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#1 Sep 25 2004 at 3:19 AM Rating: Good
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***Update! Warrior talents and Priests talents are now recent and set for use! In addition, I have added every 30 point ability available to all classes with talents in each talent set.***

For those who did not know, IGN has set up talent calculator that can be found here.

IGN also have a list of skills for each class here.

This is your chance to set up your planned build before the game is released! This can be handy to avoid messing up your character and setting your character up for the role you want it to fulfill.

Currently, only shamen, druid, warrior, rogue and priest are in but I'll update once the talent calculator is updated. Lets have fun with this thread and please, for the love of all things holy, no freakin' flaming!

Here are the rules: Set up your character talent point with the default 51 points, title the build to reflect the role (pvp, tank, blah blah) and post. After the posting, everybody else can rate from 1 (being bad) through 5 (being very good, perfect if you will). They will then voice why it rated low or high then post their build to be critique also.

Now here is the setup, folks. Each class has 3 talents with a juicy 30 point ability if you choose to focus on it. How you choose to spend your points will decide if you get the ability or not. I have chosen to delete my druid build to show you, the reader, what is to be expected when spending your points. Keep in mind that the power of some abilities (passive or active) are the usually of being a rank 1 ability.

Druid

Balance
Active 30 point ability "Hurricane": (1/1 points) Creates a violent storm in the area surrounding the caster, causing 53 Nature damage to all nearby enemies every 1 second, and reducing the attack speed of all nearby enemies by 20%. Lasts 10 seconds.

Feral Combat
Passive 30 point ability "Primal Instinct": (1/1 points) Reduces the Mana cost of your shapeshifting abilities by 25%.

Passive 30 point ability "Improved Pounce": (2/2 points) Gives your Pounce ability a 100% chance to add an additional combo point to the target.

Restoration
Active 30 point ability "Reincarnation": (1/1 points) When activated, allows the caster to return to life at 20% health and mana. This ability may only be used when the caster is dead.

Mage

Arcane
Active 30 point ability "Arcane Power": (1/1 points) When activated, your spells deal 35% more damage while costing 35% more mana to cast. This effect lasts 15 seconds.

Frost
Active 30 point ability "Ice Barrier": (1/1 points) Instantly shields you, absorbing 455 damage. Lasts 1 minute. While the shield holds, spells will not be interrupted.

Fire
Active 30 point ability "Combustion": (1/1 points) When activated, this spell gives your next fire damage spell a 100% critical strike chance.

Rogue

Assassination
Passive 30 point ability "Vigor": (1/1 points) Increases your maximum Energy by 10.

Combat
Active 30 point ability "Adrenaline Rush": (1/1 points) Increases your Energy regeneration rate by 100% for 15 seconds.

Subtlety
Active 30 point ability "Premeditation": (1/1 points) When used, adds 2 combo points to your target.

Priest

Discipline
Active 30 point ability "Divine Spirit": (1/1 points) Holy power infuses the target, increasing their Spirit by 23 for 30 minutes.

Holy
Active 30 point ability "Holy Nova": (1/1 points) Causes an explosion of holy light around the caster, causing 80 to 88 Holy damage to all targets within 10 yards. The effect also temporarily reduces your threat level against nearby targets for 5 seconds.

Shadow
Active 30 point ability "Shadowform": (1/1 points) Assume a Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 20% and reducing Physical damage done to you by 20%. However, you may only cast Shadow and Discipline spells while in this form.

Shaman

Elemental Combat
Active 30 point ability "Elemental Mastery": (1/1 points) When activated, this spell gives your next Fire, Frost, or Nature damage spell a 100% critical strike chance.

Enhancement
Active 30 point ability "Stormstrike": (1/1 points) Gives you an extra attack. In addition, the next 2 sources of Nature damage dealt to the target are increased by 20%. Lasts 12 seconds.

Passive 30 point ability "Improved Grace of Air Totem": (3/3 points) Increases the amount of Agility raised by your Grace of Air Totem by 15%.

Restoration
Passive 30 point ability "Combat Endurance": (1/1 points) Allows 10% of your Health regeneration to work while in combat.

