Messing around as a warrior I noticed that after a combo, if you hold your weapon to the side, there is a sound effect and when you swing again, the combo you just performed happens again. At first this was “cool” the second strike… but I noticed if I hold the swing again, it does the combo, (without performing the combo a 2nd time), so I practiced on a practice dummy and at 20-30 cleaves without performing the combo, just holding the sword to the side each swing, I wondered if it would happen with provoke. So many warriors I see swinging like wild men when all you have to do is hold your sword at the end of each swing for a few seconds, you can provoke an entire group, with one combo. or wound constantly, with just one combo, so I have to ask… Bug or Feature?
This is a relatively new ability for the warrior that was added roughly a month ago. You can find more information about it here:
The reason warriors spam provoke manually instead of using the charge ability is because the high level warriors can provoke faster than the charge can provide; so its better in a high level situation to spam it.
If you can max out constantly the sword speed at 0.25 seconds, it takes 0.75 seconds (minimum) to do a Provoke attack. The charge time on the first charge is 1.0 second, plus you get a 30% bonus to the healing and aggro generation, plus it still counts as the first strike in your next combo, plus you get the damage you would have gotten from all 3 strikes.
With all that in mind, wouldn’t it be the best to do at least one charge in-between each Provoke combo? Or if not, why not?
(I’m asking as the person who’s trying to save everyone’s arms from dying.)
I feel like the reason the provoke spam is faster than the charge is due to the charge requiring you to hold the sword at an off angle for a second. This causes more time as you have to move it farther away from the target. This for me is the biggest issue, in that it takes that extra second to move your sword away, charge, and then swing again.
Pesonally I trust the high level warriors opinions on this one
I mean, I’m just trying to make sure this isn’t one of those situations where old habits die hard. The goal is to get it so that one charge in-between strikes is the best way to play the class, so if that’s not happening we need to make adjustments. I’m just trying to figure out if we’re already there and the meta just hasn’t caught up yet, or we really need to make a change to make that happen.
Have no idea myself; i dont play warrior enough; but when talking to high level warriors like Quinn they say spamming provoke manually is better; These questions would be for a high level warrior; im just the messanger of what I have heard about it; its something that has to be tested by the community.
It may well be an old habits die hard, but the increase is so minor that that habit isn’t worth breaking. I feel like it’s in a decent spot as is. I don’t have a problem swinging like a mad man, and for those that do, the insignificant provoke loss or gain from the charge is a decent option.
I’m only level 16, but the problem I have against most enemies is loosing my shield rhythm waiting for the charge. Like I block, get off a provoke/wound, bring the shield back up to block the next hit and charge the combo to use. It seems to take slightly longer for the charge than the enemies attack patterns, so after 2-3 cycles I have to block twice in a row.
that’s and intended mechanic, the more charges you use, without attacking with the combo the longer sequential charges take. the optimal rotation would be to use a combo, charge, combo, charge rotation.
I am still fairly new and only lvl 17 atm but I can spam provoke about as fast as anyone I think. All of this is assuming I’m only using provoke.
I can generally get off two provokes between shield blocks. If I’m fighting an equal level enemy that’s about 6 before my shield fails. At that point I spam provoke.
In the time it generally takes me to hit provoke, and charge up while blocking I have lost the block rhythm and have some dead time before starting over. Making it less officiant. By about half before considering bonuses.
If I’m just spamming provoke I can get off 5 or 6, in the time it takes me to wait for it to charge. When I add tile set bonuses I believe it is way stronger. Correct me if I’m wrong.
I really only use charge when I get tired but the fights do seem considerably slower and closer when considering my hp loss.
I feel, and assume any practiced warrior does, that your physical condition irl takes a back seat to output. Eventually I’ll just be in better shape and it will be less of an issue.
If the charge times where cut it half I would probably use it more.
~Orednod the wandering Gleeman
If I understand correctly what you are saying, this means that With the hit and charge you are doing:
With the spam tactic you get: 1/0.75=1.33 provokes each second.
With the provoke charge tactic: 1.75 second combo (0.75 seconds swinging + 1 second charge each rotation) This will do 2.3 provokes which gives a 2.3/1.75=1.31 provokes each second.
Thus, provoke spam is 0.02 provokes each second better in the optimal situation. If the last 0.25 seconds don’t count before the charge then it is 2.3/1.5=1.53 provokes each second which is a little bit faster than provoke spam. But there are other factors which might make provoke charge even worse (see below)
Now that is basic stats. Buuuut here is where it starts to become a little bit harder to judge. Because the 1 second charge is accompanied by some challenges and may even be the reason why it is way slower to charge provoke.
- Reason 1 is when you are done with one provoke you still have to move your sword to the 90 degree angle if you provoke normally. But this should be countered by looking sideways while hitting the last swing of the provoke. This makes your sword 90 degree away from your face at the millisecond it is done with the provoke. (tested)
- Reason 2 is when you are done with the charge, the mob still has to be hit which also takes time. By rotating your head together with the sword while swinging the first strike should counter measure this delay completely. (tested)
- Now the one where I am still worried about… The time between your last hit and your charging feels like it takes too much time (e.g. 0.5 seconds) before it even charges (can’t test the time without recording and frame measuring…). The start sound also begins on low volume which makes it a bit hard to guess if it already started charging or not. Now one more thing I just assumed is that after the third move of the provoke it takes about 0.25 seconds anyway before the charge starts, which is why the combo takes 1.75 seconds and not only the time between the 3 hits which would only make it 1.5 seconds total. if this is not the case the provoke charge trick does more damage which brings it to 0.22 provokes per second faster than provoke spam if the time before the charge starts is eliminated…
Also determining the healing bonus would have been easier with healing numbers showing up (hint hint 
)
Great breakdown Scott. I think the charge itself being slow to trigger is definitely an issue. The charge might take 1 second but because of getting it into place to start it often feels like double that.
Provoke could definitely use a faster charge since it’s 3 swings versus the other combos which are 4. I’d also like to see a speed increase in the cleave AOE charge since 2 uppercuts in a row is pretty awkward and sometimes tough to pull off when surrounded. Just my personal thoughts though.
Yeah I do think a lot of the problem is just that you all don’t have access to the raw numbers which is something we are working on.
My main issue with the charge is that I’ve managed to get a smooth transition between the provoke spams, while using the new charge kinda breaks it. Also just to get it in the right position might take too long to make it worth it, but I guess it’s all about practice, but I feel like I am better off without using the charge and just spam like a madman 
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