Respec for New Elite Map needed? Share your thoughts!

[meanakric]

I have recently tried very hard to play new Elite Map with my little blue creature and I found that previous pure INT build simply can't withstand the attack even from small characters in the new Elite Map, for eg., pirates with gun. Forcing me to rethink strategy.

Yes, with high damage output, there's significant increase on speed to kill mobs. On the other hand, I died too frequently, too fast in Elite map (Suddenly remind me of too fast, too furious). Sometimes you really have no choice but to sacrifice a lot on your precious platinum in order to continue supporting other players on spot. No bluff, without sorcerer's support, the bitter fight becomes very much bitter.

Continue with the discussion about support from mage, I think the single most important support now from sorcerer is not damage. STUN is the only factor that keeps mage relevant in Elite Map. If a mage can delivers CONTINUOUS stun to all enemies, it's a PLUS PLUS to other players. If 4 sorcerers could work together, continuously stunning all enemies while damaging them, it would be nice! Any thoughts here?

To deliver CONTINUOUS stun, I can only think of Fireball + Frost (No.4 upgrade is a must, to extend the time). Any other advice for this?

Of course, even with continuous stun, there's still chances that you might get hit real pain. So for the other two slots, I am thinking of HEAL and shield, letting go of my precious timeshift. Advice needed here as well. I am also thinking of shifting some points from INT to STR.

Please share generously of your advice! Thank you.

[Cero]

charge timeshift can stun with stun upgrade.

when i do elite seas i only.charge frost and spam lightning and fireball.

elite seas and jarl mob is best for frost rather than fireballs stun+lil push back. frost keep them together intac.


about deaths it is unavoidable for they hit hard. im just glad that elite seas is just in a small ship. easy to respawn after death.

[meanakric]

charge timeshift can stun with stun upgrade.

Eh? I nvr notice it. Time shift can stun mobs too? Yes, I think Frost is now too important for Elite map.

[Valsacar]

Yes, stun is important, but those dang sharks are immune to stun and freeze. Timeshift is the ONLY way to deal with them, you can still hit them if you're just outside the range of their stun attack. I don't have the mass freeze, but I've thought about changing to get it (just not sure what I would want to give up for it).

I really wish we could choose who we target with attacks, even if I try and move so the guy I want to hit is closest it doesn't always hit him (ie I want to freeze that bastard with the gun).

I've found that with 1800 health I can survive one guy with the gun (lots of pots), two and there's a strong chance of dieing (but good use of time and fireball I might be able to make it). The shark I can deal with, as long as I time things so I don't get stunned, get stunned and you're dead.

With my build, and the tactics I've been working on, I can solo up to 3 guys on elite KI (as long as they aren't all guys with guns). It takes a bit of kiting, and time, but it lets me keep going while the rest of the team runs back to me. Knockback proc is also really useful, with that and clyde I've been able to kite bosses while the team respawns (sometimes, but not even 50%... working on it).

[meanakric]

AH.... now you remind me of the giant shark and yes, time shift is the ONLY way. Choosing of targets, that always frustrate me too. Very often my fireball will like to hit a pot far away rather than the enemies nearby. Sounds familiar?

So still, we sorcerers shouldn't mess around with the pirates with guns. Melee weapon pirates are just fine as long as we have timeshift, right? I am wondering how useful/durable the shield is against mobs in KI elite map.

[Valsacar]

Yeah, not sure about shield, never used it. One gun guy is easy, freeze, he'll never attack. Two is a bit harder, time shift to keep them locked up (one will stay frozen) and basically use time as a shield (even if they aren't in it). Keep popping in and out of range (your range is about the same as theirs, if you have a gun, I think lightning is a little better). Pop in, blast with everything, pop out of range. Time will keep them locked up.

Here's how it goes.

Charged fireball (from max range), run in and hit ice and lightning while moving, charge time as soon as you hit the other two.

By the time you reach them time is charged, drop and run.

As you run back (out of their range) ice and time (and normally fireball) will be ready again, so hit them on the run backwards.

Once ice and lightning are back (for the third time), dart in and hit them both (DO NOT HIT FIREBALL, that will get you killed).

As soon as time is around 4/5 restored, start charging fireball.

Right when time drops, let loose the charged fireball.

Repeat.

If you do it right, you'll rarely get hit (the frozen guy can never fire, hence you can handle up to 2 guys with guns). A quick pot (sacrifice damage for health, if at 70% or below use a pot) will keep you alive. Use the gun sparingly, you don't want to push them around too much, unless one gets outside the bubble, then use the gun to push them back in.

If the passage is narrow you can use time to block the whole thing, even if it isn't those guys are dumb. If you keep time between you and them, they rarely walk around it... idiots. If you've blocked the whole passage, you can use the gun, even if it pushes them out they can't get to you.

Sharks are harder, you have to time it right after they do their stomp so you don't get stunned. A shark and 2 gun guys (or even just one) is REALLY hard to deal with, but it can be done.

[meanakric]

Few questions:


As you run back (out of their range) ice and time (and normally fireball) will be ready again, so hit them on the run backwards.
Do you mean ice and "lightning" over here because time has just been used?

After you run backwards and before ice and lightning are back, are do you do? spam normal attack?

Why using Fireball when dart in again will get killed?


As soon as time is around 4/5 restored, start charging fireball.

