How to be a Runner.

[The 2C3D]

I've noticed a lack of runners in my games of the forge, and since I'd like to do my character quests for non-Woodie people once in a while, I'm going to write up a quick thing on how to play as the Runner. Yes, I know this may tread the line on preaching to the choir, but whatever. I also know were going to unlock new enemies, but I'll update this (probably) on how to run them, if you do have to run them. Once I figure out how, that is.

Character Selection:

You probably already know that Woodie is the best runner, no contest. If you ever see anyone suggest Wes as a runner, welcome them to the 2018 version of the forge because they've clearly only played the 2017 version. Also, double check someone your team has the speed armour, because it never drops.

Before the Boss:

Woodie doesn't actually need the feather armour right away, but If you have a Wigfrid,she may want your wood armour for her own protection. Your job is to protect the your healer and (more importantly) Wilson, while he's reviving people. If Wilson is reviving someone, keep an eye on the enemies near him. If one decides to go bother him, chuck Lucy at it. If a non-tank character has one enemy that they aren't fighting insisting on bothering them, chuck Lucy at it get it off their back so they don't have to keep running away. A few things you may like to know: Snortoise stop spinning if you hit them with Lucy. This is WAY easier if it's spinning towards you. Scorpions spit acid every third attack (if low HP), so dodge it.

How to Care For Your Boarilla:

Once you kill the wave of scorpions, you only have a few moments to prepare. Make sure you have your full running equipment (Feathered armour and wreath) and that you have a decent amount of HP.

        Oh No! I'm at really low HP! I'm not ready!   Okay, this sounds weird, but die. Wilson revives you with enough HP to survive 2 hits.

The time has come! The appears out the portal opposite your spawn point.

Each of the Boarilla's attacks hit for 60 damage with your armour. This means you can take 4 hits max, or 3 if Wilson just revived you (hardly, at 121 HP) In order to dodge punches, simply make sure you run in the same direction from the beginning of the bunch to the end of the punch. Like running from a Tallbird in the normal game. Boarillas get lonely, too, so they require constant attention, lest they wander off to punch Wilson in the face or whatever they do in their spare time. You must hit the Boarilla once for each two times it swings at you. It swings, You throw, It swings, It swings, You throw, It swings, It swings, You throw, It swings. They have a cooldown on their punch, so you have plenty of time to throw Lucy. Do not worry.

However, Boarillas like attention unless you give them too much, in which case they may decide to rearrange your face. Like cats, in a way. Oncy you deal enough damage to the Boarilla, it'll start to do that awful rolling attack. IF you ONLY throw Lucy every two attacks, your team will have finished off all the other enemies before you've hurt it enough for it to roll. Unless they're incompetent.

        But... My Teammates ARE Incompetent!

Of course, you're found one of those public servers where Wendy is the DPS and Maxwell is main tank via hitting things with his book a lot. It's going to be a while before they can help you out. There is a way to dodge the roll, but you have to completely change how you kite, which makes things a bit trickier. You need the full 30% speed bonus to do this, so if you have some other armour, try to change it out for feathers. Now, run in really, really small circles around the Boarilla. The idea is to be behind (or at least beside) it by the time the punch finishes. Throw Lucy during the cooldown between punches. When it starts to roll, you'll notice it can't quite hit you as long, spinning around you in an enormous circle as you keep going in your own tiny circle. Here comes the hard bit, though: Remeber how Boarillas need constant attention? If you wait for it to stop rolling via sheer time, it will spin for so long it'll get bored and go murder the healer when it gets up. This means you need to hit it with Lucy while is spinning around you (yes, this does stop the spin like a snortoise) You will only get one chance to throw before you get hit, however, getting hit also ends the roll, so the Boarilla won't go one-shot Maxwell, at least.

Eventually your teammates will come to kill your Boarilla. This is why we don't give them names, we'll get attached to them. If someone important dies, go back to distracting the Boarilla, otherwise do not run it, let the tanks do their tanking.

Cue Grand Forge Boarrier!

Oh boy. Get ready to run for your life. This part is insanely difficult.

Just Kidding! It only has one attack unlocked when he first spawns, so it's a complete breeze!

After a few seconds to a minute, your teammates will come and start to kill it, at which point you should equip tanking armour. Once it does the Pit Pig Dance, prepare to lure it away. (If he's sleeping let him finish sleeping, first)

You are done running and now help the tank(s) For the actual Boarrier murdering strategies, please refer to @RazingHel's video here: 

 

[adaxe]

A less skillful way to deal with Boarilla's roll is wearing splint mail and simply eating all its damage. I don't remember for sure, but it's about 20 dmg each roll.

