Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sorcery IV
The three of us have been somewhat off and on this last few days so I'm not quite the level I'd like to be. Nonetheless I have plenty of more titillatingly tasty information for my flying saucer friends. In this issue of Sorcery I will talk about level 25-35 abilities and revisit some familiar spells for yet another dive into tips and tricks for PvP and PvE.
Pay heed and even you could be as rich as us one day!
At level 28 and 31 you get a few more spells. The sexiness of one level 28 spell in particular is not immediately apparent...
Aether's Hold
Aside from doing a modest amount of damage, this spell will throw your target into the air for four seconds, rendering them unable to do anything. But it has a reasonably long cast time (2.8 seconds), a two minute duration and four seconds doesn't really seem like much of a window to do anything, right? I mean, it's great if you want to snare something that's melee in more style than Root for a quick getaway, but it's pretty underwhelming.
Aether Flame
Enter Aether Flame: an ability you'll pick up three levels later at 31. This spell can only be cast at things in the "Open Aerial" state, which means Aether's Hold and other class spells -- yes, Sorcerer isn't the only class that can do it. It's instant cast and has a 0.5 second cooldown (which is shorter than its animation) so you can spam it to your hearts content while the creature is floating in the air. When you first get this spell, you'll be hitting for about 450-500 damage per cast and will be able to get it off about four times before the spell expires. If you run forward as you cast each flame, you'll get +10% magical damage from the movement bonus.
Sounds decent? It gets better. As you level you will have access to +attack speed gear. This gear won't speed up your spells but what it will do is speed up the after-cast animation your character does before it lets you move or cast your next spell. Get up to +20% of this gear and a decent enough ping and you can fire seven Aether Flames during one Aether's Hold. I shouldn't really be going this high in this issue, but at 37 you get an additional AH-only ability that does even more damage and ends the AH effect.
The best use of this spell, aside from taking down monsters quickly of course, is to burst someone down without them being able to react -- this immediately would scream HEALERS to the PvP-inclined sorcerer but it also means any class you anticipate being able to seriously inhibit your ability to win within the next few seconds, such as someone trying to get a CC on you, someone prone to running, someone with a key ability about to cool down, etc. In addition, if somebody else uses their AH equivalent to throw an enemy up into the air, you can use Aether's Flame freely on their target. If on ventrilo, announce when you are about to use AH for full group synergy. And if you're a gladiator reading this, don't knock them down until the end of the AH! Let us get some pew pew lazers in!
There are two drawbacks to the spell: one, for its full effect, you need to be able to cast at your target unmolested. In a group PvP setting this may be easier said than done. Two, it appears to have two resist checks: one for the damage and one for the actual AH effect. If either of these components resist, your target won't get AH'd. In addition there appears to be a hidden AH resistance that raises with level; some abilities raise your resistance to it.
Boon of Clairvoyance
I have run into so many Assassins that don't realise we have this ability. Still, skilled scout classes will use Hide anyway in order to delay your reactions and get the advantage. Make sure to have this ability accessible for a speedy cast.
Zikel's Wisdom (Stigma)
I haven't seen this on the TB, but then I haven't exactly been religious about checking that tab. Perhaps it's for Asmodians only? Anyhow, this is essentially the [Talisman of Ephemeral Power] of Aion, for you WoW folks. Strike that -- for you old school WoW folks. With a 15 second duration and a 30 second cooldown, this effectively gives you +150 Magic Power as long as you remember to use it. The fact that you only have it up half the time isn't necessarily a drawback; you can use this when you need burst the most or when casting your most heavy damage spells in succession. +300 power is equal to about +25% spell damage. Remember that power caps out at about 1200, so if you're above 900 power, consider a different stigma or a different gear set.
Curse of Weakness (Stigma)
I should probably play with this stigma, as on paper it seems somewhat underwhelming. If your opponent doesn't shield or heal, this Curse will kill them after twenty spell casts on its own. That sounds great, and if this damage goes through shields it would definitely be worth considering. However if it doesn't go through shields, it won't do much against Sorcerers and Spirit Masters which practically gain their entire HP bar worth of damage absorption through shield when used in PvP. Clerics can simply dispel it. Other classes just don't use magic abilities enough for it to really shine.
That said I really need to purchase and toy with it. What if it works on PvE bosses -- an entire 5% of their health bar whenever they cast? Would Templar fall faster due to their high HP pools? Due to our high damage, would Clerics be more concerned about healing themselves rather than dispelling when facing one of us? I will get back to you on this ability.
Robe of Cold
The damage is nothing to write home about but that's not why you want this spell. If you thought we were overpowered versus melee already, this spell will just have you shaking your head. This is the perfect PvP robe to use, especially in a group PvP setting where it's a lot more difficult to keep tabs on all of your melee opponents. However, in settings where there is constant PvP or your burst is especially important, the other two robes may well take precedence.
