I've been up since 7AM EST playing Heart of Thorns, and I just thought I would type out my impressions of it for those who maybe haven't gotten to play it yet for whatever reason.
I'm going to try and remain spoiler free, but there's a couple things I do want to touch on, but I will be vague so as to not spoil things. Hopefully. Spoiler warning anyway.
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Revenant is fun, I think. Maybe. I'm actually not sure what I think about it yet. I'm quite enjoying mine at the moment. I'm using Staff and Hammer. I've seen people complaining about the Hammer, but I like it. I want to be a supportive-ey Ventari Revenant, and Staff / Hammer seems good. I love Staff, and I wanted to use Hammer because I refuse to not have one ranged weapon, and since that's the only one, I'll learn to love it regardless.
Maguuma itself is rather tedious. The events are okay. Gliding is fun. Exploring Maguuma is fun, but getting masteries seems too slow. I don't mind working for things, but I don't know, the amount of experience needed to get a mastery seems a bit excessive to me, but I'll end up doing it anyway, I'm sure. Gliding is too fun to pass up!
The story is good. I have to admit that one part actually terrified me. Without really spoiling anything, a character gets corrupted and you have to escape from them in a chase-obstacle-course thing, and you die instantly if they touch you. The corrupted version of that character creeped me immensely, and I hate when things in games chase me, so I was actually really scared during that story step. That said, I hope that is not the last we see of that character because I kind of expected more from their story. Seemed kind of anti-climactic.
Still on the topic of that chase bit though. That was hard. There was one part that I just couldn't figure out how to do until I looked it up. If you're stuck there, use 1 and then glide across. If you're at that part then you'll know what I'm talking about. I died so many times until I read to do that. And I mean a lot of times. All my armor broke and I completed it with a nude Sylvari! That hasn't happened to me since The Dragon's Reach Part 2!
I feel like I'm playing Mass Effect, what with the voice actress for female Sylvari player characters, and all the NPCs saying "Commander" at me constantly. Oh, and hey, Mordrem Husks. And indoctrina-- I mean corruption.
It seems like Maguuma is probably much more fun if you have friends to play with. I don't have friends to play with, so I wouldn't know, but it seems well suited for it.
That said, plenty of content is fine solo too. And currently everything is so crowded, so there's no lack of people at events. At least not in Verdant Brink. The later places are trickier since not that many people are up to that point yet.
Berserker gear feels very, very, very ultra squishy for this content. I suspect we'll be seeing a change in the most popular stats soon.
If I think of anything else I'll add it in!
Friday, October 23, 2015
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Waiting for new Friday
I'm really excited about the Heart of Thorns release next Friday! Very very exciting!
That said, I probably won't get to play it at all since, you know, expansion release. Of course the one weekend that I purposefully go out of my way to try and be out and busy with friends, they're all busy. Of course. Instead I guess I'll go to Salem MA and take in the Halloween atmosphere or something. But that only takes up one day...hmmm.
Of course, I hope I will be able to play! I vaguely remember the actual launch of the game being pretty smooth, so maybe all will go well?
Also! My database design class is going wonderfully! I am not struggling with it at all, and have gotten 100% on all my assignments, so that's exciting!
That said, I probably won't get to play it at all since, you know, expansion release. Of course the one weekend that I purposefully go out of my way to try and be out and busy with friends, they're all busy. Of course. Instead I guess I'll go to Salem MA and take in the Halloween atmosphere or something. But that only takes up one day...hmmm.
Of course, I hope I will be able to play! I vaguely remember the actual launch of the game being pretty smooth, so maybe all will go well?
Also! My database design class is going wonderfully! I am not struggling with it at all, and have gotten 100% on all my assignments, so that's exciting!
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Well then!
I've been playing Guild Wars 2 since launch day...
How is it that I only find out today that you can have two aquatic weapons equipped?
REALLY?
HOW DID I NEVER NOTICE THAT YOU COULD SWAP WEAPONS UNDERWATER.
ALL THIS TIME I HAVE BEEN USING ONLY ONE AQUATIC WEAPON AND COMPLAINING THAT I WISHED I COULD SWAP WEAPONS IN COMBAT UNDEREWATER.
IT TURNS OUT I COULD HAVE DONE THAT THE WHOLE TIME.
I AM DUMB.
How is it that I only find out today that you can have two aquatic weapons equipped?
REALLY?
HOW DID I NEVER NOTICE THAT YOU COULD SWAP WEAPONS UNDERWATER.
