Troub AA's

[Bracer]

<DIV>Hey just wanted to get some opinions on which AA lines I should go down.  I have talked to a few in game and have not gotten a straight answer from anyone.  So just seeing if anyone had any updated information onwhich way to go after the last LU31.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Zarone - 60 Troub</DIV> <DIV>Raxlin - 70 Templar</DIV> <DIV>Everfrost</DIV>

[Emerix]

<DIV>If you raid . STR WIS  from the KOS lines . In the bard line im not sure myself . im enjoying my custom choice with aria + 5 jesters + 5 brias+ 5 shrill +5 and the calming stuff</DIV>

[Sferoflex]

<DIV>For raiding I would have to agree with Emerix.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>For solo play:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In the KoS tree -  Stamina Line up to Double Attack, Agility Line up to Poison Proc, and maybe boost your Intelligence a bit. Bump from the Agility line is nice for insta-stealth but don't spend more than 4 points in it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In Eof tree - Faster casts for your nukes, maxed Aria is a must for everyone, Bria's, Quirons... yada yada</DIV>

[WooTast]

So I'm returning to the game . . . . as a raiding troub. Should I max out my wis line before adding the str line? And when should I start putting points in the bard line? TIA

[Antipalad]

When levelling AA's in KoS, I filled out to DKTM first, then strength line for Bladedance. EoF I filled out aria/bria's first, then starting going for jester's and precision.

[Jait]

<cite>Antipaladin wrote:</cite><blockquote>When levelling AA's in KoS, I filled out to DKTM first, then strength line for Bladedance. EoF I filled out aria/bria's first, then starting going for jester's and precision. </blockquote> Agree with all this, but also + Wards on Resists are very useful, especially on Venekor (PvP).  And they'll also be increased next patch.

[Frigid2000]

<p>I invested fairly heavily into INT and AGI.  </p><p>So without any flames, why STR and WIS?</p>

[ReturnOfMadness]

strength for bladedance (aoe immunity for the group) and wis for dktm (+7,5% crit chance to everything) and ya get a nerfed (still hopefully possible to turn that one around) runspeed buff

[Antipalad]

Bladedance from STR line allows a tricky fight to become easy if you know what you're doing, Turnstrike from same line allows you to stay on mob and do dmg instead of jousting AE's. However, I'd love to see devs take a look at recast on Bladedance now. With EoF AA trees for other classes giving grp ae immunities for slightly shorter duration but significantly shorter recast, 10 mins is way too long. And as for Wis, I have yet to hear a negative comment from everyone I've grouped and raided with from that line. Don't kill the messenger is the all round best thing we got from the KoS AA tree. The wards I don't feel is worth putting many points in, on some encounters they can make a difference, but I generally won't cast them in order to keep another buff benefiting raid and group more.

[ReturnOfMadness]

the wards are only nice when ya boost them in the proper way (ask on the local troub channel for specifics) guk.troubador

[Jeger_Wulf]

Bladedance only lasts for 30 seconds every ten minutes. Even though I know it's the popular choice, I am thinking about passing on that one. Can anyone convince me I am wrong?

[911GT3]

<cite>Jeger_Wulf wrote:</cite><blockquote>Bladedance only lasts for 30 seconds every ten minutes. Even though I know it's the popular choice, I am thinking about passing on that one. Can anyone convince me I am wrong? </blockquote> Your gona feel reely bad when your raid officer calls an ae and it kills your whole group in turn causing the whole raid to wipe just because you wanted to be selfish and not get Bladedance. And if you spam jesters yourself its up again in like 6 minutes.

[ForgottenFoundling]

<cite>911GT3 wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Jeger_Wulf wrote:</cite><blockquote>Bladedance only lasts for 30 seconds every ten minutes. Even though I know it's the popular choice, I am thinking about passing on that one. Can anyone convince me I am wrong? </blockquote> Your gona feel reely bad when your raid officer calls an ae and it kills your whole group in turn causing the whole raid to wipe just because you wanted to be selfish and not get Bladedance. And if you spam jesters yourself its up again in like 6 minutes.</blockquote><p> Maybe he will, maybe he won't.  If he is the only meleer in the group and can OMG joust, then it won't be an issue in the least.  There really aren't that many encounters I've seen that DEMAND to have 4 groups with Bladedance and truthfully, it'd be pretty stupid on SOE's part to require any AA ability to beat content.</p><p> As I'm now grouped with a bunch of casters, I'm looking at respeccing.</p>

[Milaevo]

