Guild Wars 2

I levelled from ~10-80 using dagger/warhorn and staff. I picked up PVT gear and used wells for my utility skills. I found that setup to be fun and I felt almost invincible: well of blindness was very useful in that respect.

Alas, due to the far greater density of the asuran brain (thus permitting us far more neurons and a greater intellectual capacity than humans) unassisted flight using nothing more than our ears is not possible. Aetherical propulsion, however, could be a viable method should your heart be set of following this course. I am certain your bookah acquaintance will be unable to recognise that you are not flying unassisted.

We each have our place in the Eternal Alchemy, and I would not say your part is any less important than mine, Chrono. It is simply different. You are, after all, an admirable asura and will easily excel in your chosen activities; of this, I have no doubt.

Excelsior, Chrono, and may your endeavours bring you understanding.

~Krewe Leader Xell of the Thaumotech Elucidation Krewe, Graduate of the College of Dynamics, Master of Thaumokinetics, Master of Gate Theory

P.S. Your work on social interactions and dynamics, whilst not my field, was most interesting. Perhaps you should continue that if you tire of the constant battles of the Mists.

Destiny’s Edge almost brought down Kralkatorrik through a plan which didn’t involve facing him head-on. Kralkatorrik wasn’t really focusing on them initially either. If they’d just run out flailing wildly, they’d definitely not have survived.

While I’ve not yet completed the personal story (despite playing since headstart… shame on me), the theme I see going through Orr is one of weakening Zhaitan and taking back certain powerful artifacts to further aid this… Once again, not confronting him directly until he’s weak enough for us to consider it.

I like ‘Astromancer’ – it sounds like just the sort of title an asura would make up to describe herself.

As for names, a good start would be to pick a cosmological or astrological concept and then make it follow asuran naming conventions while still sounding the same.

I’ve done several explorable runs of SE and CoE, a few HotW, and less CM. Based on that:

CM:
Hate this dungeon. I suspect it’s fine once you’ve got the mechanics down, but I have no desire to do so – the snipers hitting me for loads of damage if I move coupled with being ganked by bleed stack NPCs if I don’t is very demoralising. I now actively refuse to do this dungeon if my friends ask me to run dungeons because of this.

SE: P1 has a fun sequence at the beginning – racing to kill the Inquest waves while destroying the barriers is a nice change of pace. Nokk is a bit annoying with the lava, but generally OK. The triple golem fight is interesting. Final boss needs some more interesting mechanics.
P2: Tedious, not done it much.
P3: Fairly fun. I especially enjoy running a build with CC in it to snare all the adds the Destroyer of Worlds throws at us, leaving the rest of my party free to do as they please (ish)

HotW: Run P1 & P2. On the whole, not bad. Some bosses with too much HP and not enough to do, turning the fight into a tedious drag.

CoE: This is my favourite dungeon so far. Subject Alpha has some nice mechanics, as do the second-to-last bosses, although I do feel sorry for poor Bjarl being unable to realise that running into the pillars is what makes him vulnerable. I like the atmosphere a lot here: kind of creepy, but alleviated by the humorous tannoy announcements.

My setup is as follows:

WASD – movement
1-5 – Weapon skills
F – Heal
Z, X, C – Utilities
E – Elite Skill
V – Dodge

Mouse side Keys 1 & 2 – Fire & Earth respectively
Shift + Mouse Side Keys 1 & 2 – Water & Air respectively.

I’d map Q as something, but it’s my weapon swap key for other classes.

chronometria.3708:

Dear Xell,

I am somewhat surprised that you should have uncovered my identity from my carefully concealed words, but it does comfort me that the incident is something you still recall. Even so, I can see that my affections and appreciation are lost upon your tremendous, but dispassionate intellect.

Why should it be the most gifted of our kind are also the most socially reserved? They have surrounded their heart with a steely, unyielding bastion of logic. Can not the fires of invention be fuelled by the stirring of the Asuran soul?

Xell, If you were to stoke the embers of your creative passion, then a fire of unfettered inspiration would leap forth and those gates you work on would become more than simple tools, instead transcending into works of art. You are no mere golem, but a thinking, feeling being.

Combat Krewe Leader Chrono – Mist Exploration Division, College of Synergetics.

PS – As to the cave bat thing, well, it wouldn’t hurt you to smile now and then.

Chrono,

You express admiration for my intellect and yet you act surprised that I unravelled the rather trivial ‘mystery’ of your identity. As we have established, I remember the incident, and thus the name of the other asura involved. However, there were also other clues: you mentioned that you were a krewe leader who was also graduate of the College of Synergetics, and that you had left to take up arms fighting in the Mists. This narrowed the candidates to one asura I have known. The method of signing ‘C’, using the first letter of your name, merely strengthened my hypothesis on your identity. Finally, you have answered using your full name, thus providing the proof required to validate the theory.

I would also contend the point that my intellect somehow blunts my ability to be passionate. I am, as are the majority of asura, extremely passionate about my work. Indeed, the subtle interaction between the immense forces and energies required to move matter between two locations without it passing through the space between is one of the most beautiful equations I have ever had the fortune to derive.

Observing those equations made into physical form in the machinery of the gating apparatus is truly a superb work of art and not, as you put it, a simple tool. I am quite disappointed that you would think my work and inventions are nothing more than simple tools. Perhaps your constant exposure to battle has dulled your senses to the beauty that is inherent in the uncovering the subtleties in the aetheric harmonies of this world.

~Krewe Leader Xell of the Thaumotech Elucidation Krewe, Graduate of the College of Dynamics, Master of Thaumokinetics, Master of Gate Theory

P.S. I do smile when the situation warrants it. I can only assume you were too concerned with other social interactions whenever I did so in your presence.

Oh, I’m not biased at all. It’s the truth. You’ll all realise it eventually. :P

I’ve only got 5 asura characters so far… Necromancer and Elementalist are my favourites.

It’s very simple really. On the one hand, you have a hulking slavering beast better suited for lumbering around making loud noises, who clearly hasn’t the faintest idea about how to use the magic he’s tapped into properly.

Then, on the other hand, you have the asura – a most superb creature perfectly attuned to the magical forces at her deft fingertips. With such magnificent ears and such a large IQ, she’s probably thought of at least thirty-seven methods to deal with the problem at hand while that slavering imbecile of a cat is still trying to determine how his legs work. And now she’s darting into combat, flipping elegantly as she evades her opponents, blasting them into submission while they’re still trying to work out what hit them.

The choice is obvious. Be an asura.

Chrono,

I had no idea that you believed my ears to be majestic. Indeed, considering the previous comment comparing my face, rather unflatteringly in my opinion, to that of a small flying mammal displaying anger, I was inclined to believe you were attempting to make fun of me again.

I would also like to remind you that we were preparing for an important meeting. Ear fondling should not be the first indication of affection for a colleague, and is best left for the privacy of the quiet laboratory, not in public with others from your krewe watching. Your behaviour was inappropriate, and I sought to remind you of this.

I will, however, admit that I am flattered now that I have seen what your intentions were.

~Xell, Krewe Leader of TEK, Graduate of Dynamics, Master of Thaumokinetics, Master of Gate Theory