Class and Arti questions

[Praetorean]

Given that the guide books, web-sites etc are not infallible, I was wondering if fellow albs could give some definative answers to some of these questions. I have a good idea of the answer to some of these, but wanted a wider view from those of you who have played/experimented with these in practise and to take on board what you have to say:

Can a Paladin wear & use the Crocodile Tear Ring (most specifically to use the level 10 ability to PBAoE their chants?) - has any paladin tried this yet ?

What stats does Dual-Wield (Merc/Infil) use ? or does it use the underlying stat of the weapon you predominantly spec in ?

If - when SCing a merc, one goes for a specific type of weapon in the off hand, what should one go for ? high speed ? low speed (higher damage), is it
worth proccing the off-hand weapon ? does the speed of the offhand weapon play any part in the speed of a DW style ?

Given the fact mid groups often run with 3-4 savages (det) and hibs almost always have Group-Purge as well as the High RR chanters/eldritches having
purge and MoC, is it worth speccing a high mind Sorc for RvR ? or is a Body/
Mind split more effective ?? (if so what spec and why?)

Looking at things on paper, it would suggest that an Earth specced Theurg
with the optimum pbt might be best, in practise most RvR Thuergs are not specced thus. From your experience *for the the purposes of grouping much more than solo-ing* what is a good spec for Theurgists and why ?

In a group consisting of : Minstrel, Paladin, Merc, Merc, Cleric, Cleric, Sorc, Theurg :

Are there any distinct advantages to having 1 crush, 1 slash merc ? or both
slash, both crush - some thrust ?

What would you say is the optimum ML path choice for each of the group members for the purposes of RvR ?

Would you suggest any particular spec's for this group (especially the roles that have 2x the same class) that might prove useful in practise that isn't
neccessarily apparent (i.e make both Clerics 41 Rejuv, 35 Enhance, 3 Smite, both Perfectors, with BoF, MoH etc as their initial RA's)...

Like I said, I've researched most of this, but its only in thoery, was wondering what my fellow Albs might be able to contribute from experience that I might not have considered - or that they have found particularly practical.

Thanks in advance,

 

[Flimgoblin]

Can a Paladin wear & use the Crocodile Tear Ring (most specifically to use the level 10 ability to PBAoE their chants?) - has any paladin tried this yet ?

Can't use the level 10 ability

might be able to get it and level it for the resists though

What stats does Dual-Wield (Merc/Infil) use ? or does it use the underlying stat of the weapon you predominantly spec in ?

DW rate is unaffected by stats - if you mean the damage from the weapons it's dependent on what weapon you use.

If - when SCing a merc, one goes for a specific type of weapon in the off hand, what should one go for ? high speed ? low speed (higher damage), is it
worth proccing the off-hand weapon ? does the speed of the offhand weapon play any part in the speed of a DW style ?

Swing speed is left hand if only the left hand swings, right hand if only the right hand swings and the average if both swing.

Assuming you're not hitting swing cap anyway go for slow weapon in the main hand with a fast in the offhand - this gives you a "free" haste which doesn't lower your style damage (you'll be doing main hand delay style damage at average delay of the weapons speed)

Given the fact mid groups often run with 3-4 savages (det) and hibs almost always have Group-Purge as well as the High RR chanters/eldritches having
purge and MoC, is it worth speccing a high mind Sorc for RvR ? or is a Body/
Mind split more effective ?? (if so what spec and why?)

can't say from personal experience but people seem to like 44m/31body or high body/24 mind

Looking at things on paper, it would suggest that an Earth specced Theurg
with the optimum pbt might be best, in practise most RvR Thuergs are not specced thus. From your experience *for the the purposes of grouping much more than solo-ing* what is a good spec for Theurgists and why ?

41i 35e - ice pets rock.

In a group consisting of : Minstrel, Paladin, Merc, Merc, Cleric, Cleric, Sorc, Theurg :

Are there any distinct advantages to having 1 crush, 1 slash merc ? or both
slash, both crush - some thrust ?

not really, you'll have better damage against one enemy type if you're all the same but worse against the others, if you're different damage types you'll be average against everything.

What would you say is the optimum ML path choice for each of the group members for the purposes of RvR ?

Would you suggest any particular spec's for this group (especially the roles that have 2x the same class) that might prove useful in practise that isn't
neccessarily apparent (i.e make both Clerics 41 Rejuv, 35 Enhance, 3 Smite, both Perfectors, with BoF, MoH etc as their initial RA's)...

bleh I'll let the fotm group types tell you how to spec your fotm group

 

[Javai]

Paladin can't activate Croc Tear Ring, have tried this myself.

 

[Praetorean]

Can't use the level 10 ability

Thanks - thats a bit of a shame though

DW rate is unaffected by stats - if you mean the damage from the weapons it's dependent on what weapon you use.