Bladedance has some great things to offer, this is no question. But in a fight where a AOE the could potentially wipe the raid if your group goes down, hits every 45 seconds what do you do then? With the 10 minute recast this spell imo is good only for a very short fight. I went more offensive with my AA's to improve more DPS overall of my group, and if they die, then they need to focus a bit on their own defenses, yes this could suck for them, but I do have buffs to help their defenses so its a give/take world. Below is my Lay out. Currently only 85(50 in EoF, and 35 in KoS) but showing what I plan to do. KOS: AGI: 4-4 WIS: 4-4-4-4-8 (soon to be 4-4-6-8-2, unless I can skip harmonizing shot all together then 6-0-8-8-2) INT: 4-4-4-4 EOF: Sonics line: fully Maxed Inspirations: aria's-5, Bria's- 5, Quiron's-3. Arcane-1, Elemental-1, Jester's-5, End ABility(Can't remember name)-1 Demoralizers: Clara's - 3, Dancing Blade - 5 To explain my thought's on this is:  AGI line for Bump so that I can do 500 added dmg along with getting into invis to debuff with Clara's easier and w/o losing any time. WIS: DKTM is a given.  when the changes come with the required 22 pts to spend to get DKTM I plan to spend the extra pts in ALlegro as this is more beneficial then a slight run increase. 44% over 40% isn't that much, but I never use harmonizing shot (would prolly use it more if it was a straight dmg spell, but hte dmg is nerfed due to the hate reducer on it, imo they should make this a Surveil type AA) so if I'm allowed to skip HS then I'll spend the extra pts in the run buff so that I can run faster, but running faster isn't my highest concern. INT: the 28 INT to boost my spells are nice, remember INT also boosts your proc for Aria's and POtM, also with the increased ability of Dove Song for the mages to have less resists with the higher disruption and less interupts with the higher focus, and the lower power cost on direct heals for the healer. Also then the improvement on your haste buff for when you in a melee group. Sonics line: the boost of POtM is evident, and the boost in dmg and recast of all our spells allows some nicer dmg output. Inspirations: Aria's- if you don't spend 5 here, then you shouldn't be playing a troub. Bria's- Again, same as aria's. Quiron's- spent 3 to get Jester's cap opened up. Jester's- the longer duration allows you to keep this spell up on 1 person consistantly if you can keep up with casting it, also if your good enough 2 ppl for the over lapping 5 seconds. Arcane/Elemental- I needed to spend 20 pts to open the +5 ranged ability and did not feel Quiron's was worthly so spent 1 per to give that very very very small ward to it =-D. Demoralizers: Clara's - 3 to open up Dancing blade, though with bump from KoS agi line, I get this spell off A LOT more then I did w/o it, and the added 800-1k dmg with the now 140 INT debuff is nice to both parse and for those caster mobs you will be fighting. Dancing blade- 5 here to increase our magical debuff on this attack, the servers are down atm so can't give exact number but its close to a 800 debuff with 5 pts spent, which helps everyone int he raid that is doing anything except melee dmg at the time. and with the reuse timer set where it is I can normally keep this spell up for almost 100% of the fight. Just my 2c. Millo - 70 Troubador on EF Thelonyous - 70 Paladin on EF Medillia - 70 Alchemist on Ef

[Antryg Mistrose]

KOS: WIS 44448 for DKTM.  When/if the final ability goes down to 2, then 44682 STR 44451 for Bladedance.  Even raid mobs go down fast enough that this is useful. Unlike dirges we only have one stealth attack, and its pretty useless, so bump is not worth the points EOF: More choices here.  I was looking both at the useful abilities to enhance, and the end abilities, as I couldn't see any 'must have' end line abilities Inspiration: Bria's 5, Aria 5, Arcane 5, Elemental 5, Resonance  (nice for the odd ranged fight) Couldn't see that Quiron's was worth spending points - heals>regen any day.  Jester's would have been nice, but the enhancements aren't big, and would require points wasted in Qurion's.  The ward with 5 points are 288 Mental (master1) and 266 Elemental (Adept3) which helps a bit when you need them. After that Demoralisations looked to be the go, for the improvements, not so much the final ability.  Except they've got Zanders plonked right in the middle (Still broken isn't it?).  So to be a bit different I'm going Sonics (not completed yet) Sonics: Perfect Shrill 3 (self indulgent bit of personal dps), Alin's  3 (ditto), PotM 5 (a given), Eli's 5, Sonic Interference 1 This leaves 12 pts.  4 can max out Sonics, leaving 3 for Clara, and 5 to max out Guviena's (mental debuf)

[Giara]