Warrior

Arms
Active 30 point ability "Mortal Strike": (1/1 points) A vicious strike that deals 220% weapon damage and wounds the target, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 50% for 10 seconds.

Fury
Passive 30 point ability "Bloodthirst": (1/1 points) A strike that becomes active after dealing a killing blow. This swing deals 150% weapon damage and is guaranteed a critical strike.

Protection
Passive 30 point ability "Combat Endurance": (1/1 points) Allows 10% of your Health regeneration to work while in combat.

Edited, Wed Sep 29 11:12:32 2004 by Redmoonxl
#2 Sep 25 2004 at 7:53 AM Rating: Good
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531 posts
Very cool post. When I was in the Stress test, I was a Hunter so I never got to see any talents. I still can't see the talents I want but this is at least something. I also plan on playing a Paladin so once again I don't get to see the talents that will really interest me, but at least I'll know where to look when they ARE added.

Going to play around with all the talents. ;)

Rate-up, definately info worth posting.
#3 Sep 25 2004 at 10:20 AM Rating: Decent
Warrior talents haven't changed in that site yet.
#4 Sep 25 2004 at 1:51 PM Rating: Decent
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1,430 posts
Yeah, the warrior talent calculator is quite outdated. IGN will update it soon...hopefully.

Fire/Frost Build (Lv 60 Mage)

Arcane Talents (0 points)

Frost Talents (17 points)

Permafrost - 5/5 points
Increases the duration of your chill effects by 3 seconds.

Improved Frost Nova - 3/3 points
Reduces the cooldown of your Frost Nova by 3 seconds.

Winter's Chill - 3/3 points
Increases the power of your chill effects by slowing the target's movement by an additional 10%.

Ice Shards - 4/5 points
Increases the damage done by your frost spell critical strikes by 80%.

Arctic Reach - 2/2 points
Increases the range of your Frostbolt spell and the radius of your Frost Nova and Cone of Cold spells by 20%.

Fire Talents (34 points)

Impact - 5/5 points
Gives your fire spells a 10% chance to stun the target for 2 seconds.

Improved Fireball - 5/5 points
Reduces the casting time of your Fireball spell by 0.5 seconds.

Critical Mass - 5/5 points
Increases the critical strike chance of your fire spells by 5%.

Ignite - 5/5 points
Your critical strikes from fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 40% of your spell's damage over 4 seconds.

Burning Soul - 3/3 points
Gives your fire spells a 65% chance to not lose casting time when you take damage.

Flame Throwing - 2/2 points
Increases the range of your fire spells by 6 yards.

Pyroblast - 1/1 point
Hurls an immense fiery boulder that causes 200 to 259 fire damage and an additional 76 damage over 12 seconds.

Improved Fire Ward - 2/2 points
Causes your fire ward to reflect 35% of the damage absorbed back to the caster.

Fire Power - 5/5 points
Increases the damage done by your fire spells by 10%.

Combustion - 1/1 point
When activated, this spell gives your next fire damage spell a 100% critical strike chance

Edited, Sat Sep 25 14:52:23 2004 by Redmoonxl
#5 Sep 25 2004 at 3:22 PM Rating: Decent
I really dont like that certain builds are coming out, its falling into the Diablo 2 cookie cutter build problem.
#6 Sep 25 2004 at 7:15 PM Rating: Good
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469 posts
arimer wrote:
I really dont like that certain builds are coming out, its falling into the Diablo 2 cookie cutter build problem.
Problem? There was a problem?
#7 Sep 25 2004 at 7:49 PM Rating: Decent
Leads to everyone playing their characters the same which, kills the creativity, If i wanted that i would keep playing FFXi.
#8 Sep 25 2004 at 11:02 PM Rating: Excellent
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2,553 posts
it's a class based game, there needs to be a certain amount of "you're this class, you're good at this"

If I'm looking for a Priest, I'm looking for someone who can heal, cure, res, keep my group alive. I don't want to be told "oh, I'm a nuking priest".

