I'm just lvling a new mage on Franz and still trying to choose between warlock and necromancer. I actually don't worry much with the pve, but if you know anything about the summoner way of doing it, you're welcome to say something. Money for sets and weapons isn't a problem.
The real thing is how they go on pvp? I saw there are many classes capable of bann a summon. Is it making summoners suck or not? And how is necro atm? In C4 it was overpowered, and now?
Necros are hindered in mid and high end PvP by the defensive buffs available. They are limited to a dark attack only. This limits their effectiveness in PvP.
Necros are still quite powerful in PvP... yes, indeed unholy protection hurts them, and the Interlude change for shields blocking Death Spike hurts as well... but the combo of Gloom, Dark Vortex, and Death Spike/CDL still hurts.
Nevermind Fear(which works in PvP now), Silence, Paralyze, and their post 76 "you are worse than dead" spells and the fact that they can use their pet as a form of HP buff.
Warlocks are often underestimated... Kai hits like a truck even after the nerfs and they actually BUFFED Paralyze Cubic. In small-group PvP, you will be using Kai... in larger PvP situations, you will be buffing the archers with queen...
Warlocks are much loved in parties... Necros not really as much... Both characters are insanely good at solo. I'd say necros get the leg up in PvP, but the warlock isn't as bad as some people seem to think.
Are you a social butterfly? Warlock.
Are you better off and more comfortable solo? Necro.
Do you like playing something different than others? Warlock.
Do you like playing what every other player is playing? Necro.
Necros are still quite powerful in PvP... yes, indeed unholy protection hurts them, and the Interlude change for shields blocking Death Spike hurts as well... but the combo of Gloom, Dark Vortex, and Death Spike/CDL still hurts.
Nevermind Fear(which works in PvP now), Silence, Paralyze, and their post 76 "you are worse than dead" spells and the fact that they can use their pet as a form of HP buff.
Warlocks are often underestimated... Kai hits like a truck even after the nerfs and they actually BUFFED Paralyze Cubic. In small-group PvP, you will be using Kai... in larger PvP situations, you will be buffing the archers with queen...
Warlocks are much loved in parties... Necros not really as much... Both characters are insanely good at solo. I'd say necros get the leg up in PvP, but the warlock isn't as bad as some people seem to think.
Are you a social butterfly? Warlock.
Are you better off and more comfortable solo? Necro.
Do you like playing something different than others? Warlock.
Do you like playing what every other player is playing? Necro.
I see what you are saying there. But towards the higher end PvP there are many stackable buffs that make dark magic impotent.
Song of Warding
Song of Invocation
Unholy Resist
Magic Barrier[(Glory of Pa'agrio)Chant of Fire]
Chant of Spirit
Plus you have the crystals that drop in Pagans temple that also protect against unholy. Now I know yer not gonna have all of those buffs/songs. However, I can get at a minimum 2 of them before I leave my clanhall at any given time. Anyone have the ability to show the statistical effects of these skills as they stack?
With everything, necro nukes can be mitigated down to 400-500 or so which really does crimp the damage output... but thats provided they get every buff, and even that at 1200+ cast speed or so is still potent.
(Necros nuking players in PvP with reasonable buffs nuke for around 1200 with dark vortex and 1000 or so with Death Spike)
No its not archer damage, but still... it kills just fine especially considering the fact that necros are nowhere near as squishy as archers or other mages due to transfer pain.
I'd love to see some statistical data on dismiss rates as well.
Under the right circumstances the PS can indeed replace a priest for a healer... no I'm not kidding.
I'd still rather have both than just one or the other...
However, warlock buffs are completely unique and thus get them invites from groups even from out of your alliance.
Don't get me wrong, I am not sandbagging PSs at all...
It's just that archers + Warlock buff + rest of crit buffs is just so brokenly good that no one in their right mind would pass it up. (10k crits every other shot)
The PS is the best healer where others get strained for MP - period. Its 'spam heal' phase is a little shorter than others' (i.e. it needs a break of approximately 4~6 seconds after a while). Two PSs are sufficient to heal at most high level raid bosses (two so their 'down' phases don't overlap), even when things go bad: Not something that can be said for most other healers. ... There's also somethign to be said for a healer that can UD if in doubt.
However, they don't bring the rest of the utility most usual healers do (no buffs, no recharges, no CC) ... so it's a matter of who is best for what situation.
Lack of group heal is even more painful for the PS than for the EE though. :p
And yes, Kitty buffs are great - and they look even better now with the nerf to DW and DoF.
Because the PS doesn't run out of MP ever. You get the MP for summoning a new nightshade back comfortably before the old one drops its heals worth maybe 14~15k HP.
Did several small groups in high level areas with a PS as the only healer, worked perfectly, she was never low on mp either. So it works, the heal is fast and powerful.
You should have taken over heals on the target instead for five seconds so she could resummon a fresh one instead of running you out of MP. :p
As for the price:
Summoning the level 72 nightshade (it takes less shots than the one you learn at 74, and is cheaper to summon, while having the same base power heal - up to everyone on their own whether to up their costs here or not, I don't think it's a significant efficiency difference personally) with 8.3k HP costs 3 crys C (at 3006 from the shop, that's 9018adena), you get ~9 heals out of that which consume one beast blessed spiritshot for somewhere in the vicinity of 130a each, meaning each cycle of nightshade (and this is ONLY required when you're already OOM after all, otherwise it's cheaper) costs 10188 adena and has a heal power of 5931 (actual HP restored will be different of course).
The same power takes an EE about 6.3 major heals to cover... each major heal takes one blessed spiritshot (let's say it's a cheap elder and they're using a B Grade weapon :p ) and a spirit ore, evening out somewhere around 5k for those 6.3 heals.
The cost for the nightshade drops significantly if you're not in a situation where you have to spam so fast that you need to resummon instead of just healing the nightshade.
Yes, it's more expensive, but it's not exactly back-breaking. On Lionna at least, you can't get GHP worth 8k or so HP for 10k.
PS is a good healer, better than C5 SE (and better for single-target heals than C4 SE) in ranged groups and in melee groups that have VR from some other source, but cannot really compete with Major Heal healers in hard locations.
You should have taken over heals on the target instead for five seconds so she could resummon a fresh one instead of running you out of MP. :p
My previous target was alive and well (Gladis seem to have better PDef than Nightshades). My next target would have been wearing robes and standing still for five seconds with neither VR nor TP :)
The cost for the nightshade drops significantly if you're not in a situation where you have to spam so fast that you need to resummon instead of just healing the nightshade.
Then competing healers have Greater Heal and Invocation.
Yep - I'm not argueing that the points at which you DO have to resummon is where the nightshade shines. Beyond that, of course, the PS offers a few other things, just like healers do other things as well.
I find myself more complete as a DD class, but the nightshade is a very viable option.