spell line ups and routines for soloing and grouping?

[salto]

<P>Hey all, I am a level 40 mystic returning to the game after a pretty long layoff (I quit right after the haze nerf).  When I played I had a couple hotbars set up for soloing and group play.  However, since there have been so many changes, I was wondering if some of you could recommend which spells to have on my hotbar (for either soloing or grouping) and perhaps a good routine for combat (I used to slow, start the HO, pox, cold fire, HO, cold fire, smite, HO, pox, grey wind....etc.)</P> <P>Also if any of you could recommend some gear upgrades that I should look into, expansion packs that are "must have", or any new (or at least added to the game post haze nerf) that I should do I would greatly appreciate it.</P> <P>I know I am asking alot, so don't feel like you need to answer everything, any help with the above issues or just words of advice for a returning mystic will be greatly appreciated.</P> <P>Thanks alot!</P> <P> </P>

[thedu]

<P></P> <P>I used to keep a different set of bars for soloing and grouping, but sometimes I would forget to change them ...so instead I changed it around so that the hotbars were suitable for either soloing or grouping.  Obiviously everyone's method's differ on soloing or grouping, so I'm not going to say mine is better than anyone elses, but I would suggest playing around to determine what works best for you. Right now I have just two bars (yes, yes, I know I probably should open more).</P> <P> </P> <P>First bar has auto attack, haze, debuff, sta debuff, dps debuff, disease dot, dd, cold dot, ward, ho, arch heal, minor heal. I know looks weird, but since my right hand is used more, I put most used keys on the right hand numbers.  </P> <P> </P> <P>Currently if everything works out nicely during soloing I: ward, slow, debuff, debuff, dps debuff, group debuff, ho, disease dot, cold dot, ho, dd, re-ward, dd.   If everything works just right during the second HO, the first ward is just finished as the second ward is reapplied.</P> <P> </P> <P>My second tool bar is kind of hodgepodge and needs some work. First three are cure spells, save-my-[expletive haxx0red by Raijinn]-spell (eidolic), AoE, de aggro spell, sow, group slow, group ward, group heal, sprint.</P> <P> </P> <P>I need to open at least on more bar for some of the newer spells, but it works ok so far.</P><p>Message Edited by thedump on <span class=date_text>10-27-2005</span> <span class=time_text>02:24 PM</span>

[Finora]

<P>I currently have 3 hotbars up on my window at all times. On with my emergency/special use spells (oberon, fading spirit,sprint <G> which ever master smite thing is appropriate for the zone (lizardman/gnoll you know the ones). On I have my offensive stuff, dots, debuffs and the like, other I have my heals, wards, cures. Buffs I keep in another bar I just click to it when I need to rebuff, which is pretty much only when someone dies, unless I need prophecy or avatar on a different person.</P> <P>Soloing I typically pull with my Ancient debuff. Toss chimerik (fallacy for lower level), slow and then hit my HO, icy first, then grey, then ho again, pox, grey. Rinse and repeat. If the mob is doing some damage I will throw a ward sometimes, most of the time the runic ward is enough to keep me from going below yellow unless i'm fighting a yellow con. Insert other HO advancer if you happen to get one other than the damage one.</P> <P>Grouping, it varies so much I don't really have a standard method. Depends on where and what we are fighting, who the tank is, what classes other people are in the group, who's pulling, if there is a second healer. Too many variables =). Harder mobs I do get my debuffs in asap and ward the tank (sometimes the group depending once again on the group makeup). Easier mobs I just toss pox, icy and grey until it's dead. Chances are I won't get a chance to cast any of them more than once anyhow, and on short fights debuffs are mostly pointless.</P> <P></P>

[Godflower]

