Curse

frojack · Jun 04, 2006, 07:43 PM // 19:43

Bestial Mauling: 5 energy, 20 second recharge.

Your animal companion attempts a Bestial Mauling that deals 5..17 damage. If the attack strikes a knocked-down foe, that foe is interrupted and Dazed for 5..17 seconds.

Does this have a hidden benefit or is the description just incorrect? It claims to interrupt and 'daze' if your foe is Knocked down. Last I checked, a foe suffering from 'knockdown' can't do much of anything. except use shouts and stances. As far as I know, these can not be interrupted.

Any other beastmasters care to enlighten me please?

MercenaryKnight · Jun 04, 2006, 08:00 PM // 20:00

The dazed condition is the main effect I am guessing, just worded wierdly.

Evilsod · Jun 04, 2006, 08:36 PM // 20:36

Lmao. Man that skill is awesome... does it actually work btw? I mean at all.

Has anyone done a scrimmage using a Desperation Blow warrior to see that if when your knocked down it does inflict Dazed? Or does that knocked-down target still have to be casting a spell?

Francis Demeules · Jun 04, 2006, 09:36 PM // 21:36

Because when you're knockdown, you can pre-set a skill after you get up. I mean, if you're a caster and you got KD, you can do like... Lightning Orb (for example) as pre set and when you get up, you cast your Orb without clicking on it. Some players do that. The interrupt in it removes the pre set skill and it must recharges completly before to use it again.

Only instant cast skills dont need any pre-set such Shouts, Stances, Skills (Riposte, Deadly Riposte), etc.

frojack · Jun 04, 2006, 10:26 PM // 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francis Demeules

Because when you're knockdown, you can pre-set a skill after you get up. I mean, if you're a caster and you got KD, you can do like... Lightning Orb (for example) as pre set and when you get up, you cast your Orb without clicking on it. Some players do that. The interrupt in it removes the pre set skill and it must recharges completly before to use it again.

Only instant cast skills dont need any pre-set such Shouts, Stances, Skills (Riposte, Deadly Riposte), etc.

Are you sure? Can you confirm this? I don't ever remember being able to interrupt something someone has 'pre-cast' as you put it, while their but-kissing the ground. Especially since it hasn't even been cast yet. Anyways, the effect of this attack is somewhat conditional (it fails horribly as a pure damage attack). I suppose it's good with bestial/savage pounce. On top of that, it's only good against casters.
The total energy cost, the requirement of an additional attack, and the fact that the total combined damage is only 3 point's (at 12 beast) higher than a lot of other 'single' beast attacks, I'd say this skill sucks. If I had a longer skill bar, maybe but this just seems to suck. Unfortunate. Maybe in a 1 on 1 showdown with a caster perhaps in pvp. I dunno. Still wouldn't use it.

Bestial Pounce doe's indeed rock btw

. No disputing that...

Francis Demeules · Jun 04, 2006, 10:43 PM // 22:43

I dont have any picture or video for that, but yes, I already got a cancel pre cast on me when I played with my mesmer in PvP during the FPE. I was against a Deadly Sins (good one). She did:

Dark Prison
Iron Palm
Temple Strike [E]

After her Iron Palm, I pre cast Spirit Shackle and she did temple strike. That instantly cancel my SShackle. I was surprised when you interrupt someone in pre cast, it cancels the skill.

Edit:

About BMauling, you can do Call of Haste, A KD skill (pounce, etc) and B MAuling. They mostly cost 15 without expertise in overall. You do daze and you dont need to pay 25 energy without expertise for Broad Head Arrow or Concussion shot.

frojack · Jun 04, 2006, 11:40 PM // 23:40

I think what hapened to you there, is a product of the Dazed condition you recieved. If you were still being pounded by the assassin after Temple Strike then that would explain the seeming instant interrupt. If you we're still on the ground or gettiong up and the spell was cancelled then that really is bizzare.

