04-19-2004, 08:57 PM
Nystul,Apr 19 2004, 03:03 PM Wrote:They probably didn't give warriors specific aggro control skills at level 1 because the mobs are simply too easy to be bothered with it. Around level 7 you will get a few helpful combat stance skills, one to slow mobs footspeed (this also helps to avoiding attracting additional mobs), and an attack-from-behind skill that will lock the monster onto you for 6 seconds. At level 10, you guys can do a fun little quest to learn the art of defense, and everything you know about playing a warrior will be out the window :)In the beta2 push that skill has been changed and no longer requires being used from only behind. You can use it from any position.
Pete:
First, a digression. Seems that mobs focus on who hit them first. So I think a ranged attack may be useful for warriors. Takes about level 20, I think.
At your current levels the aggro is being set by the amount of damage that each character is doing to the mobs. Try letting the warrior hit a target once with a normal attack and then see the mage pull the mob off with a single spell. Not fun then your warrior has to try to chase the mob down again to continue the attacks. At this point in the game either accept that this is going to keep happening or the casters will need to learn to try to use their spells primarily for finishing off instead of starting encounters.
The missile weapons will become available when you save up the skill points to learn that weapon class. I do not remember what the bows and guns were set at but it should be possibile (but not practical) to get to use one of them prior to level 20. Thrown, Bows and Crossbows take 100 skill points for my warrior and Guns take 200 skill points. If I did not spend the points that I have on trade skills, I would be close to the 100 points and Vrak is only level 11 now. If I also took into account what skill points were spent on stats, then I should have had over 100 skill points now. But I do consider most stat expenitures too important to skip (of course the intellegence for the warrior could be skipped).
I don't know yet how well the warrior skills will play out, or even what they'll look like in the final cut (as if any Blizzard product is ever "final") of the game. The list that I was looking at is too general to give more than a hint.
That list is terrible, do not try going by it. I have not even seen Impale as a possible skill to use yet. Early combat skills to look at are
Strike- you will get a nice boost in damage
Rend- a DoT skill that can finish off a mob that starts to run away. I do not think that it stacks.
Hamstring- as Nystul pointed out it will slow their movement down alot. Also seems to slightly slow down their attacks also, but not by much.
Charge- broken in beta2. Watch the boards for a fix to it. Charge rank 2 may still be very good with its stunning of the target charged.
Punishing Blow- changed in beta2 to be usable from any direction. It will override the aggro for its duration and lock you as the mobs prime target. Note the long cool down time between uses.
Pommel- very effective in beta1 at disrupting the casters like those Black Dragon Welps and their devastating fire attack. Toned down some in beta2, but I have not had a chance to see by how much.
Thunderclap- slow down up to 4 mobs near you and give your warrior some agro to help pull some of them off of the other characters.
...any buffing shout that takes rage (i.e., needs to be used after combat has started) seems a waste, ...
Not so. The Battle Shout has a nice duration and I have been able to utilise its effects for 2 or 3 encounters after the one that I set it off in. This is with taking time to loot, first aid if needed and picking a target instead of just hitting something close. It may not be that useful on the encounter that you first use it, but it is useful overall.
See Nystuls comment about getting Defensive Stance and Taunt (along with some of the other defensive and duel stance skills); it will really change the way the charater is played. You will at times need to make coice as to which stance that you are going to be using. Also note that when you change your stance, you will erase any rage that you have already built up and need to start the build up again.
Also do not forget to grab that bag quest (6 socket bag reward) in Razor hill. It will help with gathering all that loot you will be coming across.