EQ MAGA'S TIP CORNER OCT, 5TH.

[Maga]

Casters;

Causing unnecessary agro on themselves by casting too soon. Use a

lesser DD spell or just wait until the tanks establish the agro, what's your hurry to nuke them right away. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people get jumped because of their itchy trigger finger.

Maga (Hunters Moon)

[Synthania]

Actually, Idont Normally Nuke untli after the mob hits 60% (normally) Now if I know I am with a Tank that can handle agro, ie SK Pally,most of them anyway, I may nuke a bit earlier if I am FM.

I must admit though sometimes its just Fun to nuke the snot out of a mob.... You know kinda to see who dies first? there isnt much fun to it if you dont take some risks and its also like a statement. The wizard in question (not that I would ever do this) saying " Bah you pathetic melee person you have Agro because I LET you have agro" hehehe But like I said I would NEVER try and say something like that no way not me... not this snotty High Elf

[Rebma]

Good point mag. I personally being a chanter have to put everything else before nuking so that's not a big problem, but slowing certainly is. I always have to try to adjust my game play in accordance to the tank we have. If its a warrior, *and no offence cause warriors rule* I generally wait to slow till about 90-92%, then by the time the slow actually hits the mob is at around 87% and the warrior has a good aggro. With Pally's and casting melee though, I find that their aggro hold is much better, being that they get the use of nice aggro grabbing spells on top of the ever popular taunt tool. I usually start my cast at around 97% then and it doesn't land till about 93-94% anyways. When Synth and I group together though with a bunch of others, we try and have a root/slow arrangement, especially if our tank is a warrior. To keep aggro off me, Synth will root it as soon as the puller gets it into camp, and then I cast slow a.s.a.p. Granted everyone doesn't hang out with a wizzie side-kick, but maybe you can find a way to work with another rooting class member of your party. If our tank has HP's out the wazoo, it isn't a huge concern to me as long as the mob gets slowed by about 85%. However if were in a place where the mobs hit for 200-400 per pop(i.e POV) and 4 hits finds our tank at 40% health, I'm gonna want that root/slow team combo put into effect to get the mob slowed right away.

As for nuking, well I generally only do that when #1, I group with a shammy and slowing isn't my problem, or #2 I have mana coming out my ears and just want something to do. As a chanter though slowing and crowd control comes first, and I only nuke when I'm the only slower, if I have over 60% mana. *I want to have mana just in case of emergency*

[Nithas]

The biggest problem I see with most agressive casting is someone is assigned root duty. Rooting makes things easier for generally the nukers, and only the nukers. Typically most melee's fight from an available rear of the mob position if at all possible. The problem comes in when there is pushing involved which when the mob is rooted the closes person is now taking the hits. This kinda thing REALLY pisses off most Rogues as you're not countering thier primary melee advantages. Namely Backstab and high dps.

I know it's boring to stand a round for 40% or 50% of the mob's hp when the tank is a high hp warrior but in a 6 person group I'd rather one person be inconvienced then 2 or more.

I stopped playing a rogue and one of the reasons was the constant shifting and manuvering to get a backstab only to see someone root the mob and now I am barely ever in range to use my best attack just so one caster can use thier best attack.

The other thing I hate is when a caster has a temp or virtue, draws agro because they did something incorrectly and now they run around like a chicken with thier head cut off expecting someone to pull agro off them. It's real simple, learn to not draw agro or stand there and take a hit so the tank can come take agro back. All that running around just makes it difficult for a tank to get on the mob in question. I can see if you don't have a higher end hp buff why you'd run, but even then it was your fault so take your beating like a good caster...

I just really hate the root spell when it's a single pull, I don't see a good reason for it.

[Synthania]

example pull 2 mobs Chantermezzes one and casts slow on the other= Mob Hates chanter...... goes after Chanter. Chanter dies because of agro because tank cant get it back in 3 or 4 hits... everyone else dies because chanter cant remezz

example 2 same pull yada yada...chanter slows mob and rooter roots mob = mob doesnt get chance to hit chanter chanter lives and continues to mezz add everyones happy because noone dies

[Maga]

Good stuff guys, i'm glad people are responding and discussing. Too bad not everyone can see our posts some ppl i have grped with lately suck. No one from the guild of course! We rule!!

Synth: See my 1st post on clerics helping the chanter. Also if a mob does go after a chanter by some oddity or mistake of his own, cleric can always root it off. i always watch my chanter. if he's getting beat on i root mob and then heal him (as long as he's not in immediate threat of death of course). Or you can cast the heal and see if you then get the agro, hahahhaaa... We all know heal is the biggest agro around. Of course every situation is different so knowing your potential is key to survival. remember indescion and hesitation kills. i always buff my chanter as much as i can this way if he does by some odd chance get jumped he can take a few blows without running like a little girl.

Maga (Hunters Moon)

Hesitation kills, don't let it be you.

[Rebma]

I'm sorry that root creates such a problem for some of you. Let me tell you how I see it. If your tank has a good DPS, he should and will by all rights have the root knocked off in 4 to 5 hits. My general view is when you are the slower, someone roots it AS SOON AS it gets back to camp, slower does his/her job a.s.a.p, and Tank knocks root off 2 to 3 hits after. This saves the slower aggro and lets him/her slow it without a wait. This can save the tank if his Hp's aren't pumped out the wazoo, and can save the cleric mana. I'm sure clerics would agree that they'd rather heal the tank once or twice a fight than have to chain heal a tank that's getting beat on full throttle. And if the rooted mob is turning on others, I'm sorry but your tank sucks. Rooted or not, your tank should be able to hold aggro. And with some heavy artillery, root should NEVER last for even half of a fights duration. If it does, thats one STRONG root. I could see cause for complaint if the mob is getting chain rooted, but I'm talking about ONCE in the very beginning to let the debuff casters do their job without aggro.

[Nithas]

I've only seen roots that last short of forever and are hard as heck to break. Or, like you said, someone chain roots. Unless its a root I cast, in which case it lasts 1/2 the time it should and a 300 pt nuke will knock it off. Because ranger spells that aren't buffs are so uber, didn't ya know.

I can count on two hands the number of times I've seen any tanks knock a root off a mob.

My problem is there are people who just do it for the sake of. Mostly Clerics and Druids that I've seen. The don't announce it, they don't consider who's closest to the mob, they just merrily root the piss out of the mob.

I understand there is a strategy involved with using root. I seldom see it being used. It's not even a pet peeve like clerics who insist on jumping into Melee. I hate the root spell line because it's a nessecery evil.

[Krislor]

What you can do is get an awesome shaman that can slow at 98-95% and just stand there and take it like a freaky bear should. Thats how I usually have to slow because it makes things go faster and smoother. Thats how my little shammy grew up, casting slow early and joining in the melee.

Unless i know the mob has a higher than normal resistance and I have to cast Malo to debuff so my slow will stick. Malo does not create as much agro as a chanters Tash does. Sometimes I can cast Malo and slow and not get agro at all and the mob would be at 90% health, and thats with a warrior doing his taunt special.

But it does matter on who yer shaman is and how well equiped. I know the next item I need to get now is a pet, cause I can sit on my faithful steed and not get any agro. Not like sitting on the ground which really pisses em off and forces me to use canni a lot more than I want to. Anyway, I dont ever use the root technique unless there is no chanter and I need to seperate mobs and if I am the healer as well.

It works to my advantage.

Krislor