Curse

Thom Bangalter · Dec 01, 2006, 01:24 PM // 13:24

If you have only phrophecies, and you desperately want to play fire, just run what ensign did in the playoffs only drop flash for another damage skill, since pve is so easy and I've never really found the need to blind things.

Blinding Flash
Fireball
Ether Prodigy
Heal Party
Rodgort's Invocation
Glyph of Sacrifice
Resurrection Chant
Meteor Shower

Oh wait, we're back to basically the build I told you to run all along.

LightningHell · Dec 01, 2006, 01:28 PM // 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francis Crawford

My pre-SF PVE nuking build was dual Attunements, Rodgort's Invocation, Incendiary Bonds, Fireball, and a spammable. Flame Burst if I thought anybody would get near me. Aura if there was room on the skill bar.

Things died.

SS surely killed faster, however, all else being equal.

And a team of warriors probably decimated the mobs quicker than eight SS's.

Jenn · Dec 01, 2006, 02:19 PM // 14:19

In Elona, suffice to say, the only time where I've been able to ridiculously and gleefully abuse Meteor Shower is in Consulate Docks. I just LOVE how I can echo it on every crowd, knock everything out, still get a Rodgorts and Searing Flames in there, and everythign's dead. It works great, too, because there's so many bosses in that mission that it's always recharging itself at a better pace.

Other than that, not much is stupid enough to stand in it anymore :'(

Lord Dobo · Dec 03, 2006, 02:12 AM // 02:12

Ack, I missed three pages since last here. But the opinions are all still the same, some hate it and think the lovers are morons, some love it and think the haters are morons. Who cares, millions of people to play with, play as you want, with who you want, don't play with the others.

I do want to say one thing though, my primary toon is a fire elementalist, and will always be a fire elementalist, because it suits me, I like it, and why would I play a game with a class that someone else wants me to play? Being a fire elementalist has evolved since the days of mobs staying in a 10 second fire storm, and I say, yay!, adapting is good. I happen to still use my MS but I am under no illusion that it's the top skill in my bar. It's not my damage dealer, it's the catalyst in certain situations. But just like the mesmer line, every skill has it's best time to cast, and MS still has good openings. Being a fire mage is not about damage AT ALL and all about controlling space and who gets to fight where. Running enemies don't cast or attack, but can still be attacked and be targeted by spells. Keep vital areas too hot for the enemy. Drop your concerns about damage and the beauty of fire magic stands out.

P.S. On the topic of exhaustion, I don't find it to be much of an issue. You lose a small amount that comes back by the next casting. If you echo it, sure you have a problem, but truth be told, I don't echo it because it's like trying to use a hammer to fix everything, each tool is better used at the right time, not every time.

Darkpower Alchemist · Dec 03, 2006, 10:10 AM // 10:10

My Acolyte Sousuke uses this build for the most part;

[skill=card]Fire Attunement[/skill][skill=card]Aura of Restoration[/skill][skill=card]Phoenix[/skill][skill=card]Glowing Gaze[/skill][skill=card]Liquid Flame[/skill][skill=card]Meteor Shower[/skill][skill=card]Searing Flames[/skill][skill=card]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

He actually plays it rather well, with little maintenance or interference from me.

Meteor Shower always has been great in PvE, but it has no use in PvP,since no one stays still long enough to take the full power of the spell head on.

In PvE, it works great with a spell that casts fast,like Searing Flames, after the first meteor hits.With the incorporation of Glowing gaze and attunement for E management, energy will hardly be a problem. If it is, you could always swap out Phoenix for GoLE. However,I leave it MS on restriction so that he doesn't go plum damn loco casting it.

Vex · Dec 04, 2006, 10:24 AM // 10:24

hehe I find it smart AI when they run out of it. They do exactly what we do when it is cast on us. Get the hell out of the shower....

jondifool · Dec 04, 2006, 12:49 PM // 12:49

To have MS really worthwhile in your skillbar you got to get around some of its drawbacks, and utilise it's strength. Else it it's simply rarely worthwhile

Most argument's for or against it, resolves around, dealing with energymanagement, casting time and recharge issues, wich all are horrible for MS, and leaves it as a very situational spell. And while, as exsample echoing or dual atunements are solving one issue, the builds still struggle with the others. Basicly this makes MS subpair to the main contenders at the moment for huge area damage.

