9/30/08

Witch Hunter Overview

Service to the Empire is honor, privilege, and the singular purpose of a Witch Hunter. Showing unrelenting dedication to the purge of Chaos, they follow the teachings of Sigmar which make up the very core of their soul. Masters of the blade and one of the few classes utilizing firearms, they bring forth judgment against their enemies with no mercy. Using stealth and combination attacks, the Witch Hunter inflicts incredible amounts of damage with exacting precision and is a formidable foe on the battlefield.

Strengths:
  • The ability to inflict a high amount of damage quickly or over time.

  • The ability to move in stealth and utilize special surprise attacks.

  • Can build up points to use execution finishing moves which do high levels of damage

Weaknesses:
  • Is not a tank class and is susceptible to damage

  • Stealth abilities reduce movement speed

  • Ranged attack is relatively weak and short range


PvE Overview
The Witch Hunter's main role as DPS provides players the ability to deal heavy amounts of damage at the price of survivability. They can dispatch a single target extremely quickly but any additional encounters could kill them in short order.

Working much like the Rogue classes in other MMOG's the Witch Hunter builds up points in order to do finishing moves which can provide a variety of effects from normal damage, to an armor debuff. They also have skills which can only be used from stealth giving the Witch Hunter a great balance in PvE combat.

RvR Overview
The Witch Hunter almost has a support role in RvR combat, meaning they can't rush into a one on one battle no matter how badly they want to. However, their versatility provide a number of combat options which can make them invaluable. If two well matched tanks are beating on each other, the Witch Hunter can turn the tide. Perhaps there is a particularly pesky healer or caster harassing people at long range. A Witch Hunter can move in, make short work of them and escape long before anyone figures out what happened. The only downside to the Witch Hunter is their inherent squishyness. When targeted by tanks or a pair of casters, they can be chewed up and spit out pretty quickly.

Witch Hunter Mastery Paths
Path of Confession: The Path of Confession is direct and uncompromising, and focused primarily on direct and immediate opposition to heresy. A specialist in Confession will eschew subtlety and lengthy investigations in favor of simply approaching their enemy and beating the truth out of them. While not necessarily the most powerful approach, it is effective in its straightforward brutality, and provides a small measure of increased protection when the Witch Hunter finds themselves under direct attack.

Path of Inquisition: The Path of Inquisition is focused on longer and detailed investigations, weakening and progressively working over an enemy until the victim's guilt is all but assured. A player with heavy Inquisition Mastery may appear less powerful at first glance, but the devastating effects of their attacks are felt more and more as the fight progresses.

Path of Judgement: The Path of Judgment is taken by Witch Hunters who are assured that their targets are guilty and no questioning is needed. They tend to take their suspects by surprise, and are at their best when the enemy's attention is elsewhere. A Master of Judgment will seek to avoid face-to-face confrontations, and will be at their most powerful when they have allies nearby that can distract their enemies, allowing the Witch Hunter to lay down very potent attacks.

9/29/08

Swordmaster Overview

With the edge of his glistening blade, death is made beautiful. Nothing could be more true for the Swordmaster and all will know the terrible truth when they see this warrior enter into the blade dance. This class spends their time perfecting the fatal cut of the blade and learning to manipulate their movement to avoid the blows of those who would harm them and their comrades, making them a successful protector of their people and a desired member of any group.
The Swordmaster is a tank class that does more than just destroy the enemy. The elves have touched the base deed of killing by adding a graceful and efficient movement and mindset making the Swordmaster a warrior to be feared and commended. Let the Swordmaster lead the way of your battle and glory will be all that he strives for.



Strengths:
  • Heavy armor adds to survivability

  • Ranged attacks add excellent mob pull utility

  • Blade dance lends ease of play


Weaknesses:
  • Weak when consistently interrupted

  • Reliant on blade dance coordination

  • Low damage output


PvE Overview
The Swordmaster is a tank that has just enough flavor to make them different than many other tanks out there. The typical aspects of this class are the high damage resistance and low damage output. Some of the low damage can be balanced by actively participating in the "blade dance". These coordinated abilities help boost the Swordmaster's output a bit, but make no mistake, this class is meant to be the front lines fellow that takes the beating. As such, you'll find that he works better in groups with extra DPS, but still manages to hold his own when he goes solo.

RvR Overview
This is the guy you want standing in front of you when the Destruction come pouring it. The Swordmaster does quite well in RvR, particularly when coupled with a DPS class or a healer. They can be nearly unstoppable if they are skilled in debuff and the blade dance play style, but they do have their weaknesses. They become vulnerable of losing their place in the blade dance when interrupted or resisted. This can be frustrating if you need the DPS, but patience wins with this class and the key will always be staying power!



Swordmaster Mastery Paths
Path of Khaine: The Path of Khaine focuses on the Swordmaster's signature Elf Greatsword, a massive but exquisite weapon which he can swing with deceptive speed. While no High Elf would ever worship the God of Warfare, a Master of this path acknowledges Khaine as a potent and necessary figure, and the Swordmaster brings swift death to any who stand in his way.

Path of Vaul: The Path of Vaul is primarily focused on defense, and a Master of this path may very well be temped to lay aside his Greatsword in favor of an elegant Elf-crafted shield instead. The Swordmaster who specializes in this path will be the core that the lines of battle form around.

Path of Hoeth: The Path of Hoeth is for Swordmasters who have spent much longer amounts of time in the White Tower, honing their innate magical skills and learning how to smoothly work magical power into their attacks. A Master of this path will learn subtle ways to both expose weaknesses in their foes, and to shield themselves in battle.

