Soloing tough mobs

[Amhrazul]

<DIV>I'm just curious what more experienced Guardians do as their routine when soloing difficult mobs. I've tried alot of combinations of dolls, the 2 temp mit buffs and switching stances at different points in the fight but I'm still not satisfied that I am doing the best I can. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My current routine is to start with defensive stance, pull with a doll (having difficulty deciding which is better, the str doll or sta) if I can get away with the long cast and no trouble with adds. Fire off a shot with the bow then hit wall of force to start the fight (since I have all CA's available to start I figued the slow attack penalty would not hurt as bad in the beginning). Then the 2 dots followed by all the CA's available (I have them in order of longest recast time to shortest, so the long ones have a chance to repop possibly before the fight is over if I need them). When the mob is at half health I use Command and this is where I've messed with switching to offensive stance.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anyone else care to give their soloing routine?</DIV>

[BetaMaster]

<DIV>I like to bring out a crush weap so that I can do belly smash to lower the mob's mit.  I'll hit my bind wound and then shoot with arrow(dolls work too) then hit command.  I do the two dots and then stun, belly smash then obliterate flay precise strike, and then go from there, using every dmg CA, keep the dots on.</DIV>

[Docimodo]

i would switch obliterate in to an earlier position personally. 10 seconds of avoidance debuff is great to land pratically the rest of your CAs.

[Jackula]

- When solo (and in casual groups as well), I stay in offensive stance.   Especially when solo, I live longer by killing quicker, not by tanking longer.- Hit Bind Wound to up CA damage for the next 20 seconds.- STA hex doll pull to debuff mob mit- cast Command to help me take damage better for the next 30 seconds while mob is running to me- if there's enough time, get in a ranged shot- kick the mob in the nards (Compression), bash it with my shield (Staggering Blow), and do a Belly Smash (further reducing mob mit)- start an HO using Fighting Chance.  Use Obliterate (reduces mob parry and defense), Retaliation Strike, Flay, and Precise Strike.  Finish off the HO with a taunt (Confront).  The mob has been super debuffed at this point and you've just landed all your biggest hits.- start a second HO with my DOTs (Mercliess Charge and Sever).- continue using HOs, sometimes I throw in a zap from Brock's Thermal Shocker- if things are not going smoothly I may use Plant when the 30 second buff from Command is down.  With those 2 skills you can put yourself at the advantage every 50 out of 60 seconds.- if things are going really bad, swap out the buckler and equip a tower shield to use Tower of StoneI also carry around cure potions, my old manastone and power, health and strength potions too but if you're relying on that stuff all the time you should be fighting something easier.   They're handy for emergencies though.<div></div>

[Amhrazul]

<P>The downside with plant is that if the mob takes dmg then it has a chance to break the effect... I tend to only use plant when I'm grouping and fighting a group of mobs. I wonder if I should start using HO's again... they only ever seem to do about 200 dmg so I just gave up on them thinking it was more trouble than it was worth.</P> <P>Does an HO do more dmg depending on the CA and taunt used to accomplish it?</P>

[BetaMaster]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> countjackula wrote:<BR>- When solo (and in casual groups as well), I stay in offensive stance.   Especially when solo, I live longer by killing quicker, not by tanking longer.<BR>- Hit Bind Wound to up CA damage for the next 20 seconds.<BR>- STA hex doll pull to debuff mob mit<BR>- cast Command to help me take damage better for the next 30 seconds while mob is running to me<BR>- if there's enough time, get in a ranged shot<BR>- kick the mob in the nards (Compression), bash it with my shield (Staggering Blow), and do a Belly Smash (further reducing mob mit)<BR>- start an HO using Fighting Chance.  Use Obliterate (reduces mob parry and defense), Retaliation Strike, Flay, and Precise Strike.  Finish off the HO with a taunt (Confront).  The mob has been super debuffed at this point and you've just landed all your biggest hits.<BR>- start a second HO with my DOTs (Mercliess Charge and Sever).<BR>- continue using HOs, sometimes I throw in a zap from Brock's Thermal Shocker<BR>- if things are not going smoothly I may use Plant when the 30 second buff from Command is down.  With those 2 skills you can put yourself at the advantage every 50 out of 60 seconds.<BR>- if things are going really bad, swap out the buckler and equip a tower shield to use Tower of Stone<BR><BR>I also carry around cure potions, my old manastone and power, health and strength potions too but if you're relying on that stuff all the time you should be fighting something easier.   They're handy for emergencies though.<BR><BR> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>That's basically what i do in more detail but I do the dots early in order to debuff the mob's dps on me and get them ticking as soon as possible.</P> <P>The reason I don't obliterate before my dots is because I want to have belly smash on for the 4 big hits[obliterate, flay, retaliation, precise] but don't want to wait that long to debuff the mob's offensive ability.</P>

