Help me deal with Quantums, please!

[Wolfboy1]

So on live I played a WS for a good while, I loved the attacks and the look of the powers and got to a pretty high lvl with him before the game shut down (I think 42 or something).  I tried to play as a bi-form (human/dwarf) build since I detested the squid look but thats my personal preference.  One thing always got me though and those were those DAM*ABLE, FU**INK Quantum's that appeared in the mobs.  So please, other then then answers of Get Gud and other such nonsense please help me to understand how you mitigated this threat to our energy seafood selves.

 

I am looking for a strategy to help with dealing with these mobs as they can two shot us pretty fast.  I was playing a PB at one point and I got shot, stunned and then shot again and died.  The next time I kept whiffing the mob and it pretty much hit me constantly even eating greens it just kept hitting me all the time with no misses.  Luck obviously had looked at me, laughed and discarded my charred remains into a nearby dumpster.  So yeah, not having a good time with my kheldians this go-around. 😞

[nicoliy]

It'll depend on what powers you have, what level you are, etc. If you are asking on a PB, generally you can knock them down with flare and strike pretty reliably. If you have dwarf you basically alternate attacks and flare and juggle them. You will have heals to help up periodically as well. With the amount of knockback we have, or knockdown if you convert, it's really about keeping them off their feet while you damage.

 

 

[biostem]

I used a bind, something like "targetcustomnext quantum" or something similar, to make sure to pick out any quantum enemies.  I'd then be sure to hit them with whatever mez power I had available, (or even just your hardest attacks ASAP).  Keeping a luck or similar inspiration handy isn't a bad idea, either.

[Wolfboy1]

2 minutes ago, nicoliy said:

It'll depend on what powers you have, what level you are, etc. If you are asking on a PB, generally you can knock them down with flare and strike pretty reliably. If you have dwarf you basically alternate attacks and flare and juggle them. You will have heals to help up periodically as well. With the amount of knockback we have, or knockdown if you convert, it's really about keeping them off their feet while you damage.

 

 

Provided of course that you can hit the mob.  My PB at one point was whiffing on ever single attack he tried and he had ACC enhancements slotted into his attacks and it was an even level mob.  Whiff whiff whiff whifff while the quantum looks at me and says "hold my beer"  fire *stun* fire *dead*  I raged quit after that little experience.

 

Now, to be fair, I was pretty low level but the fact of the matter is that I always have difficulty when dealing with quantums no matter what level I am.  I want to play a WS since I still love their power looks but any advice for PBs will also work out well.  I know they will be different of course due to powers they can employ.

[nicoliy]

Outside of being debuffed, I generally don't have issues hitting. You'll miss on occasion, but not more than a few times in a row unless they are over your level generally. What level are you? What powers do you have?

[Wolfboy1]

Just now, nicoliy said:

Outside of being debuffed, I generally don't have issues hitting. You'll miss on occasion, but not more than a few times in a row unless they are over your level generally. What level are you? What powers do you have?

Currently my PB is just sitting at lvl 14 and hes going full human form.  I have not started up my WS yet though but want to.

[nicoliy]

33 minutes ago, Wolfboy1 said:

Currently my PB is just sitting at lvl 14 and hes going full human form.  I have not started up my WS yet though but want to.

Going all human will be tough. At 14 you could have essence boost for a +HP or heal, but it will be long to recharge. Not having Nova is going to limit damage significantly at that stage (we usually recommend tri-form until late game/50). If you take inner light you have a +to-hit/damage boost, paired with your attacks having -def you should be hitting fine. I'd still slot an accuracy in attacks though.

 

At that level I'd pop inner light, then radiant strike, followed by blast. Then just work through your attack chain for that level.

[Wolfboy1]

2 minutes ago, nicoliy said:

Going all human will be tough. At 14 you could have essence boost for a +HP or heal, but it will be long to recharge. Not having Nova is going to limit damage significantly at that stage (we usually recommend tri-form until late game/50). If you take inner light you have a +to-hit/damage boost, paired with your attacks having -def you should be hitting fine. I'd still slot an accuracy in attacks though.

 

At that level I'd pop inner light, then radiant strike, followed by blast. Then just work through your attack chain for that level.

