Does this build make sense

[Gisallo]

<div>Okay let me first say I am asking this question because of my peculiar circumstances. I am in a raid guild but because of my work schedule I am largely their swiss army knife for instances (80 ranger, 80 zerker, soon to be 80 mystic) and am a bull pen raider when one of the regulars can't make it.I have been looking at my build for mystic and was talking to a friend who is one of the best healers I know and plays both a mystic and a defiler VERY well too (though his main is a templar).Because of my circumstances he suggested doing the following with AA'sStrength to end (standard spread)Wisdom to end (standard spread)Agility to 8 in Agi 4 base 4's in everything else  Or stam to get the cure casting reducer.This didn't wierd me out that much I was thinking that already. Its the mystic line suggestion that had me wondering.To his mind the difference between a Mystic and Defiler is that the mystic can get in there with the meleers he's healing and once he gets the timing down with his wards can also be doing damage. As such he was suggesting that I focus first on the Augmenting (bypassing Oberon and SoW going max in Bolster, Minor Auspice and enough spread around to get Ancestry) and maxing the Combat line and then going down the cures line for immunization. I keep reading how "melee spec'd" Mystics can't heal, but this seems to be at least partuially a melee spec but this guy has always been a great healer with any healer he picked up so I am a little confused.</div>

[Seidhkona]

<p>Here's the AA setup of <a href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/characters/character_achivements_archetype.vm?characterId=378 964109" target="_blank">the best raid mystic I know</a>:</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>SHAMAN TREE</strong></span></p><ul><li>Summon Spirit Companion 1/1</li></ul><ul><li>Chieftain's Agility 4/8<ul><li>Phalanx 4/8</li><li>Ancestral Authority 8/8</li><li>Ancestral Spirits 8/8</li><li>Tribal Rage 1/1 </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Ritualist's Wisdom 4/8<ul><li>Ritual 5/8</li><li>Ritual of Magic 4/8</li><li>Ritual of Mind 8/8</li><li>Ritual of Alacrity 0/1 </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Witchdoctor's Stamina 4/8<ul><li>Dazing Bash 4/8</li><li>Block Harm 6/8</li><li>Herbal Expertise 8/8</li><li>Coagulate 0/1</li></ul></li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>MYSTIC TREE</strong></span></p><ul><li>Combat <ul><li>Enhance: Ursine Elder 3/5</li><li>Chilling Strike 5/5</li><li>Feverish Strike 5/5</li><li>Glacial Strike 5/5</li><li>Circle of the Ancients 5/5</li><li>Weapon Mastery 1/1     </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Augmenting<ul><li>Enhance: Minor Auspice 5/5</li><li>Enhance: Spirit of the Wolf 0/5</li><li>Enhance: Spirit of the Bull 5/5</li><li>Enhance: Shadowy Attendant 0/5</li><li>Enhance: Avatar 5/5</li><li>Enhance: Oberon 0/5</li><li>Enhance: Bolster 5/5</li><li>Ancestry 1/1     </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Resurrections<ul><li>Resurrection Restoration 5/5</li><li>Resurrection Range 5/5</li><li>Resurrection Haste 5/5</li><li>Spirit Dance 1/1</li><li>Resurrection Efficiency 0/5</li><li>Resurrection Cycles 5/5     </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Immunities<ul><li>Immunity Noxious 0/5</li><li>Immunity Trauma 0/5</li><li>Immunity Elemental 0/5</li><li>Immunity Arcane 0/5</li><li>Enhance: Fading Spirit 0/5</li><li>Enhance: Ancient Balm 0/5</li><li>Immunization 0/1</li></ul></li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>SHADOW TREE</strong></span></p><ul><li>General Skills <ul><li>Ample Harvest 3/5</li><li>Hearty Constitution 5/5</li><li>Enhanced Mind 5/5     </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Priest<ul><li>Litany of Combat 5/5</li><li>Prayer of Healing 5/5</li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Shaman<ul><li>Ethereal Weaponry 5/5</li><li>Ancient Pedigree 1/1     </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Mystic<ul><li>Infusion of Spirit 4/5</li></ul></li></ul>

