Curse

Woop Shotty · Nov 28, 2006, 06:32 AM // 06:32

To many, this isn't that new of a concept. I've seen some others try similar things in RA during the PvE WPE of NF. However, the idea seems to have waltzed off the stage.

I'm bringing this particular build that I use to light for a couple reasons. One, those of you who can acquire the skills, armor, and weapons will be very happy to play this build. Two, people won't believe that this build is as powerful as it is unless they see my numbers on their screen. So hopefully some of you will try out the build.

W/D

Full set of sentinel armor. Doesn't exactly matter what runes you put on - I'll suggest a rune of vigor, superior absorption, and rune of clarity. Last rune would be of your choice.

I would suggest a sundering scythe. On my warrior I use a customized Hand of the Forgotten, which works incredibly well.

Strength = 12+3+1
Scythe Mastery = 12

[Heart of Holy Flame]
[Primal Rage] (E)
[Power Attack]
[Victorious Sweep]
[Banishing Strike]
[Lion's Comfort]
[Wild Blow] or replace with other skill like signet of capture
[Sunspear Rebirth Signet] / [Resurrection Signet]

On average you'll be hitting 80-120. Through weakness and stone sheath I still achieve average hits of 30-50 (without use of attack skills).

LightningHell · Nov 28, 2006, 06:34 AM // 06:34

No Protector's Strike or Frenzy? Blasphemy!

One question that has been standing like forever. What does this accomplish better than a Dervish? You will definitely have energy problems.

Silk Weaver · Nov 28, 2006, 02:25 PM // 14:25

Heart of holy flame.. how long does that even last?

Woop Shotty · Nov 28, 2006, 02:31 PM // 14:31

I've never been a big fan of skills targeting moving foes, and if you felt you needed another stance for the time that Primal Rage is down, I'd suggest Burst of Aggression over Frenzy.

What's so special? You have approximately 75% chance to land a critical hit (At 12 SM apx 17.0%, PR +58%) and you have 100AL.

I don't end up having energy problems.

Heart of Holy Flame still lasts 30 seconds at 0 Mysticism. Its damage and burning duration are lower, but you still deal holy damage for 30 seconds.

SparhawkJC · Nov 28, 2006, 02:56 PM // 14:56

Just a couple things. Why bring so many attack skills if they're going to be disabled while using primal rage? The reason why you don't have energy problems is because you're not using any skills other than primal rage 66% of the time. Since you're going to be unable to use attack skills why don't you bring some useful enchantments besides the heart of the holy flame? That's a lot of wasted energy just to convert your damage to holy and maybe give an adjacent one second of burning. Put some points into wind or earth and take something like Guiding Hands, Featherfoot Grace, Harrier's Grasp, or Veil of Thorns?

That being said, I would much rather roll an assassin or a ranger to use a scythe instead of a warrior. They have much more useful primary attributes for scythes rather than strength. Basically you're using strength just for Primal Rage. You'll have a 5 second window in which you can use your attack skills and maybe charge up lion's comfort to heal yourself. Not to mention the 16% armor penetration for raising strength to 16 won't come into play at all since you can't use attack skills. Whereas if you use an assassin you have access to shadow stepping, your primary attribute helps with energy, more skill synergy (sharpen daggers+malicious strike anyone?), and be able to use scythe skills. Expertise shouldn't have to be explained.

Also a primary dervish is much better than this build, just take a hop over to earth prayers. You'll be getting more protection than the strength line, not to mention a similar skill called vow of strength. You will also be able to keep this skill up constantly and it doesn't disable your non-attack skills so you can skill heal yourself. Also you can raise your scythe mastery up to 16 which will make your armor penetration more effective. You'll even have flexibility to take monk secondary and invest in smiting for judge's insight if that's what you're aiming for.

I'll give you credit for trying to think outside of the box, but there's nothing special about an autoattacking warrior.

Woop Shotty · Nov 28, 2006, 05:11 PM // 17:11

Primal Rage lasts 10 seconds, not 5. Holy damage does really well in PvE, I'm not concerned about the 1 second burning. Holy damage does extra because it's not physical and it's not elemental, so foe armor has less protection from this build.

I'll try to make a Vow of Strength build some day for the fun of it, but today I'm happy to get this build out there. If you can get yourself all the way to near end factions to cap Primal Rage it will be worthwhile.

