That's not at all how acro dodge works in PvE.

If she takes off the "hinders through afflictions" part it pretty much is.

Acrobatics in PvE is almost like Beastmastery Bodyguard. When you dodge, it's just a set % damage reduction, not a full-fledged dodge in the normal sense of it. You still have springup and contort for the prone and entangles, but you can't dodge afflictions.

So, if Acro Dodge only lowers damage a bit rather than negates it, is it still better than Psymet in the Undervault?

I think dodging in PvE is 15% damage resistance, so you'd have to compare that to the dmp from PsyMet. Using Janalon's numbers, I'd tentatively say Psymet is better.

Here is the Dodge AB. Oops, your right. So does the 15 DMP stack on dodge moves only, or do you get that 15 DMP straight across the board?



At base, acro 20 DMP elasticity is only slightly worse than psymet 30 DMP ironskin intended for wound reduction on limbs. That is acro gets a straight 20% damage reduction, whereas psymet gets 25% physical damage reduction (for an increase in 5% overall).

Now, add the acro 15 DMP for dodge (still need clarification whether PVE dodge DMP only procs on dodge, or is continuous) to acro elasticity for a grand total of 35 DMP, or a 27% reduction in physical damage).

On the other hand, add psymet psi armour (remember, this is a locked ability) to ironskin for a total of 42 DMP, or roughly 30% physical damage reduction.

Does this math sound correct?

EDIT: Remember, DMP does not have a linear stack. You loose half of the effectiveness for anything over 20 DMP.

EDIT: Was pointed out that DMP from elasticity only applies to limb damage (i.e. wounding). So this point is somewhat moot. I changed the numbers accordingly.

You dodge the same as you do in PvP, except instead of the attack just missing, you get 15 dmp on it. I said % and shouldn't have, my bad. So yes, it only works when you dodge.

Hm. However, after running around both with and without Adroitness.. I'm not sure I could give it up.

Oops, forgot stealth 15 DMP from bracing. Let's rework the numbers really quickly.



STEALTH, TRANS PSYMET BASE
15 DMP Bracing
30 DMP Iron Skin
==
45 DMP Cumulative, or 20% + 10% + 1%
31% Phys Damage resistance



STEALTH, TRANS PSYMET w/PSI ARMOUR
15 DMP Bracing
12 DMP Psi Armour
30 DMP Iron Skin
==
57 DMP Cumulative, or 20% + 10% + 4%
34% Phys Damage resistance



STEALTH, TRANS ACRO BASE
15 DMP Bracing
20 DMP Elasticity
==
15 DMP Cumulative, or 15%
15% Phys Damage resistance



STEALTH, TRANS ACRO w/DODGE
15 DMP Bracing
15 DMP Dodge
20 DMP Elasticity
==
30 DMP Cumulative, or 20% + 5%
25% Phys Damage resistance


EDIT: Now I see that Psymet physical DMP isn't that godly above acro double-protection against an acro; guess psymets mainly shine in regards to elemental, and, psychic, and physical DMP. Not sure what abilities or mobs give psychic damage. Also, I can see how psi armour benefits a stealth monk with 12 DMP or an additional 8% physical resistance when used with only stealth bracing (or nothing at all). However, the additional 3% to physical resistance isn't entirely worthwhile after obtaining iron skin. I might be better off running iron will to support blood boil. Meh.

EDIT: Removed elasticity damage in my calculations towards physical damage DMP based on evidence that it specifically works on limb wounding only.

Sources or psychic damage (I think): adoraths, illithoid, braineater parasites, kephera, Psionics.

Also, remember that dodge is 15 dmp when you dodge, so you have to multiply it by the percentage of the time you dodge to get the real number.

So here's the rundown for psionics:



And here's my ability-by-ability opinion of the psionic skillset as it relates to stealth monks:

Channels: the backbone mechanics to psionics (and specializations). As a system for defenses and locked defenses, the three channels are a godsend. Three defenses at once? Though a major gripe is the cool down for channel locks and unlocks (see below):



With monk momentum loss every seven seconds, a psymet must choose whether to use an active skill and loose momentum, or... YEAH. There really is no choice there. Hence, why psymets solely rely on defenses and locked channel defenses.

Scan: Could once have been potentially useful for psymets to sense other TP and TK mages to determine whether or not to lock mindsense. Now that mindsense no longer requires a lock, I no longer require a scan. Not even useful as a mindsense/pig nose-like ability. Could do without.

Psi Sense: As an on/off ability that doesn't require a lock, I turn it on. Gives me a few moments of amusement while TP/TK mages are running me into the ground (as long as they are in the same room). Actually, it could be combat-useful to inform me who and when to displace.