White Lion Overview

In a world fraught with war and torn by savage battles there is often no one that a lone fighter can depend upon, heart and soul, for protection and companionship. This does not stand true for the brave hunter class, the White Lion. The High Elves have mastered the beautiful synchronicity between elf and beast, coupling pure cunning with raw power and channeling it towards the protection of their people and the destruction of their enemies.



This moderately armored class chooses just how to use their lion companion in battle. Through the various masteries the beast can either fulfill a true combat duo or he may work with his trusted hunter in more of a support role. Regardless, the lion is an essential part of this mighty warrior's ability to withstand the evil of the Destruction.

Strengths:
  • Pet class allows for diverse play style

  • Ranged attacks

  • Higher damage positional attacks


Weaknesses:
  • Pet dependant

  • Low defense

  • Split DPS between hunter and lion


PvE Overview
As melee DPS class, the White Lion shines in both group and solo game play.
In a group positional attacks and the use of the pet add to the overall damage output greatly. As with most pet classes, the lion allows for solo play that can go above and beyond what non-pet classes can do. The hunter gains either a tank or a DPS companion with your war lion without ever having to wait for playmates.

RvR Overview
In RvR the hunter's war lion makes an excellent source of distraction in combat. Using him to bait your opponent while you either attack via ranged or work out your own positioning works well. When enemies hone in on the hunter instead, keep the lion in the fray and he can potentially go unnoticed.
The White Lion class can be a valuable asset in team play, backing up the tank classes and aiding in the protection of the mages and healers.

White Lion Mastery Paths
Path Of the Hunter: White Lions who choose the path of the Hunter embrace the ways of the wild and fight shoulder to shoulder with their War Lion. The two stride into battle side by side in a balanced assault that is capable of spreading damage around to multiple targets with ease. This path requires the least amount of Master & Pet coordination so damage against a single foe is lessened.

Path of the Axeman: White Lions who choose this path focus on the Mastery of their fine woodsman axes, preferring instead to use their lions as distractions as they approach from the side or Rear. The path of the Axeman requires good coordination with your War Lion or your group members so you can be allowed to strike from an unguarded flank.

Path of the Guardian: White Lions who choose this path focus on diverting attention from their War Lion or Group members so that they can do maximum damage. The path of the guardian does not directly increase the White Lion's own defenses significantly but focuses more on reducing his opponents damage output and distracting them from the War Lion or individual group mates.

9/27/08

Chosen Overview

Few understand what it means to give your life in service to Tzeentch, the Raven God. To truly be one of the favored amongst the bringer of change's army grants you immense power, at only the cost of your soul. The Chosen lead the Chaos armies into battle with themselves at the front. With the ability to take a lot of damage, cause a decent amount of damage, and the myriad different Auras of power granted to them by Tzeentch, the Chaos Chosen are truly a force to be reckoned with. The effects of their auras set the Chosen apart from other fighters. From auras that buff the rest of the parties damage and resistances to auras that heal the Chosen himself, there are a host of different effects you can chose from depending on the situation.

Strengths:
  • The ability to take lots of damage with an above average amount of hit points.

  • The ability to deal more damage than other tanks on average.

  • Auras that cause different effects such as buffing or damage.


Weaknesses:
  • Lack of ranged attacks makes fighting from a distance effectively impossible.

  • Lifetap aura doesn't heal for enough to offset combat damage.

  • Weak against ranged damage classes


PvE Overview
The Chaos Chosen is hard to beat in PvE play. With their high tolerance for damage and ability to enhance their DPS through their different auras, they tend to solo quickly and effectively. Their abilities are derived from their auras, which they can use to either enhance their ability to resist damage, resist effects, or even afford them self minor heals during combat.

While in a group, the Chosen can stand out as a huge asset to the team. Their ability to buff the team through their auras allows the group a chance to increase their DPS or their resists. With the power of their auras generating extra hate to increase the taunts they already have, a Chosen shouldn't have too much trouble keeping the DPS classes out of trouble.

RvR Overview
The Chaos Chosen's chosen mode of combat is up close and personal. The combination of their ability to soak damage, do a decent amount of damage, and the effects of a their auras make the Chosen a hard foe to bring down. However, beware the ranged DPS classes. If they can draw a bead on you, they'll light you up. If you catch it soon enough however, you should be able to confront them before you die and that's where you shine. Let's face it, for a Chosen of Tzeentch, nothing is quite as fun as beating up on a cloth wearer trying to defend themselves in vain. Healers are your BFF's (best friends forever) and with a dedicated healer you go from being a pain to an outright unstoppable

Chaos Chosen Mastery Paths
Path of Strife: A This Path of Mastery focuses on increasing your DPS, which makes it potentially both sick AND wrong. In order to travel the path of "Chosen the Destructor" you will need to abandon your shield in favor of a two handed weapon, so you do sacrifice some protection in order to deal out more of the hurt.

Path of Retaliation: A This Path of Mastery focuses on being able to take the beating and outlast your foes. This is the path that allows you to be like Marv from Sin City ("Is that all you've got?!") and take an inhuman beating. These abilities allow you to define the battle lines because you ARE the battle lines.

Path of Discord: A This Path of Mastery focuses on the use of your auras. Tzeentch's gifts aren't wasted on the foolish and the Chosen who walk this path will be able to utilize their gifts in ways that other Chosen only dream of. From enhancing your melee attacks to unleashing blasts of magical power, this is the Caster Tank's path of choice.

