How do you a-grade PS's roll, robe or light armor? I am approaching a-grade and need to start shopping/crafting for my next set.
Playstyle wise, I am totally solo, no OOP buffers. I usually play support. I chip in damage, but do not use soul shots on the summoner to keep costs down. I'm in a mostly PVE clan where I will get parties once I catch up a bit in levels (mid 60's ish).
Are any of you guys re-thinink you current set-ups due to the current or future updates to the class?
I used to use Majestic light armor and a bow in PvP, then duels or a dagger for PvE (with an SoM w/ acumen as a back-up).
However, with the new nuke we are getting, I think robes are going to be a must. I am already begining to sell my maj and am going to buy Nightmare to make full use of my nuke and switch over to using the SoM primarily. However, note I am primarily doing this for PvE reasons, I really want to take advantage of this for leveling purposes. DC robes may be the way to go in PvP (However I think if we want to get good use out of our nuke, extra M atk will be needed). Majectic robes would be nice for MP and MP recovery, however, I think Matk will be far more important.
I definately think robes are going to be the best set-up and I am personally going to change over all my dyes to +Wit/+Int -Men (Used to be +Men/+Wit -Int).
I realize my set-up isn't going to please everyone, but I am a legit player and grinding my PS to 80 is my main concern right now.
Frankly A grade light armors are horrible, you're better off with a +4 B set if you're going light, hell i stayed in doom till 76. The stun resistance is pretty negligible as well. My suggestion is DC robes if you can afford them. A grade lights are terrible for a PS.
Frankly A grade light armors are horrible, you're better off with a +4 B set if you're going light, hell i stayed in doom till 76. The stun resistance is pretty negligible as well. My suggestion is DC robes if you can afford them. A grade lights are terrible for a PS.
So you would say invest in a-Grade weapon and stay in B-grade armor? Hmmm, I have Avadon robes as well as Avadon Light currently.....and the money to invest in either A weapon or A armour, not both.
My dilema is this. Currently I am soloing in Apostate. I rarely have to heal Shadow on white mobs (pulling them one at a time out of the room) so my MP pool is not an issue. I am also taking no damage at 57 'cause Shadow deals triple my damage. So I find myself in a spot where neither MP nor taking damage is an issue. As my summon becomes more powerful at A-Grade, which will become more of a concern for me as I grind my MP pool or taking damage? Or does keeping the summon healed become the main challange. :confused:
Tallum Light armor is actually great for MP and MP regen, it is also fairly cheap and you get good Pdef with Ag armor. Tallum light is also usually cheap, on my server is is sold cheaper than doom light. Most people don't use it because it is specifically designed for non-nuking mages (healers and summoners).
However, I would go with robes. Do Majestic for Ag or BW for Bg. I am personally going to go NM robes for Ag since the PS is getting the nuke, most would proabably say that is a bad idea due to lower casting speed, but if it means I can 2-shot mobs rather than 3 or 4-shot mobs, it will be well worth it.
I would definately get an Ag melee weapon to use until Gracia. Duels, a dagger, or a 2-h sword with HP SA would be best.
A Note: If you are currently okay on MP, switch to grinding with soulless. He only takes 10% (5-0% at higher levels) and he does a good deal more damage than shadow. So you will kill faster and get more XP per kill. I suggest moving to EV for soulless since it is less crowded with mobs and you are less likely to get ganked, but if you like catas, that's fine too.
a 60% power nuke, go DC for the casting speed . You're not going to turn into a nuker with the new spell it'll be excellent for additional damage but you're main strength is still going to be your pets. If you want to be a SH be an SH.
a 60% power nuke, go DC for the casting speed . You're not going to turn into a nuker with the new spell it'll be excellent for additional damage but you're main strength is still going to be your pets. If you want to be a SH be an SH.
I am mainly concerned with grinding... sure casting speed has its perks for PvP, but for grinding purposes casting speed isn't as critical as over all damage out-put. I know plenty of people will call me a "noob" for chosing dmg over casting speed, but I really don't care. :P
Casting speed for healing, not for nuking. As i said your main damage is still going to be from the pets. Trust me i've have a nuke augment for months, a full power one not a half power nuke like we'll have in CT2. It's great and useful and all but pets are still the dominant killing power.
I think I read somewhere they are taking away the mp drain on soulless too, would be about **** time!
I dont think I'd nuke too much on a PS, dmg would still be insignificant to that of the dark force!
For armor i switched between dc robe and light, light for catas and robes for field mobs (mostly FotD since lvl 66), although for FotD I favor the tallum robe set. I really like the look of dc light and tallum on my female PS, and i roll with full buffs from prophet and SE, so my gear usage may not hold true for you.
If u are low on cash u could go for the tallum robes, its a good overall set.
So, if I'm reading most of you correctly...robes > light for CT1 and beyond??
I agree with Physics whole heartedly that the nuke is just a handly little adder, not a conversion to nuker. +1 for "if you wanna nuke be a SH". LOL.
Physics- You rolled Doom light all the way through a-grade, would you do it that way again in light of new changes of CT1/CT2? I'm assuming you chose that set for +P.Atk and that you had no problems with cast speed, but now in light of the changes of CT1/CT2 you think DC robes is the best choice.
Vahaidren-Looking to up his effectiveness of this future nuke by going with a robe that +'s M.atk. Tells me that you don't feel the need for extra P.Def.
Smittie-floats between robes and light based on where he is grinding. Tells me he preffers P.Def for underground for the occasional spare mob agro, but wants cast speed/ MP pool for above ground to keep Soulless rolling.
My summary-I can add cast speed/MP pool (robes) or Pdef (light) with the set I choose, but in the end choosing one over the other will not have a catastrophic effect on the opposite end of the spectrum. ie: If I go robes I'm not necessarily going to get owned for haveing less P/def and if I go Light, I'll still be able to heal good enough to get the job done too.
In the end, DC Robes will be way too expensive for me and probably won't be an option. Leaves me with sticking with a b-grade set or Majestic/Tallum Robes in A-grade.
Out of curiosity I've tried a different set up recently and like it, but I'm only 54 on PS now...
I went +4 STR/-4 CON and use plated leather with a +10 tsu*tsu. With this setup, I do more damage in 2 hits than I can do nuking with emp3/zerk3, Demon, and +8 Homunkulus. I use soulless. I am ripping through cata mobs and able to keep a full room + half room cleared. I'm not looking forward to 55 -> 60 since I'll have to move to Devotion and am worried the mobs there will be too hard.
For this to work need VR and also use HP/MP elixirs. So either have to have an SE to buff or use the juices from the last event.
For 55-60 you can try upper levels of Enchanted Vally or stay in catas.... After lvl 60 is the hard part, there are no good leveling areas outside of catas until 67-68.
I basically used the same set-up you are for Bg. I had Doom light and +8 Tsu*sls duels, always used soulless. After level 52, your nukes just are not worth it, so switching to a melee weapon is best IMHO. Yeah, for now you need VR to level with soulless, maybe when Gracia removes his mana drain it will be manageable to keep him alive without VR...
Yeah 63-67, well good luck it took me longer for those levels than for 68-76. +con is a PVP tat and if you hve a DD light set like doom (plated leather is too low on defense at higher levels) you can + str and actually be a decent DD. With no str tats in doom you will have about 1/4-1/3 the patk of your main servitor which means that you'll be doing 20-25% of the total damage. That's not insignificant.
Also yes soulless loses his mp drain in CT2. Also don't go tallum robes if you can afford better. -int is not your friend and even more so in CT2.