SK Race question + item help (have never played a tank)

[Crede]

Originally Posted by Jimjam [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Right, so I decided to have some recent first hand experience.

I've popped into the hole on my 52 sk (click for Magelo - is missing many of the later spells).

I'm at zone in, splitting using dooming darkness and the zoneline (perhaps I should be using the free FD from BE greaves instead? Zoneline seems superior cos i can heal a bit out of zone and I don't take hits from add this way).

I start the battle with sword and board, cast siphon strength, shadow vortex and shroud of hate then switch to Reaver, casting Lifedraw between swings. If I remember I precast major shielding and vampiric embrace. Once the mob is at about 40% I cast dooming darkness and then invoke fear, which makes the mob flee on the spot. I'm finishing fights with about 40%hp 20% mana remaining.

Occasionally bashes are interrupting, but these are usually due to the improved knockback/interupt chance rather than stun.

In short, race doesn't seem to matter in this instance against these mobs with this gear. Xp would be faster on a smaller race, but I'm in no hurry. BnB in SolB may be faster, especially if using the bats zoneline and a short duration fear to kite.


Question: in these fights is it worth using heart flutter, etc in addition to the stat taps? The NPC is generally winning on %hp while getting the debuff taps set up. Should I even bother with the stat taps and just spam reaver / life tap for the win?

A lot of things you’re doing wrong here. Don’t split use dooming. Split using BE gauntlets, engulfing is enough to stop the mob. BE gaunts/greaves = nonstop manaless splits. You should never dooming/invoke at 40%. At that point mob is low enough to just BE gaunts + bE boots. Or spook the dead if it’s an undead mob.

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Originally Posted by Crede [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

A lot of things you’re doing wrong here. Don’t split use dooming. Split using BE gauntlets, engulfing is enough to stop the mob. BE gaunts/greaves = nonstop manaless splits. You should never dooming/invoke at 40%. At that point mob is low enough to just BE gaunts + bE boots. Or spook the dead if it’s an undead mob.

Agree with this.

You need to be careful when deciding to use dooming darkness. You can't override it with BE gauntlets, so you are comitted once you land it.

I only use dooming when fear kiting on a short runway, like Howling Stones north ramp. Clearing the mob in the corner can be done via fear kiting, but you need dooming and slam to keep the mob from pathing into the hallway. Once you have all 3 mobs down it is easier to use BE gauntlets if you pull the mob to the farthest wall by the picture dropdown.

You need to use your lowest level fear too, since you don't want it to last too long. I have Fear, Spook the Dead, and BE Boots ready to reappply fear.

[Crede]

Originally Posted by DeathsSilkyMist [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Agree with this.

You need to be careful when deciding to use dooming darkness. You can't override it with BE gauntlets, so you are comitted once you land it.

I only use dooming when fear kiting on a short runway, like Howling Stones north ramp. Clearing the mob in the corner can be done via fear kiting, but you need dooming and slam to keep the mob from pathing into the hallway. Once you have all 3 mobs down it is easier to use BE gauntlets if you pull the mob to the farthest wall by the picture dropdown.

You need to use your lowest level fear too, since you don't want it to last too long. I have Fear, Spook the Dead, and BE Boots ready to reappply fear.

Yea sk soloing is a fine balancing act. Dooming should be used sparingly as it sucks mana. Depending on the natural speed of the mob sometimes I might not cast it entirely other times I would use it to try to get the mob to at least 50% because then when they start slowing down you should absolutely use the engulfing click. I’ve done some deep hole, hs grinds fear kiting. You’d be surprised how much you can do with snare, bash, and a low duration fear. This is why I recommend any solo sk to use a shield if you can’t slam or you don’t have epic. It really opens up some options.

[Jimjam]

Originally Posted by DeathsSilkyMist [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Agree with this.

You need to be careful when deciding to use dooming darkness. You can't override it with BE gauntlets, so you are comitted once you land it.

I only use dooming when fear kiting on a short runway, like Howling Stones north ramp. Clearing the mob in the corner can be done via fear kiting, but you need dooming and slam to keep the mob from pathing into the hallway. Once you have all 3 mobs down it is easier to use BE gauntlets if you pull the mob to the farthest wall by the picture dropdown.

You need to use your lowest level fear too, since you don't want it to last too long. I have Fear, Spook the Dead, and BE Boots ready to reappply fear.

The entrance to hole IS a short run way and I need the duration to double zone.

18 seconds isn’t enough to finish the mob off - i don’t want it doing an extra round of attacks when fear breaks. It is unreliable whether there is enough distance from other mobs to guarantee it will/won’t social flee at low hp.

When the mob is low enough hp it stops moving entirely - until then i am facetanking. Not enough room at zone in to fear kite proper.

Nevertheless I’ll try out the suggestions and see if there is an improvement.

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Originally Posted by Jimjam [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The entrance to hole IS a short run way and I need the duration to double zone.

18 seconds isn’t enough to finish the mob off - i don’t want it doing an extra round of attacks when fear breaks. It is unreliable whether there is enough distance from other mobs to guarantee it will/won’t social flee at low hp.

When the mob is low enough hp it stops moving entirely - until then i am facetanking. Not enough room at zone in to fear kite proper.

Nevertheless I’ll try out the suggestions and see if there is an improvement.

What I do in HS is I back off a few seconds before fear ends, and bring the mob back to the beginning of the runway, and re-fear. Rinse repeat until dead.

I have a video https://youtu.be/WmDvk3udrhI

[Jimjam]

ack I tried to record 9 mins of hole entry fun but it only captured sound :'(

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Originally Posted by Jimjam [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

ack I tried to record 9 mins of hole entry fun but it only captured sound :'(

I've done that before. Always hate it when you think you set everything up and forgot to press a button or something.

[Snaggles]

I’d probably pick a longer runway and come back to the Hole when you can pull from CE. Grobb will take you to low 50’s easy by the entrance and had a longer runway.

I’d use Dooming and normal fear. Melee a few rounds to the PoD and run back to the zone and wait. Or go to HK and exp even faster with less danger.

Also I’d stay 2h. Unless you have a horrible one it’s going to significantly outpace the best 1h’s outside ToV or Yeli. Quicker kills, less fears, less mana, quicker repops.

[Pint]

Thread would be more useful if it had more then one sk main in it. Bunch of ppl debating their alts not so helpful

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Originally Posted by Pint [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Thread would be more useful if it had more then one sk main in it. Bunch of ppl debating their alts not so helpful

You don't need to main a class to understand it well. That isn't a good argument. Besides, my SK was my original main for years. He was the first character I got above 50 on P99, and he farmed the money for my Shaman. I just ended up liking Shaman more, which is why I got him to 60 first.