Darkness SM

[nobrot]

So far I have fully specced my new SM in Darckness but was wondering if a hybrid would be a better spec for RvR... just want to kill lots of hibs and albs in RvR... so far I can solo most orange con's and the odd red.. so long as it isnt a nuker.

any SM's out there got some advice?

 

[old.Trine Aquavit]

Unfortunately, for nukers, a balanced spec is generally a gimped spec. This is because they fundamentally rely on fast damage, which means speccing at least one line to the full to get the last DD.

 

[~Mobius~]

just go full dark, works well.

And if you want pbae respec to supp, also good for RvR but kind of suicidal.

Dont spec summoning though!

 

[Roo Stercogburn]

Mobius is right in that you probably don't want to spec summoning much, however, I know peeps that have done this and they still do well. The lvl23 ghetto rez in 1.52 probably isn't worth the spec points... but again, some people want it, have specced for it, and are still effective in PvE and RvR.

Balanced spec for SMs isn't the gimp-o-matic that it can be for other characters - an SM has a huge toolkit of options for a wide variety of situations. SMs with a balanced spec actually arguably have slightly better crowd control options than ones that go darkness or suppression, though they lose out on either the massive lifetap from darkness or the top end pbae nuke from suppression (in 1.52). Also, if you check out any of the character builders on various website, you'll see that a balance spec SM can still get you the second best lifetap or pbae nuke, depending on which you prefer.

With 1.52 suppression SMs are the ultimate defensive character for keeps, their damage output is higher than anything else in game.
Suppression based debuffs have a slight edge on the darkness ones because they can wipe out a load of hitpoints instantly off enemies by reducing their con as well as str. These also take pressure off healers because mobs don't hit as hard. The attack speed debuff is also on the suppression line.
Transferring hitpoints to other chars is also suppression based and you'll be able to transfer a decent amout, though with a weak (or non existant) lifetap, you'll struggle to get the hitpoints back from enemies.
Suppression based SMs in the US are reckoned to be the fastest levelling characters in the game if you can get a few together.

Darkness SMs are complete crowd control specialists and lifetappers. Very difficult to get close to a darkness based SM and made harder in 1.52 with the addition of ranged area mez.
Darkness SMs have a very good dex/qui debuff which makes it near impossible for tanks to actually miss the target (this is VERY group friendly).
The lifetap ability means that you can self heal off enemies extremely efficiently, though having weak suppression means you may struggle to heal your team mates with the hitpoint transfer.

Suppression SMs will simply nuke agro mobs to death - darkness SMs control the mobs around them and eliminate them one or two at a time.

It just comes down to the play style you prefer.

 

[old.LandShark]

note also that supp. RMs con/str debuff has the effect of unbreakably rooting (well, purge would break it, admittedly) casters and the dex/qui buff also has a heavy reduction on their casting speed. These debuffs, when they hit you, neutralise any buffs you may have to that stat, THEN apply the stat decrease. Not sure if it's a bug or not, but there you go....

 

[SevenSins]

Spiritmasters, the saga.

If you want to be THE ultimate spiritmaster, with THE ULTIMATE SPEC!, I'm sorry, you cannot ;-)

There are 3 good specs for spiritmasters if you wish to succeed RvR/PvE.

I can only speak of one since I have not had the opportunity to test all 3 yet, which is though the most common (with 1.52 including PBAOE in the Suppression line and not in earlier versions) is the Darkened Master of Hel.

His spec would be:

47 Darkness for Extinquish Lifeforce (Capped Damage on level 50 with 207 capped piety is 569 odd damage (Which I infact have made on several oranges/reds than just yellows.)

26 Suppression for the Middle PBAOE and 3rd Lifetransfer (transfers 90-110 odd heartpoints) and for overall good single target CC / Str-Con \/ Attack Speed debuffs.

5 Summoning just to add some GFX to your spirit, and to get a bugged Self-Damage shield (Which in fact DOES! do damage, but is not shown.)

These spiritmasters have proven to be the most effective in regular RvR, are not group friendly at CC (not untill 1.52 containing AE Mezz atleast) but super group friendly if you wish for your group to do some damage.

-The SevenSins

 

[old.Noita]

Originally posted by SevenSins

47 Darkness for Extinquish Lifeforce (Capped Damage on level 50 with 207 capped piety is 569 odd damage (Which I infact have made on several oranges/reds than just yellows.)

-The SevenSins

Throw Mastery of Magery 2 and Aug Acuity 3 into the mix and your base dmg will go to 591 and regular crits of 1k to 1100... sweet

 

[Danya]

Hmm, you can only crit for 50% in RvR afaik...

 

[SevenSins]

Originally posted by old.Noita


Throw Mastery of Magery 2 and Aug Acuity 3 into the mix and your base dmg will go to 591 and regular crits of 1k to 1100... sweet

I won't be getting MoM yet, Aug Acui 3 yes I already have, but I really wouldn't recommend any RA's if you don't know your spec yet.

I mean as a pbaoe spiritmaster it would be rather stupid to get MoM over Mastery of Concentration.

I am currently focussing on getting MoC rather than anything else as I am probably going to respec into 49 Suppression (Last PBAOE DD) 22 Darkness (1st AE Mezz) 5 Summoning (For the looks =]).

I also forgot to notice, yes it's a shame, but in RvR you will most certainly always get either equal, or penalty damage against your enemy.

Mainly because Lifedrain is cold damage which most people have capped as it is easy to do so.

The 569+ dmg I make in PvE is not equal in RvR.

On even yellow cons most people infuriate me by letting me hit them for only 350-400 damage.

-The SevenSins

 

[Archeon]

Originally posted by mobiusmid
Dont spec summoning though!

i had a spirit spec SM, got him to lvl 12 before i realised just what a gimp i had made of myself. 2 buff spells and a dmg shield that stops you from casting? lets not forget the self dmg shield that makes it near impossible for your spirit to get aggro (rememeber, he/she relys on dmg not taunt techs)

re-rolled him as dark and got to 21 before the BG anti-lvling bug got me. capped him and now re-rolling as a dark runie.


the moral of the story? spirit spec is fine as long as you can be bothered to wait 5 minutes while your spirit kills a yellow con, then another 5, then another 5...

better to spec for self-dmg you'l get more aggro but mob's will go down a hell of a lot faster

 

[Kobold]

Just like enchanters enchantments spec. Not smart to max

 

[Loveless]

Balanced specs are OK imo...

But the thing is your not good in rvr or in pve, your balanced in both.

So best thing to do is just max the line thats going to get your good at either of these...

no point going like 30 30 30

because SM summon line is meant to be a little shitty (never having specced it myself i wouldnt know) but supp and dark are both really good in pvp and pve so just max either of these and your sorted