Curse

Mythgarr · May 04, 2005, 04:31 PM // 16:31

This forums would appear to be the place for this question. I am relatively new to the game, but feel that much of my character's potential is being wasted both in PvP and in PvE. I play an E/Me (8) and have gone through many of the quests for new abilities.
Whenever I jump into a PvP arena, I find myself dead rather quickly. I have tried holding back and waiting for the enemy to come to me - this usually ends in tears, as the opposing team will get a necro close enough to throw a few hexes on me, which drain my HP very quickly.
Charging into the fray is equally disappointing, as a warrior will walk up to me and begin to beat me with the ugly stick.
What strategies/tips would some experienced players have for me? Is my profession combo just poorly suited for PvP? Should I reroll a PvP-friendly character?

Raiddinn Beatdropper · May 09, 2005, 08:38 PM // 20:38

My first suggestion would be to quit using fire (I dont think I am wrong here - Intiution...)

Change to something like Earth, it will keep you decent on the damage and provide you with a lot more defensive options.

Secondly, invest in Aether Feast, combining Aether Feast and Earth magic should really up your staying power, allowing you to contribute to the actual meat of the combat for a longer period of time.

After you play around with that for a while, then look at other elements and other spell types for mez.

If you are taking a lot of energy storage, then it wouldnt hurt to also use that spell that gives you back life based on energy storage when you cast.

Tsunamii Starshine

Tozen · May 10, 2005, 12:39 AM // 00:39

Your problem is very simple... you used the word "I." GW is a team based game. While I hope that they'll eventually add 1v1 competition, for the moment you need to think of what your build/strategy will add to your team, not yourself.

Obviously, places like the tombs and GvG will require advanced planning, but it sounds like you're refering to the random arenas where you get grouped with strangers. Here is all I can offer (I've won 15+ games in a row several times on them)

1. Before the battle starts, designate the warrior as the target caller. In random battles, many people are too no0b to understand what this means, but at the very least just follow your big tank around and smack what he smacks. (For YOUR reference though, calling a target means holding ctrl and clicking the enemy's name)

2. Carry a rez signet at all times. Unlike tombs and GvG where there are tactical advantages to allowing yourself being whiped because you'll all rez, you only get one shot in the arenas. Rez allies immediately after they die; start with monks and get warriors if they aren't around. Your monks need to be spending all their time/energy healing; they can't afford to do the rezzing for you in heavy situations.

3. Get a move like sprint and learn to love it. Necrotic traversal on necromancers also works. While your healer should be keeping you healed, you can't rely them. A move like sprint allows you to escape from focus fire and close in on helping to destroy other opponents.

4. Observe the kind of moves your opponent is using. If you notice, for example, that the elementalist you are fighting 1v1 is using earth magic, you can rest fairly assured that all of his moves are dodgable. In that case, engage at range and avoid attacks.

5. Attack power is more important than hexes. In organized matches the complete opposite is true, but without eight players on a team and careful focus fire curses just become a waste of time. They set others up so that your team members can knock them down, but if your team members don't know how to do that, you're wasting your effort.

Other than that, just continue to experiment and accept that you're going to lose a lot in Random Arena matches simply because the teams are luck of the draw. I've been stuck with 3 other necros besides myself in one case, and we were all using death magic... btw, don't EVER use that skill line in random PvP... and you can imagine how that went.

Give yourself a few rounds with a given set before you decide it sucks... sometimes sets will work well with certain teams but suck in others.