Talk:Ride the Lightning

Balancing

Balancing: Getting there. The real thing that makes this skill a weaker choice than, to be honest, Death's Charge is the exhaustion. Combined with the elite status, it's just not worth choosing. The damage and armor penetration is nice, especially after the update, but it's not worth it on anything but a primary elementalist, in my opinion, who shouldn't be anywhere near the front lines. Taking off the elite status would cause a swarm of W/E RtL/Eviscerate warriors in pretty much anything resembling PvP, and buffing the damage won't really make it that worth it until it's nearly an OHKO, so the only other viable option I see is removing the exhaustion. Armond 18:22, 26 June 2007 (UTC)

it is being exploited in TA. someone nerf this already... try monking in a match for 10+ minutes prot spirit+rof spam against (2)E/Rt spike and a ranger sitting on you to interrupt your skills... see how much energy you have. and nerf this and dancing daggers already. is anet sleeping?Penguincontact 12:12, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Sarcasm I hope...First of all, if you have 3 people devoted to killing you for 10 minutes and are simply worried about energy (not dp or health...) then I think it's hard to say that the skill is unbalanced. I also just felt I had to comment at the 'is anet sleeping?' comment. Maybe ask them to nerf mending, gust, and charm animal as well?

I was monking in AB, and there was an ele using this combined with blackout. Just spammed it over and over again, was really annoying.--Ryudo 03:04, 6 December 2007 (UTC)

What about a Knockdown? Would that make this skill worth exhaustion? Because in it's current state it really flat-out sucks. I really think elementalists need some sort of energy storage skill capable of doing... SOMETHING with exhaustion. At the moment we have Glyph of Energy. That's it. And it takes up our elite, too. Silavor 00:26, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

Nothing they can do to this can justify the exhaustion without it becoming instagib. -- Armond Warblade 02:29, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

So really the only good way to make this skill viable to more builds is to remove exhaustion? You'd think aNet would have realized that by now... someone feel like calling izzy? Silavor 22:30, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

It's been brought to his attention. He feels it's more important to deal with the currently broken skills than to make every skill viable one way or another. -- Armond Warblade 02:16, 14 February 2008 (UTC)

This skill isn't broken? You have an exhausted air elementalist wasting his elite skill on a shadowstep and a measily 100 damage. A sin wouldn't use this; exhaustion, and there are better things to waste your elite on. Eles wouldn't use this, because unless you're terra tanking (ie. NOT using air magic) you have no need to be on the frontlines. Silavor 13:20, 14 February 2008 (UTC)

A "broken" skill refers to a skill that is effing up game balance, this is stupidly underpowered, not broken. - HeWhoIsPale 14:10, 14 February 2008 (UTC)

Ok, it's crap, but it does offer something. It offers a way to shadowstep while being Elementalist. Builds which might need the advantage of close quarters, but require elementalist and a secondary profession that isn't assasin, this elite fits perfectly. Though I'd be hard pressed to figure out when this would be true. --Eyekwah 08:30, 21 February 2008 (UTC)

Here you go: Conjure Dervish.

This skill isn't that bad IMO, try escaping from someone who has a 5 second recharge shadowstep. <>208.117.81.202 06:05, 4 July 2008 (UTC)

Not to mention that it hits for 100+ every time. I've seen an assassin who used this skill and Shock (which I hate as a skill, by the way) for a decent spike. Of course, that was just one assassin, one time.

For energy management, consider a 2 E/Me team using Arcane Mimicry to copy eachothers Glyph of Energy and Ride the Lightning? That'd negate the exhaustion and energy cost on 1 of every 2 castings, decent IMO. (Raine Valen 17:27, 11 August 2008 (UTC))

Please ignore the preceeding comment; that was very noobish of me.

Here, instead of naming all the ways someone could possibly bypass the drawback, let's try this: live with it. It's exhaustion, don't spam the skill. It's that simple. Think Shock. Moderation FTW.

