Don't understand AGI [Archive] - EQ2 Forum Archive @ EQ2Wire

View Full Version : Don't understand AGI

Madmoon

11-07-2007, 09:44 AM

I have read up a bit on AAs and many people seem to like AGI, and even recommend it to start. I can see once you have 24 points (25 with the first one) to spend, but prior to going to Spellshifting, its just a waste of AAs, unless I'm missing something. AGI for an initial line is a waste, and even later I wonder except for Spellshaping and Spellshifting. Specifically, I grade them at:24 points of AGI might make one hit in a hundred miss. Avoidance is not very useful, mitigation is where defense matters. Just ask bruisers and druids. DA melee attack? Sure an extra damage attack is alright, but we really shouldn't be up front meleeing, especially in later levels. CRun speed? In-combat run speed? As if even 8 points could let us flee from a monster. When in all the heavens would this ever come into play? As to out of combat, the most anemic horse will move you faster. FAll the other lines look better up to the fourth ability, why all this love for AGI? Usually when a crowd of experts (you, gentle reader) says one thing, and I believe another, I question my assumptions. But this one has me stumped.RumplestilskynWarlock with 5 unassigned points to spend, AB

itsmelen

11-07-2007, 03:50 PM

I agree with you. I think WIS is the first line any Warlock should get, because after 13 points you have FHS capped, and Master Absolution + FHS in the lower levels is just total destruction.

Muraha

11-08-2007, 01:52 PM

AGI Line is for solo people who are trying to level up to 70. AGI - Extra avoidance for when your root breaksMelee Attack - This can be cast while casting a spell AND interrupts the target. In combat run speed - So you can run out faster when root is recast to get casting again quickerIncreased casting speed - Soloing is about getting the mob dead as fast as possible. This helps a lot Increased reuse speed - Well, if you cast faster then you may be waiting around for spells to refresh - This helps a lot.You see, all the abilities tie into each other nicely for soloing. Root the mob and nuke like crazy. If it breaks you start casting your root again and you will get hits less by the mob due to agi, can hit him while casting the root interrupting hm instead of him interrupting you AND after the root lands you get out to get casting quicker.Once you get to level 70 and start raiding just respec to STR - WIS like every other warlock that has a clue what they are doing <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

Dishlaw2003

11-08-2007, 04:43 PM

Or when you hit 70 and start raiding take the better AA build and keep Agi and pick up Wis...

Madmoon

11-08-2007, 10:11 PM

<cite>Muraha@Splitpaw wrote:</cite><blockquote>AGI Line is...AGI - Extra avoidance for when your root breaksMelee Attack - This can be cast while casting a spell AND interrupts the target. In combat run speed - So you can run out faster when root is recast to get casting again quicker.... just respec to STR - WIS like every other warlock that has a clue what they are doing <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />" width="15" height="15" /></blockquote>Thanks for the great comments, but I still don't see it. I do not know enough about being a Warlock, but I do know some things about some of the things you mention.AGI is almost useless in melee. Raising your avoidance by 20 points is not as effective as raising your mitigation by one. Go over to the bruiser's forum, and you can see the numbers. Basically, avoidance is terribly weak, and 24 points of agility might, might, get one hit in 20 avoided, as opposed to spending those points elsewhere. Right off the bat, STR (so I can carry more,) WIS (for better resists - though, granted, raising that stat is not terribly effective, but I would rather miss an extra spell every twenty spells over an extra melee attack every twenty melee attacks,) INT (no explanation needed,) and STA (to me, STA is the most overlooked stat for every class) all look better than AGI.The melee attack I gave my best grade, C. It is extra damage, though the interupt element is vastly overrated. Still while casting, that's just extra damage, always good. On the other hand, I don't stand and cast next to a creature if I can help it, and most people, me included, cannot time an interupt regularly enough to matter. Damage is damage and is what we're all about. But it isn't enough to make me salivate and head for AGI.And run speed is utterly, utterly meaningless. Sprinting is faster. Horses are faster. When has run speed ever meant a thing, especially in combat, where most creatures can keep hitting you even while you are sprinting? What benefit is there? If I could cast while using this ability, well! But just to be able to move faster than the monster? Brawlers get a 10% run speed as the useless first point KoS ability. Go ask them how exciting that is. About as much as our floating book, I'll bet. But the first point is just supposed to be fluff. We have to invest four points in fluff.I'll grant you the fourth and final abilities are great, but it seems an awful lot to ask a new warlock to sink in fourteen points into something before he or she sees any benefit whatsoever.I do not want to sound like a negative Nancy, but this line just doesn't make any sense. Perhaps when I get to 70, I will respec to AGI, but right now, I cannot imagine wasting my points like that. I was thinking STA, but perhaps I shuld give WIS a second look. AGI, on the other hand, must be for more powerful Warlocks than I.

