Curse

Effigy · Oct 11, 2006, 02:31 PM // 14:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator Tom

Oh yeah there is a shield in pre-sear from some Devona quest that is armor 4 always, +5 armor above 50%, health +15 always...pretty handy

An Exalted Aegis with no str/tactics gives +8 armor always +30hp always -5 physical damage 20% of the time. The shield you suggested trades +15hp and occasional damage reduction for +1 armor that is conditional on you being above 50% hp. Not a good tradeoff in my opinion.

Poison Ivy · Oct 16, 2006, 10:20 AM // 10:20

Holy crap, I thought my little thread was dead XD

Anyways, as for the Shield, I would suggest a PvP/Green/Collectors/Crafters/Pre Order item, since drops don't give you the nice half amount of armor bonus.

As for those -energy fans, I never use them unless to remove Wither/Malaise or when I want to hide my energy bigtime. Shields are much better in my opinion since they reduce damage by such a big scale.

I'll make some edits based on replies, feel free to share more of your opinions.

*Teachers are trying to kill me at school, I will improve/expand this when I have time and coffee

Postopac · Oct 16, 2006, 10:37 AM // 10:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Effigy

An Exalted Aegis with no str/tactics gives +8 armor always

About the shield... I did some checking/testing and results show that if you don't meet the requirements, you get only 6 armor out of it.

I tried:
Lightning master in Balthazar temple, with his Lightning orb and following equipment sets:

1) items that give no armor additional armor
2) equiped forgotten fan (that is 5 additional armor)
3) Geoffer's Bulwark (X additional armor)

I got following hits:
1) 132 dmg
2) 121 dmg
3) 119 dmg

From results in hit 1 and 2 it is seen that 1 armor equals ~2 damage reduction. So the step from 2 to 3 is only 2 damage which is pointing at 1 additional armor.

Effigy · Oct 16, 2006, 06:50 PM // 18:50

I think it would take more testing to conclusively prove that max shield only +6 armor without the attribute requirement, since all sources I've encountered say it's +8. But even if your test is correct, I'd still take +6 armor always over +9 armor conditionally, for the same reason I'd take +30hp always over +45hp conditionally. Not to mention that the Exalted Aegis also has +15hp and 20% chance of damage reduction over the pre-searing shield.

leeky baby · Oct 17, 2006, 06:16 PM // 18:16

gd job very helpful guide

sno · Oct 17, 2006, 07:41 PM // 19:41

Quote:

Introduction: After playing this build for almost 1 month, I belive I've mastered the build entirely, and it's time to pass down my knowledge

I find it rather unlikely that you've "completely mastered" a gvg build and how to play it while playing for a guild with a 1120 rating. That being said, I also think you've missed some very important elements.

A: your skills are not set in stone, and as this is meant to be a "huge guide" other options should be highlighted. For instance, dark escape/return could be subbed in for shadow of haste/dash, allowing for a pretty much unspikable target. With a 100% maintainable cheap speed buff, you'll always be kiting effectively, and if you get kd'd and are about to be spiked, simply dash and you teleport away with 50% faster run. Shadow of haste/dash is also more mobile than dark escape/return, and can more quickly rotate back against ganks and to assist with splits. Also distortion can be used, giving you the added utility of inspired hex or hexbreaker. Distortion is rough over long periods however, and generally is better for TA than GvG. Still though, for a TA blessed light build, I'd almost always choose mo/me over mo/a.

Quote:

*Note: If you don't meet the req of something (shield here, for instance), you get half that item's native bonus. For instance, if you have a 12 energy offhand and you don't meet the requirement, you get 6 energy from it.

Not true at all. Using a -5 energy offhand gives you -2 net energy, as you could see if you simply put it on and tested it... Max energy offhands that you don't meet the requirement for give you 3 energy, not 6.

You also contradict yourself by saying you get 23 energy with a forgotten fan, which clearly proves that you get -2 energy from the max offhand. gg.

My choice for weapon slots are as follows:

1: presearing longsword of defense (+5 armor while enchanted)
+5 armor
geoffer's bullwark (or +10 vs slashing shield, depending on opposing party)

2: crippling axe of fortitude
+5 energy
+30hp
byzzr's benediction

3: +30 energy/-2 regen set

4: runic axe of fortitude
-5 energy
+30hp
forgotten fan (-2 energy +30hp +5 armor)

Quote:

Lightning master in Balthazar temple, with his Lightning orb and following equipment sets:

Lightning orbs have 25% inherent armor penetration. That will throw off your results.

