Toxic Alliance in Kessex Hills - Down State

[Boogiepop Void.6473]

The toxic alliance event enemies in Kessex hills still have a down state and require spiking. They are at this point the only enemies in Open World that work this way. This makes them very confusing to players, especially new players coming into Kessex at low level. Even many long time veterans can wonder what is going on at first, though most have done enough WvW to recognize what is happening. This should really be changed, both because it is just not an open world mechanic anymore, and because these events tend to not have huge numbers of players participating, and stopping to spike is a great way to get solo players killed and new players frustrated. This is not the first time this has come up; the nightmare fractal is a recreation of part of this event and explicitly and intentionally had this mechanic removed.

Edited June 17, 2022 by Boogiepop Void.6473

[Einsof.1457]

Spike em. It's a tutorial. 

[Gibson.4036]

A popup tells you to use your interact button. Not sure how this is too onerous a mechanic.

[Zaraki.5784]

Homologating everything, without any variety, makes gamers brainless.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

You don't have to spike them.  You can, just like others, defeat them with your regular skills. 

[squeegee.4320]

Not to be too semantic, but the Tarnished Traitor also requires finishing.

[Linken.6345]

2 minutes ago, narwhalsbend.7059 said:

Not to be too semantic, but the Tarnished Traitor also requires finishing.

The Legendary Bandit Executioner needs it aswell

[Dante.1508]

Its tedious but its not required just keep attacking them.

[Boogiepop Void.6473]

It's consistency. Having such a rare and (to most players) unusual mechanic in a starter map and one most people will be solo on (as opposed to Tarnished or Bandit, that are always large groups) is a bit odd.

[Eekasqueak.7850]

Then add it to more maps 

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Since it's been that way for many years, I think most players have managed to survive it. 

[Gladiotor.7561]

I like it. I wish more humanoid enemies had to be 'finished'. This way you can use your finishers outside pvp and wvw and they could even add some finishers for fashion reasons. 

[Dawdler.8521]

Heaven forbid PvE players would have to bring the skills to stomp instead of going balls to the walls dps!!!

But also those are living story event mobs. Low levels arent really meant to fight them at all.

[HotDelirium.7984]

I want more chances to do finishers in PVE openworld ❤️

[kharmin.7683]

7 hours ago, Boogiepop Void.6473 said:

It's consistency. Having such a rare and (to most players) unusual mechanic in a starter map and one most people will be solo on (as opposed to Tarnished or Bandit, that are always large groups) is a bit odd.

Kessex Hills is not a starter map.  Players need to traverse Queensdale first.

[Teratus.2859]

Don't have to spike them. you can kill them with normal skills.

I've never tried but I also wonder if finisher skills also work.. (hope they do)

 

The only change I will actively support regarding enemy downstates is giving it to MORE!! humanoid creatures across the game world.

Frankly I love that the Toxic alliance Sylvari have downstates, it lets me get some use out of my finishers which as someone who doesn't enjoy PvP/WvW I rarely get to do.

Finishers are not even that big of a deal in competitive modes either, the only classes I ever see use them are ones that can either stealth finish or teleport finish where you have little to no chance of stopping it.

Most classes just barrage downstate players with AoE and DPS skills or hit them with an instant finisher because it's easier and safer.

Hell a great deal of competitive players strongly dislike the downstate mechanic entirely and wish to see it removed from PvP and WvW.

So I could even argue that PvE is the one place in the game where Downstate would likely be the most enjoyed anyway so we should see it more often there if you ask me.

Not to mention the PvE community are far more likely to buy perma finishers if they had more opportunity to use them.

Plus there is that little friendly competitive element in PvE where everyone rushes to get their finisher off on a enemy which is always a good bit of fun too.

Frankly I love Lama stomping NPC's, I wish I could do it more.

[Strider Pj.2193]

4 minutes ago, Teratus.2859 said:

 

Frankly I love Lama stomping NPC's, I wish I could do it more.

Llama, rainbow unicorn, minstrel, chickenado….  There are some fun ones.  🙂😏

[Haishao.6851]

7 hours ago, Boogiepop Void.6473 said:

It's consistency. Having such a rare and (to most players) unusual mechanic in a starter map and one most people will be solo on (as opposed to Tarnished or Bandit, that are always large groups) is a bit odd.

I think it's better to have it early on when players are mostly solo so they can figure it out, instead of having it in group content they might never do and probably not even see what happened because other players did it in the middle of a light show.

The downed state should be added to all (or most) of the human, sylvari, norn, asura, charr enemies.

Edited June 18, 2022 by Haishao.6851

[squeegee.4320]

30 minutes ago, Haishao.6851 said:

The downed state should be added to all (or most) of the human, sylvari, norn, asura, charr enemies.

I did like that about the Toxic Alliance - putting the emphasis that they are in fact sentient and intelligent beings just like you and not mindless creatures. You're killing a person.

But then you have to consider adding them to other "higher functioning" enemy races as well that players cannot play. And adding this also means you have to have a human touch every piece of content in the whole game to determine which enemies are worthy without sacrificing the flow of game play.

To make it easy, I'd just say anything Veteran and above automatically get a downed state.

[Super Hayes.6890]

In my opinion, any PvE creature at veteran level or above should have the downstate mechanic and need to be finished.

[Strider Pj.2193]

52 minutes ago, narwhalsbend.7059 said:

1 minute ago, Super Hayes.6890 said:

In my opinion, any PvE creature at veteran level or above should have the downstate mechanic and need to be finished.

To make it easy, I'd just say anything Veteran and above automatically get a downed state.

I don’t know…. Any veteran?  Yes.  Elites?  Maybe..?

 

but Chanps and Legendaries??  Can you imagine their downstate skills???  🤣

[ASP.8093]

Way more open-world enemies should require spiking.

[alphafert.6730]

You would think if so many like the feature that event would occasionally be completed. I cut through there often & typically don't do that event unless I see a few low levels struggling with it. 

[JTGuevara.9018]

I actually find it amusing, in a way. Most of the enemies in Tyria are destroyed when their HP reaches 0. The Toxic Alliance, however, is exceptional. Their HP not only reaches 0, but it goes into the patented ***downed-state***! 

Oh well! It gives me an excuse to use that Snowman finisher that never fails to make me laugh...

[Randulf.7614]

Spike finishing toxic alliance mobs is something I enjoy. Don’t take away my fun!