Yeah I might have to bite the bullet and use the tri-form until a certain point then respect to bi-form.  I have no issue going lobster for a few moments but I HATE that squid look. 😛

[Doomrider]

Nova is really nice to have while leveling up. The form gets an inherent to-hit buff that helps your initial attacks land, allowing you to start stacking up -def which makes all your subsequent attacks rarely miss. Even if you don't intend on having the forms long term, taking Nova early and respecing out later can definitely make the leveling experience less frustrating.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Doomrider

[Microcosm]

Quantum attacks were made resistable at one point during live. So while they still do extra damage to you, if you've got your E/N shield going and slotted it will help a bit. For the stun, might want to carry break frees. Dwarf is the triple threat here before light form as it gives you extra resistance, allows you to juggle as mentioned above, and grants stun protection.

[biostem]

1 hour ago, Wolfboy1 said:

Currently my PB is just sitting at lvl 14 and hes going full human form.  I have not started up my WS yet though but want to.

Not saying it's ideal, but this might be one of those rare cases where pacify might be worth taking...

[Redlynne]

Warshade solution from a "cold" open with no buffs

• Toggle on Orbiting Death, Shadow Cloak and Shields (if any)
• Select $Target ... the Quantum (obviously)
• Retreat around a corner
• Starless Step $Target to the ceiling above your current position (so they fall down into Orbiting Death)
• While Starless Step is animating cue up Nemesis Staff, which on hit will Knockback the Quantum (possibly before they even get a chance to shoot you)
• Shift to Nova form ... blast the Quantum into oblivion
• Mop up adds that chased to your kill circle for the Quantum

Once you get Gravity Well, you can Starless Step them into Gravity Well and HOLD the Quantum upon arrival and just wreck them before they can attack you.

 

 

 

Peacebringer solution from a "cold" open with no buffs

• Select $Target ... the Quantum (obviously)
• Click Inner Light
• Use Nemesis Staff to (try to) hit the Quantum so as to Knockback the Quantum as your alpha strike
• Shift to Nova form
• Close range on the Quantum who got knocked and use the Cone attack to hit the Quantum and everyone else as you close range
• Blast the Quantum into oblivion
• Mop up the adds around the Quantum that are mad at you now

 

 

The key difference between these two approaches is the use of Starless Step/Teleport Foe so as to fight the Quantum SOLO ... on terrain of YOUR CHOOSING ... rather than trying to take on the entire group the Quantum is in all at once.  Defeat your foes sequentially ... not just in parallel.

[SwitchFade]

Quants are pretty simple on a WS. You get the cone stun. Open with the stun and pile on. Dead before they can react.

[MrSnottyPants]

Only advice to add is slot a -knockdown IO so they don't knock you down.

 

I'd like to see a Null the Gull option to get rid of these.  I've had the same sort of RNG fun - only the teleport foe hit, nothing else 😣.

Edited February 24, 2020 by MrSnottyPants

[NEW DAWN]

So vague my memory, starless step to gravity well I think.

[Wolfboy1]

On 2/22/2020 at 12:11 AM, SwitchFade said:

Quants are pretty simple on a WS. You get the cone stun. Open with the stun and pile on. Dead before they can react.

Yes, WS's do get a bit of an edge on them a bit.  PB's though...have it a bit tougher.

[Redlynne]

3 hours ago, Wolfboy1 said:

PB's though...have it a bit tougher.

Inner Light ... Nemesis Staff(! for Knockback) ... Nova Form ... charge in, indiscriminately mop up.

It's honestly simpler than what Warshades need to juggle to get the job done.

[Icono04]

I use this keybind which helps you target all the anti-Kheld enemies in a mob group before any "normal" mobs: /bind tab "target_enemy_next$$target_custom_next alive quantum$$target_custom_next alive void$$target_custom_next alive cyst".
It is useful in the sense that it can highlight a quant which you have overlooked yourself; the downside to this bind is that if you want to target one of the normals while there is still a quant/void/cyst left alive, you have to do it manually.

As a side note, I use this same keybind for the Tab key on all my characters, so that when I am playing a non-Kheldian but am teamed with a Kheld, I can eliminate the anti-Kheld enemies quickly and thus keep my Kheld teammate in the fight.  A dead Kheldian teammate => more enemies to focus their attacks on myself  🙂

[MTeague]

I'm also levelling a Human-Dwarf Peacebringer.