So chance-to-hit is based on what ?

Am I wrong in thinking that high-dex on a char specced to slash makes no difference on chance-to-hit ?

Swing speed is left hand if only the left hand swings, right hand if only the right hand swings and the average if both swing.

Assuming you're not hitting swing cap anyway go for slow weapon in the main hand with a fast in the offhand - this gives you a "free" haste which doesn't lower your style damage (you'll be doing main hand delay style damage at average delay of the weapons speed)

Thats very handy to know - nice thinking precisely the type of little tip
that I was looking for from people that have played the chars..

can't say from personal experience but people seem to like 44m/31body or high body/24 mind

Does this offer sufficient CC? and what's the bid advantage of a high Body spec ?

41i 35e - ice pets rock.

Ok REALLY interested to know more about the reasons for this. Seemed to me on paper - earth pets (speed6) are great suppression spammers on the enemy healers + PBT, air pets makes good interrupters + air nukes are strong + secondary AoE Mezz. What does Ice give you and what do the pets give you over Earth and Air ?

slash + crush Mercs,
not really, you'll have better damage against one enemy type if you're all the same but worse against the others, if you're different damage types you'll be average against everything.

I meant perhaps the combined styles would also gives lingering effects like
slowed/hindered/bleeding (crush is good for such effects)

bleh I'll let the fotm group types tell you how to spec your fotm group

Heh, actually the group we came up with after much research included an
Armsman and a Friar in place of both Mercs, to give 2nd Bodyguard, Soldiers
Barricade and the Friar group resists. But the damage output was not going to be high enough and enemy caster-bodyguards would pose us a melee problem since we had no dual wield. But hey, hopefully what appears to be FOTM now will still work to good effect in NF.


Still interested in others opinions

thanks,

 

[Draylor]

If - when SCing a merc, one goes for a specific type of weapon in the off hand, what should one go for ? high speed ? low speed (higher damage), is it worth proccing the off-hand weapon ? does the speed of the offhand weapon play any part in the speed of a DW style ?

The Weapon speed calculator answers most of that. And of coruse its worth having a proc on the off-hand weapon

is it worth speccing a high mind Sorc for RvR ?

For the group setup you list below 44 mind/30 body seems obvious choice. Best AE mezz + AE root. Body specs are better suited to caster groups where CCing is not their main job.

What would you say is the optimum ML path choice for each of the group members for the purposes of RvR ?

Paladin: anyone not speccing battlemaster needs a pretty damn good reason why, or more likely a ML respec
Cleric: Very few reasons not to take Perfecter.
Merc: Prob Banelord on at least 1 if not both. ML1 ability v useful against caster groups, the other abilities are fairly situational but occasionally useful.
Minstrel: Sojurner. Zephyr/Phase Shift are far more use than anything in Warlord.
Sorc/Theurg: Casters get far less use out of MLs than other classes. Stormlord on sorc, convoker on theurg makes sense to me.

Am I wrong in thinking that high-dex on a char specced to slash makes no difference on chance-to-hit ?

Your correct. +dex on a slash spec merc will help with parry - and nothing else.

So chance-to-hit is based on what ?

Weaponskill. Combination of spec (in damage type, not in DW), stats (str or str/dex depending on dmg type), +skill bonuses (items/RR), etc

Also affected by the bonus %age shown on items (weapon/armour) but since this will be same (35%) for all items youd use at lvl50 its kinda irrelevant

 

[Tualatin]

i thought with dual wield, that when you hit

ONLY with main hand, it takes the spd of that weapon for next round

With both main and off hand, it has a 50% chance to take either speed, be it the fast or slow speed for next round. (So, when doing 100 strikes, all dual hitting it uses the average speed).

But that isn't true ?

 

[Praetorean]

heh - how much do ML respecs sell for ? (star of destiny?)

 

[Flimgoblin]

i thought with dual wield, that when you hit

ONLY with main hand, it takes the spd of that weapon for next round

With both main and off hand, it has a 50% chance to take either speed, be it the fast or slow speed for next round. (So, when doing 100 strikes, all dual hitting it uses the average speed).

But that isn't true ?

it's average speed each time rather than 50/50 chance, effectively the same over time though as to what you thought

 

[Flimgoblin]

Well by "chance to hit" if you mean chance to not get "You miss!" then it's just down to weapon bonus % and their armour bonus % (as well as mob level but for players that's usually constant at 50) which as draylor points out is usually 35%. Also there's the +to-hit from styles which reduces the chance to "miss".

weaponskill affects chance to not be blocked/parried/evaded so doesn't really matter much against casters - draylor summed up weaponskill improving stuff above - note that +to-hit won't affect this, so you'll be blocked as much using a crappy no to-hit style as with a high to-hit like amethyst.