Can my group tell if I’m there? - Page 2

spa · 10-29-2005, 06:39 AM

Even our power regen, 32PoT. You dont notice it until your out of power - which typically doesnt take long, you dont exactly last-grind longer by any great amount of time with this buff on. We are Bards, we are batteries, we should be able to just go on auto-follow (and go AFK) and the group could really notice their power just doesnt go down... unless they are always constantly button mashing for prolonged periods of time.

Stuff like that would make us very wanted-noticed, just like how chanters were before DoF, they were awesome for power and crowd control, now just .. crowd control and a bit of noticable meer small drops of increase in power.

On a side note, the level x 1.5 PoT cap is really low. I remember several months ago when i recieved my Golden Efreeti Boots, 20PoT, i thought umm.. well its ok i guess, i did use them just incase. Then they nerfed it to 5 or 7PoT (and lately 5PoT). Now rare Fabled gear gives anything from 2 to 5 PoT, [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn]...

Netcaitiff · 10-29-2005, 07:09 AM

My general experience is that a group may not notice a difference when you are there, but they do when you leave. What I mean by that, is some things just are not as easy anymore. They may have a hard time putting a finger on it, and just chalk it up to some bad luck.

We have the ability to fill in the gaps in a group. Group have too much downtime? We can help. Tank taking too much damage? Got that covered. Tank losing aggro? Got a spell for that. Everything going well? We can add to melee DPS in many ways. We can adapt to many different situations depending on what the group needs. Most of the time, the group will not even notice our difference, they will find that things are going very smoothly though.

I mean, really, take an average group of a Wizard, Brigand, Warden and Bruiser. Ok, this group obviously has plenty of DPS and debuffs. In this group I would probably play Daro's and Wailing to take healing pressure off the Warden, Hyrans to help the Bruiser w/ aggro, Boon and Riannas for the melees, and Brias to just speed us up.

In a group of a Illusionist, Templar, Assasin and Shadowknight I would try another set up. I may forgo debuffs, but I would start w/ Claras for a bit of extra damage. Mana, aggro and healing are probably okay, so for the rest of my lineup I would probably go w/ Boon, Rianna's, Tomb's and maybe Hyrans. The last one (Hyrans) would be situational depending on how heals/mana goes.

Anyway, in neither one of these groups would anyone really notice what I was adding, but I am making the group run smoother. A dirge has the ability to switch modes pretty easy. If, for some reason, the second group's templar was not that great, I could add a few defense buffs so their job is easier. Of course, they will get the credit of keeping the tank alive, even if it was our slows and defense buff that made the difference. The Assasin will be complimented on his damage, even if it was Boon and Rianna's that were adding to it. The Shadowknight would be complimented on holding aggro, even though we contributed an additional 24% to all his aggro. And Mr. Dirge, um, thanks for coming. Good players will see the difference imo, but then again, it never hirts to kinda 'point out' what you are contributing=)

It would be nice to have some sort of effect that made others go 'wow'. That is the main reason I wish that fear was a good cc skill, because cc is noticiable. But, really, I do think we add a fair amount, just nothing flashy.

Evel · 10-29-2005, 05:23 PM

I have to disagree with most in the thread. I like the changes (not all) done to dirges and yes am noticed if i'm not there. I like having a little bit of everything.

Run Speed- always noticed, I'm told alot "Chikky wait up, I'm too slow"

Debuffs- I love how they changed debuffs to drain mana. I almost never debuff mobs in group because they die too quickly so that isn't an issue. On named mobs I put on my GEBs and use my mana stone and I don't really notice it.

Mana- Take the dirge out of the group and the group will be constanly waiting for mana.

Rez- I have no issues with this. This has saved groups so many times. On raids I still have the bards do rezes (even tho it was gimped) it's still better then taking a healer away from healing to run around and rez.

Zanders- I never thought of this as a defining trait. Of our 4 encounter debuffs this is the last on my list.

CC- yeah crowd control is a joke, I only use this when a chanter needs help locking down a mob.

Buffs- i'm happy. Any tank will tell you Percussion of Stone rocks. And on raids, I get told alot "Stoneskin has absorbed ...several K damage" (this is not broken and is very very usefull, i always have this buff up). Cacohpony of Blades is amazing as well.

Hate buff- This is decent for groups and great for raids. This also adds lots of Str which chanters do NOT get. On raids I almost never had a chanter in the MT group, never an assasin and always a dirge so this does help.

DPS- Groups don't invite me for dps, I get groups because of my buffs/debuffs. I too was at the bottom of the dps list untill 58 and got Cacohony of Blades, don't cast and simply melee away and you'll go to the top.

The only thing I would like to see changed for dirges:

Make Fear a little more useful. I do not think we should be able to keep someone constanly feared but a little more like a 20 second fear with 25 second recast.

