What to do, what to do?

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10-04-2008
Anxst

What to do, what to do?

So, I've spent the last few days pondering Dunkirk and what I'm doing. I've spent years in varied MMOs playing a healer. I've always been (relatively) good at it.

In WAR, I'm digigng healing in RvR. I do an okay job, and have a good time with it. However, the leveling is god awful sloooow, and PvE healing is so easy with any decent party it's almost laughable. Therefore, I've been pondering making a change.

Group support foundation roles are still my mindset, so I'm thinking a tank. I made a little Ironbreaker and Swordmaster, and I'm having trouble choosing between the two. They both seem pretty cool. The IB seems easier to play, in that you just have abilities and use them. As long as you have the grudge, it works. Higher grudge might make it work better, but it still works. SM seems slightly more complex. Maybe I should set up each 'level' on a different hotbar to keep track of what I can currently use, or something.

So, what are people's thoughts on the major differences between the two tanks at higher ranks? Is the SM slightly more offensive, as it seems?
10-04-2008
Kaburan

Definitely talk to Blockade or Drumstick in game. They are both excellent tanks and know their *PG13*.

If I may ask, WTF are you giving up on healing? We need you people! And you're halfway to 40!
10-04-2008
RJO

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaburan

And you're halfway to 40!

My suggestion would be to get to 30 or 31 so you can be around in Tier 4 and see a bit of what healing is like in T4.

As for tanks - I love Ironbreaker but really haven't played it beyond the mid teens - so I can't comment on the longer term, how does this work question.
10-04-2008
Anxst

I haven't totally given up on healing. I'm just pondering the idea. :)

Leveling is just driving me nuts. I can't do crap for damage, and quests give a trickle of xp. The only time I get into groups is in Scenarios, even on PQ nights, despite hitting guild chat for open groups every 5 minutes for 30-45 minutes (in between scenarios, usually). I just don't know how everyone else is leveling so fast. Maybe it's all an illusion and it just feels this way.

Maybe I should just focus on scenarios for xp. They do give the best xp that I've found so far. In the 10 minutes a scenario might take I'll get 5k xp on average (7k+ on a win, 3k+ on a loss). Doing quests during that same time I'll have killed 10 mobs for 200 xp each and turned in a quest for 1800 xp. If I move to higher chapter quests, I get more xp, but my time to kill goes up exponentially.

The mild frustration just made me look at tanks for a little bit. That's all. I figure even if I don't go to the tank, it's going to be my first alt some day, and knowing what your friends can do is always useful.

So...

How are the other Runeprists leveling? What secret am I missing?
10-04-2008
Archiver

It saddens me that you are becoming frustrated with your RP. I hope you can find the comfortable niche that you are looking for. If you have any
questions about the SM feel free to call me and I will try to help you out with your questions.
10-04-2008
Chux

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anxst

I haven't totally given up on healing. I'm just pondering the idea. :)

Leveling is just driving me nuts. I can't do crap for damage, and quests give a trickle of xp. The only time I get into groups is in Scenarios, even on PQ nights, despite hitting guild chat for open groups every 5 minutes for 30-45 minutes (in between scenarios, usually). I just don't know how everyone else is leveling so fast. Maybe it's all an illusion and it just feels this way.

Maybe I should just focus on scenarios for xp. They do give the best xp that I've found so far. In the 10 minutes a scenario might take I'll get 5k xp on average (7k+ on a win, 3k+ on a loss). Doing quests during that same time I'll have killed 10 mobs for 200 xp each and turned in a quest for 1800 xp. If I move to higher chapter quests, I get more xp, but my time to kill goes up exponentially.

The mild frustration just made me look at tanks for a little bit. That's all. I figure even if I don't go to the tank, it's going to be my first alt some day, and knowing what your friends can do is always useful.

So...

How are the other Runeprists leveling? What secret am I missing?

