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Burning Question part 1.

akdave0
akdave0
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I am going to ask the questions that some have always wondered about but are afraid to ask. Hopefully, with the help of some of the awesome players here we can get clean, clear answers.

1st Question.
Please explain how front bar and back bars work?
explain situations like the actions between a destroy/resto staff setup.
explain situation like 2h/bow setup
ETC....
  • VaranisArano
    VaranisArano
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    Basically, you've got 2 ability bars. Each bar can have a weapon type equipped, 5 skills, and 1 ultimate.

    You can swap between those bars as needed. Many players use different types of weapons on each bar because each weapon line does different things and allows the player to be flexible. Sometimes they'll use the same weapon type, such as dual fire staffs, because those do the most damage.

    For example, my PVE Healers slot a destro/resto staff. Resto staff has powerful heals. Destro staff has Elemental Drain and gives me some other DPS skills.

    My PVP StamWarden slots a 2Hander/Bow. Bow gives me strong ranged combat options, while 2Handed gives me a gap closer, utility, and great melee combat options.

    Front bar/Back Bar has a couple usages.
    1. It refers to particular setups where you want a particular buff, such as the Maelstrom Staff effect, to impact certain skills that are cast from that particular bar. 2. It refers to which bar you use the most in your damage rotation. Typically, you front bar your spammable and the set that you want boosting your frequently used skills while your back bar is used for longer-lasting DOTs, defense, and utility.

    Hope that helps!
  • MerguezMan
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    I'll give a few more examples:

    Tank setup
    - Front bar = sword & board, puncture skill
    - Back bar = Inner rage skill for alt. taunt, any weapon

    Standard Stam dd
    - Front bar = dual wield, with source for Major savagery when got from skills
    - Back bar = bow with dot/buff skills (reapply every 15s, get back to front bar)

    PVP player
    - Front bar = offense and emergency skills (cc-breaker, heal)
    - Back bar = buffs, HoT, long-range attacks if not on main bar

    Also note some skills have passive effects for being slotted, which disappear when switching bars (perma-pets skills, like Sorcerers winged bat-thing or Wardens Bears, have to be on both bars).
  • Buddy_Bradley
    Buddy_Bradley
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    I'll piggyback off this question to ask a related one:

    Does it matter which bar I have active when killing stuff? For example, if I know I have skills from a skill line that I want to progress faster on Bar 2, should I try to have that active when engaging enemies, when enemies die, or doesn't it matter at all?
  • VaranisArano
    VaranisArano
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    I'll piggyback off this question to ask a related one:

    Does it matter which bar I have active when killing stuff? For example, if I know I have skills from a skill line that I want to progress faster on Bar 2, should I try to have that active when engaging enemies, when enemies die, or doesn't it matter at all?

    Yes, whichever bar you are on will get the exp for killing things and turning in quests. So when you go to turn in a quest, make sure you are on the bar with skills you want to level.
  • Nestor
    Nestor
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    I'll piggyback off this question to ask a related one:

    Does it matter which bar I have active when killing stuff? For example, if I know I have skills from a skill line that I want to progress faster on Bar 2, should I try to have that active when engaging enemies, when enemies die, or doesn't it matter at all?

    With most overland content, you really only need a two or three skill rotation. So, you could just slot the skills that you want to level on both bars or just one and not swap. I level Restoration for example simply by slotting a couple skills on my otherwise attack bars.

    Reason, the mobs you kill will give you more exp than most quest completions. And, personally, i always forget to swap the bar at turn in.
    Enjoy the game, life is what you really want to be worried about.

    PakKat "Everything was going well, until I died"
    Gary Gravestink "I am glad you died, I needed the help"

  • akdave0
    akdave0
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    Is it important to keep in mind when switching bars that skills placed from or the other cancel out on the swap?
  • MerguezMan
    MerguezMan
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    akdave0 wrote: »
    Is it important to keep in mind when switching bars that skills placed from or the other cancel out on the swap?

    That's not accurate.

    If the skill on your bar has a buff for being on your bar (ie. bonus Major savagery for slotting Expert hunter), yes, you cancel the buff on swap.

    If the skill grants a bonus on activation and for a given duration (ie. bonus Major brutality for activating Momentum), no, you don't cancel on swap.
  • akdave0
    akdave0
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    MerguezMan wrote: »
    akdave0 wrote: »
    Is it important to keep in mind when switching bars that skills placed from or the other cancel out on the swap?

    That's not accurate.

    If the skill on your bar has a buff for being on your bar (ie. bonus Major savagery for slotting Expert hunter), yes, you cancel the buff on swap.

    If the skill grants a bonus on activation and for a given duration (ie. bonus Major brutality for activating Momentum), no, you don't cancel on swap.

    Gotcha, I asked the question from the POV of a sorc who has only a pet on one bar, upon swap the pet disappears.

    Thanks btw to you and Varanis for being so helpful.

  • ChunkyCat
    ChunkyCat
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    All my magicka skills are on one bar. When I run out of magicka, I switch to my other bar with all my stamina skills.

    When I run out of both magicka and stamina, I wait to die so I can respawn with full resources.
  • Ilsabet
    Ilsabet
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    akdave0 wrote: »
    MerguezMan wrote: »
    akdave0 wrote: »
    Is it important to keep in mind when switching bars that skills placed from or the other cancel out on the swap?

    That's not accurate.

    If the skill on your bar has a buff for being on your bar (ie. bonus Major savagery for slotting Expert hunter), yes, you cancel the buff on swap.

    If the skill grants a bonus on activation and for a given duration (ie. bonus Major brutality for activating Momentum), no, you don't cancel on swap.

    Gotcha, I asked the question from the POV of a sorc who has only a pet on one bar, upon swap the pet disappears.

    Thanks btw to you and Varanis for being so helpful.

    Pets are sort of a special case where you need to have the skill slotted on both bars to keep it active.
    Ilsabet Menard - DC Breton Nightblade archer - Savior of Pretty Much Everything, Grand Overlord & Empress Nubcakes
    Katarin Auclair - DC Breton Warden healer & ice mage
    My characters and their overly elaborate backstories
    Ilsabet's Headcanon
    The Adventures of Torbyrn Windchaser - Breaking the Ice & Ashes to Ashes
    PC NA
  • VaranisArano
    VaranisArano
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    akdave0 wrote: »
    MerguezMan wrote: »
    akdave0 wrote: »
    Is it important to keep in mind when switching bars that skills placed from or the other cancel out on the swap?

    That's not accurate.

    If the skill on your bar has a buff for being on your bar (ie. bonus Major savagery for slotting Expert hunter), yes, you cancel the buff on swap.

    If the skill grants a bonus on activation and for a given duration (ie. bonus Major brutality for activating Momentum), no, you don't cancel on swap.

    Gotcha, I asked the question from the POV of a sorc who has only a pet on one bar, upon swap the pet disappears.

    Thanks btw to you and Varanis for being so helpful.

    For skills with a constant effect, like sorc pets or buffs like Inner Light, you'll need to put them on both bars to keep them constantly active.
  • BejaProphet
    BejaProphet
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    ChunkyCat wrote: »
    All my magicka skills are on one bar. When I run out of magicka, I switch to my other bar with all my stamina skills.

    When I run out of both magicka and stamina, I wait to die so I can respawn with full resources.

    You totally should try a heavy attack.
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