ALL THIS TIME I HAVE BEEN USING ONLY ONE AQUATIC WEAPON AND COMPLAINING THAT I WISHED I COULD SWAP WEAPONS IN COMBAT UNDEREWATER.
IT TURNS OUT I COULD HAVE DONE THAT THE WHOLE TIME.
I AM DUMB.
Pictures of my GW2 characters!
I can't remember if I ever posted pictures of my GW2 characters post-makeover, so I'm doing it (again?)!
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First, my main: My Mesmer Keiana Xiphium. Greatsword / Sword + Focus    |
Back to GW2!
I'm back to GW2 at the moment, after playing Wildstar for a week (I would keep playing Wildstar but my computer is apparently boycotting the influx of new players, since it will not allow me to play). So, back to GW2.
I'm on the last step of Living Story Season 2 now, and having a whole lot of trouble. I'm doing the Shadow of the Dragon step in Point of No Return, and I think my full-Berserker Mesmer is just too squishy to do this bit on her own. Phase 1 is fine. I can kill the tendrils fine, and light the fires fine, and damage the head fine. It's Phase 2 that's the problem, when he start spawning the Shadow things. When I'm trying to light the fires, first of all, he's attacking me very often and I end up being knocked back while trying to light the fires, which eventually kills me. And while I'm busy trying to rally, the Shadow comes over and extinguishes the fire I lit! And I just can't seem to survive lighting the fires so I can be alive to extinguish the Shadows. It's frustrating!
I need a second person, I think. I think I specifically need a Guardian. Someone with support skills that can grant Stability and barriers and such, and that can survive more than two hits.
Or maybe I need to adjust my build or something? I can't afford a new set of gear, so I'm stuck with Berserker, but I could adjust my weapons or build.
My set-up is like this:
Weapons = Greatsword / Sword + Focus. I also have a Pistol to swap to Sword + Focus, a second Sword, and a Staff, all Berserker.
Build = Domination 221 (Empowered Illusions, Blurred Inscriptions, Imagined Burden) / Dueling 131 (Phantasmal Fury, Fencer's Finesse, Harmonious Mantras) / Illusions 122 (Compounding Power, Phantasmal Haste, Master of Fragmentation)
Healing Skill is Signet of the Ether
Utilities are Mantra of Pain, Blink, and Feedback
Elite is Time Warp
My equipment is full Berserker Aurora gear except the shoulders, which are berserker Carapace.
My weapons are Berserker's Iron Longblade of Air (transmuted), Berserker's Pearl Sabre, and Berserker's Krait Star.
Any tips?
EDIT: I read into it more, and people say things like "Don't play Berserker if you can't dodge attacks." I can dodge attacks. I got this far, didn't I? And I've been in full Berserker since I hit level 80 and splurged on a Masquerade set before I got my Aurora set with Karma. And until level 80 I was still using all Power items. The problem is the attacks that he puts directly on you constantly during Phase 2 fires. I tried waiting for him to do, say, 3 of his claw attacks before trying to light the fires, but he still gets me, and I end up running out of dodges + Blink being on CD. I'm confused :(
EDIT 2: Let's try this again. I didn't get the chance to grab my Staff since I wanted to rush back up before the Skritt tunnels closed again. But I adjusted what I could with what I have on me. I switched my Focus out for my Pistol. Swapped Signet of the Ether out for Ether Feast for increased base healing (I can't benefit from Signet of the Ether's passive during the parts that give me trouble since there's nothing to target and build clones off of). Switched Mantra of Pain out for Mantra of Concentration, and switched Time Warp out for Signet of Humility (to reduce duration of stun). As for traits, I swapped Dueling to 323 (Duelist's Discipline, Evasive Mirror, Deceptive Evasion) and Illusions to Chaos 213 (Illusionary Defense, Mirror of Anguish, Bountiful Disillusionment).
Hopefully, I can do it this time. My goal is basically just to have the slightest bit more survivability, hopefully make it through Phase 2 fires, and just take things slowly.
EDIT 3: Success! My strategy worked, although I maintain that it would have been easier with Staff instead of Sword + Pistol, if only because then if I accidentally swap weapons it wouldn't be the end of the world because I could still attack at a range, rather than flail madly wondering why I'm not doing any damage. Ether Feast was definitely better than Signet of the Ether for this, since it seemed like it recharged faster and did more healing when I needed it. And I also had more of an idea of what to expect this time, which made it much better. I was only downed once and I had already killed the Shadow, so I could take my sweet time getting up without losing any fires.