Class templates are good things. Talents should and do allow a minimal flavour customization, without changing the base of the class role.

____________________________
--Illia
Fumus, draco magus incoluit mare.
Myrx - 70 Holy Priest, Myr - 70 Resto Shaman, Gryd - 70 Prot Warrior
#9 Sep 25 2004 at 11:12 PM Rating: Decent
Yeah i like that every class ha a role i just dont want it to where everyone chooses the same talents just because thats the "best" build. There shouldnt be a best build.
#10 Sep 26 2004 at 12:59 AM Rating: Decent
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1,430 posts
The lovely thing about this game that there are at least 3 things that each class is good at and it is up to the player to decide which talent set to focus on. While I like freedom, going for one thing means death when it comes to advancement. Much like FFXI where one class is good at one thing, going for only one talent a certain class will cause you to be inflexible. Going for a "Nuking Priest" will cause you to become worthless in most situations but a priest that heals and nukes and balances between both will be able to handle situations better then a strict nuker.

Blizzard made the talent system for one reason: to allow you, the player, flexiblity. When trouble arise, your job should be able to handle itself in most situations. A strict nuker mage will be in trouble with monsters that get up close but a frost/nuke mage can slow the monster down while nuking at a safe distance. A druid that only heals will find himself gaining aggro will be hurt badly but shapeshifting gives him/her an extra edge while in battle. Don't let "best" get in the way of your enjoyment. Only let what makes sense to you decide where you want to go with your character. Personally I'm checking to see if I can make a straight up enfeeble damager druid with balance talents and cat form talents. Watch out once I do!
#11 Sep 26 2004 at 11:25 AM Rating: Decent
If Priests Talents made them only rez and heal then you would see even less Priests then now. If you played EQ you would love how Priests also can nuke. I don't see how anyone would want to play a character that just looks at health bars go up and down.
#12 Sep 26 2004 at 4:09 PM Rating: Good
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14,326 posts
Gihja wrote:
. I don't see how anyone would want to play a character that just looks at health bars go up and down.


Ask the people that play White Mage in FFXI, that's all they do and they enjoy it.

There's nothing wrong with a class that just heals, some people actually like playing that type of character.

Some of us are more action, some are more support but there's a place for all types in the game.
#13 Sep 26 2004 at 4:50 PM Rating: Default
thats how i like to think of it. I was in stress test, and i was a hunter, i soled for a while doing quest, NEVER GRINDED, unlike sum games ive played *caugh caugh* FFXI *caugh caugh* and when i was a hunter and i grouped, i would be a puller/aggro god/tank(only if we had no warrior), and since there talents werent even implemented yet, and i had that much fun playing those 3 styles, i loved it all. So i can twait till open beta, where talents will be in hopefully an ddo these things tenfold

Thx, and thats just my two cents
#14 Sep 26 2004 at 6:19 PM Rating: Good
Tracer Bullet
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12,636 posts
Gihja wrote:
I don't see how anyone would want to play a character that just looks at health bars go up and down.

Ever watch MASH?


#15 Sep 26 2004 at 6:33 PM Rating: Default
First off - Priests do not need to watch the health bars go up and down all day. They have spell-attacks also. Second - About the "this is going to become like Diablo 2 - cookie cut characters".

I .. let me repeat.. I.. (once more) I HIGHLY HIGHLY doubt that will happen, all Redmoon is really doing is showing people that they don't have to go out on to the battlefield with a character that's all sticky and icky like "im a assasin night efl roge and.. i dnt hve enuhg pnts to fill all my talent... so... i suck.. /e slams head on keyboard" (then later this leads to suicide, due to, the newb decides his character sucks, and due to he was planning on selling that "ASSSIN ROGE NIGHT EFL STRNG CHARCTR" on Ebay, now he can't which makes it so he can not pay for his next weeks weekly loaf of bread - which causes himself to go starving.. which ends up in a newb suiciding all because he thought that sticking to one talent would make him sooo strong)

Basically - Play how you'd like to play, if you want to put 1 talent point in increased fire damage on a mage - but, use ice attacks just for good luck or something, GO AHEAD! No one is saying it's "not a good build" no one is saying that if you put your talent points all into one thing that you will be stronger than say the guy who decided that he wanted power and defense instead of nuke.

