandel · Feb 05, 2012, 05:34 AM // 05:34

Expel Hexes can be nice on a mesmer primary in PvE, since it'll recharge even caster. Good fast casting can easily turn it into one of the most straightforward, powerful hex removal skills out there.

I've found a few weird uses for it, like on a Me/Mo bonder (Symbolic + Blessed signet and other monk signets)

Lanier · Feb 05, 2012, 05:43 AM // 05:43

Expel can't really be compared to shatter since expel removes multiple hexes AND is completely useable by non-primary mesmers. Its a really good elite when you need powerful hex removal.

Shatter hex and hex-eater's vortex can be compared though, and the disparity between the two is kind of rediculous. The problem is a combination of Hex Eater getting overnerfed in the past and shatter getting overbuffed in the more recent past.

Hex Eater needs to get the recharge reduced to 10 sec, and shatter needs to have a reduction in damage and maybe a small increase in recharge to 12 or 13 sec.

AndrewSX · Feb 05, 2012, 10:30 AM // 10:30

The point is that mesmer's elites are so OP when it comes down to deal dmg or rupts that using anyting else will make your build look supbar. Having the elite slot loocked that way, shatter hex has become the standard hex remover.

Now, expel is great for plain removal (2x hexes, short recharge and little cost), HEV is a bit meh (but anet would say: it removes enchs, so got less dmg potential). But Panic can stop a hex too be casted at you, and killing everything fast with stuff like e-surge makes them unable to cast hexes, this is sure. That's why there isn't much love for cond/hex removal in elite slots (expecially for mes): you can devote it to plain dmg or rupts, that makes unnecessary using more than shatter hex.

Xsiriss · Feb 05, 2012, 10:58 AM // 10:58

Personlly I prefer empathic removal, removes a condition and heals as well as giving the caster the benefit.

KotCR · Feb 05, 2012, 11:19 AM // 11:19

It also recharges quicker and will benefit from the Divine Favour bonus if used on a monk.
But it mostly shines on physicals, as they are typically the classes more hindered by hexes and conditions and so are more likely to make good use of the self-removal. Especially on physicals with dud elites anyway (namely Paragons, as the skill perfectly matches the description of what Paragons were supposed to do).

I too find it hard to justify bringing Expel Hexes (or that elite conditional Signet that Monks have with similar functionality to Empathic but for one ally only for that matter too) with Empathic Removal on the cards.

Champen · Feb 05, 2012, 01:02 PM // 13:02

You dont need Hex removal in PvE.

KotCR · Feb 05, 2012, 02:11 PM // 14:11

Silly comment. You do in any team employing physicals. Infact its key in some areas, such as DoA, to keep the Imba up and running, for example. Or areas with Empathy or similiar skills when using multi-hit attacks (which should be pretty much always as a Warrior).

From a caster point of view you don't. But that's just because caster-hate is far rarer (and often far less of a danger or hindrance) in PvE than physical-hate.

Coast · Feb 05, 2012, 02:43 PM // 14:43

this is why hev was nerfed:
http://www.gw-memorial.net/builds/mA...September/151/

Kunder · Feb 05, 2012, 03:10 PM // 15:10

Take Hex Eater Signet. AoE hex removal is much more effective than single target.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KotCR

Silly comment. You do in any team employing physicals. Infact its key in some areas, such as DoA, to keep the Imba up and running, for example. Or areas with Empathy or similiar skills when using multi-hit attacks (which should be pretty much always as a Warrior).

From a caster point of view you don't. But that's just because caster-hate is far rarer (and often far less of a danger or hindrance) in PvE than physical-hate.

Can't say I've ever taken much hex removal on a frontliner. Asuran Scan covers miss hexes, damage hexes are so meaningless that you can simply heal/prot them much more reliably than hoping that a hero vs hexway randomly decides to remove just the right hex instead of something useless.

Lanier · Feb 05, 2012, 03:38 PM // 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewSX

The point is that mesmer's elites are so OP when it comes down to deal dmg or rupts that using anyting else will make your build look supbar. Having the elite slot loocked that way, shatter hex has become the standard hex remover.

I'll say it again though: Expel Hexes if great IF what you really need is an OP hex removal. If you want your build to focus on OP rupts or OP damage, than use another elite. Expel Hexes (and any elite hex removal spell) is obviously a situational elite that you would use in areas were there are lots of dangerous hexes, and not in other situations.

AndrewSX · Feb 05, 2012, 05:03 PM // 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lanier

I'll say it again though: Expel Hexes if great IF what you really need is an OP hex removal. If you want your build to focus on OP rupts or OP damage, than use another elite. Expel Hexes (and any elite hex removal spell) is obviously a situational elite that you would use in areas were there are lots of dangerous hexes, and not in other situations.

Dead stuff doens't cast anything.

Joking, what you say is true too. But where in the whole GW there are so many and so dangerous hexes to ask change a OP dmg on rupt to OP hex remover?

KotCR · Feb 05, 2012, 05:03 PM // 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kunder

Take Hex Eater Signet. AoE hex removal is much more effective than single target.
I agree with this though, especially if you are struggling to bring multiple hex removal skills without hindering your builds otherwise.

Can't say I've ever taken much hex removal on a frontliner.
Me neither. But I try to fit some on the midline and occasionally the backline.

Asuran Scan covers miss hexes, damage hexes are so meaningless that you can simply heal/prot them much more reliably than hoping that a hero vs hexway randomly decides to remove just the right hex instead of something useless.
Might have better uses for your PvE skill slots (Battle Standard, SY, TntF), though it's true heroes are pretty dumb at prioritizing hex removal.

They don't seem to ever bother removing Vocal Minority or Soothing Images (as if these didn't matter), even if they are the only hexes on the team and all their hex removal skills are charged, and these are the two hexes in particular that have a tendancy to last for half a minute or more on monsters and totally destroy Warriors and Paragons in particular. That's unfortunetly why you have to micro it.

The A.I. should really be changed so that removing these from an adrenaline class is a top priority removal, with coding to tell the AI that it's less important to remove them from casters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coast

this is why hev was nerfed:
http://www.gw-memorial.net/builds/mA...September/151/

Ahh. I miss those days. Really nice to see a team set-up with so much variety in professions picks. Never see that these days. Always the same set-up now.