Combat Changes Traits and Attributes - How to Choose

[Rochir]

<DIV>I have been experimenting with different character configurations on Test using ring buffs, hex dolls, spell and CA buffs.    Everyone has their own idea of what their character should be.   SOE has made it much easier to immediately see the effects of buffs, debuffs and items on your character.   Before you choose to click that plus sign, here is what you should do:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1.   Go to an area where there are blue and white con normal and heroic mobs and you can solo.   You can try grouping but solo will give you the best idea where your individual character stands in the combat changes.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2.  Find a safe spot and open up your new persona window and leave it open.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>3.  Unequip all of your items, turn off all of your spells and buffs.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>4.  Do not reconfigure your toolbars yet.   You will want to check all of your favorite spells and CAs.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>5.  Equip your items one at a time or in groups and check the effect of each stat, and resist in the Persona window.   The persona window dynamically updates now so you can do this in real time.  You may also want to open up your knowledge window and examine all of your non-gray spells and CAs as you do this.   You will find that many of them change based on your stats.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>6. After you have equipped your items, start trying your item buffs from rings and hex dolls.   Keep checking the effects on your persona, spells and CAs.   You can check your spells and CAs now just by pointing at them.  You no longer have to examine them. The descriptions now update in real time you can watch the description change in real time as you equip and unequip items.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>7.  I assume that most of you have some coin on your high level characters so go buy normal imbued rings and hex dolls that have the stats you are thinking about adding on them.  It is better to spend a little coin than end up with traits and attributes you did not want.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>8.   Now try your spell and CA buffs, doing the same thing, checking the effect on every aspect of your character, the persona window, your spells and CAs.  Keep trying different buffs and debuffs until you have the stats you think you want.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>9.  You have your items equipped and you have chosen your buffs., now fight some mobs.   Start with green or blue normal mobs then work your way up to white even-con.   First try fighting them with the offensive stance, then the defensive stance if you are a fighter.  Note the effect of the offensive and defensive stances on your persona and your favorite spells and CAs.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>10.   Try different spells and CAs, see which work and in what combinations for you.  Experiment with some new tactics.    Rearrange your toolbars based on what you like and dislike.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>12.  Now comes the real test, heroic mobs.   Find some green or blue solo or grouped heroics and try your new persona, spells and CAs on them.      Start with the easiest heroics you can find and work your way up until you find some heroics you cant handle solo.  You may lose your shard doing this so try to pull them away from other mobs so you can easily get your shard back. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>13.  If you really want to be thorough, do all or some the steps listed above solo, duo, grouped and in a RAID.   Get your guild together and have a trait/attribute RAID, no one should make any choices until after the RAID.  You can play and gain experience without choosing your traits and attributes, you just cant complete any quests.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>14.  When you are satisfied that you have gotten a feel for your revamped character, go ahead and make your choices.   Try to choose permanent traits and attributes.  Avoid temporary buffs where possible.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's your character, listen to what others say but set him or her up like you want, not like someone said to.   Set up your traits and attributes to optimize your play style, not someone elses.  You will only get one chance to do it so choose wisely.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Rochir on <span class=date_text>09-13-2005</span> <span class=time_text>10:31 AM</span>

[Tur]

Thank you, Rochir. Exactally what I was looking for. Good job!

[Rochir]

<P>Paladin specific stat information:</P> <P>Stamina (sta) - increases hit points</P> <P>Strength (str) - increases power (3/4), melee damage and divine damage</P> <P>Agility (agi) - increases avoidance</P> <P>Wisdom (wis) - increases power (1/4) and all resists</P> <P>Intelligence (int) - increases spellcasting damage</P><p>Message Edited by Rochir on <span class=date_text>09-13-2005</span> <span class=time_text>10:26 AM</span>

[Yrield]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Rochir wrote:<BR> <P>Paladin specific stat information:</P> <P>Stamina (sta) - increases hit points</P> <P>Strength (str) - increases power (3/4), melee damage and divine damage</P> <P>Agility (agi) - increases avoidance</P> <P>Wisdom (wis) - increases power (1/4) and all resists</P> <P>Intelligence (int) - increases spellcasting damage</P> <P>Message Edited by Rochir on <SPAN class=date_text>09-13-2005</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>10:26 AM</SPAN><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Small notes:</P> <P>STR: increases power, auto-attack damage and CAs damage (all ours CAs/Spells deal divine damage)</P> <P>Agi: increases avoidance but don't focus on agi first if you want to avoid: +5 parry > +5 defense > +5 agi</P> <P> </P> <P>And yes, avoid clickies traits at all cost !</P>

