Crowd Control in PvE

[teina]

I've always enjoyed playing a crowd control role in MMOs. In CoH I played each controller primary to max level, and had a bunch of controller alts. In GW1, I was naturally drawn to the Mesmer when I started. Of course, other professions had cc, such as snares and kds. However, in a lot of areas most players utilize minion/spirit walls for cc. Seldom do I see planning for crowd control except in end game areas like UW and DoA.

So, going forward, what role do you think crowd control will play in GW2 PvE? Which professions will be better at it? What form will it take? What skills, at least on paper, look like they'll be great for managing large group of enemies?

For me, I'm looking forward to trying out skills with Fear, KD/KB, and Stun.

-T

[RD]

I think crowd control is GW 2 is about keeping enemies away from you:

Guardian has Chains of Light (Immobilize), Shield of Absorption (pushes foes back), Ring of Warding (foes cannot cross), and Sanctuary (keeps foes out)

Mesmers have Illusionary Wave (pushes foes back) and Portal (teleport). Plus Temporal Curtain (cripples foes / hastes allies).

I dunno enough about the other classes to know what they have.

[Alaris]

Cripples, immobilize, fear, and pushback are pretty common.

So are blinds, chills, and other shutdowns.

Lots of way to control on all professions, I think it's built-in though there will be ways to boost that too.

[teina]

I think crowd control is GW 2 is about keeping enemies away from you:

I've noticed a lot of those skills too. I suppose in PvE those can be very effective against limited AI and melee types. It would be interesting to see how AI reacts to those skills.

Cycle time will be a big factor too. I believe the first Elementalist preview used Static Field, which looked great. But with the current wiki reported value of 4s duration and recharge of 40, it may be more along the line of the old Meteor Shower in usefulness.

I dunno enough about the other classes to know what they have.

That's sort of why I created the thread. I'd like to hear some inputs from people who've studied a particular class or two, and can give their best guess for their class(es).

-T

[RD]

I watched a minute or two of that TB dungeon preview (before I got bored) and he said something about how GW 2 isn't so much to take or repair damage. Combat in GW 2 is about not getting hit in the first place.

[teina]

I watched a minute or two of that TB dungeon preview (before I got bored) and he said something about how GW 2 isn't so much to take or repair damage. Combat in GW 2 is about not getting hit in the first place.

Yep, I get some of that impression too. While as Alaris said, every class has something for control, I'm curious if any particular one stands out. I'm keeping my mind open wrt my main, so if it turns out to be the Elementalist (yes, you heard me, Dom), that's what I'll play.

-T

[Alaris]

I assume that major contenders for support would be balanced, what changes is how you play them.

[shadowhand]

Necros had spectral wall which weakens foes and protects allies - the necro staff skills worked much like ranger traps in GW, except you could cast them on the ground a fair distance away from your position, to say block a natural funnel in the terrain.

Minions of course keep melee foes occupied so you can finish them off more or less from safety.

The various Well spells also looked like they might be good for crowd control and for buffing bunched up allies. But I didn't get to try them out.

[sorudo]

yeah, as a necro it's best to take a staff when you want to go for support/control, most others are frontal attacks.

[Alaris]

I haven't really looked into necro skills. How useful would he be for classic support (heal/prot) compared to engineer or water ele or guardian?