What skills to upgrade first?

[BadDemocracy]

I just hit 20 with my SK, and I'm wondering what scrolls I should put my money into. What skills are used most between 20-30, and what ones are worth upgrading. Thanks.

[roza]

<DIV>id have to say your taunts first.. and your higher damage attacks and buffs. but what do y ou use the most? thats what you should upgrade first. </DIV>

[Siner]

i would slight modify the above to say taunts and your mana efficent damage skills (read: anger line and fetid grasp line). last on kicks, coil line, and grim sword line.

[BadDemocracy]

Thanks guys, I apprecciate it.Also is a set of Pristine Forged carbonite vanguard armor better then the quested armor set for level 20?

[Siner]

no, aq is slightly better but not by very much

[far]

<DIV>Having done the AQ quests Id recommend getting carbonite vanguard because it will be an even con at level 30 where your AQ armors all will go grey at differant levels, also the AQ items scale in minimum level (the bp for instance is min level 24) where as you could have been using the carbonite from 20-30 as opposed to the AQ version at 24-30.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The AQs on Dark elves make it look like you are running around in some very tight black pajamas or running around naked, carbonite has a nice skirt and poofy arms.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The AQs tend to sell for more money then carbonite, so I say buy the carbonite do the AQ quests and sell the AQ items.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>just my 2 coppers keep the change.</DIV>

[Skua]

i bougt it carbonite aq are a litlle better but aq mean Debt and a lose of time , is fun (sometimes) but get a group and do it is a waste of time , i earned money from lvl 10-20 to boy full carbonite gear and some jewelery , now earning money to bou 30-40 stuffwhen sk will get black armor? <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> 50 no?

[BadDemocracy]

I think Ebon armor is black, the Shadowknight AQ armor is black (did it for thehell of it)

[far]

<DIV>Fulginate armor is very nice looking black with gold trim, a bit shiny but the best ive seen so far.</DIV>

[Baelzharon]

<blockquote><hr>BadDemocracy wrote:I just hit 20 with my SK, and I'm wondering what scrolls I should put my money into. What skills are used most between 20-30, and what ones are worth upgrading. Thanks.<hr></blockquote>I'm about to hit 30 (10% to go weee) and the best upgrade I did for spells was getting a Decree of Devay Adept III. Major increase in taunt ability for group mobs which is our weakness. If I get another rare ink for the 20's I would probably make my pet Adept III. Now that Tainted Essence is working correctly the pet is a huge increase in DPS.For equipment I guess it depends on how lucky/rich you are. I highly suggest you get as many pieces of Forged Steel armor as you can, as it will be the best armor you can have on up to the early 30's (even better then Feyiron Vanguard). If you don't mind the camping then head over to Stormhold and start working on getting a Berik, Sword of Thunder. You will use it till the 30's when Ghoulbane or other like weapons become available, and later combine Berik with a BBC to make the Electrified Bonebladed Claymore which is one of the best 2handers in the game.For a shield you can not get much better then Stormshield, which comes off the named Griffs that fly in Commonlands or TS. They are fairly priced on the Brokers though if you can't get a group together to hunt the griffs.<p>Message Edited by Baelzharon on <span class=date_text>03-14-2005</span> <span class=time_text>06:10 AM</span>

[vwlsskng]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> BadDemocracy wrote:<BR>I think Ebon armor is black, the Shadowknight AQ armor is black (did it for thehell of it)<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> The AQ armour is a bluish colour, at least on my end.

[Margen]

<DIV>******</DIV> <DIV>For a shield you can not get much better then Stormshield, which comes off the named Griffs that fly in Commonlands or TS. They are fairly priced on the Brokers though if you can't get a group together to hunt the griffs.</DIV> <DIV>******</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Totally agree on Stormshield, got it from broker for 1gp plus some silver, one of the best investments I've made so far.  Was using the mariners kite shield till then, talk about a major upgrade.  If you can get your hands on one by either drop or buying strongly suggest you do so.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks and good hunting</DIV> <DIV>Blackoath 22nd Level Troll Shadow Knight</DIV>

[far]

<DIV>For a shield I love my guard of grumm, enjoy nektropilos</DIV>

[lbcre]

/Agree, guard of grumm is nice.  I'd also like to add group buffs to the list of upgrades.  If you have a regular group with you as MT and don't solo then get taunts first then buffs and then dmg spells.  The reason is that buffs are used as tuants to...better buffs=better taunts.  Now I group as MT almost every night so that's the route I go, BUT if you solo alot then you might prefer a line like pet, dmg spells, then ward.  I have the adept 3 blob pet and he can solo blues and and sometimes whites on his own.  This guy may look like crap (literally), but he can really up your single target dps and even tank for you in multi mob pulls.  The adept 3 is still a blob btw.

[Toogel]

<DIV>Must spells to upgrade 20-30:</DIV> <DIV>Decree of Decay</DIV> <DIV>Decrepit Slam</DIV> <DIV>Fetid Grasp</DIV> <DIV>Condemning Spirit</DIV> <DIV>Unholy Order</DIV> <DIV>Infernal Pact</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Why: Unholy Order, Decrepit Slam, and Decree of Decay are obvious, all generate hate and Unholy Order negates your Stance penalties.  Infernal Pact adds hate to you as well as protects a few blows, definitly worth an upgrade.  Condemning Spirit and Fetid Grasp will be your bread and butter HOs by rotating them back and forth.  They do great damage for minimal power cost.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Good but not needed spells to upgrade 20-30:</DIV> <DIV>Cruel Intent</DIV> <DIV>Tainted <pet spell> (forgot actual name)</DIV> <DIV>Sorrow</DIV> <DIV>Painbringer</DIV> <DIV>Consume Vitae</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Why:  These are a good source of damage and healing, Cruel Intent helps with keeping agro as well as farming (dont over use it in group around other mobs not engaged though as its a AOE multi-encounter spell).  Painbringer will be used a lot for its strength debuff as well as fast recast for damage, the adept for it is quite common.  Sorrow was just made into an AoE and is useful for farming... it also does big damage when you are not the main tank or if you like using a two-hander..its adept is also quite common.  Consume Vitae does decent damage but minimal life tap and its expensive...still the adept is quite common.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Skipped spells:</DIV> <DIV>+Tainted <essence maker> (forgot actual name) (it doesnt seem to improve the odds to gain an essence with upgrades, just have party members give you any they aquire.</DIV> <DIV>+AoE upgrade to Assault (damage sucks on this and isnt worth the cost)</DIV> <DIV>+Harm Touch (dont bother... if you want an upgrade to this get it at 30)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[vwlsskng]

Speaking of Unholy Order . . . I'm a stickler for searching the broker for spell upgrades. Through to Level 30, I've seen Adept I's of ALL of our combat arts/spells except for Unholy Order and Cruel Intent. Are these just ridiculously rare?