Even though the skill is usable, though, I think it could be made more powerful to compete with some other Air elites. I think, "damage foes adjacent to your initial location, shadow step to target foe, damage foes adjacent to your ending location." Raine - talk 17:00, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

Completely inferior to Invoke Lightning now. Unless you think that 10 extra damage and 1 second better recharge time is worth giving you unconditional exhaustion, putting you in the enemy front lines, and not hitting 2 other targets. Which it isn't. Astralphoenix777 10:43, 1 April 2011 (UTC)

Teleport?

Does this ignore shadow stepping restrictions (i.e. teleport)? I'd test, but can't get on GW at the moment. -- AT(talk | contribs) 13:00, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

1/2 a year late to this comment, lol. But no, its a shadow step, with full shadow step restrictions.--Ryudo 16:21, 11 December 2007 (UTC)

Notes

Not sure how to phrase it on the page, but it might be worth noting that the Guilty Gear move is a reference the Metallica song also. Maybe just remove the Guilty Gear comment full stop? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.106.150.118 (talk • contribs) 13:32, 4 September 2007 (UTC).

Also, there's no U in Ky's name when written properly in the Latin alphabet. I won't argue for or against the reference, but only note that the GW skill causes you to pretty much charge and shock the enemy, which is what Ky's attack does as well. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by GammaRay (talk • contribs) 22:47, 15 September 2007 (UTC).

note removal

" * "Ride the Lightning" is a euphemism that has been used for many years to describe the process of capital punishment by electrocution. "

why was this removed? -TehBuG-

It's on the page, it was just consolidated with the previous note. - HeWhoIsPale 23:25, 4 December 2007 (UTC)

Wouldn't this skill be good for an ele who uses it to get to the target, spams touch spells, and then shadow steps out?--142.22.186.7 16:03, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

No, cuz they can do like the same amount of damage from a range.. Koen 14:26, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

TOuch spells from a range? Show ME that.--70.71.240.170 05:33, 25 July 2008 (UTC)

What he means is that an elementalist has no need for touch spells. Save for Starburst (which is also elite and thus cannot be used with this skill), there are really no skills that make it worthwhile to shadowstep in and touch, rather than just use standard ele skills that don't require touch range. If you really must use touch skills, then you shouldn't be on an ele, you should be on a ranger or a necro. (Not supporting touch rangers, just sayin' :P) -- Vorith (talk•contribs) 21:01, 31 July 2008 (UTC)

Aftercast

What is the aftercast of this spell? Is it .75 like some of the shadow steps, or is there no aftercast? 71.252.49.85 15:21, 11 August 2008 (UTC)

There's no aftercast so Dervishes and Assassins alike can peg their combos like a Shadow Step would before the nerf to 0.25 seconds.--ShadowFog 11:35, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

I've got to disagree

This spell doesn't blow, IMO. I use it on my Dervish for AB, and it rox pretty hard. Sure, you have to average one use per 30 secs to avoid exhausting yourself, but that's not so hard. RtL -> Crippling Sweep -> gg.

Now let's have all the reasons why that's bad. (Raine Valen 18:17, 24 August 2008 (UTC))

Because in AB people don't look for melee running at you and people are able to survive even easier from a teleporting dervish with low damage compared to a wounding strike dervish.Selket 14:28, 14 September 2008 (UTC)

Wounding Strike isn't high damage (It's no extra damage at all, in fact. Or were you talking about the other rather nasty effects?); it's a deep wound. There are no other Dervish skills that do that, amirite?

And... what do you mean, "In AB people don't look for melee running at you"? In every form of PvP, people look for melee running at them since melee is the primary damage in the current meta, and every stable meta in the past. And, "People are able to survive from a teleporting Dervish"? Because, yeah, survival is so much easier when kiting does absolutely nothing. gg. Raine - talk 10:13, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Actually... 19 seconds of Bleeding is 114 damage. So if they don't have any condition removal... fun times. Raine - talk 22:49, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Low damage? I don't think so. Using this is ideal for Air Dervishes, especially chasing targets:

Conjure Lightning

Ride the Lightning

Whirling Charge

Victorious Sweep

Eremite's Attack

Teinai's Wind

[[]]

[[]]

