Can Holosmith be used without kits?

[Eben.5786]

Title.

[ukuni.8745]

Depends on what your trying to do, i find you can run 3 elixirs no kit on a bursty build but i generally take eg anyway for the extra condi clear for this current meta in spvp, for wvw take what you need at the time but generally tk and elixir s never leave my bar and for general pve content i use a sd build with rifle turret/photon shield/laser disk and it clears trash mobs and veterans really quickly, but yea if your not concerned about being optimal you can run it without kits and still be fairly viable

[Hock.6740]

I think it's viable in open-world.

Found myself rarely switching to kits now, only using it's toolbelt.

[Eben.5786]

how about for fractals and wvw?

[insanemaniac.2456]

wvw prolly. There are strong defensive, mobility, control, and bursty utilities that arent kits. any build with rocket boots is prolly a good enough build.

 

fractals prolly not, some kits have high powered skills and some kits have really strong utility (ie blinds, chills) that you need to use to control, mitigate damage, and dish out high dps. avoiding kits to avoid pushing buttons gimps yourself.

[Kamahl.3621]

My B-tier Holosmith build (Static Discharge) works fine with it in Fractals and whatnot. Hardly optimal but it has a ton of quickness uptime on top of a bit more burst than the sustained iteration. All obvious stuff sans the third utility being Laser Disk, which can be dropped (at a bit of a DPS loss, the damage from this skill is substantial) for Hard Light Arena if you so wish.

[Sagramor.7395]

I've been doing alright running kitless in WvW with Elixir S, Rocket Boots, and either Elixir C or Spectrum Shield. Thinking about EG for that 3rd slot, because you know it's EG.

[draxynnic.3719]

> @ukuni.8745 said:

> for general pve content i use a sd build with rifle turret/photon shield/laser disk and it clears trash mobs and veterans really quickly, but yea if your not concerned about being optimal you can run it without kits and still be fairly viable

 

Having run something similar myself: What's your answer to crowd control? Do you just tough it out, use a different build when you're expecting heavy CC, or have you come up with something that substitutes for the relative lack of stunbreaks?

[Mercurias.1826]

I’ve done okay in open world sans kits. The Holosmith utilities work prett okay (though I still prefer the healing turret), and there’s is added utility into be had from what pet you enter Combat on.

[Adamantium.3682]

Fractals - Much like open world, almost anything can work for t1-2. Above that I wouldn't be comfortable using a no kit build. Could be possible, in some fights/groups I swap grenades or bombs for HLA which leaves me with 1 kit of what is essentially still a meta build. Taking that last kit away takes away too much though IMO.

[insanemaniac.2456]

> @draxynnic.3719 said:

> > @ukuni.8745 said:

> > for general pve content i use a sd build with rifle turret/photon shield/laser disk and it clears trash mobs and veterans really quickly, but yea if your not concerned about being optimal you can run it without kits and still be fairly viable

>

> Having run something similar myself: What's your answer to crowd control? Do you just tough it out, use a different build when you're expecting heavy CC, or have you come up with something that substitutes for the relative lack of stunbreaks?

 

in general most really disadvantageous cc is telegraphed, dodge it. if its not telegraphed, its prolly not gonna kill you unless you eat it while already low. plus enemies are predictable and dont react (to blinds). so learn your quick burst rotations, and any rotation with a cd under 30 secs that can do 50%+ of your average vet's hp will suffice to keep you alive through dps as much as avoidance and mitigation for 90% of the time. for the insufficient 10%, theres a zerg around you and aint no one carin bout nothin.

 

so... tough it out and learn telegraphs and attack patterns.

[draxynnic.3719]

> @insanemaniac.2456 said:

> > @draxynnic.3719 said:

> > > @ukuni.8745 said:

> > > for general pve content i use a sd build with rifle turret/photon shield/laser disk and it clears trash mobs and veterans really quickly, but yea if your not concerned about being optimal you can run it without kits and still be fairly viable

> >

> > Having run something similar myself: What's your answer to crowd control? Do you just tough it out, use a different build when you're expecting heavy CC, or have you come up with something that substitutes for the relative lack of stunbreaks?

>

> in general most really disadvantageous cc is telegraphed, dodge it. if its not telegraphed, its prolly not gonna kill you unless you eat it while already low. plus enemies are predictable and dont react (to blinds). so learn your quick burst rotations, and any rotation with a cd under 30 secs that can do 50%+ of your average vet's hp will suffice to keep you alive through dps as much as avoidance and mitigation for 90% of the time. for the insufficient 10%, theres a zerg around you and aint no one carin bout nothin.

>

> so... tough it out and learn telegraphs and attack patterns.

 

Right, so it's a "don't have Australian latency" issue...

 

I have been playing since release, so I know the basics, but I have noticed that PoF has some nasty crowd control which isn't as telegraphed as CC typically was in core, or even in HoT. Part of it might still be a matter of learning the telegraphs, and part of it seems to be that ArenaNet has put in more groups that have repeated hard CC that will repetitively pin you down if you get caught by the first one and can't get out of the way. So it does seem that PoF open-world requires a bit more anti-CC than previous releases, where you could get away with it more.

[insanemaniac.2456]

> @draxynnic.3719 said:

> > @insanemaniac.2456 said:

> > > @draxynnic.3719 said:

> > > > @ukuni.8745 said:

> > > > for general pve content i use a sd build with rifle turret/photon shield/laser disk and it clears trash mobs and veterans really quickly, but yea if your not concerned about being optimal you can run it without kits and still be fairly viable

> > >

> > > Having run something similar myself: What's your answer to crowd control? Do you just tough it out, use a different build when you're expecting heavy CC, or have you come up with something that substitutes for the relative lack of stunbreaks?