• I get that Nova is strong. Really. I do. I do not dispute the numbers or efficaciousness.  But I **hate** the look of it, and will not use it. 
• This is a self-imposed limitation, and does restrict my options somewhat, esp at lower levels.  (Currently lvl 12).
• I also do missions that are at *least* +1/x1 with bosses and possibilty of EB's, no exceptions.
• And I don't use Nemesis Staff or Blackwand, unless my characters backstory can reasonably make them make sense. Which, neither one does for my PB.

(yes, apparently I like making things unnecessarily difficult for myself. It would seem something in the back of my head believes that whole "it builds character" crud)

 

Quants do suck.  And one of Sunstorm's missions had no less than EIGHT of the fool things in it.

How I've managed it so far.

• Never charge blindly into a group when soloing.  Stop, tab through every mob.  If you don't have excellent line of sight, try to get another angle.  Even if it means leaving a door as-is and exploring he the rest of the map and only coming back when you have exhausted everything else that you DO have good sight on.
• Keep your shields up.
• Be prepared to run.
• Evaluate terrain. 
  • Very often, I LOS pull.  tag the Quantum with my fastest animating distannce attack and go around a corner, through a door, at least behind a pillar.  Keep him targetted.  When he gets close, unload. Inner Light / Radiant Strike is likely to put him on his butt. Charge forward and use everything else you have until he's dead.  Nothign wrong with popping reds if you have them to spare. 
  • Depending, if the Quantum is next to a pillar, you may be able to charge him keeping the pillar between him and you.  Then open up with Radiant Strike.  I wouldn't use Incandescent Strike as an opener, because of the animation time.  Radiant Strike is quick, drops him on his butt.  THEN hit him with Incandescent.

The PB is my least favorite character to level because of this. Even my Earth / Poison Controller finishes solo missions faster. But I tell myself this should be a passing thing, and once I have better slotting and Dwarf I won't have to be so paranoid soloing on him. That may be simply a comforting lie. But it's what I tell myself.

[SeraphimKensai]

Take superspeed plus use a stealth io, your now invis. Targeting macros help. Also the lvl 18 melee attacks that PB/WS get are great at getting rid of quantum's.

[ScarySai]

Eclipse, then laugh in their face as you drain their soul.

 

Light form, then laugh in their face as you punch them repeatedly in the spine.

 

Before that, leverage your stun/gravity well/dwarf as a warshade, or knockdowns/dwarf/heals as a peacebringer. Inspirations are your friend.

[Greycat]

WS: Generally Starless Step them into a Gravity Well.

PB: I tend to pick up stealth one way or another (IO or Stealth, not to mention the Bloody Bay / Siren's Call patrol rewards temps.) Toggle that on, target, queue Incandescent, do a flyby joust, clean up.

[Aaronar]

On 3/24/2020 at 3:23 AM, Icono04 said:

I use this keybind which helps you target all the anti-Kheld enemies in a mob group before any "normal" mobs: /bind tab "target_enemy_next$$target_custom_next alive quantum$$target_custom_next alive void$$target_custom_next alive cyst".
It is useful in the sense that it can highlight a quant which you have overlooked yourself; the downside to this bind is that if you want to target one of the normals while there is still a quant/void/cyst left alive, you have to do it manually.

This might sound like a stupid question but I've never looked into keybinds before. After the anit-khelds are down does tabbing still work on normal enemies?

As an aside I've always wondered what the target priority is when you press tab. Is there some sort of hierarchy to selecting enemies or is it random? 

[Microcosm]

28 minutes ago, Aaronar said:

This might sound like a stupid question but I've never looked into keybinds before. After the anit-khelds are down does tabbing still work on normal enemies?

As an aside I've always wondered what the target priority is when you press tab. Is there some sort of hierarchy to selecting enemies or is it random? 

In the case of a bind it executes the commands from right to left, so the above will look for a cyst first until there are none, then a void, then a quantum, and then cycle normally via the leftmost command, target_enemy_next. I believe the normal targeting starts with nearest in vision and moves outward.

[dtj714]

In leveling multiple kheld’s, I’ve never seen a Void Hunter and only ever seen Cysts in ITF.  I tend to be a TF leveler though, so only now am I going through the kheld specific storylines. Are they going to be there?  Did they make quantums the only “random spawn”?