I'm exactly the opposite of you, I started a RP because leveling is so slow on my Shadow Warrior. Quests bore me and I hate running around, but XP is sucking in T2 scenarios because I've won maybe 3 of 25-30 scenarios. I don't have nearly as much time to play as most people, so I've fallen so severely behind that I can't take part in guild events anymore. It's so discouraging that I've thought about canceling before the 30 days free month is up. I cant keep up with everybody, so unless people are on alts, I'm playing by myself. Which bothers me even me even more, because people are working on a second character and are the same level as me :D

T1 scenarios, I probably have a good 75% win ration, exp is good, and I went from 7 to almost 12 in just a few hours.. but I'm dreading the T2 scenarios because order sucks in T2 from my experience ;)
10-05-2008
Aryenne

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anxst

How are the other Runeprists leveling? What secret am I missing?

Well, I keep a pocket engineer named Tagrim with me at all times. He does the damage I do the healing and it works out well.
We're both only in our mid teens with our mains because we only play those two when both of us have time to play together. But I absolutely love my RP. I like that I can have multiple people beating on me and just spam my heals and still relatively come out alive.

Chux, don't give up yet. There's a lot of us still in T2. We're just harder to see sometimes because we have lives :D (*hugs to all that have outleveled us easily*) or some of us make a million alts. But we're still here to hang with. If you ever see Tagrim or Takeyla around just shoot us a tell we're always looking for more people to do pq's or quests or jump in a scenario inbetween when we get bored.
10-05-2008
Boosie

Chux, if you look at the guild stats that Ryan posted you will see that nearly 56% of the guild is still in Tier 2. That is 114 people in the guild are within your level range. You have not fallen as far behind as you might think. You are on target, in fact. 23% of the guild is in Tier 3 (40 people) and only 1% of the guild (3 people) are in tier 4. There are tier 2 events happening all the time, whether it is PQ's, scenarios or even raids.

Personally, I LOVE the T2 scenario called Mourkain's Temple (or something like that). I find that Order has their good days and their bad days. Either way, the xp and reknown from them is usually pretty decent and I often level up doing scenarios more than I do questing.

Please don't be discouraged because you are right with the majority of the guild.
10-05-2008
RJO

On the topic of Tier 2 - we will be trying to get a bunch of Tier 2 events going over the next few weeks while we get more people up in to T3.

I've posted the first Keep Raid (thursday) in the in game calendar but I don't think I've posted on the forums yet...
10-05-2008
nolifeking

My IB is almost 24 now, and it's been great. I played a SM in beta, and I really like the IB much more. SM's had more damage, but IB's have the ability to buff themselves and someone else pretty well. They have absolutely the most crowd control in the game. I'm not the biggest fan of the dwarf look, but the abilities they have, as far as I'm concerned, are top notch.

Also, to echo the above, there are lots of T2 players, and soon you can move into T3. Before long everyone will be in T4 and you'll always have plenty to do!
10-06-2008
Chux

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boosie

Chux, if you look at the guild stats that Ryan posted you will see that nearly 56% of the guild is still in Tier 2. That is 114 people in the guild are within your level range. You have not fallen as far behind as you might think. You are on target, in fact. 23% of the guild is in Tier 3 (40 people) and only 1% of the guild (3 people) are in tier 4. There are tier 2 events happening all the time, whether it is PQ's, scenarios or even raids.

Personally, I LOVE the T2 scenario called Mourkain's Temple (or something like that). I find that Order has their good days and their bad days. Either way, the xp and reknown from them is usually pretty decent and I often level up doing scenarios more than I do questing.

Please don't be discouraged because you are right with the majority of the guild.

I'm always in Mourkain's on the bad days ;)

Thanks Boosie and Takeyla. I've thought about it, but I doubt I actually would cancel. My work schedule really sucks, and on the weekends my personal life supersedes gaming. Only day I get to really get to play more than hour or two is on Friday's. Take my previous post as just venting my own situation and frustration with real life > gaming ;) It's not like SWG days where all I had to do was go to college hehe
10-06-2008
Gagtech

Scenarios are deffinately the way to go when levelling.

Mourkains Temple(T2) and then Tor Anroc(T3) are the most popular scenarios so they pop quickly. Do as much healing as you can while in there, and you should walk out of there with 10-15k each round (unless its a route, then you get close to zilch, which will happen every now and then.) We win about 50% of the time, but its usually pretty close. If both teams are within 100 points of 500 when the game ends, it will double your earned XP.
10-06-2008
Astalonn

I have to agree with the OP. Playing my RP has become tedious at best. It is quite hard to solo as you do no damage and it takes forever to take a mob down. Granted I rarely die, but the xp per hour is awful.

