Blaster tactics quiz
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) I asked a number of SG mates this question, and I was fairly surprised at their answers. Assume you're a level 23 blaster, and the minions are orange con, which means you can probably take out one of the minions outright with 1 aim + build up blast but would take 2 shots to take out the Sorcerer. Who would you attack first and why? Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
Question 1:
The sorcerer will teleport away on attack, leaving a short interval during which both minions can be taken down. The yellow ink man may sleep me on first hit, and then the green ink man can come by and mess up my day. So, the yellow ink man goes down first, the green ink man while he's approaching my blaster, and the sorcerer after he teleports back into range to try to heal either of the ink men.
Getting the ink men down well away from my blaster is helpful because that way, even if the sorcerer teleports in with hurricane switched on, he'll teleport next to his minion to cast O2 boost and *not* debuff my blaster.
Question 2:
When solo, I'd take out the mortificator first. A mortificator's ranged slow and -recharge makes your low level blaster, who will have little recharge and few powers with which to work, more vulnerable to having the eidelon sidle on up and stun with oppressive gloom. Then I'd take out the eidelon because being stunned isn't good when you have an exploder running around. Exploders are easy to dodge when you're soloing a blaster, as long as you aren't slowed or mezzed.
On a team, I'd probably take out the exploder first, the eidelon second, and the mortificator third. On teams, exploders can be team wipe material, the eidelon can stun all or almost all melee toons in a few seconds if left alone, and the mortificator then becomes the least deadly threat.
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) I asked a number of SG mates this question, and I was fairly surprised at their answers. Assume you're a level 23 blaster, and the minions are orange con, which means you can probably take out one of the minions outright with 1 aim + build up blast but would take 2 shots to take out the Sorcerer. Who would you attack first and why? |
Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) I asked a number of SG mates this question, and I was fairly surprised at their answers. Assume you're a level 23 blaster, and the minions are orange con, which means you can probably take out one of the minions outright with 1 aim + build up blast but would take 2 shots to take out the Sorcerer. Who would you attack first and why? |
Open with Energy Torrent then start in on the sorcerer. It's easy to keep the Green Ink Man out of commission. Power Push fits very nicely into an attack chain and using it I can keep any melee nuisance safely out of the action (as long as they aren't resistant to knockback). The sleep from the Yellow Ink Man is a fairly trivial concern as far as it goes so that doesn't worry me so much. The sorcerer on the other hand is just so damnably annoying. Sure, targeting drone makes his acc debuff not sting as much, but there's still the heal and the hold ... and that freaking annoying teleporting around.
Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
MA Arcs: Yarmouth 1509 and 58812
Who says knockback is poor mitigation?
((BTW, I like the responses I've seen so far. Knockback is but one mitigational tool, but its particular properties really changes the responses here (particularly the benefit of potential knockback when held.......mezzes aren't quite the same threat level for Energy Blasters as they are even for other knockback equipped Blasters). If we were talking stuns or holds, I can see these responses changing. Whether any of those things has a chance for effect or "guaranteed" effect also has a potential to change how you deal with the situation. And, of course something short of mitigation, such as Fire/Fire, really changes these responses.))
Oooh... lets try this... from a Sonic/EM and an Arch/MM perspective.
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) I asked a number of SG mates this question, and I was fairly surprised at their answers. Assume you're a level 23 blaster, and the minions are orange con, which means you can probably take out one of the minions outright with 1 aim + build up blast but would take 2 shots to take out the Sorcerer. Who would you attack first and why? |
Sonic/EM: Easy peasy. Siren's Song puts all of them to sleep. It's a coin toss which minion I take out first, but once they both are gone, I'll start in on the Sorcerer.
