Curse

Shayne Hawke · May 04, 2008, 08:34 PM // 20:34

What if one or two people out of an entire Ursan group decided that they were going to take Volfen or Raven Blessing instead of Ursan? Would it be worth it?

To me, it would be the issue of defense/utility vs. damage. Volfen Blessing gives you a chance to attack faster and to apply Deep Wound. Raven would prevent KD on yourself and allow you to put Blind, Cripple, and Bleed on foes.

Would swapping one or two players for a blessing change actually be a good decision?

disaster422 · May 04, 2008, 08:46 PM // 20:46

I've been in a couple groups that changed one ursan for a volfen because of the volfen's ability for a constant IAS and deep wound which in turn buffs the ursans damage too. Idk about raven though, personally I see raven as a very weak blessing.

Shayne Hawke · May 04, 2008, 08:55 PM // 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by disaster422

I've been in a couple groups that changed one ursan for a volfen because of the volfen's ability for a constant IAS and deep wound which in turn buffs the ursans damage too. Idk about raven though, personally I see raven as a very weak blessing.

Weak in offense, yes.

My only experience with Ursan is in Norn point-farming groups, and in almost every one, the monks have had major dying issues due to melee mob aggro. Raven Blessing offers Cripple and Blind, which would be great for protecting Monks.

Then again, there ought to be enough power in 5-6 Ursans that they can destroy everything else faster than anything else can destroy two Monks.

MisterB · May 04, 2008, 08:57 PM // 20:57

I think the point of Ursan PuGs is C+Space-1-2-3 so that they don't have to think about builds.

Chrono Re delle Ere · May 04, 2008, 09:16 PM // 21:16

The few guild runs we did in doa using UB were made with 4 ursan, 1 raven, worked pretty sweet, so yea, would work much better. But people just love ursan.

MasterSasori · May 04, 2008, 11:06 PM // 23:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrono Re delle Ere

The few guild runs we did in doa using UB were made with 4 ursan, 1 raven, worked pretty sweet, so yea, would work much better. But people just love ursan.

Pressing 12341235123423412341234 is why people love ursan.

Shayne Hawke · May 04, 2008, 11:20 PM // 23:20

So it seems the opinion here is that Ursan isn't necessarily the best blessing to use all the time, but it's definitely the easiest, right?

Esan · May 04, 2008, 11:31 PM // 23:31

The attack rate is immaterial. Bears excel because of the disruption caused by spamming AoE knockdowns; the only way to really improve it is to speed up skill recharge. This is why essences of celerity have such amazing synergy with bears. If a support char must be brought, bring a ranger with QZ and GC and Winter instead of wasting a party slot with a wolf or raven.

Steps_Descending · May 05, 2008, 01:14 AM // 01:14

Logically, all that a wolfen would add to an ursan party would be a bit more 1target dmg(from it's deep wound skill) at the cost of a (defensively) weaker character. Doesn't sound too much of a deal for me, though I am not saying I have too much experience with Ursan(understand : not at all)

Raven would probably work better, AoE blind for attackers, cripple allowing kiting and the inate block ability covering a bit the weaker body. Probably a nice addition vs attaker heavy zones.

N1ghtstalker · May 05, 2008, 02:37 PM // 14:37

raven is nice for it's wide blinding

crazybanshee · May 05, 2008, 10:55 PM // 22:55

Have to agree with the other poster, aside from ursan being 1-2-3 easy the constant spam of aoe knockdowns will pretty much kill anything. If people liked trying new things we wouldn't see so many people running the same wiki builds for every pvp event.

snaek · May 06, 2008, 12:21 AM // 00:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shayne Hawke

So it seems the opinion here is that Ursan isn't necessarily the best blessing to use all the time, but it's definitely the easiest, right?

no...ursan is definately more powerful than raven or volfen

i decided to try out raven in oolas lab
(enemies r melee robots that can kd+blind)
and i still felt raven was pretty useless

if raven is pretty useless in a scenario that has a lot of kd+blind and only melee monsters....
i dun think its gonna be good anywhere

Incandecree · May 06, 2008, 12:27 AM // 00:27

I am always on the lookout for messing up the "status quo". Lately when I have been asked to ursan in FoW I have packed the Raven Blessing and Archane Mimicry (to grab ursan). The AoE blind is very useful. It cuts down the damage from Mark of Pain since they are missing. Yes it does cut down on the energy gain from the blessing since the AI is missing but I have noticed that it makes the monks job a little easier at the expense of 50 damage every 4 seconds to one target. Nevermind that it is 100 AoE damage every 4 seconds

Longasc · May 06, 2008, 07:58 AM // 07:58

A mixed group of Ursan Blessing, Volfen Blessing and Raven Blessing would have much more tools and could be more effective, sure.

The point is that it would require some more thought than the mentioned button mashing, and this is why people love Ursan: Powerful and easy.

Otherwise they would play their real classes and own the PvE mobs harder and faster than with UB.

Genius Was Revrac · May 06, 2008, 08:38 AM // 08:38

The best combo with ursans by far is the Raven. They can spam AoE damage and blindness with one skill. Also, they have crippling which is perfect ot get leakers that reach the back lines. This way the bears can continue with main mob and the raven can clean up. The best thing in Ursan grps is too bring 1 raven, and 1 AoE damager in the midline like a Assins Promise Nuker or a Splint/Barrager.

Rushin Roulette · May 06, 2008, 10:40 AM // 10:40

Or just take one Necro with [Mark of Pain] for faster and higher AoE Damage and [Barbs] to take down vital targets fast in a full UB group.

A [Raven Blessing] player would be great to cripple anything in a mob so that they cant run out of the AoE as quickly and the blinding skill would keep the backliners safe from Foes which managed to evade and kite around the main group untill the [Ursan Blessing] players have taken care of the first group.

The only problem with Ravens blinding skill is the slower energy regen rate, but with a zealous weapon you should be getting more energy that you need from attacks anyways.

jon0592 · May 07, 2008, 02:04 AM // 02:04

I was thinking of a team of Raven blessing. 5X Raven Blessings, 1X Mesmer, 2X HB Monks. The Mes uses Fragility and the 1st raven skill inflicts 2 conditions every 2 seconds. Now with 5 people spamming that, that's a total of 10 conditions every other second. Does this work? Haven't tried but on paper it sounds good

Carboplatin · May 07, 2008, 02:30 AM // 02:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon0592

I was thinking of a team of Raven blessing. 5X Raven Blessings, 1X Mesmer, 2X HB Monks. The Mes uses Fragility and the 1st raven skill inflicts 2 conditions every 2 seconds. Now with 5 people spamming that, that's a total of 10 conditions every other second. Does this work? Haven't tried but on paper it sounds good

pugs make ursan teams cause its easy and requires no skills/coordination. it sounds ok, but unless u got guilides, don't count on getting a group for it.

edwinna elbert · May 11, 2008, 10:28 PM // 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon0592

I was thinking of a team of Raven blessing. 5X Raven Blessings, 1X Mesmer, 2X HB Monks. The Mes uses Fragility and the 1st raven skill inflicts 2 conditions every 2 seconds. Now with 5 people spamming that, that's a total of 10 conditions every other second. Does this work? Haven't tried but on paper it sounds good

[fragility] states "new" condition.

RotteN · May 11, 2008, 11:11 PM // 23:11

indeed, so [[fragility] won't trigger if you reapply the conditions.

In terms of "enhancing" Ursan groups, a R/N with [[quickening zephyr] and [[blood is power] (for the monks) would be far better than a single [[volfen blessing], as the main chunk of damage comes from the ursan skills, not the auto-attack damage.