For any Shadow Warrior out there that runs with a good premade, you must be almost full Skirmish spec. Notice the use of the word "must". It is a requirement. A few of you out there might disagree, but if you think it over you will see that I am right.
Here is why.
As a Skirmish Shadow Warrior you want to fight within 65 feet primarily and close in to 45 feet or occasionally melee range when needed to boost damage with expert skirmisher. Apply all yours damage over time abilities at 65 feet and then close in for some burst.
You need to always be kiting and moving around to maintain optimal position (which I will explain in detail at a later date). All of your main abilities are usable on the move and you should take advantage of this. Kiting takes a while to master in Warhammer Online, but once you have it down you can keep the DPS coming even while running away. The Q and E diagonal movement keys are what you use to kite due to how the engine works.
The Skirmish damage over time abilities are perfect for an assist train with Shadow Sting, Broadhead Arrow, Eye Shot, and Takedown all being invaluable in focusing down targets with a MDPS buddy. Spiral Fletched Arrow is also fires quickly and travels directly at the target to get quick hits (and killing blows).
The problem with Scout is that you are more focused on staying in the back, not keeping the melee busy by chasing you in circles, not able to support as well with your debuffs as you are more focused on eagle eye spam and festering arrow, and MOST IMPORTANTLY YOUR ABILITIES TRAVEL TO THE MOON AND BACK BEFORE HITTING YOUR TARGET. In a proper premade, an assisted target will be dead long before any three second cast ability (like Festering Arrow) can be built up and launched. Add in that 2 second flight time and you are basically unable to assist with that awesome ability. The same is true of Eagle eye which hogs way to much AP for its damage and has a ridiculous flight time. Eagle eye requires multiple AP tactics to sustain any kind of DPS and it is not worth the hassle.
Assault isn't even worth it until ranger crit converts to melee crit and the armor debuff bug is fixed. Personally, I do not think that ranged power should convert to melee power as Shadow Warriors are fully capable of stacking 300 melee power and therefore have to make a choice between ranged or melee power. Melee crit has to convert though since no Shadow Warrior armor pieces have melee crit.
So go respec Skirmish, Shadow Warriors. You can thank me later.
All Hallows’ EVE
12 years ago
the +crit on set pieces always bothered me. There's a very select few that don't specify ranged, melee, magic or healing and are literally +5 Crit. It seems like this would make a lot more sense than each set having the same type of crit when it's fairly obvious every class can use more than one spec... Makes it hard for DPS healers too.
ReplyDeleteSounds like good advice if I had a premade group. But when you are a SC pugger like myself, Scout is the best choice. That long delay on Festerbomb/EE? It is a benefit - you don't pick a target getting the assist train - you pick someone behind him. Then fire off Festerbomb followed by EE as fast as you can. Often by the time they react to the first hit -I already have another 2k+ of damage on the way to them.
ReplyDeleteThis is Lockk from Gorfang btw- I see you SCs sometimes - you do good work. :)
I've just started a SW alt thanks to your blog and it might be the first alt that I take seriously. I'm enjoying it so far and the way you describe skirmish suits the way I would want to play this class.
ReplyDeleteI'd personally take this advice, given its from Tuffett. I once made a SW ranked him to 5. And he was fun as hell.
ReplyDeleteI played pure skirmish until the end of December when I switched to Scout for a change and found it to fun to switch back. The thing I was most surprised to find was that it really isn't much less mobile - you still have access to the instant cast dots from skirm and gain flame arrow and FTW - I use them as I move then the skills that require me to be stationary. But, the big difference is just how much harder EE hits compared to SFA - obviously you need to manage your AP better than in skirmish, but it's not so hard - rep-strikes and bulls-eye does the job. And festerbombing is still hilarious – with Hierophant’s Grace procs to give 1.5 second cast time. I'm sure I'll go back to skirmish some time, I always had fun with it, but I'm enjoying scout, and it just seems much more effective.
ReplyDeleteReadda rr80 SW of Karak Norn, EU.
Upon further testing I have to agree that scout is more raw damage and insane with tyrant. I still cannot stand it though.
ReplyDelete