Warrior assistance

[Kronosys]

I am working on a warrior and I'm trying to decide between two templates:

100 str / 100 dex / 25 int
Swordsmanship
Tactics
Anatomy
Parry
Healing
Magic Resist
Magery

100 str / 85 dex / 40 int
Swordsmanship
Tactics
Anatomy
Healing
Magic Resist
Magery
??????

My goal is to be able to solo the strongest PVE content possible, while being able to at least escape from PVP. I am currently aiming at the first template and want to know what I'm losing if I drop 15 dex and parry. Then what would be best to supplement Magery?

[Mikel123]

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=15253

Magery
Healing
Anatomy
Tactics
Macing
Resist
[anything]

Parrying is useful against monsters that don't poison you constantly. Against the Ancient Wyrm and Poison Elemental, it's more trouble than it's worth, because you need to constantly disarm to use orange potions. In fact, my character above had parrying but didn't even use it in that fight.

If you're worried about escaping from PvP, you may as well put Wrestling as the 7th skill. But to be frank, a decently equipped dexer has nothing to fear from a solo PK, so your only worry is groups of PKs, which seem to be pretty rare. Tracking is another good choice, and might help you occasionally spot some group PK traps before you walk into them.

I'd go with the first template. Parry is the easiest, cheapest skill to GM (read the guide by MatronDeWinter and check out my updates to it). So just GM it and test it out. But really, if you wear good armor (fortification or invulnerability), you'll have 95% the protection that you would with GM parry as well. And, you'll have a much easier time without that shield, being able to chug potions and use items without worrying about the shield hand. So I'd advise swapping Wrestling for Parry in the first template. Use magic armor that doesn't sap your dexterity, and use good magic broadswords. They're the most overabundant weapon in the game, and you can get powers pretty much free. And you'll have a free and to always chug potions when needed, you won't have to worry about action delays, and a shield disarm hotkey, and when you need to escape a group of PKs, you'll only have to disarm one item to cast, instead of two (which takes another full second and can often lead to some Razor issues you didn't intend).

[Huzke]

My goal is to be able to solo the strongest PVE content possible, while being able to at least escape from PVP.

Mikel's advice + wrestling for the last skill + Energy Vortex scrolls. That will give you at least the option to be able to solo the toughest monsters the game has to offer, rip though all the easier stuff like dexers are accustomed to, and allow you to pop your recall macro without getting interrupted by a gentle breeze when you get jumped by a group of PK's.

You'll need at least 50 int to cast the EV scroll, but for farming it's probably worth it.

[archaicsubrosa77]

I'd say 50 intelligence and meditation.
You GMed mage, might as well use it right?

You can always have a dress macro.

Don't undermine the value of a medidexxer. Hybrids I believe will be the rule rather then the exception.

[Huzke]

I'd say 50 intelligence and meditation.

This does not help him achieve the goals he's outlined above at all. 0 wrestling will make it almost impossible for him to escape when TG or someone else comes rolling in 3 or 4 PK's deep, and how is that 50 eval and 50 med going to help him against them? I'm not insulting your advice at all and I do see value in 50 eval/50 med but not for this build and not fur what he's outlined as his goals. He won't be able to med with armor higher than leather on anyway and he won't get near the utility form eval int that he will from the wrestling.

You GMed mage, might as well use it right?

How's he going to use it when he's constantly interrupted and can't even get a recall off?

You can always have a dress macro.

This is excellent advice.

[archaicsubrosa77]

not 50 eval 50 med
50 intelligence/stat
and GM meditation/ skill

For PVE I think that's a great build. We are talking a field template that has alot of room to cast.

Magic is very useful. Also I would never say go 50 med on anyone except maybe a oppurtunist stealther/lockpicker or something of that nature where the majority of the time you are in hiding rather then interacting with your environment.

Mostly because every 20 points the effects seem more noticeable as far as passive meditation goes

I'd at least say 60

I think in PVE you use more Mana then you would wrestle, though you want a higher wrestle to avoid being pinned down in a tight spot anyway. So let's take a step back a minute and think of a hybrid that combines these two concepts.

Weapon
Tactics
Anatomy 80
Resist 90
Healing
Magery
Meditation 60
Wrestling 70

Personally I like a dexxer with high meditation. I can always find a break where I can cast in most instances. But yeah if you are getting banged wrestle would have it's perks.