"Aww hell, how am I gonna beat her now"
Boon of Iron-Clad
This is where duels and practice in PvP pays off. This spell may have a short duration but it basically means that besides sleep and tree, you cannot lose control of your character. Against some classes it's obvious when this should be used. Sorcerers? When they're casting Aether's Hold or about to Frozen Shock. Rangers? When they've placed their equivalent as a trap. For others, it's a little more guessy. Against Assassins and Gladiators you'd want to cast this as soon as they get in range of you after you've been kiting them around a little, or in anticipation of an Ambush. Practice really does bring out the best of this spell. Make sure you bind this to an easy-to-reach key.
Wind Cut Down (Stigma)
I haven't had a chance to try this spell yet. It looks fantastic: about the same damage as Flame Harpwn and it puts a bleed on the target, all in a quick cast package and an element that we don't have any other spells in. Its 16 second cooldown isn't too bad and the bleed passes through shields. According to comments, the bleed is two ticks of about 300 (power modified) damage at level 31. Very nice -- the thing is, it's a stigma ability. By the time you get this ability you've unlocked your third Stigma slot, but about now is when you need to start choosing what you really need. An AoE stigma's coming up. What will you ditch for it?
Tranquilising Cloud
By the time you get this spell, you've got lots of damage abilities already. Inferno does as much damage as your 2000DP ability so it's time to think about what else that DP can be spent on. Though expensive, this spell fits the bill. Be careful of using in a PvE setting due to its massive range; you could sleep monsters that weren't attacking you in the first place, which will annoy them. In a PvP setting however, this is essentially a Sleep Storm with an epic cooldown: insanely effective if you use it at the right time. Sleep a group then go to town on their healer or their squishies.
Inferno
I was excited about Aether's Flame and when level 31 came, so did I. But this spell stole the limelight: It's essentially an Aetheric Spell/Pandaemonium Focus that uses mana instead of DP and has twice the cast time. In fact in my testing, it does slightly more damage <.>.
It also looks incredibly cool.
The mana cost is somewhat hefty so make sure you cast Lumiel's Wisdom (if you still use that stigma) beforehand. The best time to use this in PvP is when your opponent is around half health (or whenever it's safe to use it if the situation is a bit prickly) for an ridiculously high chunk of burst they won't recover from.
Fire Burst (Stigma)
I found this Stigma last night and can't wait to equip it when I hit 34: Ice Sheet is getting the fuck out of here. With its twelve second cooldown granting us the ability to cast it multiple times per fight, this stigma could be called our first true AoE ability. It's quite good too: The damage of Flame Bolt hitting everything in a 5 meter area. In PvE this has its obvious use, although be careful of breaking CC or using it too quickly for the Tank's liking. In a group PvP situation you similarly need to be very careful of breaking your own or somebody else's CC but if that is not an issue, jackpot. Get a few sorcerers with this spell and watch chaos ensue.
Finally, a few notes on some old favourites.
Lumiel's Wisdom
Chances are this is sitting in your bank while you roll with Tree and Ice Sheet. Might I recommend getting it back out at level 30? Venturing into the Flame Temple instance for the first time, I really wished I had; my mana dropped faster than a fat man strapped to a rocket aiming down. On my second run I made sure I came with this stigma equipped and my mana problems went away.
Delayed Blast
I haven't done extensive testing but I think this spell goes through shield. So if you've CC'd a mage and plan on going to town on their shield, make sure to skip Delayed Blast until you're ready to play or it'll break the tree before you're ready for it to. Of course, this also means you should cast it on a Mage or Sorcerer if they're a low health but have just thrown up a shield (cast Flame Cage as in this situation as well as it also goes through shield).
Stone Skin
While this ability is up, aside from not taking direct damage, you will also resist stumble, stun and similar effects. A Templar's Inescapable Judgement will fizzle, another sorcerer's Frozen Blast won't stun you, a gladiator's knockdown will only knock down their confidence, etc. However if a spell is only partially absorbed by your shield, the status effect will still kick in, for example if Frozen Blast finishes your shield off and a few points of damage get through.
Freezing Wind
Tried and tested, I have yet another use for Freezing Wind. When fighting another Sorcerer, I previously noted in my PvP video that it's a bad idea to get in melee range for Freezing Wind. I was wrong: if the occasion arises, run up and cast Freezing Wind... then immediately Blind Leap away. Not only did you get some unrequited chunky damage in, there's a good chance your opponent is going to momentarily flounder around trying to FW you back, giving you precious time. In either case you'll get the full effect of Blind Leap's untargetting.
Ice Sheet
Since the debuff is applied instantly to anyone passing through it but stays for the full duration even if they leave the area of effect quickly, it's fantastic to cast on the ground infront of you when you're trying to run away from a mob of enemy players.
