AOE against boxer groups... really?

[heyaz]

What is it about multiboxing groups that makes people think AOE is the most effective way to fight them, especially solo? This happened a lot when I was lower level, and it probably made some sense (although last time nothing but AOE wiped my whole group was like level 59). I figured at 70 it would mostly stop...

But now it's only worse. Since I hit70 I've seen every single class with an AOE spam it on me, even by themselves. They are absolutely compelled, as if they treat me like an elite with 3 non-elite adds. Hurricane, Volley (lol), and of course arcane explosion are the favorites. My guys are in terrible gear and it still barely tickles (300-500 a tick... that's going to knock off 10k hp before you die from 14 dots?)

Not that I'm complaining.. I hope the alliance keep being that stupid to be honest, because it obviously doesn't work. Although some of them are probably smart enough to know in a team game they might as well do what damage they can, but I think a lot of these chuckleheads legitimately think some channeled aoe or aoe spam is the best way to fight 4v1

I'm just curious to know if any other groups notice this, or if I'm the only one that's treated like a bunch of ants that can be aoe'd to death (what do we have 2k hp, seriously)...

[nogbog]

Yeh.. seeing the hunter volley makes me lol on the inside.

Honestly, the noise from from the arcane explosion is what bothers me most.

[heyaz]

Yeh.. seeing the hunter volley makes me lol on the inside.

Honestly, the noise from from the arcane explosion is what bothers me most.

What bothers me the most is that you apparently can't cast arcane explosion without jumping and changing directions constantly...

[maxcom]

i hate mages so much.. when i run stuff with a friend mage... i keep trying to target and kill him when he AOEs.... /shrug

[SuS]

I have terrible trouble with Arcane explosion it kills me every time, where am I going wrong?
I have a paladin to heal, 3 shammys and a lock (Locks my main to raid with) If I get one mage its hell if two run in its game over even with my lock pvp macro spaming fear and Howl of terror my team hits the deck.

Any advise?

[cepheus]

A few hints against jump-around-mages:

- Have keys for rotating your alts, this helps a lot for directional nukes. I use my MX revolution mouse thumb scroll for turning them left and right. Incredible helpful
- Use firenova first
- Cast Lightning shield
- Then shock
- Roundrobin Chainheal.
- Use Bloodlust then magma totem too if there are several aoe'rs and you can outheal 2-3 people aoeing with your chain heal while they are beeing eaten by the magma totem and your lighting shields.

If you have good practice with directional turning of your alts, CL also are great for taking them down. But it takes some time to get the hang of it.

[Tizer]

I have terrible trouble with Arcane explosion it kills me every time, where am I going wrong?
I have a paladin to heal, 3 shammys and a lock (Locks my main to raid with) If I get one mage its hell if two run in its game over even with my lock pvp macro spaming fear and Howl of terror my team hits the deck.

Any advise?

Hi Sus, met you in the Arenas at the weekend i think it was First time i met a boxer Sorry if that was yout first arena game, i noticed you were on a 1500 rating

Your group setup isnt really doing you any favours and if you are playing them all yourself, which i think you are then you are going to suffer quite a bit against most teams. I know i couldnt play that many diverse characters at once anyway, fair play for having a crack at it though

[SuS]

]Hi Sus, met you in the Arenas at the weekend i think it was First time i met a boxer Sorry if that was yout first arena game, i noticed you were on a 1500 rating

Your group setup isnt really doing you any favours and if you are playing them all yourself, which i think you are then you are going to suffer quite a bit against most teams. I know i couldnt play that many diverse characters at once anyway, fair play for having a crack at it though

Yes and hello again ^-^

Its an odd combo I agree the Lock I wanted to raid with when not boxing as I help run a good guild and we are about to hit Sunwell and hope to clear b4 woltk.
I want to run heroics with my team the PVP is an after thought, hence a Paladin to tank and the rest shammys.

Think I need to boost a 4th Maybe 5th shammy >-< Just not sure I have the will to level/boost another 2 toon tbh just for PVP.

BTW I almost took 100HP out of one of your shammys!! ?

[Tizer]

BTW I almost took 100HP out of one of your shammys!! ?

Just a flesh wound my man, just a flesh wound. xD

[Kel]

There's several reasons I can think of for the aoe spam, I've never met a boxer yet, but it's probably what I'd do too.

Imagine you are a valient little alliance mage, you enter Galv's room and are confronted by 5 identical Shaman and a sea of totems. The rest of yuor team is unfortunately cave defending or attempting to deplete your resources as quickly as they ca whilst avoiding any possible actual game objectives, so you must face them alone (so painful death is inevitable).

The reasons I'd pick aoe over single target are:
1. Aoe doesn't get eaten by grounding totems, you'd have to do a lot of ice lances to clear the forest before you could even start trying to kill something.
2. Unless you vastly overgear the multi-boxer you probably don't have the capabilities to kill one before the others have a) healed it up or b) nuked you to oblivion. Aoe probably lets you do the most damage to the group as a whole before your demise, whether this serves any purpose depends on whether your team mates pull their finger out and do something useful (unlikely).
3. Instant aoes can't be earth shocked. Locking down of the frost school would not be fun or profitable for our budding mage.
4. Jumping whilst using AE is probably a throw-back from back when the range of AE was increased whilst moving, this got fixed a little while ago, but most people probably are in the habvit of jumping without really knowing why.
5. Gnome + Jumping + AE = Win
6. Standing still in front of the MB is probably not a good idea as it will make you an easy target, if you are doing a pbaoe you can try to be out of los to at least some of the toons.

4v1 is never going to end well for the one, so you might as well go out with a bang.