Sandstorm - used in raids?

[mikemcmodmi]

<div>Heya,</div><div> </div><div>I have a question for raiding Wardens who go in g1.  Do you ever use Sandstorm at all?  The stun effect doesn't work but it does add some avoidance.  That being said, I don't see avoidance doing much vs level 65 + mobs plus the power cost is pretty high.  I never put it on atm and am wondering if that's a mistake.</div><div> </div><div>Mayi - 60 Warden - Neriak</div>

[Kyralis]

Nope. Sandstorm has precisely 0 utility on a raid, and both roots you and drains your power. The only time I ever cast it on a raid is when we pull a group of failed raiders in PPtR, and that's only for the fun of watching them fall down.<div></div>

[Aethlred]

<div></div><p>I don't use it.  When fighting a raid mob with a deadly AoE, it is imperative to get precisely max heal range.  Unless the tank is able to plant himself and never move prior to the pull (which is seldom possible), being rooted either puts you in the AoE bubble or out of heal range 98% of the time.  The window of optimum AoE positioning is just too small to be rooted in one spot.  If you are out of heal range - frantically trying to click off Duststorm/Sandstorm - during the first seconds of a fight when the mob seems to do the hardest fastest damage, then you are out of the fight during a vital moment.  No thanks.</p><p>60 Warden</p>

[Oakum]

<div>Have to agree that its just a waste of power unless its a bunch heroic yard trash you have to pass through to get to the epic and you will have plenty of time to get power back after the fight is over.  The AOE range is the biggest reason not to use it though.</div>

[Spag]

<div></div>Yes, due to the reduction in its effectiveness, they need to remove the root and the power cost, or atleast one of them.

[Drizz]

<div></div><div>Well there is a trick (sploit?!11one) where if you click it off in your buff window (Not maintained) it will unroot you, and still keep it on other group members.  As said the only use for it EVER is vs the orange raiders in PPR.  Otherwise it will just kill your power for little to no benefit.</div>

[Spag]

<div></div>I thought that was fixed.

[Dragonreal]

<div></div>Nope but it prolly will be now =P

[Kyralis]

They fixed it briefly, and then another patch re-broke it.Even without the root, though, the power drain makes it worthless for such marginal benefit on a raid.<div></div>

[Dragonreal]

<div></div>/agree Caer heh it's best use now really is for xp groups

[mikemcmodmi]

<div></div><p>Hum, well considering in T5 raids Duststorm was considered our best buff I think they should take a look at it.  Ever since they changed the combat system and made defense next to useless Wardens, Troubs and Guardians have been complaining.  They have since uped our healing power but still... from a good buff to a worthless buff seems silly.</p><p>My favorite buff now is tranquilizing spores... the level 48 one.  How sad.</p>

[Feltrak]

<div></div><p>Honestly, it is also related to your main tank setup and his gear.</p><p>I use it at raids when the tank needs more avoidance. Can bring our guard from 64% to 65%, or from 64% to 68%. It depends where his defense is sitting. If using a monk to MT, you definitely want to use it.  I think it adds close to 6% to a monk's avoidance.</p><p>But yeah, it does suck compared to pre LU13. However, they won't ever take our pierce/slash/crush buff, and we'll always be in the tank's heart with that one <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Dallun]

Don't get me wrong... its a good buff for what it's supposed to do, however, when you are forced to fight orange con mobs the buff is pointless as has been desribed to me. Dallun60 WardenAntonia Bayle<div></div>

[Kyralis]

The orange con mobs are the real problem. Against an orange-con, that 1-4% avoidance is more like .1-.4, if that. Not even parseable- it'd get lost in statistical noise.<div></div>