By level 31 you've probably noticed that your bars and hotkeys are starting to get somewhat packed. Well you have cause to despair: there's a lot more room you're going to need to make.
Pay heed and even you could be as rich as us one day!At level 28 and 31 you get a few more spells. The sexiness of one level 28 spell in particular is not immediately apparent...
Aether's Hold
Aside from doing a modest amount of damage, this spell will throw your target into the air for four seconds, rendering them unable to do anything. But it has a reasonably long cast time (2.8 seconds), a two minute duration and four seconds doesn't really seem like much of a window to do anything, right? I mean, it's great if you want to snare something that's melee in more style than Root for a quick getaway, but it's pretty underwhelming.
Aether Flame
Enter Aether Flame: an ability you'll pick up three levels later at 31. This spell can only be cast at things in the "Open Aerial" state, which means Aether's Hold and other class spells -- yes, Sorcerer isn't the only class that can do it. It's instant cast and has a 0.5 second cooldown (which is shorter than its animation) so you can spam it to your hearts content while the creature is floating in the air. When you first get this spell, you'll be hitting for about 450-500 damage per cast and will be able to get it off about four times before the spell expires. If you run forward as you cast each flame, you'll get +10% magical damage from the movement bonus.
Sounds decent? It gets better. As you level you will have access to +attack speed gear. This gear won't speed up your spells but what it will do is speed up the after-cast animation your character does before it lets you move or cast your next spell. Get up to +20% of this gear and a decent enough ping and you can fire seven Aether Flames during one Aether's Hold. I shouldn't really be going this high in this issue, but at 37 you get an additional AH-only ability that does even more damage and ends the AH effect.
The best use of this spell, aside from taking down monsters quickly of course, is to burst someone down without them being able to react -- this immediately would scream HEALERS to the PvP-inclined sorcerer but it also means any class you anticipate being able to seriously inhibit your ability to win within the next few seconds, such as someone trying to get a CC on you, someone prone to running, someone with a key ability about to cool down, etc. In addition, if somebody else uses their AH equivalent to throw an enemy up into the air, you can use Aether's Flame freely on their target. If on ventrilo, announce when you are about to use AH for full group synergy. And if you're a gladiator reading this, don't knock them down until the end of the AH! Let us get some pew pew lazers in!
There are two drawbacks to the spell: one, for its full effect, you need to be able to cast at your target unmolested. In a group PvP setting this may be easier said than done. Two, it appears to have two resist checks: one for the damage and one for the actual AH effect. If either of these components resist, your target won't get AH'd. In addition there appears to be a hidden AH resistance that raises with level; some abilities raise your resistance to it.
Boon of Clairvoyance
I have run into so many Assassins that don't realise we have this ability. Still, skilled scout classes will use Hide anyway in order to delay your reactions and get the advantage. Make sure to have this ability accessible for a speedy cast.
Zikel's Wisdom (Stigma)
I haven't seen this on the TB, but then I haven't exactly been religious about checking that tab. Perhaps it's for Asmodians only? Anyhow, this is essentially the [Talisman of Ephemeral Power] of Aion, for you WoW folks. Strike that -- for you old school WoW folks. With a 15 second duration and a 30 second cooldown, this effectively gives you +150 Magic Power as long as you remember to use it. The fact that you only have it up half the time isn't necessarily a drawback; you can use this when you need burst the most or when casting your most heavy damage spells in succession. +300 power is equal to about +25% spell damage. Remember that power caps out at about 1200, so if you're above 900 power, consider a different stigma or a different gear set.
Curse of Weakness (Stigma)
I should probably play with this stigma, as on paper it seems somewhat underwhelming. If your opponent doesn't shield or heal, this Curse will kill them after twenty spell casts on its own. That sounds great, and if this damage goes through shields it would definitely be worth considering. However if it doesn't go through shields, it won't do much against Sorcerers and Spirit Masters which practically gain their entire HP bar worth of damage absorption through shield when used in PvP. Clerics can simply dispel it. Other classes just don't use magic abilities enough for it to really shine.
That said I really need to purchase and toy with it. What if it works on PvE bosses -- an entire 5% of their health bar whenever they cast? Would Templar fall faster due to their high HP pools? Due to our high damage, would Clerics be more concerned about healing themselves rather than dispelling when facing one of us? I will get back to you on this ability.
Robe of Cold
The damage is nothing to write home about but that's not why you want this spell. If you thought we were overpowered versus melee already, this spell will just have you shaking your head. This is the perfect PvP robe to use, especially in a group PvP setting where it's a lot more difficult to keep tabs on all of your melee opponents. However, in settings where there is constant PvP or your burst is especially important, the other two robes may well take precedence.
