Talk:Escape

Changed to say block.

a fresh look at old skills
Although this running skill blocks against melee (instead of just projectiles, like Dodge and Zojun's), how often is melee a problem when you're running at 33%?

I would go so far to say that Escape is actually a bad running skill compared to the other ranger choices. Wouldn't it work better as a blocking stance (similiar to Tactics stances) that helps against kiting*? - jzf 21:18, 30 March 2007 (CDT)


 * I can think of many times where melee is an issue in running - the Sanctum Cay run is one good example, whereby Grasping Ghouls emerge from the ground and try strike you with their crippling attack. It's virtually unavoidable that they'll get off a melee attack on you and a Warrior using charge or sprint is virtually guaranteed to get crippled.


 * Additonally it's proven a good choice on my survivor ranger, living up to it's name. The one time our party got sliced down the middle and I had to run through a line of Abyssals to regroup - again, a non-melee running skill would've seen me get quite a bad beating if not killed outright in that same situation. --85.62.18.3 09:46, 21 June 2007 (CDT)

(I'm assuming that most players appreciate that melee is much better against kiting since arenas are full of obstacles) - jzf 21:18, 30 March 2007 (CDT)

Run + Block Combo
The blocking bonus from the skill is VERY useful against rangers who might try to cripple you, or warriors with Wild Blow and other stance-ending skills. It is comparable to, but better than Charge! despite the fact that it affects just not and not all party members withing Earshot; in most cases if you have an elite running skill, chances are you are running by yourself and don't need to benefit others within earshot. Plus "Vocal Minority" and similar skills render Shouts useless, so stances are a better choice. --MagickElf666 10:58, 25 April 2007 (CDT)
 * Wild Blow is unblockable btw. 14:22, 29 April 2007 (CDT)

In my experience, Escape makes for an excellent PvE running skill if you have no other choice but to tank some ranged hits. It doesn't have the versatility of "Charge," though, as you can't activate something like say, Balanced Stance with Escape. For fighting in general, and this includes the arenas, this very useful for chasing targets with a melee weapon. Van Wark 15:57, 19 May 2007 (CDT)

This skill works really well with traps, because you can get into range quicker, and avoid hits from wands and other attacks, making you less likely to get hit by traps. It also works well by making youre ranger much better at scouting and getting from AB quickly. Like in GvG you might need youre Ranger back, this will get him there quicker than natural stride.--Renegade26 16:00, 19 May 2007 (CDT)

Nerf
I'm not too sure how long ago it was changed but i find its been nerfed. Although it lasts at max still half of the recharge and has a added 8% in running speed, 10-15 (depending on what a average ranger puts in) seconds was alot better than 6-7 seconds now. This saved my ranger alot of times even facing Shiro, I was often the last one to die or to continue finishing off the mission. It's hardly a elite natural stride. Flechette 20:29, 10 August 2007 (CDT)


 * Don't you pay attention? ANet is trying to get away from passive defense to active defense, hence why they changed the War stances and shouts, nerfed down SYG, etc --Gimmethegepgun 20:39, 10 August 2007 (CDT)
 * This was a buff, not a nerf. At 14 Expertise you can keep it up 75% of the time, as opposed to 50% before, and it's far more reactive. Arshay Duskbrow 21:25, 10 August 2007 (CDT)


 * This is a buff. Now changed to Natural Stride on crack. Makes it so much versatile. --Lann 09:17, 11 August 2007 (CDT)

Are you guys serious? I would consider this skill nerfed. Nerfed because now you can't sync Escape with Lightning Reflexes or any other Ranger stances. I personally made a builds that put Escape with Lightning Reflex to give yourself a 75% block almost the whole time. Now, you can only get a max time, and cannot keep in your stances the whole time. Phaser1701
 * Nerfed in what way? In it's current form, if you're stripped of it early, the recharge allows you to kite for a bit, then re-activate it. It also has potentially a higher mean up-time than before, with higher Expertise. Lastly, you can chain it with Natural Stride. It's better now, because it's far more active. Chaining block stances kicks your damage or utility, and is generally not recommended because you're gimping yourself. --Kale Ironfist 01:09, 12 August 2007 (CDT)
 * I guess you didn't quite understand it Phaser, so I'll make it even simpler. At 14 Expertise, it has four seconds of downtime before you can reactivate it again, as opposed to fifteen seconds before. How is that not an improvement? Arshay Duskbrow 01:18, 12 August 2007 (CDT)

