Guide/Tips to "Full Party PVE Mob Runs"

[Skeokateva]

First, I would like to say that this is my own work and opinions and that there are several other approaches to PVE Mob Runs. Please feel free to add your inputs and comments on these tactics; also, you can create your own guide; as I would love to read how other view this subject as this is my first guide, and I hope to be adding more soon.

*This is intended to be a basic starter guide. Created with the idea that this guide may act like a base or stepping stone to improving other’s experience and helping others to come into their own playing styles.

Tips on Full Party PVE Mob Runs
Attack/survival tactics:

“Balance it is not necessary to have the perfectly stable party of Bird, Bear, Mage in my opinion, but it defiantly helps.”

Word Keys:

 

• Buff: help you and or your party by adding an increase to Stats
• Mob: a group of enemies
• Debuff: Decreases Stats of enemies making them more vulnerable and or causing them to deal less damage
• Spam: To do repetitively and quickly
• Full Party Runs: a group of 5 players that is focused on a common goal (XP, Boss Drops, or Clearing Rooms)
• Kite: stay on the fringe of enemies attacks so that you remain out of their range but can still attack them, works well with Root, Stun or Freeze skills
• Class: Meaning either Bird, Bear, or Mage

My preferences in Party balance for PVE “Mob” runs:

1. 1 bear, 2 mages, 2 Birds

 

a) Bear> buffs and enters Mob to Group together enemies with pull, then can either unload their slashes and scream OR go for the instant bear combo. Personally, I like to Pull enemies and keep them close to me as a Bear and away from the mages in the party, and usually this works best for a bear if the mage can spam heals IMO. Use Single target power slashes on bosses after Buffs and Screams, Pull can be helpful against bosses but be aware of stomping Bosses too far from your party. In addition, you can use Pull and Stomp to defend members of your party by either drawing the Boss or mini boss to you OR stomping them away from stunned party members.

b) Mage> Buffs (Rev has a small buff that last a minute from what I’ve seen, so use it if you would like). Enter after bear and Spam Debuffs as the bear Pulls, you can also use the debuffs while you run through Mobs as mages debuffs cast for a couple of seconds, this can help maximize the enemies in your area of effect. After defuff and between constant spam heals I like to ice storm( not frost bite) +lightning+ Fire for the max area damage deal and “Hot Flash” Combo; and then use I use remaining skills usually saving Drain life until I need heath. I also like to leave my shield unused so that when we enter a new Mob I can use it in place of Buffs that are still cooling down. Spam single target skills (drain life, frost Bite: use after you Buff and debuff enemy for Combos) on high-powered enemies and bosses and kite around them to avoid damage if you are un-buffed.


c) Bird (I don’t have as much Mob experience as a Bird)> Buffs enters after Bear, and usually can deal a huge amount of damage with Combo and then can finish killing (any evil mages fist then other enemies) with the remainder of Roots and Arrow skills (Will add to this if someone who has Bird experience would like add input). Use the advantage of kiting, Bows and Arrow Skills to Snipe out high-powered enemies and bosses.

d) Party Combos: once you and your party runs through a Mob or 2 is the best time in my opinion to start timing Party Combos. Watch for the timing of other people and position plant your piece of the Party combo into their routine. While there are other ways to organize these combo I use this method personally because it saves time trying to coordinate your attacks.

2. 2 Bears (helping one another dual combo), AND either 1 or 2 bird(s) OR 1 or 2 mage(s)

 

a) Apply the same Class concepts that I mentioned above,
b) Bear have to dual combo or have some way that they work together otherwise the Mob can get really spread out and take longer to kill as a group.
c) What I mean by dual combo is take turns on Pulling to group enemies and also with stomping enemies away. It is beneficial to have one bear that leads by always entering 1st and the second bear finishes the Mob with Pulling and Grouping creating a kind of back and forth between which bear is tanking the Mob; it helps if the second bear does their Pull to relieve the first bear if their health gets low. Or both bears can tank in sequence by pulling enemies into the same group. In addition, it helps if the second bear does their Pull to relieve the first bear if their health gets low
d) the heavy tanking from 2 bears makes it easier for a one mage party to survive if the mage primarily focus’ on debuffs and healing team, in place of aggressive attacks
e) Birds can really provide a great damage input especially if there are 2 of them Runs can move really quickly.
…(OR)…
f) Having 2 mages can produce twice the amount of Debuffs, heals/Revs, and area of effect attacks.
g) There can be parties without the presence of all three classes, and I will be looking into doing a guild to Mob Runs with more unbalanced Parties soon.