Disciple of Khaine Overview

Introduced to the Warhammer universe as the healer class for the Dark Elves, the Disciple of Khaine weilds both sword and sorcery in an odd style of blood magic. In true Druchii spirit, they require the blood of their enemies in order to fuel their healing magic, and thus are always on the front lines of combat hacking and slashing people for the glory of the God of Murder. This odd mix of melee and healing abilities give them a surprisingly high survivability rating in the thick of combat for a healer. If you were thinking of playing a healer in WAR, but are a "get in and get dirty" type of player, this might just be the class for you.



Strengths:
  • Disciples of Khaine fuel their abilities through direct melee combat so there's no more sitting back and being bored healing.

  • Since they power their healing abilities through melee combat, they have a higher chance of survival when in the thick of combat

  • Disciples of Khaine are equally at home in both solo PvE and RvR play.


Weaknesses:
  • Disciples of Khaine have to get up close and personal in order to heal.
  • While this presents better opportunities for aggresive playstyle while still being a healer, you're still a healer and being smack dab in the middle of combat isn't usually the healthiest place for a healer to be.

  • Disciples have few ranged attacks compared to other healers.

  • Disciples of Khaine fuel their power through attacking. If you're not attacking anyone, then you run out of Blood points quickly and lose your healing abilities.


PvE Overview
The Disciple of Khaine fears little in PvE. Since they power their healing abilities though combat, a player who can learn how to play a Disciple early on will be able to solo Champion class foes in single combat. The only thing that can truly stop a Disciple is just sheer numbers. This is makes the Disciple of Khaine so popular as a class, since they do have a high probability for survival in most fights.

In a group, the Disciple of Khaine works best as an off tank. They do enough damage to be helpful, and should the need arise, can hold down one or two strong foes long enough for the tank to get back n the fight and start taunting away. However, with their healing abilities healing the tank as they fight side by side, that probably won't happen often.

RvR Overview
Disciples of Khaine are wicked in RvR combat. Since they do a decent amount of melee damage and can heal well during combat, it's rare that you'll find a class that can stand up to them one on one. If you get two Disciples working in tandem, that can be a sight to behold as they cut through just about anything you have to offer. On the average, it will usually take at least two people to take down a well played Disciple of Khaine.

Melee combat is your friend. If you get caught out in the open with no one to cut on and attacked at range? You're a goner. While you have 250 blood points to burn through, it does you no good if you can't replenish them. As a Disciple of Khaine, as long as you have people to cut, you'll have blood points to spend in healing and if you can keep the heals going, you can outlast even the most dedicated Melee DPS class.



Disciple of Khaine Mastery Paths
Path of Ritual: The Path of Ritual focuses on increasing your healing abilities. This will make it easier for you to heal more efficiently, incurring less overall cost for your healing abilities.

Path of Torture: This Path of Mastery focuses on causing more damage with your attacks. Of course Khaine absolutely loves this. Coupled with your already impressive healing abilities, this can be a wicked path to master for the Disciple.

Path of Sacrifice: This Path of Mastery is about debuffing your enemy into oblivion. It raises your attack power and lowers your foes abilities and skills. This causes them to visit less damage upon you and yours, thus ensuring victory for your side.

Warhammer Melee DPS Guide

This guide exists to help users of the Melee Damage (MDPS) archetype, which includes the White Lion, Witch Hunter, Marauder, and Witch Elf classes, gain a better understanding of how "Pick Up Groups" (PUGs), which are unorganized groups of players, function and how to be successful within one of those groups. Users will find plenty basic tips and strategies that have been successfully tested and used on the battlefield. Users will not find comprehensive mathematical breakdowns and exact strategies for each class.

It has always been my hope and sincerest wish that users of this guide learn something and become better players. I hope you, the reader, enjoy this guide and do, in fact, learn something!

The Types of Combat
In Warhammer Online, and indeed most MMOs in general, there are four basic types of "PUG" (Pick Up Group), which is to say- unorganized, combat. What I mean by unorganized is that the players on each side are a random assortment of players that don't have a set plan in mind and are often very uncoordinated. They either never gain a plan, or they have to just make it up as they go along. The four basic types of PUG combat are:

    Large Group, aka "Zerg"
    The term zerg refers to a race in the strategy game "Starcraft." The main tactic for this race was not getting the best units or technologies, but instead the race was all about getting as many units onto the battlefield at one time...whether the units are very effective or not. Therefore, the "zerg" has come to be a term meaning "a very large, unorganized mass of players." When in a zerg situation, MDPS are at their very weakest. It is difficult for them to cross the field and do anything meaningful before they are gunned down by the large mass of ranged players.

    Medium Group
    A medium group could be loosely defined as 7-18 players. This size of group will most commonly be encountered in scenarios. MDPS fair surprisingly well in this situation, as long as the player understands some basic principles. "The Flow of Battle," my original guide, as well as the chapter with the same name, address this situation.

    Small Group
    Approximately 2-5 players. This is when MDPS are at their strongest. MDPS typically have the damage power to kill most healers and ranged damage (RDPS) classes by themselves, and the offense threats against them are at a minimum in this situation.

    Solo
    1v1 combat. MDPS are very strong here as well, but don't fair as well as melee healers like Warrior-Priests and Disciples.


Basic Tips for Any Combat Situation
There are some basic things that will greatly improve your chances of success as a MDPS, no matter your combat situation.

    Have a healer friend.
    This is listed first for a reason! Cherish them as much as they should cherish you. In a tier 1 game having a healer would mean the difference from a game with 10 kills and 10k damage to a game of 18 kills and 35k damage. I prefer the ranged healers of any type as you can use your snare to peel enemies off them. The ranged healers also further improve your magic resistances with the appropriate buff...which is GREAT to have (always ask for resist buff over strength buff, trust me and tell them politely to use it on themselves!). Don't underestimate the power of having a melee healer with you though (especially if they have a tank friend to guard them!). Their armor buff is extremely helpful.