[Huzke]

Wrestling still fits his listed criteria, GM med isn't helping him escape or help him solo high end PvE content all that much better. You only 'need' one EV to kill a Balron, for example. But if PK's gate in and jump all over him that GM med isn't going to have him banking the loot he just earned, wrestling will.

[archaicsubrosa77]

Wrestling still fits his listed criteria, GM med isn't helping him escape or help him solo high end PvE content all that much better. You only 'need' one EV to kill a Balron, for example. But if PK's gate in and jump all over him that GM med isn't going to have him banking the loot he just earned, wrestling will.

Well if you are casting constantly to summon on your kills a high mana pool would hasten that as well as ensure it won't take long to regen in able to recall or take some other form of intiative with your magery.

Or if you want to drop a Meteor Swarm on someone before dropping a hally on their head.

Wrestling has it's perks, but with high AR (via dress macro) with protection/reflect always on (something you couldn't do without meditation)...you really don't need it if you are going to just recall out anyway.

But if you have one on the defensive, higher mana is definately a plus. I am not saying wrestling is a bad choice...it's just using it just for an easier recall doesn't excite me

[Huzke]

Wrestling has it's perks, but with high AR (via dress macro) with protection/reflect always on (something you couldn't do without meditation)...you really don't need it if you are going to just recall out anyway.

Yeah because high AR stops you from being interrupted...

[archaicsubrosa77]

There are two ways of interrupting via magery or damage taken.
Magic Reflection and a Higher AR boosted with protection...heck even reflective armor, can nullify an interrupt.
Yes things might not work out that way, but GM wrestling isn't fail safe either.

Both would be useless with a barrage of debuffs and harms.

[Huzke]

First, you deal too much in perfect situations to give advice to new players. I admire your dedication to making unique templates, but suggesting off the wall stuff to new players isn't a good way to keep people playing the game.

Second, what's preventing someone with wrestling instead of Med from having just as much AR? Magic reflect charges are hard to come by but protection charges definitely are not. This only means that the wrestling build has that much more an advantage over the med build in escaping.

[archaicsubrosa77]

I never said wrestling was a bad choice, I just think meditation is better.
Especially if you have healing and dont rely on magery alone to heal yourself.
Having Wrestling without Meditation to me is also a certain scenerio in not so ideal circumstances...being trapped or boxed in. Maybe even in Trammel

I think having meditation is more viable as you will be using that more then wrestling, not just in "Ideal" situations. In fact the only time you would be using wrestling is to cast a limited amount of mana in a tight situation that can most likely be remedied with a red pot.

That's always the argument from people who spent too much time in a box about me "Ideal situation". It definately doesn't fit here or in most places.

Giving one example saves me from going over everything...which I won't do. The in game tactics should be developed in playing with only light inspiration. Give them the spark and let the fire burn as it will.

[Spitfire]

Wrestling is my favorite skill, sounds like Huzke agrees by these posts. I would wear magic armor and take wrestling as a 7th skill. I don't want to tell you how to play your character, but if you want to be casting EV's, you aren't really using your "warrior" skills anyway, so just make a mage for that. A dexxer doesn't have a great shot against high end mobs (not saying it's impossible) even with parry.

With Meditation, you'll have to sacrifice dex and armor which moves you away from the warrior role a bit.

As for your dex question, check out the guides on weapon speed and plug your dex and desired weapon into the formula. For example, a kryss can swing at 5 ticks when you have 89 stamina. It will also swing the same speed at 100 stamina. So you can afford to drop some dex if you really want to. A decent (and cheap) weapon for swordsmanship is a broadsword, which can swing at its best speed (6 ticks) with 91 stamina, same speed at 100 stamina.

[archaicsubrosa77]

With Meditation, you'll have to sacrifice dex and armor which moves you away from the warrior role a bit.

95 dex from a greater agility pot, and wearing leather sleeves and pants with a dress macro for a plate tunic isn't much of a sacrifice.

I would only take wrestling on low mage and make up the difference in wrestling and choose another skill really if you were to go that route. I mean if you only are taking wrestling to recall with...

35 mage 65 wrestling maybe shave off points on the 8th skill to boost either.

[Huzke]

Again, it's cool that you try all these off the wall templates and ideas, it really is. But suggesting a new player employ oddball tactics ore deviate from the criteria he asked advice on before he's really played the game is just poor advice.

He asked for a template with high survuvability, escapability from PK's, and still be able to solo most high end content. Your suggestions, while allowing him to farm more consistently, will have him filling the bank boxes of any group of PK's that comes to take his cookies. So if the OP wants to be a walking lootbag then he should def take your advice.