Level 30 Iksar SK wondering about how to prioritize upcoming purchases

[flaris]

Hi!

I’ve got a level 30 Iksar Shadow Knight that I mostly solo with. I’ve dabbled in lots of classes (37 Monk, 35 Enchanter, 34 Druid, 34 Shaman, 32 Ranger), but never gotten a character above 40 on either live or P99, and I’m hoping to make my SK the one to go the distance.

I did some saving and have outfitted myself with an Ebon Mace, an Atramentous Shield, Silver Chitin Hand Wraps, 2x Velium Fire Wedding Rings, a post-nerf Circlet of Shadows, and made myself a full set of Cabilis scale armor (that I’ll be upgrading over the next 10-15 levels with quested Dreadscale armor). I feel quite solidly geared at this point — doing 24-30 in Warslik’s Woods has honestly been a breeze, and I’m starting to save up a little chunk of pp again (currently at ~1500pp).

My question is how y’all would recommend prioritizing upcoming purchases. A few things I’m eyeing medium-to-long-term are: J-boots for quality of life, cooldown reset, and survivability; a regen item (Ceremonial Iksar Chestplate or, eventually, a fungi) for reduced downtime (although I know long-term the bottleneck for SKs is mana regen); a Reaver for better DPS; upgraded haste (RBB or Cloak of Crystalline Waters, maybe?), also for DPS obviously, and it's just fun to hit fast; and a pre-nerf Circlet of Shadow (seems extremely good! But also way more expensive and hard for me to conceptualize its true utility until having one, I think).

Obviously that’s a wide range of items (and prices), most of which are more platinum than I’ve ever had/spent before with any other character, so this might be a sort of academic question at this point, but I think I like having a concrete goal to be saving toward. (I’m also working toward Greenmist, which has been a lot of fun so far and feels like the big goal I have for this character as I get higher in level.)

So, if it were you, which of those things would be your priority/priorities, or are there other items that feel like must-haves that you’d recommend I work toward instead/as well?

Thanks all!

[Crede]

Greenmist > Crown of Narandi > Narandi's Lance(greenmist pretty bad dps at 55) > Sky belt if you're guilded otherwise seahorse belt.

Mana regen is king, greenmist/iksar regen will take care of your health np.

[flaris]

Sweet, that's very helpful, thank you!

[Keebz]

I'd avoid Greenmist for a while as it is no drop, doesn't proc until 46 and is pretty bad DPS. In your position, I'd get a Reaver and grind your way to 46-50 or so. Then you can join a guild and start getting stuff like the sky belt and Narandi loot for free, then sell the Reaver when you upgrade.

I'd also grab some JBoots when convenient, though at 46+ you can just go camp em yourself.

[sideshow]

Cheap global cool down you can get right now with Spyglass (wiki.project1999.com/Spyglass) or Kromzek Surveyor scope (wiki.project1999.com/Kromzek_Surveyor_Scope)

I'd go with the Kromzek Surveyor Scope, equipable in range slot and gives +5 Int

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Cheap global cool down you can get right now with Spyglass (wiki.project1999.com/Spyglass) or Kromzek Surveyor scope (wiki.project1999.com/Kromzek_Surveyor_Scope)

I'd go with the Kromzek Surveyor Scope, equipable in range slot and gives +5 Int

I would recommend at least https://wiki.project1999.com/Star_of_Eyes over a spyglass or surveyor scope, if you want something cheap. Personally I hate the zoom effect of those two, even if they are cheap GCD items.

[Danth]

I wouldn't even bother with a cooldown refresh just for its own sake on this class. It's nice but you can live without it, especially during the leveling process. Use the buff-granting versions like jboots or goblin ear. As a tank it's really beneficial to keep junk buffs on (I typically have minimum two at all times, sometimes more) so the click buffs serve double duty.

Danth

[DeathsSilkyMist]

I wouldn't even bother with a cooldown refresh just for its own sake on this class. It's nice but you can live without it, especially during the leveling process. Use the buff-granting versions like jboots or goblin ear. As a tank it's really beneficial to keep junk buffs on (I typically have minimum two at all times, sometimes more) so the click buffs serve double duty.

Danth

I do agree here. I rarely use a GCD item for that purpose on my SK. Usually the only time I will use one for GCD is when I want to FD as fast as possible after a spell cast. Other than that an SK generally doesn't need to spam spells at GCD refresh speed.

EDIT: Meant to say my SK, not my Shaman lol. GCD is obviously necessary on a Shaman.

[Danth]

Other than that an SK generally doesn't need to spam spells at GCD refresh speed.

To be fair, I use mine a great deal because it lets me use three aggro spells in the span I can otherwise use two, hence it's great for situations where I want to frontload as much threat as possible. However, I also played my guy a couple years before I had one at all and I got by alright.

