Curse

Guild Wars Guru · Jul 10, 2005, 05:20 PM // 17:20

You can view this database entry at: http://www.guildwarsguru.com/skill/178-aegis/.
You may add your comments in this thread.

JoDiamonds · Jul 10, 2005, 05:20 PM // 17:20

I don't know the name of the boss, but the healing boss in the Thirsty River mission has Aegis.

SMO · Jul 11, 2005, 07:59 PM // 19:59

I like this skill. I use it a lot with my primary Monk.
It's not an elite skill so you wouldnt need to capture it from a boss.

knives · Jul 11, 2005, 08:46 PM // 20:46

I think if this skill had a max duration equivalent to the cost, then it would be worthwhile to consider taking. 30 sec recharge, 15 energy cost for 10 seconds? Seems hardly worth it IMO.

Kashrlyyk · Jul 11, 2005, 08:59 PM // 20:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoDiamonds

I don't know the name of the boss, but the healing boss in the Thirsty River mission has Aegis.

You can buy it in Fisherman´s Haven!

theclam · Jul 11, 2005, 09:16 PM // 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by knives

I think if this skill had a max duration equivalent to the cost, then it would be worthwhile to consider taking. 30 sec recharge, 15 energy cost for 10 seconds? Seems hardly worth it IMO.

Think of it like a Ward Against Melee that you don't have to stay inside. It's great against most enemies, although it isn't worth it against caster heavy groups.

Mind Wallaby · Jul 12, 2005, 07:57 AM // 07:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by knives

I think if this skill had a max duration equivalent to the cost, then it would be worthwhile to consider taking. 30 sec recharge, 15 energy cost for 10 seconds? Seems hardly worth it IMO.

You really have to play as a monk to appreciate how powerful this skill is. I define my play style in terms of keeping the team alive until the next casting of Aegis, it makes that big a difference (in PVE). Bear in mind that it can block all attacks, not just melee attacks.

Disoblige · Jul 12, 2005, 01:13 PM // 13:13

Bear in mind that it can block all attacks, not just melee attacks. hahaha. Attacks = melee weapon. a spell is not an attack. Mist form, life bond , etch are attack base, i t is proven it doesn't absorb elemental spells

Disoblige · Jul 12, 2005, 01:14 PM // 13:14

Newbies keep mistaking "attacks" as everything that can damage a person

knives · Jul 12, 2005, 05:03 PM // 17:03

I did play as a monk, and when I used it, it drained my energy (because of the 15 energy) pretty hard. I usually run out of energy just by using 5-10 spells + divine boon. Its a 50% block rate, and I'd rather just put in a ward which costs much less, and may last longer. If I had to choose between this or heal party, I would definately go with the latter, as HP + boon = major healing.

Mercury Angel · Jul 12, 2005, 06:28 PM // 18:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disoblige

Bear in mind that it can block all attacks, not just melee attacks. hahaha. Attacks = melee weapon. a spell is not an attack. Mist form, life bond , etch are attack base, i t is proven it doesn't absorb elemental spells

The distinction between Attacks and Melee Attacks come in the form of PROJECTILE attacks. You ATTACK with a bow, you ATTACK with a wand, and you ATTACK with a sword. Attacks =/= just melee weapons.

Kishin · Jul 12, 2005, 07:45 PM // 19:45

Aegis blocks anything that isn't a spell. This includes melee attacks and ranged attacks.

Of course its going to kill your mana if you're running boon, and you definitely shouldn't be using it with boon. A Boon healer's job is to cast for large heals, not throw out a protection skill. Its much more suited to a rounded monk, or a full Protection Monk.

Its also one of the most useful skills there is, and what makes Lina (the Protector Henchman) better than 85% of the game's playerbase.

JoDiamonds · Jul 12, 2005, 08:19 PM // 20:19

There are many skills which are also attacks. Most people assume these are limited to Warrior and Ranger attacks, but that's not strictly true. Smite, in particular, is a Monk Attack skill. Presumably it is blocked by Aegis. (See, I'm on topic!)

It's one of the weirder monk skills, which is why I noticed it when playing around with my monk.

To be clear, Aegis says it blocks attacks, not "non-spells". For instance, I'm pretty sure Aegis has no effect on Traps, which are neither attacks nor spells, but can do damage. Attacks are just any skill labeled "attack" in the skill description, or just clicking on a guy with any weapon, including swords, axes, hammers, bows, wands, rods, staves, etc.

EDIT: Whoa. I just checked through Guru's skill listings, and Smite is the only attack skill for Elementalists, Mesmer's, Monks, and Necromancers. So it's a really exceptional skill, in that sense.

JoDiamonds · Jul 12, 2005, 08:48 PM // 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by knives

I did play as a monk, and when I used it, it drained my energy (because of the 15 energy) pretty hard. I usually run out of energy just by using 5-10 spells + divine boon. Its a 50% block rate, and I'd rather just put in a ward which costs much less, and may last longer. If I had to choose between this or heal party, I would definately go with the latter, as HP + boon = major healing.

