Wisdom and You

[Banditman]

I find that a lot of the posts around here are turning to the topic of Wisdom and how it affects your character in game.  I want to be clear, everything I'm writing here is based upon the CURRENT system.  There are changes coming (read:  "The Great Balancing Patch" (tm)).  I can't comment on those changes because they aren't even on test yet.  So, everything I'm telling you here is based upon how things work now and (probably) until such time as this patch hits. So, is Wisdom important to the Mystic?  Yes, hugely important.  It in large part determines the power pool, and with Mystics, the more the better since we have to use highly inefficient means in performing our primary function. It's very important to us that we know exactly where our Wisdom is, especially when considering what gear to use and what gear to scrap.  I keep a LOT of spare gear.  A high percentage of my spare gear is for resists, which make a very large difference in raiding.  Still, not all of my spare gear is resistance based. The absolute most important number to remember is 200.  This is the break point where Wisdom's benefits drop off significantly.  Up until 200, you are gaining approximately five points of Mana for every one point of Wisdom.  So, in essence, you can gain 1000 points of power simply by putting your Wisdom at 200. Please note that I did say approximately.  It actually slides around some as you level up, but when you do finally reach L50, it will be a very accurate barometer. Now, the trouble we run into here is that once we hit that magic number of 200 Wisdom, the returns drop off significantly.  After 200, each point of Wisdom only yields 2 points of Mana.  It's here that we have to start looking carefully at each piece of gear. Let's look at 2 pieces of gear for a Mystic (or for any Priest at that) who already has that magic 200 in Wisdom . . . let's say he's at 210 Wisdom. Item 1, current gear:  Ring of Whatever, +5 STA, +5 AGI, +9 WIS, +30 Health, +23 Mana Item 2, new gear:  Ring of Something, +7 STA, +7 AGI, +4 Wis, +29 Health, +35 Mana The question:  "Which piece is better for me?" Item 1 would "seem" to be the easy answer.  +9 WIS on a ring is GREAT, there aren't many rings in the game with +9 WIS, (Ancient Slayers Ring of Wisdom is the most common). However, the actual answer is that Item 2 is actually the better item for a Priest at 210 Wisdom. Item 1 is actually providing the Mystic with +41 Mana (18 from WIS, 23 Raw). Item 2 is actually providing the Mystic with +43 Mana (8 from WIS, 35 Raw). And in the end, Item 2 is providing more Health and more Avoidance in addition to more actual power.  It's a better item, even though it "appears" at first glance to be less attractive to a Priest. The thing here is to keep as much gear as you can.  As different items for different slots drop, you have to constantly evaluate where your Wisdom is, as well as the power benefits each slot you have is providing. When trying to get up to that magic 200, you pretty much grab any item you can that has Wisdom on it to get yourself up there.  Once you arrive at 200, you try to grab items with more than 10 Wisdom on them in order to build better stats in other slots.  If I can get to 200 in only 13 slots, and another Priest uses 18, I've got a distinct advantage in choosing gear to improve not only my power pool, but other stats as well. Further, keeping a lot of spare gear gives you options.  Say something REALLY nice drops for a slot where you currently have +6 WIS.  Well, if dropping that piece for the new puts you below that 200 number, you cost yourself a LOT of power.  However, perhaps you've got some spare gear that has higher WIS on it than your current.  Swap out a couple pieces to make up the 6 WIS you are losing and loot the uber gear! Hope this helps some folks.  It's something I've been doing for a while but never stopped to think about the how's and why's.

[Mystiq]

Good post B, this is info every priest should know.

 

[aprilstor]

wow thanks again banditman...we all appreciate your help

[slashalot]

really good reading but now i have questions

if you say that WIS controls power pool then one could have 1000 point power pool at low level?  yes?

does this also hold for other stats? STA for health?

can i get more then 1 stat to 200? i think only 1 went to 200 and others stopped at 150 in EQ1

[disru]

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slashalot wrote:

really good reading but now i have questions

if you say that WIS controls power pool then one could have 1000 point power pool at low level?  yes?

Not really. The amount of power you get per point scales as you level. For example, at lvl 20, you may only get 2 points of power per 1 point of wisdom while at level 40 you could be getting 6 points of power per one point of wisdom.

does this also hold for other stats? STA for health?

Yes.

can i get more then 1 stat to 200? i think only 1 went to 200 and others stopped at 150 in EQ1

Yes, you can get more than 1 stat to or over 200 without much trouble.

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[Banditman]

Slashalot: Disrupt is correct.  The WIS to Power ratio does change as you level up.  I stated as much in my initial post, just check back over it, it's there. That 200 limit in EQLive was your spell specialization.  One went to 200, the others stopped at 50.  There was a Secondary Specialization AA that allowed you to push another skill to 100. As far as stats, both EQLive and EQ2 allow you to push any and all your stats up as much as you like.  It would be very difficult to move more than one of them over 200, but it's possible.  I've had my STR and WIS both over 200 before.

[Terq]

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Banditman wrote:
Slashalot:

Disrupt is correct.  The WIS to Power ratio does change as you level up.  I stated as much in my initial post, just check back over it, it's there.

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Becuase the power ratio changes, at the low levels you are more likely to see a higher power pool by just using +power items.  Similarly, once you hit 200, you will more likely reap better rewards by getting that +power gear, instead of more wisdom gear. 

[Banditman]

This is not necessarily true, because at lower levels the amount of +Power is lower.  You just have to look at what you've got.  The simplest thing to do at lower levels is keep the +1 Wis ring you get early on and use it every level to see what kind of power +1 Wis is getting you.

[Terq]

I agree.  It's not necessarily true, but often it is.  Best thing to do is either figure out your personal power/wis ratio if you like math, or, if you don't, just equip both items and see which one nets you more power.

[Terq]

I'll even make it easier for everyone:

Note your total power (going to call this "mana" for ease in variable identity)  This will be M1.

Pick a piece of equipment that has a wis modifiier on it.  Note its wis and power mod.  These will be W and P repectively.

Now, unequip that piece.  Note your total power.  This is going to be M2. 

Your Wis: Power ratio will be

(M1 - M2 - P) / W

If I were at home right now, I would tell you mine.  Unfortunately, I am stuck at work. 

 

Edit: this asssumes that you are under 200 wis.  Like Bandit said, at 200 you reach a diminishing return. 

 

Message Edited by Terq on 06-17-2005 08:21 AM

Message Edited by Terq on 06-17-2005 08:22 AM

[Novagel]

Once again Banditman, you prove to be an excellent Mystic researcher/player.  Impressive. /cheers 50 Mystic Butcherblock