Tips from the elders...

[parisienscot]

Originally posted by Generic Poster
Pets don't take XP if they don't attack.

I'm sick of watching people argue because some Cabalist is being asked to drop his pet or leave the group :sleeping:

This annoys me too - but I just patiently explain until they agree with me

And if you're killing purps - pet will maybe hit once in a fight (if that) and will steal a whole 0.00001% of the XP! Outrageous! Don't forget that more people / pets attacking a mob makes it easier to hit!

 

[parisienscot]

Originally posted by Brannor McThife

1-2 people = 1 creature.
3-4 people = 2 creatures.
5-6 people = 3 creatures.
7+ = 3+

Correct if wrong.

-G

Sorry for spamming - but this is my favourite kind of topic

I think the numbers for baf is OK as a rough guide but I don't think it's that exact number every single time. And I have often been in groups of 3 pulling social monsters and not getting any bafs at all.

Also don't forget that some mobs not only baf but can also call for help. This generally happens when they have been hit a few times. If other mobs of the same type are nearby they might ALL come - ever tried to kill Malroch the Cook or Lecherous Gress... scary stuff!

 

[<Wels>]

Minstrels:

You know that no power to use 30 sec timer confuse, it interupts

 

[Kaitlyn]

Originally posted by old.Trine Aquavit
Healers

Read my Healer Guide

I dont know you, but I love you, Trine.

Cabalists

What the pets do

Pets tend to be claustrophobic, in closed spaces its usually best to give them the day off.

RvR: Yes your aoe is purdy and will give you nice rps, but theres also a joy in knowing that the archer/caster up on the walls is now swearing as his pretty purple eyes are all crudded up.

 

[Generic Poster]

Adding to Granny's Shield tips: In PvE it's best to put 'Guard' on the tanks. Another common argument I have is with tanks insisting on guarding casters, or casters demanding they have a tank guard them.

Their reason is always "I have RR6 and that's how we do it in Emain so stfu noobs"

In RvR, it makes sense to guard casters
But in PvE you guard tanks, because tanks should hold agro. If the caster is tanking then something is wrong with the group.


(If the caster/healer pulls agro, you can quickly slap 'Guard' on them and start taunting the mob)

 

[eynar]

Skalds:

Activate speed song, put auto-follow on a group member and STFU!!!

 

[pikehboo]

Nightshades-

1) Dont ever PA a purple or higher con mod until the tanks have dealt damage, on various occasions i dealt massive damage only to find myself dead within a few hits :\

2) dont try and be hard and clever and attack a solo tank. its not hard and its not clever.

3) if you are going to use ur nuke spell, use it lots of times. dont use it once and then try and stealth for that all important PA. your nuke is very handy for closely bunched aggro mobs

4) be resourceful. if you are in a large grp with many powerful classes, and you are kilign relatively weak mobs, dont use poisons. the fight wil be over too quick for them to be effective.

5) people dont seem to realise what help a NS can be to a grp. if a large grp accepts you (HAH - not likely my son) then offer to pull e.t.c. an effective NS can speed up groups downtime.

6) do not try and be "wacky". many a time i have come across weird "jump jump- im a lurikeen" people. avoid this unless you want to be hated.

of course you are free to do whatever you like. these are just some suggestions that might help you to that big 50.- not that i have reached it or anything :-\\

Pikeh Boo - 41 ns - Proud memmber of DBM
Psh U - 21 sword and board hero.
Dro Ne - 10 Warden
Pikehtwo - ranger
Pikehthree - eldritch

 

[chretien]

At the character selection screen, go to options then keyboard options and map Sprint and Stick to keyboard buttons. I have sprint mapped to my backspace key as it's a nice big button I can stab in a hurry and stick set to f10 so in a fight I can just go f8-f6-f10 and go back to reading my book.

The best advice I can give is this. Sometimes you will die. Occasionally this will be not very long after you died the last time. This is ok, everyone has days like that and 9 times out of 10 it's down to bad luck. Shrug, smile and get on with it. Whinging that you all might have lived if someone had done somethig differently will do no good other than make it difficult for you to get groups in the future. There is no magic GM who gives back all your xp if you convince the group that it was somebodies fault.