Arch/MM: I'd open with a quick combo of Fistfull/Psy Scream - If I'm lucky, I'll hit the Sorcerer with both. (I would use Aim+Concentrate... but I didn't take them until 26&28 on this toon.) Either way, after the opener, if they are still grouped together, I'll use Explosive Arrow. If they've spread out, I'll drop Subdual on the Green Ink Man to keep him at range, then focus on taking out the Yellow. Once he's down, I take out the Green. I switch to the Sorcerer whenever he teleports in to get him to GO AWAY long enough to take out the minions. I can take care of him after the small fry are down.
Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
Arch/MM: Assuming I see them first, and didn't bumble too close... my first priority is Subdual on the Mortificator. My attacks outrange his darts - if he's immobilized far enough away, he is a NON-ENTITY. Once he's stuck in place, I take out the Cadaver, then work on the Eidolon, while keeping Subdual on the Mortificator for simplicities sake. Once the Eidolon's down, I'll take the Mortificator apart at leisure - if I've done it right, he'll never have the opportunity to attack.
-This Space Intentionally Left Blank.-
Ice/Fire Blaster:
Question 1: I would hit the Sorcerer so he tp's away and then BuildUp and attack the Green Ink man before he hits me and then if I'm not sleeping Aim and hit the Yellow Ink man. Then finish off the Sorcerer when he comes back to play. If the Green ink man comes in close, Fire Sword.
Question 2: Build up and then hit the Mortificator with my hardest attack (probably Fire Sword for me at that point) and then focus on the Murk while keeping my distance from the Cadaver until im ready to take him out.
I'm a Mac user, no Mid's for me
Question #1: Assuming that I CAN one-shot the minions, take out the Yellow Ink Man first. Mobs tend to range attack first, so his ranged sleep is the immediate danger. It will take a moment for the Green Ink Man to close to melee range for stun. Second target is the Sorceror, since until he's out of the way, there's not much point in endlessly getting the Green Inky down to a sliver just in time for a teleport-heal from the Sorceror.
If I CAN'T one-shot the minions, Sorceror first.
Question #2: Embalmed Cadaver first. Get at least one point damage so I can claim his self-destruct as a "kill" for my badge. The Murk is going to be a long drawn-out battle no matter what I do at that level, so 1) wound the Embalmed (don't bother to polish him off but jump back from his kablooie), 2) take out the Morty, 3) survive a protracted battle with the Murk.
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Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) I asked a number of SG mates this question, and I was fairly surprised at their answers. Assume you're a level 23 blaster, and the minions are orange con, which means you can probably take out one of the minions outright with 1 aim + build up blast but would take 2 shots to take out the Sorcerer. Who would you attack first and why? |
Sonic/EM - Siren's Song. Choose by whimsy. repeat ad nauseum.
Ar/Men - Tanker goes in and groups them (and there will be a lot more of them than 3). Build Up, FT, Scream, BS, M30. *giggle maniacally* (as I am doing it I enjoy saying, Fire, Mind, Bullets, Bomb). I haven't really ever soloed this chaarcter; a few mission here and there probably, but I don't remember them.
Quiz question #2:
In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
Sonic/EM - I only ran at low levels under old defiance. By the time I hit a boss spawn I'd probably be low on health and charge screaming, stun the Mort, Air Sup the Murk, Power Thrust the embalmed. Scream (this time I mean the power) then BS the Murk. Shout then EP the Mort. I may not have even needed all those attacks depending how much defiance I had. Kill the embalmed. I saved a lot of end and time waiting to heal in the low levels under old defiance.
Why Blasters? Empathy Sucks.
So, you want to be Mental?
What the hell? Let's buff defenders.
Tactics are for those who do not have a big enough hammer. Wisdom is knowing how big your hammer is.
All of them with a fireball.
A1:
Really depends on how well enhanced you are. But in general the minions preferably two shot with AOEs aim and build up. The sorcerer usually either teleports, fires up hurricane, or starts healing when his group is hit with an AOE. Teleport is a win for you, hurricane doesn't matter if you are still firing with aim and buildup active, and if he is healing you generally get the other minion and do some damage on the sorcerer, at that point you target the sorcerer till he teleports and then kill the remaining minion. Which leaves you chasing the teleporting sorcerer.
