Empathic Link / Linked Pain

[ag]

Ran a few searches, couldn't find any relevant thread regarding this in the past 6 months, so here goes:Yesterday, in about an hour, between [Tue Jun 06 16:06:00 2006] and [Tue Jun 06 17:02:56 2006] , I saw Linked Pain go off 7 times (we were fighting pretty much non stop in CT) while the buff was on the MT.Similarly, the previous tank, between [Tue Jun 06 13:40:33 2006] and [Tue Jun 06 16:10:31 2006], I saw it go off 26 times in 2.5 hours, or about 10 times an hour.Is it just me, or does that seem awfully low? I understand in order for this spell to proc, the person whom the buff is on must be damaged by a <b>spell</b>. I'm clear on that.But... wow. 7-10 times an hour? And now, with the latest <a href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=tup&message.id=133#M133" target=_blank>patch notes from the test server</a>, it's going to require a concentration slot?What am I missing? Is there some way that this spell is vastly more effective than it appears in the logs?For clarity, Linked Pain is the damage effect from Empathic Link going off.

[Aranieq]

<P>yeah i knew it was pretty low.. can guarantee it wil drop from my buff list with a conce slot required...</P> <P>and yes has to be spell so CA arts do not count as far as i understand it.</P>

[Flipmode]

If I ever figure out how to post screenshots, they changed the link line and added a deaggro proc to it.  I believe the made it proc on hostile spell too, similar to the dynamism line but I could be mistaken.  Let me look and do some figuring here.

[Flipmode]

<P>Ok try this link:</P> <P><A href="http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h261/Acapella75/EQ2_000002.jpg" target=_blank>http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h261/Acapella75/EQ2_000002.jpg</A></P> <P>Currently the spell works the same and is bugged to give a passive hate gain instead but that will be fixed.  So it doesnt work like dynamism.  Still works the old way with the added benefit of constant deaggro when they get it right.  Thats worth a conc slot, IMO.  Keep in mind they took the conc cost off our aggro buff.</P> <P>I also like the change to ego torrent.  Sure they lowered the single target dps but we gained another AoE nuke/daze out of it.  Keep in mind my int is only like 225ish in this picture so we actually gain DPS from this.  That makes up for the sonic boom nerf.</P> <P>Message Edited by Flipmode on <SPAN class=date_text>06-07-2006</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>11:18 AM</SPAN></P><p>Message Edited by Flipmode on <span class=date_text>06-07-2006</span> <span class=time_text>11:21 AM</span>

[ag]

Ok, interesting changes.So in a group, I'd have this on the MT because ideally, he's the focus and the one getting hit. So the deaggro would not be on.The only situation I can imagine where this would actually do damage to an opponent (if not on the MT, to get the deaggro benefit) is if the opponent (monster) cast an AE spell that affected everyone in the group, some kind of pbAE.So you'd put this on a scout or mage, so that on the rare time (even more rare than the MT getting nuked now) they got hit by an AE, it would do a couple hundred damage back to the opponent.And if you're in a group with most players that have half a brain, the mages are always out of AE range. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />So basically we're supposed to treat this as a de-aggro, because it's value on a fighter is negligible / contrived situational?I guess?

[Flipmode]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> agra wrote:<BR>Ok, interesting changes.<BR><BR>So in a group, I'd have this on the MT because ideally, he's the focus and the one getting hit. So the deaggro would not be on.<BR><BR>The only situation I can imagine where this would actually do damage to an opponent (if not on the MT, to get the deaggro benefit) is if the opponent (monster) cast an AE spell that affected everyone in the group, some kind of pbAE.<BR><BR>So you'd put this on a scout or mage, so that on the rare time (even more rare than the MT getting nuked now) they got hit by an AE, it would do a couple hundred damage back to the opponent.<BR><BR>And if you're in a group with most players that have half a brain, the mages are always out of AE range. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR><BR>So basically we're supposed to treat this as a de-aggro, because it's value on a fighter is negligible / contrived situational?<BR><BR>I guess?<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I believe you would now put this on a caster or high aggro person.  Remember, where it says increases targets hate...its supposed to REDUCE hate by that amount.  It will be fixed soon.  And as far as I know, the hate decrease is passive and not proc dependant.  Whay wizzy or warlock wont like a 20% hate decrease hehe.<p>Message Edited by Flipmode on <span class=date_text>06-07-2006</span> <span class=time_text>12:20 PM</span>

[JackAll]

The main thing is that it can be cast across raid <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[ag]

Oh I agree, the aggro reducer is nice. I'm just trying to wrap my head around when and where it would be appropriate to use this ability. Before I saw how rarely it went off, I would always have it on whatever ally I felt would be nuked the most often.Now I'll put it on whatever ally I want to have less aggro. Fair enough, just a complete change in the use of the ability, from my perspective.

[Wikod]

hmm I like the change it will be more useful now then before IMO hell drop the damage all together just make it a hate decreaser :smileyhappy:

[feronia28]

<div></div>All I can say, is my raiding guild is very  excited about this specific change.  I think out of all the changes, good or bad, this was probably the best one.Anyone know the aggro reducer for Master I?<div></div><p>Message Edited by feronia28 on <span class=date_text>06-09-2006</span> <span class=time_text>12:17 AM</span>

[Petgroup]

<div></div><div><blockquote><hr>feronia28 wrote:<div></div>All I can say, is my raiding guild is very  excited about this specific change.  I think out of all the changes, good or bad, this was probably the best one.Anyone know the aggro reducer for Master I?<div></div><p>Message Edited by feronia28 on <span class="date_text">06-09-2006</span><span class="time_text">12:17 AM</span></p><hr></blockquote>I agree.23 or 24%. I forget but its one of the 2  <span>:smileytongue:</span></div>

[norberg]

Think the shamans in the MT group would appreciate this deaggro buff on pull <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. I Think I am happy with alot of the changes, I like the role of aggro management in addition to CC and power-regen. Raukhur<p>Message Edited by norberg02 on <span class=date_text>06-09-2006</span> <span class=time_text>03:40 AM</span>

[Lleinen]

i never saw this spell actually go off...had ppl watch and watch for it, just never saw it go off...it needed something to make it actually usefull, has been off my buff bar forever!

[PluvianMi]

<P>In an obtuse sort of way the new version of this spell almost seems like it would be better to not have an M1 version since the lower quality versions would be more resistable by mobs on the reactive damage and less likely to increase threat / aggro of any player it is cast on.</P> <P>Obviously you'd also have less of a threat decreaser so a trade off decisoin would have to be made, however, having the 2 conflicting components for the spell doesn't seem very well thought out by the SOE developers and designers.</P>

[Enil]

>In an obtuse sort of way the new version of this spell almost seems like it would be better to not have an M1 version since the lower quality versions would be more resistable by mobs on the reactive damage and less likely to increase threat / aggro of any player it is cast on.I don't think that is the case.  As I see it the deaggro is always active on the toon its cast on, the damage proc is a secondary effect.  Thus it will make this spell very useful even though the damage part never procs.<div></div>