Close fighting

[Vumr]

I have leveled myself from 1 to 46 over the past month and am comfortable with slowing and sicking pet on undeads, argo and fear kitting with nonundeads. The majority of my hunting is solo and would like to learn to play this character as well as is possible. I am not doing well however in situations where I don't have room to agro/fear and the mobs are not undead so I can't slow them. I have lost so many pets that I am afraid I am going to summon one soon and and get a message telling me to kiss his boney behind, he's not coming out. This class is so amazing and capable of so much that I am sure that my failures in this area are due to some aspect that I am overlooking. I have tried healing the pet but can not keep up with the damage he's taking. I would apprecite any constructive suggestions.

[Skarra]

I am not the greatest at fighting in close conditions either but one thing that really helps in keeping the pet healed better is the heal line of spells used on players instead of your pet heal.


just my 2cc
Skarra

[Emperson]

Well, in order for me to help out if i can i need to ask a couple questions...

1. Which mobs are you talking about fighting? Some mobs are just too strong; doesnt matter your talent or skill, you just cant take em with pet tank... they hit too hard or have too much hps

2. Are you buffing your pet with augment death? It makes a huge difference when pet tanking... since it increases your pets defense and offense and its only a one time cost per every like 15 minutes

3. Are you providing enough damage with your DoT or DDs so that the mob dies fast enough?

One thing i do sometimes when im pet tanking is just jump in and take a few hits... might take you down a little but you can just tap it back...

With a little more info hopefully i, or somone else, can help ya out

[Schaeffer]

In close quarters i like to root dot. No pets just a couple of DoTs and a root. Root the MoB first, then cast darnkess incase it breaks. Use a heat dot and splurt when you get it. Be carefull with the disease and poison lines as they have a small nuke at the beginning that can break root, but if you decide you need it for the extra dps, you can always re-root if you can take a couple of hits. Always keep lich up and use leach over time spells, that helps add to dps and keeps mana up for expensive DoTs. Always keep an eye on the timer and refresh root and darkness before they wear off. Everything else you can refresh as needed. May want to keep a nuke up for final blow if DoTs run out and it's not worth it to recast. I like to use the skin line of buffs while doing this icase root breaks, it gives you some extra time to re-root or in worst case FD.

[Emperson]

ah yes ive used that... i thought he was talking about pet tanking tho... i dunno hehe

[Vumr]

I have tried wyverns in SF, and a couple of mobs in DL, I am thinking in terms of going to Dulak as soon as I get 49. I do augment the pet and the ac buff. I generally throw on darkness to pull, Chilling Embrace or VoS on the way back, and Asystole just at I sick the pet. If i use VoS I mantain agro so while trying to learn the best way to do this I sometimes use Vampiric Curse and I leave taunt on. I know that I have plenty of room at the BW zone in SF to agro or fear kite. But since I am trying to learn the close quarter fighting I hate having to fear to save the pet and I seem to end up doing that most of the time, it kind of defeats the purpose. Eventully I will be in a situation that does not allow for anything but pulling to a spot and wining or loosing right there, I'm thinking a dungeon situation or Dulak, if this can be done, some time in the future PoD and then PoV, I know there are more, and I am trying to prepare for those times. You guys are great and I appreciate the all the help.

[Mortimus]

Just to reinforce that you should use the healing over time spells on your pet, perhaps topping up with direct heal spells. Make sure he is well buffed and don't try it with the really hard - hitters.

Maybe a bit high for you but the goblins just inside Veksar are great to practice on if you are in your mid - high 50s.

[sintalon]

In fighting is a great tactic to learn. My motto is usually "dont get hit" however as it was stated in a prior post there are times when stepping in to save the pet is a great thing. This happens easily since even tho your pet may have low HP aggro your a PC and the mob turns immediately to you. A good way to start this is a spell combo that i have used for many levels. The efficiency does vary dependent upon which spells in the line you have as well as what mobs you are fighting. Any case toss up your HoT (shadowbond/pact line) on pet when he starts to get low, Toss a HoT (lifebond/vexing/saryns) on mob and step in. If you are using vampiric the procs may also help. Most of the Lifebond line are twice as long as the shadowbond line if you have noticed. You can effectively put 2 on the pet and basically maintain your life. This doesnt help on your getting hit atm but you can life tap thru if necesary. I do not recommend fighting like this since our AC and damage mitigation is not the greatest but in a pinch it will save your pet unless you are just over powered in the fight.