Biofeedback: Psymet elemental DMP is what makes us stand apart from acro monks. Especially helpful since most monk races have a malus to certain elements/magic (illithoid/loboshi have both a level 2 magic susceptibility). More useful bashing (especially if you know the damage type the mob employs ahead of time). I believe also stackable with psymet energy containment.

Body Density: Doesn't require a channel lock, so why not?

Mindbar: Yay, DMP to psychic damage. Another ability that doesn't require a lock. Harmony angmun stacks I'm sure.

Shatter: Never used it. Don't quite know how to use it. Guess it is meant to shatter psi low magic circles. Could someone clarify? Nice enough, this psionic ability doesn't require any channels to be used. Shield shattered within 3 seconds, and equilibrium recovered in 5s.

Psi Blade: Meh. A few hundred psychic damage. S'pose the biggest deal with this skill is that it works for dream bodies and those out of phase. This needs an open channel (the slow, superstratus channel at that), which means I'll be hesitant to ever use this ability. Wonder how the equilibrium time and damage compares against low magic's violet.

Read Aura: See what defenses another has raised. . . what monk has time for that? Go right in with a raze.

Portrait Reading: Whut. Are you kidding? Seriously? I could see city mages possibly, possibly thinking about using this ability. However, there is no place to hang a portrait in a forest. Not sure what this ability is about. Can any mage explain the applicability of this skill?

Ego Whip: Useful? Why would I need to ego attack someone else. Pointless to a stealth psymet, not sure if this offers a viable solution to harmony monks. Worse yet, it can only be used on the super channel with that super long equilibrium time.

Psi Armour: Aha! Finally a skill that really applies to a psymet! I see this skill really helping out harmony monks, and to a lesser degree stealth monks who already gain DMP from bracing. Psi armour was a constant in my locked defense lineup until I acquired iron skin. Thanks to DMP scaling, it only adds a calculated 3% reduction to damage after applying stealth bracing and psymet ironskin.

Ego Scan: See the strength of my opponents ego? I imagine this could be helpful when used in tangent with ego whip, though ego whip is not very useful. Maybe useful to harmony monks...

Second Sight: Another psymet friendly ability. Although it requires open channels, I can send two second sights concurrently to give me sixth sense. Can't I just eat a faeleaf herb to get the same defense up?

Psychic Push: Fun around the commune and manses. Though, it's very hard to effectively move someone out of the room. Certainly no scissor flip. Don't really think it was ever meant to be that effective. Monk stealth maneuvers give me some better options for binding and moving combat targets.

Amnesia: Again, another skill that seems like it could mesh with monks combat. Using psi sub amnesia only gives a 3s equilibrium loss. . . Never heard of any monk effectively putting this one to use. Most likely due to the reluctance to keep a open channel, or the eq consumed compared to how quick the affliction can be ditched.

Iron Will: Useful for influencing and aetherhunts. Harmony monks can stack ego regeneration on top of this. Not to mention iron will plus introspection both increase willpower (not that I've ever found myself running low outside of aetherhunts).

Body Scan: Aaahhh, check diagnose a target for a list of afflictions. Could be helpful to see if the target has a certain affliction or lock in order to stick that next affliction. However, a 3s loss means I risk losing momentum, and my target could potentially heal out of those afflictions.

Psychic Block: Annoying. Somewhat applicable for village revolts.

Alter Aura: Shielding is one of the most important defenses a monk needs to strip. In the time it takes to strip one defense, I could land several afflictions.

Hyperhidrosis: Starting to use this skill way more. Mostly after hunts to cleanse stench. It runs on the sub channel, and can cure through some sticky afflictions (ecto, literally).



Out of a very robust skillset only psisense, biofeedback, psi armour, second sight, and iron will directly enhance and support psychometabolism. That's five out of the 21 given abilities. I'd need to consult a true psymet combatant about the effectiveness of amnesia and hyperhidrosis. Ratchet that up to seven out of 21, or roughly 1/3 of the skills.

Thoughts? Could it be possible to psychometabolism to cede from psionics. In other words remove psymet as a specialization. Make psymet it's own skillset. This would make it easier to balance and justify the inclusion of newly needed skills to psionics IMHO. A second option would be to pump psionics with more psymet flavoured skills to support monks.

Portrait Reading is pretty much like Doorblast: utterly worthless. You'd need to have placed and then linked magical portraits in every location you want to spy on, and the magical link can tend to backfire pretty dramatically on you: like giving enemies an easy way into your city without resistance. Magical paintings also can't be distorted like planar gates (if I remember correctly), so you can't stop someone from abusing them without destroying the painting. Plus, the skill only lets you hear what is said in a room. Not what is happening, like someone entering or leaving, or any other actions. Only what is said. If no one says anything/chats only in tells or channels, this skill does nothing for you.

I've used it all of once, ever, and that was just to test it out.

