Training is a shield is a joke...

[Ghu]

<DIV>Greetings fellow nuke-freeks <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm writing this after failing trial three of 'Training is a shield' for the eleventh time. I picked the quest up at lvl 32 and did it with my guildmates. We all went and did the first solo one. I died two times but finally succeeded on teh third attempt. We then went and did trial 2 together. It was so easy it wasn't even funny.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Then came Trial three. The group I am typically playing with consists of the following:<BR></DIV> <DIV>Guardian, monk, Mystic, Ranger, Conjorer and me (Wizard).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>At trial three everyone but me made it through on the first attempt. I thought, well, maybe lvl 32 is too low to reliably get my spells to land. I'll get to 33. Got 33 and still no go. Got to 34 and still no go. Got to 35 and still no go. Got to 36 and still no go (although on one atempt I did kill the down-arrow guy). Got to 37 and still no go.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Well this morning I descided to revisit this trial. I'm lvl 38 now. I'm 5 levels higher than the mobs in the trial. I have better than average gear and all my spells are at least adept 1.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The mobs resisted every [Removed for Content] cast. Every one. Every last one. My guildmates are patiently waiting for me to get through this. We all do these heritage quests together. It is turning into 'The big joke' in Guild. There goes Ghunn, He's gonna go die in his trial.. etc..</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Our class seems to have so many issues with resist issues, with low DPS (I run a DPS monitor sometimes. I fall in 4th to 5th place on average.) I really enjoy playing my wizard but I'm about to shelve him and start a new toon that is not so worthless.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm not sure if this is a rant or a plea to the developers or what.. </DIV>

[SalBlu]

<DIV>I think this comes down to playability issues.  I had no problems at all with that trial of the quest at lvl 35.  I have to say though, at 38, you're still one level shy of having your next big nuke.  Immolation will help add to your total DPS.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm really not sure where or how you guys are having trouble being at the top of the DPS list.  I am always either the highest, or 2nd highest hitter in whatever group I get into.  I dish out some of the best DPS in my groups.  If you're running into 4th or 5th slot in terms of DPS, I would suggest re-examining your spell list to figure out what exactly everything does, then rework your spell casting sequence.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you are getting resisted, debuff more or raise your subjugation/ordination skills up to be in line with your lvl.  I RARELY get resisted because I've always made sure my skill lvls were maxxed out.</DIV>

[Ghu]

<P>Hmm.. some very good points. I am at work now but this evening I'll check them.</P> <P>As to DPS in groups part of the issue might be that our group has been doing every heritage quest we can and most of them are melee weapon rewards.</P> <P>Don't get me wrong. I dearly and truely love playing my wizard. I'm just very very frustrated atm. I am holding my regular group back and feeling like a burden.</P> <P> </P> <P>Thanks again for the possitive feedback. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <DIV>Edit: Is there a good site for spell line-ups at differant levels? I'm willing to re-evaluate everything if it will make a differance. I very well might have some 'bad habits' from my EQ-1 days. My wizard there was lvl 67 elemental accessed and geared when I retired him.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Ghunn on <span class=date_text>05-10-2005</span> <span class=time_text>09:03 AM</span>

[TheC]

hehe, I failed one of the trials @ level 42, I think it was 5, the group one. The mobs were all grey, man did I feel like an idiot. Especially since it was 10 minutes after I just solo'd my first even con named ^^ mob.... It was just bad luck with lots o' resists, and maybe a wee bit of cockyness. :smileyvery-happy: <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And about DPS, I dunno, I run parsers, I usually stop after I get bored cuz I'm #1 by a rather large margin 95% of the time. It doesn't make me feel special tho, that's our job,  it's like a healer being all proud cuz he did the most healing or a tank being proud of taking the most hits.  Now I only run the parser if there's another wizard or warlock to see how I compare, or if there is a assassin or ranger a few levels higher than me to see if I can beat them.  The only time I've ever been surprised with the parser is seeing how much DPS a Paladin can do.</DIV><p>Message Edited by TheCoZ on <span class=date_text>05-10-2005</span> <span class=time_text>10:51 AM</span>

[Ghu]

<DIV>Ya see, that's what I expect from my character. I am going to really evaluate where he's at and see what I'm doing wrong. Thanks again for the great information.</DIV>

[Darkstar]

Trial 5 on test with the new combat system is impossible for wizards.  One of my friends here at work moved his main to test and is now a 43 wizard - he wasnt able to beat 5 until it went grey.  I beat it on my first try at 38 on live ... I'm still dreading the impact those changes will have on wizards solo and in small groups.

