Lucan's Pact vs Malevolent Circle adept 3

[Genv]

<DIV><SPAN>Lucans Pact ( adept 1 )   - Decreases Piercing and crushing of caster by 6</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN>Increase Defense by 8</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN>Increase mitigation vs poison by 436</SPAN></DIV> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <DIV> <LI><SPAN>Malevolent Circle ( adept 3 )  -  Decreases piercing slashing and crushing of caster by 8</SPAN></LI> <UL></UL></DIV> <P><SPAN>Increase defense by 11</SPAN></P> <P><SPAN>increase Mitigation vs disase by 572</SPAN></P> <P><SPAN>increase mitigation vs poision by 667</SPAN></P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN>Notice while in Cazic Thule the other day soling the double up Goo things ( lvl 40s and 41 double ups ) at the zone in. That with the adept 3 version of Malevolent circle i was getting hammered for 2100 damage ( Nil Distortion ) by these little goo things ( cant remember their name ) with Lucans Pact up, i dont get hit for no where near that damage. It seems that there is some sort of hidden spell avoidance. </SPAN></P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN>Just wondering if anyone else has notice a difference in the two spells as far as being hit with spells more. I know when i got the adept3 version of Malevolent it did increase my avoidance by .3.</SPAN></P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN>Right now i have a avoidance of 70.3 self buffed and very much enjoy evading the mobs hits.</SPAN></P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN>Full suit of ebon armor helps <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></SPAN></P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN>Thanks for reading</SPAN></P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN>Laterz</SPAN></P> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN>Tenvec TankNstein</SPAN></P> <P><SPAN>Kithicor</SPAN></P><p>Message Edited by Genvek on <span class=date_text>06-23-2005</span> <span class=time_text>09:11 AM</span>

[Quaan]

<P>Why are you comparing those spells? Seeing as they stack and dont conflict on stats i use both concurrently.</P> <P>Shouldnt it be lucans vs unholy strength or something (still use luicans for spell avoidance)?</P>

[Bron]

Yeah, not a clue where you're going with this.  These 2 spells stack, you can have them both up at once.  As for Nil Distortion, that's a poison nuke.  Now Lucan's adds spell avoidance so it may help you outright resist this nuke more (especially if the mob is already green to you)  but you should take alot less damage when hit if you have Malevolent Circle up due to the poison mitigation it adds.  But of course...having both up would be the best solution here... <div></div>

[Genv]

<DIV>Changed starter post <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Laterz</DIV> <DIV>And thanks</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tenvec</DIV><p>Message Edited by Genvek on <span class=date_text>06-23-2005</span> <span class=time_text>09:12 AM</span>

[vwlsskng]

Given then numbers, Lucan's Pact should be inferior to Malevolent Circle in every conceivable way.

[Genv]

<DIV>Vwisknght</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I agree, but since i upgrade to Malevolent i have been getting hit by more spells, with lucans i avoided them. Unsure, just seeing if anyone else has had this happen to them. Depends on the mobs though. But Malevolent circle is truely better for every other mob i encounter hands down. Glad i upgraded it to adept 3.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Laterz</DIV> <DIV>Tenvec TankNstein</DIV> <DIV>Kithicor</DIV>

[Zoradan]

<P>Fill me in on how you guys are stacking this?</P> <P>Both take 3 concentration.</P>

[far]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Genvek wrote:<BR> <DIV> <P><SPAN></SPAN></P><SPAN></SPAN></DIV> <P><SPAN></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN>Notice while in Cazic Thule the other day soling the double up Goo things ( lvl 40s and 41 double ups ) at the zone in. That with the adept 3 version of Malevolent circle i was getting hammered for 2100 damage ( Nil Distortion ) by these little goo things ( cant remember their name ) with Lucans Pact up, i dont get hit for no where near that damage. It seems that there is some sort of hidden spell avoidance. </SPAN></P> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>As said by others circle should be better then lucans in every possible way, not to say our spells arent completely buggered in every other way, so why not this one as well.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My guess is like most sks your magic resistance is amazingly weak, and it just seemed to be that, my suggestion kill 10-20 slimes with lucans and count the number of nils and then 10-20 with circle and count the number of times nuked and for how much. These guys are grey and still nuke the hell out of me (@50). Makes me consider wearing torbins</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The extra .3% avoidance comes from haveing another 1 defense from the adept spell</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by farbe on <span class=date_text>06-24-2005</span> <span class=time_text>06:19 AM</span>

[Androids]

The goos you were fighting arent always warlocks. Sometimes they are monks and wizards. <div></div>

