Yaulp - Struggling to see DPS improvement with AA lines

[Rothgur]

<p>Hi Guys</p><p> I've only got 18 AA points, to help improve my overall DPS when soloing my thinking was that with the smite nukes (DD/Small DOT/aoe) that it made perfect sense to go down the INT line to the final skill.</p><p> My gear is basic lv 30 armour and 2 hander (imbued) nothing great, my basic fight tatics are:</p><p>1. Rebuke (im doing more mele per it)</p><p>2. Mark of princes (divine debuff -more dmg per nuke)</p><p>3. Start swinging my 2-hander</p><p>4. Essentially using HO's until the mob is down, casting heals as needed.</p><p>The questions Ive got for you guys are these:</p><p>1. Ive had yaulp on to improve my dps outout, but i feel that its really limiting my ability to cast spells, ie mele dmg versus the reduced energy to limit the number of nules possible I'm getting from the skill.  Therefore I dont see it really helping, rarther hindering.  What am i doing wrong?..does yaulp only really work when you go down the +% mele crit str line?</p><p>2. Ive read many posts about templar mele builds doing better than spell dmg builds.  How can this be?, I thought that with the range of nukes we'd alway be better off with the INT line and casting away?  OK its clear from the detals Ive given Ive not speced a single AA in the str line, but even reading the benifits I'm still struggling to see that winning over the DPS spell line.  Peronally I dont like the idea of a mele centred templar, if i wanted to do main dmg form a wep Id have rolled a swashy for example.  But hitting a mob and doing divine dmg makes more sense to me as a templar, its just a personal preferance.</p><p>3 Again there are many posts about DPS but I would be very interested in the exact combination of spells you use when soloing. I listed my basic attack pattern, is it flawed in some way?.  I have read many references to if the templar is a good player using certain spells at certian times it makes a huge difference.  OK but we dont have that many nukes - so can you help me out understand what you guys do?</p><p>4. Starting in the cleric tree seemed sensible, int line, faster casting and +crit to spells.  But after reading some forums am I doing this backward, should the points go into the templar tree and the smite spells so they cost less mana/less cast time?</p><p>Thanks for any feedback</p>

[Kendricke]

<p>If you're not built for Melee DPS, then Yaulp won't help you.  If you've decided that you want to be an Arbiter (a spell slinging Templar), then completely ignore the melee lines for the most part, concentrate heavily upon the Intelligence line (4-8-8-8-2).  That should cost you 30 points (plus the 1 point you spent on Yaulp).  Don't use Yaulp if you're not meleeing, and look for two handed staffs instead.  You might want to look into spending points to increase focus as well, and of course you'll want to invest heavily in the Templar Smites line, till you pick up Smite Wrath.  </p><p>There's a lot you can do with a straight casting build.  I'll toy with a few different set-ups and let you know what I find.  I've never personally done better with a spell slinger build, but of course, I haven't done any serious testing since Echoes came out.  </p>

[Rothgur]

Hi Kendricke Thanks for taking the time and effort to reply. I'm actually really chuffed you replied. Ive read many of your posts in the templar forum and Ive been very impressed with your level of detailed data, strategic thinking and builds around the class. It's clear you put a lot of effort in helping the class and others. Its a shame I'm on a different server from you (Runneye) otherwise I could chat for ages about the questions Ive around the class! I'm new to the templar class (lv 34) and I'm still experimenting to find my favourite play style, so maybe I'll respec the spell points and try mele to see how it goes. One thing I am curious about if you build heavy into mele, how often would you cast your smites? not at all? Obviously casting means you not swinging that weapon so do you rarely use your smites?. Again I know that might sound daft but I'm trying to get to grips with the fundemental mechanics of the class and combat builds. Also AA points are one thing...but I'm trying to learn what a templar like yourself would do in a typical fight against a solo mob. What spells/skills would you use and in what order. I think I'm doing ok but it would be great to compare it against an expereinced templar. Thanks for any help you can give. Korgin

[Kendricke]

<cite>Korgin wrote:</cite><blockquote>It's clear you put a lot of effort in helping the class and others. Its a shame I'm on a different server from you (Runneye) otherwise I could chat for ages about the questions Ive around the class! </blockquote><p>/tell guk.kendricke</p><p>Korgin wrote: </p><blockquote>One thing I am curious about if you build heavy into mele, how often would you cast your smites? not at all? Obviously casting means you not swinging that weapon so do you rarely use your smites?. Again I know that might sound daft but I'm trying to get to grips with the fundemental mechanics of the class and combat builds. </blockquote><p>I cast spells constantly while swinging.  The way autoattack melee works in Everquest 2, it essentially queues up the next attack while you're in the middle of casting a spell.  When the spell finishes, even if you have another spell queued up for casting, the melee attack completes.  </p><p>So, basically it would work something like this:</p><ul><li>Hammer swings</li><li>Start casting smite, queue up strike.</li><li>Smite lands.</li><li>Hammer swings</li><li>Strike begins casting, queue up smite.  </li><li>Hammer swings.</li><li>Strike lands, smite starts casting...</li></ul>

[AlebarAquest]

Yaulp helps out me ALOT actually... though, again, I had spec'ed my Templar for Melee DPS... Currently at level 70, with 66 AAs, with Crit heal at max, DPS+ mod at max, using the Bloodstained Maul with Yaulp up, gives me +60 to DPS, +20 to haste, 20% to double attack, with Master 1 Rebuke, and its AA tie in to max (-1400 to physical Mit)... I can do a melee hit for about 1400 - 2300 per swing. and thats not counting the times I double swing too. Tested with ACT, I do about 270 - 330 on DPS, with my hammer pet up, about 340 - 400 DPS. Add in the spell casting HO's between swings, I have hit upwards of 500+ DPS. In fact, I can outDPS Paladins, Shadowknights, Guardians, and Berzerkers. Have sometimes actually outDPS'ed Monks and Bruisers. With my spec, I can actually solo level 64 - 65 heroics up in Bonemire, though I usually finish with about 10% - 20% power at the end of a fight. Lately, me and my roomate (who plays a 61 Ranger) go into Sanctum and can duo just fine with me tanking the mobs there (hes good at controlling his aggro, heals help me keep aggro) Ill try to repost what my AAs are at later