[Junaru]

Not knocking you Ghunn but all the times I've grouped with other Warlocks/Wizards that feel short in DPS was just simply not casting enough for fear of aggro. I out DPSed another Warlock higher level then me and I don't have any Adept III spells. I normally make the tank work very hard to keep aggro but if the tank slacks off in taunting no Sorcerer is going to see his DPS output very high. I've also had tanks [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot] cause they have to spam their taunts with me in group rather then attacks. I just simply tell then taunt the mobs and leave the DPS to the support classes. Once you start casting you should never be able to count to 2 between spells unless things start getting ugly. I just dance under the tanks aggro and I've never been out DPSed but any class within 2 levels of me + or -. PS I die alot in pickup groups with tanks that aren't ready. <div></div>

[adamflanagan]

<span><blockquote><hr>Junaru wrote: PS I die alot in pickup groups with tanks that aren't ready. <div></div><hr></blockquote>LOL <span>:smileytongue:</span></span><div></div>

[Ghu]

<P>Just wanted to update this.</P> <P>I completed trial three this morning. LVL 39.75.</P> <P> </P> <DIV>I'm not sure about the 'casting enough' thing. I regularly grab agro from tanks that are not used to me. I have seen a jump in my DPS since I picked up immolision. Last night in Everfrost, I managed to snag agro from our regular tank. That's the first time in many levels.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Ghunn on <span class=date_text>05-17-2005</span> <span class=time_text>01:37 PM</span>

[Kulpr]

Having a good tank makes all the difference. I also totally agree that most wizards and warlocks don't cast enough due to being scared of pulling aggro. I find myself at the top of the dps list most of the time playing my wizard. The times that I fall in 2nd or 3rd spot is due to playing along side some very skilled players possibly better then me. But when this occurs the group is pulling in such crazy xp that not being at the top of the dps list is my last concern. <div></div>

[swang]

<P>Not sure why everyone is having so much problems, but I completed trial 3 at lvl 35 and trial 5 at lvl 37.  Died once at trial 5 when I was 36, but made it after making a level.</P> <P>I solo a lot with my wizzy due to strange playing times, and the mob for training didn't seem particularly hard to me.  Here's something about me, so we can all compare notes:</P> <P>1.  Most of my armor are con white or better, with a few blue and green thrown in.</P> <P>2.  Got imbued pants made from rare t4 root.  I never bothered looking at how often/much it proced, but not really noticable.</P> <P>3.  My main nuke was Ball of Fire (App 4) and Ice Spike (adept 3).  Yes, I'm still using the lvl 15 ice spike</P> <P>4.  I don't melee except in groups when I'm at back of mob.  The riposte from even gray mobs can kill me, even with my maxed out parry, defense and piecing skills, and the fact I hit them for like 15 hit points.  If I pull aggro and the mob turn around, I immediately stop melee.</P> <P>5.  Before starting the fight, I buff up, with 4 spells that requires concentration, plus any temporary buffs that will give me anything, mana, health, dmg shield.  Ends up with either 7 or 8 spells on</P> <P>6.  Start by rooting the toughest melee mob.  In the trials it's likely the berzerker with up arrows.  Then I start killing them one by one, healer first, then mage, then fighter.  Those with down arrows go first.</P> <P>7.  As to killing, I ALWAYS start with debuffs and DoT.  Then start triggering HOs with nukes.  WIth the 3 debuffs, the nukes hurts twice as much as if the debuffs were there.  If I remember right, I killed the two that weren't rooted, right before the one that is rooted got loose.</P> <DIV>I thought I was just following standard wizzy tactics, but maybe I'm not?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Stormwolf on Faydark</DIV>

[Goldentig]

Sounds pretty basic solo skills.  I was just about to complete this section tonight too.  36 wizzy.  Group mobs usually utterly destroy a mage which sucks.  I still cant kill 4 green deer cause i get interupted like 30 times in a battle. Kinda lame really.  Interrupts really need to be taken out of the game.