    Know your enemy.
    First, know that your biggest enemy is other melee. You have light or medium armor with only about 25% damage mitigation. A defensive tank gets up to 70% mitigation, an offensive tank 45%ish mitigation. That's a big difference! Second: know that ranged healers stand no chance against you. Last, know that if you start a fight in melee range against an RDPS, it's pretty much over for them as well.

    Know thyself.
    You're mainly a skirmisher...a caster killer. You're not built to stay on the front lines like a tank. Get in, get your kill, and get out if you're going to take hits.

    Situational Awareness
    This is basically being aware of your surroundings. Very often it is wise to pan your camera around to check if you're about to be flanked, or what your enemy is about to do. Don't get too caught up in the frenzy of battle.

    Stick Together
    Never run strait into the zerg unless all the melee run in together. You will get tab targeted and focused down unless there are other melee (especially a shield tank) to absorb part of the damage for you. Running in all together is very effective, but takes some coordination that most pug groups aren't willing to display.


Gear and Statistics
The most important stats on gear, in my personal preference order (I say it this way because it's bound to be debated), are:

    Resists - You're a caster killer, and they don't like to see you coming! Resists are very important for your survival. Even the "physical" ranged damage: Shadow Warriors, Engineers, and Squig Herders, are equipped with a number of skills that are based on resists. Do not spend RPs on increasing resists though. All your resists should come through gear and buffs from friends.

    Armor - Realistically, armor is soft capped by the type you wear and so increasing it isn't always possible. Still, you want armor as your biggest enemy is other melee. Having a melee healer (Warrior-Priest or Disciple) in your group that runs the armor buff helps significantly. I would not spend your RPs on increasing armor, increase it through gear or buffs from friends.

    Strength - You're a damage class. Strength improves your damage. Makes sense! But wait Duty, I'm a Witch Hunter and have ranged skills, shouldn't I stack Ballistic? No. WHs have a very high base Ballistic skill. Mythic gave them this so their stat spread wouldn't be too crazy. Stack strength as a Witch Hunter just as you would other classes. Strength is where the majority of RPs should be spent.

    Toughness - Per point, in my opinion, resists/armor offer a lot more survivability increase, but you can only get so much of those. Toughness is the next best survivability stat. For AoE-focused character builds, I'd recommend stacking toughness equally or in preference with strength. These builds tend to do well in large situations with healers to support the MDPS. Because you will be taking so much damage in these situations, toughness becomes more vital. Toughness is where your secondary RPs should be spent.

    Initiative - Lowering your chance to be crit is nice, but still won't have as much effect as other defensive stats. Dodge chance is nice to have to avoid the crowd control and damage skills of shadow warriors, squig herders, engineers, and witch hunters. A note: the point-blank area of effect root of Shadow Warriors, Squig Herders, and Engineers is considered a ranged skill, and so is dodged, not parried.

    Weapon Skill - The armor penetration is not as significant as you might think. First, you're killing casters, they don't have a lot of armor (and armor does not work logarithmically like it does in other games...it's a flat increase, so armor penetration is more useful against high armor targets due to hitting the "penetration cap" on lower armored targets). Melee is your biggest enemy, but you are trying to avoid them, and armor is a natural defense against them that doesn't eat stat budget (stat budget refers to what stats you spend on your gear...you can only have so many stats and so have to choose). Weapon skill is nice to have, but you get more offensive punch out of strength, and more defensive punch out of toughness, initiative, and armor.

    Willpower - Since MDPS don't heal, 1/2 this stat is worthless. The other half seems beneficial, but you don't gain enough disrupt chance to warrant stacking over other stats.

    Ballistic - Mostly worthless. Helps Witch Hunters some, but Strength will net you a better DPS increase.

    Intellect - Mostly worthless.


Tips for Large Group Situations
Zergs aren't easy for MDPS. In fact I'd say they're downright painful if you have a bad group or no support. Brawler types tend to fair much much better, but still are at a general disadvantage in this situation. Obviously character builds that emphasize AoE (Area of Effect...skills that hit multiple characters at a time), such as the Marauder's Monstrosity line, will fair better.

Large group situations tend not to "whittle down" to smaller and smaller groups. There are typically too many players to kill before the ones you just dispatched are already back. Splitting up to take multiple objectives, or players just logging/relocating are the only ways zergs tend to dissipate. Since you're weak at this type of combat: encourage dissipation. Go somewhere else, fight another battle. Don't play the zerg game and don't be a sheep. Even if you have to 1v1 you're in a much stronger position.

Still, if you feel you must participate in a zerg, you must know that zergs don't generally get progressively smaller, and so aren't won by killing all the players. They're won by pushes. Admittedly, it can be incredibly fun charging the line and routing your enemies even if that's more a tank's job then MDPS.

To best win the pushing, you must coordinate melee charges. You can't send 1-2 melee guys at a time as they get slaughtered. It can be difficult in a PUG to rally players to all charge at the same time...but when you do get enough to make a difference, it's quite a sight to behold as you rout the enemy and slaughter them from behind. If possible you want to stay behind tanks that are using "Hold the Line." You'll recognize it as an animation that sprays behind the tank, and he will hold his shield steadfast in front of him. He gains a 45% chance to dodge and disrupt (that is: avoid any ranged attack) while you gain 15% chance to do the same. However, you can gain the benefit up to 3 times if you stand behind 3 tanks doing it, which gives you a total of 45% to avoid any ranged attack. Hold the Line only lasts a short amount of time...it's meant to get you to the action (which by that time your enemy will probably be routing unless they have significant amounts of melee players to hide behind).

