Trying to find a balance between questing and raiding in regards to AAs

[Sphinx1975]

By the title what I mean is that when I'm not raiding I'm often trying to do the various quests in the game, most of which can be done solo or with small groups as they often give fantastic AA. However, the hardest part has been actually trying to solo stuff as an inquisitor.  So, I did a respec of my AAs last night and am still testing this configuration but in Loping Plains I did knock out two quests pretty easily by myself. I still can't touch ^^^69s there but that didn't surprise me. I'm trying to remember this from memory so I might need to refine these numbers later Cleric line -- 49 points total STR first spot -- 7 points to just bump up the raw STR of my toon STA   4-4-5-7 INT    4-4-7-7 The biggest drawback of this configuration is that I now can't use the last AA skill in the INT line which is very handy for raids sometimes. On the plus side it still keeps my casting speed, crit hit chance, and crit heal chance pretty high. All of my heals and debuffs are masters but my attack spells are still only adepts for now.  Obviously if I'm going to continue along a healer-fighter hybrid I'll need to get those to master at some point. In the Inquisitor line I only have five points right now but am putting those into the part of the tree that increases debuffing abilities.  I figure that can help with both raids and when running alone. In terms of armor I mostly have that Inquis only armor which is found in Labs (blackcoat?) for the main pieces and then various types of things for the hands, fingers, etc. I currently am using a one-hand hammer and buckler.  I know that some say use the two hand blackscale but I'd prefer to have a little extra MIT while running solo or in raids.  When attacking something I start melee attacking and then begin throwing out debuffs. When those are cast then I begin all of the various attack spells. I also try to land heroic opportunities as much as possible. In raids I'm normally put with the scout classes which means a lot of spot healing, group healing, and debuffing. -Comatose Level 70 Inquisitor Mistmoore server

[Ssinu]

Your Achievement set up is fine. I currently am spec'd away from INT line for the AGI line for AE avoid. I miss it, but not so much that I'm crippled. I'm really about the same to be honest. I sometimes miss the fast cast end line ability, but usually in EoF I prefer giving myself or someone else AE avoid, helps my healing a lot more. If I was doing more one group instance work I probably would play with the STR line myself. The rest of my Achievements are in the STA line.Your gear is also fine, I wore Blackscale (and still do) a lot of the time. The only advantage another more experienced raider would have than you at your level is probably having the Claymore item or the Peacock weapon (both proc random help with healing or curing).<div></div>

[Sphinx1975]

I hadn't thought about the AGI line since I figured my Agility is so low right now dumping a few points into it won't help a whole lot. I just couldn't give up the faster casting speed though.

[Ssinu]

AGI line is purely for the new Eof encounters, healing is a serious issue and any lessening of damage taken may mean myself or another person in my group may live instead of needing a ressurect.I would respec back to INT over AGI if things change or new content comes that does not have this AE focus. I had INT throughout KoS and for Fallen Dynasty.<div></div>

[Sphinx1975]

It would seem to me -- based on reading what you said -- that with INT you can cast your heals faster or with AGI the damage can be avoided altogether.  Kinda seems like an either/or situation where one might be just as good as the other.  I guess it just breaks down to personal preference which is the point of the AA lines anyway. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> However, since the first few respecs are quite inexpensive it might not be bad to try both ways in a raid.

[Ssinu]

<div></div><div></div>Unfortunately, our AE healing is so weak it doesn't work that way. Often people die anyway, even with full fast cast and wearing the Ring of Four Winds from the adventure pack. Yes, the damage is that bad. I would rather be able to save someone every 5 minutes, than be able to cast faster every 5 and not save anyone. =(Also keep in mind this only applies for EH, Inner Sanctum, Mistmoore - events like that. If you aren't working on those then yes, INT is better.<div></div><p>Message Edited by Ssinurn on <span class=date_text>12-27-2006</span> <span class=time_text>10:57 AM</span>

[Demoniac]

Ssinurn is right.. only druid can heal that damage shield. I've seen a warden did 2400 hps with their awesome group heals.. we can't even hit 25% of that, if anyone hit 600 hps let me know please.<div></div>

[Sphinx1975]

Well, our raids are going back and forth between zones from time to time though they still run Labs a lot.  As for the casting fast every five minutes you're referring to the last spell in the INT line, right (Divine Recovery I think)? I completely dropped that but kept the fast casting speed (something like a 20% boost).  Running around in Loping Plains it appears that this setup might continue to work for now but when our raids start getting tougher undoubtedly I'll need to keep this in mind and possibly drop INT.

[Ssinu]

Exactly. Labs + group instances = fine for INT line, I'm only trying this AGI thing to combat the issues I'm seeing in high end EoF. I don't even need AGI for Freethinkers complete clear.<div></div>

[Sphinx1975]

Does it appear to be working well, your last post suggests you're still testing and tweaking this idea.

[Ssinu]

I'm keeping it for the foreseable future in EoF, when the fit hits the shan as it seems to nowadays I am prefering Shield Ally + Holy Shield to slightly faster cast speed. <div></div>

[Sphinx1975]

Actually since I'm really bored at work and have been thinking about this too much, the AGI might be better. After all, if I'm normally put with the scout group or off-tank group in a raid they probably need more protection cause if they get hit they get hit for a LOT of damage which our group heals and single target heals can't hope to fully compensate for very quickly. Also, the AGI would help in solo situations. 

