Damage Avoidance

castamere7

I just started playing a GWF, and I'm using a LOT of healing potions when solo. Question is, should I be moving around constantly to avoid all attacks, only striking once or twice before moving? Or is it better to stand toe-to-toe and only move out of the big, red circle attacks?

Thanks!

idontcomehere

Avoid the red ones, once you get a companion at 16 it gets easier and less potty.

eniradian

Hot tip: Take the Cleric Companion at lvl 16 and you should be solid till about 30-35 and use minimal pots.

castamere7

Not to get ahead of myself, but is the cleric companion viable through max level? By the 30-35 comment, I'm guessing not. Is there another healing companion you can get after that?

morbic

Untill the training manuals on the companion vendor go live, you start leaving behind the basic companions that have a max rank of 15. From what I've read the cleric equivalent companion from the Zen store isn't that impressive ability-wise as a replacement. The cat pet might be decent to boost up recovery/crit for dungeon runs later though. Nobody has gotten the angel which requires 360 ardent coins yet. Could also look for an Ioun stone that supports your build from the auction house.

tfangel

castamere7 wrote: »

Not to get ahead of myself, but is the cleric companion viable through max level?

No, and you shouldn't rely on it either. You will be a better player if you learn to avoid the damage and pot when needed. Don't forget too that potions have upgrades, where they will be more effective, so at certain levels don't forget to get the better ones. I really don't know why people are treating potions as something you shouldn't use, every class is a self healing class with those. Plus, if you aren't using a more appropriate companion in epics and have a white one out instead, you are not playing very well.

castamere7

OK, I'm doing something wrong. I'm tending to spam the left mouse key attack (I'm also using my other attacks on cooldown) and I'm constantly finding myself unable to dash out of the red circles because I'm locked in a damned attack animation when the attack goes off. Shouldn't dash override your current attack and make you run right away? How do I adjust to this?

Thanks!

morbic

Yes...not counting possible lag, all the avoidance commands when you hold down shift and press a directions should interrupt most active skills. If the skills seems it should be interruptable but isn't, I'd say to bug report it.

castamere7

morbic wrote: »

Yes...not counting possible lag, all the avoidance commands when you hold down shift and press a directions should interrupt most active skills. If the skills seems it should be interruptable but isn't, I'd say to bug report it.

OK. I assume it's the same for double tapping a direction key?

Good Lord, maybe I'm just that old and slow...

morbic

Double tapping a direction key should cause you use avoidance abilities...but the interrupting of skills portion might not work as well as holding shift and pressing a direction.

johnj9000

Try to time your attacks between the mobs and move out of the red circles.

vonth

Avoid red circles and heavy attacks(the ones taking a lot of anticipation time) and you will be just fine.

muzrub333

Dbl-Tap should work fine, so you might have some lag.

As far as constant moving; it's not necessary all the time, but, it is a good skill to try to master. Practice with the "trash boss" types. Hexers, Captains, Bouncers ect. Watch for the target ring to flash yellow, and sprint right through them, turn and use your at will, immediately sprint back right through them, turn and repeat. Works really well with Ogres due to their huge wind up before attacks. I probably move more than I need to, but killing Ogres while only taking a hit or two in return is too much fun...I can't resist the dance of death. LOL

kotli

You should Dodge the red attacks and the normal attacks that have a delay on them like Ogre punches if possible.
BTW as a GWF you can use roar to push mobs back and interrupt there attacks (unless they are a CC immune boss).

morbic

Yeah, I'm starting to think our stuns/knockbacks/prone encounters in addition to Unstoppable are the damage avoidance abilities and Sprint is mainly to help get from one fight to the next faster before our determination build-up starts dropping.