Talk: Weaken Armor

Doesn't Show up as Hex

Anyone notice how this skill doesn't let an ally know that your hexed with it. It looks like a nice skill to put on a semi/none organized team, the player that gets this hex on them will have to let the monk know that they have it. Ok its not that dangerous of a skill ( i think it can be) but still, its a hex that doesn't show up. (arg forgot to log in) --Durga Dido 15:41, 3 February 2007 (CST)

I'm pretty sure the little pink triangle shows up. The bar only changes color if they've got a degen hex on them. — 130.58 (talk) 16:55, 3 February 2007 (CST)

Yeah...the hex down-arrow shows up...not sure what you're talking of here. It's not a degen hex so the bar won't turn purple. Oh, and it's quite powerful combined with Barbs. Entropy 18:29, 3 February 2007 (CST)

Or, y'know, warrior-spike or Searing Flames. >.> — 130.58 (talk) 20:06, 3 February 2007 (CST)

Weaken Armor only works to Physical Damage, how is Searing Flames relevant? Entropy 20:12, 3 February 2007 (CST)

Don't mind that. I had a brain fart. — 130.58 (talk) 20:26, 3 February 2007 (CST)

Seems kinda useless

I don't think I've ever used this curse at all since I've started my necro. The cast time and recharge makes it non-spammable, and it only affects 1 target for a measly 20 armor. Could've made it 40 at least. And it's only physical damage.. Guess it's kinda useful for minion masters focusing on a boss. But then the duration gets cut in half or something. Bleh. Rickyzhou 22:16, 12 April 2007 (CDT)

It is largely inferior compared to Barbs, that is true. But, the plus side for Weaken Armor is that is does not give simply a flat +bonus damage - that armor penalty will scale with the strength of your physical attack. Say you use Decapitate on a Barbs target...+41 or whatever and another +6 or so. Now, under a Weakern Armor target...damage +25% or so, you get something around +10. Math's kinda shaky, but yeh...Barbs is better for DPS oriented build, Weaken Armor for spike. But on the other hand, why not just use both? :) (T/C) 22:47, 12 April 2007 (CDT)

Also kind of depends on the weapon. If you have a sin whacking your target, barbs ftw. If it's a dervish on the other hand... –Ichigo724 22:49, 12 April 2007 (CDT)

Mmmmm.. when you have to start trying to find a use like that, usually means the skill flat out sucks compared to others (as you've mentioned). I'm still not convinced it's worth a slot on the skillbar. If you do have warriors in your party, there are better skills to be using rather than wasting 3 seconds and 10 energy casting this on 1 opponent. But yeah, I can see a few uses for it. Not very common ones though.

My guild runs a necro who uses this along with barbs, throws both of them on a priority target and then our hammer warrior and myself (spike ranger) pound on them. Can be useful if used correctly.

it's very conditional, and unless you've a lot of martial damage dealers, it's not that big of a difference. --Honorable Sarah 15:57, 6 May 2007 (CDT)

Err, how would this stack up against barbs in an R-spike? I think barbs is better atm, but maybe not so. M s4 17:41, 6 May 2007 (CDT)

Barbs is better. Look at WA's recharge. The Hobo 15:57, 4 June 2007 (CDT)^

this was always crap but will completely fail as soon as we get gw:en skills with cracked armor condition, suggestion make aoe

In GW:EN, Weaken Armor will cause cracked armor. Izzy announced it. --File:Roland icon.pngRoland of Gilead (talk) 09:50, 12 August 2007 (CDT)

Who the hell is Izzy???

Izzy is the guy with the final say over skill balance. Lord of all tyria 20:53, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

Well he fucked up bad because cracked armor made this skill suck. Not only is it easier to remove since it's a condition, and since it won't work on casters now.