 

[minstrel_kyra]

Minstrels:

With the new goodies coming for Minstrels, many people might be reconsidering playing one again (or starting a new one) so I thought I would help you out a bit.

First off, visit this site:
http://www.kungfugeek.com/~powersong/
Its a little outdated (no new info on it) but still one of the best sources for learning about your minstrel.

Second:
There are many great ways to spec a minstrel so I won't try and tell you which way is best. It really depends on what sort of minstrel you want to be. We are blessed with having the opportunity to be as creative with our chars templates as we want and still get great results.

Third:
Although I know people are doing it, I would highly recommend NOT autotraining your inst. Why? Well so what, you get extra points. Is it really worth having the crappiest songs when your group needs you most? Yes, please read that again... GROUP. We can solo and aren't too bad, but we really do work best in a group. That is why we can't do any one thing really well except play our songs. If you really want to know how to play your minstrel and enjoy it, then don't autotrain.

Forth and most important:
DON'T GROUP AND BE A AFK MANA BOT(unless that is why they grouped you). You have a sword for a reason, use it ! The mana regen while they are fighting is so slow anyway (and probably done just for this reason) that you do more good by helping out and hitting the mob. Everyone has emergencies and that's fine, but to be afk the whole time isn't fair to your group. They might need you if things get bad to jump in and fight or mez. You being away while they have to stay and "work" to level annoys people more than they tell you.

Fifth:
Try to always keep your flute yellow con to you. Quality and con are very important and will extend your mez. They don't have to be crafted and sc if you are level 40 or under (unless you do a lot of rvr), there are quite a few very nice flutes that still drop in our realm. Some examples are the instruments from the Barrows and Ellylls.

Sixth: (RVR)
-Get SOS as soon as you possibly can. It will save your (and your group's) hide. Have it handy when you have to go thru milegates and other populated areas until your group can safely attack the enemy.
-You can (and should) ae mez the inner door of a keep you are helping to raid. It mezzes the defenders and their pets inside and stops that pesky pbaoe they like to hit our tanks with.
(Defending a keep) Mez their pets as soon as they creep thru our door. Does the same as before but also buys you time to repair the door and/or get in a few shots with your trebucket while they stand there defenseless. (and you can run mana song the whole time to help out everyone that needs it)


And finally:
Just go out there and have fun.

 

[Meatballs]

Originally posted by Generic Poster
Adding to Granny's Shield tips: In PvE it's best to put 'Guard' on the tanks. Another common argument I have is with tanks insisting on guarding casters, or casters demanding they have a tank guard them.

Well next patch it might make more sense when casters can cast through guarded blocks without interruption. Useful for healers PBAOErs I guess.

 

[Balbor]

Smite Clerics

Make sure you take Rej to L23 even if you plan on being a smiter as you really need those instent heals.

Always make sure you buff up and have your damage buff running.

In PvE save for AOE Mezz for many mob that goes for caster and remember if the mob has lost health it will probably resist. (seen too many clerics use mezz when mob is at 50%).

When using your PB mezz and PB nuke spells make sure there are no other enemies around. (been in groups in keltio that have been wiped out because cleric has pull loads of mobs on us).

At lower levels its not worth using your stuns to solo with, at about L25+ it will be long enough to use the smite, smite stun smite smite technique.

After you get the 9sec stun it can be use to really help a group pulling mobs that BAF. Stoping a mob hitting your group for 9sec may mean 3-4 hits not landing on your tanks.

If the group is working well you won't need to heal very much except to shorten any downtime. Don't use your instents unless you really have to make makesure you let people know so they can slam or amnisa the mob.

RvR smite clerics
Don't use your AOEnukes unless the the other casters are do so as well, otherwize you make we break any mezzes or roots.

Your smite spells have a very short range and long cast time other caster will have the better of you. Stun is your fastest casting spell so try and use it on assassins, enrange zerkers and other casters.

If you spot a stealther trying to move around you fire off your instent DD, this will de-stealth him and leave him unable to use PA on you.

save your mezz for assassins, it may save your life. If you do mezz an assassin that has BS you don't panik. Heal and cure yourself quickly, and then deside if you want to run or fight. If you do deside to stay (only advisable if stelther is Yellow con or Orange to you at 48) move back and stun, follow up with a few Nukes (2-3) and finish of with hammer. You won't outdamage the assassin but you will have a lot more HP, beter armour, your instent DD every 20sec and 2 instent heals. The longer the fight goes on the better for you, he'll run out on End and with no styles you be doing more damage.