Even with CoH, timing interrupts with a pet is not the easiest of things to do. They don't get the 1/2 second benefit that a lot of other interrupts get, and your entirely bound by the animation of your pet. If you activate the skill just as the pet is about to hit, it strikes. However, that is far too random for my liking.
Besides, against a mesmer (with the fast casting) or even a sharp monk, your death is my only real concern. That is why I'd sooner equip something that causes a lot of damage, adds conditions (crippled, poison, bleeding), and knockdown instead of this highly conditional skill. It just can't compete for bar space.

typically:

Brutal Strike (high damage)
Bestial Pounce(caster knockdown) or sometimes Feral Lunge (bleeding condition)
Maiming Strike(crippled condition) or (new)Poisonous Bite(poison condition)
Ferocious Strike(E management)
CoH (DPS/kite catching) or (new)Predatory Bond(some 'third-party' healing)
res Sig
Charm
Comfort

This what I typically run if I play in the arenas. I just can't justify removing any of the above to fit it in such a 1 time use skill.

Evilsod · Jun 05, 2006, 02:34 PM // 14:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francis Demeules

Because when you're knockdown, you can pre-set a skill after you get up. I mean, if you're a caster and you got KD, you can do like... Lightning Orb (for example) as pre set and when you get up, you cast your Orb without clicking on it. Some players do that. The interrupt in it removes the pre set skill and it must recharges completly before to use it again.

Only instant cast skills dont need any pre-set such Shouts, Stances, Skills (Riposte, Deadly Riposte), etc.

No they stopped that. An utterly retarded bug from a while back where if you pressed to use 'Fireball' (for example) and had to run in range of a target, you could still be interrupted and have to wait for the skill to recharge, or something to that affect. If you can somehow interrupt skills that aren't been used yet then your not interrupting them, its plain and simple. If this is somehow doing that, it needs to be changed.

SnipiousMax · Jun 05, 2006, 02:56 PM // 14:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evilsod

No they stopped that. An utterly retarded bug from a while back where if you pressed to use 'Fireball' (for example) and had to run in range of a target, you could still be interrupted and have to wait for the skill to recharge, or something to that affect. If you can somehow interrupt skills that aren't been used yet then your not interrupting them, its plain and simple. If this is somehow doing that, it needs to be changed.

That I know of, it's not been changed. It happens to me when I face a Crit in PvE that has Cry of Frustration. When I run forward with a skill in my precast (warrior attack skill for example) they can (and often) interrupt it before I reach them. It's just not often that you see a precast quick enough to interrupt it. Or at least not quick enough to think of interrupting it.

Evilsod · Jun 06, 2006, 12:01 AM // 00:01

No i'm sure they did. I remember seeing an update note that said something along the lines of 'When moving into range you are no longer considered as 'using a skill''. I remember because i said its about f*cking time. Use to happen to me ALOT when for some reason PvE interrupts would target you and still take effect.

SnipiousMax · Jun 06, 2006, 04:34 AM // 04:34

^ I remember them fixing the 'if you were moving when you started casting you got interrupted' bug.... but i don't remember that one. I'll have to look in the archives. But I tested it tonight against Tengu Wilds (Cry of Frustration) and my warrior. I'll Cache an attack skill while running towards them, and I'll get interrupted a good number of times.

NatalieD · Jun 06, 2006, 05:21 AM // 05:21

If you get hit with an interrupt while a skill is in pre-cast mode, it gets cancelled, but it doesn't start recharging. Just like if you changed your mind and did something else. At least, that's how it works if you're running into range and get interrupted. I don't know if it's the same when you're knocked down, but I assume so.

Anyway, the point of Bestial Mauling is the dazed, not the interrupt. I can't imagine any use for it outside of a thumper build, and even there I think there are plenty of better choices, but I guess it can work well sometimes.

Francis Demeules · Jun 06, 2006, 12:05 PM // 12:05

Works well when you know how to use it correctly.