EDIT: I guess you could use it in a manse but, again, the magical link will backfire on you. If you want to use it to, say, spy on your shop while you hide behind a locked door well... why even have a door if you have a linked painting?

BodyScan is more useful as utility, like checking up on the novices in case they've got something they don't know how to cure. Like Powersink. (Stupid Marani. )

I've played around a little bit with Amnesia in Choke. Which is roughly the only situation I can think of where a monk would find it worthwhile to do that. It's generally better to be swinging or grappling at that point.

Shatter's meant to break Psi shields that you can put up via Circle or Pentagram. I'm not sure exactly what it blocks, but I'm reasonably sure that for monks the list is Psiblade, EgoWhip, Amnesia and AlterAura.

AlterAura can be entertaining in the right places. Waterwalk's probably my favorite to get rid of.

Edit: Oh, and there's nothing wrong with PortraitReading that can't be fixed by setting it on fire and replacing it with something useful. It's locked, too.

We still have Doorblast in Elementalism, even though it only works on wooden doors that are not locked. This narrows it down to about 2% of all the doors in game, and DURR HURR I CAN JUST USE "OPEN DOOR " AND NOT WASTE MANA OR WAIT FOR EQ.

If Mages still have Doorblast after all this time, I doubt Psions will replace PortraitReading.

Actually heard requests for a doorblast enchant in the commune before. Apparently it breaks down magelocked doors. So it has a situational use. As does PortraitReading, I suppose. Only problem with the latter is that the exact situation is "someone was a moron."

Channels:
Unless something's changed, substratus is 4s, superstratus is 6s, and id varies depending upon ego with a base at 5s.

Shatter:
This is intended for use with active abilities, such as those in telepathy/telekinesis.

Psiblade:
Damage will be lower than that of violet. Of course, this is a novice 75% skill compared to a transcendent one.

Readaura:
Not that much used by tk/tp either, but still useful as a utility ability.

PortraitReading:
Not all that useful; mainly an rp device. I've considered getting a painting stuck between the Mag and Gaudi nexii, just for the fun of it.

Egowhip:
For support of TPs, who have an ego-based kill, by non-TPs

Egoscan:
Again, useful for telepathy. Remember there are two other specs.

Secondsight:
You can, yes. Again, it's a bit of a RP-oriented ability, or if you really need to get secondsight up and cure an affliction at the same time (say, anorexia while a maze is incoming) but I'd be surprised if you had the balance. Or for use by misers. Krellan would probably use it.

Psychicpush:
Intended more for use with combos of telepathy or telekinesis - trip/breakleg/psychicpush, for instance. It's also anonymous (except to other psionicists), which can give it an advantage.

Bodyscan:
Primarily intended for telekinetics to check burst vessels. Also useful for everyone who has tried to help a novice cure out of being hit by a statue or something.

Psychicblock:
Ridiculously useful for ganks, as people can't call in assistance. Not so much for 1v1, at least for telekinetics/tps, although a psymet would probably be able to use it for less loss, as they don't rely on psymet for active offense.

Alteraura:
Alteraura is intended, again, for tps/tks. There are a few useful combos. It also doesn't show which defense is stripped.

Hyperhidrosis:
Hyperhidrosis was envoyed so that people using psionics actively didn't need to wait for up to six seconds to cleanse out.

Psionics is a very robust skill. It's also only up to master, and shared among three specs, each of which have useful skills there. I don't really see any need for psychometabolism to split off, especially considering you do find use for several of those abilities, and would probably want clones put into an extended psychometabolism. Psychometabolism's DMP (which doesn't use locked channels) will also stack with that from psionics (which does), although subject to the standard reducing gains. It's very useful. Is there any reason to put more skills in psionics (which already has quite a lot) rather than psymet? Are they going to be useful for a variety of people?


It works on all non-reinforced doors, actually, it just takes longer the more robust they are (pine, oak, iron, steel).

You are incorrect about elasticity unless it was changed:

Contrary to what it sounds it only applies (or was applying) to warrior/monk attacks and is not actually bashing.

Someone double check maybe?

It definitely works on doors that are locked as long as they aren't reinforced. I've used it when exploring to get into rooms I would normally have to do a quest to get into.

OK.



This is from Xiel Talnara's site (from the acrobatics section). Checking my alt proved the same to be true. Are you suggesting this DMP only applies to combat? Did you mean elasticity as in the acro DMP passive ability, or were you refering to something else? Just trying to clarify your point.

Does that also include metal doors, or is it limited to only wooden doors (i.e. see my discussion of widening shift to include metal, but not reinforced doors). I would love to shift through the metal doors in the asylum, though I don't really believe it would make clearing that area any quicker.

Well, I have used it to open steel doors but you have to keep doorblasting it over and over and over. Eventually the door cracks and then after more doorblasts it will eventually break and open. I'm not sure how long it stays broken but then it will be opened with one doorblast every time.