Lesson Distribution

by Tzekelkan

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Tzekelkan2008-01-18 20:05:29
Yes, this is one of those threads again: I come here to ask advice on how to spend the 200 credits I currently have. This is me:

CODE
| Father Tzekelkan Silverwing, Celestine Trill --------------------- #408 |
| Level  : 72 (60.88%) Power: 10p ( 58%)  Karma: 48%         Esteem: 48%  |
| Health : 3108/3108   Mana : 3293/3756   Ego  : 3972/3540   Pedantic     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Common Skills         Rank           Pool
-------------         ------------   ------------
Combat                Inept          Melee
Resilience            Inept          Fitness
Discernment           Master         Intellect
Magic                 Novice         Arcana
Planar                Master         Mysticism
Discipline            Capable        Willpower
Environment           Inept          Communion
Influence             Virtuoso       Magnetism
Riding                Inept          Magnetism
Arts                  Inept          Finearts
Highmagic             Master         Arcana
Aethercraft           Apprentice     Mysticism
Dramatics             Inept          Performance

Trade Skills          Rank           Pool
-------------         ------------   ------------
Enchantment           Inept          Arcana

Guild Skills          Rank           Pool
-------------         ------------   ------------
Cosmic                Transcendent     Mysticism
  Celestialism
Rituals               Virtuoso       Arcana
  Sacraments
Astrology             Gifted         Mysticism


- up to Judgement in Sacraments and Dolphin in Astrology.
- up to FocusConstruct in Discipline and PotionList in Discernment
- up to WeaponProbe in Combat
- up to Aetherwave in Planar and targetting in Aethercraft
- I don't want a tradeskill yet

My goals are to be learn how to fight - I've been missing out on the action a lot lately. That said, I don't want to be a top tier combatant - not even second or third actually - I just want to be able to hold my own against people of around my might. Where exactly do I need to go from here? (I will not consider changing org/class/race/skills/gender).

I love you all in advance for all the advice! wub.gif
Daganev2008-01-18 20:11:45
buy some random 200 credit artifact, like the one that conceals your clothing
Shamarah2008-01-18 20:18:10
Get weaponparry in combat, inquisition in sacraments (or go ahead and trans it if you want trueheal which is awesome), dump the rest into astrology.
Tzekelkan2008-01-18 20:20:20
Why... would I need weaponparry? I don't use weapons... Do you mean shieldparry?

EDIT: And is inquisition easier to use to kill someone around my might than absolve?

EDIT2: Is shieldparry only effective against warriors or do shields block magical damage as well?
Shamarah2008-01-18 20:20:59
Er yeah, that's what I meant.
Tzekelkan2008-01-18 21:11:34
Is Astrology manageable without the Brass Astrolabe artifact? I mean, is it at an acceptable usefulness level? I'd be ever so greatful for some tips from the more experienced Astrologers... I really love the skill both for the nice buffs and cool afflicts, and for the great RP it can offer me - it's why I took it instead of Tarot. But I could use some helpful pointers to start me out. smile.gif
Arel2008-01-18 21:25:57
Trans planar for conglut, if you plan to hunt Astral or participate in offplane combat.
Tzekelkan2008-01-18 21:47:39
Well, I got inquisition and shieldparry and still have some credits left over to put in Astrology. Now, while I -will- put some in it, I was wondering whether it was better first to go for higher levels of Astrology or conglut? After I get some more creddies, of course. wink.gif
Hyrtakos2008-01-18 21:49:27
Trans planar would be very nice and I agree with Arel, though it could take you a long time to get there with few side benefits (mostly small things like being able to window across continents or on adjacent planes).

Shieldparry will be a must not only for warriors, but also monks. I've heard it adds a small amount to defense from mobs, but I'm not sure there is any proof of that. Magic resistance from a shield is nil.

Inquisition isn't a win-all tactic by any means for you.

The brass astrolabe just lets you stargaze without having to return to a mounted astrolabe within Celest basically. I suppose it would have its uses, but it's not necessary whatsoever.
Tzekelkan2008-01-18 22:00:23
I realize Inquisition isn't the eternally-sought "I.W.I.N." button, but it's useful to have. Plus it's awesome to summon a Holy Inquisition on an Infidel to make him repent for his sins against the Light! (I'm a little fanboi at heart biggrin.gif )

Oh? Didn't know you could parry monk attacks, though I'll admit I've never fought one and don't know much about them.

And I agree that the brass astrolabe is a convenience... but it seems like such a convenient convenience. I mean, stars change constantly (though I'll admit it's not absurdly often) so I'll never really know which sign/sphere/planet to cast without checking beforehand. Gotta make a mental note to be extra cautious and not forget to do it!
Acrune2008-01-18 22:52:10
QUOTE(tzekelkan @ Jan 18 2008, 03:20 PM) 478099
Why... would I need weaponparry? I don't use weapons... Do you mean shieldparry?


Doesn't symbol count as a weapon?
Tzekelkan2008-01-18 22:59:12
QUOTE(Acrune @ Jan 18 2008, 11:52 PM) 478167
Doesn't symbol count as a weapon?


No, it's a symbol! tongue.gif

Hang on a minute...

wp symbol
It is a one-handed weapon.
Damage: 50 Precision: 37 Speed: 37
A holy symbol of the light has no poisons or magical effects on it.

