Hotrats
Fledgling Freddie
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
- Messages
- 192
I posted this on BW but as that is closing soon I thought I would make my first post on FreddysHouse a typical game balance one 
I just realised the main reason hib pbae groups are so successful is the perfect balance of offence and defence.
PBAE at first was used very offensively by most hibs, then they decided to stay all in one *box* and protect each other with pbae when enemy tanks attacked.
In the DH vid this is done perfectly and with Tusk also guarding and slamming those tanks it becomes very hard to kill hib casters in melee.
So you look to your support, if they can keep the hib casters interupted its no problem for your tanks to move in and kill. However thanks to hib pets (and GP effecting pets) 2 or 3 support members can be interupted almost for free. Then the bard has amnesia, the dd and castable/insta mezz which can be devastating at the start of a fight. Chanters can also use dps debuff just in case his pet is cc'd or is hitting a different support char. Plenty of uninteruptable interuption power available anyway, and all useable while in *box* formation.
So the enemy support is all tied up with pets and insta cast spells, the enemy tanks cannot enter pbae range without a great risk of dieing, its a stalemate situation. But wait the final tool of a hib caster group, heat debuff, perfect for killing anything within 1500 range, especially combined with the castable stun and assist nuking.
If any other realms caster group wants a ranged debuffer and 3 pbae classes they must use a 4th cloth wearing caster, however hibs can use a mana chanter and open up yet another spot in their group for a different class (as if a bard does not already open up enough group spots).
Hib caster groups (much like mid melee groups) are so well balanced with respect to offence and defence its the main reason they are so successful, almost all the skills of every class can be used toward helping the group win its fights.
The problem with an alb group is the same old story of the key abilities being spread over too many classes, you end up with inefficiency in the group as the skills of the group don't always support each other. Take a mind sorc lifetap for example, potentially a very powerful spell, but it requires a debuff from a spirit cabalist, but then a spirit cabalist doesn't offer much defence to a group (no pbae like a chanter) and 2 cloth wearers without any pbae protection is making the group look quite vulnerable. So you take a couple of ice wizzies, but they have to face 16% or even 24% cold resists and without power relics really need a debuffer, so you need a body sorc. 5 classes already gone from the 8 available and all of them wear cloth armor! Looks like a alb caster group isn't possible, and without GP they are bound to have a hard time anyway.
An alb tank group does just about work, its defence is poor because the pala must be up front with the tanks to give them end but at least it does have pretty decent offence. The main reason they suck vs hib pbae groups is the lack of uninteruptable interuption power, which can be changed by bringing a reaver. The fights I can remember vs DH when we have a reaver are usually very close, and very fun.
In conclusion if your an alb and want a good chance to beat a hib pbae group bring a reaver. If you want to beat a well played mid fotm tank group well thats what BoF and SoS are for I guess, although hopefully things will get easier next patch and albs won't have to rely on 30 min RA's
I just realised the main reason hib pbae groups are so successful is the perfect balance of offence and defence.
PBAE at first was used very offensively by most hibs, then they decided to stay all in one *box* and protect each other with pbae when enemy tanks attacked.
In the DH vid this is done perfectly and with Tusk also guarding and slamming those tanks it becomes very hard to kill hib casters in melee.
So you look to your support, if they can keep the hib casters interupted its no problem for your tanks to move in and kill. However thanks to hib pets (and GP effecting pets) 2 or 3 support members can be interupted almost for free. Then the bard has amnesia, the dd and castable/insta mezz which can be devastating at the start of a fight. Chanters can also use dps debuff just in case his pet is cc'd or is hitting a different support char. Plenty of uninteruptable interuption power available anyway, and all useable while in *box* formation.
So the enemy support is all tied up with pets and insta cast spells, the enemy tanks cannot enter pbae range without a great risk of dieing, its a stalemate situation. But wait the final tool of a hib caster group, heat debuff, perfect for killing anything within 1500 range, especially combined with the castable stun and assist nuking.
If any other realms caster group wants a ranged debuffer and 3 pbae classes they must use a 4th cloth wearing caster, however hibs can use a mana chanter and open up yet another spot in their group for a different class (as if a bard does not already open up enough group spots).
Hib caster groups (much like mid melee groups) are so well balanced with respect to offence and defence its the main reason they are so successful, almost all the skills of every class can be used toward helping the group win its fights.
The problem with an alb group is the same old story of the key abilities being spread over too many classes, you end up with inefficiency in the group as the skills of the group don't always support each other. Take a mind sorc lifetap for example, potentially a very powerful spell, but it requires a debuff from a spirit cabalist, but then a spirit cabalist doesn't offer much defence to a group (no pbae like a chanter) and 2 cloth wearers without any pbae protection is making the group look quite vulnerable. So you take a couple of ice wizzies, but they have to face 16% or even 24% cold resists and without power relics really need a debuffer, so you need a body sorc. 5 classes already gone from the 8 available and all of them wear cloth armor! Looks like a alb caster group isn't possible, and without GP they are bound to have a hard time anyway.
An alb tank group does just about work, its defence is poor because the pala must be up front with the tanks to give them end but at least it does have pretty decent offence. The main reason they suck vs hib pbae groups is the lack of uninteruptable interuption power, which can be changed by bringing a reaver. The fights I can remember vs DH when we have a reaver are usually very close, and very fun.
In conclusion if your an alb and want a good chance to beat a hib pbae group bring a reaver. If you want to beat a well played mid fotm tank group well thats what BoF and SoS are for I guess, although hopefully things will get easier next patch and albs won't have to rely on 30 min RA's
![[NO]Magmatic](/data/avatars/m/2/2097.jpg?1319140890){kind=avatar}
