Slayer help

[g2knee]

Help me build my Slayer. There are a smattering of Slayer threads already, but none are exhaustive -- and I have some particular questions. Currently I'm only Rank/rr 19/18.

Leveling: I was thinking I should level up to T4 as soon as I can (even if my RR lags and I suck) since there is more population and opportunity to gain renown (more rvr and more scens)...so I will level my RR faster at that point. Is this a good plan? Or should I let my XP lag and focus on gaining renown as much as possible so I don't suck as bad when I get to T4? I don't have a ton of time to play, so I want to be somewhat efficient.

Renown points: I recently read that I should put 3 levels into parry, and the rest into str or weaponskill. This sounds OK? Should I prefer Str or WS, or balance them?

The Fight: I was advised in game that once I get to higher levels, "if you can't crit, you can't kill." How do I improve my crit %? Is it through a stat like WS or STR? Or through items or buffs?

Any other advice? I know -- get a pocket tank and healer.

Any other advice for someone who has to pug more often than not?
(don't say "don't play a slayer." I've taken my oath, and nothing will prevent me my doom).

Thanks all!

[dansari]

For leveling, it's fine if you want to take that approach, you may just not be very strong in T4. I recommend you at least gear out in each tier and spend some time in RvR/scenarios so you get a feel for your class in PvP. A minimum of 40/40 is good so you can equip Merc.

You should have at least 3 in Deft Defender as well (dodge/disrupt)... Don't put anything into stats for renown. It has terrible scaling. You get much more out of the avoidance abilities.

Your crit % can be increased from items and your group members. I would worry about surviving first, then building crit once you think your survivability is OK.

[AxelF]

I don't have a slayer so can't advise on the class specifics, but on the RR issue I'd strongly recommend not arriving into T4 with your RR lagging way behind your level.

T4 can be brutal for fresh chars at the best of times; add low RR into that mix and you're going to be in for a painful time until your RR catches up. You won't be able to equip the armour sets you're able to purchase from scenario/open RR medallions which will hurt you as much as not being able to spend RR points on defensive abilities. Having said that I don't know what the Ruin set is like for Slayers which you get from T4 PQs and doesn't have a RR requirement.

I'd still recommend levelling your way up to T4 by RvRing/scens though, in addition to earning RR and arriving into T4 in a much better state, all the PvE grinding in the world won't hone your PvP skills, and you'll be much better with your class by the time you hit T4 so will have a far less painful transition.

Plus with the T2/3 debolstering being as popular as it is you'll hopefully find some great fights and enjoy T2/3 rather than seeing it as a chore to race through as fast as possible. Either way, always good to have another Dawi about, enjoy it!

[Reesh]

Reroll to other class, if you aren't a masochist, but if you are...

Main strength of a slayer is sustained damage, not crits. Work on capping strength, then getting more then 40 armor penetration from WS.

If you got a good group to keep you up, go offensive with rr, if you don't have one, slot it into parry, deft defender and futile strikes while sustaining high dps stats. Use armor tactic when playing mostly solo.

[Skalier]

Reroll to other class, if you aren't a masochist, but if you are...

Go doing PVE, because on PVP will shoot you like to ducks, and you can't do nothing.

1. Dual wield give you + 10% parry
2. Spent your renown points in dodge/disrupt (melee dps will hit you from behind so can't parry this attacks and against tanks you have armour tactic, but you die anyway)
-this don't help you much and you die anyway,

Ok this not sounds good, maybe find an tank and healer who want play with you always.

If don't on higher level may try some self-heal build but this also not help too much.

[Gerv]

Leveling: As Dansari said, if your not in a regualr group then I would suggest taking your time to get to 40/40. If you get discouraged, play mainly on weekends during EU prime time when the server has a large population.

Renown: Playing solo, as Dansari said, your cost effectiveness is purchased through avoidance stats not pure strength and weapon skill.

The Fight: Learn to play defensive, without a guard and a healer your a free kill, no matter what burst damage potential you have. Shift your playstyle to supporting your backline, killing over extending enemy melee dps.

Learn your skill icons, learn what the guard icon looks like and who it is from (knight, IB and SM). As a pug melee dps, see if they follow you and stay in guard range, otherwise, adapt and follow them and assist their targets. This will lead to you staying alive longer and not being a reliability to your team.

In scenarios with capture the flag mechanics, play the solo game and cap points so your team can concentrate on the fighting, for example if you have a premade who can hold the entire enemy team, go and cap the points instead of flailing in the middle.

In scenarios with part holding mechanics, don't take the part and piss everyone off, for example in Morkain Temple or Punt Rock City (Tor Anroc). Leave that to a tank or rdps who can die in a position where your team can retrieve the part safely.

Other advice: orrientate your build to support the solo play style, look at defensive sets and absorb items and avoidance morals and use them early i.e. going into a fight or at 75% health, not at 25% health when it is harder for a pug healer to react and save you.

[Toshutkidup]

I will say what I did and in no way am I saying I did it right or even know what I'm talking about. But... I leveled 0-40 as fast as I could, didn't earn more than maybe RR25 when I hit lvl 40. I farmed ruin gear to start. NOW DISCLAIMER I play in a guild warband so I am highly supported. Regarding RR specs I put as much as I can into Melee crit, three sets into Dodge disrupt and RD. I play DW spec with primary specs used, Onslaught,slow down for snares , ID, Rampage,Pulvering Strike,Shatter Limbs, Spine Crusher for rear positional as the basics back to gear, after I gotten Ruin, I earned Annialater , then earned Conq. I don't do SC's so Dominator gear isn't in my horizon atm. I do run a 4-2 split of Conq/merc for Str bonus currently however that could easily change. Now again, this is what I do, and as many people have said to me via PM's , video response posts etc. I do it wrong , so take it for what it's worth to you.

[g2knee]

Follow-up question on tactics.

For defensive tactics, I can have the Ancestral Inheritance to boost armor, and also "Takin' Chances" to heal myself a bit. Is takin' chances any good?

Right I only have 2 tactic slots -- so it's either that or Brute Force to increase Str.

Also -- Rune of Absorbtion -- is it any good for staying alive? I figure combined with Takin' Chances the combined healing may add up.

[Aehnur]

Takin' Chances is not worth the tactic slot imo, but i could be wrong, never used it that much.
On the other hand, Rune of Absorption does some really nice healing and the full channelling is usually enough to kill a npc of your level while leveling. Its issue is that it's 13 points in trollslayer so you won't get it before lvl 29 if you go straight for it.

[Toshutkidup]

Tactics I run , again just what I do, not saying follow me. Brute force, wild gambit, push for more, short temper. I have also tried flanking and power through few times depending on build. ROA I have also used in small man situations, I haven't tried solo roam yet however yes I would run it if I did.