"Aww hell, how am I gonna beat her now"Boon of Iron-Clad
This is where duels and practice in PvP pays off. This spell may have a short duration but it basically means that besides sleep and tree, you cannot lose control of your character. Against some classes it's obvious when this should be used. Sorcerers? When they're casting Aether's Hold or about to Frozen Shock. Rangers? When they've placed their equivalent as a trap. For others, it's a little more guessy. Against Assassins and Gladiators you'd want to cast this as soon as they get in range of you after you've been kiting them around a little, or in anticipation of an Ambush. Practice really does bring out the best of this spell. Make sure you bind this to an easy-to-reach key.
Wind Cut Down (Stigma)
I haven't had a chance to try this spell yet. It looks fantastic: about the same damage as Flame Harpwn and it puts a bleed on the target, all in a quick cast package and an element that we don't have any other spells in. Its 16 second cooldown isn't too bad and the bleed passes through shields. According to comments, the bleed is two ticks of about 300 (power modified) damage at level 31. Very nice -- the thing is, it's a stigma ability. By the time you get this ability you've unlocked your third Stigma slot, but about now is when you need to start choosing what you really need. An AoE stigma's coming up. What will you ditch for it?
Tranquilising Cloud
By the time you get this spell, you've got lots of damage abilities already. Inferno does as much damage as your 2000DP ability so it's time to think about what else that DP can be spent on. Though expensive, this spell fits the bill. Be careful of using in a PvE setting due to its massive range; you could sleep monsters that weren't attacking you in the first place, which will annoy them. In a PvP setting however, this is essentially a Sleep Storm with an epic cooldown: insanely effective if you use it at the right time. Sleep a group then go to town on their healer or their squishies.
Inferno
I was excited about Aether's Flame and when level 31 came, so did I. But this spell stole the limelight: It's essentially an Aetheric Spell/Pandaemonium Focus that uses mana instead of DP and has twice the cast time. In fact in my testing, it does slightly more damage <.>.
It also looks incredibly cool.The mana cost is somewhat hefty so make sure you cast Lumiel's Wisdom (if you still use that stigma) beforehand. The best time to use this in PvP is when your opponent is around half health (or whenever it's safe to use it if the situation is a bit prickly) for an ridiculously high chunk of burst they won't recover from.
Fire Burst (Stigma)
I found this Stigma last night and can't wait to equip it when I hit 34: Ice Sheet is getting the fuck out of here. With its twelve second cooldown granting us the ability to cast it multiple times per fight, this stigma could be called our first true AoE ability. It's quite good too: The damage of Flame Bolt hitting everything in a 5 meter area. In PvE this has its obvious use, although be careful of breaking CC or using it too quickly for the Tank's liking. In a group PvP situation you similarly need to be very careful of breaking your own or somebody else's CC but if that is not an issue, jackpot. Get a few sorcerers with this spell and watch chaos ensue.
~~~
Finally, a few notes on some old favourites.
Lumiel's Wisdom
Chances are this is sitting in your bank while you roll with Tree and Ice Sheet. Might I recommend getting it back out at level 30? Venturing into the Flame Temple instance for the first time, I really wished I had; my mana dropped faster than a fat man strapped to a rocket aiming down. On my second run I made sure I came with this stigma equipped and my mana problems went away.
Delayed Blast
I haven't done extensive testing but I think this spell goes through shield. So if you've CC'd a mage and plan on going to town on their shield, make sure to skip Delayed Blast until you're ready to play or it'll break the tree before you're ready for it to. Of course, this also means you should cast it on a Mage or Sorcerer if they're a low health but have just thrown up a shield (cast Flame Cage as in this situation as well as it also goes through shield).
Stone Skin
While this ability is up, aside from not taking direct damage, you will also resist stumble, stun and similar effects. A Templar's Inescapable Judgement will fizzle, another sorcerer's Frozen Blast won't stun you, a gladiator's knockdown will only knock down their confidence, etc. However if a spell is only partially absorbed by your shield, the status effect will still kick in, for example if Frozen Blast finishes your shield off and a few points of damage get through.
Freezing Wind
Tried and tested, I have yet another use for Freezing Wind. When fighting another Sorcerer, I previously noted in my PvP video that it's a bad idea to get in melee range for Freezing Wind. I was wrong: if the occasion arises, run up and cast Freezing Wind... then immediately Blind Leap away. Not only did you get some unrequited chunky damage in, there's a good chance your opponent is going to momentarily flounder around trying to FW you back, giving you precious time. In either case you'll get the full effect of Blind Leap's untargetting.
Ice Sheet
Since the debuff is applied instantly to anyone passing through it but stays for the full duration even if they leave the area of effect quickly, it's fantastic to cast on the ground infront of you when you're trying to run away from a mob of enemy players.
By level 31 you've probably noticed that your bars and hotkeys are starting to get somewhat packed. Well you have cause to despair: there's a lot more room you're going to need to make.
