Getting a bit too easy?

[Xaile]

<DIV>I have been noticing that, as a low 60's Mystic (64 as of tonight), I have been getting in lots of groups in SoS (and tonight, PoA for my first time) with tanks that are level 70 or close to it. I have been noticing it takes almost no effort to keep these tanks alive (especially the warriors), and it makes me lose interest in grouping, really really fast.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As an experiment tonight, I did the following in my group. We had a 70 guardian tanking, with what seemed like good gear (though I'm not really knowledgable as to what is fantastic guardian gear and what isn't), but nonetheless, he had 60-something percent mitigation and avoidance. We were fighting level 67's for most the night, and the pulls were almost always single pulls. I was noticing one single target ward could keep him at full the whole fight, so I did the following. I decided to see how many fights I could go before I would have to cast a single healing or warding spell. Barring the spirit companion, I was doing no healing.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The result? I could go almost limitless fights on end without having to heal, because the guardian was hardly taking any damage. In situations like this, I literally start falling asleep at my computer because of how....boring it is. I throw nukes/dots and stamina debuffs out, but that's really all I can do (the former being of little effectiveness). In fact, unless he got more than 3 encounters, I really didn't even have to do anything at all.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>On the other hand, about a week ago, I was in a group with a guardian that was actually my level. We went deep into SoS, where things were 4 levels or so higher than both of us, and had a blast, because I genuinely had to try to keep her alive.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>What I'm wondering, will it always be this mundane to heal for a well-equipped tank? Will I be grouping with 70 or near 70 tanks all the way to 70? I know that raid situations are different, but I'm really talking about grouping situations. I'd imagine things would be a bit tougher as the mobs got higher levels, but will it actually take effort? I love playing mystic for a group that I genuinely have to try to keep alive, but otherwise....I'm just losing my motivation to group.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Of course, I could wait until EoF comes, with it's changes to mitigation, stat caps...etc, and see how that affects things, since plate tanks being mostly-immune to things a few levels lower than them was an issue they brought up. But I'm curious about how the situation is now.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm glad to get these thoughts off my chest. Thank you for you time and input. =)</DIV>

[Thatdumbg]

    In that situation, I try to step up the rate of pulls, especially when you could gain efficiency from using AE's to nail more then one encounter at once (depends on group setup I guess).But yeah trips with my tank? I'm usually stamina debuffing and then chain nuking.<div></div>

[Vayn]

I pretty much avoid just grouping with my Mystic for that reason.  She's for raiding or if we're going to do one of the harder instances with less than a full group (or have a scout tanking).  I'm having a horribly slow time finishing Claymore because of it...  just can't make myself stick with grinding it out. 

[StormQueen]

<P>Bit too easy a zone is your problem.</P> <P>Want a challenge? Solo heal in Halls of Fate, especially lower down where the mobs have a nasty tendency to Debilitate the tank (can you say instant cloth armor?), and immediately thereafter melee crit for enormous damage. You will have all you can handle, curing this trauma debuff, and others, watching health, and trying to debuff the mobs all at the same time. Add to that the stuns and pins that send aggro bouncing.</P> <P>Personally I don't run a Mystic; the other half does.  I do run a Fury (a little bit) and an Inquisitor (most times) besides my Pally.</P>

[Eepop]

The answer really is to just pull more.  Since the begining of EQ2, I have been grouping with a Templar.  So we had to contend with this problem very quickly.  We have just taught our berzerker to pull lots of encounters at once.  Its not unusual for him to pull back the max number of encounters, which can be quite fun, even when you are all 70 killing level 67 stuff. <div></div>

[Terq]

<P>Yeah, the zone was just too easy for your tank.  </P> <P>At level 70, pretty much everything in SoS (at least in the upper half of the zone) is going to be green.  A decently geared level 70 tank isn't going to need much healing in that scenario.  </P>

[Quda]

<P>Happen to be looking at forums for classes I might want to roll out, and I can say this as a 70 pally.  </P> <P>SoS is pretty much all green almost grey up top. A decent geared tank shouldn't need much healing, or even any at all.  When this happens, as a tank, I will liven things up a bit.  Allow the healer to tank/pull.  As a pally I can heal a little, and rez if things go wrong.  But if gives the healer/scout/mage the thrill of going into a room of agro mobs, and very carefully pulling one at a time.  I keep the mob targeted and if they get hurt to badly I will pull them off of them.  It livens up the group, and keeps things interesting.  Also gives me a break.  I have had level 70 furies tank most of SoS until we got down to the bottom, they wanted to.</P>

