Some numbers about the Ritualist skills...

[Erasculio]

Spawing Power (11 skills)

Binding Rituals: 0

Skills helped by nearby spirits: 7

Skills that affect spirits: 3


Channeling Magic (18 skills)

Binding Rituals: 1

Skills helped by nearby spirits: 6

Skills that affect spirits: 2


Communing (21 skills)

Binding Rituals: 12 + Anguished Was Lingwah

Skills helped by nearby spirits: 0

Skills that affect spirits: 0


Restoration (21 skills)

Binding Rituals: 3

Skills helped by nearby spirits: 4

Skills that affect spirits: 0


Other (1 skill)

Skills that affect spirits: 1

So, from a total of 72 skills, the Ritualist has 40 skills related to Spirits. More or less one third of those belong to Communing, which makes sense considering how that's the Attribute refered to as the one linked with Spirits themselves.

I am happy to see, though, how few skills of the Restoration line, the one most linked with healing, use spirits. Hopefuly, this will mean that healers Ritualists won't have to use spirits to become effective.

Erasculio

[Erasculio]

From Kjentei (http://forums.gwonline.net/member.php?u=167524)'s post at this topic (http://forums.gwonline.net/showthread.php?t=383360):


Ok, Here is the list of all the spells that have no relation to spirits (elites are represented by asterisks):
Ancestor's Rage (Channeling)
Channeled Strike (Channeling)
Cruel Was Daoshen (Channeling)
*Grasping was Kuurong* (Channeling)
Nightmare Weapon (Channeling)
*Spirit Channeling* (Channeling) [Ignore the skill's name, it doesn't involve spirits]
Spirit Rift (Channeling)
Splinter Weapon (Channeling)
Wailing Weapon (Channeling)
Binding Chains (Communing)
Brutal Weapon (Communing)
*Defiant Was Xinrae* (Communing)
Dulled Weapon (Communing)
Guided Weapon (Communing)
Mighty Was Vorizon (Communing)
Vital Weapon (Communing)
*Weapon of Quickening* (Communing)
Blind Was Mingson (Restoration)
Flesh of my Flesh (Restoration)
Generous was Tsungrai (Restoration)
Lively was Naomei (Restoration)
Protective Was Kaolai (Restoration)
Resilient Was Xiko (Restoration)
Resilient Weapon (Restoration)
Soothing Memories (Restoration)
*Tranquil Was Tanasen* (Restoration)
Vengeful Was Khanhei (Restoration)
Vengeful Weapon (Restoration)
Weapon of Shadow (Restoration)
Weapon of Warding (Restoration)
Wielder's Boon (Restoration)
*Attuned Was Songkai* (Spawning)


Surprised? I was, I had no idea that they were so many skills for Ritualists that didn't have anything to do with spirits. It's 32 skills in all...

Therefore, since they're 72 Ritualist skills (currently);
44.4% of all Ritualist skills do not have anything to do with Spirits, that's almost half!

I'm hoping to use this as the beginning for a Ritualist FAQ, hence the bits of information. If there's any other kind of information that people think it would be worth having, please say so.

Erasculio

[Kjentei]

I can't wait for the Ritualist FAQ! I definetly don't want Ritualists to be overlooked, including PvE and PvP. I don't expect everyone to love Ritualists, or no one to think they are too strange; but I certainly want them to become a large enough part of Guild Wars, so they aren't considered a "black sheep" or an "extra class".

[charrlover]

Great Numbers Erasculio :D

I wouldn't mind if Ritualists are overlooked like the mesmer. People that don't understand what you are doing to them cannot counter you :grin:

[Goldfish God]

Personally, I find the weapon spells and ash pot items stuff more interesting (especially fun to die while carrying the ressurection ash pot... die = dropped pot = u & nearby allies alive again).

The new spirits are nice are certainly different from the ranger's, as well as the whole spell interaction with spirit/items/weapons spells, but they don't feel quite as "new" (though still "new" enough to hold my interest).

The weapon spell visuals are pretty swanky too :grin:

I just wonder how many effects can go on a weapon-strike at once.
one ritualist weapon spell + one ranger preparation + special attacks + enchantments + weapon mods ....

Anyway, I don't think any of the classes, now or to be released, will ever be one-trick-ponies, it would make them too succeptable to a specific attack (e.g. AoEs Vs static spirits) instead of a build-dependant weakness.

e.g.2
Flesh of my Flesh (50% life sacrifice to res one ally) + scourge sacrifice (double health sacrifice) = dead ritualist. That's why they have 2 other ressurect skills.

[MaximumSquid]

Thanks for the stats.

I spent a while looking at that aspect as well.

Ranger is the only other class that can drop a spirit so i'm sure there will be some interesting builds.

Being able to pop your own Frozen soil when you don't want it any long is going to be extremely tactical.

I found ritualist very hard to combo though. (almost the exact opposite of the assassin)

Even weirder is the assassins almost complete in-ability to take down a ritualist.

/my two pesos

[aeonbahamutzero]

I can't wait for the Ritualist FAQ! I definetly don't want Ritualists to be overlooked, including PvE and PvP. I don't expect everyone to love Ritualists, or no one to think they are too strange; but I certainly want them to become a large enough part of Guild Wars, so they aren't considered a "black sheep" or an "extra class".

considering how well Rt/Mo and more offensive based Rts did during the PvP free for all event, they're DEFINATELY going to be playing a VERY larger role in the PvP metagame. I think someone posted up a Rt/Mo protection build somewhere already? it's pretty crazy, go check it out.