Torm Shadowbane
10-05-2005, 08:59
As my character has progressed in levels and is now nearly twentieth, I've learned a lot. My character has slowly evolved and adapted as he gained new skills and abilities. I've learned a lot about grouping and working with different team combinations, and as such I find myself straying further and further from what I originally intended for my character to be -- it's not a bad thing, though, because I'm enjoying it.
I originally intended for him to master in Smiting Prayers simply for Symbol of Wrath and Balthazar's Spirit. However, while I've used both of them a fair amount I don't think I'm getting what I can out of my character. More often than not my character has become the one who takes the brunt of the damage, but also the one who is there to help save the party when it finds itself in trouble.
With my current build that involves casting Symbol of Wrath if I am surrounded by monsters, and then trying to heal people who are about to die -- especially if the Monk can't keep up. More than once a quickly timed Healing Breeze or a well timed cast of Orison of Healing saved the day. As I've gained in levels and have actually begun grouping on a regular basis (I didn't even group for the first time until I made it to Yak!) I've found that I am using Symbol of Wrath less and less. On top of that I've run into more and more monsters that shatter enchantments forcing me to have to recast Balthazar's Spirit and Mending, making my life a real pain.
So with all of the above in mind I am wondering if I should remove all my points from Smiting Prayers and move them into Healing Prayers, then put the remaining points that I have left into strength. (So it would look like: Strength 3/Healing Prayers 12/Swordsmanship 12) My new build skills would look like this:
Sever Artery
Gash
Savage Slash
Hamstring
Heal Other
Healing Breeze
Mending
Restore Life
I would most likely only use Hamstring in PvP for it's ability to slow the movement of my opponents. I've done some arena fighting (and actually won 8 matches in a row!) and nothing is more irritating than having to chase a monk, ranger, or caster type around the Arena. Hamstring would put a stop to that real quick. On top of it all Savage Slash would completely devastate a healing monk -- the most annoying type of monk to fight against. In PvE I don't have monsters run from me that often and if they do it is only a very short distance, so I'm not chasing them all over the place and therefore Hamstring is rather useless.
With that in mind I need to find a good replacement to Hamstring for PvE, something that I will find useful and use often. (I am leaning toward Final Thrust.)
Also, I am having to take into consideration Mending as well. If I take full Healing Prayers then I will gain a +3 Health Regeneration. However, if I swap that out for Live Vicariously I will gain 11 health with each strike I make. I am rather divided as I can see the benefits and disadvantages of both. I am leaning toward keeping mending, but would like other peoples opinions.
Some additional questions:
What materials do I need to forge the Knight Armor? Is the information on this website correct? I also want to know what is the highest damage sword available and about how much it would cost to buy one. In addition to that question I have a question on shields, first I would like to know what shield has the highest armor rating, but also has the highest energy bonus on it. Also I would like to know how skill requirements work. Most shields require skill in tactics, but I don't have any points in tactics and yet I can still use the shield. I am sure there is a penalty somewhere, but I am not sure where. Can someone explain that to me?
Thanks for all the help and sorry about the long rambling post!
I originally intended for him to master in Smiting Prayers simply for Symbol of Wrath and Balthazar's Spirit. However, while I've used both of them a fair amount I don't think I'm getting what I can out of my character. More often than not my character has become the one who takes the brunt of the damage, but also the one who is there to help save the party when it finds itself in trouble.
With my current build that involves casting Symbol of Wrath if I am surrounded by monsters, and then trying to heal people who are about to die -- especially if the Monk can't keep up. More than once a quickly timed Healing Breeze or a well timed cast of Orison of Healing saved the day. As I've gained in levels and have actually begun grouping on a regular basis (I didn't even group for the first time until I made it to Yak!) I've found that I am using Symbol of Wrath less and less. On top of that I've run into more and more monsters that shatter enchantments forcing me to have to recast Balthazar's Spirit and Mending, making my life a real pain.
So with all of the above in mind I am wondering if I should remove all my points from Smiting Prayers and move them into Healing Prayers, then put the remaining points that I have left into strength. (So it would look like: Strength 3/Healing Prayers 12/Swordsmanship 12) My new build skills would look like this:
Sever Artery
Gash
Savage Slash
Hamstring
Heal Other
Healing Breeze
Mending
Restore Life
I would most likely only use Hamstring in PvP for it's ability to slow the movement of my opponents. I've done some arena fighting (and actually won 8 matches in a row!) and nothing is more irritating than having to chase a monk, ranger, or caster type around the Arena. Hamstring would put a stop to that real quick. On top of it all Savage Slash would completely devastate a healing monk -- the most annoying type of monk to fight against. In PvE I don't have monsters run from me that often and if they do it is only a very short distance, so I'm not chasing them all over the place and therefore Hamstring is rather useless.
With that in mind I need to find a good replacement to Hamstring for PvE, something that I will find useful and use often. (I am leaning toward Final Thrust.)
Also, I am having to take into consideration Mending as well. If I take full Healing Prayers then I will gain a +3 Health Regeneration. However, if I swap that out for Live Vicariously I will gain 11 health with each strike I make. I am rather divided as I can see the benefits and disadvantages of both. I am leaning toward keeping mending, but would like other peoples opinions.
Some additional questions:
What materials do I need to forge the Knight Armor? Is the information on this website correct? I also want to know what is the highest damage sword available and about how much it would cost to buy one. In addition to that question I have a question on shields, first I would like to know what shield has the highest armor rating, but also has the highest energy bonus on it. Also I would like to know how skill requirements work. Most shields require skill in tactics, but I don't have any points in tactics and yet I can still use the shield. I am sure there is a penalty somewhere, but I am not sure where. Can someone explain that to me?
Thanks for all the help and sorry about the long rambling post!