|
Post by freesoul on Oct 2, 2007 21:08:01 GMT -5
Not many of the top players partake in Melees, but I think they're pretty fun. Probably the most challenging part about melees, is the inability to forecast multiple opponents moves. Which creates the shift in strategy, from adapting your spellflow vs your opponent's spellflow, to building defenses (protection fire/cold) and creating offensive threats. Obviously, protections are more useful in melees, as your storms and elementals can inflict damage on multiple targets. A drawback is that it takes a bit of time to set up the protection, which are pretty easily eliminated. Also, elemental spells kill your initiative (or take a ton of time to set up). Plus, you can get creamed by stray monsters or disruptions while you try to set these up. However.. these spells can be more fun than your typical cause light/amnesia's of regular matches. There are a bunch of different strategies. Many depend on who you're playing or what health people are. For example, you may not want to knockout the third man in the melee, if your don't have strong position on the remaining guy. Also there are a few unique situations.... like you wouldn't want to kill someone who has a giant, and you suspect that person would target you that turn... because that would mean that giant would continue to follow its dead masters last orders... until death or charm. I think there is room for more topics and discussion on melees and variants. This part of Warlocks is not quite as developed as dueling, in my opinion. Time to catch up!?
|
|
|
Post by xade on Oct 3, 2007 1:14:21 GMT -5
Disease is actually quite potent in melee mode... if you're in the recieving end on it, more often than not, you'll end up a goner...
|
|
|
Post by ExDeath on Oct 3, 2007 4:37:25 GMT -5
That's very true, since there isn't quite as much focused disruption in melee, disease/poison are easy to get off..and once you do, everyone else will make sure that person never recovers. Seems like it could be nice strategy for 2v2 team melee though. Personally, I'd be more interested in that subject.
|
|
|
Post by Rycchus on Oct 3, 2007 6:20:19 GMT -5
You're safer at low health in a melee though, as people are willing to let you live whilst they deal with the stronger threats.
I imagine the top players play much more defensively in a melee, since there is a serious risk everyone will gang up on them.
The differences between Blindness and Invis would be much more evident here, too.
|
|
|
Post by Rycchus on Oct 3, 2007 6:41:43 GMT -5
I notice Reds has (according to the archive) the strongest melee record. Perhaps he'd care to share?
|
|
|
Post by overmage on Oct 3, 2007 7:22:58 GMT -5
Monsters're much less of an asset, too. Imho it's really because the monster's fairly vulnerable to multiple opposition and the owner can't keep protecting it without being beat up fairly badly by the other players. My favourite strategy is to wait for enough of them to build up before clapping a storm through every single one I an't say I've played much, since I'm new, but my favourite opening involves a very quick resist and an immediate storm, just for sheer heck value
|
|
|
Post by Dubber on Oct 3, 2007 7:50:35 GMT -5
Most high rung melee players seem to open fairly conservatively. I see a fair amount of WW/SS openings, which then vary between WWS to block the occasional disruption which crops up or set up for WWPP for a counter on a resistance, followed by a resistance of one's own (or a goblin to throw some random minor damage)
Occasionally I've seen (and used to throw) Dispel off the start to mess with the resists, but that usually puts the Dispeller behind the opponents. Each number of melee players has what feels like "optimal" strategies - and they vary widely
Generally, the folks I've been playing lately (the top of the melee ladder, three or four combatants) have been served well with achieving double resists. Storms are rough on the non-resistant and the risks of casting are offset by the sheer amount of damage possible.
More later... must dash
(it's been a while since I've been in range of enough others to fill a 6 person)
|
|
|
Post by toyotami on Oct 3, 2007 8:46:34 GMT -5
PErsonally, while i hardly play, i figure the best melee tactic is constant defence. have W's up constantly. of course you cant counterspell every turn (2 out of 3), you can certainly fake alot and your opponents target each other.
|
|
|
Post by Rycchus on Oct 3, 2007 9:22:50 GMT -5
Agree with Toyo there. Also it's worth pointing out... Monsters're much less of an asset, too. Imho it's really because the monster's fairly vulnerable to multiple opposition and the owner can't keep protecting it without being beat up fairly badly by the other players. My favourite strategy is to wait for enough of them to build up before clapping a storm through every single one I an't say I've played much, since I'm new, but my favourite opening involves a very quick resist and an immediate storm, just for sheer heck value Monsters make you a target.
|
|
|
Post by Dubber on Oct 3, 2007 12:48:12 GMT -5
PErsonally, while i hardly play, i figure the best melee tactic is constant defence. have W's up constantly. of course you cant counterspell every turn (2 out of 3), you can certainly fake alot and your opponents target each other. In a 5 or 6 player melee, the constant defender (with or without a resist) seems to come out ahead. If you can manage to avoid notice in the damage rounds (but still take a few hits to sort of keep close to the pack) you're pretty well positioned for the end game. iirc, Pig was really good at that sort of thing. I'm not terribly good at it, as I tend to not be subtle and get impatient with all that waving-to-make-you-think-I'm-harmless stuff
|
|
|
Post by Rycchus on Oct 3, 2007 16:52:28 GMT -5
What's the best melee opening?
|
|
|
Post by Dubber on Oct 4, 2007 6:49:58 GMT -5
What's the best melee opening? IMHO: WW/SS
|
|
|
Post by Rycchus on Oct 4, 2007 7:00:23 GMT -5
That's what I usually do, but only for lack of knowledge of anything better. I really don't have much of a clue with melees. I saw xade open WP/PD and I thought that was quite nice. Thoughts, people?
|
|
|
Post by Slartucker on Oct 4, 2007 7:06:23 GMT -5
Resistance is only good if everyone is going for it. Otherwise it makes you a target without giving a large advantage. If 3 of 6 players have resistance you're golden. If you're the only one, it's not really helping you.
As previously stated counterspells are good since threatening one is usually sufficient to avoid being a target. Conversely, things that would -always- be countered by good players in duels -- Invis for example -- have a chance (not a certainty, but a chance) of getting through, since nobody wants to be the one who sacrifices their spellflow to throw the counter. This makes WPPWS/WWWWS a potentially useful "weave"... once in invis you can go for SSFP, you can clap into an elemental, or you can even begin a longer and more dangerous spell, like haste, delay effect, or perm.
|
|
Derfel
Ronin Warlock
Did I Do That?
Troublemaker
Posts: 283
|
Post by Derfel on Oct 4, 2007 9:25:32 GMT -5
I don't have a ton of experience in melee battles, but often I try and get at least one resistance up (especially in 6 warlock versions). Also, I love having a Giant to pass around. Makes it really an interesting match that way.
|
|