Showing Posts For mangren.2931:
Explain the Axe/mace synergy and how you build around it?
I understand avoiding the sword’s bleeds since it interferes with other professions stacks, and since bleeds are all we can do they’re very easy to wipe out. So drop them from the equation, that leaves maces, axes, warhorn and shield as potential tools. I’d prefer Axe/Shield or Mace/Axe over Axe/Mace if I’m trying to add a little defense and control to my big damage capability.
So then it’s either defensive or crit-bombs. If I’m going defensive, mace/mace seems unbeatable. Mace/shield is just a little more defense with the interrupt and the additional block. But if I want to balance between crit/def I’d prefer Axe/Shield or Mace/Axe, to Axe/Mace. There’s so little defense in Axe/Mace, I just don’t see it being worth the lost moving aoe crit bomb and the strong double hit with the might boon.
Two things, one I thought (in my experience yesterday with both dual maces and dual swords, that using another attack cancels the block (without the adrenaline bump), so I’m not sure we need a second button hit to cancel the block. Please correct me if I’m wrong. This would make the argument that there is 0 value to the second button push except to generate a relatively small amount of adrenaline.
Personally getting adrenaline for an ability hasn’t been a problem. I almost always have at least stage 1 full by the time the cooldown wears off. I don’t find it useful to cancel a block for adrenaline.
On the other hand, I have the same button mashing issue but to me that has seemed like it’s a learning curve issue. Meaning you have to get a feel for the interface, and how the abilities chain as you hit buttons. I grew up button mashing as a kid in games like space invaders and then unlearning it in games like Tekken so that I could create the complex combos.
Any game I come to starts that way. I start off mashing a button that does something I like on a short cooldown. Then as I improve, I have to overcome that habit and begin to work out getting my sequences right both in order and timing, this double press doesn’t seem to be an issue for me.
If you want to give me a useful reason to cancel a block, reduce the cooldown if I don’t hold the block for the entire time and get rid of the adrenaline.
I’m still leveling, I started sword/axe, for the massive bleeds and the whirl. But in the end, I had to add the sword off-hand for the 2 extra bleeds and the block/bleed. The bleeds can be applied in an aoe arc on two of them, and I can get 10-12+ bleed stacks going at one time.
So, you have 4 moves that add bleeds mobility with the jump a block and a slow, I go easy button with all signets and sword/sword rifle. Cond/Precision/Power in gear but I use the magic find stack sigil. Healing/Toughness in my accessories.
I use the regeneration on the healing signet as my primary survival mechanism, but in heavy condition fights I’ll switch to the heal that removes conditions. If you make sure and keep your gear up near level, it’s been working solidly for me. I do huge damage and can switch to the rifle on the rare fight (champions) where I need to not get damaged.
I don’t like having to think too much, and I have a bunch of characters. I tend to build around signets and dodge mechanics and kiting, unless I can get massive damage and good regeneration/avoidance in close.
To be fair I haven’t tried the axe/axe combo for leveling, but I’m not sure about mobility. I use the single weapon speed trait when I’m running around doing hearts, and switch to the rage crit boost when I’m running events/skill points.
(edited by mangren.2931)
I was also was able to get through with charger unplugged.
I double-clicked on my character as soon as I saw the name on the character select screen, and immediately went through to loading. I reconnected my charger while loading and I’m in, and appear to be fine.