KoS or EoF AA first?

[TheMacAttack]

Greetings, Thanks in advance for your replies... <img src="/smilies/47941865eb7bbc2a777305b46cc059a2.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I am a lvl 10 Templar and just starting my journey through Norath... which tab should I head down first? In addition, which line.. for instance KoS if it is INT and STA which seems to be the popular opion, which one first? Thanks.

[Eriol]

I'd say get yaulp first (1pt into KoS), then get 10 points into smites in EoF so your two nukes cast twice as fast, then it's a bit more flexible.  If KoS, then I'd say STA for 100% crit first, then INT, though others may think differently.  If EoF, then I'm a little more hazy.  More input from others on the board is probably valuable.

[Uilamin]

If you plan on grouping your AA should be like Kos STA 4-4-4-8 INT 4-4-4-8 with yaulp that makes 41 AA spent. You can then spent an extra 4 AA per line to get the end ability which have use or get the mez from the agi line (which is really usefull if for grouping when agro gets [Removed for Content]) EoF You want the far left line for Blessings with vigilant benediction maxed.  I would suggest get mark and involuntary maxed as well if you raid. Then I would get the reactive cures followed by putting your remaining points into spurn. Putting points into the offensive line is really useless as a Templar as your AAs for healing and buffing are so much better.

[Kendricke]

<cite>Uilamin wrote:</cite><blockquote> Putting points into the offensive line is really useless as a Templar as your AAs for healing and buffing are so much better. </blockquote><p>Did you just say that the Cures line was "so much better" than the Smites line that it makes the line "really useless"?  I'd love to see your reasoning behind such a statement.  Exactly how much of a benefit do you receive from the Cures line?</p>

[Kizee]

<cite>Kendricke wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Uilamin wrote:</cite><blockquote> Putting points into the offensive line is really useless as a Templar as your AAs for healing and buffing are so much better. </blockquote><p><span style="color: #ffff00">Did you just say that the Cures line was "so much better" than the Smites line that it makes the line "really useless"?  I'd love to see your reasoning behind such a statement.</span>  Exactly how much of a benefit do you receive from the Cures line?</p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #ffff00">+10 seconds to sanctuary.</span></p><p>People know my opinion about specing dps but with the game bleeding people and hardly any groups to be found.... spec totally dps AA's for soloing then spec back to healing AA's when you get to 70. </p>

[Kendricke]

<cite>Kizee wrote:</cite><blockquote>Kendricke wrote: <p><span style="color: #ffff00">+10 seconds to sanctuary.</span></p><p>People know my opinion about specing dps but with the game bleeding people and hardly any groups to be found.... spec totally dps AA's for soloing then spec back to healing AA's when you get to 70. </p></blockquote><p>To get that, you have to spend a minimum of 17 points in the cure line.  Do you feel the 12 points spent just unlocking Sanctuary are worth it, or just a cost of acquiring the Sanctuary boost?  Even then, in what situations do you feel that the extra 10 seconds to Sanctuary truly justifies such a cost?</p><p>Maybe I'm more of a pragmatist, but I want my points to mean as much as possible as often as possible.  That means I want abilities which are useful constantly, not just once every few weeks.  I want enhancements to spells I'm likely to use frequently, like Mark, Involuntary, Spurn, Benediction, Glory, and yes...even my damage spells.  During most groups or raids, my baseline healing is already more than enough.  Add in enhanced buffs and healing criticals and I'm pumping out some serious healing already.  When I need to heal, I can heal.  However, when that extra effort isn't required, I want to be more useful.  For myself, that means either supporting or directly adding more damage.  It means the difference between a ~200-400 DPS Templar and a ~700-900 DPS Templar.  </p><p>Increase to DPS of around 4-600 or more...or an extra 10 seconds on Sanctuary?  It's a tough call, and I can certainly see how some Templars would prefer one over the other.  However, as much as I love Sanctuary, I just don't see as much all around benefit to justify the points spent.  That's just me, though.  I'd guess in my view, I'd rather be more useful 95% of the time, than marginally better during that extra 5%.  Frankly, I'm having a hard time thinking of too many situations where the extra 10% would really make all that much of a difference...but I can think of hundreds of fights (soloing, grouping, and even raiding) where reducing damage spell cast timers, recast timers, and power cost can make a massive difference.  That's ignoring Smite Wrath altogether (since Mana Cure hasn't really been brought up).</p><p>Certainly, the boost to Sanctuary by itself doesn't suddenly make the Smites line "really useless" by comparison, does it? (which is really what I was responding to).  </p><p>And again, I'm not saying the extra ~25% duration boost for Sanctuary isn't useful.  I am making the argument that it's situational, at best.  I'm much more interested in effects that are constant (which is why I spent so much time and resources in the Blessings line first).  If I was to make an argument for another line other than Smites, it would be the compliances line (Spurn, Soothe, Overconfidence), which I could find immediate uses for - as opposed to the once a week/month that I'd personally find the extra 10 seconds from Sanctuary would justify the costs to acquire it in the first place.  </p><p>I hope this helps to explain why I've chosen the lines I personally have.</p>

[TheMacAttack]

