People wanting SoW at camps

[Oblivion]

I've grouped with a cleric once in my short time grouping so far on my shaman (currently level 19), so I've been main healer/buffer most of the time. This is fine. I usually rotate buffs so I'm not oom buffing everyone at once, but what gets me is people wanting SoW at static spawn camps. Group in HHP for instance, killing orcs, at the zone line, and people want SoW. I have such a huge mana cost for everything (untwinked) I cannot SoW everyone and heal and buff essential buffs. What do!?

Is this normal? Are people just clueless? Am I clueless and should buff SoW no matter what? HALP

[Cillaz]

You should SoW the puller - if he out runs the pulls, he takes less hits, which means you heal him less and save mana. Others in the group - depends if there will be a long run to get to safety - in HHP, you should be able to run to safety without SoW - so tell them if they all want SoW then you will SoW them but then have to hold pulls so you can med up before you are able to heal again. This will normally stop the people who dont really need it.

[Ahldagor]

what's your mana total? sow ends up being a very low cost spell in a couple more levels though.

[blondeattk]

Avoid grps where you are main healer, if there is no crack present....

[Tecmos Deception]

what's your mana total? sow ends up being a very low cost spell in a couple more levels though.

Mana total doesn't mean squat in this situation. What matters is wasting mana on unnecessary (even pointless, perhaps) buffs just because means the group will have more downtime waiting on him to med up for meaningful heals, buffs, etc.

[skipdog]

In lots of dungeons, people want SoW so they can zone in case of a nasty train. I think this really gets ingrained in their minds, so even when they are in a safe spot like HHK orcs near zoneline, they don't realize that SoW isn't necessary and still ask for it out of habit.

[Nekkojakk]

In lots of dungeons, people want SoW so they can zone in case of a nasty train. I think this really gets ingrained in their minds, so even when they are in a safe spot like HHK orcs near zoneline, they don't realize that SoW isn't necessary and still ask for it out of habit.

This, my I'm only lvl 20 and all i pretty much do is cast and sit back down in most groups at this point. Yet I still keep SoW on myself and gate mem'd. Just stagger buffs/don't use the crappy stat ones outside of str.

[DrKvothe]

Just do it. 30 seconds of downtime an hour is better than lfg for 15-30min because of min-maxing arguments. Also, you don't want to be known as the shaman who doesn't sow.

If you really hate buffing people against the group's best interests, you'll be a fantastic soloer at 34 ;)

[Oblivion]

I wouldn't buff everybody, especially at that level. If you were grouped with the cleric, shouldn't he have been handling most of the healing duties? Sow is incredibly important as it can mean the difference between life and death, but use your judgement to assess the camp and danger.

I usually try to fully buff whoever is tanking. Then melee usually only get str/dex. Perhaps Agi/turtle if they're off-tanking enough. I always SoW the puller, though I've been kind of lucky and following a bard leveling so he always has movement song going. I also meant that in the groups I've had so far, I've only seen one cleric. Its either been me in the healer role, or me and a druid sharing the responsibility.

what's your mana total? sow ends up being a very low cost spell in a couple more levels though.

My mana total is something in the 400s IIRC. Fully buffing the tank takes me to 50% easily. So then I'm left with 200 mana with a 60 mana heal. I understand SoW ends up not costing very much, I even noticed it. But casting it on 6 people that do not need it DOES still cost a lot of mana.

Just do it. 30 seconds of downtime an hour is better than lfg for 15-30min because of min-maxing arguments. Also, you don't want to be known as the shaman who doesn't sow.

If you really hate buffing people against the group's best interests, you'll be a fantastic soloer at 34

I actually really enjoy being a main buffer. Its one of the reasons I chose Shaman. But I have to disagree with being in the group's best interest to "just do it". As stated above, fully buffing the tank takes me to 50%. Everyone wants SoW which will probably drain me. Now only the tank is buffed and I'm OOM. So we have to wait on my mana. Pre-Canniblize is rather slow. And of course people are pulling anyway. So as soon as I get 60 mana its probably going to a heal. Still OOM and no one else has buffs yet.


I usually cast it on the people that insist, just because. But it was just a gripe I've noticed since level 9. Just irked me when people want SoW at static camps such as the ones in HHP and others.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[Bossman]

Don't fully buff tank. Most buffs will have little or no impact at that level!

[Zeonick]

Buffing at low levels just plain sucks. You dont have canni or regen yet and your mana pool is low. Just give people the buffs they really need or tell them you have to med and to hold pulls, as someone else said. Most people will realize they don't need dex or agi or w/e more than they need the exp.

Basically Str the melee and maybe str/sta the tank. Dex ONLY if they're using weapons that proc, otherwise it does absolutely nothing for them.

Take a read here:
http://wiki.project1999.com/Stats

To see what the stats ACTUALLY do for you, and you will have a good idea about what buffs to give what classes.

[gummab]

If you camping at the zoneline, SOW puller and tell the rest where to go.Its just a Waste of mana.
And at the level your at i would just buff STR to people that need it.

[Dangermouse]

I always thought that the main use of a STR buff was to carry more phat loots :D

(Seriously, I know if affects melee damage, but how much damage increase does +18 STR actually give? A few percent?)

Basically, I'm agreeing with Zeonick - give the buffs that matter. Some people like to see a nice full buff window, but at lower levels it's mostly pointless, IMHO.

[Iliilliill]

say "didn't buy that one, sorry."

but expect them to kick you from the group for being an idiot (even though you aren't ;) )

[falkun]

STR to melee, STA to tank/puller/CC, SoW to puller. Save mana for heals.

[Rheaume]

Then there are those who cruise by your camp and ask for SoW, Stam, Tali please.
MFr I'm on 25% mana, my puller is inc with 3 and Chloro/alacrity timers are running down.

[Songla]

Until I make sure I can keep up with mana I focus on the tank with whatever buffs help the tank do their thing (get agro, stay alive)... Haste/Regen/HP/SoW/AC/Sta/Str/Dex/Agi sort of in that order depending on mana situation (mix in resists if req'd). Melee dps priority is a little different and goes more like haste/str/dex/sow/regen/hp. CC would get HP/Sta/Sow/Agi.

Pretty much what "falkun" said. If your job is to keep the group alive... do what you gotta do to make that as simple as possible for yourself, which means buffing the tank and buff the others as you can. Sow for the puller of course is wise so they don't get all beat up and need heals which robs your mana and slows the exp down.

[Raavak]

Sometimes you just have to say "no".

[Robdukes]

I found the best way to buff people up and keep as much mana as possible is this.

Use one spell gem slot for buffing.

Mem a buff...cast it on who needs it

sit and forget that spell and mem the next buff

Stand and cast on who needs it

repeat.


You'll burn way more mana if you mem all your buffs or like 3 or 4 and cast them then sit and mem the next 3 or 4 and cast them instead of one at a time.