Pikeman Archive
Thread: Pikeman vs Superbattle Driod any tips?
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STURMTOIFLE
Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:25 am
#1
I've just recently Mastered Pikeman, and love it.
I'am wondering though, what specials you "veterans" are using to actually do damage to a SBD?
I mean - is it really as simple as spamming Polearm Hit3?
I've tried knocking the things down - and it takes [me]many MANY attempts and they don't stay down for long for the KD to be of any real use.
Of course - they don't dizzy or stun either (or so I've seen).
Also - in terms of stats, what would constitute an "average" Vibro Lance?
As fighting a SBD seems to be a protracted one on one battle, I'm assuming that you veterans are not using your "best" Vibro Lance and using up its condition- so what ARE you using?
Anyhow - I'm looking for suggestions/advice if any of you guys have some.
Thanks 
Edit: Almost forgot to add, that I'll be speed capped withinthe next week or so.
Message Edited by STURMTOIFLE on 02-07-2005 08:28 AM
Devil_Tiger
Mon Feb 07, 2005 8:07 am
#2
Hit3 is a posture change attack. If you kd something and use hit3 after it, they stand up. Hit3 followed by another hit3 has the same chance of changing postures not in your favor. I prefer to use hit3 followed by hit2, then use sweep2 and spin2 while they are on the ground. use hit2 while they are getting up and go into the routine again. Pretty much works on anything from squills to GDKs to those annoying geonosians.
As for "average" VLs, they are usually around -24 for range mods and well under 300 max damage. A decent crafted VL using standard craftable parts should be around 97-300 damage and -6/-7/-7. I haven't had the chance to get one made using geo reinforcement cores, acklay bonesor lightweight vibromotors, so I can't tell you what the stats are on those (although I'm assuming that they are incredible).A well crafted VL using standard craftable parts should be easy to get a hold of and not expensive (goes for 8k onour guild hall vendor).
VacaXXX
Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:02 pm
#3
i personally ( if i was alone ) would go for action pool, and getting a high damage VL is so hard. . . im broke :}. . . .
Kaukiji
Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:47 pm
#4
wait wait...i have an answer........dont try to take on the SBD (^_^)
Ta10c
Mon Feb 07, 2005 9:10 pm
#5
well i ve found leg hit 3 better than hit 3 if ur soloing as its less damage but more into 1 pool.
for me i basically just attack it, with spamming leg hit 3, and watching my health and mind
there isnt much tactic as they cant be intimidated, warcried, bleed and only fired, but its not worth firing it imo.
use a nice VL like 600+ max and it shouldnt be hard, u just gotta have max block, a center macro, and caped melee defence (if its dwb one)
for me i basically just attack it, with spamming leg hit 3, and watching my health and mind
there isnt much tactic as they cant be intimidated, warcried, bleed and only fired, but its not worth firing it imo.
use a nice VL like 600+ max and it shouldnt be hard, u just gotta have max block, a center macro, and caped melee defence (if its dwb one)
chardin
Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:12 pm
#6
/warcry
/peace
/intimidate1 to the max
/leghit3 till teh dogs come home
/peace
/intimidate1 to the max
/leghit3 till teh dogs come home
Xalabaar
Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:49 pm
#7
bah! u suck 
, lol
, lol...i killed them as tkm and i'll kill them even faster w/ pikz 
(intim and warcry don't work on 'em)
(and oh yeah, my NSEL pwnz ur's kaukiji! rofl)
Message Edited by Xalabaar on 02-07-2005 09:50 PM
bmeenan
Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:27 am
#8
Hrm, this is a hard one. The number one key to success (IMO) to win against a SBD is to have a high damage vibro lance. This means you need to get out there and kill Nightsisters day and night (or buy one) until you have yourself a high quality, looted, damage sliced VL. Add power up for good measure when in a tough battle.
