Admit it, you've pulled a Leeroy Jenkins at least once. The excitement and anticipation of battle can lead to some unprepared fights ... and that's okay sometimes. In fact, even if you have no idea what you're doing, most people can manage to muscle through a boss with little to no problems. However, that's not always the case and it usually won't play out well with unsuspecting cheating bosses. One of the most important aspects in any MMO is the idea of teamwork. Working together and making sure everyone is on the same page is essential to fast and efficient fights. That's not to say that soloing the game is a bad thing. I soloed my first wizard and had a blast! But if you are working with a team, here are a few guidelines to get the most out of your experience.
Know your plan beforehand and make sure everyone knows their role. Flinging attacks at bosses will take them down eventually, but that can take twice the time it would take if your team worked together. Assign one person to do the attacking (the hammer) and have the rest of your team be their support. If you know the boss or instance you're about to face cheats, look up the cheats so you have an idea of what to expect.
Try to have as many unique buffs as you can. If all of your team's support players pack the same type of buffs in their deck, there may be a lot of waiting and discarding before your hammer can attack. If possible, try to talk with your team beforehand to determine who is going to pack what. This eliminates the possibility of duplicate buffs.
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Have your hammer pack zero pip spells. The number one mistake I see hitters doing is using up their precious pips. If your hammer sticks with zero pip spells, they will gradually keep gaining pips and will be able to attack on cue. Too often I see hitters casting spells like elemental blade or feint and can't attack when they need to!
Battle order is more important than most people think. Although some fights can pull in strange orders, most are pretty consistent. The boss more often than not is either in the first or second position. By having your hammer enter the battle last, not only do they avoid the brute force of the boss, but your team also gains a whole additional round to buff! How is that so? Well, let's say your team of 4 hits on round 4.
- Hammer entering the battle first - Round 1: 4 buffs, Round 2: 4 buffs, Round 3: 4 buffs, Round 4: No buffs, your hitter is first!
- Hammer entering the battle last - Round 1: 4 buffs, Round 2: 4 buffs, Round 3: 4 buffs, Round 4: 3 buffs. You get 3 extra buffs before your hammer attacks!
Call out your buffs. To ensure that every buff being placed is unique, have your team call out what they're placing as they're casting it. If there is ever any doubt, team members can always look back in the chat and review what is already in play.
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Pay attention to what your teammates are casting. People make mistakes. It doesn't hurt to look at the bottom of the battle screen to take a peek at what your friends are casting. Who knows, you just might catch a duplicate buff and be able to point it out before it's casted!
Be supportive. No matter how much you prepare, battles can still go awry. Don't let bad luck or a few mistakes get your team down. Pick each other up to make a recovery!
There you have it - a few tips that can help make your team a well oiled boss killing machine! Having much experience working with teams, I know that not every bullet listed here works out as planned. Don't worry, that's okay. Just remember to hope for the best and prepare for the worst!
