Gunlancer Tips for Avoiding AOEs

Class Discussion Class Discussion
1

I like the Gunlancer class (Blue Gunlancer) a lot but there seems to be some issues that I probably need to work out but would appreciate some feedback.

I noticed that this class is super easy as long as the shield lasts but there seems to be certain mechanics that completely drains the shield meter and then things go downhill. Now I understand that it’s not supposed to absorb all attacks. Otherwise, it would be 100% invincible - we don’t want that. One of the first things I do when I encounter a boss for the first time is to find out which attacks I can absorb with shield and which attacks I must dodge.

Often what I notice is that when I put my shield down and try to avoid certain AOE attacks or patterns, the backstep skill is very lacking. I come from a game where dodge/backstep skill provides dmg immunity. Gunlancer’s backstep provides cc immunity but I still takes damage during dodge animation unless I am completely out of the AOE area. This is very unintuitive for me because I am so used to timing the backstep for its iframe rather than trying to ‘get out’ (Thanks, TERA).

On Certain world bosses and tower, I have noticed this.

  1. Red AOE circle is very hard to dodge unlesss I am already near the edge when it started
  2. Trying to use backstep doesn’t help much because it doesn’t have iframe. Sure, I wouldn’t get knocked down but I still take a huge chunk of life taken away.
  3. For using backstep to help run out of AOE, I have to point my mouse cursor in the opposite direction and then press space. I think that slight delay and the fact that backstep is so short makes using backstep to move only slightly better than simply running out.

I find Leap and Shield Charge much better for moving out of AOE if they happen to be off CD.

How do other gunlancers handle stuff like this?

1 Like
2

very good points, I’d like to know the answers as well

3

Im guessing you wont im noticing alot of vets of the game not playing lancer i wonder why that is?

4

Not a vet here but if u really want to have a Lil bit more of a gap closer go for the range tripod of dash upper fire, which you should always have ready to counter tho

5

1350 gunlancer here, and have cleared abyss albion, who spams like a million aoe’s a second.

Answer is, you don’t dodge. Not the unavoidable stuff. You need to manage your shield and get Wealth runes on the generator skills like Shout. You need to know the boss mechanics and patterns, and when to use Nellasia’s to tank those heavy hits.

Then again, like 90% of the stuff is avoidable by just simply walking, as long as you know what’s coming. If you don’t know the patterns and just react to what you see on screen, you’re going to have a bad time.

6

Please don’t use nelassias to soak red patterns on you. It’s THAT spell which makes gunlancer so super valuable. Dispel on group on shield. Use it with cautious, this spell is mvp

7

Playing lancer need huge commitment. His dodge mechanic alone can force you to choose 1 lancer vs 14 other class.

8

It is interesting that the gunlancer dodge is silly because you have to dodge in the reverse direction to dodge in the direction you want. What I do is I turn off the defense stance to use skills that generate a ton of shield meter and deliver some shield too because they feel a bit wasteful to use while the defense stance is up.

Oh and stack a TON of speciality. The gunlancer goes from negative damage to LOLdmg once you do, the scaling is kinda crazy