So...now what do I do? I have no gold, don't play well in groups because I get stressed...I guess I'll go run around Silverwastes or something. Definitely not Dry Top. I hate Dry Top. Silverwastes is fine and manageable. I would do the Mawdry crafting thing, but I need money to do that since I need the Foxfires and the Clay Pot. I already did the Thaumanova Reactor matrix cube key thing though, so at least that's out of the way.
I'm on the last step of Living Story Season 2 now, and having a whole lot of trouble. I'm doing the Shadow of the Dragon step in Point of No Return, and I think my full-Berserker Mesmer is just too squishy to do this bit on her own. Phase 1 is fine. I can kill the tendrils fine, and light the fires fine, and damage the head fine. It's Phase 2 that's the problem, when he start spawning the Shadow things. When I'm trying to light the fires, first of all, he's attacking me very often and I end up being knocked back while trying to light the fires, which eventually kills me. And while I'm busy trying to rally, the Shadow comes over and extinguishes the fire I lit! And I just can't seem to survive lighting the fires so I can be alive to extinguish the Shadows. It's frustrating!
I need a second person, I think. I think I specifically need a Guardian. Someone with support skills that can grant Stability and barriers and such, and that can survive more than two hits.
Or maybe I need to adjust my build or something? I can't afford a new set of gear, so I'm stuck with Berserker, but I could adjust my weapons or build.
My set-up is like this:
Weapons = Greatsword / Sword + Focus. I also have a Pistol to swap to Sword + Focus, a second Sword, and a Staff, all Berserker.
Build = Domination 221 (Empowered Illusions, Blurred Inscriptions, Imagined Burden) / Dueling 131 (Phantasmal Fury, Fencer's Finesse, Harmonious Mantras) / Illusions 122 (Compounding Power, Phantasmal Haste, Master of Fragmentation)
Healing Skill is Signet of the Ether
Utilities are Mantra of Pain, Blink, and Feedback
Elite is Time Warp
My equipment is full Berserker Aurora gear except the shoulders, which are berserker Carapace.
My weapons are Berserker's Iron Longblade of Air (transmuted), Berserker's Pearl Sabre, and Berserker's Krait Star.
Any tips?
EDIT: I read into it more, and people say things like "Don't play Berserker if you can't dodge attacks." I can dodge attacks. I got this far, didn't I? And I've been in full Berserker since I hit level 80 and splurged on a Masquerade set before I got my Aurora set with Karma. And until level 80 I was still using all Power items. The problem is the attacks that he puts directly on you constantly during Phase 2 fires. I tried waiting for him to do, say, 3 of his claw attacks before trying to light the fires, but he still gets me, and I end up running out of dodges + Blink being on CD. I'm confused :(
EDIT 2: Let's try this again. I didn't get the chance to grab my Staff since I wanted to rush back up before the Skritt tunnels closed again. But I adjusted what I could with what I have on me. I switched my Focus out for my Pistol. Swapped Signet of the Ether out for Ether Feast for increased base healing (I can't benefit from Signet of the Ether's passive during the parts that give me trouble since there's nothing to target and build clones off of). Switched Mantra of Pain out for Mantra of Concentration, and switched Time Warp out for Signet of Humility (to reduce duration of stun). As for traits, I swapped Dueling to 323 (Duelist's Discipline, Evasive Mirror, Deceptive Evasion) and Illusions to Chaos 213 (Illusionary Defense, Mirror of Anguish, Bountiful Disillusionment).
Hopefully, I can do it this time. My goal is basically just to have the slightest bit more survivability, hopefully make it through Phase 2 fires, and just take things slowly.
EDIT 3: Success! My strategy worked, although I maintain that it would have been easier with Staff instead of Sword + Pistol, if only because then if I accidentally swap weapons it wouldn't be the end of the world because I could still attack at a range, rather than flail madly wondering why I'm not doing any damage. Ether Feast was definitely better than Signet of the Ether for this, since it seemed like it recharged faster and did more healing when I needed it. And I also had more of an idea of what to expect this time, which made it much better. I was only downed once and I had already killed the Shadow, so I could take my sweet time getting up without losing any fires.
So...now what do I do? I have no gold, don't play well in groups because I get stressed...I guess I'll go run around Silverwastes or something. Definitely not Dry Top. I hate Dry Top. Silverwastes is fine and manageable. I would do the Mawdry crafting thing, but I need money to do that since I need the Foxfires and the Clay Pot. I already did the Thaumanova Reactor matrix cube key thing though, so at least that's out of the way.
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