[graewulf]

<p>I think the STA line and resurrections points are wasted there. Just my opinion though...<img src="/eq2/images/smilies/1cfd6e2a9a2c0cf8e74b49b35e2e46c7.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Thunderthyze]

<p>I think that if you are in a guild that requires you to raid AND you want to dps (at least prior to the combat changes) you really need to invest in a mirror.</p><p>That way I have a raid AA spec and a solo/group spec. In addition I have my gear macro'd for the various situations.....raid, group, solo. I think it is impractical to try to come up with a "jack of all trades" build as you will end up being non-ideal in every situation you find yourself.</p>

[Banditman]

<p><cite>Holymoly@Runnyeye wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I think that if you are in a guild that requires you to raid AND you want to dps (at least prior to the combat changes) you really need to invest in a mirror.</p><p>That way I have a raid AA spec and a solo/group spec. In addition I have my gear macro'd for the various situations.....raid, group, solo. I think it is impractical to try to come up with a "jack of all trades" build as you will end up being non-ideal in every situation you find yourself.</p></blockquote><p>What he said.</p>

[Gisallo]

<p><cite>Holymoly@Runnyeye wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I think that if you are in a guild that requires you to raid AND you want to dps (at least prior to the combat changes) you really need to invest in a mirror.</p><p>That way I have a raid AA spec and a solo/group spec. In addition I have my gear macro'd for the various situations.....raid, group, solo. I think it is impractical to try to come up with a "jack of all trades" build as you will end up being non-ideal in every situation you find yourself.</p></blockquote><p>Well that the point I guess I am trying to make.  Some mystics say "you need to heal forget the combat line and Agility for raiding."  Others say the point of the mystic is to be in the melee dps/OT group, to keep them going BUT while being in the think of the battle with them, timing your CA's with your wards.  Below you'll see my reasons they may be half baked so tell me if they are.</p><p>I maybe have an easier time doing this than some at my level because I farmed for a piece of gear.  I got the robe from SoF (forget the name right now) with the 10% cast time on me alone my wards go pretty quick  Put Time compression on me and my wards and heals are pretty fast.  I also think that the gloves from the shard armor set have casting speed and I am already stocking up on shards. I do agree that for raids the stam line seems wasted.  Here is my current build at 77 and what I do not consider a "jack of all trades build (espeically when you look at the wierd mechanics that go into the wards on the immunities line) but some may say it is.  I have NO problem with people saying it a Jack of all trades btw IF you can say why, and also not have the why make me say "why should I stay a mystic then and not betray to Defiler?"  Whats killing me about the forums anymore is people making sweeping statements without pointing out the facts that back those statements up. </p><p>Strength 4,4,6,8,2 (I know some say the dog goes down a lot but even in a group in Karnor's castle where I leave before we go to the basement he can be 50k on a zone wide heal parse speced this way)</p><p>Agility 4,4,4,8 (can you have too much heal crit?)</p><p>Wisdom 4,6,5,8,2 (Though I am probably going to respec to 4,7,4,8,2)</p><p>Combat Ursine elder, chilling strike, feverish strike, glacial strike, circle of ancient all at 4, weapon mastry 1</p><p>Minor auspice, spirit of bull, shadowy attendant, avatar-all 3 Bolster currently at 2.  I plan on getting Ancestry here.  whether I keep points in attendant or not depends on the below question (since the rez line can get me to a point of this tree).  I do NOT intend on boosting bolster since it is so situational.</p><p>as I said I see this as while flexible, not a jack of all trades build.  Now the question I have is with this in mind I have heard different things abotu immunities vs. Rez.  Yeah in the raids I go on the Healers should not be rezing BUT the wards for immunities apparently are goofed in terms of how they relate to the regular ward.  Even though immunize is great I am wonder if the points to get that are really worth it and if I am better off getting the points in the rez line just for those times the darn dirges are acting like assassins and not realizing that some needs a rez?</p><p>I do btw have a mirror with a more aggresive build where I maxed out the Agility line at the expense of Wisdom for soloing so I do understand the issues some raise.</p>