Please provide any questions, comments of feedback that you have about my guide. Thank for reading and Enjoy.

By: Skeo

Additional note on Birds tactics:

 

An elite pro pure dexbird and a bird should focus, follow the bear in, shattering scream when he sees the bear beckon, thorn wall once the mobs are gathered (it sets up the nature strike combo when the mage lightnings), blast shot (for his own self combo) and evade. If the bear hellscreams after the nature strike then you will activate a mega combo. Provided by a viewer

*Note: edited or additional text is written in italics
Last Edit: 1-20-2012

[RBeltran]

Great guide. Under the debuff definition, I think you mean vulnerable instead of venerable?

[ItsCas]

Very nice guide! This will help people who werent familiar with it before maximize the full potential of xp runs.

[wvhills]

I'm an elite pro pure dexbird and a bird should focus, follow the bear in, shattering scream when he sees the bear beckon, thorn wall once the mobs are gathered (it sets up the nature strike combo when the mage lightnings), blast shot (for his own self combo) and evade. If the bear hellscreams after the nature strike then you will activate a mega combo.

Also, bears shouldn't waste time trying to kill every single mob. Rush in, beckon to a wall, step back and stomp mobs back into the wall, then hellscream. If the mobs health bar is less than 50% the bear needs to leave and go gather the next group. If not then continue to taunt and beckon the mobs away from the mages and birds.

Most mages either don't heal or heal whenever it's available. A pro mage will save heal until he sees the tanks health getting low then cast it. There's no sense in casting heal when you're running to the next set of mobs and everyone has used health pots and has full health. Watch your tanks health and save you heal until he needs it!

[Fyrce]

I will usually just heal whenever it's avail. It's got a very fast CD. OTOH if no one is getting hit at all, then maybe I won't, but usually someone is getting hit -- other mage, bird, bear...

[Skeokateva]

Thanks for all the comments I appreciate it.
And RBeltran, thanks for the catch.There isn't a word in the world that I can't typo to death

[Skeokateva]

I'm an elite pro pure dexbird and a bird should focus, follow the bear in, shattering scream when he sees the bear beckon, thorn wall once the mobs are gathered (it sets up the nature strike combo when the mage lightnings), blast shot (for his own self combo) and evade. If the bear hellscreams after the nature strike then you will activate a mega combo.

Also, bears shouldn't waste time trying to kill every single mob. Rush in, beckon to a wall, step back and stomp mobs back into the wall, then hellscream. If the mobs health bar is less than 50% the bear needs to leave and go gather the next group. If not then continue to taunt and beckon the mobs away from the mages and birds.

Most mages either don't heal or heal whenever it's available. A pro mage will save heal until he sees the tanks health getting low then cast it. There's no sense in casting heal when you're running to the next set of mobs and everyone has used health pots and has full health. Watch your tanks health and save you heal until he needs it!

Thanks for the input I should have been more specific as to who this guide was intended for; I apologize if I was misleading but I have edited the post to be more specific. This guide ins't really for players who are "pro" as it is my opinion that most pros have come into their own playing style, and this guide is more geared towards helping those in need, looking for basic tips or additional advice. It is possible that I may create a tread late on for pros to discuss and trade their playing styles with other players at that level. Again Thanks for the insightful post

P.S. If you would like I can add your Bird class tactics (credited to you) to expand the info for that class, let me know

[wvhills]

Thanks for the input I should have been more specific as to who this guide was intended for; I apologize if I was misleading but I have edited the post to be more specific. This guide ins't really for players who are "pro" as it is my opinion that most pros have come into their own playing style, and this guide is more geared towards helping those in need, looking for basic tips or additional advice. It is possible that I may create a tread late on for pros to discuss and trade their playing styles with other players at that level. Again Thanks for the insightful post

P.S. If you would like I can add your Bird class tactics (credited to you) to expand the info for that class, let me know

feel free to include it but don't credit me. Haha. I have a reputation for being a noob and I don't want to tarnish it.

[Skeokateva]

Thanks, I Updated the original Post