... you're not going to tell you can parry with it now, are you? whatthe.gif
Malarious2008-01-19 00:33:25
QUOTE(tzekelkan @ Jan 18 2008, 05:59 PM) 478172
No, it's a symbol! tongue.gif

Hang on a minute...

wp symbol
It is a one-handed weapon.
Damage: 50 Precision: 37 Speed: 37
A holy symbol of the light has no poisons or magical effects on it.

... you're not going to tell you can parry with it now, are you? whatthe.gif


Yes symbol counts as a weapon just like staff, instruments, etc.

Get Weaponparry.

No you dont need a handheld.

Get astro as far as you can (spheres are really nice for aggro use such as dropping int).
Although Resilience may also be really really useful to you since your not all that tanky.

And as a trill you cant really absolve well at all.
Tzekelkan2008-01-19 00:41:11
Well, I'm thinking with a good combination of Papaxi (sometimes mana reduction) and negative Dolphin sphere (intelligence reduction), a few amissios here and there (and a crapload of luck), I might sometimes pull an absolve... or at least I can dream, right?

But anyway, my major hope is that when they tweak the races, trills will get some love! *prostrate*

Oh, how does parrying work? Since you can parry with the symbol, could you, say, parry your lower body with it and use your shield to parry your upper body? Or it doesn't work that way and it's simply more effective to have them both?
Acrune2008-01-19 00:50:38
QUOTE(tzekelkan @ Jan 18 2008, 05:59 PM) 478172
No, it's a symbol! tongue.gif

Hang on a minute...

wp symbol
It is a one-handed weapon.
Damage: 50 Precision: 37 Speed: 37
A holy symbol of the light has no poisons or magical effects on it.

... you're not going to tell you can parry with it now, are you? whatthe.gif


QUOTE('Some log I found on forums')
With a heavy overhand stroke, you slam a scimitar of the black widow down upon Talkan, who
brandishes a holy symbol of the light. Your scimitar hacks into his symbol, which deflects the blow
easily.
Shiri2008-01-19 02:28:47
Vis. astrology: stars change all the time, but the only really relevant ones for non-combat purposes are aapek and sun. You can track those by stargazing like twice per month. If you're going to fight, stargaze once more. A fight won't drag on for the couple hours it takes the most mobile sign, the moon, to change (probably.)
Shamarah2008-01-19 02:51:40
Yes, you CAN parry with a symbol, but there's no advantage to doing so over using a shield. There's no real reason for you to get weaponparry.
Tzekelkan2008-01-19 12:42:16
So parry-wise, having a shield and having a weapon don't stack? Because if they don't... I imagine shield parrying to be better because the shield also reduces some physical damage, right? I mean, I think the only reason a guardian might want to go for weaponparry is if they want to wield a wand or the bookbinder tome or something else in their off-hand (non symbol hand).

As for Astrology, I've a curiosity: if Sun is in, say, volcano and there are no other planets in that sign, does astrocasting volcano accomplish anything? Namely, does it burn them with fire damage? (even though Sun was in Glacier when they were born?).

EDIT: And what does Astroglide do? As I understand it, it teleports you to a power node, correct? And astroglide nexus... is like teleport nexus, but on Astral and for 5 power?

EDIT2: Whoa! Astroglide Nexus teleports you astral directly to your Nexus on prime. Not top bad when you're blocked on a sphere and can't get back to transverse cosmic - or when you're a forestal! biggrin.gif
Acrune2008-01-19 13:21:40
QUOTE(tzekelkan @ Jan 19 2008, 07:42 AM) 478320
So parry-wise, having a shield and having a weapon don't stack?


I assumed they did, but I'm not sure.

QUOTE(tzekelkan @ Jan 19 2008, 07:42 AM) 478320
EDIT: And what does Astroglide do? As I understand it, it teleports you to a power node, correct? And astroglide nexus... is like teleport nexus, but on Astral and for 5 power?


Astroglide takes you to the node of your city- cancer for celest, capricorn for mag, scorpio for glom, and taurus for serenwilde.
Malarious2008-01-21 20:09:26
QUOTE(tzekelkan @ Jan 19 2008, 07:42 AM) 478320
So parry-wise, having a shield and having a weapon don't stack? Because if they don't... I imagine shield parrying to be better because the shield also reduces some physical damage, right? I mean, I think the only reason a guardian might want to go for weaponparry is if they want to wield a wand or the bookbinder tome or something else in their off-hand (non symbol hand).

As for Astrology, I've a curiosity: if Sun is in, say, volcano and there are no other planets in that sign, does astrocasting volcano accomplish anything? Namely, does it burn them with fire damage? (even though Sun was in Glacier when they were born?).
Correct you would do fire damage (which isnt too bad on the right races if you quicken).

EDIT: And what does Astroglide do? As I understand it, it teleports you to a power node, correct? And astroglide nexus... is like teleport nexus, but on Astral and for 5 power?
Goes to node yes from anywhere (including aether bubbles I believe).. very nice to get out when your stuck

EDIT2: Whoa! Astroglide Nexus teleports you astral directly to your Nexus on prime. Not top bad when you're blocked on a sphere and can't get back to transverse cosmic - or when you're a forestal! biggrin.gif
That was put in place specifically for forestals after I rose the topic on astrology in combat (after using it awhile).