[Banditman]

<p>I went with the rez line.  I've actually used Spirit Dance a couple times, and it's really nice in that it just flat rezzes the 8 people closest to you without regard for what group they are in.</p><p>The added range on all rezzes can be situationally useful, a couple times I was able to rez someone who got knocked way away from the Chelsith stone while fighting Trak.</p>

[KatrinaDeath]

<p><cite>Banditman wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I went with the rez line. I've actually used Spirit Dance a couple times, and it's really nice in that it just flat rezzes the 8 people closest to you without regard for what group they are in.</p><p>The added range on all rezzes can be situationally useful, a couple times I was able to rez someone who got knocked way away from the Chelsith stone while fighting Trak.</p></blockquote><p>That rez line freaking rocks... I have had some interesting long distance rezzes. And the AOE rez in PvP can totally save your faction as it (at least it did 3 months ago) will rez non group members.</p>

[Anadorn]

<p>Makes since and I would not consider that spec a "jack of all trades" you've still utilized all your healing abilities in those two trees.  Where you have to start making considerations now is when you start going down the shadows tree where you'll have to decide on increasing your heal crit or heal crit amount or going with more damage and bigger melee crits.  In this spec you'll still be able to put out okay dps but not the kind you can put out with more points dedicated to combat art advantages.  EoF buffs are pretty much a given and all 3 other tiers are each situational in there own degree and some more than others.  I won't ever spec the cures line again it was a complete waste of 20 points to have immunities so for me it was Rez or CA's.  I chose Rez for awhile and about to shift back to CA's myself since, like you said, I can go in there and mix it up every now and then.  However I think your underestimating the use of bolster and the more you raid the more you'll use it.  For named fights raid or group I've always got bolster and sentry cast on the tank b4 the pull.  It can also be used as a nice little dps boost for a necro's life burn since their damage is based on how much health they have when they cast it.</p>

[Banditman]

<p>If you have a Lifeburning Necro, you can Bolster them for additional damage.</p>

[greenmantle]

<p><cite>Banditman wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>If you have a Lifeburning Necro, you can Bolster them for additional damage.</p></blockquote><p>I thought the rez line was the best thing for lifeburning necros? The last thing i want to see in a tough fight when its taking every heal i can toss to keep the tank up is a macro, "life burning heal me "</p>

[Eugam]

<p><cite>Gisallo@Lucan DLere wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><div>To his mind the difference between a Mystic and Defiler is that the mystic can get in there with the meleers he's healing and once he gets the timing down with his wards can also be doing damage. As such he was suggesting that I focus first on the Augmenting (bypassing Oberon and SoW going max in Bolster, Minor Auspice and enough spread around to get Ancestry) and maxing the Combat line and then going down the cures line for immunization. I keep reading how "melee spec'd" Mystics can't heal, but this seems to be at least partuially a melee spec but this guy has always been a great healer with any healer he picked up so I am a little confused.</div></blockquote><p>This is very situational. In a raid it depends on the setup of your group and the quality of your spells. The above raid example goes down the WIS line although the end ability doesnt make you a better healer but someone else, most prolly a mage, a machine gun dps'er. This mystic obviously doesnt need more heals in his raid and has time to dps.</p><p>Mystics are able to spec melee (to some degree) without giving up heal specs.</p><p>It is very hard to know. For PUGs and legendary equiped guild groups you need a different setup or you cant heal it. The mob damage growed more exponential then the wards. Sometimes you might not even have time to debuff unless you have enough AA to reach the stances. In a full fabled group all is different and you DPS might make a difference.</p><p>You should get an AA mirror and do a build your guild wants and one that fits your personal style in groups and soloing.</p>

[Banditman]

<p><cite>greenmantle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Banditman wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>If you have a Lifeburning Necro, you can Bolster them for additional damage.</p></blockquote><p>I thought the rez line was the best thing for lifeburning necros? The last thing i want to see in a tough fight when its taking every heal i can toss to keep the tank up is a macro, "life burning heal me "</p></blockquote><p>I don't mind them, so long as they understand the only time they get to Lifeburn is when I toss up Spirit Tap first.  Try it sometime, you'll like it.</p>

