Curse

[email protected] · Jul 21, 2005, 04:35 AM // 04:35

Consider the following two spells (see bottom for descriptions):
Echo {E} (Mesmer General) (Enchantment)
Arcane Echo (Mesmer General) (Enchantment)

They may be used in the following combo:
Cast Echo {E},
Cast Arcane Echo(1) (you now have 2 Arcane Echo's),
Cast Flare (5,1,0), Arcane Echo(1) will become Flare,
Cast Arcane Echo(2),
Recast Flare.

You now have 3 of the same spells in your skill bar. Total energy cost to complete this combo is 45 over 7 seconds.

Note that one of the "spells" will be usable for 16 seconds, one will be usable for 19 seconds, and one is of course permanent. Flare is not really a wise choice.

Here are a few possiblities:

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Combo 1: Steal 3 spells from foe;
(Energy cost: 85 over 10 seconds);

The total setup cost to do the above combo with Arcane
Thievery is 55 energy and will result in 3 Arcane
Thieveries in your skill bar. When you use all 3
(which will cost another 30 energy over 3 seconds),
you will then have 3 random skills in your skill bar
for 5-29 seconds, one of which can be echo'd again if
it's useful. They will be disabled in your foes skill
bar which is most useful.

-----------------------------------

Combo 2: 3 elites (Theoretical);
Energy Cost (110 over 15 seconds);

Doing the above combo with Arcane Mimicry to theoretically have 3 elites in your skill bar would cost 65 energy for the setup. To actually use all three Mimicry's consecutively will require another 45 energy over 6 seconds, and 3 targets. If they were to be used consecutively, one of your stolen elites will last for 16 seconds, one will last for 18 seconds, and one will last for 20 seconds.

------------------------------------

Combo 3: Triple Aftershock;

A triple aftershock in this fashion would cost 55 energy to set up, and another 30 energy (10 energy per) over less than 3 seconds, and would have to be executed within 16 seconds of executing Echo{E}, Arcane Echo, Aftershock, Arcane Echo, Aftershock. A 423 AoE spike is possible over 2.25 seconds (it has subsecond cast time) using one of the many 3 second knockdowns.

-------------------------------------

It is possible there is are delays I'm unaware of which would alter the time parameters of these combo.

------End

Skill (Attribute)(Energy Cost, Cast time, Recharge):

Echo {E} (Mesmer General)(5, 1, 30)
For 20 seconds, Echo is replaced with the next skill
you use. Echo acts as this skill for 20 seconds.

Arcane Echo (Mesmer General)(15, 2, 30)
If you cast a "spell" in the next 20 seconds, Arcane
Echo is replaced with that spell for 20 seconds.
Arcane Echo ends prematurely if you use a non-spell
skill.

Arcane Thievery (Domination)(10, 1, 10)
For 5-29 seconds, one random spell is disabled for
target foe, and Arcane Thievery is replaced by that
spell.

Arcane Mimicry (Mesmer General)(15, 2, 60)
For 20 seconds, Arcane Mimicry becomes the elite spell
from target other ally.

Aftershock (Earth Magic)(10, .75, 10)
Nearby enemies are struck for 26-85 damage. Knocked
down characters are struck for 10-56 additional damage.

Vermilion Okeanos · Jul 21, 2005, 09:10 AM // 09:10

First thing first...

You should use arcane echo first then echo... making the arcane echo into echo which is 5 energy comparing to AE's 15...

2nd...

triple After Shock won't do you any good... every spell ele have got a .75 sec delay after you finish casting, that .75 is not removable... that means you won't be able to chain after shock in 1 knockdown.

So, in that sense... it is actually better to go something that has a longer range so that you won't have to catch your opponent all over again.

3rd

Arcane thievery actually aren't so random... if you cast arcane thievery 3 times in a row on the same target... you will steall 3 of the same skill (that means you end up disabling a total of 1 skill)... in order to actually steal and disable 3 skills, you will need the target to another skill before you use AT again. So, the order would be... AT, wait for opponent, AT, wait for opponent, AT. And I don't recall ever stolen an elite before.

Sigil · Jul 21, 2005, 02:45 PM // 14:45

I actually tested a straight mes spell thief in competitive last night.

Arcane Echo, Echo, arcane Thievery, misc... 15 dom so 35 sec Thieveries.

I found that if I timed everything I did steal multiple different spells from single targets, including elites (Life Transfer, Energy Surge, Energy Drain to name a few). In fact, the only time I can recall getting a duplicate skill was vs a ranger and I have a feeling that was the only spell on their bar.

The problems with this setup is that it is difficult to time, energy intensive, and more importantly, the recharge rates are killer. Edit: difficult to time in that if the other team hangs back or screens their casters you are likely to miss your echo window on your thievery or have to cast it on a sub-par target. Also, keep in mind it only steals 'spells', which has plusses and minuses.

It was best used on enemy mesmers because you can almost be certain to get a useful skill or skills that you can then use to shut someone else down. Outside of enemy mesmers it just isn't terribly effective and there are better ways to shut people down.

I'm afraid the folks stuck with me last night probably weren't too happy with their Mes.

The milk shake · Aug 17, 2005, 04:50 AM // 04:50

triple lightning strike might actually be a good idea, nonstop lightning would hurt pretty badly, and its low cost works