It's similar to the pernerf invis click item...I have an SK with one (my guy) and one without (the wife's 55 SK alt) and while I like the instant invis, in truth I don't miss it ALL that much if I log on the other one for some reason. It's not like it breaks the character.

[DeathsSilkyMist]

To be fair, I use mine a great deal because it lets me use three aggro spells in the span I can otherwise use two, hence it's great for situations where I want to frontload as much threat as possible. However, I also played my guy a couple years before I had one at all and I got by alright.

It's similar to the pernerf invis click item...I have an SK with one (my guy) and one without (the wife's 55 SK alt) and while I like the instant invis, in truth I don't miss it ALL that much if I log on the other one for some reason. It's not like it breaks the character.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying it doesn't help if you want to use one. But from my experience at least I don't need to cast spells that fast to pull agro. Typically if I am in a group and someone keeps pulling agro while you are spamming Disease Cloud, the problem is the group member hehe, not your casting speed.

One exception to this is if you are grouping with a heavily geared monk/rogue. At that point you probably want to bust out GCD to keep agro. At that point they are just pulling agro naturally because they hit too much hehe.

[Danth]

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying it doesn't help if you want to use one. But from my experience at least I don't need to cast spells that fast to pull agro. Typically if I am in a group and someone keeps pulling agro while you are spamming Disease Cloud, the problem is the group member hehe, not your casting speed.

We're more or less on the same page, yeah. You can definitely get by without, hence me also agreeing there's little point in getting one until you get one that does a junk buff along with it. However there's something to be said for being able to tell your groupmates to play however they enjoy without regard for aggro generation. Like the GCD makes it easier to get in three aggro spells in the time a shaman can do malo/slow since the shaman I mostly duo with is casting those spells (and damage spells often enough) as soon as the target's in range. It's by no means a required item, just something that lets everyone play a little looser.

[DeathsSilkyMist]

We're more or less on the same page, yeah. You can definitely get by without, hence me also agreeing there's little point in getting one until you get one that does a junk buff along with it. However there's something to be said for being able to tell your groupmates to play however they enjoy without regard for aggro generation. Like the GCD makes it easier to get in three aggro spells in the time a shaman can do malo/slow since the shaman I mostly duo with is casting those spells (and damage spells often enough) as soon as the target's in range. It's by no means a required item, just something that lets everyone play a little looser.

Agreed!

[DeathsSilkyMist]

I usually have 3 different configurations for groups, depending on the severity of their ability to pull agro.

My first configuration is https://wiki.project1999.com/Ancient_Fire_Etched_Flamberge and no GCD item. If I can pull that off in a group, I can maximize my DPS and tankiness.

If that isn't working, my second configuration is to switch to https://wiki.project1999.com/Frostwrath + https://wiki.project1999.com/Shield_of_Midnight for more melee hit agro.

If that still isn't enough, I'll equip a GCD item to increase spell speed. I rarely need to do this.

[Ripqozko]

I usually have 3 different configurations for groups, depending on the severity of their ability to pull agro.

My first configuration is https://wiki.project1999.com/Ancient_Fire_Etched_Flamberge and no GCD item. If I can pull that off in a group, I can maximize my DPS and tankiness.

If that isn't working, my second configuration is to switch to https://wiki.project1999.com/Frostwrath + https://wiki.project1999.com/Shield_of_Midnight for more melee hit agro.

If that still isn't enough, I'll equip a GCD item to increase spell speed. I rarely need to do this.

Paladin better

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Paladin better

It depends on the situation. SK's are better for pulling and soloing anything that can be feared. Paladins are better when you can't fear/stun mobs.

[Ripqozko]

It depends on the situation. SK's are better for pulling and soloing anything that can be feared. Paladins are better when you can't fear/stun mobs.

We get it you plan a sk

[DeathsSilkyMist]

We get it you plan a sk

We get it, you don't want to actually contribute and just troll lol.

[Ripqozko]

We get it you play a sk

[DeathsSilkyMist]

We get it, you don't want to actually contribute and just troll lol.

[Ripqozko]

you always have to be last to respond i see

[Jimjam]

I suggest a balance of Earthworm Munch and Beetle Bakes. Washed down with some bladders of Lizard Milk (or Cabilis Pale Ale on weekends and evenings).

Aloe Swatch are great for bandaging wounds. Your deep pockets will impress all around you.

[Stonewallx39]

If you’re planning to solo definitely prioritize a reaver. You’re Mace and shield will carry to to 60 grouping no problem. For a leveling path Paw at 30 (can work outside if everything is camped/no groups inside) or do the guards in northern Karana. Then at 40 you could do dreadlands for a couple levels. 44+ I’d head to Oggok and kill guards until close to 50. From their it becomes tougher to solo but should have the plat for upgrades if you’re ready to group.

For gear getting into a plate house group and doing thurg armor turn ins can be a really inexpensive way to upgrade. Additional Crystal chitin armor is super high value but won’t have the tankiest stays in the world.