Now in close quarters there are a few things that you can do that may help you out. Keep your snare and your Poison on the mob and keep your hate up. the asystole line is wonderful for that. I use Cessation of Cor alot at 65 just to have a cheap way of maintaining aggro. the debilitating stats work nice with the pet as a bonus. Since in this situation its a mob that you know your pet cannot tank just run past it suck up a few hits and apply a HoT. Run past it sit down and then run back thru it. Sit down aggro is another way to keep it off your pet, if you have sufficient hate.

I would get used to the hate kite method or aggro kiting as its also called since the majorty of your life past 55 will be of that if your more of a solo Necro. Most 55+ mobs are immune to fear and even the 65 pet has issues with unslowed pop mobs. They just cant take it. So keep your hate, turn off your taunt, invest in run3 or sow potions and Med/hate kite until the levels fall into your lap. I hope this helps ill check back to see if there is anything else i can offer given a specific/situational scenario.

[Vumr]

Thank you all for your help. I tried using the suggestions here last night with much more success. The HoT spells helped greatly. I used the giants in GD near the EW zone to work on the technique and then moved to EW for manticores and rhinos. I did have to fear a couple of manticors in order to save the pet but for the most part handled them by healing the pet and running in for a couple of hits if pet got too low in health. I also used Incinerate Bones if the fight was closer than I wanted, the mob would usually agro me and with that spell on the pet seems to do a great deal more damage as the mob moves to me. Thank you all, I will continue practicing at this untill I find the best spell combinations for different situations.

[Panagiota]

I just hit level 61 and got my new pet Legacy of Zek and I can only tell you wow! He is a beast! I took him to Veksar and all I did was cast slow and one dot and threw in a nuke....and it went real well. The point is, othr than me bragging, is that your pet makes a huge difference. Buff your pet...keep him healed and take a few hits if you have to. I didnt really experience much success with it till I reached 60. Seems like once we hit 60-61 our power inreases tenfold.

Panagiota Zophose
Concrete Amicus
Quellious

[Emperson]

yeah, everyones making good points... but i would just like to say that wyverns in SF seem a little high for somone below 49 to try to close fight with... hehe

[Vumr]

Originally posted by Emperson@Dec 17 2003, 07:50 PM
yeah, everyones making good points... but i would just like to say that wyverns in SF seem a little high for somone below 49 to try to close fight with... hehe
As I found out, you are absolutly right.

[Mortimus]

Yup, but most non casting mobs in SF can be fear kited safely if you pick the right spots. in the valley near the BW zone or at zone edge to North of the OT zone were good to me, though I did start a little later than level 49 methinks

[sintalon]

Good point actually. I was posting recommended in fighting tactics if you had to. SF zone i dont really recommend doing that with. I spent alot of time in SF from 49 - 57ish when i wasnt off in other places messing around. I always zoned in at OT zone. I never cared for BW zoneline since i got sick of running back all the time to get more mobs. If you exit OT zone in and walk right there is a ledge there. Looking out there is the zone to the left a drop off in front with the lava river and to the right mor ledge and a drop off with mobs a plenty. The place is pretty simple to fear. DMF yourself step out pull one in with snare bring it right up to the wall tap a fear into it. it usually walks the wall to the OT zone. It will break fear just keep that Hate up and it wont Turn and hit your pet. When fear breaks you let it walk back near ya then pop it again. I kinda have a timer in my head with all my dots just make sure that you keep it snared is a big thing. Also since your 49 and you will be making decent money out there grab a virt and a 10 pack of sow potions until you get the swing of things down there. No use letting them eat you for lunch based off inexperience. THey do have alot of HP but you can pogo the heck out of them pretty easy. Side note: A patch went in a while back that altered the fear patterns in some zones. as an FYI if you stand off to the side of feared mobs you can change their directions if you desire. Not needed often but a double fear will at times help a feared mob to avoid his aggroing buddy. Play with it sometime in a safer place to see what i mean. Hope that helps. Any other places or tactics you may want just ask if i know or have a story ill be sure to let you know. GOod luck V.

[Emperson]

Yah SF is alright... the only problem is that i dont think the exp makes up for the amount of time it takes to kill some of these mobs... namely the wurms... but you can just go for like the bottomless and such because they are pretty easy to kill...

[Panagiota]

A much better place to solo than sky fire and will give you better xp and good loot is the crypt of nadox "shrine" AND you can fear. You can do this from 49-to upper 50s no problem.

Here's how you get there:

Go to the Crypt of Nadox where the lava entrance is, you must take the right wall and swim for a tiny bit in the lave (use invis). as soon as you can get out out of the lava on the right do so. You will see on your left some beasties standing in a fire, ignore them and run straight right. The lave river behind you just run straight ahead from the river. Keep running till you get to what looks like a wooden ceiling, run through it, its fake sorta. Then keep running out the open massive doorway you will see a bridge with big gaps in it....dont worry you can't fall through. Keep going past the bridge till you get to the zone line.