It's Mau Time - Welcome to Ranger
Two of my co-authors have started pushing their columns lately, and since FB originally started as a Ranger-centric blog, it's about time I posted Ranger-centric stuff.
I'm still learning the class myself along the way, and hopefully the things I found out so far will help some of you. So today, I will begin by addressing some general Ranger concerns that I've found while playing the game.
The best thing about being a Ranger - I get to be a dog in cutscenes.
The auto shoot problem
A problem which has apparently been in the game since its Korean release nearly a year ago, and I personally don't see any hope of them changing it. It's the kind of situation where you get told "if you don't like it, reroll". If you've played a Ranger past level 10, you will know what problem I am talking about.
Whenever we open combat with a special ability, auto shoot will not come back on. There is a simple solution to this - simply put the Attack/Chat button on your hotbars. I know, this kind of defeats the purpose of it being an "auto attack", but with no hope of a fix on the horizon, you're best better off putting that button there and getting used to it.
Traps need reagents
Entry level traps need Tripeed Seeds, and the higher level ones need Tripeed Fruit. As you level up, they start requiring more than one, so your best bet is to keep a stock of more than 1o on you at all times. Traps may not seem very useful at first, but once you get Snare Trap and Aerial Shot at 31, you'll want to keep them seeds handy, especially if you're PvPing. Gladiators, Sorcerors and Assassins also get some kind of aether hold ability around that level as well, so if you run around with any of those classes, be sure to keep Aerial Shot handy.
Tripeed Seeds and Fruit can be bought from most General goods stores, under the Job Supplies tab. I've noticed not all General stores have the Job supplies at 10 to 20, but at 20 and up all the General vendors have them. You can also purchase the Worg souls from this tab.
In that same vein, also please remember to always stock up on ammo.
Mana consumption
You don't have to worry about mana at all from 10 to 25, but once you get Stunning Shot's chain ability, Rupture Arrow, you're gonna start noticing your mana draining. Throw in having to keep your self-buffs up, especially in group areas and instances, and you're gonna have to need mana breaks almost as often as a healer.
This is why you always need to be stocked up on Odella Powder for Mana Treatment. Mana Treatment requires two Odella Powder, so always be sure to buy it in bulk. As with ammo and the Tripeed Seeds, Odella can be bought from any General goods vendor.
That's all I got for you folks today, hope that was vaguely helpful. Unfortunately I don't have a pretty picture to use with the post, as I am posting from Lewin's dinky old laptop.
Next up: Self-buffs and when to use them
I'm still learning the class myself along the way, and hopefully the things I found out so far will help some of you. So today, I will begin by addressing some general Ranger concerns that I've found while playing the game.
The best thing about being a Ranger - I get to be a dog in cutscenes.The auto shoot problem
A problem which has apparently been in the game since its Korean release nearly a year ago, and I personally don't see any hope of them changing it. It's the kind of situation where you get told "if you don't like it, reroll". If you've played a Ranger past level 10, you will know what problem I am talking about.
Whenever we open combat with a special ability, auto shoot will not come back on. There is a simple solution to this - simply put the Attack/Chat button on your hotbars. I know, this kind of defeats the purpose of it being an "auto attack", but with no hope of a fix on the horizon, you're best better off putting that button there and getting used to it.
Traps need reagents
Entry level traps need Tripeed Seeds, and the higher level ones need Tripeed Fruit. As you level up, they start requiring more than one, so your best bet is to keep a stock of more than 1o on you at all times. Traps may not seem very useful at first, but once you get Snare Trap and Aerial Shot at 31, you'll want to keep them seeds handy, especially if you're PvPing. Gladiators, Sorcerors and Assassins also get some kind of aether hold ability around that level as well, so if you run around with any of those classes, be sure to keep Aerial Shot handy.
Tripeed Seeds and Fruit can be bought from most General goods stores, under the Job Supplies tab. I've noticed not all General stores have the Job supplies at 10 to 20, but at 20 and up all the General vendors have them. You can also purchase the Worg souls from this tab.
In that same vein, also please remember to always stock up on ammo.
Mana consumption
You don't have to worry about mana at all from 10 to 25, but once you get Stunning Shot's chain ability, Rupture Arrow, you're gonna start noticing your mana draining. Throw in having to keep your self-buffs up, especially in group areas and instances, and you're gonna have to need mana breaks almost as often as a healer.
This is why you always need to be stocked up on Odella Powder for Mana Treatment. Mana Treatment requires two Odella Powder, so always be sure to buy it in bulk. As with ammo and the Tripeed Seeds, Odella can be bought from any General goods vendor.
That's all I got for you folks today, hope that was vaguely helpful. Unfortunately I don't have a pretty picture to use with the post, as I am posting from Lewin's dinky old laptop.
