Difference between revisions of "Push"

Revision as of 20:52, 4 January 2019

When a melee attack is made against an NPC by a player or another NPC, the targeted NPC moves slightly in the direction that the pushing attacker is facing. The position of the attacker and receiver is irrelevant. In solo or small groups, melee push is usually irrelevant, but in raids it is a factor that must be managed closely by raid leaders. A mismanaged raid may quickly push a target to a disadvantageous or dangerous location.

Push, like knockback spells, also has a chance of interrupting a target's spells. It seems that the more distance an NPC is moved by push or knockback while they cast, the more likely they will be interrupted. Therefore, against NPCs who cast Complete Heal, Gate, or other dangerous spells, and especially against those who are also stun-immune, push is an important tactical resource.

Like normal player movement, pushing an NPC at an angle into an oblique, solid wall will reduce, deflect and/or remove melee push. Some walls, corners and terrain throughout Norrath are bugged, and allow NPCs to be pushed through them. This can either be harmless or extremely dangerous depending on the situation and location. A froglok pushed through a wall in Sebilis' King camp will often warp to disco. They then proceed to run back, social-aggroing everything between disco and NG, often wiping any groups in between in a god-awful mess of a train. This behavior has also been observed in parts of Lower Guk, Kael Drakkel, and previously in Planes of Sky and Fear. There is no way to distinguish such dangerous walls except through personal experience.

Strategy

• Wall lock: The tank faces the NPC to the side and melee DPS classes push the mob into a wall. If it enrages, melee DPS will not be riposted if they face very slightly towards the tank. This is the preferred method for most situations in raiding guilds, especially when healers need to stay out of line of sight and in healing range.
• Wall crawl: Similar to the above method, but when the NPC reaches 40%, the tank moves to push the NPC into the wall himself, allowing the NPC to face away from the wall slightly (at perhaps a 45 degree angle or less). Melee DPS will re-position to push the mob from the rear along the wall, while the tank keeps the NPC embedded in the wall with his own push (and does not oppose the gathered melee push). At enrage, the tank turns off his attack, but maintains his position relative to the pushed NPC. This is an excellent method for NPCs who use both enrage and CH or gate simultaneously.
• Circle push: The tank stands still (or moves very little) while the melee push the NPC in a circle around him while he turns to face the NPC. This is a chaotic method that's only used when no wall is available to push the NPC into (such as Spiroc Lord on bird island in Plane of Sky). If the melee push the NPC through the tank, or out of range of the tank, the NPC may turn to face the group of melee DPS and riposte them. NPCs who stun the tank (like Spiroc Lord) can complicate their control of the NPC considerably.
• Straight push: The tank walks backwards while the melee simply push the mob towards him in a single, continued direction. This method is simple to organize but complicates the duties of clerics and other casters who may have trouble keeping up or staying in healing range. It also requires a lot of room, especially with a brisk push. Some push can be minimized by encouraging melee to attack at oblique angles on opposite flanks of the NPC.