Tips to players defending wardstones during zone events

[Kaija]

- buy the Augment/Bless Wardstone skill from your Planar Merchant in your main city. (50 Planarite)
- buff the Wardstone you're defending, preferably have at least 1 more person buff it too.
- augmented Wardstone will give an extra buff that reduces damage taken, increases damage dealt, to players within a certain range (fairly close to the wardstone).
- let the invasions come within range of the buff before attacking them.
- the Wardstone will help in its own defense.

It's incredibly frustrating to buff the wardstone and then have randoms run out and aggro the invasions outside the buff radius, even after telling them repeatedly about the buff and its range.

[Vapore]

This, a million times.

[Sennex]

You'd think that this would be more obvious.

Considering it appears to be such an integral part of defending Wardstones.

also, is the Planarite buff a one time thing or can it be used multiple times?

Also, what NPC gives it in Meridian? I will head there as soon as I get off work

/// Hey Devs, make this a shade more obvious please, or toss in some NPCs that tell newbies to do this.

[Kaija]

It's a skill you buy just once, you can use it multiple times - all it requires is one Planar charge (the blue crystals by your character portrait), and it has a fairly long cooldown (5 minutes, I think).

The planar merchant in Meridian is in the room that is entered through the crafting Manufactory. It's worth reading through all of what he sells.

[Siendra]

Agreed. I bought the skill and there's a lot of times where I feel like I'm the only one. It's the only real reason I close rifts if my planar charge is low. Everyone also needs to know IT HEALS THE WARD STONE to full health when used. And Wardstones can be blessed/imbued by multiple players to be upgraded one more time, gaining another floating attack orb and more health.

[Khelsie]

Great post OP.

Another FYI, Wardstones can be healed just like players, so healers take a look at the wardstone from time to time and top it off during the lulls between invasions.

[Alessar]

Bless/Augment Wardstone is sold by the General Planar goods merchant in your faction's starting zone as well as the planar merchant in your capitol city.

I love the buff from Wardstones, and the help from town NPCs, but sometimes it is better to engage foes a little away from the stones. You just have to be aware of the various invasions coming at you.

[StChoch]

I actually didn't know they were skills. I thought they were items you purchased and just used up.

In that case, I will definitely buy into those skills, that way I will be more motivated to close rifts!

Great post OP/everyone!

[Friar Tuck]

Yes! Show your wardstones some love. You will be rewarded by having an angel on top (guardians) or Asha at the front (defiant) and pew pew lasers!

A couple of times I've had the v satisfying experience of rushing in and Bless Wardstone an almost dead one which has given enough time for defence to mop up the invaders and save the base.

Healers, don't forget too, in an emergency or if you've run out of charges and are by a damaged stone, you can directly heal it! The same goes for the special stone objectives of Major invasions.

[Kedon]

I very often see Justicar Clerics placing their Righteous Mandate buff on Wardstones too. I assume this is to try to give the stone freebie heals while they fight. I'm no Cleric myself but does that really work? Very clever tectic it it does.

Also don't forget about the Anti-Planar Augmentation and Holy Champion powers if things are getting hairy. That one is practically a Get Out of Invasion Wave Free Card. Turn it on then dive into the middle of the swarm and spam the bananas out of your AoEs (I do this with Dancing Steel - it's poetry). The lot of them should be dead before it wears off.

Also although you want to keep the stone safe it's often a good idea to range away from it a little (if you think you have time; keep an eye on the map) and see if you can't intercept an invasion or two. They can come from all sides on some stones and if you wipe out one of the invaders' flanks before they're even near the stone you'll make it a lot easier on yourselves than allowing them all to converge on your position.

Actually one of my favourite tricks as a Rogue is to sneak up to an incoming invasion and Lost Hope/Incapacitate the leader. That effectively halts that whole invasion group in place for 45 seconds if no mobs or players attack it.

[Polonar]

1) Decide at the beginning whether you are defending a wardstone or closing rifts. Stick with your decision no matter what. Defending a wardstone may not provide all the rewards many people would like, but it is needed and can be a lot of fun.
2) Stay at the wardstone you are defending. If EVERYone runs around, trying to defend many wardstones, the zone may lose anyway.
3) Yes, yes, yes, augment the wardstone. This is so very effective.
4) Don't run out to meet the attackers, especially if you are defending the stone solo. The npc's are there to help. Use them, even if it is for cannon fodder. I always hope my pet and the npc's can keep the invasion leader busy. At least long enough for me to wipe out the other riffraff of the invasion force(Rain of Arrows). Then, I can focus my concentration on the leader.
5) After the main invasion boss appears, you can make your way there to join in the big fight.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[NegativeZero]

Yep. not many people know what a fully buffed wardstone provides. It will give you an aura buff of 20% more dmg done and 20% less dmg taken. That in on top of the 5% 30min buff the wardstone bestows on you for running past. Someone had asked if you can use it more than once. Yes, the Bless/Augment wardstone can be used again by the same person on the same wardstone once the 5 min cooldown is up.

[Baggyshortstuff]

good advice in here, some things I didn't know but will certainly use

i find it useful to team up and at least try and work together with some other people, things go dead quicker and you're more likely to survive if you get swamped.

also keep an eye behind you, if everyone is away from the stone there are often multiple access routes, examples are Zareth's Return in Stillmoor and Chancel of Labors in IPP

[Xomic]

I think TRion needs to change the description for those powers, it says they're consumable, but as far as I know the only thing that gets consumed is your charges, not the power itself.

[Rheven]

Nice read. Things I can use. Thanks.

Rheven, 46 Battle Cleric