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Skyscale Maneuvering Tips & Tricks


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Please keep the comments about tips on how to get the most out of your mount. Please use the existing threads if you have comments about the acquisition method's timing, its acquisition generally, etc.

I am not the author; I'm just reposing what I thought are very helpful tips.

tl;dr version

  • 'Dodge' up instead of floating, for vertical distance; can out-leap two Springer jumps.
  • Aim above your target destination (better precision)
  • Mid-air Skyscale: hop on skimmer (rebuilds endurance fast), leap out (default [8]) and launch into Skyscale (obvious use in the water; also good after a crashlanding uncontrolled descent)
Verbatim Advice

Tip number one, Dodge/Leap thingy: It's an air Raptor.

! This is actually the most important (and most ignored) aspect of the mount. You may be tempted to think of the Skyscale's flight like a WoW mount, occasionally boosting for an extra bit of horizontal speed. But it will serve you a lot better to think of it as a flying Raptor, with a leap that can go in ANY direction. Yes, 'any' also includes the all important UP (at a slight angle). A Raptor with an unused endurance bar is a slow Raptor, and the same applies to the Skyscale.!! Even when faced with a stepped cliff, obviously designed for the Springer, you may be tempted to float up > glide over, and land. Not only is this method slow, it will also invariably lead to cliff hanging when you don't want to. Instead, launch into the air, aim above the cliff, and air leap. You will soon find that with two leaps, you can easily take on two Springer steps in one go before needing to reset your flight.!! This method is vastly superior to the Springer for scaling cliffs, and that is without even using the cliff launch (Which I still find buggy and unwieldy, only using as a last resort when I fall short of my goal without something to touch down on).!! There is a caveat to the vertical leap: it does not work if your flight fuel is empty. On empty it will just go horizontal along the canopy. You need, ~10% fuel to be able to use it, but used correctly it can send you above your maximum height canopy for that last little boost over an edge. (And leaping will NOT trigger a wall hang.)

Tip Number two, Aim your Flight: It's still more Dragon than Helicopter.

! The climb and sink buttons are unwieldy compared to simply pointing in the direction you want to go, and going there. There are times when you want to land in a precision area, or go straight up like a helicopter, but for the most part simple angling in the direction you want to go, and/or using an air leap, is much more intuitive, efficient, and fun. You can even do both together, for even more control. The secret, combined with the above air leap tip, is in aiming ABOVE where you want to go.!! If you are used to the griffon, you fly at low altitude by leaping from point to point and leaping back up into the air. Identify a landing zone when you too low, and leap off again. Skyscale can be similar, if you control the descent yourself with the mouse. Angle towards the land you intend to use for resetting your flight, whether on the ground, or along a cliff, touch for a moment and take off again. This is significantly faster than trying to use the descend button every single time.

Tip number three, The mobile Aircraft Carrier (also known as the Skimmer).

! With air mastery you can launch off of your Skimmer and mount your Skyscale with an otherwise full flight bar. Air leap away, and cross vast and pointless gaps of water much faster than the Skimmer's base speed. Run out of flight full and crash in the water? Simply do it again! It's still faster than the fish yacht.

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Just so I understand the technique. The leaping you describe in tip 1, thats when you cling to a wall and charge the flightmeter yes? Going full charge or?

I find the skyscale is absolutely perfect for collecting the abundant volatile magic in Thunderhead Peaks with a minimum of fuss. Though once you exceed your VM allovance for the day, where they all despawn until tomorrow. VM spawned by a rift neither is given to you nor award xp. By mostly cleaning out Thunderhead keep alone, I find that you can easilly reach your daily VM cap to make rifts completely irrelevant to pursue all over tyria

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This mini guide is missing the mount's 2nd ability: Dash. Unlike the other mounts' 2nd skill, this is not covered by Dodge nor Jump, you need to assign a specific key for it.

Edit: Just realized that "Dodge/Leap" was supposed to cover this, but the actual Dodge key will let you descend, so that should be renamed into "Dash", as the devs call it.

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@"Ashantara.8731" said:This mini guide is missing the mount's 2nd ability: Dash. Unlike the other mounts' 2nd skill, this is not covered by Dodge nor Jump, you need to assign a specific key for it.

Edit: Just realized that "Dodge/Leap" was supposed to cover this, but the actual Dodge key will let you descend, so that should be renamed into "Dash", as the devs call it.

Ah! then I understand it, so its not charging your flight juice, but dash. I had bound it, but just for the dodge ability

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In my experience, the dodge/dash ability will always move you directly where your sight is aimed as long as it's within the flight aim "cone" of the Skyscale. A double dash can let you exceed the regular canopy to basically almost a full red bar (with the following quick descent back down to it)

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@LucianDK.8615 said:Hrm, not sure I got it after all. Do you mean you are dashing upwards? Ive bound the dash button and it only ever seem to go forward.

If I recall from the Guild Chat the Skyscale will go in the direction you are looking...so if you look up(with the mouse pointer) and Dash that is the direction it will go...at least that is what I saw when using the free ones in Dragonfall...will have to confirm after I get my own(now to complete Derelict Delve first).

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Thought i would throw a thread out there on the mechanics of flying our new mount as more and more of us are getting it. I got mine on Saturday and havent spent a lot of time on it yet but as i read about the mechanics and the keybinds etc im like wow this thing may take a while. I enjoy the altitude climb but its very hard to maintain and the camera view for me seems to cause issues on rock ledges tight areas etc. I found that keeping my camera angles up a little like a climbing airplane seems to be a little more comfortable. I have maxed masteries and that has surely helped. Bond of Vigor does increase the green to apply max altitude but of course we drop back to the normal ceiling altitude. I also was reading about the 30 % Yaw using the mouse.. Guess it will just take time to get my certified Pilots license to fly it with ease hehe. Maybe others can share in this thread their tips and overall feelings on the flight mechanics of this wonderful mount. Jatari...

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