After you get to the fighting, it's pretty simple. Assist other players by focusing on 1 guy at a time to kill them faster, and don't go beyond the front line. The worst thing you can do is pass your tanks, because you'll get "tab targeted," which refers to players hitting the "target closest player" button and all focusing on you. You want to let your tanks take the damage...that's what they're there for. You try to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

If you have 2 or more ranged healing friends that are dedicated to keeping you alive, you can really rampage and flourish in a large group situation, as long as you are a brawler MDPS (marauder or white lion) that is specialized in AoEs. You can often run in and kill several players at chokepoints when you have such a support corps. Using Monstrosity spec on my Marauder, I've managed to kill 13 players near simultaneously while they came up the stairs in a Dark Elf keep. The secret is to choose your spot: a chokepoint where they're all bunched up (like stairs, a doorway or a bridge), know your AoE combos, and have help to keep you alive. When things go the right way, you'll net LOTS of kills and have a ton of fun doing so.

The Flow of Battle: Medium Group Situations
Let me start by saying that there is a very key difference in how medium group battles tend to take place from large group battles: they whittle down. What I mean is that as players die, it becomes a progressively smaller group situation. So as medium group battles carry on, MDPS get stronger and stronger.

You must use this to your advantage! I have recommended this approach because I know the power of the tab target. The biggest difference in an organized group against an unorganized one is that the organized guys are all hitting the same target to kill him faster, while unorganized guys are hitting all different ones. Tab Target turns those unorganized guys into organized ones by making sure they all target you: the melee guy who happens to be closest. I've recommended this approach so you don't get into that particularly nasty situation.

    Phase 1: The Skirmish
    When two armies first meet, the skirmish takes place. This is a period where each side is at full or near full strength. Ranged characters are at their best as they can safely hide behind melee types and blast away. The cardinal rule for MDPS of this stage is to stay alive. Don't take risks. Your RPDS buddies are at their strongest: so let them do their job! Let them pick away at the enemy forces from a safe distance. Your job is to use that wonderful snare that all MDPS have and help your RDPS friends stay away from the melee players that charge too early.

    The more melee players from the enemy side that want to charge over, the better. Kill those foolish melee! They're your biggest enemy and the more you remove, the better your survival chances are later in the fight. Even if they're tanks, they're by far the safest thing to beat on at this stage, and with enough people focusing on them, they'll die eventually.

    Don't worry, they will come to you. A true master does not chase his enemies, but lets his enemies come to him on his land...his advantage. Let their melee come (and they will), as they're easy to single out and destroy. If one of them happens to target you, run back into your group so you "overextend" him. This means you make him chase you out of range of his support: where he becomes a very easy target.

    Phase 2: Fun Time!
    After their melee characters are either dead or otherwise distracted away from you, it's time for you to make your move. You want to get at the casters at this stage. Try to flank or otherwise reach them without drawing attention. Stealth characters excel at this as they can cross the battlefield without drawing focus to themselves. Brawlers may be tempted to use Charge! but this is unwise. You not only want to save Charge! for retreating or catching a player that tries to escape, but it also brings attention to that fast moving White Lion blazing across the field...something you don't want.

    Once behind the front lines, you should know which classes to kill first. Because the majority of their healing comes from their "big heal," which is easily pushed back when they take damage, killing ranged healers is often the easiest to do, and often enough required before you can kill anything else (they'll just keep healing it!).

    If you think you can get away with it without them getting heals: kill "Glass Cannons," which are Sorceresses and Bright Wizards first. They do a TON of damage and can ruin your day if you don't take care of them. If smart ranged healers are around to prevent you from doing so, you'll have to kill the healers first.

    After the ranged healers and glass cannons are dead or not present, take out "skirmishers," who are Squig Herders and Shadow Warriors. These classes have a lot of crowd control and can make life very frustrating. Taking them out makes your job easier. Last, take out the "defender RDPS," which are the engineers and mages of Tzeentch. They are the most difficult of the ranged characters to kill, and typically aren't your first choice to kill.

    So the kill order tends to generally (there are exceptions that experience will teach you) look like this:
      Shaman/Archmage
      Zealot/Runepriest
      Sorceress/Bright Wizard - First if you can get away with it
      Squig Herder/Shadow Warrior
      Magus/Engineer
      Witch Elf/Witch Hunter
      Marauder/White Lion
      Disciple/Warrior-Priest
      All tanks


    If you succeed in not attracting attention, you should almost be guaranteed a kill. You're brutally effective when facing the enemies weakest to you while the enemies strongest against you are distracted elseware.

    If you do attract attention, be ready to retreat. Where as stealthy types rely on getting there unnoticed and are good at it, brawler types tend to excel at getting out if needed. Your detaunt (that is: the skill that reduces the damage players around you deal to you), followed by Charge! if you have it, will get you out of many situations. The whole reason I personally love brawler MDPS is their 50% AoE detaunt. It's completely underestimated by new players. It has saved me from many many sticky situations.

    Understand a key component to this stage: you don't want to overextend. There is still enough DPS on the field to be a threat to you if you stray from your support. No one can heal or kill the enemies attacking you if you're out of range. With few exceptions, you don't want to chase enemies back too far.

    Phase 3: Small Group
    At some point in the battle, one side will most likely establish itself as the clear victors and will just "mop up the rest." At this point you are generally free to overextend some (never too much though), chase down enemies, and revel in the glory of killing your enemies.