[Rochir]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Yrieldom wrote: <P><BR>Small notes:</P> <P>STR: increases power, auto-attack damage and CAs damage (all ours CAs/Spells deal divine damage)</P> <P>Agi: increases avoidance but don't focus on agi first if you want to avoid: +5 parry > +5 defense > +5 agi</P> <P> </P> <P>And yes, avoid clickies traits at all cost !</P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>Alll our CAs now do divine damage.   Increasing strength boosts our melee damage AND our divine damage.   I checked it on test and a +12 boost in strength boosted the divine damage on my CAs about +3-5 <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR>

[Yrield]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Rochir wrote:<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Yrieldom wrote: <P><BR>Small notes:</P> <P>STR: increases power, auto-attack damage and CAs damage (all ours CAs/Spells deal divine damage)</P> <P>Agi: increases avoidance but don't focus on agi first if you want to avoid: +5 parry > +5 defense > +5 agi</P> <P> </P> <P>And yes, avoid clickies traits at all cost !</P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>Alll our CAs now do divine damage.   Increasing strength boosts our melee damage AND our divine damage.   I checked it on test and a +12 boost in strength boosted the divine damage on my CAs about +3-5 <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>That exactly what i said, minus ours spells inflict divine damage too and are not affected by STR. Its just to clear up any confusion: damage bonus for CAs = STR / damage bonus for spells = INT</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Doesnt matter if the CAs is divine based (paly), disease based (Sk) or crushing based (warrior) the damage bonus always come from STR</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Majorminor]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Rochir wrote:<BR> <DIV> You will only get one chance to do it so choose wisely.</DIV> <P>Message Edited by Rochir on <SPAN class=date_text>09-13-2005</SPAN><SPAN class=time_text>10:31 AM</SPAN><BR></P> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>We all should get a /respec after the forced one, so really have 2 times to pick</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Otherwise good idea still. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><A href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=comtest&message.id=8329#M8329" target=_blank>http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=comtest&message.id=8329#M8329</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks to <A href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/view_profile?user.id=9486" target=_blank><SPAN>WAPCE</SPAN></A><BR><SPAN>Guardian<BR>Posts: 874<BR>Registered: 11-09-2004 </SPAN><BR></DIV> <DIV>on finding this, a posting it in a few of these.</DIV> <DIV>Again though, I am trying to get this confirmed, so it's still a probably.  Though I would think a rather High Probability</DIV> <DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV>

[Majorminor]

<P>Confirmed, You have about a week to mess around with your choices, then can /respec again.</P> <P> </P> <P></P><A href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/view_profile?user.id=106" target=_blank><IMG alt="" src="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/i/rank_icons/admin.gif" border=0><FONT color=#e3d034></FONT><SPAN>Blackguard</SPAN></A><BR><SPAN>Community Manager<BR>Posts: 1760<BR>Registered: 11-07-2004 </SPAN><BR><IMG height=8 alt="" src="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/i/p.gif" width=150 border=0><BR><A href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/view_profile?user.id=106" target=_blank><IMG height=70 alt=Blackguard src="http://everquest2.station.sony.com/images/forum_images/eq2_blackguard.jpg" width=70 border=0></A><BR> <P><SPAN>Reply <A href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=cs&message.id=42#M42" target=_blank><FONT color=#c8c1b5>1</FONT></A> of 1 </SPAN><BR><IMG height=6 src="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/i/p.gif" width=1><BR><SPAN>Viewed 1270 times<BR></SPAN></P><IMG height=1 alt="" src="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/i/p.gif" width=1 border=0><BR>We'll be offering a /respec soon. It will take place at the same time we remove the Bonus Adventure Experience that you are getting right now. We would like you to get acquainted with the combat changes after the initial respec (that occurs for everyone when they log in for the first time after Live Update #13) before you decide what character advancement choices you would like to make.<BR> <P><BR><FONT color=#999999>Ryan "Blackguard" Shwayder</FONT></P><SPAN><SPAN class=date_text><FONT color=#756b56>09-13-2005</FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=time_text>02:00 PM</SPAN> </SPAN>

[Mrhan]

cool<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Rochir]

<DIV>In the previous version of EQ2 I added strength twice and stamina once.   This time I added strength once and stamina twice.</DIV>

[Majorminor]

I've had about 4 times to respec so far hehe, Dam Server.  I sure can pick em though.