For what it's worth, this is one reason why Elementalist / Monks can be really good, and especially in conjunction with a primary monk healer. Elmos can carry some of the costlier spells that don't directly heal far more effectively than a primary monk. Except for runes, primary monks really only have an advantage with Divine Favor (and related skills). There are plenty of spells like Aegis that benefit little or not at all from Divine Favor and are great for Elmos. Heal Other and Healing Seed jump to mind as ones I really like to use with my Elmo; technically, Healing Seed does benefit from Divine Favor, but is often considered too expensive by monk primaries, especially if they are using a Divine Boon build. But now I'm getting off topic.

Aegis is a good spell for Elmos to carry. Especially since they can't heal spike damage as well; this reduces the rate of damage by about 50% against non-spellcasters (and to some extent against spellcasters, because they definitely lob their wand bolts at me sometimes).

Acan Vishnu · Jul 12, 2005, 08:48 PM // 20:48

Its a nice spell, but I've pretty much stopped using it in organized groups. Its really only nice because it covers everyone in the party, but in a good group only one or two people should be taking hits so your wasting the majority of the spell.

I still use it in PuG's and I still use it in FoW, but thats about it.

knives · Jul 13, 2005, 03:30 AM // 03:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acan Vishnu

Its a nice spell, but I've pretty much stopped using it in organized groups. Its really only nice because it covers everyone in the party, but in a good group only one or two people should be taking hits so your wasting the majority of the spell.

I still use it in PuG's and I still use it in FoW, but thats about it.

Yes, that exactly the reason (in which I didn't think of really explaining) that I would not take aegis. Usually only one or two people will be taking hits (if more, then they are using spells, in which Aegis doesn't help block). Heal party would be much more beneficial instead to heal the party that is eventually going to get pummeled regardless of who is and is not bieng directly assaulted.

sandman1 · Aug 29, 2005, 07:57 AM // 07:57

aegis does *block arrows and some spells im sure cos
i was able to run towards a ranger who was trying to pin me down( i saw it 3 times and yes he was targeting me) when i had aegis on ,im pretty sure i never got hit as i was not affected with pindown
go solo the griffon monk boss outside augury rock u will notice he spams aegis and when u cast balta aura it WIll get occasional blocks

mariano · Sep 21, 2005, 05:30 PM // 17:30

Acan Vishnu wrotes: "Its a nice spell, but I've pretty much stopped using it in organized groups. Its really only nice because it covers everyone in the party, but in a good group only one or two people should be taking hits so your wasting the majority of the spell."

I think this too, 15 energy for 10 seconds for a partial protection of the party which is only partialy usefull, may be, too expensive. Healing Party has the same cost on energy but heals "anything". For protecting of an area of effect damage spell there is not a protection prayers spell.

Notes: I think that this problem hapens with other protection spells like, Protective Spirit, which 10 energy for a single target, I think is too expensive. But, Rebirth is still another case for it denegates all energy to both caster and target, that, and the 9 to 16 seconds needed to recover a player! 6 seconds casting plus 3-10 seconds of disability and scarce energy.

I like protection prayers more than healing prayers, but, I do think that they are not well balanced on protecting the group, on energy economy and on resurrecting. Nevertheless, I use the remove conditions spells. {smile}

Alone) · Sep 21, 2005, 05:41 PM // 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariano

Acan Vishnu wrotes

Hehe. Wrotes.

Anyways, I like Aegis just fine. Of course would bring it on pve on missions, it's great. Probably not for PvP.

Almighty Zi · Sep 21, 2005, 06:03 PM // 18:03

Knives, you wrote a while ago that Boon+Heal Party=Major Healing. I assume this relates to yourself because from my experience Heal Party is cast on yourself which means that only you receive the divine favour bonus and the bonus healing from boon. The rest of your party should just receive the basic heal from Heal Party.

With regards to Aegis, it may not be that practical in PVE with good groups (we all know how scarce these are though), but its a god send in PVP. Its good to use just after confrontation to slow down the warriors rate of adrenaline gain and its a skill that beats target switching. Btw, Aegis does protect against projectile attacks such as arrows and I'm sure it provides the same chance to dodge magical projectiles such as flare and lightning javeline. When I played my first character I was annoyed that some creatures were dodging my flares so there are some skills available that help you to avoid these types of magical projectiles and I'm sure Aegis is one of them, although I cannot confirm this.

I wouldn't rule out Aegis altogether for PVE though as I've seen many tanks that can't hold the enemies attention and casters that always get into the affray. With enemies running into your group, particularly the aatxes in UW, its hard to see who they will attack next and therefore difficult to spot protect. You either have to anticipate the next target and face wasting some energy or you can put up aegis and feel safe in the knowledge that you have your entire party covered for a brief time. This provides you with a moment to find the focus of the attacks and reduces the damage that ally takes in the meantime.