    However, sometimes the sides are fairly even with only about 2-6 players left on each side. This is a time you will want to keep special considerations in mind.

    First, there generally isn't enough DPS still out there to kill you before you can make it back to your support. *Some* overextending and chasing is warranted if it furthers the cause of winning the battle.

    Second, you want to focus fire. Take a look who others are killing and help them. Help other DPS classes before you help tanks. If you see a Witch Elf bashing on a Runepriest, and a Black Orc hitting an Archmage, go help the Witch Elf as your combined DPS is pretty staggering.

    Third, help your ranged guys by using your snare against their melee pursuers. Keep them safe: your best weapon is the guy beside you (for proof of this, calculate your current weapon vs getting the best weapon in the game for your class...figure out the gain. Will you gain double the damage or healing, double the hit points, and double the utility skills that you get from having a friend?).


Solo Battles
Solo battles are truly beyond the scope of this guide, as they are a much more exact science then groups. They depend on your class and what class you are facing more then anything, and tend to become exact blow-for-blow, counter-for-counter fights.

There are some key advantages and tips MDPS players have in solo situations though. Knowledge of which classes you can defeat and which generally defeat you is paramount. In general the melee healers, which are Warrior-Priests and Disciples, tend to be the strongest solo classes, and most of the time you'll want to avoid engaging them. Tanks also tend to be fairly tough, but most of the time will not finish you off before you can escape them if the battle goes poorly, as your escape moves tend to trump their pursuit moves.

Knowing which classes you can engage and which you can not is very important because MDPS, over any other class, have the power of selecting their engagements. Stealth and runspeed buffs (Charge!) give you that power. You're very hard to escape and you can escape very easily.

It's always beneficial to get the first blow in as well. You have a major advantage, especially against ranged characters, if you can reach them before they know you're coming. Lastly, bring friends. Two or more can always accomplish more then one solo player.

Closing
This concludes the basic training for MDPS in RvR. It may sound like a lot more work then it is, but with some practice you can become a successful player. The key is to be patient and fight on your terms...not the enemy's. Don't go chasing kills when they'll come right to you. And bring friends!

You can learn more in this War strategy guide.

9/26/08

High Elf Archmage Review

Overview:
The High Elves are known far and wide as the most powerful mages in the world, and the Archmages are the best even among their own kin. Capable of weaving all of the Winds of Magic together in complex and subtle ways, the Archmages can easily turn the tide of battle in their favor.

As the only true experts in the use of High Magic, the Archmages have learned to achieve the ultimate balance between healing their allies, and smiting their enemies. While most commonly classified as a Healer, it would be a grave mistake to keep him from using his magical attacks in a fight. Every cast of a healing ability builds up Tranquility, thereby improving the destructive attacks. Each destructive attack adds to the Force pool, which in turn lessens the cost of the heals.

Strengths:
  • Many single and group heals

  • Resurrection ability

  • Damage wards and buffs


Weaknesses:
  • Paper Armor

  • Action Points run low often

  • Pulls aggro quickly


PvE Overview
For a healer class, the Archmage is really quite an effective soloer. The heals will keep him alive long enough for his magical damage over time strikes to whittle the enemy down. The long range of the damage spells mean that most often, the enemy is near death before reaching melee distance. Remember to use a comparable amount of beneficial spells to attack abilities; achieving a balance between Tranquility and Force makes for a stronger Archmage.

RvR Overview
An Archmage is a strong addition to any group. The heals and group buffs will keep everyone alive, allowing the tank and DPS classes to do their best. The Archmage's heals have a very long range, allowing him to stay at a safe distance during the more difficult battles. Building up Force is necessary to maintain his Action Points pool, so he will need to joust forward to land his own damaging attacks during the fights.

Archmage Mastery Paths
Path of Isha: The Path of Isha is focused on restoring health and life to the Archmage's allies. A skilled Master of this path will be adept at weaving offensive magic in with his healing magic, greatly extending the efficiency of his beneficial spells..

Path of Asuryan: The Path of Asuryan is primarily aimed at bringing forth the destructive side of the Winds of Magic. An Archmage who specializes in this path will become adept at raining down doom upon his foes, while simultaneously manipulating the flows of arcane power to fuel his healing magic as well.


Path of Vaul: The Path of Vaul is a subtle Mastery that focuses on both crippling the Archmage's enemies, and strengthening his allies. The specialist in this Mastery relies on cunning effects to lead his foes to an inevitable doom which they won't even realize is approaching until it's too late.

9/25/08

Shaman Mastery Build

Since this is going to be a DPS build, your three top stats will be:

  • Intelligence = adds to magic damage

  • Willpower = adds to healing

  • Wounds = adds to hit points


The 25 points will be placed as follows: (There will be a few extra points from RvR rewards, however we will not use them here)

15 in "Gork"
Buy the following skills in the Gork tree for one point each:
  • Leaky Brains

  • Big Waaagh

  • Da Waaagh! is coming

  • Geddoff!

  • Fists of Gork


Skills in the tree you do not buy: "Mork's Touch" and "Hurts, don't it?"

The last 5 points will be put in the healing tree "Mork". Any additional points should also be placed in "Mork", there is no reason to buy the bottom or second to the bottom skill in the tree.