IMHO the only combination of skills that really does solve all 3 big issues MS has, is to combine MS with glyp of sacrifice and assasins promise (E) - and I am talking stricktly PvE here. BTW I already mention this combo in this thread, but since no one reacted to it, ill do it again. And I assume that it's not that well known, are at least nearly forgottten, since its not mentioned!

Instant cast MS gives you alot better chance of using MS's area damage and knockdown, and it doesn't get interupted.
The damage kicking in after 3 seconds setup a target for finishing spike , that henchmens and heroes does nice when calling target. Just throw in assasins promise at the right time.
Target dies, all skills recharge and you gain energy.
Repeat..... And Repeat .... And Repeat.

Depending on targets, this cycle is often done in 5 to 10 seconds, while also throwing in some aditional spells to help killing the target (immolate+ glowing gaze is a nice combo there). As long as you don't fail Assasins promise, this means repeatingly casting MS , over and over, and now exhaustion is the only limit.

In this combo MS actual has NO real drawbacks, unless you misstime assassins promise which leaves you with 45 sec for assassins promise and 90 sec for MS too recharge , wich is between annoying and devasting. But thats the challange and you have to develope your skills and understanding of the mobs you fight too avoid this. (trick if its tricky, use glyph of sacrifice to get assasins promise off in last moment! thats gives the recharge or another try if target dies first!)

I think actual MS in this setup benefits from the new AI , because when the running kicks in, the target is likely knockdowned and therefore prone to more damage if your henchy's spike it. Also I expect it to be an advantage to make relative big chunks of damage meaning that you might get the mob real low before it retreats, compared to eksample Firestorm. But thats speculation for my part.

Fact is that MS in this works as a main damage and target control spell, and most of the time there wil be at least 1 MS raining down on mobs, often more, during a whole fight. The weaknnes with this como comes when it's hard to kill targets and therefore you don't get MS recharged (some late missions and bosses) or when you don't have the experience yet to time assasins promise. Then it just not good!
But else I just can't see why it should not be on terms with Searing flames and Sandstorm.

LifeInfusion · Dec 19, 2006, 09:25 PM // 21:25

One lightning orb usually does about 2 times the whole meteor shower from my experience. That is because the armor of higher level mobs basically nullifies meteor shower. Of course if you are fighting mobs 20+ they also are spread apart and kite. Those 100 damage meteor showers quickly drop to the 40's for a total of ~120 damage.

With all the interrupts in Nightfall you aren't going to pull off that many 5 second casts without lying flat on your face. The end result is having your monk heal you to 0 energy or you interrupting meteor shower.

================================================== =========
I switched from meteor shower to air/earth last year for that reason: fire is all damage and AoE, no utility. Who cares if you can do 300 damage *non* armor ignoring? It takes 60 seconds to recharge and is easy to interrupt + exhaustion. With Glyph of Renewal it gets a bit better, but you will be spending all your time casting and your exhaustion goes through the roof.

Searing Flames does WAY more damage BTW. 119 every 2 seconds (continually) as opposed to every 3 and then you wait for recharge. Plus it doesn't need 5 second casts or exhaustion. But it is elite.
================================================== =========
Anyway no other AoE elementalist skill is 5 seconds cast. Meteor shower is the only 5 second cast.

EDIT: Believe it or not, Shatterstone is the highest no-armor penetration skill in the elemental damage line and it is in water magic. Granted, it is single target.

Cebe · Dec 20, 2006, 10:48 AM // 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkpower Alchemist

My Acolyte Sousuke uses this build for the most part;

[skill=card]Fire Attunement[/skill][skill=card]Aura of Restoration[/skill][skill=card]Phoenix[/skill][skill=card]Glowing Gaze[/skill][skill=card]Liquid Flame[/skill][skill=card]Meteor Shower[/skill][skill=card]Searing Flames[/skill][skill=card]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

He actually plays it rather well, with little maintenance or interference from me.

Although I do give some of my Sousuke's Meteor Shower I found it to be hilarious the way he used it on the Lvl 0 Mantid Monitor Hatchling outside Seitung Harbor. I was like.. "umm Sousuke?....Overkill..."