Attacker's Insight

Mystic Sweep

Chilling Victory

Victorious Sweep

Crippling Sweep

Conjure Lightning

Ride the Lightning

Whirling Charge

 :[Edit]- Raine - talk 10:13, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

You can replace Eremite's Attack with another scythe skill or instead of Wind Prayers you may go with Mysticism whatever you think is better. If your target has at least 25% less health, do this & the job is done. Mostly works as spike supporter and for good reason, the spike done from Ride the Lightning to Eremite's Attack is very huge especially if the target is running, Ride the Lightning does not have after cast, for good reason;high cost.--Wealedout 00:57, 16 September 2008 (UTC)

Nice edit Raine.The Pious Assault + Attacker's Insight combo can also be used.--Wealedout 01:37, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

The only thing about Attacker's Insight + Pious is that you have to use Pious as your first attack, or you'll drop another enchantment (You lose Insight when you trigger your second attack, you lose another enchantment when you trigger Pious), which is bad for a conjure build. That wouldn't be terrible, except that it's a high-energy build already, and not having the added management from Insight can hurt you. And you'd drop your IAS/IMS, too. Raine - talk 22:46, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

I meant, that the enchantment you would drop IS Attacker's Insight. Another combo I also use and works, is Pious Assault(or Twin Moon Sweep, whatever the player needs) + Heart of Holy Flame,precasting Heart of Holy Flame, so you can put them on fire again, or casting it in the shrine for cap support, a huge spike with teleport that works for finishing off targets and casters,. This combination won't require much of Attacker's Insight because of the points put in mysticism, you get energy back.--Wealedout 14:37, 17 November 2008 (UTC)

You'll drop Insight if Pious if your opening attack, otherwise, you drop two enchantments instead because Insight removes itself and Pious removes another. That's bad because you're losing out on another free attack, which you need because the build is energy-heavy. Raine - talk 19:55, 17 November 2008 (UTC)

And how about shell shock? It causes cracked armor that should sifnificantly increase dmg against armored classes Gunm 17:09, 2 December 2008 (UTC)

Yes Shell Shock will work, and the Insight + Pious Assault works also."You drop Insight...", that is the idea, better drop that than an important enchantment, the build and the plus damage Deep Wound makes short work of your targets. I don't think this build can work great now with recent updates and blocking mania, still you can surprise anyone with it.--Wealedout 03:32, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Trivia

Is getting out of hand. Riding the lightning has been used to refer to being electrocuted to death in many instances, which is what the Metallica song is in reference to. I doubt very much that the Metallica song is the original reference. Do we really want Trivia sections with "Might be a reference to" 3 times? Misery 12:06, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

the last two is pointless, feel free to remove. --Cancer Angel 12:32, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

TBH even the first one is pointless. AFAIK the original phrase (before Metallica took it) was execution by electrocution (the electric chair), but I am finding it difficult to find any definitive sources. I agree, the duplicate, non-conclusive, "trivia" is a bit over the top and should be all removed or reduced.- TheRave (talk) 12:35, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Agreed. I think we could do a bit of cleaning up, something along the lines of:

1. "Ride the Lightning" is a euphemistic term for the old capital punishment of the electric chair.
   1. If we really wanted to (and I mean really) then you could talk about the Metallica song Ride the Lightning. But this phrase covers a lot, including any reference to Green Mile or Metallica for that matter.
2. (delete)
   1. I haven't played Guilty Gear, but I would think that the move Ride the Lightning probably refers to the electric chair. In which case, we are currently referencing a reference, which should be removed.
3. Possibly keep the WotW reference.
   1. However, we should only keep it if it specifically says in the movie that the Aliens "Ride the Lightning" to the tripods. I don't want to take the time to find out right now, but since the meaning is different -- and a bit closer to the skills description -- then this should probably be kept.