It only seems to work if the RP has a leveling buddy to do the damage while they heal.. IMO.
10-06-2008
Anxst

There's a lot of really great things here.

I know a leveling buddy is the way to go. Sadly, with my work and family schedule, it's rare for me to find one. My play times are short and erratic (Daddy, let's go to the park!) except for Sundays, when I get to do whatever I want most of the day. I wouldn't have it any other way, it's just how it is.

So, I've gotten to 11 on the Swordmaster, and I think I'm sticking with it. Even though the damage may not be as super as a DPS class, since I'm in melee I feel like I'm doing something, and it's fun. Plus, they look freaking cool.

I'm sure I'll revisit Dunkirk. Knowing me, I'll probably end up with both at 40 and bring whatever the guild needs more to each event.
10-06-2008
Naylan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chux

I'm exactly the opposite of you, I started a RP because leveling is so slow on my Shadow Warrior. Quests bore me and I hate running around, but XP is sucking in T2 scenarios because I've won maybe 3 of 25-30 scenarios. I don't have nearly as much time to play as most people, so I've fallen so severely behind that I can't take part in guild events anymore. It's so discouraging that I've thought about canceling before the 30 days free month is up. I cant keep up with everybody, so unless people are on alts, I'm playing by myself. Which bothers me even me even more, because people are working on a second character and are the same level as me :D

T1 scenarios, I probably have a good 75% win ration, exp is good, and I went from 7 to almost 12 in just a few hours.. but I'm dreading the T2 scenarios because order sucks in T2 from my experience ;)

I'm out there trying to drum up groups a lot of the time :) I usually end up seeing Psi and Elarion around, and then after that it's just a matter of picking up other random players because it seems like everyone else is on T3... but we're out there! Oh yeah, and then there's Syintal, who usually plays later than I do, but last I knew, still T2. And I heard tell of a T2 event on Thursday? Praise Sigmar! :P
10-06-2008
Cael

I sympathize Dunkirk.

Healer burnout is a well known phenomenon in just about every MMO. It happens faster when healers are put in high-stress scenarios, like PvP and high end PvE. Unfortunately, just about everything in WAR is high-stress for a healer since if you're not in PvP, you're fighting for high contribution somewhere. Leveling in PvE solo takes forever for some classes/specs, and leveling in Scenarios burns you out. Healing PuGs, especially, is frying to the healers soul.

I sincerely think the answer for healers is to find another class you like, and switch between them. I find that after playing something different for a while, I like going back and healing for a while. By alternating, you can find enjoyment with both for a lot longer. I'm trying to find a class that I like right now for that purpose.

As for solo grinding for healers, there are a few ways to help. It's easier for AMs, but the principles are the same: spec in your damage line (for RPs, this would probably be your single target line for soloing), stack high int gear that you get as rewards from quests, and slot Divine Fury. I keep 3 gear sets on me, a high int solo set/rare DPSing in scenarios set, a high willpower set for PvE/PQ dedicated healing, and a high toughness/wounds set for PvP/Scenarios. Keeping about 6 pieces for each set with that focus, and keeping the remainder of your slots balanced allows you do do pretty well. I'm Asuryan (damage) spec right now for leveling, although I'll probably switch it out for something else once I'm in Tier 4. If you're really serious, spend 10 renown points on int (although it only works out to 12 extra damage on your single target nuke).
10-07-2008
The Ripley

Dunnie...you're not alone at all my friend. I find myself thinking about doing the same thing and rolling up a swordmaster (first class I played in CB and I liked it). I *just* hit 20 tonite and believe me, the last 3 levels were painful. High stress in scenarios and keep raids wears me out completely and I find myself not bumbling around a warcamp unsure of what pain to endure.

You might see me roll up a offensive tank because that's what I played to 80 in EQ2, or quite possibly a Witch Hunter because I played one of those to 11 in OB and had a lot of fun. Whichever one I pick, I'll defintely be going back and forth between Levi and my alt though.
10-07-2008
Barricade

Chux a lot of us spend a lot of time playing solo, there just aren't that many people around, and some of the people who are around aren't interested in grouping.

