I'm probably gonna take a short break from MP, so I'll post what I've been using for a few days. I've reached 1600 with it, usually averaging 6 wins / hour. Games are short and fast, how I like them. Unfortunately, I end up spending far more time sitting in the queue waiting for matches... This is a variation on the original x-strike, aimed at hitting the killer combo (Quick Run + Obliterating Bludgeon + All Out Attack) as often as possible, or else just beating down your opponent. Pass often, let your opponent expose themselves, and then go in for the KO. The Halloween rotation of maps is so wide-open that you don't really need War Cry when you can just run around behind. It struggles against two- or three- mage control, mostly because those players play so agonizingly slow that I bum-rush or ragequit. It also struggles against nimbus, for obvious reasons, but nimbus players also often wait to soak a hit before raising shields, so it works out if they don't know what you're about to do. Spoiler: 2x Elf Warrior The Bludgeonator Colossal Hammer Blazing Shortsword Perilous Ringmail Twisting Shield Tough Leather Cap Diamond Moccasins Superb Footwork Angry Attacker Diamond Mocassins are actually probably the most important item in the build. Sparkling Cloth Armor acts like a 2-length cantrip move that can put you in range for an unexpected strike. It also lets you escape after exhausting all your movement in order to position a kill. Spoiler: Human Priest Sacrificial Axe Sacrificial Axe Inspirational Mail Defensive Buckler Sticky Slippers Amulet Of Inspiration Amulet Of Inspiration Amulet Of Inspiration Advanced Flexibility Focused Piety Vanilla drawbot. Spam away. I've only hit the draw limit a couple of times, and the only time it mattered it was a bug.
I tried it out. Not my style. Seems prone to producing game results that incense at least one player.
Minor update: I'm using Eixtl's Winged Mail in place of Inspirational Mail. Wings Of Faith + Quick Run means I can jump behind blocks even if the opponent has turtled in a good position.
I mean this with 100% sincerity: congratulations on finding a use for Wings Of Faith that isn't Wicked Waterways. Seriously, I'm impressed.
Questions... Do you find Perilous Ringmail is an issue with elves? Any reason you use Colossal Hammer instead of infused greatclub? Any reason you use Tough leather cap instead of Necali Cap? Can I have a Blazing Shortsword please????
Perilous Ringmail usually isn't problematic. I've only lost once so far due to a poorly-timed Traveling Curse. Colossal Hammer offers Barge, which can very occasionally be useful. Tough Leather Cap gives you Dash Team. However, now that you mention it... Quickness Aura boosts Quick Run, which would give the combo silly reach. I will try that sometime...
Here's a version of X-Strike which seems to work in the new maps. Priest is still a drawbot. Elf is still a trollbot. The human warrior is primarily to soak hits, change facing, and finish off opponents who survive a non-doubled oblit. Spoiler: Human Priest Sacrificial Axe Sacrificial Axe Eixtl's Winged Mail Defensive Buckler Sticky Slippers Amulet Of Inspiration Amulet Of Inspiration Amulet Of Inspiration Advanced Flexibility Focused Piety Spoiler: Elf Warrior The Bludgeonator Colossal Hammer Blazing Shortsword Perilous Ringmail Twisting Shield Necalli Cap Diamond Moccasins Superb Footwork Angry Attacker Spoiler: Human Warrior Vibrant Pain Dancer's Dagger Excellent Rapier Stormward Pauldrons Acrobat's Aegis Lt. Buckwell's Strapping Corian's Boots Advanced Flexibility Novice Impaling
It might be a big reason why most of the 1400+ builds now run 2+ Defender's Block (and some are stacking 4+). Typically you can provoke blocks / change facing with the human warrior such that someone is open to the 1-hit combo. Fly also helps. edit: I also predict a rise of the artillery wizards, seeing as all the maps except Lost City have both open LOS and easy chokepoints.
Welp, the new map rotation really killed off X-Strike. Lost City is the only map which isn't one big choke point, and it's terribly inefficient to run a priest with nothing but fly. Guess it's time to retire from farming until vamps take off after the balance changes. ^_^