80 RvR points to be placed in:

  • Acumen level 1 = 1 point

  • Acumen level 2 = 3 points

  • Acumen level 3 = 6 points

  • Acumen level 4 = 10 points

  • Acumen level 5 = 14 points


  • Resolve level 1 = 1 point

  • Resolve level 2 = 3 points

  • Resolve level 3 = 6 points


  • Sage level 1 = 2 points

  • Sage level 2 = 4 points


  • Focused Power level 1 = 5 points

  • Focused Power level 2 = 10 points

  • Focused Power level 3 = 15 points


The purpose of this build is to put out enough DPS to be a threat, however you really do not want to gimp out your healing abilities.

Here are the planned active morale skills:

  • Level 1 = Gork Sez Stop

  • Level 2 = Rampaging Siphon

  • Level 3 = Divine Protection

  • Level 4 = Fists of Gork



Slotted Tactics can be changed "on the fly", as long as you are not in combat. Since there are 5 quick slots available, I would set each set to a different use. One for PvP fight, one for PvP heal, one for PvE Group, and one for PvE solo. Here is my set for a "PvP fight":

  • Leaky Brainz

  • Run Away

  • Mork is watchin

  • Git outta here.


Build Strength:

Best possible DPS

Half decent healing power - this build has 5 points in the healing tree, at this point the current understanding is that you will receive 4 more skill points through PvP levels. That would mean a total of 9 points in the healing tree.

Amazing "Don't hit me" skills. Gork sez stop causes 300 damage every 2 seconds, if the target moves the timer is reset, which means if they keep chasing you they DIE. Run Away gives you a 25% chance per hit on you that you will get a 30% speed buff for 5 seconds. Eeeek is an insta cast enemy knockdown, although this has a 60 second cooldown, this is reduced to a 20 second cooldown due to the slotted tactic "Git outta here!"

Build Weakness:

Face it, as a healer you are the primary target of the enemy group in PvP. You have very little defense and almost no armor whatsoever. If you allow yourself to get within melee range, you will get dropped like a bad habit. Yes, this has awesome escape skills, however that will not stop three to four players from tard rushing you too make sure you die, STAY OUT OF RANGE!

Since you are a healer and this is not a maxed out heal build, you may have a few issues in very long drawn out fights.

Dark Elf Sorceress Masteries Build

This build is going for AOE DPS, as such your top three stats will be:

  • Intelligence = adds to magic damage

  • Wounds = adds to Hit Points

  • Initiative/Willpower - This is a toss up here, you can go Willpower for caster disruption or go Initiative to lower the crit % against you.


The 25 points will be placed as follows: (There will be a few extra points from RvR rewards, however we will not use them here)

15 in "Destruction"
Buy the following skills in the Destruction tree for one point each:
  • Black Horror

  • Disastrous Cascade

  • Shadow Knives

  • Paralyzing Nightmare


Skills in the tree you do not buy: "Piercing Shadows", "Lengthening Shadows" and "Never ending Agony".

The last 6 points will be put in "Agony". Any additional points should also be placed in "Agony", there is no reason to buy the bottom or second to the bottom skill in the tree.

80 RvR points to be placed in:

  • Acumen level 1 = 1 point

  • Acumen level 2 = 3 points

  • Acumen level 3 = 6 points

  • Acumen level 4 = 10 points

  • Acumen level 5 = 14 points


  • Resolve level 1 = 1 point

  • Resolve level 2 = 3 points


  • Sage level 1 = 2 points

  • Sage level 2 = 4 points

  • Sage level 3 = 6 points


  • Focused Power level 1 = 5 points

  • Focused Power level 2 = 10 points

  • Focused Power level 3 = 15 points


The purpose of this build is to put out the best AOE DPS possible.

Here are the planned active morale skills:

  • Level 1 = Dire Blast

  • Level 2 = Siphon Power

  • Level 3 = Darkstar Cloak

  • Level 4 = Paralyzing Nightmares


Slotted Tactics can be changed "on the fly", as long as you are not in combat. Since there are 5 quick slots available, I would set each set to a different use. One for PvP fight, one for PvP heal, one for PvE Group, and one for PvE solo. Here is my set for a "PvP fight":

  • Umbral Fury(if in group) Endless Knowledge (if solo)

  • Increased Pain

  • Glorious Carnage

  • Triumphant Blasting


Build Strength:

HUGE AOE DPS:

Best AOE DPS in the game, your enemy will notice it and so will your group. This build gets real ugly if you start getting a decent amount of crits: every crit knocks the enemy back(Triumphant Blasting) AND gives you 200 point morale bonus.( Glorious Carnage) This build puts out a lot of DPS, gets a lot of kills, always scores near the top in the PvP damage,(In PvP scenarios) and makes you a menace to the enemy.

Build Weakness:

Glorious build right? Well you have to pay for all that uberness: Your backlash will be common and noticeable, so it is necessary to keep a healer nearby. You will not be as good against single targets. PvE is going to suffer a little as you cannot mass AOE PvE mobs, this is because you will get a ton of agro and no healer can heal you faster then five to seven mobs can drop you.(You will need to really chill-out in PvE) This build will be a little better if your Sorc has the Apothecary trade-skill as heal pots will help against the backlash.

Witch Elf Mastery Build

This build is going to be a little unconventional. Most players that play a Witch Elf will probably go hard in strength to raise their DPS, in this build we will concentrate on Weapon Skill. Here are the top three stats for this build:

  • Weapon Skill = adds to parry % as well as armor penetration %

  • Strength = adds to melee DPS as well as auto attack DPS

  • Wounds = adds to Hit Points


The 25 points will be placed as follows: (There will be a few extra points from RvR rewards, however we will not use them here)

15 in "Carnage"
Buy the following skills in the Carnage tree for one point each:
  • Elixir of Insane Power

  • Pierce Armor

  • Swift Blades

  • On Your Knees!