[Gisallo]

<p><cite>Adairean@Crushbone wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>  However I think your underestimating the use of bolster and the more you raid the more you'll use it.  For named fights raid or group I've always got bolster and sentry cast on the tank b4 the pull.  It can also be used as a nice little dps boost for a necro's life burn since their damage is based on how much health they have when they cast it.</p></blockquote><p>Sorry I must have been riding the short bus the other day.  I always throw Sentry, Bolster and even RA on the tank (usually I find myself with an SK as a tank).  I meant no points in Oberon...THAT imho is situational. </p><p>I am also going to be putting off getting my fabled Epic.  It looks like with all the shard groups looking for Mystics I will actually have an easier time getting <a href="http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Thex_Mallet">http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Thex_Mallet</a>.   WHile I am a member of a raid guild my Mystic is not on the permenant raid force and I am not going to torture them by asking for a VS run to get my Mythical and this imho is better than the fabled.  I'll eventually get the fabled for when I need to go 100% heal mode once I get a really decent secondary item (I do get the chance at SoH on occassion so I could see the Star of Malice off the sisters at some point) but DANG the Mallet is good and really seems more tedious than hard to get (which means that right before I get it SOE will probably nerf it <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> ).</p>

[Gisallo]

<p><cite>Eugam wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Gisallo@Lucan DLere wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><div>To his mind the difference between a Mystic and Defiler is that the mystic can get in there with the meleers he's healing and once he gets the timing down with his wards can also be doing damage. As such he was suggesting that I focus first on the Augmenting (bypassing Oberon and SoW going max in Bolster, Minor Auspice and enough spread around to get Ancestry) and maxing the Combat line and then going down the cures line for immunization. I keep reading how "melee spec'd" Mystics can't heal, but this seems to be at least partuially a melee spec but this guy has always been a great healer with any healer he picked up so I am a little confused.</div></blockquote><p>This is very situational. In a raid it depends on the setup of your group and the quality of your spells. The above raid example goes down the WIS line although the end ability doesnt make you a better healer but someone else, most prolly a mage, a machine gun dps'er. This mystic obviously doesnt need more heals in his raid and has time to dps.</p><p>Mystics are able to spec melee (to some degree) without giving up heal specs.</p><p>It is very hard to know. For PUGs and legendary equiped guild groups you need a different setup or you cant heal it. The mob damage growed more exponential then the wards. Sometimes you might not even have time to debuff unless you have enough AA to reach the stances. In a full fabled group all is different and you DPS might make a difference.</p><p>You should get an AA mirror and do a build your guild wants and one that fits your personal style in groups and soloing.</p></blockquote><p>No he can heal and he had to.  I know for a fact that for sometime he was the only thing standing between a raid force and defeat.  When he moved onto another guild the guild he left had to take a step back and completely reevaluate itself because suddenly they no longer could accomplish what they could when he was in the MT group.  As a tank I already knew that I am only as good as my healers in difficult cirumstances, it was refreshing to see this in practice though.</p><p>I do have an AA mirror btw.  The only thing I think I will be doing there is being Max Str and Agi with Wis to 8 in Wis 4 and probably a more firmly damage spec in the shadows tree and this will be largely a "tough" solo build since while it takes a little extra time what I have posted above still lets me solo quite effectively.</p><p>I think the issue is "what is melee spec" some people say its Combat and MAX Agility.  That is at least the definition I am using becaue I looked at the defiler when I started thinking about all of this and came to these conclusions A) some of this mystic "pure" heal stuff seems a waste of points to get (Immunities, arguably Sta) and B) to be honest without the combat line, shouldn't you just roll a defiler? <shrug>  I have run a couple of raids, mostly instancing and it works (until my entire group, on a PUG PR run, runs in 5 different directions and expects me to somehow cure and heal all of them when they are out of range <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> sorry you are a face plant I am going to worry about the guy who is sucking it up and staying in the same place.</p>