Which ending AA is better - str or wis?

[Goldom111111111]

Already know those are the two lines I'm using. Just not sure which to get the last skill in. On one hand, being able to crit whenever I want is nice, but now that it's changed so you need so many points in the line, it'd already have a good % from the next to last skill. Alternately, there's the 12% cost, but I don't have a power problem often - but I'm also only 32 now. I suppose there is also just getting well into both and ending neither, but now that it costs only 2 and gives titles, I'd like to get one or the other. I know there's a ton of AA help threads, but searching I didn't see any directly about this comparison post-AA 8pt -> 2pt change.

[IllusiveThoughts]

get them both.

[Alku]

At lower levels, catalyst will help you more but as IT said, you will eventually want both. Personally, I would do 4/8/4/8 on wis for your level now and respec to get the last ability later... go ahead and do 4/4/6/8/1 on strength though imo.

[duuf]

Catalyst rocks Combine it with freehand and your biggest damager and mobs melt. Also you can precast catalyst before engaging let the clock run down, your health recover, and have back to back catalysts. Crit fusion and crit freehand nova FTW

[Goldom111111111]

I guess with it costing only 2, it is reasonable to get both. That sounds good - a question for the final layout when I get all 50 pts for it (no time soon I'm sure, probably not before they change them all anyway lol...) STR will have to be 4/4/6/8/2 in order to have the 22 in it to get the last skill. But then that makes WIS's 4/8/4/8/2 put the total at 51. So should I cut it to 4/7/4/8/2 or 4/8/4/7/2? The former leaves the extra always 1%, but the latter gives 2% extra on the same shot that would then be combined with the sure-crit... [Ok, so I'm betting it probably makes so little difference... i mean 1 percent either way... I'd assume the always-on one would be slightly higher dps, and the freehand s. would be a little higher max damage.]

[duuf]

Max brainstorm IMO its our best AA 1% increase on all  > 2% on biggest spell per minute by a sizable factor even when combined with catalyst. Fuzzy math follows: 2% in freehand with Nova max at 9k and max crit: 9,000 x 1.07 x 1.3 x 1.3 =16275 1% in brainstorm 9000 x1.08 x1.28 x1.3 = 16174 or 101 max xtra damage from freehand 2% vs 1% brainstorm each minute 4 average noncrit ball of lavas with 1% in brainstorm will make up the difference with all else being gravy Edit note: fuzzy math less fuzzy now

[setesh]

<p>If you are often limited by power, WIS will probably improve your damage the most.  If not, STR will probably be better.  On a full burn, WIS will probably result more damage than STR.</p>

[duuf]

<cite>setesh wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>If you are often limited by power, WIS will probably improve your damage the most.  If not, STR will probably be better.  On a full burn, WIS will probably result more damage than STR.</p></blockquote>Right about the power situation. But Wis tends to give more damage than STR regardless. Brainstorm 8% less some small factor for the secondary slot empty vs Spell Expertise around 4.5% Freehand 30% increase in one spell damage per minute vs around 40% increase for catalyst. Difference can be closed somewhat by precasting catalyst but Wis probably wins most of the time and you still get the reduced power usage.

[setesh]

<cite>duuf wrote:</cite><blockquote>Right about the power situation. But Wis tends to give more damage than STR regardless. Brainstorm 8% less some small factor for the secondary slot empty vs Spell Expertise around 4.5% Freehand 30% increase in one spell damage per minute vs around 40% increase for catalyst. Difference can be closed somewhat by precasting catalyst but Wis probably wins most of the time and you still get the reduced power usage. </blockquote>I think your comparison between the entire WIS and STR lines is probably correct; however, the OP asked how the final abilities stacked up (Sagacity vs Catalyst).  That's the question I answered.  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[duuf]

Hmm I see your point. Back when the end ability cost 8 very few wiz would pick sagacity at all but as some other unknown wiz posted above at 2 points each get em both but I would still get catalyst first.  Big bang > xtra power almost all encounters.