Curse

upier · Feb 25, 2010, 10:53 PM // 22:53

As the title says, your pretty basic build for 4-man areas designed to support the damage dealing physical player. Due to the abundance of heals, not really suggested for 8-man areas since you might as well pack a bit more damage in those slots and grab some full-on healers. Abuses Splinter and Ancestors' Rage for some insane AoE damage. Due to two Splinter sources you should be covered by it at any given moment. Spirit Syphon for unlimited energy. Xinrae's can easily be replaced by a secondary elite - something like Expel Hexes or Air Of Disenchantment. DPS can be replaced by Spirit Rift for more damage (and cracked armour after tonight's change). Heals come from multiple sources enabling simultaneous heals of multiple targets and they prevent healer shutdown issues.
ER protter because the build is really that good.
No minions since they should just slow you down - which makes it suitable for non-corpse areas also.

It places the player more in control, so much more advisable for players that actually want to play the game rather than just observe how your heroes take down everything. The player doesn't need SY!.

The builds:

The attributes:

(Just noticed that I took the pictures of the build in the GH which means the PvP description of the skills showed up. My bad.)
Nothing special in terms of attributes or equipment, just the basic rules: always 14 in Channeling for Splinter and when using Life, 14 in Restoration for the breakpoint. 20% longer enchantment staff for the ER EMo.

MasterSasori · Feb 25, 2010, 11:14 PM // 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by upier

As the title says, your pretty basic build for 4-man areas designed to support the damage dealing physical player. Due to the abundance of heals, not really suggested for 8-man areas since you might as well pack a bit more damage in those slots and grab some full-on healers. Abuses Splinter and Ancestors' Rage for some insane AoE damage. Due to two Splinter sources you should be covered by it at any given moment. Spirit Syphon for unlimited energy. Xinrae's can easily be replaced by a secondary elite - something like Expel Hexes or Air Of Disenchantment. DPS can be replaced by Spirit Rift for more damage (and cracked armour after tonight's change). Heals come from multiple sources enabling simultaneous heals of multiple targets and they prevent healer shutdown issues.
ER protter because the build is really that good.
No minions since they should just slow you down - which makes it suitable for non-corpse areas also.

It places the player more in control, so much more advisable for players that actually want to play the game rather than just observe how your heroes take down everything. The player doesn't need SY!.

The builds:

The attributes:

(Just noticed that I took the pictures of the build in the GH which means the PvP description of the skills showed up. My bad.)
Nothing special in terms of attributes or equipment, just the basic rules: always 14 in Channeling for Splinter and when using Life, 14 in Restoration for the breakpoint. 20% longer enchantment staff for the ER EMo.

A very pretty, thorough build. I have a few questions:

1. How well does two SS work with the number of spirits you use?
2. Is it possible to drop one of the DPS assuming that you bring a rez scroll?
3. Since this is HM, a drop in a point of restoration can net some Spawning power.
4. Superior runes instead of minor on some characters?
5. I agree that Xinrae's is pretty lackluster. There should be a better elite if possible.

upier · Feb 25, 2010, 11:40 PM // 23:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterSasori

A very pretty, thorough build. I have a few questions:

1. How well does two SS work with the number of spirits you use?
2. Is it possible to drop one of the DPS assuming that you bring a rez scroll?
3. Since this is HM, a drop in a point of restoration can net some Spawning power.
4. Superior runes instead of minor on some characters?
5. I agree that Xinrae's is pretty lackluster. There should be a better elite if possible.

1. SS doesn't seem to cause that much problems. Plus with functions overlapping and the fact that you are dealing with 4 man areas which means smaller groups of foes you run into - energy shouldn't be a problem.
2. I never bring a resurrection skill nor a scroll on my guy. Deaths shouldn't be frequent, so you could easily dump both DPS'. But as a core build - I'd keep it.
3. I never feel the need for more Spawning really. I normally run this on my guy:

which means I rush in and grab aggro and that reduces a bunch of damage that would normally hit other party members or spirits.
4. I guess the guy that would most benefit from a sup rune would be the ER EMo, but since he's running Infuse a minor seems like a better choice.
5. Xinrae's provides some healing and damage so it's a decent addition for the core build. The problem really is that there are no ritualist elites that be as decent as SoS or Xinrae's - so if you aren't using that, you should be looking into a secondary.
Plus, once the update rolls out - we'll see what the new elites look like.

Grim Aragorn · Feb 26, 2010, 12:30 AM // 00:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by upier

5. Xinrae's provides some healing and damage so it's a decent addition for the core build. The problem really is that there are no ritualist elites that be as decent as SoS or Xinrae's - so if you aren't using that, you should be looking into a secondary.

when i run a rit for healing i usually run wep of remedy, offering of spirit is a nice skill as well , it will allow u to put more heavy energy skills on their bar

upier · Feb 26, 2010, 12:57 PM // 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grim Aragorn

when i run a rit for healing i usually run wep of remedy, offering of spirit is a nice skill as well , it will allow u to put more heavy energy skills on their bar

Well, the main attraction of Weapon of Remedy over Xinrae's is the condition removal, but you already have that in Mend Body and Soul. So XW comes out on top.
Offering of Spirit would be nice, but you have the Spirit Syphon so it's not really needed.

Kosman · Feb 26, 2010, 01:45 PM // 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by upier

Well, the main attraction of Weapon of Remedy over Xinrae's is the condition removal, but you already have that in Mend Body and Soul. So XW comes out on top.
Offering of Spirit would be nice, but you have the Spirit Syphon so it's not really needed.