Get Bunker of Faith after Group Purge and Song of Sound it is the best RA out there. For 30 sec if effectivly everyone in your group only take 1/2 melee damage. After that anything that reduces your downtime is good.

 

[Frubly]

Animists

You will often have large numbers of "fire and forget" pets in some occasions you need to kill these:

Simply press shift and click and drag the pet release button from your pet window to your quick bar, then to kill the annoying shroom just select it and click the release pet hotkey

Wardens

You are not a tank stop trying to be one. Your group need bladeturn so stay alive you should hang back a bit at the start. Either use /assist {tanks name in your group} or heal do not break a mezz ever this is a job for a class with stun (sheild tank/mage).

End chant is your best friend if ever solo and you need to get out of trouble quickly simply start chanting it then hit sprint as this is not affected by combat people chaseing you will either run up fast with speed hit once then drop off and then have to wait for speed or use all there end up sprinting after you and fall back.

 

[Old Nicodemus]

Spiritmasters

Spells:

A Spiritmaster isn't just about nuking, if you wanted a pure nuker Roll a Runie. You have a nice mixed bag of tricks so use them. Others are not sure what your debuffs do, so... find a mob that is hard with your group and debuff it as you fight it. Watch it go down fairly easily. Then pull a similar mob and don't debuff it. Then they'll notice the difference.

When you start, if you want to make sure that the chance of your spells being resisted is lower then concentrate on one line until you hit level 30. Then start filling out the other lines. Makes your survivability better.

Pets:

Remember.. A Pet is your get out of jail free card. In PvE if you get a BAF on your group your pet is a great peeler. It'll give your group that extra 10 secs to survive.. many a healer has been peeled by a pet, and the group has survived because of it. The same applies to when you are soloing.

Overall:

The only rule you have to remember is TO HAVE FUN!!! Play it the way you want to play, you don't have to follow the crowd. The Spiritmaster is one of the few classes that is hard to muck up.

 

[PadreMM]

Grp number bug....

Not 100% sure how this actually works, but someone might be able to give a better explanation. Very good to know as it can save your grp from wipe or a soloer outside grp etc.

Anyway, if you are a grp and help another grp/soloer kill some extra adds, you might experience a very big pull next if you are pulling BAFing mobs. This is because you are now considered as either two grps (the one you helped) or if it's just considered that you are a bigger grp. Anyway this may result in a huge pull for your grp, or the soloer might get an add where he used to just get a single.

To clear this, my grp has mostly disbanded and regrouped. The soloist should just relog to clear it. Another theory I came across last night was to take on a mob that you know for sure don't BAF (Bring A Friend, btw).

There's probably someone who knows the facts and may correct me, but this is what I have experienced works (and many grp wipes just because we've been lazy and not cleared the bug). Maybe it's just a myth as well, but it sure feels like this "bug" is in place.

 

[kr0n]

Originally posted by old.Hendrick
Use shift+F1-F8 to target group members even faster.

Remap Shift+F1-F8 to only F1-F8 to EVEN faster.

 

[kr0n]

Originally posted by klavrynd
Bards

Insta amnesia ( or lul for the pro's) is your friend in rvr as well as pve

Is your chanter or druid (or yourself) taking a beating, lul the fucker. This clears the aggrolist on the mob and the first player that generates aggro will get it. THIS INCLUDES HEALING so don't lul and heal or you're ... well fucked

Yeah, spam that AE amnesia on the mobs when doing PBAE exp. Sure way to kill your group after they whine about songs.

 

[hangianix]

Smiters

Forget them.

 

[beck-uk]

Minstrels

Single target Mezz In PvE and RvR

Select a target and hit the single target mezz key, once the sound/animation starts you can immediately get a second target and spam the mezz key. As soon as the first mezz ends the second mezz will begin, then get a 3rd target and spam etc.

