Question on SCH MeritsFollow

Not quite sure i understand the merits but if i'm getting it right. Does it mean I can have 10 combinations of Group 1 then then 10 of Group 2? If so how would this look?

Group 1: Max Sublimation Maxed, and Helix Magic Acc./Atk. Maxed

Group II: 1 Altruism, Focalization, Tranquility, Equanimity, Enlightenment and Max out Stormsurge Job Trait?

Also do General Merit groups count seperate from group 1 and 2 or no?

Well the ones that are beyond doubt are Helix and Stormsurge, those are the two best merit categories hands down.

Now, Max sublimation is one I am definitely not sure of. For me, I don't always cap out on Sublimation before using it, so having a larger cap seems a waste of merits.

The Modus Veritas category isn't much better, since there's no reduction on its timer possible. So you're blowing merits on something you can only use every 10 minutes. Alternatively, if you are planning to end game SCH with a strong Helix gearset, this could give you a nice chunk of damage out of the gate.

The least useful on the service is the Grimoire recast. That would only be good for someone who is a fill-in type of SCH, swapping on the fly between WHM and BLM in a short period. Even then, your recasts are short enough and the penalties small enough for cross-casting that you can normally wing it.

For me, 5/5 Helix, and either a mix of the other two or piled onto MV.

Group two is a lot easier. The enmity reduction seems nice, but if you are riding the hate that close to the edge, there are more issues your shell needs to address, or you need to learn2play. Hate control isn't just the tank's job. If you are overnuking and not paying attention, the enmity abilities are pointless. As for what Zagen said, honestly in situations like that, you have your helix spells and lower tiers. Better to just work with what you have than meriting like a sonovabitch for the ability to toss one IV Ebuillence powered nuke, then sitting with your thumb up your ass while waiting on charges.

For me, the boosted accuracy of Focalization is the most appealing. By charging that up, it lets you open up more in the +MAB department with less resist worries on some of the bigger mobs in-game. This lets you get the most out of limited-window events like Manaburst openings on gods or nuking in a zerg situation. The WHM equivalent is useless. You won't be debuffing a mob with tier 1's unless your LS has no RDM. The - enmity for cures is the same idea: End-game, you will have other healers, unless you are the one they count on.

So for me, it will most likely be 5/5 Stormsurge and 5/5 Focalization.

Edited, Jul 14th 2009 10:38pm by Pawkeshup

I second the whole 5/5 Enlightenment merits.
The only good competitor of extra Stratagems is Focalization. And I really can't find a situation where I'd actually use it over say, Alacrity+Klimaform. This combination is stronger, lasts for 1 minute instead of a single spell; and is cheaper on the Stratagem-side. All available without having to sink a single merit into them.

In the end, Focalization's use is pretty much reserved for 2Hour-mode only; which I don't believe justifies being picked over the always-useful Enlightenment.

Helix & Stormsurge 5/5 is a guarantee. Failing to do this should honestly result in an instant delevel of your SCH to level 5.

The rest of the merits are up in the air. Not because any are much better than others, but because they all somewhat suck.

I myself use helices a LOT. When MV is up, I use it. I don't necessarily use it for to make the helix get over quicker, but I use it so I can apply another helix faster. Even pre-merits, this equates to more damage over the same amount of time. After merits, you can basically take your helix damage and add 50%. Helices, being extremely efficient already, can only benefit greatly from an extra 50% efficiency every 10 minutes. *I've actually done the math, and MV being used regularly and properly equates to a considerable amount of extra damage when merited fully. Enough to the point that MV merits greatly trumps sublimation merits from a damage standpoint. Of course, for meripo healing, there's little use for helices. Mobs die long before the helix will reach it's prime potency.*

Sublimation merits are decent, but I greatly frown upon them myself. If you feel you need them, then get them.

Grimoire merits are far too lackluster. It would be much more beneficial if they would reduce stratagems recast or spell cast/recast times *including breaking the 50% cap* instead. *both stratagems and spell recast/cast times IMO would be broken. Seperately, either would be quite useful but not game-breaking.*

Merit stratagems. EXTREMELY useful during 2hr. Very lackluster without 2hr. If they didn't have that horrible 2charge cost, they'd be quite decent. None are really worth it without 3+ merits into it.

Enlightenment is also extremely disappointing. It could have been much better. Receiving only the magic skill level bonus from the appropriate arts would be enough for me to say this is the definite choice of the remaining group 2. Unfortunately, SE dropped the ball bigtime on this.

All in all, figure up what you use your SCH most for. Tune your merits for that. Stormsurge 5/5 Helix 5/5 or gtfo.

Stormsurge isn't really great enough to say that someone should punish themselves in such a manner for not getting it...



The main purpose of Enlightenment seems to be the ability to throw up RR2 without having to burn two stratagem charges if you already had Addendum: Black on. At least, that's what I see everyone using this ability for. Doesn't depend at all on skill, and since RR lasts for an hour, the 10-min recast for having only one point in this doesn't even matter if that's all you use the ability for.

Since SCH is gunna be your first 75 TC Merit Magic (specifically enfeebling) before bothering with sch specific merits, since none of them are a "must have".