HA Veno: Holding aggro?

MarciaZee - Raging Tide
MarciaZee - Raging Tide Posts: 16 Arc User
edited May 2012 in Venomancer
I have a lvl 71 veno that I would seriously like to take HA. I would like to make her a capable puller in FC and a tank for bosses and such. My only real question is how would I hold aggro as a tank? I know there is a genie skill called Alpha Male that works as a mini-roar. I also figure I can use a pet to get a bosses attention once in a while since they can learn roar. Beyond that I don't know. I'm wondering if I could just go demon, get one or 2 aps pieces and go for higher aps and crits. This seems like it might require me to go LA but I would rather not. idk...

Thoughts? b:victory
Post edited by MarciaZee - Raging Tide on

Comments

  • Squeakytoy - Dreamweaver
    Squeakytoy - Dreamweaver Posts: 660 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Alpha male is nice, but the damage reflect overwrites bramble guard. As for tanking single targets, all you can really rely on is decent APS with a highly refined weapon. For group tanking, venos have two fox form skills that have an AoE effect, though one of them is very small. Malefic crush is an 8 meter AoE around the caster, and befuddling mist has a 5 meter AoE directly in front of the caster. Don't expect to hold aggro for very long though.

    As a puller in FC, all you really have to do is hit the mobs a few times to prevent them from aggroing the cleric. So I guess you would round up the mobs>pop an apoth item so you don't die>then malefic crush/befuddling mist>pull back to BB>>let the DDs finish them off. (also keep in mind malefic crush requires 2 sparks)

    Edit: I believe Alpha male can only be used by BMs and Barbs.
  • Desdi - Sanctuary
    Desdi - Sanctuary Posts: 8,680 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Hm not really. My seeker friend has saved my Psychic several times with Alpha Male when I went AOE crazy. If I'm not mistaken, I've also seen Archer with Alpha Male during delta saving the Cleric.

    EDIT: Yep. just checked Ecatomb and it's available for everyone.
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  • laloner
    laloner Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Alpha Male resets aggro to zero and then adds a bunch to your account. But if someone is DDing hard it only takes a few seconds for them to get aggro back.

    Where AM is useful is when a squishy has taken aggro and then _stopped_ DDing and you use it to instantly take the mob off them and save their life. I use it on seeker anytime I see a squishy running around in little circles with a mob chasing them.
    AKA PermaSpark, Heartshatter
  • Mayfly - Dreamweaver
    Mayfly - Dreamweaver Posts: 6,094 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    My HA/AA veno has alpha male on one of her genies. Useful in Brim when a cleric has pulled aggro on a melee mob or something.
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  • MarciaZee - Raging Tide
    MarciaZee - Raging Tide Posts: 16 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Ah, if I just have to hit the mobs once during pulls then wouldn't my bramble take care of that? If so WIN!
  • Mayfly - Dreamweaver
    Mayfly - Dreamweaver Posts: 6,094 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Provided they all hit you, yes.
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  • Squeakytoy - Dreamweaver
    Squeakytoy - Dreamweaver Posts: 660 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    MarciaZee - Raging Tide wrote: »
    Ah, if I just have to hit the mobs once during pulls then wouldn't my bramble take care of that? If so WIN!


    You just have to build enough aggro to overcome the heal aggro that BB generates. You should be able to do that with malefic crush>befuddling mist (and bramble)

    Edit: it may also help to use myriad rainbow (fox form). It generates no aggro on its own, but can provide armor breaks on several monsters at a time.
  • Desdi - Sanctuary
    Desdi - Sanctuary Posts: 8,680 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Actually I think Myriad Rainbow does generate some aggro, probably minimal but I use it sometimes to pull single targets in Warsong Metal or for extra aggro in groups. It may be just me and I might be mistaken but I've been under the impression that Myriad generates a form of aggro.
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  • Mayfly - Dreamweaver
    Mayfly - Dreamweaver Posts: 6,094 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    It does generate a tiny bit of aggro. You can test this by going to a starter village and using myriad foxform on a bunch of level 1 mobs. The ones hit by poison or bleed die, the rest in range attack you. I haven't tried following it up by being healed, though I suspect any heal would overcome the aggro from myriad.
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  • Itori - Lost City
    Itori - Lost City Posts: 151 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Well. Dont even wanna talk much about the topic, not in the mood.

    But, Alpha Male overwrites brambles.
    So you're replacing 60%-75% with a like.. 35% one was it? that only lasts a few seconds(though that depends on genie) and you're in fox to tank, so you probably have to rebuff or hood in human. I dont remember how hard I hit the mobs back when I was 8x-9x and HA, but I pretty much 2-shot them now. Spamming fox form skills sounds annoying, but at least you wont be interrupted (but not like you'll really contribute much damage)

    I'm just leaving at that, unless you are doing frost solo, do not attempt anything like pulling or constantly reseting aggro with alpha male cause it will just make the classes that can tank better frustrated. I've seen an HA veno try it, when we had a barb in squad, she died a lot and I dont remember if we kicked her from the squad but the cleric was her friend so constantly healing a veno that didnt have aggro instead of the barb who did. It was just annoying and not beneficial to the squad at all.
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  • thumbs
    thumbs Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Desdi - Sanctuary wrote: »
    [COLOR=""]Actually I think Myriad Rainbow does generate some aggro, probably minimal but I use it sometimes to pull single targets in Warsong Metal or for extra aggro in groups. It may be just me and I might be mistaken but I've been under the impression that Myriad generates a form of aggro.[/COLOR]

    It's like a skill that misses. -Oh wait: it is one!
  • MarciaZee - Raging Tide
    MarciaZee - Raging Tide Posts: 16 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Thank you all for your helpful advice. I am taking it all in and letting it inform my strategy. Good to meet HA venos. They are rare and I suspect there is more to foxform that many realize.
  • cynjya
    cynjya Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    I'm a 95 HA Veno and play her since the beginning of our european servers this way...

    in my opinion, u can tank most bosses, if others wait a bit, so u can get aggro from dealing dmg... u have no "real" aggro skill... that's a pitty :(

    but I'm able to tank bosses in all fb's... to steal aggro from seeker(except in vortex), sins, bm and even wb, when it doesn't spam the sggro skills permanent...

    I can pull fcc without any problems...

    so~
    in my opinion, u can do a lot with the HA veno...
    U only have to be well equiped and know, that u have to do as much dmg as u can... ;)
  • Azuraeclipse - Archosaur
    Azuraeclipse - Archosaur Posts: 52 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    I find on my 103 veno that holding aggro isn't a problem. Though i would say to let your squad know to be careful and explain you ARE NOT a barb! but a pretty foxxy ladehh.

    I usually use alpha male or switch aggro from my herc to me and back again. with 23k pys def buffed and a r8 wep, i don't get hurt that much in fc pulls. (take in mind im at my end game gear)

    Pulling as a tank in fc, just gotta do alot of practice and explain to the cleric/healer what your going to do and how many mobs you will take.
    It really helps.

    Also if your going to use alpha male, use it at the right times... it can be a good asset for getting mobs of a squishy for a short time to be able to kill it.



    top thing: Let your cleric/healer know what your going to do.

    you will figure out whats easier to pull and how much to pull with practices.
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