Because when you need it the most it will likely last half the time it did before. I know it's reasonable with a much shorter half time recharge but it's in the right moment that the duration matters, not how fast you can get it up again. Flechette 07:03, 12 August 2007 (CDT)
 * And 6-8 seconds isn't enough to get you out of trouble? --Kale Ironfist 07:39, 12 August 2007 (CDT)

Yes, if you are getting chased down by assassin of this day n' age. 6-8 seconds is simply not enough unless you have 2 stances or manage to kill off the person. Maybe as a runner skill this would be good, but in areas like AB, where you have 12 people possibly fighting in a certain place, (Most likely, no offense but in my exprience, luxons mobbing is cropped to around 8/10) if your targetted, escape won't last you long if they put the effort in you. Other stances either compensate or last longer than this. It is a worthwhile skill if you have no idea what other elites would fit in, it is a general elite but I find it's a mere elite natural stride. Some of you people may already use escape and natural stride already, that's a good way to continually maintain it but the elite lacks the duration to save a person in some cases unless you bring 2 short recharge skills which will wittle down energy for attacks. Flechette 18:37, 12 August 2007 (CDT)
 * You obviously don't have a clue how to use stances. There is a reason this skill is named "Escape", not "Stand There And Keep Letting Them Attack You". Quite apart from that, if you're not satisfied with a 33% run buff and 75% block 8 out of every 12 seconds, you have unrealistic expectations. Arshay Duskbrow 20:06, 12 August 2007 (CDT)
 * Read GW:NPA? I got in trouble for the exact same thing. That aside, what happens if someone snares you? I did not imply at all that I would stand still, I was implying if you were kiting, some people would be presistent enough to hunt you down even with escape on.

Most snares last around 6-12 seconds, with old escape if the snare expired, you still could have a lead over the foes if they didn't bodyblock you. i don't have unrealistic expectations, I just liked the old 10-15 escape to the 6-8 one. I find it's the moment that matters, not how many times you can use it. Flechette 20:34, 12 August 2007 (CDT)
 * Isn't that where the recharge matters, and not the duration? Besides, if an opponent made a concerted effort to kill you, you will die, no stance can prevent that. The difference lies in the fact that as a Ranger, you should be able to interrupt their actions, or apply a lot of conditions that they can't work through. As it is, a longer duration wouldn't have saved you from what you're describing. --Kale Ironfist 21:11, 12 August 2007 (CDT)

It has saved me before. Thrice in fact. With it's previous incarnation, If it cannot save you from the pure fact of mitigrating damage thru blocks or the increased running speed, then it can stall. Stalling the enemy can be what it means, simply making the enemy wait. In my previous scene (Alliance Battle) stallimg them can either by making them change target till your stances runs out in which you can prehaps run or till reinforcements arrive. For some reason, the human psyche has nearly always target the "weak" target which could be a ele or a ranger. Even if the ele has STA, mystic regen and armor earth, something will always encourage "whammos" or close combat classes that then can take them down. This has lead to the demise of them. The same thing applies with stance rangers. Eventually they either give up in frustrating or they ignore the surroundings wether hit by your allies who have arrived or lose cap points. This has worked against Shiro, Luxons and warriors. The duration of the old escape was long enough to make people give up. Whirling defense has the same effect, people will give up if it frustrates them long enough to change priority if they aren't stubborn. A typical ranger build should be able to handle these stragglers in the duration of escape, by stance or bow or whatever their specialization. It all matter on how you use and when. If you fear a spike, use it before they hit you or use it when you are in a critical state. If you die, then you've helped everyone on your team hopefully achieve something in the time they concentrated on the Escapee. If you live, that's even better, you've fought/ran to fight/run another day. The acute may think i'm contradicting myself, but I'm simply justifying the use of the old escape to the new one. The old one could save you. The new one is a moment's haven. Flechette 22:26, 12 August 2007 (CDT)

Not to rain on your party, but I've always found Escape to be a waste of an Elite in PvE unless you're a Runner. And that's coming from "Protector" on all three Campaigns as a Ranger. There are just so many better things you could be doing... (T/C) 22:49, 12 August 2007 (CDT)

It's a good general elite skill among others like BHA or even the mere barrage. It's even worse as a runner skill now because of the shorter duration while before you can could chain it with Dodge, Zojun's Haste and Stormchaser. Flechette 01:07, 13 August 2007 (CDT)
 * Boosted to 33% speed boost and has better average uptime makes it worse? You can chain it with Natural Stride! Geez, you've got some weird expectations. Sure, it's not as attractive since 15 WS gives you perma-Storm Chaser, but that doesn't mean its worse as a skill. --Kale Ironfist 02:11, 13 August 2007 (CDT)