Guild Wars 2

Does anybody happen to know what’s the maximum number of allies that can receive shared venoms via the Venomous Aura trait? I think it’s around five, but I couldn’t determine it exactly yet.
This limit only really matters in WvW, but it would be good to know.

You are correct about the cap being the standard x5 targets, as per the normal AoE buffing rules. Like always, NPC pets that are controlled by friendly players will accept these buffs and they will count towards your x5 targets cap.

With our AoE radius being so small, it’s normally hard to hit the target cap. Though if you’re all tightly packed in a zerg (for PvE and WvW), this issue will come up.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Venomous_Aura

Was just checking to see if it effected NPCs, like guards in Wv3. Didn’t know that the other traits effected as well. Didn’t realize I was hooking folks up with heals and Might too

Been playing VA for too long now and yep, NPCs are affected and the max target is 5. The most notorious ones are your own summoned Thieves (this is why TG is better than BV in a sharer build). Ally NPCs that can be affected by your boons can be affected by your sharing too (there are some NPCs around in PvE that can’t be affected by player’s boons but most of them can), and the beautiful part is that you share the Might and leeching (and as it’s leeching instead of just healing, Spider Venom shared with a group focusing fire can add around 12K armor ignoring damage in adition to the poison+weakness if traited + heals for each ally).

That said the only venoms I recommend are Spider and Devourer. The other ones aren’t worth it (Skale Venom is a joke when Spider+Lotus does the same and more). I usually pick Shadow Refuge as the third utility to complete the team support bar.

Heh, hadn’t thought about TG vs BV. I’ve been using BV as my elite and Ice Drake along with Shadow Refuge. Don’t know if i could get used the cooldown on TG tho. I’ve been running with large groups in Wv3 lately and getting the aura on at least 3 other players.

It’s been so much fun to pop Spider and Ice Drake Venoms, spam 1, then Choking Gas/Cluster Bomb and then fall back or charge in with BV depending on the circumstance.

I’m using Giver weapons, Rata Sum runes, with a debility sigil on my SB and one on my dagger with a venom sigil on the other dagger.

The other thing I like about our venoms is that if even they get removed, they’re very easy to reapply.

30/0/30/10/0

edit – main SB

Thanks for the info! It’s good to know that the same limits do apply then.
By the way, venoms do get applied to server-coloured NPCs in WvW. Not just guards, in fact, as you can share the venoms with your dolyaks as well.
Hm, I wonder if that should be filed as a bug or not.

stinkypants.8419:

Heh, hadn’t thought about TG vs BV. I’ve been using BV as my elite and Ice Drake along with Shadow Refuge. Don’t know if i could get used the cooldown on TG tho. I’ve been running with large groups in Wv3 lately and getting the aura on at least 3 other players.

One big problem for BV on a sharer build is that the stone doesn’t stack, so if you really want to get the max from it you must coordinate with the party to take turn to attack, which really will decrease your team’s dps.

TG gives you control (blinds and pulls), meat shields and 2 aditional targets for sharing (and as you will rarely get the 5 targets excep WvW or just before an assault in a dungeon this is useful as it adds to total damage through leeching).

The increased cooldown isn’t that big of a problem honestly, I’ve been using it for too long and if you know when to use it (if you have an easy cake fight or your team has clear control of the situation you don’t waste it) and despite the long CD, during boss fights you end up being able to summon them multiple times.

BV is halfway between Elite and Utility skill and is a victim of the “all venoms have 45 sec cooldown and their effecgts are active for 30 secs” design decission. In fact there are 2 other skills that works exactly this way (1 for rangers and 1 for elementalists) that follow this strict next X attacks have this effect, 30 sec duration, 45 secs cooldown rule. That rule could be changed and it would benefit multiple skills (like Skale and Ice Drake not being worth it in 45/36 if reduced cooldowns) including BV which could then be closer to an elite skill.

Right now BV is better for spike builds, a sharer will get stronger benefits from TG. And I still waiting for the day you can summon the underwater (Izzy told me during an AMA some time before release that we will probably see them… and still waiting U.U).

bloodymarx.9052:

Thanks for the info! It’s good to know that the same limits do apply then.
By the way, venoms do get applied to server-coloured NPCs in WvW. Not just guards, in fact, as you can share the venoms with your dolyaks as well.
Hm, I wonder if that should be filed as a bug or not.

Dolyaks can attack so I don’t think that’s a problem really. If you’re set as a sharer and you’re protecting a cow at least you get some use for your sharing ability. Not a big problem and if there are more players around you share with them.

@Lokheit

Well you’ve definitely given me stuff to think about. I also run Quick Venoms so 36s for me at the moment I think I’ll stick with what I got for my group play, sharing might and heals is too good with the short cooldown even if there is a chance we all focus down the same player Wv3.

That said… I’m gonna try TG instead of BV when roaming and keep my VS build. Usually, I’d swap out a ton of skills and traits which was annoying.