How to use "Shard of Avalanche"?

[Deleted User] · April 2014

Just repsec'd my CW. Picked up Shard of Avalanche for the first time.

It feels unusual & is difficult for me to use. I got it in my Mastery slot. Been practicing using it in the CTA event. I've gotten a little better with it, but I still have a ways to go.

Sooo... What is the trick to using this spell in PvE and PvP, if you guys could share some tips?

Thanks in advance.

frznvimes · April 2014

I actually find it easier to use when it's not in the mastery slot. Ground targeting is pretty inconvenient in this game beyond short range due to the low camera angle you need to see that far, and shard gains very little from being in mastery compared to other encounters. Outside of tab it's a skill shot so it just takes some practice. I'll often throw in an at-will between summoning it and before throwing it because there's a slight delay between the two that can throw off my aim. It'll sit around for a very long time without exploding if you don't throw it so there's no rush.

edit: talking about pve

abaddon523 · April 2014

I use it as the big hammer at the end of my rotation of spells (but not on tab).

If you are coming up on a mob and DO NOT have a daily ready do the following: use Conduit of Ice on a big guy in the middle of the mob, then run to the middle of them and use Steal Time. Then use Sudden Storm to hit as many of them as you can, then end it by summoning and pushing the shard into anything that's left standing. The enemies should be stunned long enough for you to cast both Sudden Storm and the Shard--that way you're not trying to hit moving targets.

Not much besides bosses will be left standing after that if you have the right feats selected.

If you DO have a daily ready then do the following:

Cast Arcane Singularity. Cast Conduit of Ice on someone getting sucked in. Summon your shard, but do not push it yet. Cast Steal time so that the stun hits the enemies right as Singularity ends and the enemies hit the ground. Hit ALL of the closely packed stunned enemies with Sudden Storm, then clobber them with the Shard. Again, that way there's no moving targets. If you're really fast you can squeeze in a rotation of Chilling Cloud between summoning the Shard and casting Steal Time. That combo gives ludicrous damage.

It gets even better, though. If you're in a group with multiple CW's and you have a daily ready but another CW casts Singularity first...don't waste your daily casting a second Singularity. Cast Conduit of Ice, Summon your Shard, cast Steal Time just when they hit the ground after Singularity, then hit the enemies with Oppressive Force, Sudden Storm, and Shard in succession. Your jaw will drop at the damage that rings up on the screen. By the time Oppressive Force finishes there will be nothing left standing.

pointsman · April 2014

uglyduck1 wrote: »

Just repsec'd my CW. Picked up Shard of Avalanche for the first time.

It feels unusual & is difficult for me to use. I got it in my Mastery slot. Been practicing using it in the CTA event. I've gotten a little better with it, but I still have a ways to go.

Sooo... What is the trick to using this spell in PvE and PvP, if you guys could share some tips?

Thanks in advance.

Yeah, don't use it in spell mastery. It is difficult to use that way and rarely is it useful to do that, at least in PVE. I have never had an occasion where I thought that was a good idea.

But to use it in a normal encounter slot, it's basically just like bowling. But the shard doesn't explode unless it hits at least two adds, so don't fire it at a single add unless all you want to do is prone the add (and damage it a little bit via shard slam).

Shard is amazing when you are fighting waves and waves of adds (re: Castle Never). It will prone and damage large quantities of them.

Shard is also buggy though. But I will let others more knowledgeable about that comment on its bugginess.

Edit: Also, skillful use of Shard is pretty much a requirement in Castle Never. Don't expect to defeat Draco without Shard.

fakatik · April 2014

I've been using shard in the CTA to clear the adds. Its amazing on them. As soon as they spawn, they get a shard on their face. Instant death for the adds.

vorphied · April 2014

Not much to add except to reiterate that Spell Mastery Shard is totally unnecessary for PvE. Besides, when you bomb a group of mobs by dropping Shard right in the middle of them, it exacerbates the scattering effect; better to bowl the Shard into them so that the Shardplosion is more likely to knock them back in the same general direction.

crazymikee · April 2014

For PvP, it's best used if dropped on someones head if they are already prone or stunned, its very difficult to aim if someone knows its comming. Your best bet to use as a rotation is either ice rays to root, or choke to root, then instantly drop the shard on their head, proning them. and either aiming towards the prone enemy or waiting till they try and dodge, then moving it on them. (be warned that any type of cc power besides prones will make the shard dissapear with the refresh timer active) If correctly done, and the opponent doesn't happen to be a super tank idiot gwf or gf, your looking at easily 10-20k damage from the damage stacks, which is usually a killshot for any opponent below 70% hp, or dooming them to death soon after.

pastajetotoliko · April 2014

I am talking for pvp only.
You have to use it after some stronger controll, such as freeze( 6 chill stacks) or entangling force.
It took me like 2 months to master it, you have to be persistent.

crazymikee · April 2014

pastajetotoliko wrote: »

I am talking for pvp only.
You have to use it after some stronger controll, such as freeze( 6 chill stacks) or entangling force.
It took me like 2 months to master it, you have to be persistent.

it took me like 2 days lol...

all you really need to do is make sure your opponent is either an idiot, or he is rooted somehow to get that first prone in, then hes lunch meat if he doesnt have either an archer or another cw to interrupt the shard

vorphied · April 2014

pastajetotoliko wrote: »

I am talking for pvp only.
You have to use it after some stronger controll, such as freeze( 6 chill stacks) or entangling force.
It took me like 2 months to master it, you have to be persistent.

What's funny since the PvP patch is that Entangling Force doesn't last long enough to guarantee Shard hits in many cases, even at full Arcane stacks. Tenacity does a number on CWs even with their inherent 66% CC resist penetration.

aulduron · April 2014

It has to hit at least 2 mobs for it to explode. When you do your daily quests, put Entangling Force in your mastery slot. Using it will draw other mobs toward your target, then summon and push the shard to hit the whole group. This will give you practice for dungeons.

I don't use it in PvP, but I see others do well with it in Mastery.

ripyourlipsoff · April 2014

In pvp master slot it, as you can place it on ledges and pressure ranged classes above or drop it in the center of the node! for pve manually push it.

How to use "Shard of Avalanche"?

Comments