Theladorn

11-09-2007, 02:55 AM

I just started playing a Warlock on Test server, so I can't comment on the specifics of the AA lines. With that being said, one of the wonderful things about AA's in general, is that you can sculpt your lines however you like to fit your playstyle.Just because a certain number of people enjoy a certain build and it happens to work for them, doesn't mean that you MUST also use that line. If you don't like it, or don't understand the appeal, don't use it. No one is forcing you to use the same lines. It's true that some classes have more effective builds than others. That doesn't mean it's the only build out there. Go experiment and have fun. If you find a build you like better, so be it. Doesn't mean you are wrong for using it.

EpokSilvermo

11-09-2007, 02:03 PM

The only reason the Agi line is appealing are the last two abilities, to make you cast faster: Spellshaping and Spellshifting.

Gerra

11-09-2007, 03:01 PM

Yup Yup I've respected several times over the course of my career. I was Str Wis for a while cuz i soloed and liked the freehand sorcery stuff Ward and inc base damage. Then as I grouped more and didn't need the ward and wanted an item in my offhand went Str Int hate reduction was very handy in groups. But then i hit 70 and started raiding more found hate reduction unnecessary with all the hate transfers and such and respected to Str Agi for the faster casting and reuse timer reduction. Just find myself wondering what to do with the extra 20 points in RoK, thinking Wis line but need to see if they overly alter the AA's

knightofround

11-09-2007, 10:39 PM

Pretty much all of the lines beginning abilities suck, with the exception of WIS. But I actually think AGI is better than the rest of them. The melee attack is useful because its free dps when you're casting another spell, and it starts autoattack. Macro it to Aura and you gain a free 1% dps bump.And the runspeed is useful now that it is both in and out of combat. Think about how much time you spend running in this game. Hell, look at your raid parses and you'll see that only 1/4 of the time is actually spent in combat. Think about all the time it takes hoofing it across zones to get to instances. Although it doesn't sound like much, you're going to be saving yourself quite a bit of transit time that you can get xp/quest updates quicker.Still, I'd recommend new players to go 4-8-8-2 WIS and then respec to AGI. /shrug

SageGaspar

11-10-2007, 04:28 PM

The way it works in EQ2 is that you are not going to get something useful for every AA you spend. The question is if you want to respec your AAs constantly to have the optimal possible setup at the time or if you can wait a couple days and just take putting points into run speed. I think the most noticeable AA lines for a new warlock are in the EoF tree and they are Magi's Shielding and the hastenings line. Shielding makes soloing a hundred times more painless and hastenings probably has the most impact on early DPS.

Madmoon

11-11-2007, 01:56 PM

Good advice, all! I will consider it all carefully. I can make a better decision now.

Windowlicker

11-12-2007, 11:17 AM

<cite>Rumplestilskyn@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>24 points of AGI might make one hit in a hundred miss. Avoidance is not very useful, mitigation is where defense matters. Just ask bruisers and druids. D</blockquote>Ok, to clear things up a bit:Avoidance is much more useful then Mit for plate tanks. Plate tanks can raise Mit without thinking, whereas avoidance for most classes is much more difficul to raise. (Unless your a Monk)You likely won't find much for your warlock with a ton of Mit, so Agi/Avoidance is your friend. (Although it's a nice to have, not a must-have)I'd say your correct in assuming it's not worth buying into the AGI line until you have enough points to finish it.