[Magus] How to rift effectively - guide

[talissera]

I was going to make a comment about you suggesting that you can rift effectively without guard, but then I saw you're in Porn Factory
Jokes aside - if you're up against good competition, you will need a guard. It's absolutely essential.

I played with guard and without guard and most exciting struggle was without guard. Yes, it allows you to live and die much later then first sorcs or heals but at this point it's all done. We can look at some rvr scenarios (clashes near or in taverns, open ground, chase or retreat) and you will see that your survivability not so much depends on guard.

And I don't understand your joke, sorry.

What do you mean "Over 1k endgame"? On 80+rr?
And what tactic you are ready to waste for 50%crt dmg?

[peterthepan3]

Most exciting struggle...the whole point is to make it not a struggle. Any person who sees a rift magus without guard knows to target you asap and bam - gg.
Its a good tactic but just mentioned it to let you know.

[Renork]

I was going to make a comment about you suggesting that you can rift effectively without guard, but then I saw you're in Porn Factory
Jokes aside - if you're up against good competition, you will need a guard. It's absolutely essential.

I played with guard and without guard and most exciting struggle was without guard. Yes, it allows you to live and die much later then first sorcs or heals but at this point it's all done. We can look at some rvr scenarios (clashes near or in taverns, open ground, chase or retreat) and you will see that your survivability not so much depends on guard.

And I don't understand your joke, sorry.

What do you mean "Over 1k endgame"? On 80+rr?
And what tactic you are ready to waste for 50%crt dmg?

Are you strictly speaking of your personal t3 experience? A magus that rifts without guard and faces half-decent opposition WILL melt, regardless of what you want to say.

That tactic is called surging power, and it's far from being a *waste*. It is currently not available until the cap is increased to 35 (min). You didn't need to be rr80 to see 1k crits on infernal blast, I'm assuming you were at least decently geared at 40. Also, I used it on live as havoc/change as it increased SVF crit rate (different discussion).

PS. I'm speaking from a t4 standpoint, t3 is not endgame. If you don't find guard *essential*, then you must have not faced any half decent slayers :^)

The only thing I will half agree is that we're considered *support*. But to say our damage is crap makes you look pretty ignorant. I'm sensing that you are speaking from your t3 experience, because there's no way you would consider magus *crap* damage with the proper setup in t4.

In this thread you will most likely be speaking to people who had a rr80-100 magus, and not just a t3 magus.

[talissera]

And? A had rr80 magus, but at this moment we are playing t3, not t4 and will play it for a long time. Lately differences between classes will be more sharp.

Yet I prefer to divide roles in wb. What's better magus or sorc? Sorc is better because of burst. May magus substitute sorc? No. Generally magus has dots. Rift magus has maxed torrent, lash, blast. Torrent is a crude kind of cascade. Blast - aoedot. And only lash damages instantly.

Next point - group load. Two slots for doks, one for magus. I see next slot for mara because of knock and some aoe damage. Then mara has pretty good survivability. After that it is utility group and you need 1-2 burn groups with sorcs and 2/2/2 setup.

And focus. Who will focus magus? For what? You rift for quick killing of targets, prefer pulling healers and brights (yet random targets). Then you pull for a chance to break channelings. In all cases main role will be for CC on healers (like stagger) and coordinated cascade on other targets (push). Your infestation in healer group will be much more useful then your infernal blast.

Yes you can damage with your magus, it will crit for 1k with lash, and hunt with just one group where you have minimum of ppl, but I'm talking effectiveness of group. And WB always will max it's potential... Today it is a cost of magus (like witches, shamas and other classes for DoKs, chosens and sorcs).

[peterthepan3]

I am not really talking about warbands to be honest. In a warband, it's all about who has the most aoe and you only need one riftbot.

I'm talking about using rift in a 6man group, in which a Magus can perform more than well enough as a PBAOE burst assisting alongside a sorc.

You will be focused by anyone with a brain because they will know you are going to rift them, and potentially **** them up. Therefore you need a guard.

A magus can provide the AOE KD, while dealing more DPS than a Marauder. With a guard, survivability is not an issue.

I don't care so much for Warbands, as 9 times out of 10 its just a zergfest and not real PvP in my eyes.

[talissera]

I think you have to point 6man group guide more clearly at your OP.
And yes, I'm talking about different scale levels. Still I'm nut sure that magus may be called "riftbot". Seems more tricky.

I don't care so much for Warbands, as 9 times out of 10 its just a zergfest and not real PvP in my eyes.

No. Absolutely. It is zerg fest when pug plays. When two opposite premade WBs clash, it's about coordination and strategy.

And I woulk like to see in OP some hints about rift positioning. Seems like something broken or "fixed", and when magus and his target stay in different Y-axis levels size of standard character model, there is no pulling at all. Tested yesterday near DE T3 keep gates (hard terrain with many pits) and open terrain again with pits in elven t3. For rifting I should charge in the middle of enemy position in a hope to pull closer to my center.

[Koryu199X]

I feel I should point out that rift is not the only really good ability a magus has when it comes to support. We aren't in the full endgame yet, there is still daemonic withering to come which for me is far nastier than rift as enemies take 15% more damage. Magus when played well has a devastaing burst but as a class it is a late bloomer. When I used to use rift it was mainly to prevent kiting as my max damage required enemies to be within close proximity.

[peterthepan3]

^ that is true. The 15% dmg has its uses when trying to pin down key targets, and the Magus does have access to a nasty burst rotation at R40 (when you get access to IFOC, BOC, 50% crit, increased range on changing and increased crit for havoc skills)

[Koryu199X]

Don't forget Blue fire as well, the combination of damage and a dot adds that little bit of extra burst. I find the surging power 50% crit tactic is not as useful as close quarters.

[Nidwin]

It always depends but from my experience end game wise.

Rift -> tankish build (armor and toughness) for "bombing" otherwise it's just suicide.
Agonizing Torrent isn't that great and makes you lose 1 GCD +1 sec cast time for way too little gain (my opinion of course). Warpfire has it's use here and there although.
Any decent WL that knows you as a rifter is going to fetch you asap, so always keep an eye for the incoming lions.
AoE DPSing isn't always the best thing to do after a rift, depending on the setup and situation. Sometimes after the KD it's best to let the other dps do their stuff and you play with infestation and maw (for the snare) or punt incoming guarded slayers.
In a full premade see if you can't get an AoE damage specced Zealot.

There isn't one magical rift build that everyone should use. It's more what you enjoy and are comfortable with and don't be afraid to experiment different builds for different situation.

As example for a different build for a different outcome I boosted that stat that let you see through stealth (can't remember which one it was) and dotted and rifted in those nasty and sneaky Witch Hunters in the lakes.