I doubt this will turn into cookie-cut characters.
#16 Sep 26 2004 at 6:47 PM Rating: Decent
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787 posts
Quote:
Ask the people that play White Mage in FFXI, that's all they do and they enjoy it.


Guilty.
#17 Sep 26 2004 at 9:33 PM Rating: Good
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531 posts
The best way to make a good character is to have a definite plan as to what you want the character to be able to do, make that plan realistic, and focus your talent points on making it a reality.

Basically you want to do one of two things....

What I recommend is focusing at being really good at one thing. Pick one of the three talents as your primary character's focus and stick with the abilities in that. If you need to spend a few points in another area, that's fine, but try to stay focused.

Second idea, but a poor choice in my mind, is to dabble in each of the areas. This can make you more diverse, but you won't be especially good in any of the three areas(Jack of all trades but master of none). The only real advantage I can think of is you might be a little more flexible in your utility this way.

Keep in mind, from level 10 to level 60(current level cap) you'll get 51 talent points. You should have them mostly planned out in advance and know what your goals are. If you aren't certain how you want to proceed, I recommend waiting to spend the point until you have a reasonable plan on which way you want to go with the points. Better to hold them a little while than spend them and later find out you made bad choices(Unless they let you untrain your talents and re-select(I think I did see talent masters who helped you do this but since I was playing a Hunter and there were no talents, I really couldn't test that out).

If by chance you can untrain your talents, and pick them over at will, then you can pick different "sets" of talents for different occasions. A Priest might put all their talent points into the "Holy" talents a night they are going against Undead, and another night put the Talent points into making their healing spells better because there is a raid that night and there are few healers going. Personally if Blizzard allows it to work this way I think it would be a mistake though. Hopefully that isn't how it works. Making hard choices is what a system like this, or any good RPG is about.

Edited, Sun Sep 26 22:36:57 2004 by KerikDaven
#18 Sep 26 2004 at 9:46 PM Rating: Default
Originally posted by: KerikDaven
Quote:
The best way to make a good character is to have a definite plan as to what you want the character to be able to do, make that plan realistic, and focus your talent points on making it a reality.

Basically you want to do one of two things....

What I recommend is focusing at being really good at one thing. Pick one of the three talents as your primary character's focus and stick with the abilities in that. If you need to spend a few points in another area, that's fine, but try to stay focused.

Second idea, but a poor choice in my mind, is to dabble in each of the areas. This can make you more diverse, but you won't be especially good in any of the three areas(Jack of all trades but master of none). The only real advantage I can think of is you might be a little more flexible in your utility this way.

Keep in mind, from level 10 to level 60(current level cap) you'll get 51 talent points. You should have them mostly planned out in advance and know what your goals are. If you aren't certain how you want to proceed, I recommend waiting to spend the point until you have a reasonable plan on which way you want to go with the points. Better to hold them a little while than spend them and later find out you made bad choices(Unless they let you untrain your talents and re-select(I think I did see talent masters who helped you do this but since I was playing a Hunter and there were no talents, I really couldn't test that out).

If by chance you can untrain your talents, and pick them over at will, then you can pick different "sets" of talents for different occasions. A Priest might put all their talent points into the "Holy" talents a night they are going against Undead, and another night put the Talent points into making their healing spells better because there is a raid that night and there are few healers going. Personally if Blizzard allows it to work this way I think it would be a mistake though. Hopefully that isn't how it works. Making hard choices is what a system like this, or any good RPG is about.

Edited, Sun Sep 26 22:36:57 2004 by KerikDaven



Completely agreed.

However, you can not untrain stuff - that was just for people in beta/ stress test.
#19 Sep 26 2004 at 10:11 PM Rating: Decent
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1,430 posts
I tried making a balanced nuker/healer priest, thinking it was easy. Boy, was I wrong. I sat for an hour, reducing and adding while doing this over and over again till I was at least almost happy with the results. I'm not saying that this is the only way to make it but damn its hard to balance it with the priest set of talents ;_;

Discipline Talents (12 points)

Unbreakable Will - 5/5 points
Increases your chance to resist Stun, Fear, and Silence effects by 15%.