--Ezekial Riddle 12:36, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

That's a good point, the WotW reference is the only one that bears almost exact resemblance to the actual skill.- TheRave (talk) 12:38, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

In the past, haven't we asked Anet staff about references instead of probablyafying everything? Misery 12:41, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

It would make sense to ask them and until any of the points are confirmed remove all the points of trivia.- TheRave (talk) 12:42, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Second that approach. Less incorrect information is better than more possibly correct information. Misery 12:44, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Are we in the process of asking a staff member, and if so which one? --Ezekial Riddle 11:50, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

(Reset indent) Linsey ~ Kurd 20:30, 19 October 2008 (UTC)

*insert snide comment about me all ready knowing of that thread because I am the author of that thread.* :p --Riddle 23:09, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

Apparently according to 69.207.155.138, the Metallica reference has been confirmed. As of yet I haven't seen any evidence as the actual reason for naming the skill. If someone could link to the evidence or revert this as I can't due to 1RR.- TheRave (talk) 15:56, 25 October 2008 (UTC)

See Kurd's link. -- Brains12 \ talk 15:57, 25 October 2008 (UTC)

As confirmed by me asking James Phinney, it is a Metallica reference. - Linsey talk

Oh my GOD. Wiki needs more of ^ that. Raine - talk 09:07, 5 January 2009 (UTC)

Wikis everywhere need desicive information instead of idiots pitter pattering. no offense meant to you guys, gww is usually kinda good about this stuff, as far as i've seen Tearh 04:52, 12 June 2009 (UTC)

The Ride the Lightning ability in Guilty Gear actually involves the character riding inside a ball of lightning across the screen in the direction of the enemy. This is almost the exact same thing.

Considering Guilty Gear's affinity for all things metal (For god's sake, there's a character named Eddie), it's safe to assume that the attack's name in Guilty Gear is a Metallica reference as well. Krelus Derian 01:35, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

But the phrase was still in existence before Metallica. Metallica's song and album are reference to this phrase. So, we can say that this skill is reference to that phrase, rather than saying it is reference to everything that this phrase has ever appeared in. I will amend the note as best I can, but I'd like to avoid a "But this band has a song, this band did a cover, an episode of Such and Such, this magazine, this book, this movie, etc, made a reference." FleshAndFaith 20:09, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm going to edit war myself. Or, just go back in time and stop myself from ever editing the page, given the evidence above, which I happened to just read. The reference is to the phrase, yes, but since we have confirmation that the song is what was directly referenced, I will just add a different note that gives the origin of the phrase. If this makes sense, then high five. FleshAndFaith 20:16, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

Needs a little Something

Exhaustion OUT. Up the cost to 15 or 20.The Emmisary 00:12, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Then it would be entirely useless. Vili 点 07:28, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Maybe exhaustion out and up the recharge by 3 secs more.--Wealedout 15:48, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Well I only suggested it because this skill isn't good for PvE and in PvP most of the time its a spike thing. Take out exhaustion and either up the recharge so you cant spam as much or up the cost so an air ele can do some damage with out worrying about exhaustion. The Emmisary 17:04, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Let's start with this: If you remove the exhaustion it becomes THE air-magic skill. If you remove exhaustion and make it cost more, it would fall in rankings to extremely low. If you increase recharge and remove exhaustion, it will lose it's only use: Fast, clean spike. It's very spikey when you take 4 of it alongside skills like Lightning Touch or Whirlwind. Titani Ertan {{Snappy the Turtle}} 18:18, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

*Shell Shock, Shock, Lightning Bolt Vili 点 19:48, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

no u Titani Ertan {{Snappy the Turtle}} 19:50, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

I would rather this have an 8 and 15 without (or 10 and while not enchanted). Even with the exhaustion, this has been one of my favorite skills. Just because it's weird. -~=Sparky (talk) 20:26, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Shush, this is lamest RA/TA skill in the entire game. --Super Igor flame my shove sin bar! 23:55, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Pretty sure these are lamer. Moo Kitty 23:58, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

This does only deal the same damage as Lightning Hammer. Shadowstepping for elementalists is a double-edged sword. -~=Sparky (talk) 00:22, 24 August 2009 (UTC)

I was(notice the word "WAS") using it with my dervish for AB. It is better for eles to stay back, thus Lightning Hammer.Searing Flames and other crazy shit out there, this seems like a great beginning or finisher of a spike assault for melees and (insert something witty along the lines of "a pretty spike skill but there are better elites") for casters.--Wealedout 02:09, 24 August 2009 (UTC)