[truepurple]

This so obviously belongs in the underused Strategy and tactics subforum currently with only three threads. Please move.

[TemporaryMan]

2 hours ago, The 2C3D said:

Eventually your teammates will come to kill your Boarilla. This is why we don't give them names, we'll get attached to them. If someone important dies, go back to distracting the Boarilla, otherwise do not run it, let the tanks do their tanking.

This is untrue.  The first one with the T-shaped pauldrons is Terrence, the one that spawns on the right with the H-shaped pauldrons is Henry, and the one that spawns on the left with the bifurcated pauldrons is, eh... it's not really shaped like a letter.  E-something?  Kind of a stretch to call that shape an E.  Yeah, I never got around to naming that one, but I usually run with Henry and let the others deal with the unnamed guy, so it's not my problem.

[Kolascay]

i just call em H T and =. 

[TemporaryMan]

I wonder why I never thought of Eddie?  Probably because he's the opposite of my bodyguard, so he hasn't earned that name.

[Werecrowe]

While I agree this should move to strategy and tactics, don't forget about the interrupts you can do to Boarrior while wearing the chiseled abs. I'm a highly experienced runner (don't really play any other class) and Lucy can absolutely stop Boarrior's devastating ground-flames attacks/spin attacks. I generally stand in the corner close to the tanks and chuck Lucy at him whenever he's about to do one of those attacks. It takes a bit to get the timing down, but once you do, you'll notice a heavy decrease in damage your team will be taking. 

[SDragonhead]

I main Wes and I don't struggle. I pretty much wear stone armor and the feather wreath and stay in that one corner next to Pugna to not have the smaller rounds of scorpions come after me. Do I worry about rolls? Not so much because I don't let it roll me like a pin as I only hit the boarilla two or three times before it puts its shield up. I limit doing damage to it to make it less of an issue worrying about rolls. I only gotta worry about lag. If it does start rolling I keep my chill because molten darts special can cancel the roll. If I do get squashed well I'll live because of my armor. Wes op fellas.

And plenty of times did I have to kite that Boarrior as my team revives each other hoo boy those are exciting moments dodging attacks. If you hug the edge of the arena, when the Boarrior does the flame attack you don't get much damaged because I can walk out of the path if it's at a wall! 

I like to just wiggle around and get aggro instantly to save my team and the healer

[JohnWatson]

razinghel video

[slendyproject]

17 hours ago, The 2C3D said:

Make sure you have your full running equipment (Feathered armour and wreath)

You are just spreading misinformation. Woodie does NOT need to wear feather armor to run with Boarilla. In fact he doesnt need to use the feathered armor a sinle time in the game.

[Electroely]

2 hours ago, slendyproject said:

You are just spreading misinformation. Woodie does NOT need to wear feather armor to run with Boarilla. In fact he doesnt need to use the feathered armor a sinle time in the game.

He'll just die faster to the roll if he uses the feathered grass armor.

[The 2C3D]

 

3 hours ago, slendyproject said:

You are just spreading misinformation. Woodie does NOT need to wear feather armor to run with Boarilla. In fact he doesnt need to use the feathered armor a sinle time in the game.

He needs it to DODGE the roll

[fimmatek]

11 minutes ago, The 2C3D said:

He needs it to DODGE the roll

With good timing you can step aside from the roll even without the feathered armor. What's more, if you and your team is good enough, the runner doesn't even have to worry about the roll. If he doesn't deal much damage to the boarilla, the team will be finished with the rest of the monsters by it starts rolling. I did it with the splint mail armor many times, it works like a charm. You just have to chuck Lucy between every 2-3 attacks of the boarilla, instead of always.

[slendyproject]

1 hour ago, The 2C3D said:

 

He needs it to DODGE the roll

First off no he doesnt. You can easily tank it if your team is good and is done with the rest of the enemies in good time. Second off you can still dodge it without feathered armor. Third off you can interrupt it with lucy. And if you are bad at interrupting it you can just count his attacks as he usually rolls after every 4th attack but this can change in certain circumstances. Point is: If you think you need feathered armor you are a bad runner who uses a crutch.

 

Oh and bonus: You can have him not roll at all. Just chuck lucy after every second punch instead of everytime you can, and he wont lose enough HP to start rolling.