  • Blade Spin


Skills in the tree you do not buy: "Sharpened Edge" and "Broad Severing".

The last 5 points will be put in "Suffering". Only place 4 points in the actual tree and buy the skill "Kiss of Doom". Any additional points should also be placed in "Suffering".


80 RvR points to be placed in:

  • Blade Master level 1 = 1 point

  • Blade Master level 2 = 3 points

  • Blade Master level 3 = 6 points

  • Blade Master level 4 = 10 points

  • Blade Master level 5 = 14 points


  • Might level 1 = 1 point

  • Might level 2 = 3 points


  • Assault level 1 = 2 points

  • Assault level 2 = 4 points

  • Assault level 3 = 6 points


  • Reflexes level 1 = 5 points

  • Reflexes level 2 = 10 points

  • Reflexes level 3 = 15 points


The purpose of this build is to be an overwhelming threat to any class, and be able to deal with the retaliations of slicing through the front lines of PvP.

Here are the planned active morale skills:

  • Level 1 = Sever Nerve

  • Level 2 = Force of Will

  • Level 3 = Death Reaper

  • Level 4 = Blade Spin


Slotted Tactics can be changed "on the fly", as long as you are not in combat. Since there are 5 quick slots available, I would set each set to a different use. One for PvP fight, one for PvP heal, one for PvE Group, and one for PvE solo. Here is my set for a "PvP fight":

  • Swift Blades

  • Riposte

  • For the Hag Queen!

  • Kiss of Doom


Build Strength:

NO WEAKNESS:

Let's face it, your job as a Witch Elf is to run through(or use stealth) the frontline to get at the healers and casters. But what happens when you do this? Most likely you will always get agro from one or more melee classes. Having a huge parry chance with an auto attack when you do parry will greatly help your survivability. Add a 50% chance to knockdown on your frenzies, and the 50% chance for your Kiss to proc, will really come in handy in the end game PvP. This build will also help with solo confrontations. Some may argue that going with a heavy strength/crit build would be better, however you would be putting "all your eggs in one basket", and if your crit gets dodged/parried/blocked it is useless. Here every time you parry an attack the attacker is hit with an UNDEFENDABLE attack. Even though the Carnage tree already gives you massive armor reduction abilities for tank battles, Weapon Skill ALSO adds to armor penetration, besides the increased chance to parry.

Black Orc Mastery Build

Since this is going to be a hardcore 1H/Shield build, your three top stats will be:
Toughness = reduces incoming DPS(Not a stat, however armor will be what you are looking for on gear)
Wounds = adds to Hit Points
Weapon Skill = Adds to parry% and armor penetration%


The 25 points will be placed as follows: (There will be a few extra points from RvR rewards, however we will not use them here)

15 in "Da Toughest"
Buy the following skills in the Toughest tree for one point each:
  • Less Stabin Me

  • Ya missed me

  • Not in da face

  • Mor' hardcore

  • Can't hit me

  • Can't touch this


Skills in the tree you do not buy: "Stop Hittin Da runts".

The last 4 points will be put in "Da Boss". Any additional points should also be placed in "DA Boss", there is no reason to buy the bottom or second to the bottom skill in the tree.

80 RvR points to be placed in:
  • Fortitude level 1 = 1 point

  • Fortitude level 2 = 3 points

  • Fortitude level 3 = 6 points

  • Fortitude level 4 = 10 points


  • Reinforcement level 1 = 5 points

  • Reinforcement level 2 = 10 points

  • Reinforcement level 3 = 15 points


  • Focused Power level 1 = 5 points

  • Focused Power level 2 = 10 points

  • Focused Power level 3 = 15 points


The purpose of this build is to "be all you can be" in the tanking department. A Marauder can out DPS a Black Orc in the 2H department, and the Black Orc can easily out survive a Marauder in the tanking department, as such we will concentrate on the Black Orc's advantage in this build.

Here are the planned active morale skills:
  • Level 1 = Champion's Challenge (both you and target are rooted - no more running away from you)

  • Level 2 = Raze

  • Level 3 = Distracting Bellow

  • Level 4 = Can't Touch This


Slotted Tactics can be changed "on the fly", as long as you are not in combat. Since there are 5 quick slots available, I would set each set to a different use. One for PvP fight, one for PvP heal, one for PvE Group, and one for PvE solo. Here is my set for a "PvP fight":

  • Mor' Hardcore

  • I'm Da Biggest

  • Unstoppable Juggernaut

  • Less Stabbin' Me


Build Strength:

HUGE DPS Mitigation

Being the main tank you are going to get whacked on and whacked on hard. With this build you are able to knock back targets a medium distance almost at will. This build also increases your block and parry% past the first action in your combos, as well as reducing the cool down of you Juggernaut ability and increasing your hit points by 1600.

Build Weakness:

A little less DPS

You will not be able to put out as much DPS as some other builds, however you will be able to take a lot more DPS. As with any class, a healer friend will greatly increase this builds usefulness.

About Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy setting. It was developed by Mythic Entertainment and simultaneously released in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand on September 18, 2008. The game revolves around the continual worldwide conflict that the Warhammer Fantasy setting is known for, and the game is geared toward ongoing, constant war.

If you're looking for a site with Warhammer Online news, or a Warhammer Online leveling guide you can follow these links. There will be more posted in days to come so stay tuned! For a list of different crafting professions in Age of Reckoning check this page, or read more about apothecary which is the most popular one.

Here are several other links you might be interested in:
I hope you enjoy some of these links and learn more about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.
Warhammer Online Leveling & Strategy Guide