Dark Magic Counter-Strategies?

I'm playing with a mid-roll build at the moment and playing around in PvP (mostly just screwing around in the 'Burg for fun and fights), and the only build/strategy I've gone up against that I just can't really figure out is dark magic builds. The fights tend to go along the line of:

-They cast Pursuers while I'm running at them/before they run at me
-Pursuers runs at me
-They cast some dark spell at me at the same time
-I get staggered and die really fast

Is there some gear build that's good against it, or tips on dodging or something? Just looking for some help because it's the ONE match up when I'm fighting that leaves me feeling just completely dissatisfied when it's over, and I'd rather see if there are some strategies that I'm missing before rambling about it being OP or something. XD Thanks.

Unlock
Run clock/counter-clockwise to your opponent.
Dodge only when they use Dark Bead. Continue to run.

Seriously, you can dodge EVERYTHING by running sideways.

Don't go to them. Make them come to you by using a missle weapon. It will give you extra time to either dodge behind cover or back peddle away from the pursers.

Gear? Great magic barrier reduces all magic by 80%, Vow of Silence makes pure casters bags of soft, horrified vitality, and the Stone and Havel Shields have the stability and stats not to be crushed by pursuers and dark beads.

Beef up your magic defense and never run directly at them when their catalyst is out. Try luring pursuers by sidestepping and it will bunch up giving you a chance to block with a stone great shield or roll through it if your timing is good.

I suck at trying to evade the Dark Magic spells, so I beefed up my Magic RES and equipped a Stone Greatshield. It's hilarious when they cast all their spells and it's only knocked out about a third of your health. I've only run into one guy who was a problem, but that was because he probably had 99 INT.

You'd be surprised what stacked buffs can do, especially to pursuers which eats almost a full stamina bar itself. When I know I'll run into a lot of abyss mages I swap out to maxed out Logans hat, dingy chest, giants gloves and dingy or giants legs, lets me take one or two pursuers no sweat but still hold some poise.

I'm wondering if maybe there's some other strategy no one has tried yet: parrying. Pursuers is obviously out of the question, but Dark Bead might be doable since it comes out really quickly.

I know that you can parry spells to negate most of the damage. Of course this would need to be tested due to lag, etc. I'd like to meetup with someone who can spam Dark Bead at low INT with an under-powered catalyst to test.

Seeing someone just parry through Dark Bead spam would make most glass cannon INT builds **** their shorts.

^I'm not sure if spells can be parried, but that seems awfully risky if it is possible.

Again, I suggest using the Stone Greatshield or Havel's Greatshield because, not only is it effective against most glass cannons, but it is also awesome against WotG. Thus, when I see my opponent pull out a catalyst, I whip out the shield. When I see my opponent pull out a talisman, I whip out the shield. That's a dual purpose for the shield as I see it.

Yeah, the great shields are effective, but only if you have the requirements.

I rarely equip a heavy shield, if one at all.

Actually, there's a bit of a trick you can do. I personally like to use my sorcerer/dexterity/Strength build which has 28 strength. To counter Dark Magic, since I don't have the necessary strength, I two-hand the shield.

Edit: Since GMB is not practical (in the following situation), aside from roll dodging or using a good shield (or parrying if possible), it is very difficult to stay alive if your opponent starts casting Dark Bead as soon as you spawn. This happened to me about 20 out of the 30 times I invaded last night.

Did I mention the Ring of Fog? I decided to use it recently on a hunch that it might help. It turns out that the Pursuers won't activate if you're wearing the ring until you're just about right up close to your opponent.

not sure if boosting mag deference helps since dark magic is physical damage, but i could be wrong

Icegodzilla wrote:not sure if boosting mag deference helps since dark magic is physical damage, but i could be wrong

Don't be fooled, its all magic damage as far as I've seen.

it does seem to be boosted by int, idk u maybe right i just got the spells today so im still testing them out

normally i have no problems evading pursuers or dark bead, i get hit once in a while, and it hurts, but for the most part i haven't had many problems against dark magic

except this one player…he wore only the Xanthous Crown and as far as i could tell, he didn't have a weapon, just the Tin Crystallization Catalyst. he would cast pursuers and as soon as it started chasing me, he cast crystal soul spear, which obliterated my guard if i tried to block (+5 crest shield) then i died horribly as the pursuers finished me off before i could recover, and if i dodged the crystal soul spear the pursuers smoked me as i was recovering from my roll. they killed me 5-7 times in a row in exactly the same way as i was unable to come up with a strategy against it.

I would say avoid mid range and stay moving sideways, that or carry a bow, from what I hear pursuers will disappear if the caster is attacked.

Mainly if you see them casting pursuers attack if your close enough but if your out of range back up and move to the side of the area so you'll have the entire width to sidestep the soul spear then roll for your life!

Nybbles wrote:normally i have no problems evading pursuers or dark bead, i get hit once in a while, and it hurts, but for the most part i haven't had many problems against dark magic

except this one player…he wore only the Xanthous Crown and as far as i could tell, he didn't have a weapon, just the Tin Crystallization Catalyst. he would cast pursuers and as soon as it started chasing me, he cast crystal soul spear, which obliterated my guard if i tried to block (+5 crest shield) then i died horribly as the pursuers finished me off before i could recover, and if i dodged the crystal soul spear the pursuers smoked me as i was recovering from my roll. they killed me 5-7 times in a row in exactly the same way as i was unable to come up with a strategy against it.

As a read this, I can only suggest that you try the Ring of Fog to avoid setting off the Pursuers. I could also suggest that you use a Stone Greatshield and take the hits, but I've probably said that three times already on this one thread.

can you even use the great shields if you don't meet the requirements? i'm working with 16 STR atm and don't plan/intend to go any higher than that.

The Stone Greatshield has a strength requirement of 38. I have 28, so I two-hand it.

Without that possibility, there is only roll dodging and GMB left. Also, it might be noted that if your opponent spams Dark Magic right as you spawn as an invader, GMB is not usable.

The bad part is that pursures has to be fully cast in order for them to disappear via dmg to the caster.

I would know since I use this spell and my enemies fail to get the timing right......alot.