Once here summon a pet and make him guard right at the zone line.....it will be a good marker for you when you pull. Now all you need to do is start pullng the trolll looking things. I start with darkness and another dot....run back to your pet wait for it to get to you then send in pet and cast fear. He will start heading back towards his friends dont worry fear will usually wear off by then....recast as necessary. If things go sour the zone is right there.

There is an occasional named guy that spawns.....he isnt THAT much harder just seems to have way more hit points...just dump more dots on him. He drops a nice bracelet.

If you need more clarification let me know....

Panagiota

[sintalon]

Correct on the xp gain. It wasnt all that great overall as i leveled and of course XP slows down drastically thru the 50's anyway. However I have always been a kunark fan for one reason. Overall it is the one continent that you not only get decent xp but good cash loot per mob. I am sure there are other places but many of the wurms in SF drop around 7 - 9pp per kill. Gems drop on occassion. there are spell drops galore off various higher wurms and essence of sunlight from Chromo sell about 300pp apiece. Its a nice place to kick back relax make a little xp and some cash to boot. It really depends on your playstyle. If your into fast leveling then its prob not the best place at this time. Nadox wasnt around when i was growing up so i havent spent alot of time there. I go there periodically and explore and learn more about it so i couldnt really tell you xp gain. Good luck either way to ya i hope you get it down.

[Emperson]

that crypt sounds liek a great place... i sadly dont have that expansion yet tho but im getting it soon

[Wyerl78]

To tell the truth I didnt read all the posts and if this has already been said Im sorry for repeating it. What I will do is this Root, Snare DoT DoT DoT , pick your flavor then sick the pet in. Now when my pet gets to about 40 percent I will re-root the mob if Root has not already broken and start calling my pet back to me. Its nice to take hits but some mobs just hit too hard and can trap you with Stun this is not a very fun encounter when it happens as you can die very quickly. I will then re-dot as needed dark pact or such and pet heals on my pet then send him back in if the mob is not already dead. Also dont forget Mages can be your best friends buy no-rent pet gear the haste and stats you get are invaluable. This may take a bit longer but it is a safer way for me to solo in corridors where you cant run with out atracting adds or fear kite.



Wyerl
http://www.magelo.com/eq_view_profile.html?num=336700

[Doomfir]

I think I know your issues and they are pretty simple really. Your pet until level 49 really sux and you have no way to effectively heal him in tanking situations with DB mobs.

Look at the stats of the 49 Pet. He is the first really decent pet too, but still his HPs are like... 2400? Somewhere in there. But his level is like 41. So here you are.. at 49, having a lowbie pet trying to tank a mob and are having to use Bond of Death to heal him. Renew bones is a joke now at your level so I doubt you have that up.

So you are trying to take a level 46 Mob, with a 41 Pet.. who does max 35dps, and the mob is doing 85-110dps or better (unslowed).. That is a deficite of 70 or so dps, and BoD cant make up for that at 15 or so dps reverse. The level diff in pet and mob hurts you, the lack of ability to heal your pet as fast as the dmg he is taking hurts you, and your pets low hps hurt you..

Pet tanking at your level to Dark blue and higher mobs is not an option really unless you are fighting undead which you can slow and lower their dps by 60-70%. You are therefore relegated to fear or agro kiting, until you get a pet like EoT or much better still LoZ.

THEN... when you hit 64.. you get Touch of Death.. 1k hp pet heal. This is a huge jump in what you can take now because not only is your pet level 60.. but you can cast both shadowbond on him and ToD when he needs it to keep him healed. I am sorry though.. you will NEVER be able to solo pet tank a PoP mob with the current pets we have. Just not going to happen. You have to stick to LoY, Old World, Luclin, and Velious Mobs.

At 59 I took Tserrina Syl Tor in the ToFS with my EoT pet. If I had used Invoke Death, she would have owned me. EoT pet is only level 46 too.. Think about when you hit 61 and have a level 60 Pet.. ahh.. the necro comes of age.

I guess I liken it to any sport.. When you first start to play it isn't much fun because you suck at it.. but IF you can suffer and get through, then when you start to get good, you really enjoy it. Fortunately, a necro is far from useless even if his pet cant tank and starts to be really fun to play early. He can fear and agro kite as well.

There are some exceptions to the above information.. but they (mobs) are very few and far between.