Right when time drops, let loose the charged fireball.
Can't understand these steps.

[Valsacar]

Few questions:


Do you mean ice and "lightning" over here because time has just been used?


Sorry, ice and lightning.



After you run backwards and before ice and lightning are back, are do you do? spam normal attack?


You can, but it depends. I use gun with push back (useful for keeping things like sharks away from you, and if you missed on the time drop you can push them back into it). Depending on what the map looks like, using a gun could get you killed if you pushed a guy out of time and he's able to move towards you. Staff, range is too short, you want to stay far enough away (while waiting for skills to recharge) that they can't hit you.



Why using Fireball when dart in again will get killed?


Because, if you use fireball at this point (time is still keeping them in one place) it won't be available to use again when time drops (and they all start rushing towards you). By dart back in, I mean just far enough that your skills can hit them, don't need to be right on top of them.




Can't understand these steps.

The button for time, you can see it fill up as it's getting close to being able to use. When it's full (but still "greyed out") time will drop, and the mobs will be free to move. When it's right at about 4/5ths full, start charging fireball. It will be about 1s before time drops, and it takes about 1s to charge fireball and move within range.

As soon as you see the clock go away, you let go of the charged fireball, stunning them all again. You then start charging time while you run in the middle of them (or near), pause for 1/4 of a second (to make sure it drops where you want), drop time and run. You might get hit, but you should be able to take 1-2 hits without a problem (the gun guys are slower, only melee guy could hit you fast enough).

[Valsacar]

I just had an interesting one on Grog beach. We cleared the first few guys, then ran to the boss. Of course, boss isn't there, but this let us clear out all the mobs there, take out the chests and crates (so you don't target them by mistake) and all those stupid traps. After that, work backwards and kill enough mobs for boss to spawn. Good strategy, worked well. But I died, got hit by the shark stun (was right on the edge of his range) and then blasted by 2 gun guys, splat, one dead smurf.

Problem was, on the run back there's that spot we left blank... with 10 gun guys. Even with shiloh I couldn't run fast enough to get past them before I was executed (firing squad style)... oh, and a shark in there for good measure. Strategy here was to die, a lot.

Each time I'd run in, get their attention, and die instantly. But each time they moved a little, I was working on getting them in a group. I was able to get the shark dude and kill him off, but that group of guns was the problem. Once I got them all in a nice little group, one fireball (charged) to stun, drop time right behind them (not charged, I just needed to slow them down enough to get out of range) and then I was able to run past. I got lucky and one of the tanks died right when I got them all set up, so the rest of the run back was cake.

Know your skills, don't fear death, it can work.

[meanakric]

Now I understand fully. Thank you Valsacar. Even though I have no lightning at the moment, I will try it with the others tonight!

[Valsacar]

Good luck, it took some practice but it's been working well for me.

[drgrimmy]

Teamwork, aggro control and keeping mobs together are your keys. I find best group has a tank and a rogue with trap. Never attack first. Always let the tank do it first or you are almost garunteed to die. The rogue with trap is then usefull to gather the mobs together. This is key because it is the disorganized mobs that are going to kill you. With the large aeo upgrade of fireball you are going to get aggro from the enemies on the edges of a messy mob and none of your teammates are going to get it back because they don't have aoe skills large enough to regain the aggro of these enemies. This is particularly problematic with the guys with guns as they have a ranged attack and will sit on the edge of a messy mob. So what so you do if there is a messy mob? If there is a messy mob and there are a few enemies with guns on the edge of this messy mob, go to the other side of the mob to attack and this usually prevents you from getting aggro from them. Similarly, if you do get aggro from them and cannot handle them yourself, stop attacking and run to the other side of the mob. As they follow you they will be incorporated into the melee mob, likely getting hit by the warrior or rogue and focusing their aggro on them. At this point after losing aggro you can resume attacking. I find these are the keys, attempting to keep a tight compact mob and keeping your attention on the guys at the edges of the mobs, because these are the ones that are going to kill you.

[meanakric]

I think Valsacar's advice is good. Never use Fireball before time reach 4/5 of the cool down time.

Just wanna ask, is there anyway to increase the chances of large scale frozing? Is it relevant by increasing crits?

And yes, it's true to stop attacking sometimes and let warrior hold aggro. While holding on with my AOE attack, usually I will choose a single target to frost and kill him with my best speed. It's always good to reduce enemies numbers!

[Cero]

the only hing i see is stop using chargr fireball. its better to freeze them than push them back a lil farther.

[Valsacar]

the only hing i see is stop using chargr fireball. its better to freeze them than push them back a lil farther.

I actually don't have the mass freeze (after I see what this next update does I might respec to get it), the stun on charged fireball does the trick though. Goal is to get them stuck in time, before they hit you, and keep them there until dead.

[TheBedtBird]

You guys should think about getting curse. I know you may say thats not a good skill, but trust me I use it and I have pratically zero deaths in pve

[meanakric]

You guys should think about getting curse. I know you may say thats not a good skill, but trust me I use it and I have pratically zero deaths in pve

Shame to say that I haven't try it before. Can you elaborate more how it becomes useful in elite PVE?

[TheBedtBird]

Yea, curse and lightning works wonderful om bosses, If lightning crits and you have them debuffed with curse, it causes 4000 crit damage, hope this helps:)