holden · Oct 18, 2006, 07:31 PM // 19:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by sno

your skills are not set in stone, and as this is meant to be a "huge guide" other options should be highlighted. For instance, dark escape/return could be subbed in for shadow of haste/dash, allowing for a pretty much unspikable target. With a 100% maintainable cheap speed buff, you'll always be kiting effectively, and if you get kd'd and are about to be spiked, simply dash and you teleport away with 50% faster run. Shadow of haste/dash is also more mobile than dark escape/return, and can more quickly rotate back against ganks and to assist with splits.

very well said. it's a great combo, only needing 1 in shadow arts for haste's duration to outlast it's recharge. and dash has no attribute.

it's a better choice imo than escape/return and the 30/15 second recharge and the need to put 6 or 7 points into shadow arts.

go tigers

Effigy · Oct 18, 2006, 07:47 PM // 19:47

The problem with SoH is that it teleports you back to the spot you last used it. So if you're just kiting around but staying in the same general area, it won't actually teleport you that far away from enemies. It would still screw up an adrenal spike, but I think it might be better to use Dark Escape as a cancel stance since it gives the added bonus of halved damage. SoH has a 30 second recharge anyway.

hyro yamaguchi · Oct 18, 2006, 07:52 PM // 19:52

Nice guide, only I really don't like signet of devotion due to its 2sec cast time.
If you get that much time to heal someone he shouldn't need much healing anyway.

Effigy · Oct 18, 2006, 07:58 PM // 19:58

SoD is a form of energy management for healing non-critical damage. You wouldn't use it on someone who's in danger of dying, but it helps to reduce the strain on your energy from having to heal everyone.

holden · Oct 18, 2006, 08:19 PM // 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Effigy

The problem with SoH is that it teleports you back to the spot you last used it. So if you're just kiting around but staying in the same general area, it won't actually teleport you that far away from enemies. It would still screw up an adrenal spike, but I think it might be better to use Dark Escape as a cancel stance since it gives the added bonus of halved damage. SoH has a 30 second recharge anyway.

haste has a 30 second recharge but there's no need to let it end on it's own. keep it up constantly. trigger it with dash to end it. dash being a stance as well will send you back to the last spot you reapplied haste. the constant speed buff and the quickashell escape route is a kiter's dream.

Effigy · Oct 18, 2006, 08:41 PM // 20:41

I already understand how it works. By point is that, since SoH has a 30 second recharge, you don't need a cancel stance with an 8 second recharge. If you swapped Dark Escape in place of Dash, the recharges would match and you'd always be able to cancel if you needed to, while also gaining the benefits of Dark Escape.

sno · Oct 19, 2006, 08:29 PM // 20:29

Dash is better for running than dark escape is. If you need to quickly run back to your base to prevent a gank, or switch up on a split, dash is your friend. Also if you have to dash out of your SoH well before the recharge and then get spiked again before soh is recharged, you can use dash to immediately get out of harms way, whereas if you had dark escape you wouldn't have that option. The best part of dash in my opinion is that you don't need any attributes for it, whereas with dark escape you do.

Effigy · Oct 20, 2006, 09:15 PM // 21:15

Ah, good point.

RadeonDJ9600 · Oct 25, 2006, 03:48 AM // 03:48

You could also use a Candy Cane Shield/Gingerbread Shield (10 armor) if you're interested in more than 8 armor, the major downside though is that there are no additional mods.

Edit: As far as equips go I generally run:
-5e Runic Axe w/ +30 health or -5e Cleaver w/ +5 Defense
Sunreach's Shield/Geoffer's Bulwark

CatG Sword w/ +30health or CatG Sword w/ +5 Defense
Sunreach's Shield/Geoffer's Bulwark

Mungri's Flame
Byzzr's Benediction

+15e Divine Collector wand
+15/-1 Divine Collector offhand

When running Blight, do you generally wear Judges or Shepherd's? I've been using my Judges set for most everything lately and I'm wondering if I should pick up a set of Shepherd's armor.

Skuld · Oct 25, 2006, 08:46 AM // 08:46

+30 health and another mod > 2 armour

Rera · Oct 25, 2006, 05:19 PM // 17:19

Your armor is going to depend on your opponent. You should always have a set of +health armor for swapping against spike teams or when you're DP'd.

RadeonDJ9600 · Oct 25, 2006, 08:01 PM // 20:01

Yeah that's true, I'm running out of inventory room/storage space though :/

I guess it's time to pick up my "Matrix" jacket from HzH then...

Cambeul · Feb 02, 2007, 10:18 AM // 10:18

Just a note.
I have a Mesmer Chakram NRG 12 req 11, NRG -5. Dont meet req.
and I have a Tattered Fan, Req 9, NRG 12, NRG -5. Dont meet req.

Completely Naked, your NRG should be 20, no armor, no headgear.
Now I equip my Chakram and get a Bonus of 1 NRG. NRG 6 -5
But if I equip my Tattered Fan I get a Bonus of -2 NRG 3 -5

I am not sure if this is helpful to anyone?