[Merdo]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Zoradan wrote:<BR> <P>Fill me in on how you guys are stacking this?</P> <P>Both take 3 concentration.</P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>Yeah, both are 3 concentration. No way to stack these 2 spells, and yes they have differences that are worth comparing. But if you can't see the value of each on your own, I'm not ganna tell ya! :smileywink:<BR>

[Zoradan]

<P>I give up,</P> <P>We got 2 guys claiming they are stacking spells that can't stack, the orig poster editing his post so god knows [Removed for Content] he's asking, and some Troll (hahah you are a troll just messing with you) that claims to know but aint gona tell!</P> <P>I'm going back and bumping the I hate my SK thread.....</P>

[lubu1977]

my recommendation is use zarn...it's the best of all....I /respect and get zarn and it rules cuz it adds mitigation, spell avoidance, and shield skill. It's an upgrade of knight stance. I"m a 46sk and I've tested all. I noticed zarn increases my avoidance. I'm in rush right now so I can't go in detail..but try it if u have it..

[vwlsskng]

The original poster had cited a different spell when he posted and later edited it to read something else, hence the confusion.

[Zoradan]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> vwlssknght wrote:<BR>The original poster had cited a different spell when he posted and later edited it to read something else, hence the confusion. <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>THANK YOU!!!  Now we understand the confusion that is the sk forum.</DIV>

[Genv]

<DIV>4th post down says i changed the topic. Was at work had the two spells confused, got home relized this and changed post. No biggie, sorry for the big stink.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anyway, Still the same. Spell should be better, says its better. But tested it on same type of mob in CT and still noticed the same thing. I will avoid the hits for the goo things with lucans on. Once i put Malevolent i get hit with their spells. Oh well,  just like everything else in this game <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks for reading</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Laterz</DIV> <DIV>Tenvec</DIV>

[Deadjest]

<P>Iubu1977</P> <P>I would like to hear more about your comparison of Zarns vs the other two when you get a chance.</P>

[Bron]

<div></div>Let's clear something up here. Your resist numbers are a Mitigation percentage and have absolutely nothing to do with "avoiding" spells, with the exception that if you can mitigate 100% of a spell's damage, it will be as if you avoided it. The only stat that effects actually avoiding a spell, to my knowledge, is (here's a shocker) spell avoidance.  If you chose Lucan's Infernal bargain as a training option (which I highly recommend), you can test it by fighting green mobs both with and without Lucan's on.  You should notice a significant difference in how many spells you avoid. Since neither Malevolent Circle, nor Lucan's Pact, effects spell avoidance, you will have the same CHANCE to avoid a spell with either of these up.  I emphasize chance because that is what is causing these skewed observations.  It's easy to get a streak of a few nukes and get it in your head that one is better than the other.  Considering the fact that the original poster was confused about the name of the spells at first, I'm not going to accept any observations he made as the bible truth.  Even if there was a trend over a small sample of mobs, it still doesn't prove anything, you need a very large sample to really show any differences. Another fact I'd like to point out is that not all caster NPCs are created equal.  For your standard fighter NPC, you will see static abilities, namely barrage, wild swing, crushing blow, etc.  I can go out and fight 1000 Bedrock grubs and each and every one of them will use the same abilities on me.  Not so for caster mobs.  A dev posted a looong while back that caster mobs pull from a "pool" of spells when they spawn.  This is particularly easy to notice against raid mobs.  Sometimes the Arch Lich will cast devestation, sometimes he'll cast static pulse.  Sometimes he'll even bust out some level 10-20 sorcerer nukes that are fire/cold based and all the poison resist in the world won't help you (since most people buff their poison  for his high level warlock nukes such as devestation). The point of this is that if you pull 2 of these goos, even if both of them are warlocks or wizards or whatever, they can still cast different spells on you.  This is just another random factor to consider when making observations about casting mobs. P.S.  If you can't find the "hidden" difference Zule mentions between the two, take a close look at the line in the description for Lucan's where it says it lowers your offensive skills.. <div></div><p>Message Edited by Bronto on <span class=date_text>07-01-2005</span> <span class=time_text>01:29 AM</span>

[Vak Mallek]

Thanks for the info Bronto.  As stated in a recent post I just dinged 47.6 and received Unholy Strength.  When cancelling Lucan's Infernal Bargain and having Unholy Strength up I get pounded.  The only added strength at adept 1 from Unholy Strength is 2.  The avoidance gain from Lucan's Infernal Bargain seems to weigh more than just a measly +2 to strength.    Does this sound right?  I was stoked to get Unholy Strength adept 1 because of the major strength boost.  Is there another buff better than LIB or is that it?  Seems we would get more. <div></div>