Question for you Nature Defenders

[Xandyr]

I like Entangling Aura. How effective is it on Hard Mode ITFs/Dr Aeon? I dropped it when I respec'd into more of a build geared towards these extreme difficult TFs.

[Guffnat]

*bump* Any knowledge on this issue from @Voltak?

[Nemu]

It's not. As a squishy the tankmage playstyle that IOs accords you for easy content reverts back to keeping your distance for hardmode content. That's not to say you can't use melee range powers like PBAOEs but you'll really want to minimize your exposure to melee through jousting/hovering above/staying on the fringe. Standing your ground in the middle of a thick pack of mobs is a sure way to rack up deaths for that type of content and a Mag 1 sporadic hold that needs to hit is laughably inconsequential as a means of mitigation when a lot of hardmode mobs have beefed up mez protection/resistance/defense. Besides, even if you are able to subdue a few minions, it's the bosses/EBs that will happily ignore the hold and kill you. Those are the real threats and the aura does nothing to hinder them.

 

Best case scenario you use it as a set mule and remove it from your tray. It's not worth the end drain. I'd go as far to say it's not all that useful for regular content as well, its useful/uselessness is just masked by how powerful IOs are at augmenting survival.

 

It does look pretty though. I'd take it for theme and aesthetics, but never for it's utility.

[Linea]

Hardmode mobs are extremely dangerous.  The EBs that are very numerous will 1-shot you from range.  The Bosses will 2-shot you if you are lucky.   Many have additional status protection.  It might, maybe, 'help' save you from a stray attacker, but that's about it.  If you close to melee range without support, you're dead.

 

***IF***  ....   Now, say you join a team of all natures and one tank, and you rotate barriers and everyone stays hardcapped to everything and all of you have Entangling Aura .... ***IF*** ...  Then yes, that kind of super-team would work for the most part.  You'd still have to deal with 'shout of command' and would likely want a dom or two to punch through that.  

 

But outside of a context like that were you are effectively supported, it'll probably just get you killed.

[Voltak]

7 hours ago, Guffnat said:

*bump* Any knowledge on this issue from @Voltak?

Forget it. Don't even consider it. 

Move to something more useful for the team

 

[Ankhammon]

6 hours ago, Voltak said:

Forget it. Don't even consider it. 

Move to something more useful for the team

 

Now that just makes me wanna try. 🙂

 

Hrmmm... maybe a Nat/Stone/Psi using like whirlwind from SS line to throw stuff up in the air while you use Entangle Aura and World of Confusion all proc'd up to churn through the damage? 

 

Or Nat/Ice/Soul to throw out a bunch of -tohit from Blizzard and add to the healz while slowing recharge (not by much I know) while a proc'd out EA churns out damage along with your widow pet?

 

I know it might not work, but someone should try it. 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Ankhammon

[Linea]

4-star has +KD protection, and +Confuse protection, and ....

 

[Nemu]

19 minutes ago, Ankhammon said:

Now that just makes me wanna try. 🙂

 

Hrmmm... maybe a Nat/Stone/Psi using like whirlwind from SS line to throw stuff up in the air while you use Entangle Aura and World of Confusion all proc'd up to churn through the damage? 

 

Or Nat/Ice/Soul to throw out a bunch of -tohit from Blizzard and add to the healz while slowing recharge (not by much I know) while a proc'd out EA churns out damage along with your widow pet?

 

I know it might not work, but someone should try it. 

 

It won't be all that effective.

 

As much as I endorse whirlwind it's only suited for certain sets that can handle the end drain, and when you stuff a KB>KD proc in it the pulse goes down dramatically. I use it on my staff/regen brute because it can handle the end drain and regen can use all the help it can get, but for a nature defender, not so much. Ice blasts slows won't be enough to hinder mobs, you'll need a lot of slow to really mess with mob ai.

 

You might find more success with stacking weak mez auras is if there is another source to stack with it. I have an ice control/earth assault/psi mastery Dominator that stacks arctic air + mud pots + world of confusion. With domination it can help punch through the mez protection that hardmode grants mobs AND the slows give you additional mitigation (ice slick is also very useful). Although even if you have the best luck in the world with that combo surviving melee, if you don't learn to move you'll be sure to get possessed by Nictus from dead EBs on hardmode ITF.

[Xandyr]

Yeah, I respec'd out of it for hard mode content. Picked up Spirit Ward instead. I was just curious what others were doing. Appreciate it!

[Thrax]

Mine has it I just turn off for ITF starred but have it and world of confusion for other content.