If you mezz a target at distance and the player/mob is out of sight/range when the mezz has completed then it will keep saying that your target is out of range/sight. If you do not cancel this mezz then as soon as that player/mob pops into sight/range no matter how much time has passed then the mezz will land instantly. This is a nice tactic at MGs or Keeps.

Once you have started a mezz you are free to re-target anything and use instant shouts. A good tactic is to start mezzing a enemy player and target his mate who is running at you and hit stun whilst spamming mezz to mezz him too.

If its 1v1 then start mezzing and then hit both DDs before the mezz finishes to have a sleeping damaged enemy. Rest up a little so that your DDs are recycled then engage with everything you have.

[Disclaimer] Mobs can not be mezzed once they are less than 80% health (they will be enraged). Players can be mezzed no matter how much health unless they have been mezzed less than a minute ago (1 minute immunity timer). Oh yes and your mezz can be resisted.


Beck Beastly

 

[old.Anpu]

Originally posted by Meatballs
Well next patch it might make more sense when casters can cast through guarded blocks without interruption. Useful for healers PBAOErs I guess.

They can already. Not sure if it works in rvr but works fine in pve.

/Anpu

 

[frols]

Warrior

If you use axe and you can get close enough to a caster and they start to run (most of them do) get out the old 2 hander and use your backstyles they can do very good damage.

If you are fighting purple mobs witch you know can damage you dont use intercept offten it can hurt you.

In RvR

Stick by your caster they get you the RP's better then you can


Something fun is to run up to a keep and just stand there and let the archers shoot you cause you block all/most arrows

 

[eben]

Originally posted by old.Gromnir

Darkness Falls

Its alwasy good to help others in need, but you have to know the risk. For some reason when you help some one in DF, then for every time you helped someone you seem to get an extra add yourselve. So a good way to keep helping all those little once at the entrance from beein killed by the biggy monster, is that once you helped out you go and find a grey con mob and give it a wack. Why ? because its easyer to kill of 6 greys then 6 purples thats why.

You can clear this aggro by pulling a mob that never adds, like a soultorn or a familiar. These adds you refer to last for one pull I believe.

 

[Cernos]

Heroes

Put your Moose ability somewhere on your hotbar where you don't often go (I have it on 8) - where you aren't likely to hit it by accident (kind of a Hero tradition to go Moose by accident though). Same goes for other timed abilities - I have IP on 9, Purge on 10 and rarely hit them by accident now they are away from the keys I spam most.

We all know what Guard, Protect and Intercept can do in PvE (I hope), but did you also know how useful they are in RvR? Guard will allow your casters & healers to keep casting when you block for them, Protect will work on keep guards and any aggro mobs you run into in RvR and Intercept can be a lifesaver (don't forget to refresh it once it's been used up though).

Cernos
50 Celt Hero, Silver Hand

 

[frols]

Yeah like Cernos said about keeps, if you put guard and engage on some shaman or some other class with some AOE spell they can cast without being hit, i stood for 20 minutes blocking every arrow that was heading for my shaman friend

 

[Nonnier]

thanes:

never never mjollnir in pve, this breaks mezzes, does low dmg (thats what a runeys for) and annoys healers.

use it in solo rvr, its great to take down casters (until next patch when the single nuke becomes recastable, does more dmg then mjollnir and doesn't break mezzes)

always get shield to 42, offensive thanes suck big time

remember that in a grp with a warrior, to guard th ewarrior, as this aids his tanking skills, and use back styles in teams, you lack the hits to tank

always use ur single insta, its the best spell atm

stay away from infils/NS/armsman (unless u nuke em)/chanters/wizzies/champs/pallys (u get bored after a 30 min fight, so i now don't bother).

 

[Gabrial]

Originally posted by chretien
At the character selection screen, go to options then keyboard options and map Sprint and Stick to keyboard buttons. I have sprint mapped to my backspace key as it's a nice big button I can stab in a hurry and stick set to f10 so in a fight I can just go f8-f6-f10 and go back to reading my book.

OMG im gonna remap when I get home - that will free up a quick bar slot - you have my thanks!

 

[Gabrial]

Scouts:

1. Its quite easy to get to 500 fletching to make the best arrows available (20-30 gold and about 6 hours crafting if ur fast and know what to do). Saves time and cash in the longrun. Make sure you keep loads vaulted.