> >

> > in general most really disadvantageous cc is telegraphed, dodge it. if its not telegraphed, its prolly not gonna kill you unless you eat it while already low. plus enemies are predictable and dont react (to blinds). so learn your quick burst rotations, and any rotation with a cd under 30 secs that can do 50%+ of your average vet's hp will suffice to keep you alive through dps as much as avoidance and mitigation for 90% of the time. for the insufficient 10%, theres a zerg around you and aint no one carin bout nothin.

> >

> > so... tough it out and learn telegraphs and attack patterns.

>

> Right, so it's a "don't have Australian latency" issue...

>

> I have been playing since release, so I know the basics, but I have noticed that PoF has some nasty crowd control which isn't as telegraphed as CC typically was in core, or even in HoT. Part of it might still be a matter of learning the telegraphs, and part of it seems to be that ArenaNet has put in more groups that have repeated hard CC that will repetitively pin you down if you get caught by the first one and can't get out of the way. So it does seem that PoF open-world requires a bit more anti-CC than previous releases, where you could get away with it more.

 

well for example near-launch orr was pretty bad about random open world mobs constantly ccing you (those damn 1200 range pulls from off screen). its kinda what they *do* in level 80 maps.

 

buuuuuut yeah ping. lol.

[draxynnic.3719]

> @insanemaniac.2456 said:

> > @draxynnic.3719 said:

> > > @insanemaniac.2456 said:

> > > > @draxynnic.3719 said:

> > > > > @ukuni.8745 said:

> > > > > for general pve content i use a sd build with rifle turret/photon shield/laser disk and it clears trash mobs and veterans really quickly, but yea if your not concerned about being optimal you can run it without kits and still be fairly viable

> > > >

> > > > Having run something similar myself: What's your answer to crowd control? Do you just tough it out, use a different build when you're expecting heavy CC, or have you come up with something that substitutes for the relative lack of stunbreaks?

> > >

> > > in general most really disadvantageous cc is telegraphed, dodge it. if its not telegraphed, its prolly not gonna kill you unless you eat it while already low. plus enemies are predictable and dont react (to blinds). so learn your quick burst rotations, and any rotation with a cd under 30 secs that can do 50%+ of your average vet's hp will suffice to keep you alive through dps as much as avoidance and mitigation for 90% of the time. for the insufficient 10%, theres a zerg around you and aint no one carin bout nothin.

> > >

> > > so... tough it out and learn telegraphs and attack patterns.

> >

> > Right, so it's a "don't have Australian latency" issue...

> >

> > I have been playing since release, so I know the basics, but I have noticed that PoF has some nasty crowd control which isn't as telegraphed as CC typically was in core, or even in HoT. Part of it might still be a matter of learning the telegraphs, and part of it seems to be that ArenaNet has put in more groups that have repeated hard CC that will repetitively pin you down if you get caught by the first one and can't get out of the way. So it does seem that PoF open-world requires a bit more anti-CC than previous releases, where you could get away with it more.

>

> well for example near-launch orr was pretty bad about random open world mobs constantly ccing you (those kitten 1200 range pulls from off screen). its kinda what they *do* in level 80 maps.

>

> buuuuuut yeah ping. lol.

 

The Putrifiers? They were annoying as heck, but they generally didn't stunlock and kill you (pull you into a mob you couldn't handle, possibly...). I think the nerf on them was more to make it easier to move around Orr than to make them weaker - in some ways, the immobilise they received to replace it is actually more likely to kill you if you don't have a cleanse handy.

[Tyaen.5148]

While my current build includes Elixir Gun (condi cleanse), I will swap out for Elixir U when I need the reflects. So yes, of course Holo can go kitless.

[Quam.7218]

I play open world and t1-2 fractals.

Engi isn't super meta on meta sites so I don't even higher (I don't need)

 

But I don't use kits at all, I focus on forge and toolkit skills for max burst and it melts mobs, even elites one die really fast. The last class I played with such a burst was DH.

 

It's super fun to play and I must say I have a blast! Yet It's a but squishy so you need to pay attention where You stand ;)

[Despond.2174]

There's someone on youtube using a power holosmith for like 30k dps on a golem using just 1 kit and a rifle turret to replace the second. While it wouldn't be as much damage as using 2 kits it's certainly plenty of damage for a less "spam 30 buttons". Between holoform and the 1 kit, it's more than enough buttons while not being so tedious.

[dusanyu.4057]

my bar is all exceeds they are fun i am never wearing a hobo sack ever again thank you

[RedSPINE.7845]

Same but I still take healing turret because it's broken.

[Arimas.3492]

I use [this](http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQJAsenUUB1IjFYBmIDcJjFDDr/G2DHiinjPwAKMAMO2LA-jlyHQBA4EAAElQsb/Bl9AAEiym9ouiX0D8OVKYoSweoUgUArOTD-w "this") for WvW and make minor changes in traits if I'm in a zerg or roaming, but all the skills stay the same. It works out pretty well, very good defense against both power and conditions and the damage is still really good.

[digitalruse.9085]

With the right comp, kit-less holo works fine. With the group I generally run with I go S/P, Rocket Boots, Laser Disk, HLA, and PLB. Very bursty with heavy burns , moderate bleeds, and the two hard CCs from Shockwave and PLB are solid.

 

If you tend to be PUGing fractals though, I'd make sure to have some kits (bomb and mortar) handy for blinds at the very least.

 

ALL that said, there is an impending (rumored major) balance patch coming, so I am sitting tight and not spending too much time on specs and gear until after that particular dust settles.