Silent Resolve - 4/5 points
Reduces the threat generated by your damage spells by 16%.

Improved Holy Word: Shield - 3/3 points
Reduces the duration of your Holy Word: Shield's Weakened Soul effect by 15 seconds.

Holy Talents (24 points)

Improved Holy Smite - 3/3 points
Increases the critical strike damage of your Holy Smite ability by 100%.

Holy Specialization - 5/5 points
Increases the critical effect chance of your Holy spells by 5%.

Subtlety - 5/5 points
Reduces the threat generated by your healing spells by 10%.

Spiritual Healing - 5/5 points
Increases your Mana regeneration rate by 100% for 10 seconds after getting a critical effect from one of your heal spells.

Improved Resurrection - 2/2 points
Reduces the resurrection sickness penalty of your Resurrection spell by 25%.

Improved Renew - 2/2 points
Increases the amount healed by your Renew spell by 20%.

Holy Fire - 1/1 point
Consumes the enemy in flames that cause 77 to 100 Fire damage and an additional 20 Fire damage over 8 seconds.

Combat Resurrection - 1/1 point
Brings a dead player back to life with 50% of their health and mana. The target does not suffer from resurrection sickness.

Shadow Talents (15 points)

Blackout - 5/5 points
Gives your Shadow damage and Psychic Scream spells a 5% chance to stun the target for 3 seconds.

Improved Shadow Word: Pain - 2/2 points
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 6 seconds.

Shadow Affinity - 4/5 points
Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 20%.

Shadow Focus - 4/5 points
Reduces your target's chance to resist your Shadow spells by 8%.
#20 Sep 27 2004 at 10:23 AM Rating: Decent
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151 posts
With the new five second rule the nuker/healer priest is a thing of the past in a group. More effecient to save the mana for a renew, heal, or shield, and use the time inbetween casts to regen some mana.
#21 Sep 27 2004 at 1:00 PM Rating: Decent
i like the diablo 2 style. i also see no problem.
#22 Sep 27 2004 at 4:57 PM Rating: Good
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14,326 posts
StumpyWSF wrote:
With the new five second rule the nuker/healer priest is a thing of the past in a group.


No offense intended Stumpy, and not meant as a flame, but it's statements like that that will turn this into another FFXI in terms of parties.

By saying one combo isn't as good as another combo, that's creating the cookie-cutter impression. It basically is saying that you have to be the correct combination to get into a party.

Yes some combos are better in certain situations but that doesn't mean other combos won't work.

We should try to prevent the cookie-cutter-ing that was so rampant in FFXI now well we can.
#23 Sep 27 2004 at 6:55 PM Rating: Decent
Yeah thats what i was trying to say in my posts, cookie cutting is bad.
#24 Sep 27 2004 at 8:10 PM Rating: Decent
Can I have Sprinkles on my Warrior cookie? I definately need some after my cookie crumbled in the charge nerf.
#25 Sep 27 2004 at 9:58 PM Rating: Decent
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1,073 posts
They've gone through this on the official forums, too. Priests and warriors alike were complaining about people wanting them to spec certain ways. The thing is, everything was balanced before ANYONE got talents. That is to say, even a priest decked out with Shadow (nuke, basically) talents still heals as well as a priest with no talents at all. The game was balanced without talents. Therefore, even someone who specced "wrong" can fill their role no problem.
The way Blizzard is trying to get it (as told by their PR guys) is that talents are minor enough to add flavor, without pigeonholing people. Even a warrior who goes full Fury talents can still put on a shield, go into defensive stance, and spam taunt. The protection-talent warriors may have slight edges, but Blizzard's goal is to avoid this being a big deal.
#26 Sep 29 2004 at 3:19 AM Rating: Decent
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1,430 posts
Bumpage. Both warrior and priest talents have been updated. Enjoy ;)
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