inoeth wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:40 am
what about mobility? facing a kiting enemy, you want some speed at some point.. that's why i was asking if IBs really rely on earthshatter weapon or if it was a good idea to go for sujugator/fortress. i can also see avalanche tactic usefull here.. any advice?
IB get the M1 root and Earthshatter, axe tosses can crit for 600 and finish off wounded targets or give Grudges ramping up our damage in the initial stage. Escape 30% // AP pots at the correct moment.
I've experimented with Avalanche but never found mysef really needing it or able to justify it at the expense of more important tactics( tactic slot starved due to the requiremet of Rising Anger ) but Avalanche synergizes with Earthshatter weapon ( + 10 disrupt). Fort weapon does not grant speed % increase but gives the same bonus as WL axe - 25 heal malus, need a PVE (CnT can't remember which one) wep or subj for the effect. Overall Earthshatter is hard to forgoe since it has good stat itemization and the excellent defensive proc. I've tested the lifesteal /speed proc ones but found them inferior for the task.
It really depends on the class performing the kiting, IBs are tanky and can take a lot of punishment with clever use of potions / abilities / use terrain to our advantage(Los) so we can afford to be kited for a while and burst hard once we manage to catch up attempting to win the fight. It's a patience game.
A mini guide:
Hybrid/healing Shamans: pointless fight unless assisting with others, geared IB using a ele resist pot does not need to fear these shamans and their damage can be out-tanked, tie.
Dps/glass shamans: can be timestamped and killd using punishing knock or fall back into safety if attacked from an unfavorable position, against shamans generally use terrain as much as possible, don't bother in the open as solo unless other players join in( Chaos Wastes).
Magus: some maguses will attempt to facetank and so it is a battle of attrition, involves almost no kiting. Other Maguses will go heavy dps and kite using stun/stagger combos and these can be tricky if they are good players, but i still find IB has the tools to either deal with them or fall back into safety healing up with Grumble An'mutter.
Sorc: A good one will timestamp anything but a SnB tank using hold the line ( SM / Wall of darting steel). Thankfully they are easy to kill and catch if alone and IB should never lose to one under these conditions, but sorcs are never solo so this is a group dynamic thing to deal with.
SH: even 2h IB can tank the physical part of SH damage forever(use the pet to buff yourself up if the SH player is sloppy at micromanagement). Use the terrain is key for a quick kill, they are squishy. Poison Arrer can be dangerous though if they manage to land a crit, in my experience against most SHs it's mostly a victory or tie ( if not able to catch up, fall back and heal up). Don't bother in the open or too unfavorable terrain if the SH is adept at kiting with 9k ish wounds ( check ini buff, +5 crit/60 wounds and solo usually means the SH knows what it is doing).
Zealot?? Never fought one solo and i'm rr 83-84 almost exclusively focused and lvling up as solo roaming/ sometimes joining WBs under sieges/fort battles.
Kiting Witch elf/dagger/witchbrew? IBs got high corporeal res and we shouldn't fear this too much.
IB is in the end a tank and plays like one, need to have patience and can't rush in like mdps but then again we do not have to since we're a lot tankier and can afford a more slow approach to the target, build up our grudges using axe tosses/incoming damage whilst preparing to unleash a decent timestamp burst at the correct moment.