<cite>Kendricke wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Kizee wrote:</cite><blockquote>Kendricke wrote: <p><span style="color: #ffff00">+10 seconds to sanctuary.</span></p><p>People know my opinion about specing dps but with the game bleeding people and hardly any groups to be found.... spec totally dps AA's for soloing then spec back to healing AA's when you get to 70. </p></blockquote><p>To get that, you have to spend a minimum of 17 points in the cure line.  Do you feel the 12 points spent just unlocking Sanctuary are worth it, or just a cost of acquiring the Sanctuary boost?  Even then, in what situations do you feel that the extra 10 seconds to Sanctuary truly justifies such a cost?</p><p>Maybe I'm more of a pragmatist, but I want my points to mean as much as possible as often as possible.  That means I want abilities which are useful constantly, not just once every few weeks.  I want enhancements to spells I'm likely to use frequently, like Mark, Involuntary, Spurn, Benediction, Glory, and yes...even my damage spells.  During most groups or raids, my baseline healing is already more than enough.  Add in enhanced buffs and healing criticals and I'm pumping out some serious healing already.  When I need to heal, I can heal.  However, when that extra effort isn't required, I want to be more useful.  For myself, that means either supporting or directly adding more damage.  It means the difference between a ~200-400 DPS Templar and a ~700-900 DPS Templar.  </p><p>Increase to DPS of around 4-600 or more...or an extra 10 seconds on Sanctuary?  It's a tough call, and I can certainly see how some Templars would prefer one over the other.  However, as much as I love Sanctuary, I just don't see as much all around benefit to justify the points spent.  That's just me, though.  I'd guess in my view, I'd rather be more useful 95% of the time, than marginally better during that extra 5%.  Frankly, I'm having a hard time thinking of too many situations where the extra 10% would really make all that much of a difference...but I can think of hundreds of fights (soloing, grouping, and even raiding) where reducing damage spell cast timers, recast timers, and power cost can make a massive difference.  That's ignoring Smite Wrath altogether (since Mana Cure hasn't really been brought up).</p><p>Certainly, the boost to Sanctuary by itself doesn't suddenly make the Smites line "really useless" by comparison, does it? (which is really what I was responding to).  </p><p>And again, I'm not saying the extra ~25% duration boost for Sanctuary isn't useful.  I am making the argument that it's situational, at best.  I'm much more interested in effects that are constant (which is why I spent so much time and resources in the Blessings line first).  If I was to make an argument for another line other than Smites, it would be the compliances line (Spurn, Soothe, Overconfidence), which I could find immediate uses for - as opposed to the once a week/month that I'd personally find the extra 10 seconds from Sanctuary would justify the costs to acquire it in the first place.  </p><p>I hope this helps to explain why I've chosen the lines I personally have.</p></blockquote>Thanks for the views.  As I am trying to level as fast as possible (yes I know it is a bit slower than other classes), I am going down the path of Smite Line for 6 points and 1 in Yaulp first.  So far this has been extremely helpful in soloing. I am going to try to maximize DPS for the first part of the game and then possibly respec when I hit lvl 70 to support raids, etc. Thanks again for all the input.

[EQPrime]

<cite>Kendricke wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Kizee wrote:</cite><blockquote>Kendricke wrote: <p><span style="color: #ffff00">+10 seconds to sanctuary.</span></p><p>People know my opinion about specing dps but with the game bleeding people and hardly any groups to be found.... spec totally dps AA's for soloing then spec back to healing AA's when you get to 70. </p></blockquote><p>To get that, you have to spend a minimum of 17 points in the cure line.  Do you feel the 12 points spent just unlocking Sanctuary are worth it, or just a cost of acquiring the Sanctuary boost?  Even then, in what situations do you feel that the extra 10 seconds to Sanctuary truly justifies such a cost?</p></blockquote><p>Yes.  For me increasing a situational skill that could be the difference between a wipe and a success is worth much more than any increase in my dps.  The extra 10 seconds can make a huge difference on mobs with unreliable/semi-random AE timers or very short AE timers.  Generally I wouldn't be throwing out many nukes against the more difficult encounters anyways so I have chosen to be the most effective healer I can be on the difficult fights, while I'm less effective (dps wise) on soloing, easy group content, and easy raid encounters.  I guess it all depends on your play style and what's important to you. </p>

[Ealthina]

Purely up to you..  I am spec'd totaly for healing.  I have 22 points in the Arbitor line..Sorry just got home from work and can't remember if that's the Int line or what.  In the Eof I have about 33 point into the Blessings lines.  I never attack anything and so I am set up to heal my wifes monk and friends Berserker.  Unless we get stupid and pull like a dragon we never have much trouble.  Decided how you want you temp to be.

[Maryk]

<p>Nice thread and discussion everyone.  I'm at 67 AA points.</p><p>In the Cleric tree I went down the INT and STA lines and am glad I did.  The name of this tune is fast casting.  </p><p>In the Templar tree...I was mixed.  I started down the reactive cures line but decided the most important thing for me is Blessings...so I headed down that line.  I love it when I buff the tank and he says, "Whoa....nice!" </p>