Postby Shaiith » Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:09 pm
Enchanter XP is currently some of the worst xp in the mud. Why? Their special brand of XP, stone xp, isn't as good as other types. As noted above, enchanters don't really get great xp for being great enchanters. This is true in both xp groups and zone groups.
As an enchanter I can keep up 15 scales 3 blurs 4 globes 1 haste fairly easily , without using time stop or wearing any maxint (granted Shaiith is an elf), if that's all I concentrate on doing. It only averages out to 2.5 scales 1 blur 1 other every minute. Or I can drop those 15 scales to around half the group (tanks and priests) and insert some prismatic sprays for chaotic fun and damage.
Being less of a buffer increases my xp. A run through Izans where I just buff, I earn 3% or so. A run through Izans where I pris and buff less (group is still scaled when it matters) will net 6 or 7% xp. The extra xp is coming either because I'm doing damage or because I'm being in for more kills (I still miss a good number since I'm not going to stand around like a useless leech). In either case, I'm being less of an enchanter and being rewarded more (in terms of xp).
This probably is also why I get extremely frustrated with people standing around and not memming out while zoning. D*mnit, if you're here for xp, don't bid, What's that? Ok memout NOW and don't stand around and don't cast fugging chain lighting or some other useless low circle spell. I'm still getting sh*t for xp, invokers in Izans end up in the double digits easily.
In xp groups, enchanters generally only get xp for the kill. This means that each and every member added to the group had better be significantly increasing the kill rate if you, the enchanter, hope to end up better off.
Moral: Lead your own xp, other leaders don't understand what their saying "yes" to people means to you.
When I leveled my first enchanter to 50, it was my 2nd serious character. I did xp where I could find it. I really didn't do much solo xp. It took forever to get to 50.
When I leveled my second enchanter to 50, it was my 4th serious character. I did xp where I knew it was good. I did a lot of solo xp. It seemed like it took forever to get to 50 (it was faster, solo xp is just even more boring than group xp, pick your poison).
Moral: If you care about xp/hr keep your groups small, 1 is best (at 50 smoke is 12%/hr, ds is 10%/hr), 2 is ok (solo rates are beaten only in the enc/dual khanjari rog and then not by much), 3 is about the limit, 4 is plvling others, you may as well not be grouped.
I remember when I was doing smoke xp last (I do ds now since I want to clear trophy even though it's not as good). I would pwb and then nuke. Until some competition came along and I decided I'd see how it went if I didn't use pwb. Turns out I was fine without pwb. This was before I had dragonscales too.
Ifin recently mentioned to me that needle swarm did amazing damage. I had always assumed that constriction was clearly the better spell (I also leveled up both enchanters pre needle swarm). I ran some tests and the results surprised me (no I'm not going to tell you what I found out).
Moral: Know your class. Dragonscales isn't clearly the best buffing spell, Power Word Blind isn't clearly the best debuffing spell, and Constriction isn't clearly the best damage spell. They might be the best, but it's not as clear cut as the drooling fanatics without scales or pwb would have you believe.
Being an enabler can be a fun role to play. Clerics choose who to extend life to (shamans/bards extend life for all) and Enchanters choose who to make into super tanks. Enchanters really are about preparation (and some other things). When the sh*t hits the fan it's too late to react for the most part (unless you're a healing class, and then it's your turn to shine). The enchanter has either sufficiently prepared the group or they haven't.
Moral: Don't play an enchanter if you like to blow things up. Play an enchanter if you like to anticipate and be ready for whatever may happen.
An enchanter is a very powerful class. There are fights in the game that are best sol-ed with an enchanter. Most fights without instanaeous damage that can be solo-ed (not counting assassinate) by any class can be solo-ed by an enchanter. I'm always interested in solo-ing new challenges, so if you solo a particularly nice challenge, let me know about it. (most recent: runed red mask, hardest ever: cyrite symbol post changes)
Harlindral group-says 'but, im very powerful'