After that, it's up to you in terms of tactics. The reality is that it's hard to stick states on any high-end mob. Ever try to stick a dizzy on a high end NS or Spiderclan NPC? It's just not worth the time involved to try (again IMO).
When fighting a SBD, I generally stay away from our area attacks because I'm usually in an area where AoE will draw other mobs against me. So it's a combination of Hit3 and Hit2 for the most part. Overall, the general approach when fighting an SBD (or any other extremely high level mob) is to not focus on killing it, but instead focus on staying alive. I basically get myself in the mindset of ... Mr SBD, you can sit here and pound on me all day and I'll still be here. I'm a tank. Given that mindset, you just hack away bit by bit and slowly but surely, you win.
After that, it's up to you in terms of tactics. The reality is that it's hard to stick states on any high-end mob. Ever try to stick a dizzy on a high end NS or Spiderclan NPC? It's just not worth the time involved to try (again IMO).
When fighting a SBD, I generally stay away from our area attacks because I'm usually in an area where AoE will draw other mobs against me. So it's a combination of Hit3 and Hit2 for the most part. Overall, the general approach when fighting an SBD (or any other extremely high level mob) is to not focus on killing it, but instead focus on staying alive. I basically get myself in the mindset of ... Mr SBD, you can sit here and pound on me all day and I'll still be here. I'm a tank. Given that mindset, you just hack away bit by bit and slowly but surely, you win.
Devil_Tiger
Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:38 am
#9
Hmmm, didn't think about aggro'ing other nearby critters.Using sweep1 followed by hit2 then hit3 would work better to prevent unwanted aggro. What I had listed before is a general MOB tatic, would get you wasted in the NS caves,corvette, geo caves, DWB, etc. Works good when the MOBs aren't uber.
Once you get ahot VL (looted or otherwise), tank away as bmeenan said. We are the best tanks in the game, at least that's what I think.
STURMTOIFLE
Tue Feb 08, 2005 7:29 am
#10
Very cool - thanks for the detailed responses guys!
As for opting out of a fight with SBDs...well...that just isn't an option for me.
Its all going to boil down to getting a hold of a nice Vibro Lance once once I get speed capped, and then whittling down the SBD. I've got some "okay" ones now - but theres always room for improvement. Hopefully they fix Gorax so that they start dropping shards again soon. :/
Anyhow -I especially appreciate the insights with respect to posture changes (or attempted posture changes) that come with Hit3 and the reminder/warning of using area attacks (especially when you're in an area where using them might aggro MORE SBDs).
I believe I should be able to tank one SBD at a time, and slowly win out over him. From what I've seen and from what I'm hearing so far - more than one SBD at a time will quickly lead to a deep kaw kaw doo doo situation. 
Anyhow - thanks again
Devil_Tiger
Tue Feb 08, 2005 7:38 am
#11
Went to the corvette last night as team medic and backup. Got wasted several times when someone arrgo'd the stormies and the SBDs. I did manage to bring down a SBD (with help from a couple of shooters) using my custom made VL (unsliced, haven't seen the guild smuggler in a week or 2). I used a combonation of attacks to damage it and got lucky with a hit3 posture change on it. Went to town attacking it's action pool while the riflemen ate away at it's mind. I was feeling pretty confident about it until 3 stormies and a pair of SBDs showed up on either ends of the hallway.......
.......the place stank of fried blue rodian.
dhamian
Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:40 pm
#12
wait so i have a question. is 350k enough for a 4.9 speed and 600 max damage a good deal for a vl? i am currently bidding on one. sort of a newb at pike. only 4-1-2-3. cant wait till master.
covertsnowflake
Tue Feb 08, 2005 9:35 pm
#13
The only way i could beat a sbd is to bring a swordsman and a rifle with the acid rifle thingy. The rifle was what killed it, so the swordsman and I were just fodder keeping it away from our rifleman. It is very depowering to have two people get less than halfway through theaction pool only for the one rifleman to land all the damage.
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