<cite>ForgottenFoundling wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>911GT3 wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Jeger_Wulf wrote:</cite><blockquote>Bladedance only lasts for 30 seconds every ten minutes. Even though I know it's the popular choice, I am thinking about passing on that one. Can anyone convince me I am wrong? </blockquote> Your gona feel reely bad when your raid officer calls an ae and it kills your whole group in turn causing the whole raid to wipe just because you wanted to be selfish and not get Bladedance. And if you spam jesters yourself its up again in like 6 minutes.</blockquote><p> Maybe he will, maybe he won't.  If he is the only meleer in the group and can OMG joust, then it won't be an issue in the least.  There really aren't that many encounters I've seen that DEMAND to have 4 groups with Bladedance and truthfully, it'd be pretty stupid on SOE's part to require any AA ability to beat content.</p><p> As I'm now grouped with a bunch of casters, I'm looking at respeccing.</p></blockquote>There is a couple of fights in Mistmoore Inner Sanctum and Clockwork Menace Factory where Bladedance is the deal breaker.  Curse of Insanity can easily wipe the raid and if you know your timers, throw up Bladedance at 3%, you can resist it and live on to continue fighting.  The bards in my guild, including me, have been asked to respec to have Bladedance.  Also, as someone mentioned earlier, Turnstrike is a nice little aoe immunity for you.  It allows you to stay in range while others have to joust out.

[Jeger_Wulf]

<p>> Curse of Insanity can easily wipe the raid and if you know your timers, > throw up Bladedance at 3%, you can resist it and live on to continue fighting.</p><p>So it's not going to be cast again before the ten minute timer is up? What about people in my raid that are not in group? I am thinking about waiting until it's needed anyway.</p>

[Cynnigig]

<p>Bladedance makes a lot of fights a lot easier. And it also saves you a lot of hassle, if people ask you why your personal dps is more important to you than the success of the raid.</p><p>How good Sonic Interference is, is a bit hard to tell.</p><p>I think Harmonisation is the most useful end ability in the EoF tree. It affects everything, even potions. Group members like it.</p>

[Giara]

<cite>Jeger_Wulf wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>> Curse of Insanity can easily wipe the raid and if you know your timers, > throw up Bladedance at 3%, you can resist it and live on to continue fighting.</p><p>So it's not going to be cast again before the ten minute timer is up? What about people in my raid that are not in group? I am thinking about waiting until it's needed anyway.</p></blockquote> Generally Curse of Insanity is cast once during the fight, often on incoming.  The Elemental Warder in HoS, the Mad...in Clockwork Menace both throw it on incoming.  Since it is incurable, if you can resist it, all the better.  As for others not in your group, druids have an AA that allows aoe immunity in a short radius around the druid, swashys have an aoe resist that lasts 15 sec? on a 5 min retimer.  There are signets that prevent aoe available for purchase from city merchants (available if your guild is 50).  Also there are the quested reward in SoS, Bangflashers, that prevents aoe for 36 sec and if I remember correctly, it is repeatable.  There are plenty of ways for others outside of your group to avoid aoe.

[Vraneth]

<cite>Jeger_Wulf wrote:</cite><blockquote>Bladedance only lasts for 30 seconds every ten minutes. Even though I know it's the popular choice, I am thinking about passing on that one. Can anyone convince me I am wrong? </blockquote> If you Jester's yourself Bladedance drops to 7 minutes, which makes it a lot more useful than the 10 min recast. Another thing people often forget to mention is that if you go down the STR line you are going to end up having to take Turnstrike which is an awesome ability. This little "wonder" makes you able to stay in and DPS when other people need to joust 30 - 70 m, so this line actually helps you DPS aswell although situational, but who cares about trash anyways...

[Cott]

<p>I'll probably get tagged as a n00b for this... but I'm curious why Bladedance is so awesome in raiding compared to what I have already. I've found that, since I reduce hate gain by so much, and I increase crits by so much, I always get "stuck" in the casters group.</p><p>Wis - 8-4-8-8-1(2) and INT - 4-4-8-3</p><p> This gives me (and my group) the +8/+12 movement speed, +7.2%casting speed, +7.5% crit, +30 to all casting types +61 focus (Dove Song after +56% boost from Minstrel's Aria). The last +3 gives any melee I'm grouped with a +24 haste (Rousing Opus + Minstrel's Melody).</p><p>I'm not saying any setup is right or wrong, just offering "another opinion". I know I'm not going to be adding a whole lot of DPS to the raid, so if I can increase the amount the casters are doing, doesn't that out weigh the ability to stop 1 AE every 10 minutes (6 with Jester's)?</p>

[Cynnigig]

<cite>Cott wrote:</cite><blockquote>I know I'm not going to be adding a whole lot of DPS to the raid, so if I can increase the amount the casters are doing, doesn't that out weigh the ability to stop 1 AE every 10 minutes (6 with Jester's)?</blockquote><p>A dead caster cannot do any dps at all. The decision which AA endskill to choose will be made easy if you spend an afternoon reviving and using repkits after the raid repeatedly gets blown away by an AE. The "problem" is that the other members of your raidforce know you could save them with Bladedance, it can get very hardly justifying why you don't want to.</p><p>It is a bit sad, that Bards realistically can only freely distribute 1 point in their AA tree, but that is one of our smaller problems. </p>