SparhawkJC · Nov 28, 2006, 07:08 PM // 19:08

Primal Rage has a 15 second recharge and lasts 10 seconds, you have a 5 second window to use your skills. Why don't you just use attack skills and add armor ignoring damage? Elemental damage will do the same as holy damage except to rangers, in which case you can switch to a physical damage weapon for the same affect without wasting one of your skills slots or 10 energy. Primal Rage is one of the worst elites in the game.

A Leprechaun · Nov 28, 2006, 07:11 PM // 19:11

^ Skull Crack

Woop Shotty · Nov 28, 2006, 08:02 PM // 20:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by SparhawkJC

Primal Rage has a 15 second recharge and lasts 10 seconds, you have a 5 second window to use your skills. Why don't you just use attack skills and add armor ignoring damage? Elemental damage will do the same as holy damage except to rangers, in which case you can switch to a physical damage weapon for the same affect without wasting one of your skills slots or 10 energy. Primal Rage is one of the worst elites in the game.

5 seconds for what? Does it also bother you to see warriors casting healing breeze, mending, and similar skills? I see it so often. It's not as often that I see a warrior that has great damage and keeps at it. Primal Rage and a scythe offers for an amazing chance for scythe damge criticals on up to 3 foes! How do you want to ignore armor with a warrior? Attacking through holy damage doesn't ignore armor and niether does elemental damage. Only thing is that holy damage will not be reduced by armor and enchantments that specify they reduce damage from elemental or physical.

I totally disagree with your opinion that Primal Rage isn't powerful.

If the chance of landing a critical hit through Critical Strikes was near 75% I'd be talking about how amazing that is, but I'm not. A/D can achieve ~17+16+7(Critical Eye) chance to have a critical on a scythe, which is not good enough for me.

Do you realize that Primal Rage also gives +20% armor penetration? Sundering even stacks with that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by A Leprechaun

^ Skull Crack

Haha! Pun intended?

SparhawkJC · Nov 28, 2006, 08:53 PM // 20:53

That's just it. Primal Rage is an all or nothing skill. It doesn't allow you to do anything if you're blinded or if your target can block/evade your attacks. You move and attack at normal speed which will cause you to do considerably less damage to your target, especially against a kiting target (even PvE monsters kite now). You're not doing anything other than raw damage without the benefit of deep wound, knockdowns, or other conditions. But hey if you want to be the best autoattacker in the game, this is the skill for you.

On paper Primal Rage seems like a good match with Scythes until you compare the other possiblities. Vow of Strength which easily outdamages Primal Rage, has no downtime, and allows you to use non-attack skills to enhance your damage. Way of the Assassin at 16 critical strikes will give you 77% chance to critical when combined with Critical Eye and still allows you to use attack skills which will add considerably more damage than armor penetration.

My problem wasn't so much your use of Primal Rage and a Scythe but how horrible your skillbar is. You've loaded up your skillbar with skills that don't synergize with Primal Rage. You've got a bunch of energy based attack skills that you can't use without sacrificing all the benefits of Primal Rage, and of your two utility skills one is made useless because you use Primal Rage, and the other can be matched by weapon swapping.

Chrono Re delle Ere · Nov 28, 2006, 10:53 PM // 22:53

I agree with sprhawk....primal rage is the worst elite in game lol.....

SKULLCRACK RULEZ XD

jesh · Nov 29, 2006, 09:55 AM // 09:55

So many people are in love with the Primal Seaspacer. I'd like to see an assassin with a scythe in action, that sounds like fun.

Woop Shotty · Nov 29, 2006, 03:44 PM // 15:44

You all haven't actually tried it. Would I have to make a video to prove the numbers and the ease that this build achieves? Then would people accept this as a good build?

It's not a caster build. I'm not going to worry about healing, conditions, or hexes. It's rare for healing to become an issue in PvE, and a warrior isn't hard to heal with Sentinel insignia! Blind is also rarely an issue, and just in case there is nobody to remove conditions (even though often you'll have a paragon with cautery signet or others with other condition removing skills). Stone Sheath is the only thing to worry about, and still, you'll hit for 30-50 anyway.

I'm having to defend this build from people who haven't played it yet, it's rediculous...

Effigy · Nov 29, 2006, 10:01 PM // 22:01

No offense, Woop, but most people aren't going to try every build they read before commenting on it. We're not saying Primal Rage with a scythe is bad, but that it's limited. There are other options that aren't so limited. Sparhawk mentioned a few.

The Alliance Maker · Dec 02, 2006, 10:02 PM // 22:02

i'll this build sounds intresting...