Redorio
04-20-2005, 03:49 PM
<DIV>Planning hotbar line ups and combat strategies is a good idea.<BR>Here's my hotbar #1 line up, and why:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1) Swarm of bats (adept3)<BR>2) Spiked Rain (app3)<BR>3) Roaring Flames (adept1)<BR>4) Flaming Agony (adept3)<BR>5) Pristine imbued oak wand of flame<BR>6) Pet attack<BR>7) Ganla's Whipping WInd<BR>8 Quicksand (Adept1)<BR>9) Frozen by Time (adept1)<BR>10) Repair Servant (adept3)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>-Having the most used spells on the 1 to 5 keys is of course very handy.<BR>-Pet comamnds can be accessed from pet window, so not terribly important to have on a hotbar, but useful.<BR>-Other hotbars have spells and abilities organized according to how often they are used and type: hotbar 2 has AOEs, other stuns/roots. I ahve 4 hotbars, with three bottom ones set so their windows moslty transaprent except when mouse over, so I can see the ground below, or spells, as need. First hotbar is vital, I wish to see it.<BR>-Ability to hit a key to activate a wand is HUGELY useful.<BR>-Root, stun and pet heals are vital, and need to be accessed fast.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Normally in a fight, I want to hit 1,2,3,4 and 5 keys so I get:<BR>-Swarm of Bats reduces mobs spell avoidance, less resists for next spells, good damage but not spectacular.<BR>-Spiked Rain, short duration low damage and at end a physical mitigation debuff, hitting mob early with this increases pet and melee damage, important to have that in early so the debuff's duration is useful.<BR>-Roaring Flames is quite long lasting DoT and importantly, debuffs fire mitigation for coming attacks. Ideally you'd like long lasting effects in first, but Swarm of Bats reduces chances of a resist, Roaring Flames is fast cast but long recast, so a resist is a serious pain.<BR>-Flaming Agony, with Roaring Flames in to reduce fire mitgation, kicks serious *$%#&! especially at adept3. You want this spell to finish and "detonate" before the mob dies so it's actually gotta be in kind of early...considerations of aggro and mobs expected life span are important here. You can of course forgo this and use other things but I like it because I find brutal DPs, killing mobs fast, saves hassles long term less I'm just chilling.<BR>-Wand, click it after 1 to 4 are in, for extra damage, since fire based, Roaring Flames will amplify its damage. Wands add in power free damage, in long fights, soloing etc they are very nice however their DPs isn't so good compared to stacking DoTs. Longer fight goes on longer pet will lose power! This is an issue, with good drink etc, you will regen power far faster than the pet will, pet without power isn't so good. So considerations there, but IMHO clicky wands are one of the best investments of cash so far, bar adept3 pet. Pet healing, wand, Essence SHifting, Instant Vim can be a very efficent form of combat, if slower.</DIV> <DIV>1,2 ,3 4 and 5--That all adds up to a crap load of damage, and aggro! Should be fine in groups (only named or ^^ may live long enough for using FlamingAgony or wand to be used, and of course, I have a hotbar with all AOEs in sequence for groups of mobs, muahaha!), or if have adept pet to hold mobs' attention.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>VARIOUS POINTS:</DIV> <DIV>a) You can KITE with wands. Only way to really do larger groups of mobs outdoors who are "supposed" to be solo, but will kick your *$%#&!, if you don't keep on the move! Click and go nuking. My kite strategy is to either use AOE shattered Ground, if I can hit enough mobs (AOEs are very iffy to land on group mobs due to them being spread out), otherwise Flaming Agony as it's huge damage. Then run round in circles, relying on Volatile Refuge to help absorb some damage while wand and pet kicks *$%#&!. <BR>-Imbued pants and legs very handy here for proc heals and nukes.<BR>-Good food and drink are a must.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>b) If you are serious at playing a conjuror, get adept3s, they are very worthwhile and do make a heck of a difference, though, not all spells are worth making adept3 ,alas.<BR><A href="http://eq2.eqsummoners.com/viewtopic.php?t=1552" target=_blank>http://eq2.eqsummoners.com/viewtopic.php?t=1552</A><BR>Adept pets are an ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE. <BR>-A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...if you have ability to get an adept3 NOW rather than a better use later, hm, you may need to consider this. If it takes you time to level, it may be better to have an adept now you will use a lot, and you may get another adept3 ink etc by time you achieve the higher level. I'm a tradeskiller and don't play other alts, so I plan out spell aquisitions etc. Spelsl oyu use a lot, are best for adept3s, in general.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>c) Mana regen is king! Essence Shift and Instant Vim Adept 3, and high quality dirnk are must haves. Was soloing in Enchanted Lands other day, doing fog grinnins, first was white con, ended up caught in a respawn, constnatly 2 or 3 mobs at a time. Think I killed 4 could have been 5 (wasn't counting lol too busy), by using Adept3 essence Shift, Quicksand rooting mobs, healing pet, Imbued Robe healing myself a bit I held out for a long time. The Essence Shift makes *big* difference. In fights where you are taking less damage or to be safe, down times, Instant Vim, and regening naturally, from good food etc, sure helps! Adept3 instant vim is close to 1:1 hp to mana conversion, awesome.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>d) Summoners *rock* at most solo and harvesting. Harvesting = tradeskill items, rares, sale items, and so forth. With a pet to guard your butt and invis to reach some areas, harvesting is a fair bit safer. I point this out to those who may say "*$%#&! am I supposed to get Adept3s?!" <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I've gotten two Tier4 ink making rares in two weeks.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>e) When AOE-ing groups of mobs, lead off with Seism or Tremor first, long duration, mitigation debuff and less aggro. Then follow up with SHattered Ground etc. Stiffle effect of SHattered Ground saves tanks lives, no iffs ands or buts about it, cuts the DPs of mobs pounding tanks to heck. As an alternative, if there is a ^^ or named in the group, either stun it right off, or use Shattered Ground, because the tank is VERY likely to take excessive damage in the first few seconds, as the mobs "alpha strike" the crap out of him. *YOU* have to act, and stop that, not sit with yer thumb up yer butt <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV>Hope this is of use to you <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV>