User:Entropy/HHoF

I have cleared every mission and bonus in every campaign using parties of just henchmen and/or Heroes. In Factions, missions that required two separate parties obviously created problems, but I still stuck to HnH as much as possible.

In an effort to illuminate others' understanding of the usefulness of henchmen as compared to (most) PUGs, I present the following list of "hall of fame moments". Note that when I say "all-hench" or "Hench party", it means exactly that - only henchmen. Not Heroes. If I say "all AI" or don't specify then it means Hench and Heroes together.

Prophecies (General)

 * Completed Gain Olias with six characters using an all-hench party. Henchmen are Level 10 at Lion's Arch. Margonites are Level 24. Pwn't. (Hard for a Monk though)
 * Completed Sunspears in Kryta with three characters, using all-hench party.
 * Did The Last Day Dawns with a four-man party; Heroes only (since hench are level 3).

Cantha

 * Got Zenmai on six characters using Hench parties.
 * Completed Sunspears in Cantha with two characters, using all-hench party.
 * Did The Captured Son with an all-hench party.
 * Did Quimang's Last Stand and related quests with an all-hench party.
 * Got Masters in Zen Daijun on the first try with my Ritualist, all-hench party.
 * Did An Unwelcome Guest with an all-hench party.
 * Completed all missions, on both Alliance sides, at the Masters level.

Elona

 * Took out an Evil Mime at level 8!
 * Cleared all the "Difficulty: Master" quests on Istan as soon as they were available.
 * Killed all the Corsairs in "What do you do With a Drunken Shauben?"
 * Took on the Warrior and the Ritualist bosses in Barbarous Shore, along with all Corsair groups in the area, at the same time...and lived to tell the tale with 60% DP!
 * Cleared out the entire Fortress of Jahai with 60% DP.
 * Took on an Immolated Djinn, Acolyte of Dwayna, and many Kournan troops, all at the same time...and survived with less than 60% DP.
 * Completed all missions at the Master level.
 * Did Battle of Turai's Procession with myself and just two Heroes.


 * Capped Searing Flames with no deaths from Korr, Living Flame.
 * Capped Vow of Silence without using Junundu.
 * Capped all the Dervish Avatar skills.

1st time Prophecies - Prior to Ascension

 * Cleared Nolani Academy by opening the front gates; all-hench party. (fun)
 * Saved Benji Malaka in D'Alessio Seaboard with an all-hench party. (frustrating)
 * Rescued all the Chosen in Divinity Coast with an all-hench party.
 * Completed all Crystal Desert missions and bonuses with an all-hench party. (easy...mostly)

1st time Prophecies - After Ascension

 * !Killed Glint with an all-hench party, on the very first try too! Thank you, Wild Blow...Ele changed to Mesmer secondary and beat it on second try; Ranger finished without any special build. Monk used all Ranger skills, Assassin used a standard build with Wild Blow.
 * Slew the Mursaat in Ice Caves of Sorrow without being Infused, in an all-hench party.
 * Fought my way to the Seer in Iron Mines of Moladune to get Infused, using all henchmen.
 * !!Finished Thunderhead Keep Mission and Bonus using only Henchmen, Four Times!! (proud of myself) I've subsequently done it several more times, "just for fun". My excuse is it's a good place to level up pets. ;)
 * Cleared Ring of Fire, Abaddon's Mouth, and Hell's Precipice (mission+bonus foreach) using only henchmen. Lich Lord was rather easy.
 * Finished Defend Droknar's Forge with only henchmen. So much easier as a Fire Elementalist...
 * Capped all Prophecies and Core elites using a hench party.
 * Finished all parts of To Sorrow's Furnace quest with an all hench party: Summit Slaves, Kilroy Stonekin, Unspeakable, Unknowable, Noble Intentions, and Noble Intentions Plan B. Really long, really hard, but definitely worth it.
 * Finished The Final Assault and The Forge Heart with Heroes and Henchmen. Easy.
 * Cleared every Zaishen Challenge with the Zaishen henchmen.
 * Cleared up to about ten rounds of Zaishen Elite with the Zaishen henchmen. Finally died on an ~8 Trapper team.
 * Cleared the first floor of Tomb of the Primeval Kings with the Zaishen henchmen.
 * Explored over 90% of Tyria with just henchmen - including high-end areas like Mineral Springs and Snake Dance.