[Ssinu]

I'd say try em both and see which you like better, I also seem to remember to use the Holy Shield more often than the faster cast ability. <div></div>

[Sphinx1975]

All right will do. To change the topic a little. What about the WIS line? It seems rather limited in that most of its traits are geared to fighting the undead, but in EoF areas like Mistmoore Castle and Loping Plains there appear to be a lot of undead vampires and things of that nature.  I know I certainly didn't use that line in Barren Sky since there didn't appear to be any undead at all but that might have changed with EoF now.  Heavy protection against those mobs in the castle might not be too shabby of a thing to have.

[Sphinx1975]

Ssisurn I did like you suggested and dumped points into the AGI line and the results seem to be okay especially for groups and soloing. I put enough points into the AGI line to get the holy shield and then put the remaining points into the first 4 things for STA and then leftover points into STR. So far its pretty good. I ran with a group in Mistmoore Catacombs and went up into Mistmoore castle basement.  Those mobs were handled rather easily but when we entered the main Mistmoore proper area it all went to hell.  The tank I don't think had ever been there so he would often accidentally pull those big mobs of five near the entrance.  He was getting flattened fast so its hard to gauge how my healing could do with a good tank. Even tried to get a second group with our group and that didn't work out to well either.  My only question is about the holy shield. When you cast it does it draw aggro like if you cast a reactive on a tank before they do the pull?  The cast time is a bit long so I'm wondering if I can cast it onto the tank before he pulls it might be more benefical for stopping those first few big hits/AoE hits of a mob before they get debuffed. Obviously I want to avoid aggro because despite wearing plate I can often get one shotted in raids if I accidentally get aggro. The one thing I really like is the stun/knockback put out by the STR AA line buff.  The one using buckler with AGI works but if you have other things hitting the target that's automatically broken so the stun goes away instanatly. 

[Sphinx1975]

Just as a follow-up, I went on a Labs raid the other night and here's what I found:1. I used a two-handed flail (2.5s delay I think) with some decent damage and was averaging about 200-250 DPS on most mobs.  I would use this flail in concert with the various spells we are given (Vengeance, Absolving Flames, Heretic Demise, etc).  Often with the junk mobs I would completely ignore using my debuffs and instead start swinging and casting.  Most of my offensive attack spells are Adept 1 though so if I can get those to master I think I could get that DPS around 350-400.  If I find a Blackscale Maul, perhaps even higher than that. It appeared the spells I was using most were Vengeance, Absolving Flame, and Affliction  with Vengeance being the one that would put out the most damage during a fight probably because of its fast recast time.  Heretic's Flame also should be used as its damage across a mob is pretty high even at Adept I level. 2. Not too much problem with healing but had one warlock in group who kept getting aggro. Of course we've run this zone so many times that we know exactly what to do and where to finish the zone.3. They changed the loot drops in Labs.  The Inquisitor-only gear is still there but other items have change from what has been seen in the past. 4. When we could come up against big names then I would use my debuffs (which is where I've also put points in in my Inquisitor line). 5. I wan't in the main group or even the off-tank group so I didn't use the Holy Shield a great deal.6. After a while I did give the Warlock the extra avoidance chance put out by the AGI but since my AGI is real low already it probably didn't help much. I'd often give this to a Paladin in our group as well. So, all in all it went pretty well I thought.  It appears that when I'm up against trash mobs at that point it should be all right to attack with melee but when harder targets come up its best to sit back with debuffs, cures, and heals.  Essentially then, I now have two ways of playing in a raid instead of the standard sit back and hit the cure/heal buttons. 

[Sphinx1975]

<div></div>Hey folks, after taking some of the info here to heart I respecced some things again to where with melee I always get a 100% chance to land a critical and also upped my chance to critical heal.Anyway, did a Labs trash run with a two group raid and when I would get in there with my 2H Blackscale  and swing I was landing around 350DPS along with healing and debuffing. In those instances where I stayed back with curing, spells, and heals, I was doing about 150-200 DPS. I was in the main tank group with another healer (a Fury), a Guard, a swash, a wizard, and a Ranger. I was buffing myself with Consecrated Aura and Yaulp.So, all in all I thought that was pretty good. Could get better of course, my goal is 400-450 consistently if/when its a good idea to get in there and swing away.There was a total of three healers and ACT says I did about 23% of all the healing. Of course, my exact contribution in that is hard to determine since there's no way to see exactly how much all the debuffs help in weakening the encounter.And my favorite little tidbit: 59,344 points of power draining away from enemies. Mmm.. bottomless power pool. I do love you fast swinging swashies! <img alt="Razz" src="http://mmga.17.forumer.com/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif" border="0">Anyway, if you wanna load my parse log into ACT and belittle me and say I'm foolish here's the link.<a href="http://www.sphinx-sanitarium.com/eq2log_coma.zip" target="_blank">http://www.sphinx-sanitarium.com/eq2log_coma.zip</a>For some reason the log lists my name as Mistmoore and not Comatose but that might be because I edited the log to ween out a lot of the content and then renamed the text file.<span class="postdetails"></span>Anyway, all of the discussion about AA, equipment, and other issues to the game have been a big help, thanks.<div></div>