A2:
hmmm 2 LTs and a minion.
Depends, The embalmed is a pain but only when they get into close range, the mort is the same way. Back up target the Eidolon, AOE, finish off the eidolon, take out the mort and the embalmed with aoes and st as needed backing up to prevent the embalmed from exploding in your face.
I'm firing through the tanks/scraps/meleers to prevent aggro. I am a cannon.
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) I asked a number of SG mates this question, and I was fairly surprised at their answers. Assume you're a level 23 blaster, and the minions are orange con, which means you can probably take out one of the minions outright with 1 aim + build up blast but would take 2 shots to take out the Sorcerer. Who would you attack first and why? Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
#1 -- At 23 I'd have a stun (let's assume Screech since my current blaster is sonic), so I'd probably slap the sorcerer from range, then Kill a Green Inkman. I don't remember the last time i was slept by a yellow... they must suck at it
/edit -- after reading other replies... DOH i forgot about Siren's... yeah sleep the whole group and then stun (Screech at range or Stun for melee) and kill each one at leisure.
#2 -- Embalmed first, those things can wreck a team. Then I'd probably work on the Mort and save the Eidolon for last.
I would one shot Tub Ci, then /e bringit, while they all ran away
-Largo
Founder of A.G.O.N.Y. Supergroup on Victory
Member of Thought Sanctum VG on Victory
Member of St0rm Batallion SG on Guardian
Answers were as interesting as I thought they'd be.
Here's how I handled it and why it wasn't the right choice.
Quiz (wrong) answer #1: I chose Yellow Ink Man. Hit aim + build up and missed with my tier 2 attack, did hit him my tier 1 but left him with a sliver of life. Tsoo Sorcerer promptly healed him back up to 70% and then the Green Ink Man came up and stunned me. Bleh.
Quiz (wrong) answer #2: I chose the Embalmed Cadaver. Hit aim and two blasts and it was down. Unfortunately, that gave Eidolon time to run and stun me with Oppressive Gloom and then begin attacking with Midnight Grasp. :/ Meanwhile, the Mort rezzed the Cadaver which ambled towards me as I was stunned...
By the way, I did manage to beat both these encounters without reliance on breakfrees. I just thought you guys might get more of a chuckle out of a wrong answer rather than a right one.
One answer for both questions, use EVERY INSP you have, run in and SelfDestruct!!! Flawless.
I'm a Mac user, no Mid's for me
(without looking at others' answers...)
#1 -- At 23 I'd have a stun (let's assume Screech since my current blaster is sonic), so I'd probably slap the sorcerer from range, then Kill a Green Inkman. I don't remember the last time i was slept by a yellow... they must suck at it /edit -- after reading other replies... DOH i forgot about Siren's... yeah sleep the whole group and then stun (Screech at range or Stun for melee) and kill each one at leisure. #2 -- Embalmed first, those things can wreck a team. Then I'd probably work on the Mort and save the Eidolon for last. |
Why Blasters? Empathy Sucks.
So, you want to be Mental?
What the hell? Let's buff defenders.
Tactics are for those who do not have a big enough hammer. Wisdom is knowing how big your hammer is.
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) |
Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) |
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) I asked a number of SG mates this question, and I was fairly surprised at their answers. Assume you're a level 23 blaster, and the minions are orange con, which means you can probably take out one of the minions outright with 1 aim + build up blast but would take 2 shots to take out the Sorcerer. Who would you attack first and why? Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
1: Boost Range, Aim, Build Up, Power Boost, Rain of Arrows, Fistful of Arrows, Explosive Arrow.
2: See 1.
Im just kidding of course. At level 11 though lets say im on my Energy/Energy
1: Open with Hasten followed with Energy Torrent, run to the Sorceror and pop Bone Smasher, followed by a swift Power Thrust if he isnt dead already. Turn around, use Build Up and Aim and Another Energy Torrent, then attack the one who doesnt get knocked down first and clean up the other.
2. Doing my best to avoid the Eidelon, I would smack the Whole group with Energy Torrent, then single target the Mort until he dies, all the while strafing the group, avoiding melee range with the Cadaver and Eidelon. Once Morty is down, Cadaver oes next, followed by a string of single targets on the Eidelon, doing my best to avoid melee range as best as possible.
@Mazzo Grave
Webmaster Grave, Virtueverse!
Energy/Energy Blaster Guide
Eng/Eng is my main Blaster, so I'll stick to him to answer.
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) |
Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
Head of TRICK, the all Trick Arrow and Traps SG
Part of the Repeat Offenders
Still waiting for his Official BackAlleyBrawler No-Prize
Fair enough. Assume you're arch/mental (or something equivalent to that you're familiar with) in both scenarios, and you're spec'ed for a balance between single target and AoEs.
|
I don't have stunning shot or trip mine available in either case since stunning shot comes at level 26 and trip mine at 28.
In the case of the Tsoo I'll be throwing down caltrops first and then triggering aid self for the stun resistance. If the 3 mobs are grouped tightly I'll start by targetting the Sorc with explosive hoping to KB all 3 and following up immediately with Blazing. If they are loose I'll start with Blazing on the Sorc.
Sorc will TP out. I'll webnade the Green ink (whether I'm slept or not). If not slept I'll follow up with fistfull. If slept I'll switch to the yellow and use my tier 1 & 2 primary and webnade till he's down. Webnade the green again and about this time the sorc will port back in. (I save Aim in case the Sorc Tps on top of me with Hurricane or Darkest Night running) The sorc gets blazing again and the tier 1 & 2 until he's down or ports off.
Webnade the green again and go single target until he's down or the sorc ports back in. If the sorc ports back in I use the AoEs and that should drop him. Then I finish off the green.
If the sorc is still alive when I finish off the green I hunt him down.
The Vahz is a similar deal. Except that now I don't have Explosive.
Caltrops first. Fistfull followed by blazing on the Mort, Webnade the Murk. Single target the Mort til he's down, Fistfull when ever it's recharged, then single target the Murk. The embalmed I can save till last since if he tries to blow up while standing in the caltrops he'll keep getting interrupted.
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first? a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold) b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun) c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep) |
I'll add, though, that normally I wouldn't expect to encounter all three in the same spawn and if I did I'd be worried. Typically I see Yellow and Green Ink Men teamed with Ancestor Spirits, and in such cases it's the SPIRIT that gets the first shot. I want him dead before he gets into melee with me.
Quiz question #2: In the following group, who would you attack first and why? a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack) b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI) c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom) Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white. |
I very rarely target an Embalmed. If I can keep them from exploding until they're the last then I'll take them out. If they explode, though, I just let them, as long as I can keep backing out of range.
Quiz question #1:
In the following group, who would you attack first?
a) Tsoo Sorcerer (healer, hurricane, foe hold)
b) Tsoo Green Ink Man (melee stun)
c) Tsoo Yellow Ink Man (ranged sleep)
I asked a number of SG mates this question, and I was fairly surprised at their answers. Assume you're a level 23 blaster, and the minions are orange con, which means you can probably take out one of the minions outright with 1 aim + build up blast but would take 2 shots to take out the Sorcerer. Who would you attack first and why?
Quiz question #2:
In the following group, who would you attack first and why?
a) Vahzilok Mortificator (ranged -slow, revive fallen cadavers, hard hitting melee attack)
b) Vahzilok Embalmed Cadaver (explodes, dumb AI)
c) Vahzilok Murk Eidolon (downgraded from a boss to a Lt, Midnight Grasp, Opressive Gloom)
Assume you're a level 11 blaster, and have build up but not aim. The Lts con yellow while the Embalmed cons white.