It has faster activation time than lightning hammer and is more spammable because of lower energy cost. Imo, perfect big dommage skill to abuse the fact nobody really runs any prots in those arenas (like prot spirit or spirit bond). Just take 4 eles using this, rush and spike one target each at the exact same time. Even if someone survives you can easily finish them off due to spammable nature of this skill. At least thats what I seen people running. --Super Igor flame my shove sin bar! 09:16, 24 August 2009 (UTC)

15 recharge 3/4 cast 10 nrgays no exhaustion is win-win - Wuhy 09:58, 28 August 2009 (UTC)

Tbh any buff that means no exhaustion, unless the energy cost is like 20e+ will get abused more by melee then anything else. If you think about it from a frontliners view. Its a shadow step that deals damage and has no aftercast. Atm exhaustion is what stops it being abused atm as it seem too big a put off. 139.222.233.115 11:39, 28 September 2009 (UTC)

removed note:

I removed the following note:

This skill is treated as a touch skill so if the target moved after casting you may miss.

As this is not a touch skill (you can activate it within aggro range) this note is heavily misleading. If the damage component does not trigger against opponents with a speed buff activated while they are running away (like meteor) maybe that can be noted, and the wording changed to reflect that more accurately. --Draygo Korvan 19:40, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

Comparing with Shadow Step

I just capped this from Thraexis Thundermaw, and noticed something odd when testing it on the nearby mantids on the cliff above me (within my agro circle). The note says that this skill is "mechanically the same as a Shadow Step", namely "You cannot shadow step to locations unless you can walk to them." Well I can walk over the hills to reach these mantids, but I can't Ride the Lightning to them despite these foes being inside my agro circle. This suggests that either Ride the Lightning does not have the same mechanic as a Shadow Step, or else that the description of the restrictions listed on the Shadow Step page are not totally accurate. Morgaine 00:40, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

I believe that you have to leave aggro range of the mantids to walk to them, which is why it isn't working for you. That's consistent with how shadowstepping works. The real test is to bring both RtL and a e.g. Death's Charge to see if you get different results. — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 00:48, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

You're right about the distance, I would almost certainly have to leave both agro and target range to reach them, as it's a long cliff face. But the restrictions listed for Shadow Stepping do not mention the need to remain within any particular range when walking to the target. If this is definitely the case, that page should be ammended. However, I am loathe to touch that page myself because I have not tested an actual Assassin shadow step skill, but only Ride the Lightning, so I don't know that a real sin shadow step would fail here too. Morgaine 00:59, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

Something else is going on. For me, RtL is working like shadow steps. I tested in Tihark Orchard, shadow stepping to allies and foes; in every case, if I was within the correct range for RtL or a shadow step, I would move to the target, although I might have to walk far to reach it. I also tried using Nahpui Quarter, too (and RtL worked fine to drop down to the lower level). However, in all of the examples, the path to each target was within compass distance, although never within the target range. — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 02:30, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

It rather seems that the Shadow Step page has over-simplified the condition that has to be met. Instead of saying "You cannot shadow step to locations unless you can walk to them", it should say "unless an unobstructed path to them lies entirely within compass range". Walking isn't required, but maintaining the target is required. It's as if the shadow step actually travelled the long path to the target. How long the path is doesn't matter, but maintaining the target is necessary or the trip fails (naturally). Morgaine 06:58, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

I suspect that there aren't that many situations in which you can get close enough to target a foe with RtL or a shadow step and in which part of the unobstructed path lies outside of compass range. (i.e. maybe it wasn't an oversimplification as much as it was insufficient testing). I've updated the note, but please adjust it again if you think the phrasing doesn't correctly set expectations. — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 07:50, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

Thanks. I'm sure to pass through there again on one or more lesser characters, for capping if nothing else. I'll try to remember to take along something like Death's Charge to test alongside RtL. Morgaine 17:04, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

Combining trivia

According to Linsey, the Metallica song is the original source for the skill name. Since the band chose that name because it describes execution via the electric chair, I have combined the two pieces of trivia. – Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 17:52, 25 September 2011 (UTC)