[Baccalarium]

Yep a 70 tank, espcially one with good gear would be over matched for much of SoS.   On the other hand,  if you loose group members deep down, you can really keep going to the bottom of Sos with a 70 tank and even just a pally for heals.This is espcially true if you're tank was in decent gear.   The comments regarding the new diminishing returns mitigation rules suggest,  as the tanks "longevity" increases non-linearly such that a well equiped 70 tank indeed can pass fairly unharmed through the zone.   If you really need to fight there (claymore questline?)  then see if you can talk the 70's into mentoring.   From th e perspective of a 70 mystic that's helped others there,  its really just as fun knowing you're helping buddies out even more, and keeps it intersting.Last but not least /shout Leeerrrroooyyyy, and pull a whole,  test that tank's taunting prowess, your DPS'ers ability to control themselves, and you're ability to heal all at once.  (I really don't recommend this last one,  and have only done with friends I knew would understand regardless the outcome. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />)<div></div>

[KNINE]

<DIV>Get urself a monk, 2 wizzies,necro,and ranger and urself and then do something like run to the bottom of SOS and pull the entire Halls of Rites <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> makes for fun time and trust me u'll stay awake, or just do like they mentioned above and solo heal HOF or NEK 3. Nek 3 solo healing is fun especiallyl when someone decides they want to harvest question mark in middle of fight lol. If you really want a challenge as a mystic then don't get full grps, just pick urself up a tank and DPS and run through POA and do all the named. </DIV>

[Kaeth]

<P>Pull the room! Or the floor for that matter <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>Like mentioned above by previous posters: make it fun for you and your group. Pull more at once, tank yourself, let a scout tank, tell the wizzy to cast fusion on pull etc... makes for great laughs, will keep you busy and is rewarding to know you pulled it off.</P> <P> </P>

[Banditman]

Yep, we usually just pull whole rooms at once when we are working on Claymore.  Speeds the process up considerably.<div></div>

[Xaile]

<P>Thank you for your input and insight, everyone. =)</P> <P>I think I'll just have to push a little harder to get the tank to try crazier things, hehe.</P> <P>Hopefully there will be some excitement in my groups to come.</P>

[Sokolov]

Unfortunately, this IS what happens.One zone you can try and still have to actually heal in is Nek 3, even Halls of Fate is a joke these days.<div></div>

[Sokolov]

<div><blockquote><hr>Xaile wrote:<div></div> <p>Thank you for your input and insight, everyone. =)</p> <p>I think I'll just have to push a little harder to get the tank to try crazier things, hehe.</p> <p>Hopefully there will be some excitement in my groups to come.</p><hr></blockquote>Try asking him to tank topless!</div>

[Banditman]

Nizara.  Nuff said.<div></div>

[Xaile]

<DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Sokolov wrote:<BR> <DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Xaile wrote:<BR> <P>Thank you for your input and insight, everyone. =)</P> <P>I think I'll just have to push a little harder to get the tank to try crazier things, hehe.</P> <P>Hopefully there will be some excitement in my groups to come.</P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Try asking him to tank topless!<BR></DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Hehe, I suggested that...well, not exactly that, but suggested he switch to offense stance, maybe unequip a piece of armor or two. He either took it as a joke or ignored me. =(</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm finding that my former pet peeve (fighters tanking in offense stance) isn't bugging me anymore, though. I grouped with a monk yesterday, in offense stance, took a bit more effort to keep him alive, but it kept my attention, hehe. Kept me awake at the keyboard.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Grouping is such fun when I have to try to keep people alive.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Speaking of Nek 3, I went there once, but I was mostly support healing to the 70 Fury. It was very fun regardless. =)</DIV>

[Sokolov]

<div><blockquote><hr>Banditman wrote:Nizara.  Nuff said.<div></div><hr></blockquote>Well hey, that place owns even raid geared people half the time.  This guy is low 60s... you really want to send him to Nizara? lol</div>

[Banditman]

Says he has a L70 tank, so, gl, hf.<div></div>

[Mystiq]

I hate that zone. It may be one of the few zones a shaman can really shine in, but I'll never go back if I can help it.Bring repair kits and lube if you plan on going pre 70.<div></div>

[Banditman]

Bring repair kits and lube if you go at 70.But, if you want challenge, there it is.<div></div>

[Greggthegrmreapr]

<DIV>join a pvp server and go freep hunting as a mystic.  that ward graphic is a BIG kill me sign...  it definately makes it more interesting than just xp grinding</DIV>