STR Line vs. Ancestry Line

[obi]

I mostly duo atm with AGI and Combat lines done. What would be more logical choice for next line for duoing mystic? Most of the time I end up tanking with mage classes. STR stat & group ward vs. Higher proc and better buff, can't really decide. Thanks,

[JamesRay]

<p>I personally hate depending on the dog for anything but a loss in framerate.</p><p>At least with ancestry it could increase your procs, which theoretically could be many.</p>

[Greggthegrmreapr]

Dog and Ancestry have nothing to do with each other.  they are on different tree's.  Do agi and STR in DOF tree and buff/melee in EoF tree.  you can get both Dog and Ancestry that way

[Prrasha]

Denna: the original poster knows that.  That's why they're asking which line to do <i>next</i>. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> They seem to be planning on taking both eventually. Obi: If you're mostly duoing, I'd do the Ancestry tree next. The DoT damage attack is ok, but pales in comparison to the damage your mage partner will be dishing out. +16 haste is nice, but doesn't help your mage part ner.  Mages can melee, but it's about 5 DPS, downhill, with the wind... <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> The group ward is really the "get the dog killed on the next pull" skill.   Trust me.  I specced away from STR into AGI after I finished the combat line. That, and the dog dies fast until it gets its own  AE immunity, anyway, so the upstream points spent in the STR line are semi-worthless until you fill out the line. On the other hand, the stuff leading up to ancestry is nice, and useful as you go.  And most mages have plenty of procs to stack on you if you're tanking (well, illusionists don't... and coercer's might not, I'm not as familiar with their spell lines.)  But sorcerors have 3, and summoners have 2...

[obi]

Thanks for the info. I think I will take you up and get the buff line done first. I've been getting pretty tired of recasting the darn dog anyway. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I might not even go with Str line as dog really annoys me, but then again other than Agi line, there really isn't anything that I see worthwhile in shaman tree.

[Eugam]

<cite>obi wrote:</cite><blockquote>Thanks for the info. I think I will take you up and get the buff line done first. I've been getting pretty tired of recasting the darn dog anyway. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I might not even go with Str line as dog really annoys me, but then again other than Agi line, there really isn't anything that I see worthwhile in shaman tree. </blockquote>A dog with maxed STR line *never* dies while duoing. If he dies the duo wiped <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Actually he never dies in group content. not Nizara, not Unrest and not CMM. He only dies if tank, usually brawlers, sometimes plates, switch targets and dogodog keeps biting the wrong target and builds hate. The haste, the 27% chance of a 400 hps group ward and the good chance of avoiding an AE are worth the points, even in group encounters. I did max dogdog before i went buff line. dogdog heals you when soloing/duoing and the buffs are only worth it in high level groups.

[Prrasha]

Not quite.  If you're pulling quickly, doggie dies all the time even with STR line completed. Dog bites mob 1 and procs his ward. Mob 1 dies before it eats up the ward. Someone body pulls mob 2 to avoid social aggro. Mob 2 hits someone. Ward eats some of the damage and doggie gets aggro. Mob 2 changes targets and spreads doggie thinly over a half-acre of ground. You fight Mob 2 without any doggie buffs, then spend 20 seconds resummoning and rebuffing. Or, for that matter, an add repops or walks in and hits someone other than the MT while the ward is up, and the add's second swing lands doggie somewhere in mid-Kunark. My mystic is still mid-level (56 AAs), so is now full Combat Arts, full Agility (respecced out of STR once CA line was done), and working on the buffs/Ancestry line.

[Terq]

If you are pulling that fast, you likely don't need aura of warding.  Don't cast it, and the dog won't die.