[Slayer] Guide - How to take lickin' and keep on skippin'

[Bowldancer]

You guys still talk about ID single target nerf?
Nothing else changed for them.

Not exactly true. Moving Spine Crusher messed with Trollslayer and degraded it to a pure Hybrid tree, changing Spellbreaker completely ignored the fragile synergies within the spec and changed the way Giantslayer plays. It was a unique spec and got streamlined. Very disappointing. I like the changes to Retribution and Violent Impacts tho.

[Sulorie]

You guys still talk about ID single target nerf?
Nothing else changed for them.

Not exactly true. Moving Spine Crusher messed with Trollslayer,

This change was done to reduce dualwield ID spec single target damage, as you usually go up left tree for heal debuff, boosting the ST spam-able skills too. The previous ID spec was so good, because you get all in one build.
Similar to choppa, speccing aoe tree for pull or ID reduces your single target dmg unless you play some weird 2&3 tree build and get laughed at.

[CountTalabecland]

So the guide references 40% parry. How do you calculate your parry bonus %? I understand it depends partially on who you are attacking but what I am asking is whether the OP is referencing the stat doll window, .getstats, or an add-on? .get stats and the stat doll give way different numbers and I’m not convinced the WS bonus and 10% dual wield bonus are beig represented in .getstats? Any advice from the pros on what source to use, I am showing 22 or so in getstats and that seems low/I can’t imagine how I would get to 40 from here.

[Fenris78]

So the guide references 40% parry. How do you calculate your parry bonus %? I understand it depends partially on who you are attacking but what I am asking is whether the OP is referencing the stat doll window, .getstats, or an add-on? .get stats and the stat doll give way different numbers and I’m not convinced the WS bonus and 10% dual wield bonus are beig represented in .getstats? Any advice from the pros on what source to use, I am showing 22 or so in getstats and that seems low/I can’t imagine how I would get to 40 from here.

Getstats is ignoring the bonuses from stats (Initiative, Willpower and Weapon Skill) when returning values ; you only got your parry from base stat + direct %parry bonuses from items + RR.

Parry value in character sheet looks correct, but it's not clear how the opponent's strenght modify this value when hit so... real parry value may be lower against other melee DPS.
Actually II got 36% parry on my slayer without BiS gear (still not in Conqueror/Vanquisher), and 3/4 levels into reflexes. With optimized gear and the 4th reflexes level, parry will be around 48%.

[BarniGrollheimer]

Is parry really that good? I feel like i mostly die to range dmg single target and aoe, in both sc and RVR.

[CountTalabecland]

Is parry really that good? I feel like i mostly die to range dmg single target and aoe, in both sc and RVR.

I think it is that good. High parry keeps a lot of melee AoE debuffs/snares/dots off of you. I will admit positioning is just as important when squaring off with other mdps as parry does fack all if they get behind you/land a knockdown.

Besides a good healer and a guard, not sure a Slayer can stack any kind of defense to save it from Rdps burst besides health and absorb potions. Even with no rage, 600-700 resists and no toughness means you are dead meat to the insane Sorc burst.

[Fenris78]

Yes, aside from mandatory guard and nearly dedicated healer, slayer also need full anticrit (from renown) and a good berserk state management to avoid being insta-killed by anything.

So yes, parry is a must have as well, since not only it may save you from many curses and crippling hits (disarm, KD, stagger and so on), but also became VERY efficient coupled with Riposte tactic.
I may add using an Ironbreaker as a guard with the +25% parry buff (from an IB tactic) is upping you around 70% base parry with good stuff +renown stats.

Yes, you will still die a lot from distant dps such as magus and sorc, but in my limited experience, it's almost the only classes that can kill me now, in ideal situation (being frontline with tank and healer).
The limiting factor being of course both weak disrupt/dodge (partly compensated with magical resistances from KotBS or AM) and abysmal toughness values (around 120 in full offensive build), only buffed by pots (or better, KotBS aura).

[JTO112]

Thanks for the guide!

[kkprfx]

Riposte is a bad tactic outside of 1v1 vs melee DPS. Don't slot it.

[Fenris78]

I saw riposte doing awful total damage, like 200 (instead of the 445 base damage stated in the tooltip)... was there a nerf on that tactic ?
Or may I have been affected by a -50% damage hex ?

I'll look closely on that tactic, but riposte looks good with high parry ; there are indeed less melee hits directed at me than AoE/distant hits, but when I'm defending against some melee/tanks it looks good.

Looking forward on this one to check viability of Riposte against flanking (I slot both, flanking is especially good when fighting with AoE).