Curse

]SK[ · Apr 13, 2006, 10:40 AM // 10:40

2 Warriors taking agro in FoW need to try to not stand too close next to each other to prevent Mark Of Pain taking effect. Also learn what Spiteful Spirit and Empathy does to you when its on. All of which no armour increasing or damage lowering spells will help soothe. The only time a warrior will take alot of spike damage is when he runs into the Skeletal Ether Breaker's. Might be an idea for a monk with Spell Breaker here although if healers are quick enough to act the warrior should recover quite quickly.

1 Warrior Tank is imo better.

Kern Wolf · Apr 14, 2006, 02:44 AM // 02:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by striderkaaru

Making a mistake (or several mistakes) in the Fissure of Woe is certainly understandable. We learn from our mistakes and become better players through experience. However, it has become a common practice for PUGs to make several mistakes even BEFORE entering the Fissure. What's worse is that, although this is slightly understandable for the uninformed PUG player, I have seen more and more posters on these very forums make the same mistakes.

The forums are a place for all of us to learn, as Guild Wars is a dynamic game with much to discuss. I hope that this little guide will help those currently making these mistakes, as well as newer members who are just learning about the Fissure.

Mistake #1: The Stance Tank
Before I proceed, I realize that there are two types of stance tanks. A type 1 stance tank is the typical warrior stance tank with Glad's Defense, Bonetti's Defense, and Defensive/Disciplined Stance. A type 2 stance tank is a W/Me with Physical/Elemental Resistance.

My criticism applies only for the type 1 stance tank.

Let's take a good look at the skill descriptions. Bonetti's and Defensive only block/evade melee attacks, while Glad's and Disciplined blocks attacks in general. Considering the damage you will be taking on a typical Forgemaster run, this is only effective against Shadow Warriors, Abyssals, and partially against Shadow Rangers.

This means that you have just wasted half of your skill bar on a partially effective build. Spells from Shadows Elementalists and Shadow Mesmers are unaffected. Spiteful Spirit is unaffected. Spells from Skeletal Icehands are unaffected. Skeletal Berserkers use Wild Blow, which will just cancel your stance. Called Shot and poison from Armored Cave Spiders are also unaffected. In essence, the majority of the important damage you are taking goes right through the stances anyway, making it ineffective to devote half of your skill bar to it. And if you ever decide to venture past the typical Forgemaster run, you will discover how even more ineffective your build is.

A type 2 stance tank who carries both Physical and Elemental Resistance can work, and I have nothing against that.

Mistake #2: The Bonder
I'm not quite sure how this one started, but my guess is that the Sorrow's Furnace farmers decided that they were good enough to start playing in the Fissure.

If you read the skill description, you will realize that Life Bond only prevents and redirects damage from attacks. This goes along with my criticisms for a stance tank, as most of the important damage you will be taking in the fissure doesn't come from the attacks. A bonder spends most of his time and effort maintaining the bonds and keeping his energy up. This is a relatively ineffective use of 1 slot in the party, as the damage prevented by Life Bond is minimal, compared to all of the other damage you will be taking. You are also giving the mesmer mobs a free 100+ damage Shatter Enchant.

What about a monk with Life Barrier instead of Life Bond?
Well, that isn't a bonder monk. That's a barrier monk, and it would help to keep the names straight.

Mistake #3: The Battery
The battery necro, or more specifically a necro with Blood is Power, isn't as big of a mistake as the previous 2. It does help with the team build to keep the monks' and damage dealers' energies up.

However, that 1 slot in the party could be used by a character that actually kills things. Also, constantly having a battery in the team breeds laziness, as people will become comfortable with it and will fail to learn about energy management.

It might be okay in a PUG setting, as bad players will need their energy replenished to keep the team going. However, you should learn not to rely on it and manage your own energy.

Mistake #4: The Book Trick
This one is up for debate, so I will leave my thoughts out. However, please keep in mind that you won't develop your gameplay and become better if you always rely on this.

Conclusion:
Before anyone says otherwise, groups can clear the Fissure without ever needing a stance tank, bonder, battery, or librarian. In a PUG setting, a battery nec and the book trick might be acceptable, as bad players will need more failsafe methods to extend their stay, but experienced players shouldn't have to fall back on those. And under no circumstances is a stance tank or bonder ever a good idea.

I realize that a forum is a place for discussion. So, if you disagree with any of my thoughts, feel free to argue with them. But please keep it civil and present proof.

Sounds like you've spent a LOT of time in FOW....
Just wondering if you run with a set group of people, or do you use "true" PUGS when doing this. The reason I'm asking is (IMO) you can never be too sure how much experience people have with FOW. In a typical PUG, I think you'd have to make the (safe) assumption that you may have 3types of people in a typical FOW PUG:
1. Those who are VERY familiar with FOW farming and quests, ands know what to expect;
2. Those who have been in FOW a handful of times, and are still "feeling thier way". They may have completed the ever popular Forgemaster and Restore quests;
3. Those who have been in FOW but a few times (2-3). They're not going to tell you, "I've only been on FOW once", for fear of being booted.
I've formed a number of PUGs for FOW, and I try not to ask about the experience factor (everyone has their reasons for going, be it farming for shards and weapons, or getting that Fissure armor). With that in mind, I would think that most PUGs would run with the "familiar" method of the book trick. Isn't it difficult to make a PUG, and run with the methods you've talked about? I'd LOVE to try some of these methods, but my guild isnt big enough to try your methods, and it would seem (to me) that you'd spend a long time trying to explain these methods to a typical PUG...
There is one other reason (again, IMO) why I'd find it hard to try this. How many times have people created a FOW PUG, get halway through wiping out some patrols, and then having people drop? Chances are, those are the people who can actually do the methods you've described; they just "give up" on the PUG for whatever reason...
By the way, I'm still able to get that PUG through a lot of FOW when up to as many as 4 people have dropped....