2. When solo, hunt mobs with the right arrow! Skeletons with blunt arrows are the best example I can think of. I could drop yellows non-stop with my crafted bow and blunt arrows.

Pet classes

Beware of your pet charging onto whole mobs of monsters if he engages mobs that have BAF. Once his target has gone he will likely move for the rest, even if they are in the middle of a camp of aggro. Use passive to stop him.

 

[parisienscot]

Originally posted by Spinky
Instead pretend you were that level all along

Can't do that any more - the big all singing all dancing animation kind of gives you away now

 

[old.Kerosene]

Kero's advice for grouping.

Everyone

Use forums to get information and websites are a goldmine.

Tanks...

Guard other tanks. Talk to your group for 2 minutes before starting combat and decide who guards who. Everybody who's likely to take damage regularly should have a guard on them.

Intercept on the casters, especially healers and CC'er.

If you've got a bow and someone else is pulling, get a shot in while the mob is coming towards you. This may draw aggro if the puller's shot missed. It may also reduce the hp of the mob slightly if the arrow hits.

Always save some endurance for taunt styles in case someone important draws aggro.

If you're about dead, don't spam the healer to heal. He's spent x levels learning where his heal button is. If you die because of a healer, don't scream it him, just ask him what happened.

Nuking Casters...

Always wait until a mob is at 65% or less hp before laying into it with nukes or the mob will come for you.

Theurgists...

You CAN go AFK, but it's always better to be a backup nuker.

Never let your power fall below 50%

Don't be afraid of using your earth pet to pull in a group.

Your root is pretty good so don't be afraid to use it if more than one mob comes for the group.

If you spec some Ice as well as Air (like I did) you can be effective in crowd control by doing the following if more than 4 mobs run for the group

1. Spam AoE mez to get them all mezzed in a nice bunch.
2. Cast AoE Root in the middle of them to root them all.

Healers...

Don't ask me. This isn't even my server!

 

[Shike]

Originally posted by old.Hendrick
Use shift+F1-F8 to target group members even faster.

or do as I have done, I am sure plenty have done it

remap them from shift+F1-F8 to F1-F8, if you dont know how to do this simply /quit out from the game and go into options/keyboard and reassign there. (for the newbies)

way easier then imo



edit: damn, just saw kr0n's post, sorry, didnt intend to be some copycat or something :/

 

[liste]

reconfigure your setup completely.

have your groupmembers targeted on F1-F8 <as shift+key can be dodgy when laggy>. move your usual Fx key functions to somewhere near your movement keys. this allows you to use these funktions with one hand, while using styles or mouse with the other hand. also quite useful for a healer classes <fast targeting system, without fail>

Pets and mezz: pets do not hit a mezzed mob anymore. they are actually clever enough to stop hitting it if you mezz it, as well.
Warning though, regarding root. The pet AI does not cover root. this means, if your pet is defending you <hitting a mob> and the mob dies, your pet will usually run straight to the rooted . toggling passive on and off will fix this.

Mezzing a mob that is already mezzed, will cut your duration in half, so dont spam it. Same goes for Root on root.
It's a good idea to agree who does the CC if the group has more than one.

If you are a tank in a group with a Crowd controller <healer, bard, sorcerer or similar>, and a caster or healer has aggro, only hit the mob enough to get aggro. then leave it. This does not apply, if the mob has lost more than 5% Hits, as it will be unmezzable. If you have aggro shout <paladin, friar>, this can be applied with success, to catch adds so the CC can reliably mezz again if resisted the first time.

Have faith in your group members. the sorcerer will mezz, the healer will heal, the tank will tank etc, without you telling them to.
If they seem to have some problems fulfilling their job, it can either be bad luck <resists> ignorance or other things such as lag.
Dont throw them a lecture when they fail their task the first time. it happens, we're humans. If you are indeed dealing with a genuine newbie, giving him advice in PM's is a good idea, as he wont feel like a tosser after 7 people read his seemingly dumb question <it looks simple, but...>

finally, being a nice person, with a friendly attitude, will take you far. Absorb the knowledge you can on the way and learn from your mistakes, and enjoy the respect you will be shown in the later levels, as a person who knows his class.


<cba to read 3 pages, so excuses for repetitions>