[Dejetdude]

I haven't noticed my ca's doing more damage with higher level taunts, so I keep a copy of my earlest master 2's on my hotbar to use when I solo and also use them to complete Ho's when I don't want aggro or have aggro locked and want to save mana.<div></div>

[Pexsus]

<P>When you are Solo Stone sphere is a free stoneskin proc.  Most people overlook this, I dont know why.  IMO it is critical in soloing any reasonibly dificult content, I'd use it every time it's up.</P> <P>Cheers,</P>

[BetaMaster]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Pexsus wrote:<BR> <P>When you are Solo Stone sphere is a free stoneskin proc.  Most people overlook this, I dont know why.  IMO it is critical in soloing any reasonibly dificult content, I'd use it every time it's up.</P> <P>Cheers,</P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>very good point I forgot to add.  It's very useful in duels too =)

[NoNameChosen]

<DIV>To bad that Belly Smash is absolutely useless to a guardian. We have no abilities which can knockdown a mob, only when a mob is knocked down, Belly Smash works. We used to be able to do this but it was removed a few LUs ago. Now belly smash does this:</DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc> - Inflicts x-x crushing damage on target</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc> - Applies Knockdown on termination. Lasts for 2.5 seconds    (BE AWARE !!! Knockdown here is just a NAME of the combination of abilities)<BR>    * Blurs vision</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc>    * Throws target back</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc>    * Stuns target</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc>    * Does not affect epic targets</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc>    * resist against stun crap for epics</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc> - If shield is equipped in secondary.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Meaning, this attack does NOT knock a target down and for Belly Smash you need: </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc> - If Great Hammer, Hammer or Mace is equipped in Primary</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffffcc> - Your target must be knocked down in order to use this ability.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hate to break the solo'ers mood <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> But Belly Smash is useless because there are only 2 or 3 classes which have an ability to knock a mob down (a true knock down).</DIV>

[Domiuk]

<DIV>You are not being serious here are you ?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Of course it works for solo guardians !</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It is also an extremely useful ability, even sol you can visibly see the benefits of the targets decreased mitigation.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I am honestly not sure if you are trying to make some sort of poor joke.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The fact that our shield bash line causes a knockdown , kinda seems to have escaped you.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[vatorman99]

<div></div>I believe the wording for the procs on the spell can be misleading.  I think "throw back" can also mean knockdown.   Two terms, but the same effect.I know for a fact Belly Smash works, cause I have a macro that casts Staggering Blow, then Belly Smash.  As long as SB doesn't miss, or the target isn't an epic, it should work.<div></div><p>Message Edited by vatorman99 on <span class=date_text>10-16-2006</span> <span class=time_text>02:32 PM</span>

[NoNameChosen]

<P>Then I need to have someone take a look at my Belly Smash, cause it refuses to work, allways! get the message: <FONT color=#ffff00>'Your target must be knocked down in order to use this ability' </FONT>And yes I tried it again just now. I am attacking a level 35 dog in QH, used Staggering Blow and immediatly after Belly Smash, and it did not work. Also, yes I am using a hammer, `Dragonrib Club`.<BR><BR>Maybe the weapon is bugged and isn't considered a hammer for the ability? I would have to try that out.</P>

[Domiuk]

<DIV>What you are doing should be working.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Maybe a range thing try being virtually on top of the mob and belly smash must be absolutely immediately after staggering blow.</DIV>

[BetaMaster]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> NoNameChosen wrote:<BR> <P>Then I need to have someone take a look at my Belly Smash, cause it refuses to work, allways! get the message: <FONT color=#ffff00>'Your target must be knocked down in order to use this ability' </FONT>And yes I tried it again just now. I am attacking a level 35 dog in QH, used Staggering Blow and immediatly after Belly Smash, and it did not work. Also, yes I am using a hammer, `Dragonrib Club`.<BR><BR>Maybe the weapon is bugged and isn't considered a hammer for the ability? I would have to try that out.</P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>It is considered a hammer so that isn't the problem.  You have to cast them back to back fast because the belly smash has to finish casting while the mob is still knocked down for it to work.  As for when it's saying target must be knocked down... You cannot knock down epic targets which is Sony's way of saying thou shall not cast belly smash on epics.  Not sure what dog you were fighting and I'm too tired to go looking for him.

[Belce]

I have frequently used belly smash following the shield bash attack successfully solo. It only does not knock down epic targets and I generally don't solo those. Another thing to consider is buckler for a shield and that line, gives you a good chance to double attack, buckler reversal for a few points here and there, plus it adds in with belly smash when you use a blunt weapon.