Am I the only one that thinks this should be 5-1-5? The 2 second cast time just makes this interrupt bait in any sort of PvP and it has no secondary effect, making it just worse than shell shock, which was also buffed. 76.102.172.202 22:08, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Future Update

Hmm, I wonder if the future update of this skill to cause Cracked Armor will be a buff or a nerf. It'll stop reducing casters to 40 armor but it'll be better than just -20 against physical damage. Also, won't the condition be easier to remove than this hex? Sirocco 11:19, 29 July 2007 (CDT)

Well, to be fair, no one ever really used this skill that much, anyways. I hope this means they'll reduce the casting time, at least. - Vermain 15:07, 9 August 2007 (CDT)

In my opinion, the description will change to something like: For 10...34 seconds, target foe has an armor penalty of -20 against physical damage and Cracked Armor for 10...34 seconds. --MagickElf666 23:31, 21 August 2007 (CDT)

For a total of just 60AL vs Physical on a Warrior? Yes please! (T/C) 23:36, 21 August 2007 (CDT)

I'd say it's more likely it'll be PvPified into something similar to Shell Shock. --Kale Ironfist 02:13, 22 August 2007 (CDT)

Reducing casting time to 2 sec will be enough upgrade, IMO. --Master of shadows 18:33, 9 October 2007 (UTC)

If it adds cracked armor as well, i think 3second is still good. 2s of course would be better. I hope they dont remove it as a hex, cause i like making Monks have 40 armor (when i use this skill). Also hexes are harder to remove then conditions --Anon--

Well...that's alright. This is useful for causing unconditional Cracked Armor. It goes nicely with Enfeeble as a cover, which just happens to be in the same line. (T/C) 02:26, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

I find it strange that they add cracker armor to skills that existed before cracked armor did. I wonder if this skill will see the light of day after this update though. They are definately trying to boost some of the "less used" skills with this update. Isk8 02:34, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

Well i suppose it only makes things a bit more fair to Prophecies monster wich (if you have all the campains) have become a bit weak over time with all the new skills. - even a more striking blow where the introduction of PvE skills and Cracked Armor. in generall i'm fine with this update , it buffs the skill in that it now affects all the armor instead of decreasing your armor versus Phys. Dammage only , it nerfs the skill due to the fact that it now inflicts a condition wich in generall are easier to remove. (I still see Condition removal being more popular then Hex Removal) --Oremir

From a PvP side, you're wrong. Since cure hex came out, practically any monk will have remove or cure hex. The only reason you may see it around less it that you can't get the hex removal spells as fast as remove condition ones, due to recharge. Flechette 11:56, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

removing notes

I'm removing the note about using a primary mesmer for fast casting. all spells benefit from fast casting, and a skill does not work "better" when it cannot be boosted with runes —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.138.182.0 (contribs) .

Actually, it was "better" because it had a 3 second cast time, and the only people that could case something that long with such a small effect was a Mesmer due to FC. However, note should be removed anyway since it's a more reasonable 2 seconds now --Gimmethegepgun 03:32, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

Cracked Armor

Shell Shock Puts this thing to shame. Not only does it do damage, the cracked armor lasts same duration at similar levels, costs same Energy, but Shell Shock casts 1 second faster, sure it has an extra recharge, but would you rather wait an extra 3 seconds or an extra 20 seconds because it got D-Shoted? I suggest they just lower cast time to 1 second. Zulu Inuoe 19:22, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

Buffed

It now casts in 1 second and gives all adjacent foes cracked armor as well... I may just use this. -Kalle Damos
time for such a buff! it was crap before.guigolum 20:41, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Caster Note

Is the note about "It used to be great against casters" really necessary? PossessedLinebeck 00:57, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Well, the note where it says it used to give -20 AR to target foe sounds ok to me because since the addition of cracked armor this skill is now useless against casters and is actually (imo) completely useless now because there's a lot better skills you could put on your bar... --Suicidal_SNiper 01:26, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

It's cheap and spammable. Works okay in PvE where monsters (even casters) generally have more armor than 60 anyway. Though, yes, there are better alternatives.--franc likes tacos 01:29, 2 July 2008 (UTC)