Zamochit · Dec 24, 2006, 11:57 PM // 23:57

I always thought that meteor shower was about the knockdowns personally and the resultant interupts. It cant be compared to Searing flames for damage but why should it be? I always considered meteor shower was there to make it easier for the damage dealers to do their jobs more easily.

oh and lol at Celestial...Zhed does love to nuke the most rediculous targets...Just dont put glyph of sacrifice next to searing flames on your skills bar :0

NinjaKai · Dec 25, 2006, 12:32 AM // 00:32

With henchman and heroes. I find AoE scatter to be a good thing. Makes killing them easier since they can't get themselves organised properly.

Etcetera · Dec 27, 2006, 01:47 AM // 01:47

meteor shower... it sometimes wins fights yeah... provided your warriors take the role of tanking and not whack-a-caster.

meteor shower... it sometimes loses fights yeah... provided your aim it wrong and you wasted 5 seconds looking pretty... actually thats not a bad thing at all..

alchemistsan · Dec 30, 2006, 01:33 AM // 01:33

MS in as for my usage did not go for damage especially for near end game PVE, and it is for the knockdown that MS provides. Using Glyph of Renewal I can cast MS each 15 secs. and with the Aupicious Incantations (Mesmer Factions Skill), I'm basically out nuke a lot of ele (in continously cast MS) with a very good e-management.

Even the damage is crap for high level monster, what I want is to release pressure of the team by knocking down the opponent and of course to where the warrior doing tanking. A knockdown foes will inflict less damage and healing per sec (the high level mobs doing crazy damage). So you can easily overcome the foes.

Gimme Money Plzkthx · Dec 30, 2006, 03:22 AM // 03:22

Meteor shower is a clutch skill. You use it when you REALLY gotta take something out, it is more of a finisher (well, beginner, but you get what I mean) move. Of course, there are numerous skills you can use to reduce the recharge, cast it multiple times, etc., but it really doesn't need to be spammable. It is for the tough spots.

Francis Crawford · Dec 30, 2006, 03:44 AM // 03:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion

One lightning orb usually does about 2 times the whole meteor shower from my experience.

I'd guess it's under 2X the damage from the first strike, no matter how high level. If 2 strikes hit MS is probably ahead.

Of course, that's in one casting. Recharge is a whole different matter.

Kijik Oni Hanryuu · Dec 30, 2006, 04:03 AM // 04:03

Hmm for PvE I plan on sticking with Triple MS and rotary fireballs, when I break my ele out. The main reasoning behind still using MS is, even though it may not do too much damage since they don't stand in it any longer, it does, however, snare them into smaller areas or into one MS when I spread the showers around, it can also be used as a defensive tactic to cover our casters with protective MS so that no little wammo monsters rage in their faces.

Xiaxhou of Trinity · Dec 30, 2006, 04:11 AM // 04:11

Are you even a nuker? MS is still an invaluable skill to any nuker, despite the new monster ai and aoe nerfs.

AiLLUSION · Dec 30, 2006, 04:23 AM // 04:23

MS is one of best nuke there is, end of discussion

Francis Crawford · Dec 30, 2006, 09:02 AM // 09:02

I'm typically running Three Nuketeers in PvE now, and nary a Meteor Shower among them. Of course, I also run an MM, which soaks up a whole lot of the aggro.

My heroes get the standard 4 SF skills, the Power Drain/Leech Signet combo, and two of Aura/Rez/a mesmer defensive stance. I usually run the standard 4, Aura, Fireball/Liquid Flame, SQ/cap sig, Lightbringer's Gaze where appropriate, and rez when it fits. If I make room for anything, I'm inclined to take an Earth armor and/or wards.

Maybe when I run SQ and there's no enchant stripping I'll try it out over Aura and see how it works ...

[KotL]Mjolnir · Dec 30, 2006, 11:15 AM // 11:15

My Ele is only a few weeks old so I'm no expert but the build I'm running I find works great no matter what I'm doing:

[skill=card]Glowing Gaze[/skill][skill=card]Liquid Flame[/skill][skill=card]Searing Flames[/skill][skill=card]Meteor Shower[/skill][skill=card]Glyph of Restoration[/skill][skill=card]Glyph of Sacrifice[/skill][skill=card]Glyph of Lesser Energy[/skill][skill=card]Fire Attunement[/skill]

I find MS great for knocking down casters while burning them alive with SF

. The key for me is using it with Glyph of Sacrifice, the benefit of an instant cast outweighs the extra 30secs recharge as you'll rarely need to use it again in the same fight.