Intro
This guide is intended to help Squig Herders fight effectively in RvR whether it is scenarios, keep sieges, keep defences or open RvR mayhem. This guide will cover all the aspects in a standard server of all the possibilities that are involved (Note that certain tactics and strategies might not work as effectively when put into a server without the correct status.) More of this server status will be discussed in the next chapter.
Server Status
I will categorise the servers depending on their typical RvR action. There are 3 categories:
“PvE” RvR
This type of server is the ones that have rotations and that which guilds take turns looting the keeps in an organised manner. Having this kind of server means you don’t exactly need to view this guide until your server changes its status. Most new servers have this due to the recent changes to having 3 golden loot bags per keep siege.
RvR Zerging
This type of server has massive battles, the server I play in is one of these servers. As a zerg server, you most will be invited into an RvR or come across a zone with battles involved. This is particularly interesting as the battles can get as advertised by the game, with huge armies battling it out for a keep.
No RvR
Servers with no RvR are relatively boring, instead of participating in the huge battles found in Zerg servers or at least some RvR like PvE style keep rotations, these servers have guilds focused on the PvE side of things, this includes Lost Vale and other dungeons. People in this server have nothing to farm, and having hordes of full lost vale geared people, their only option is to raid cities to get new content, that’s when the RvR will generally start when large guilds move into the RvR vision.
Scenario Information
This scenario Information, along with the other sections are based of rank 40 characters, all parties suggested here work if everyone knows what they are doing and also require each and every one of them to be rank 40 as well.
In scenarios, the main role of the Squig Herder will be to annoy and delay the healer’s heals, 1 hit to a healer while casting a big heal may mean that the person they were trying to heal is now dead and that therefore means you have accomplished your job. Another alternative is to be a ranged AoE dps class, yes it is hard to imagine but the mastery morale 4s are all AoEs, which means massive damage.
A typical party you should look for includes 2 tanks, 2 healers a magus and you. The role of the tanks is to make everyone target them for the time being. While everyone is preoccupied with the two immovable walls, the magus has the role to jump in and rift all of them, to which the tanks then move onto spamming AoE spins and moves to bring the rifted group to their knees. The squig herder, upon receiving a message that the magus is charging, will charge with the magus and fire Shoot Thru
Ya. This skill can be used with any class and is learnt from the career
trainer.
The Squig Herder then uses this skill until his morale 4, in which case you should notify your magus so that he can rift the enemies. A Magus is NOT needed for a scenario but having one helps a lot. Be sure to also send noticed to your magus that you morale is nearly up, so he/she can wait for it to the filled before using a rift.
This party can be modified to a gank group, where you have a marauder capturing enemies one by one into your group. This group should consist of a tank, 2 healers, a marauder, a sorceress and you. You might not get as much renown of firepower in this group but it sure helps if you can keep the enemies away from the objective (whatever is may be).
Open RvR (Attack)
Open RvR for Squig Herders are just a simple shoot and run, keep sieges are the main feature of the open RvR zones. All Squig Herders need to do is to shoot at the oil whenever it comes out so that it may not attack and kill your melee DPSers. Keep the DPS focused on the oil and your whole warband should be fine.
Open RvR (Defence)
Defence RvR is slightly different from attacking RvR. The best spec for Defence RvR is most likely Big Shootin’, where you stand on the highest point above the oil while shooting as much as possible. Make sure you have Strength in Numbas so you can let loose on your morale 4 as much as possible. Try aiming on Archmages and bright wizards as they have lowest armours and drop fast.
One on One Tactics
One on one is very difficult for Squig Herders. This class is not designed to be a 1 v 1 rule set and the strategies 1 v 1 requires. The only classes which Squig Herders could possibly kill are the following.
Bright Wizards/Archmages/Runepriests
Bright Wizards are possibly the easiest to kill as a Squig herder. Upon seeing one Bright Wizard, the key is to immediately shoot a silencing shot before he can put the majority of his dots on you. You should also have a horned Squig out with the horn ability turned OFF from auto cast. This means that you can immediately set one up upon the end of the silencing shot. Squig herders also have a 10 second interrupt melee skill. This might come in handy when you see the Bright Wizard casting a long spell.
As long as you keep your range to do max damage and you keep the Bright Wizard out of your melee range you should be fine and you should easily take him down. Your Tactics should revolve around Master Skirmisher, Aiming Quickly, Steady Aim and another Tactic. The fourth one can be anything you like except ones that buff squigs; the Bright Wizard would be doing you a favour by targeting your pet instead of you.
(These strategies also work on Archmages and Runepriests)
Shadow Warriors/Engineers
Range non-cloth DPSers are slightly easier than the pure DPSers or healers. The main strategy is similar except that the silencing shot should be replaced by as many slowing shots as possible; Shadow Warriors will attempt to get into your melee range as they can out DPS a Squig herder in melee fights. Engineers have annoying turrets that will reduce your armour, try to avoid the range on the turret by running initially away from the engineer so that he follows you. This means that he has to replant his turret unlike your squig, which can move. Use this to your advantage to stay out of his turret’s way.
Summary
Squig Herders have a decent damage amount with the right tactics and also have a strong strategic curve, which is good for players wanting a challenging. Next time you play your Squig Herder, you should remember the main ideas from this guide so you can successfully kill your opponent with hardly any effort at all!