<P>I have 4 hotbars and actually had to change them a lot since LU13, I mostly solo, but have found the setup helpful for groups too:</P> <P>Hotbar 1 (closest to group & solo character clicky areas)</P> <P>Heals | Damage </P> <P>Hotbar II  </P> <P>Cures | Help/Run/De-Aggro | Debuff</P> <P>Hotbar III (furthest from group & solo clicky areas)</P> <P>Buffs | non combat Utility</P> <P>Hotbar IV</P> <P>Rez | Usable Items | Macros - good for solo debuff only it seems now.  Before LU 13 I used many more macros - situations are more variable now it seems.</P> <P>I find the majority of my playing focus is on what spells are available and which are not (due to timers), what colour the health bars are at, and what effects are happening that need to be cured.  I have a little bit of time to view combat animations.  No time to chat during combat lol :smileyvery-happy:</P> <P>The main shift I have found for group play is anticipation/prevention rather than reaction.    We are not good reactionary healers.  Sometimes I don't even debuff so I can make sure a ward stays up for the harder hitting encounters (esp when I do not have a tank).  Tough choices and the wrong one means death :smileysurprised:</P> <P> </P> <P>Message Edited by Godflower on <SPAN class=date_text>10-28-2005</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>01:33 PM</SPAN></P><p>Message Edited by Godflower on <span class=date_text>10-28-2005</span> <span class=time_text>01:36 PM</span>

[Banditman]

This always kill a single, white, solo con no arrow mob: Pre-Ward Scream of the Ancients Chimerik Divine Providence Fevered Pox Ire of the Gray Arctic Flames Ire of the Gray Divine Providence Ire of the Gray Ire of the Gray Divine Providence Fevered Pox Ire of the Gray If you have Slothful Spirit, put it on right after Chimerik and you won't even have to go to through the last three spells.  In fact, Slothful Spirit can often eliminate the need for the last 6 spells.

[Kana]

<P>/agree Bandit</P> <P>Lead with Scream & Chimerik whenever possible.  You can take away (roughly) 15% of a mobs HPs by leading with them.  Haven't parsed to figure out the exact %.</P> <P><STRONG>Kanali - 55 Mystic - Steamfont</STRONG></P>

[paisan]

Couldn't agree more. Our stamina debuffs are a NICE chunk of and mob. I have puropsely casted some late and i would up that guestimate of 15% to about 30% if you land scream and chimerik.

[Eepop]

If NPCs work anything like PCs do, the % of HPs that are lost would be variable based on the stamina of the NPC. If the NPC has 100 stamina, losing 50 is alot higher % lost than it would be to an NPC with 200 stamina. Although the actual number of HPs would be the same. Also the class of the NPC can make a difference in the %.  Fighters get more HPs just for leveling than others do, so on them the % lowered will be less than it would be on a mage NPC. <div></div>

[thedu]

One thing I've changed with solo play and very tuff mobs, i.e. ^ solo mobs, is to proc the Manastone right after debuffs. Because if the fight last for over 1 minute, you still have a chance to proc manastone again.  I've recently run across couple of mobs that heal themselves towards as they start to get into the yellow, and my god they have an unbelievable amount of power --- they are not even heroics, just ^ tuff mobs. These are typically cleric type mobs, and those reactives move fast <span>:smileytongue:</span>  So once I know I've gone back to the old tactic of warding, and then throwing dots on and then waiting until they run out of power. Because it takes waaaaaay too much power to try and kill them when they start healing themselves. <div></div>

[Eepop]

I find it helps TONS if you turn off autoattack when you notice a mob you are soloing is a cleric. That autoattack DPS you were doing wasn't that good anyway.  And decreasing how often thier reactives fire is very helpful. <div></div>

[paisan]

<P>Was just gonna say that epop heh.</P> <P>Also the "Vessel of Fyr'Un" (quest in living tombs) is another handy tool for those long priestly battles. (411power manastone type thingy) it stings a lot more than the manastone tho.</P>

[Banditman]

Supposedly the Vessel has an "improved" version . . . but the quest to do so is Epic.

[paisan]

Intriguing