=Henchmen and Heroes: My Personal Notes= There is a page here at GuildWiki about Henchmen, which is certainly decent. The same goes for Heroes. However, having used Henchmen and Heroes for just about everything, and having gotten through all the Prophecies missions and nearly every quest four times with just henchmen, I feel I have a unique perspective, or at least different opinions. When Heroes are added to the mix, I can say I've been through Prophecies ten times with full AI teams...every quest and mission. I've also gotten halfway through Factions and 80% through Nightfall with all-AI. All the hours I've logged with Heroes have only strengthened my views and opinions on Henchmen...

Typical PUGs hate most Henchmen and Heroes because they don't understand how they work, why they do this or that, etc. In fact they get blamed very often for things that are not their fault. Many players also can't be bothered to make good Heroes. They cannot afford Runes, Weapons, Foci, Shields, skills, etc. This means that sometimes, taking a Hero actually ends up being worse than taking a Henchman. In any case, I'm a fan of henchmen and (well-made) Heroes. They deserve more credit than is given to them, even today. To think of the countless players who wouldn't be where they are in the game, without the assistence of ANet's wonderful Hench and Hero system...well, it always amazes me. Henchmen and Heroes will always be one of my main reasons for playing Guild Wars compared to other online games.

Some miscellaneous opinions...

My typical Henchmen/Hero party stays the same, regardless of which character I play. This is because I want the henchmen to be able to function by themselves, without my assistance, if necessary. It's an important concept that I always keep in mind.

Sexiest henchman: Eve. No other has received as much remodel/makeover/fine detail design as her, and it really shows. She makes me want to have a Necromancer primary. I succumbed to the pressure and made a Necromancer who would make Eve proud.

NPCs that should be Henchmen:
 * High Priest Alkar. Gotta love the hat, and the huge AL for a Monk.
 * The Ritual Priests of Elona. Their damage rivals that of Cynn, and they're not squishy.
 * Rornak Stonesledge. He could at least repay you with something useful. Dwarven Barrager FTW!
 * Joe. Who wouldn't want a Devourer fighting by their side? Click! Hiss!
 * Warmaster Casana. He has no other purpose in the game, really. More true Ascalon henchmen would be nice.
 * Benji Makala. Such a pain to rescue...and for what? He's got real balls...
 * Oink. He's invincible. 'Nuff said.
 * Nerashi. 3 Elites?!?!?!
 * Rojis. I like him...never hurts to have a master war machinist on your side. Too bad he has no skills (confirmed ones at least).
 * Lonai. MM Henchman (not Hero) ftw.
 * Ruthless Sevad, or some other Corsair...Ironfist maybe. They are cool!
 * Rollerbeetle henchman! Rollerbeetle henchman!

For a more in-depth analysis, check out the following pages:


 * Henchmen in Prophecies
 * Henchmen in Factions
 * Henchmen in Nightfall
 * Heroes across all campaigns

Oh, and by the way. Henchmen should always get Elites at Level 20, for Hard Mode. Some of them don't, and I think that is unfair. Some that later get Elites and additional skills don't get those either. That also does not make much sense. I am not saying HM is especially difficult for the starter areas, but henchmen deserve equal treatment in my opinion. Here is my list of henchmen that need Elite skills, and two recommendations for each:
 * Yuun - Punishing Shot or Quick Shot.
 * Taya - Word of Healing or Healing Light.
 * Kisai - Glimmering Mark or Mind Shock.
 * Mai - Shadow Form or Flashing Blades.
 * Abasi - Melandru's Resilience or Magebane Shot.
 * Gehraz - Wounding Strike or Reaper's Sweep.
 * Odurra - Power Block or Energy Drain.
 * Timera - Dragon Slash or Skull Crack.