pally starting stats

[Phinger]

Was reading through the wiki and saw that the recommended half elf starting stat allocation was 20 (all) to sta. Before reading, i was thinking it would be all to str...any of you have some comments as to why? Str easier to cap out with gear maybe?

New to a pally...always been a cloth caster but had a warrior on live till 50ish .. wanted to try out a pally here.

[Kope]

Str is one of the easier stats to raise, many easy to get items raise str drastically. Sta on the otherhand is relatively more difficult to raise and is arguably more important than str to a pally.

[Itap]

Str is one of the easier stats to raise, many easy to get items raise str drastically. Sta on the otherhand is relatively more difficult to raise and is arguably more important than str to a pally.

This.

It won't be game breaking if you didnt put all into STA, but as a tank, you want as much HP as you can get

[Phinger]

Makes sense...now that you've said it, it sounds familiar. Thanks for insights.

[SamwiseRed]

those extra 30 hps during raids was so worth not being able to wear my armor becuase of lack of str while leveling up.

[Lorraine]

those extra 30 hps during raids was so worth not being able to wear my armor becuase of lack of str while leveling up.

This man speaks the truth - You got the same chance of finding paladin equipable gear with +STR as the one that female wood elf druid that just buffed you, being an actual RL girl.

[1203jjt]

If 30hps is that crucial to a class with LoH and heals, you're doing something wrong. I'd go strength for the majority of my points.

[SamwiseRed]

If 30hps is that crucial to a class with LoH and heals, you're doing something wrong. I'd go strength for the majority of my points.

[Arrisard]

Depends on where you see yourself going with the character. If you're gonna be perpetually running around in bronze armor with several large sewing kits of FS I can see STR being a nice convenience, especially if you went HIE or ERU.

If you ever plan on moving beyond that point, STA becomes more attractive the closer you get to max level (20 STA = 100 HP at 60) and have more money to spend on even rudimentary gear like Seb Scale, Hero Bracers, TBB, cheap weight reduction bags (EE, Light Burlap), etc. Jarsath is an option for the non-dwarf, and I've seen level 1s running around primetime scooping up almost full suits since you can almost run around the entire zone untouched at those hours and that stuff weighs next to nothing while being comparable to Ro armor.

[Lorraine]

those extra 30 hps during raids was so worth not being able to wear my armor becuase of lack of str while leveling up.

If 30hps is that crucial to a class with LoH and heals, you're doing something wrong. I'd go strength for the majority of my points.


Some of you guys insist on comparing apples with oranges, and of course pulling numbers god knows where you actually found them. Since we're at it, let's base our choices on the knowledge that you'll get SoulFire one day which happens to have 5 CHeal charges, so you can actually plan your EQ life around it too.

An one-hour+ cooldown for 1.8k HPs at 60 which serves as an ohshit saver when the enchanter is getting beat on by 2-3 mes resists and the cleric is in the middle of landing a CHeal on you , and sub-par superior heals at 56+ with a minimal mana pool.

In case you didn't notice his sig, he has a 59 enchanter as well. Twinking doesn't sound like it will be an issue. We're not talking about someone who's starting from ground zero here.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6424/palastats.jpg

These are my unbuffed stats at 60 -
Granded I've retired back in March, and only a couple weeks ago decided to log back in on the server to chat with friends and catch up to what they've been upto.
All starting points into STA, mostly DW with Sky helm-boots-belt-neck, a couple pieces of planar and BS earrings, wielding epic, no VP drops - And while I still miss my Hiero / NoS.

Strength is NOT an issue. For a melee class that has the LOWEST weapon caps, the worse melee DPS behind Shadowknights (due to their epic being 40/45 while ours is 35/40 mostly), and if you notice from the pic, while removing the Sky helm which adds 2 to STR, I lose 1 (ONE) point in ATK.

One..

20 points will cost me 20, which is approximately 2%. 20 stamina will cost me 100, which is approximately 4%.

Stamina (HP) IS your defense. It's what will matter when you realise your resists aren't good enough to save you from nukes, it's what will matter when mobs <20 lvls manage to land spells on you, it's what will matter when you start hitting levels with CHealing clerics.

You don't want to go stamina? Fine. Go Dexterity.
Pick yourself up a Runed Blade. That thing not only has an insane PPM, but the proc is awesome in itself. Buff yourself upto 130ish, and expect to save around 1.2-1.5k HP's worth of runes in a single pull alone. Our Epic has a very high PPM ratio as well. Ghoulbane / SoTM , both awesome procs.

Still, you can't plan your life around procs. They are fun when they happen, and it's great to get a string of them, but depending entirely on it will one day come back and bite you in the ass.

In the current state of this server, with the availability of gear, and the fact you already have a high level toon to fund your paladin gear...

STR
IS
USELESS.

[Hroth]

What race are you Lorraine?

[Phinger]

Wow, really didn't expect this much of a response, thank you for the detailed explanation. I do intend to twink him up a bit...nothing crazy but i got him a SotM and a baton of faith for about 1k and got my own ghoulbane the other day in guk.