Next up: Self-buffs and when to use them
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saucy PvP
Tora and Sada weren't online and I was sick of waiting, so I just ran out to the abyss to hunt some furbacks. Fortunately I remembered to turn fraps on this time. This was recorded a few days ago; the same area is swarming with furbacks now :P. Unfortunately we've had an Aion break over the weekend and so I don't have much more footage than this. I'll make sure to remember to fraps everything we find this week ^^.
Sorcery III
Today we're going to be talking about the aspect of Aion you either love or hate... the professions. Specifically, the ones that are good for us aether cannons. The three best for us are:
Alchemy
Handicrafting
Tailoring
Sewing Tailoring is clearly a kickass profession for Sorcerers. You can fill all your armour slots using tailored gear, plus your head and belt slots (which are technically accessories, not armour). The side benefit of this profession is that you can craft leather armour equally well, expanding your possible money making avenues, though they use practically the same materials as cloth armour. What really makes this profession stand out is that it is only one of two professions that only requires one crit to create a blue item.
In both Handicrafting and Alchemy, to create a blue item (excluding recipes that require a boss drop or the like), you must first create a white item and have it crit into a green. You then use that green item in another recipe, which creates another green, but can crit into a blue. So you essentially need a double crit. In tailoring, you simply craft green gear and it has a chance to crit into a blue. Armoursmithing is the only other profession which does this.
There's also Cooking, which gives food buffs. The only other thing cooking can make are candies which essentially are just muck-around items that transform you into creatures for shits and giggles. If that sounds like your thing, cook away!
You can get all professions up to 399 if you have the time and inclination, however you can go above 399 in two professions only... so make sure to check out the 400-450 recipes to see what appeals to you most. You can always just start a profession to see if it appeals to you; there's no commitment apart from time if you stay below 400. Another factor of deciding which to level plus 400 are titles; you get special titles when you max a profession. In general most of the Elyos ones are decidedly shit compared to the Asmodian ones, but for sorcerers Elyos titles aren't too bad. In the end it's not really something you can revolve your entire decision around. There are plenty of titles in the game.
At level 50 you get access to sexy but expensive Daevonian armour quests that reward extremely good items. So good that they aren't even on the armoury at the moment. At one point you'll need a crafted item for the quest... a very expensive Heart of Magic. And not just any old heart -- you need it to crit. Only those of us who bothered with a profession can enjoy this money sink ;). You don't need to worry about which profession if you have this in mind as all professions can craft the Heart of Magic.
I'm currently leveling Handicrafting and yes, it can be quite boring to level. When I hit 170 I made a point of stopping, gathering some actual crafting materials and making some items to sell; the fun of creating your own gear, the tasty possibility of crits and getting lucky blue items makes it all worth while. :)
Come on! Buy my expensive but well crafted stuff!
It won't fit in the TB :(
Finally, a note: nothing is Bind On Pickup with professions. If someone else in your legion has Tailoring, everyone has tailoring (assuming the guy is fine with spending his time on guildies). In addition, all professions can craft siege engines and the item required for the incredible level 50 gear.
Next issue of Sorcery: Level 25-35 ability ins and outs
Alchemy
- Orbs and Books
- Manastones
- Potions
- Scrolls
Handicrafting
- 2x Ring slots
- 2x Earring slots
- Necklace slot
- Head slot
Tailoring
- 5x Armour slots
- Head
- Belt
In both Handicrafting and Alchemy, to create a blue item (excluding recipes that require a boss drop or the like), you must first create a white item and have it crit into a green. You then use that green item in another recipe, which creates another green, but can crit into a blue. So you essentially need a double crit. In tailoring, you simply craft green gear and it has a chance to crit into a blue. Armoursmithing is the only other profession which does this.
There's also Cooking, which gives food buffs. The only other thing cooking can make are candies which essentially are just muck-around items that transform you into creatures for shits and giggles. If that sounds like your thing, cook away!
You can get all professions up to 399 if you have the time and inclination, however you can go above 399 in two professions only... so make sure to check out the 400-450 recipes to see what appeals to you most. You can always just start a profession to see if it appeals to you; there's no commitment apart from time if you stay below 400. Another factor of deciding which to level plus 400 are titles; you get special titles when you max a profession. In general most of the Elyos ones are decidedly shit compared to the Asmodian ones, but for sorcerers Elyos titles aren't too bad. In the end it's not really something you can revolve your entire decision around. There are plenty of titles in the game.