There's always interest for scenario groups. There's always at least 1 running for every tier, and if that one is full, my advice would be to start another!

A lot of PQ's can be duo'd or done with less than a full group, they're really not that challenging. There are exceptions, of course.

And then there's Gunbad... ;)
10-07-2008
Boosie

I'm ashamed to admit that I am one of those people who tend to play solo, especially during the day. There aren't a lot of scenarios running during the day (the pops are sooo slow, if at all) and Paige requires a lot of my attention so I am a bad person to group with. I'm afk all the time or have to log without much notice. It isn't fair to a group so I choose to solo. Once she is in bed for the night, it is better and I group up for scenarios. I prefer to work on quests solo though, but that is a personal preference thing. I like to take my time and experience it rather than blow through it in a group or duo.

I am often seeing people running groups of all ranges though. Sometimes it works out and you can find groups, sometimes it doesn't. I hope you stick with it.

As for a Rune Priest. I made one in OB and hated it. I love the healing capabilities they have but I hated trying to kill/level on them. I understand your pain with that, Dunkirk. Maybe by creating an opposite, like you mentioned, will make it a little easier for you. It will give you the chance to switch back and forth from one extreme to the other and maybe make your game play more enjoyable for you.
10-07-2008
Pops

I'm typically a daytime player. I love to group and am usually looking for someone to join with for scenarios, public quests, or regular questing. I've been playing on Psi for the most part. Just send me a whisper when you log in and we'll get a group together.
10-07-2008
Anxst

I have noticed myself getting into more groups of late. I think I just went through a dry spell for a few days, which just added to my frustration on the whole thing. Also, seeing how I rolled quickly into Tier 3, which is less populated by the guild than it appeared, had a lot to do with it.

Still, I feel like the SM is a lot more balanced for what I want to do, and I feel like I'm doing a good job with the few tools I have in PvP. Hopefully someday soon I'll get a knockback...it's not clear which ability they have is one from the tooltips.
10-07-2008
Cael

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anxst

Still, I feel like the SM is a lot more balanced for what I want to do, and I feel like I'm doing a good job with the few tools I have in PvP. Hopefully someday soon I'll get a knockback...it's not clear which ability they have is one from the tooltips.

I believe it's Gusting Wind, which is AoE in the Hoeth line and comes in the teens sometime. The tooltip doesn't say it's a knockback, but I've read that it is.
10-07-2008
Pops

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anxst

Hopefully someday soon I'll get a knockback...it's not clear which ability they have is one from the tooltips.

Action Name: Gusting Wind
Description: You execute a quick spin rending the air around you and producing a magical shockwave that which deals 90 damage to all opponents within 10 feet of you.
Requires Improved Balance
Leads to Perfect Balance

This is an AoE knockdown. I just got and it rocks! I believe I got it at 18.
10-07-2008
Anxst

Sweet! Since I'm planning on going Hoeth, I'll so make sure I pick up the tactic that increases its range.
10-07-2008
Cael

It's a knockdown and not a knockback? Do SM's have any knockback?

I know that based on the ability distribution, Mythic seems to think that knockdowns are stronger than knockbacks, but I find knockbacks just have so much more utility. You can knock over cliffs, knock melee away from healers, knock desired targets back towards your teammates, etc.

If you're a non-knockback carrying class in Tor Anroc you'll probably disagree, but knockback is my favorite WAR specific effect.
10-07-2008
nolifeking

I love KB's as well, that's why I play an IB =)

I believe gusting wind is a knockback, but all knockbacks work as knockDOWNs on PvE mobs, so that's probably the confusion.
10-07-2008
Pops

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cael

It's a knockdown and not a knockback? Do SM's have any knockback?

I know that based on the ability distribution, Mythic seems to think that knockdowns are stronger than knockbacks, but I find knockbacks just have so much more utility. You can knock over cliffs, knock melee away from healers, knock desired targets back towards your teammates, etc.

If you're a non-knockback carrying class in Tor Anroc you'll probably disagree, but knockback is my favorite WAR specific effect.

My bad it actually is an AoE knockback to other players. It acts a knockdown to mobs.