Showing Posts For KilgoreTrowt.7603:
I’m somewhat new to the game. I’ve gotten a couple toons to level 40ish. I’ve run dungeons with each of them.
My interest is in PvE dungeons.
Right now, I have a tanky guardian that still dishes a lot of damage. My only complaint is the lack of ranged options.
I’m just wondering if there’s a profession out there that would be best as kind of a “rangy tanky” type. I have an engineer and a mesmer. Would it be better if I tried an elementalist?
I’m aware I’m looking for something that does not really exist. Mostly, I’d like a ranged class that is set up to take more damage than the average glass cannon. I know this will mean sacrificing a lot of damage, but that’s worth it to me.
Thank you for any feedback/advice.
Good morning,
I was just wondering if somebody has already figured out exactly how the downscaling works and if there is a good place to look. I’ve already done a few searches, but the only information I’ve been able to gather is simplistic. I’m wondering if people have been able to figure out the following questions:
1. If you go from level 41 to 42, for example, and don’t change your gear, will you be better or worse when downscaled to level 20? It seems to me that you would be worse off as the scaling seems be done by looking at max stats per level.
2. Wouldn’t a twink level 50 player be superior in almost every situation to a level 80 player, assuming the level 80 doesn’t have amazing gear? If not, why not? Another way to put this is a level 30 player who could easily attain max stats per level would walk over most level 80s.
3. Trait allocation: Each time you level you get an extra trait point. But, if I decide to put that point in a defensive stat versus a damage stat, won’t my damage decrease because of the downscaling? I see this as a problem, because as I level I would assume that I would be getting stronger, but if I’m hitting the wall on offensive stats, I will just gradually decrease in damage each level because you can only put 20 points in each trait up to level 60, etc. In other words, my level 40 engineer with all points in power and precision would do more damage than my level 45 engineer because the stats I have left to use do not have a large impact on damage.
These questions are all hypothetical but I’ve been thinking about them a lot. What’s the point of leveling if you’re stronger at level 40 than 55?
This isn’t really what the post is about, but there are many competitions to reach level cap in many different mmo’s. Not once, to my knowledge, has a tank/healer build won a race.
In almost every case, it is a pet based class that relies heavily on stacking damage statistics. (Though I believe wow’s newest records are with kitty druids). Unless there was a huge penalty to death, there really isn’t a reason to have any defense stats in this game as a ranged class attempting to level.
Dungeons/raids/endgame is an entirely different matter.
(edited by KilgoreTrowt.7603)
I had to laugh at #3 though. The easiest class to level, by far, is a healing tank – just like every other game.
Um no it isn’t. Especially not in quest-heavy games where grinding does not grant that much xp.
I should add, switch weapons to go through illusion cooldowns to increase shatters.
I see a lot of people complaining about how boring or difficult it is to level as mesmer. I’m no expert (only level 38), but so far, I’ve found mesmers to be the fastest/easiest/most fun profession to level (i’ve tried all but necro and warrior).
Misconception #1: My level 80 friend/poster said to do this:
I think the problem that most people are having is that they are assuming that what works at higher levels and in dungeons/raids is what should work for leveling. I have played many MMO’s over the past 6 years or so, and I want to make it clear that this is never the case.
Misconception #2: Phantasms are good for leveling
They aren’t, plain and simple. They simply take too long to do anything. In the way I level, the enemy is dead before the illusions even cast, or if they do, just once.
Misconception #3: Survivability is important
Anyone who has played another MMO knows that damage dealers excel over tanks and healers for leveling. Of course, having more survivability is better than not having some, but this is an issue of opportunity cost. The more survival stats you have, the less damage stats you have, in most cases. Your goal should be to kill enemies as quick as possible, not outlive them.
Misconception #4: Mesmer is a pet class
The pet class is the ranger or the necro (idk rarely see them). At higher levels and raids, perhaps mesmers rely a lot on their phantasms to do 30% or more of their damage, but thinking of mesmer as a pet class for leveling will slow you down considerably.
My strategy: In a nutshell, for leveling, mesmers should be using a shatter build. Shatter does tons of damage, and confusion based shattering also does plenty of damage.
Basic idea: Equip two ranged weapons (staff, GS, scepter +gun, etc.) and begin your pull by deploying your phantasm. Follow up by deploying any clones available. After that you can hit whatever control buttons left while you wait for phantasm/clone cooldown to end or use scepter autoattack to build up a clone. In that time, phantasm will get off one shot. Once you have 3 illusions, shatter #1 for damage. Repeat this process to do shatter #2 for confusion. In most cases, your enemy will be dead or near dead. If not, repeat the process and apply stacks of confusion. On really tough enemies, just keep confusion really high and begin kiting as it slowly kills itself.
Multiple enemies? No problem at all, just force them to group through movement, as the shatters apply to all enemies in the area.
Stuff not dying fast enough: You don’t have enough power. Get more of it. Condition damage and precision should be used in that order.
Skill abilities: Anything that generates clones is good as it will speed up your shatters. Use the projectile bubble to force ranged enemies to one location.
Traits: Power, then illusions, then w/e.
If you doubt me, give it a try.
Hope this helps someone, =)
(edited by KilgoreTrowt.7603)
I’m new to the game from wow. I fully realize that the trinity of roles is not in this game. I’m a low level, so I haven’t seen dungeons/raids first hand, but I have an idea of how they work and I have seen some on youtube.
I’m somewhat interested in making a very supporty-tanky guardian. I was just wandering if this is at all desirable for groups, etc. When people are making groups are they just recruiting dpsers? Is a melee’er willing to support the group and stay alive on the enemy be valuable or a drawback to a group?
Thank you for any help!