- Alchemy Expert
Elyos: +44 Maximum HP, +2% Atk Speed, +4 Wind Defense
Asmodian: +36 Maximum MP, +2 Magical Accuracy, +3 Magical Res
- Handicrafting Expert
Elyos: +2 Flight Time
Asmodian: +8 Accuracy, +3 Evasion, +2% Atk Speed
- Expert Tailor
Elyos: +52 Maximum HP, +3 Flight Time, +3% Flight Speed, +6% Speed
Asmodian: +8 Magic Boost, +2% Flight Speed, +2 Flight Time
- Cooking Expert
Elyos: +1 Physical Att, +8 Magic Boost
Asmodian: +36 Maximum HP, +36 Maximum MP, +5% Speed
At level 50 you get access to sexy but expensive Daevonian armour quests that reward extremely good items. So good that they aren't even on the armoury at the moment. At one point you'll need a crafted item for the quest... a very expensive Heart of Magic. And not just any old heart -- you need it to crit. Only those of us who bothered with a profession can enjoy this money sink ;). You don't need to worry about which profession if you have this in mind as all professions can craft the Heart of Magic.
I'm currently leveling Handicrafting and yes, it can be quite boring to level. When I hit 170 I made a point of stopping, gathering some actual crafting materials and making some items to sell; the fun of creating your own gear, the tasty possibility of crits and getting lucky blue items makes it all worth while. :)
Come on! Buy my expensive but well crafted stuff!It won't fit in the TB :(
Finally, a note: nothing is Bind On Pickup with professions. If someone else in your legion has Tailoring, everyone has tailoring (assuming the guy is fine with spending his time on guildies). In addition, all professions can craft siege engines and the item required for the incredible level 50 gear.
Next issue of Sorcery: Level 25-35 ability ins and outs
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Aion 1.6 Patch Notes
Chances are you've already heard about the upcoming 1.6 patch but there's no harm in spreading the word. Some nice chap translated the Korean Test Server's 1.6 patch notes into english.
Some highlights:
Full patch notes here.
Some highlights:
- Gathering Metal Ore and Aether will now periodically give you a debuff preventing you from gathering, which can be removed by entering a CAPTCHA. A novel way of nerfing bots...
- A new interface showing your instance lockouts and your group member's lockout information.
- Spirit Master summoned pets can now fly.
- Elemental Resistance received a nerf; hooray mages!
- You can no longer run out of range of player spells after they've started casting.
Full patch notes here.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Sorcery II Addendum
Since publishing issue II of Sorcery, I've come across some more little interesting uses and situations for the spells I covered. Enough to warrant an addendum post!
Crowd Control
Sleep and Tree may be the kings of CC, but in PvP they are deminished: both only last for eight seconds on a player. This means that they need to be more tactfuly cast. For example, at the start of a fight in order to start the fight with a delayed blast ticking away and a powerful spell winding up. Root appears to last longer in PvP, but I haven't tested this for sure. Root certainly is an epic pain in the rear when it's cast on me, that's for sure.
In addition, when cast on a flying player, CC doesn't pause their flight timer. With Sleep->Tree->Sleep->Root->Sleep, you've performed a massive hit to your opponent's flight bar. Brilliant if they're trying to run, or you're fighting over the open abyss.
But what's really special about Sleep and Tree? They only break if the target takes damage. Tree another sorcerer and go to town on their shield; the CC will only break when the shield is broken or the CC ends.
It's also great for comic relief. Didn't know the tree scaled...
Delayed Blast
As mentioned above, it's great to cast on a CC'd player to improve your initial burst and get the damage edge. It's true that Tree/Sleep's elemental defense increase will nerf its damage, but that only gives DB an additional use: to break the CC. After casting DB you can follow up with a high damage nuke spell without fear of its damage being reduced into nothing; DB will end the CC before the nuke hits.
Winter Binding + Blind Leap
I stated that WB has a long animation, and this is true. However there is a point where before you can start moving again, you can use Blind Leap. This seems to cut the time you need to wait in half. It's risky to use two escape abilities at once but if you really need to stay out of melee range and don't have Root or similar available, this combination can save your hide.
And seriously, practice backleaping.
Ice Sheet
A stigma ability I failed to mention. It's our "second" AOE ability (if you count WB as the first), though on a three minute cooldown and with a small radius. Still, it's instant cast. It's a great spell to cast on a stationary ranged class (preferably one that already has been slowed or stunned); the damage is mediocre but the "FIRE OSHI-" instinct kicks in and your opponent will often prioritise moving out of it rather than doing something effective. If fighting against melee it has less of a use, but you can cast it between you and them if you need a slow in a snap. You might even try kiting them around it :).
Frozen Shock
Typically after casting Ice Chain you'll cast FS because it's chained or just because it's a nice ability to use in general. Consider saving it for when a healer or ranged class is at a point where you have a decent chance of nuking them to zero; the stun gives you plenty of time to wind things up and prevents them from moving out of range or healing or otherwise preventing your onslaught. To that end, it's best to either open with Ice Chain and then save FS until you're ready, or not cast IC at all if you anticipate needing FS before IC would cool down.
