How do you beat soulbeast?

[Razor.6392]

Mainly from wvw perspective, but there's rarely good balance talk in the wvw forums (mostly whining about matchups and ded game mode).

 

They remind me of HoT herald. Multiple skills that are *must* dodges otherwise you take 10k damage. This would be fine if they dropped quickly - they don't. They are the tankiest of every single possible glass cannon in the game (even more than glass warriors imo).

 

Protection up the ass, stability up the ass. Boons for days, everything stun breaks, a block and evade on GS and a rather stealth if you decide to blast / leap it.

 

Let's list the abilities that are must dodges now okay?

 

* Rapid fire: If you want to fully avoid its damage, you need to dodge twice or reflect it. Reflecting it is not an option in wvw because you don't know when they will use freaking Sick 'Em. By the time you noticed, you already took at least 2-3 arrows for 2.5k damage each.

* Maul: 10k+ damage, easy telegraph but you have so many dodges.

* Worldly impact: easy telegraph but you have so many dodges. Also 15k+ damage.

* Merged Smoke Assault: Together with quickness and one wolf pack I'm pretty sure this can do over 30k damage in 2~ seconds. Must dodge but the animation lasts longer than 1 dodge duration, also I might be wrong but it's instant unlike Unrelenting Assault that has a cast time.

* Merged takedown (pet skill): Usually utilized right after smoke assault, also a must dodge unless you want to eat worldly impact.

* Point Blank Shot: Must dodge unless you want to either waste a stun break or eat more than 6k damage from rapid fire. You're taking damage anyway.

* The whatever GS sword daze / stun: Must dodge, even if the range sucks, gap closing isn't hard as a ranger these days.

 

Then let's not forget the pet CCing you and using smoke assault itself for 4k ish damage passively.

 

As a power class it's hell to face one. Projectile reflects can't be trusted with sick 'em, and if not equipped, ranger can just switch to GS. Signet of stone lasts for so damn long it's absurd, passive toughness alongside prot make soulbeasts tanky as fuck even though they're spec'd as glass or semi-glass. I mean, you don't need to be a glass cannon to gib people with OWP + multihitting skill.

 

What's their weakness?

[Safandula.8723]

they are easilly runover by zergs, if soulbeast dont pay attention or afk

[Crab Fear.1624]

Apparently, mantra mesmers lol.

[otto.5684]

I will talk from sPvP perspective. I break CC (or primitively cast stability) and dodge rapid fire. After here it depends. Most rangers use Unrelenting Assault. It barely does damage, do not dodge it. They then follow by the CC. You also do not need to dodge. Walking straight just puts you out of range. Now they are in melee range and did zero damage so far. It varies from here.

 

Things to keep in mind:

1. GS is melee. Either CC, control or blind. Also, outside of unstoppable union, which typically used with LB, you can block. Try not to waste dodges.

2. LB, outside of unstoppable union, can be blocked and/or reflected. Also, be prepared to dodge rapid fire and save CC breaks as I already noted.

3. If they have stability do not CC. It is quite obvious.

4. They are susceptible to condi damage.

5. Highly susceptible to CC.

6. They big difference between the top range players and everyone else comes down to two things in my opinion, effectively using their pets and knowing when to use rapid fire. Seems quite easy. It is not. Vast majority merge with pets and go pewpew. If you just followed what I mentioned above, you will win nearly every time. If they are highly skilled, it depends.

7. Soul Beast has good match ups against SB and necors. Bad match-ups against mirage and condi FB dps variants (though not common). It is around equal chance against everything else depending on skill levels.

 

I play FB sage mostly nowadays. One cast of mantra of truth is the kiss of death. Weakness + cripple + blindness. Also, they are susceptible to condi damage. One combo of axe pull + mantra of truth puts 6 condis on the target.

 

Overall, while I do think that Sicem should be nerfed and unstoppable union should be reduced to 1-2 hits, overall Soul Beast is not exactly the most problematic build in sPvP. It just requires fast reaction. WvW is a different ball game, since the damage is significantly amplified. But if you are roaming, you should be running an equally trolly build. After all, is not that what roaming is about ;)