Curse

Art · Dec 14, 2005, 11:24 AM // 11:24

I'm getting a lot better at this, and finally starting to get compliments. There is probably still room for improvement in what I do though.

With 5 or more smites, SV is very effective. SV - Awaken - a echo - SS - SS - Desecrate (if needed) usually kills quickly and easily.

With 1 or 2 Smites SV seems pretty useless because not enough energy gets drained (monk doesnt get hit enough). I do either: Awaken - SS - Suffering (immediate) - a. echo. - desecrate - desecrate. This seems to work pretty good unless the smite with SS gets a fast cast on shatter hex. Doesn't happen that often, but when it does you need to abort and recharge a bit. Alternatively, Awaken -- A. Echo -- SS -- Suffering -- SS -- Desecrate might work better with 2 smites, but its hard for me to say which kills more quickly and reliably.

With 3 or 4 smites, seems like SV works sometimes and not others. I have trouble figuring out what is going on. I usually throw SV in front of one of the sequences above, but I'm not sure its all that helpful. Using suffering as a cover hex seems helpful.

People say suffering isn't necessary, but it seems to have boosted my percentage of quick kills to 80-90%. Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't get 100%. Maybe people that say suffering isn't necessary go with pro monks who never ever group 4 or fewer smites? (Good idea, but some monks dont do it.) Or they just tolerate the occassional protracted battle?

A. Echoing SV has been suggested to me, seems like quite the waste of time and energy. I am aware that enfeebling blood is a cheaper cover hex and continue to debate whether suffering is worth the extra energy.

For coldfires in range of each other, I prefer Awaken -- SS - A. Echo -- Desecrate -- Desecrate, but really, if they in range of each other anything works.

Mako · Dec 14, 2005, 11:30 AM // 11:30

Im not really going to give away my secret but ill say killing smites is all timing..

all you need is suffering and SS.. Des enchants is just a kicker and the same for SV..

fenix · Dec 14, 2005, 11:31 AM // 11:31

Tip - use SS then put on a real fast casting hex of some sort, they ALWAYS remove the 2nd hex, rather than the first. A good one is Insidious Parasite as every hit they do steals, yes STEALS 21hp. So it's like a smaller version of SS but stealing. Bonus is, that it has fast cast so they remove it instead of SS.

Shattered Self · Dec 14, 2005, 11:59 AM // 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by talon

Tip - use SS then put on a real fast casting hex of some sort, they ALWAYS remove the 2nd hex, rather than the first. A good one is Insidious Parasite as every hit they do steals, yes STEALS 21hp. So it's like a smaller version of SS but stealing. Bonus is, that it has fast cast so they remove it instead of SS.

And then a different one removes SS. Smite Hex isn't self-only, and in fact the smites seem to prefer removing their fellows' hexes than their own. The advantage of suffering is that it puts a hex on ALL of them, so 90% of the time they'll all burn their SH killing suffering and never touch the SS, and if you echo SS (SV drops their energy for a bit to give you time) then effectiveness jumps to 100%.

remmeh · Dec 14, 2005, 01:51 PM // 13:51

try echoing SV... it works amazingly well

Volcoms Shadow · Dec 14, 2005, 05:20 PM // 17:20

I echo SV on smites as with 16 curses, 1 SS is more than enough. When their health gets to about 1/3 i Desecrate. This combo usually kills before SS is recharged. I used to echo Suffering, then SS followed by the second Suffering. That combo left me completly drained so i decided to drop some points into Illusion for SV. Have yet to look back.

tigernz · Dec 14, 2005, 11:28 PM // 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art

I am aware that enfeebling blood is a cheaper cover hex and continue to debate whether suffering is worth the extra energy.

Keep in mind that Enfeebling Blood causes weakness which is a condition, not a hex, so no - it won't act as a cover hex.

lord_shar · Dec 15, 2005, 01:25 AM // 01:25

When done correctly, an SS necro can kill any size pack of smites in <= 30 seconds. The key is the spells chosen and casting sequence. Hint: Suffering and Insidious parasite aren't good cover hexes. You want cover hexes to cast fast, cycle fast, and cost <= 5 energy since they're going to be removed quickly anyway. This should narrow your choices down to the bare essentials.

MoldyRiceFrenzy · Dec 15, 2005, 02:47 AM // 02:47

wow i suck so much at thes builds man...

lord_shar · Dec 15, 2005, 03:52 AM // 03:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shattered Self

And then a different one removes SS. Smite Hex isn't self-only, and in fact the smites seem to prefer removing their fellows' hexes than their own. The advantage of suffering is that it puts a hex on ALL of them, so 90% of the time they'll all burn their SH killing suffering and never touch the SS, and if you echo SS (SV drops their energy for a bit to give you time) then effectiveness jumps to 100%.

I've found that smites tend to cast SH on any hexed smite, but they don't always do so in unison. Even if suffering draws out an SH, that only buys <= 15 seconds before another SH is cast. With suffering's long 20-sec cool down time and 15-energy casting cost, it's not a very good lure/cover hex.

If you can kill any sized smite pack in <= 30-seconds consistently, then your SS necro has a good kill strategy. Regardless of what happens, SS should be able to last a full 30+ seconds (more than enough to kill any smite pack), unless the hexed smite dies first. If SS is getting SH'd away prematurely, then something isn't being done correctly.

Daijdjan · Dec 15, 2005, 10:48 AM // 10:48

I got a new tactic for killing the smites quickly. I start with casting Suffering und then my Monk-Tank counts the uses of Smite Hex, as he sees them because of the damage. When every smite has used his Smite Hex, it is time for Spiteful Spirit covered with Life Siphon in my build.