Freezing Wind
I've been mucking around with FW more and I've got to say, it's one of my favourites now. It's essentially a melee range flame harpoon with its castbar in reverse; instant cast with a 2 second cooldown. The huge thing about this is that with it, Sorcerers do the highest burst AND the highest DPS when in melee range. Yeah, read that again. Don't believe me? The next time you're in a group and your group mate is under attack, run up to the guy. Cast FW followed by a cast-time spell or chain, then repeat, eg:
Freezing Wind -> Flame Harpwn -> Freezing Wind -> IC+FS -> Freezing Wind -> Flame Harpoon -> Freezing Wind -> FB+Blaze -> Freezing Wind ... etc
They won't last long enough for the full chain. Or you won't, cause you're suddenly in melee range and they're not stupid. But then, if you're playing a Sorcerer, you're already open to taking risks ;). The other drawback to this is that it FW is quite mana expensive so you can't really keep it up in a PvE setting without resorting to potions or rest.
Finally, as an instant cast spell, it's great for casting on fleeing players if you can get in range. Backleap helps a lot there.
Next issue of Sorcery: Sorcerer professions
Crowd Control
Sleep and Tree may be the kings of CC, but in PvP they are deminished: both only last for eight seconds on a player. This means that they need to be more tactfuly cast. For example, at the start of a fight in order to start the fight with a delayed blast ticking away and a powerful spell winding up. Root appears to last longer in PvP, but I haven't tested this for sure. Root certainly is an epic pain in the rear when it's cast on me, that's for sure.
In addition, when cast on a flying player, CC doesn't pause their flight timer. With Sleep->Tree->Sleep->Root->Sleep, you've performed a massive hit to your opponent's flight bar. Brilliant if they're trying to run, or you're fighting over the open abyss.
But what's really special about Sleep and Tree? They only break if the target takes damage. Tree another sorcerer and go to town on their shield; the CC will only break when the shield is broken or the CC ends.
It's also great for comic relief. Didn't know the tree scaled...Delayed Blast
As mentioned above, it's great to cast on a CC'd player to improve your initial burst and get the damage edge. It's true that Tree/Sleep's elemental defense increase will nerf its damage, but that only gives DB an additional use: to break the CC. After casting DB you can follow up with a high damage nuke spell without fear of its damage being reduced into nothing; DB will end the CC before the nuke hits.
Winter Binding + Blind Leap
I stated that WB has a long animation, and this is true. However there is a point where before you can start moving again, you can use Blind Leap. This seems to cut the time you need to wait in half. It's risky to use two escape abilities at once but if you really need to stay out of melee range and don't have Root or similar available, this combination can save your hide.
And seriously, practice backleaping.
Ice Sheet
A stigma ability I failed to mention. It's our "second" AOE ability (if you count WB as the first), though on a three minute cooldown and with a small radius. Still, it's instant cast. It's a great spell to cast on a stationary ranged class (preferably one that already has been slowed or stunned); the damage is mediocre but the "FIRE OSHI-" instinct kicks in and your opponent will often prioritise moving out of it rather than doing something effective. If fighting against melee it has less of a use, but you can cast it between you and them if you need a slow in a snap. You might even try kiting them around it :).
Frozen Shock
Typically after casting Ice Chain you'll cast FS because it's chained or just because it's a nice ability to use in general. Consider saving it for when a healer or ranged class is at a point where you have a decent chance of nuking them to zero; the stun gives you plenty of time to wind things up and prevents them from moving out of range or healing or otherwise preventing your onslaught. To that end, it's best to either open with Ice Chain and then save FS until you're ready, or not cast IC at all if you anticipate needing FS before IC would cool down.
Freezing Wind
I've been mucking around with FW more and I've got to say, it's one of my favourites now. It's essentially a melee range flame harpoon with its castbar in reverse; instant cast with a 2 second cooldown. The huge thing about this is that with it, Sorcerers do the highest burst AND the highest DPS when in melee range. Yeah, read that again. Don't believe me? The next time you're in a group and your group mate is under attack, run up to the guy. Cast FW followed by a cast-time spell or chain, then repeat, eg:
Freezing Wind -> Flame Harpwn -> Freezing Wind -> IC+FS -> Freezing Wind -> Flame Harpoon -> Freezing Wind -> FB+Blaze -> Freezing Wind ... etc
They won't last long enough for the full chain. Or you won't, cause you're suddenly in melee range and they're not stupid. But then, if you're playing a Sorcerer, you're already open to taking risks ;). The other drawback to this is that it FW is quite mana expensive so you can't really keep it up in a PvE setting without resorting to potions or rest.
Finally, as an instant cast spell, it's great for casting on fleeing players if you can get in range. Backleap helps a lot there.
Next issue of Sorcery: Sorcerer professions
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