Message Edited by Evelin on 10-29-2005 06:42 AM

10-29-2005, 05:23 PM	#33
Evel Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 16	I have to disagree with most in the thread. I like the changes (not all) done to dirges and yes am noticed if i'm not there. I like having a little bit of everything. Run Speed- always noticed, I'm told alot "Chikky wait up, I'm too slow" Debuffs- I love how they changed debuffs to drain mana. I almost never debuff mobs in group because they die too quickly so that isn't an issue. On named mobs I put on my GEBs and use my mana stone and I don't really notice it. Mana- Take the dirge out of the group and the group will be constanly waiting for mana. Rez- I have no issues with this. This has saved groups so many times. On raids I still have the bards do rezes (even tho it was gimped) it's still better then taking a healer away from healing to run around and rez. Zanders- I never thought of this as a defining trait. Of our 4 encounter debuffs this is the last on my list. CC- yeah crowd control is a joke, I only use this when a chanter needs help locking down a mob. Buffs- i'm happy. Any tank will tell you Percussion of Stone rocks. And on raids, I get told alot "Stoneskin has absorbed ...several K damage" (this is not broken and is very very usefull, i always have this buff up). Cacohpony of Blades is amazing as well. Hate buff- This is decent for groups and great for raids. This also adds lots of Str which chanters do NOT get. On raids I almost never had a chanter in the MT group, never an assasin and always a dirge so this does help. DPS- Groups don't invite me for dps, I get groups because of my buffs/debuffs. I too was at the bottom of the dps list untill 58 and got Cacohony of Blades, don't cast and simply melee away and you'll go to the top. The only thing I would like to see changed for dirges: Make Fear a little more useful. I do not think we should be able to keep someone constanly feared but a little more like a 20 second fear with 25 second recast. Message Edited by Evelin on 10-29-2005 06:42 AM __________________

10-29-2005, 06:39 AM	#31
spa General Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: UK Posts: 175	Even our power regen, 32PoT. You dont notice it until your out of power - which typically doesnt take long, you dont exactly last-grind longer by any great amount of time with this buff on. We are Bards, we are batteries, we should be able to just go on auto-follow (and go AFK) and the group could really notice their power just doesnt go down... unless they are always constantly button mashing for prolonged periods of time. Stuff like that would make us very wanted-noticed, just like how chanters were before DoF, they were awesome for power and crowd control, now just .. crowd control and a bit of noticable meer small drops of increase in power. On a side note, the level x 1.5 PoT cap is really low. I remember several months ago when i recieved my Golden Efreeti Boots, 20PoT, i thought umm.. well its ok i guess, i did use them just incase. Then they nerfed it to 5 or 7PoT (and lately 5PoT). Now rare Fabled gear gives anything from 2 to 5 PoT, [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn]...

10-29-2005, 07:09 AM	#32
Netcaitiff Loremaster Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 23	My general experience is that a group may not notice a difference when you are there, but they do when you leave. What I mean by that, is some things just are not as easy anymore. They may have a hard time putting a finger on it, and just chalk it up to some bad luck. We have the ability to fill in the gaps in a group. Group have too much downtime? We can help. Tank taking too much damage? Got that covered. Tank losing aggro? Got a spell for that. Everything going well? We can add to melee DPS in many ways. We can adapt to many different situations depending on what the group needs. Most of the time, the group will not even notice our difference, they will find that things are going very smoothly though. I mean, really, take an average group of a Wizard, Brigand, Warden and Bruiser. Ok, this group obviously has plenty of DPS and debuffs. In this group I would probably play Daro's and Wailing to take healing pressure off the Warden, Hyrans to help the Bruiser w/ aggro, Boon and Riannas for the melees, and Brias to just speed us up. In a group of a Illusionist, Templar, Assasin and Shadowknight I would try another set up. I may forgo debuffs, but I would start w/ Claras for a bit of extra damage. Mana, aggro and healing are probably okay, so for the rest of my lineup I would probably go w/ Boon, Rianna's, Tomb's and maybe Hyrans. The last one (Hyrans) would be situational depending on how heals/mana goes. Anyway, in neither one of these groups would anyone really notice what I was adding, but I am making the group run smoother. A dirge has the ability to switch modes pretty easy. If, for some reason, the second group's templar was not that great, I could add a few defense buffs so their job is easier. Of course, they will get the credit of keeping the tank alive, even if it was our slows and defense buff that made the difference. The Assasin will be complimented on his damage, even if it was Boon and Rianna's that were adding to it. The Shadowknight would be complimented on holding aggro, even though we contributed an additional 24% to all his aggro. And Mr. Dirge, um, thanks for coming. Good players will see the difference imo, but then again, it never hirts to kinda 'point out' what you are contributing=) It would be nice to have some sort of effect that made others go 'wow'. That is the main reason I wish that fear was a good cc skill, because cc is noticiable. But, really, I do think we add a fair amount, just nothing flashy.