Herobuilds look fine. However, I´m not a big fan of that sinbuild you´re running..

upier · Feb 26, 2010, 02:14 PM // 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kosman

Herobuilds look fine. However, I´m not a big fan of that sinbuild you´re running..

I am addicted to shadowstepping and KDs. Dash because moving at normal speed is to slow for me. And Grasping because it makes me go

distilledwill · Feb 26, 2010, 02:56 PM // 14:56

Yup, looks pretty good. Good damage, good healing. My only issue might be that 2 of your healers have resses, which they will both use at the same time if you die - leaving you with your ER healer - if he comes under pressure if might begin to look nasty! (this would be especially nasty were your ER dude were to die, leaving you pretty much defenseless)

But as long as you disable DPS and effectively micro your ER healer, you'll be fine.

Hugh Manatee · Mar 06, 2010, 04:02 PM // 16:02

If there were enough bodies I'd boot the xinre rt for a minion master. I loves me some minions. Maybe a death/curse hybrid so you can have weakness and cracked armor, maybe rotting flesh if there's no humans in the area. Either Jaggs+minions or AotL with some kind of spamable horror. Maybe barbs or MoP or reckless haste. You can play with the last slots a bit, like sometimes I'll set the guy as a /P with We Shall Return if I get into a near wipe situation, with command buffs like fear me or Inspirational Speech in motivation to jumpstart adrenaline. /E for wards is sometimes nice or /Mo for aegis/prot spirit. Or /Rt for union/shelter.

Arrogant Bastard · Mar 06, 2010, 11:55 PM // 23:55

Replace the Xinare hero for an MM with aegis/hex removal for most places. The damage and utility (prots, smiting, command shouts, etc) you can bring on an MM is too good to give up .

Replace reverse hex for aegis on ER.

2 copies of splinter seems unnecessary since the hero will already spam it on recharge.

Shield guardian can be replaced since it won't benefit your allies too much (and may not work that well with MM bombing). Reversal of Fortune is probably better in most cases.

If you use ER, MM, and SoS, you can fit SoH on any of the heroes (although SoS will be able to run 12 smiting with little compromised) if you need to move skills around.

marmar256 · Mar 07, 2010, 05:35 AM // 05:35

I Like the build but am curious as to weather or not xinraes takes splinter off alot as you are the front liner and the one taking most of the hits??

upier · Mar 07, 2010, 09:13 AM // 09:13

Life Bringing · Mar 07, 2010, 09:33 AM // 09:33

Meh, frankly, mass overkill on healing. 4 man areas aren't difficult enough to warrant such insane defense. I favor a slightly different approach, and, because i don't use dash and shadowsteps, a minion wall works very nicely.

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1115/gw176z.jpg

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/7332/gw177q.jpg

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5476/gw178.jpg

Last bar can vary depending on the area. Was in areas with annoying enchants last i played my war so i have corrupt, but discord and SS work just as well.

Daesu · Mar 07, 2010, 05:49 PM // 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by upier

On the subject of Xinrae overwriting Splinter - if Xinrae lands on you, it should be off instantly also. And then with two Splinters, you should get another one on you soon. Still, as I mentioned - Xinrae is the perfect elite to drop for something else that you might find more appealing.

Yes but still having XW override and end Splinter is an annoying speed bump.

How about if you make the XW rit a Rt/N and bring some useful necro skills instead? Curse is good and Blood had a recent buff. Even if you need to drop restoration on that rit to put to curse or blood, you can do that easily with heals from the other two heroes already.

AtomicMew · Mar 07, 2010, 07:14 PM // 19:14

I agree, Xinrae is kind of a waste. If you don't want to use a MM, I think you'd get more use out of another spirit spammer. Something similar to Jeydra's communing spammer. You'd get more damage for sure and perhaps, the same or more amount of defense, considering spirits bodyblock/abosrb aggro and absorb hexes (sort of).

upier · Mar 07, 2010, 09:00 PM // 21:00

Daesu · Mar 07, 2010, 09:31 PM // 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by upier

Well, if you went necro with necro skills, it would probably make sense to also go necro primary. The issue is that blood and curses still work best at supporting physicals and with one physical only on your team, that's probably going to be a bit of a waste, especially due to the speed a physical can already kill at.

You already have 2 Splinters to support your one physical anyway.

I have not tested the recent buffs but blood bond (for defense) looks promising and if you need adrenaline, Mark of Fury is better now and it provides cracked armor. Enfeebling blood (for defense) and Barbs are still nice from the curse line.

Quote:

Going necro also limits your choice of elites. Probably the best thing you can grab is something like PoD of Currupt, but I'd go with Air of Disenchantment at 3 over it pretty much anytime.
.

How about Blood? Have you tried the newly buffed Ravenous Gaze? Well of Power is always nice.

For curse, SS is ok, or if you are going with a necro primary then Reaper's mark?

upier · Mar 07, 2010, 10:37 PM // 22:37

Daesu · Mar 07, 2010, 10:57 PM // 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by upier

but as a warrior you can run WE and the other guys are dealing with energy anyway

But WE doesn't help with adrenaline directly, which SY needs. Anyway it is a minor point.

Quote:

RG at 14 is 58 nearby damage, at 10 it's 50. That's not going to be worth it in PvE.

That is 58 from target AND all nearby foes, provided the discussion section in the official wiki is correct.

Quote:

If you have the desire to use WoP - you should might as well use WoB. Very little difference.

There is a significant difference between WoP and WoB in terms of when the hero would use them. WoB only seem to be cast at the end of the battle, heroes use WoP better. At least that is what I have experienced after trying both.

Anyway these are minor points and the build is good enough. I just dont like to bring weapon spells that would cancel out one another.

upier · Mar 07, 2010, 11:32 PM // 23:32