Basic decent armor so he will hit the ground running. Just need a shield and another bracer and I'm set i think. I would've made a gnome if they could be pallies for the sake of being awesome, but i decided to go half elf with tunare deity so i can do the natures defender come Velious time.

[1203jjt]

If you aren't a dwarf, you aren't doing it right! Think of the jumping!

[Zehv9]

If you aren't a dwarf, you aren't doing it right! Think of the jumping!

No thanks sir, I'm very happy with my Half Elf jumping as if she were trying to achieve flight but has no idea how to do so.

[1203jjt]

You're missing out on the bearded ladies too...

[arsenalpow]

An erudite won the paladin botb, obviously that's the correct race.

[Lorraine]

What race are you Lorraine?

Human.


An erudite won the paladin botb, obviously that's the correct race.

Erudite please.. (sorry couldn't resist there)



EDIT :::

Wow, really didn't expect this much of a response, thank you for the detailed explanation. I do intend to twink him up a bit...nothing crazy but i got him a SotM and a baton of faith for about 1k and got my own ghoulbane the other day in guk.

SoTM solid when it starts procing at 51+.
Don't get caught up with prices and forget the damage cap.
We have one until level 10, and another one until level 20.
Good old Sword of Skyfire, for example, will hit just as hard and a lot faster than SoTM due to the damage cap.
Nathsar Greatsword will hit just as hard as any other 2handed weapon, and the 30 delay is simply TOO good to ignore.
After level 20, it's all fair game.

[kaev]

Lorraine is correct, if you're minmaxing a Paladin build STA is best, there's really no contest. But, base stats don't matter all that much. If you care that much about minmaxing your build you should probably pollute the server with yet another of those ugly and annoying dorfs. But, again, base stats don't matter all that much. Otherwise, do as you please and have fun with it! (In case my bias isn't obvious enough, I'll point out that my main's a Half-Elf Paladin with 10 points "wasted" in WIS to raise it to 75.)


...
SoTM solid when it starts procing at 51+.
...
SotM procs at 50 :p

SotM is definitely an excellent tanking weapon tho, decent ratio for melee threat and that nice agro proc is a huge help when mana regen is unavailable or you're fighting mobs with a mana-drain proc. Rod of Faith is cool and all with its oh-so-sexy 24/32 ratio, but be sure to have a Sword of the Morning in hand when tanking at 50+ (or epic if you have it and the mobs are easy enough you don't care about shield AC.)

[Lorraine]

Biased Cptn Obvious is biased. I don't think anyone advocated him to roll dwarf or gtfo here. People are simply presenting him with options. The only reason you see so many dwarves running around is because their cultural armor is simply overpowered. And they probably like barrel rolls.

SoTM is excellent on any stunable mob, period. Doesn't have to be mana-drain, HP-drain, endurance drain. If it can be stunned, then it will do its job. Stun isn't just a good agro building spell or proc. It is damage avoidance (interrupt channeling/prevent melee swings/prevent ripostes) and a DPS increase (stunned mobs can't parry/dodge). And then there's always the bracer as a last-resort threat generation resource.


SotM procs at 50 :p
(or epic if you have it and the mobs are easy enough you don't care about shield AC.)


Last I checked, Epic has AC. Along with resists/HPs/Proc/Bash.

Now that I mention that, let me double check in case I get called on it.

Yeap, still has AC on it.

[kaev]

:sigh:

1. not tryin to pick a fight Lorraine.
2. SotM is excellent tanking weapon period. Stun agro is king even when mobs are stun-immune...
Oh, wait, I forgot that this server isn't really classic. Been seeing stun immune messages on my client (NOT classic, Luclin era or maybe even PoP), so I suppose there's a good chance they also have the post-classic 'if immune to that level stun spell then no agro' mechanic as well (definitely came in AFTER Cease and Desist spells that trivialized Paladin agro with the Luclin release.)

Wouldn't be the only stun mechanic fucked up here, seen Hill Giants get stunned by spell, I mean WTF????? stun message, yes, actually stunned? not in EQ live they sure as fuck weren't, only stun I ever saw hit an HG was melee bash from the rear.



And yes Epic has AC, but it does not have shield AC which ignores AC caps. Pretty sure that mechanic is in place here, but could be wrong I suppose.


As for the Capt. Obvious bullshit I'd like recommend you take that and 10 pounds of sand, shove it where the sun don't shine and keep it in RnF where it belongs. Or at least save it for when your posts are a bit lighter on the ignorance of game mechanics.

[Lorraine]

But, base stats don't matter all that much. If you care that much about minmaxing your build you should probably pollute the server with yet another of those ugly and annoying dorfs. But, again, base stats don't matter all that much. Otherwise, do as you please and have fun with it!


:sigh:
1. not tryin to pick a fight Lorraine.



As for the Capt. Obvious bullshit I'd like recommend you take that and 10 pounds of sand, shove it where the sun don't shine and keep it in RnF where it belongs. Or at least save it for when your posts are a bit lighter on the ignorance of game mechanics.


Cpt Obvious should practise what he preaches. Starting with reading posts without wearing rose colored glasses would be a plus. That, and leaving the 'hollier than thou' attitude outside the door, maybe would have allowed you to read between the lines and not act like some butthurt child who just took things personally.

[falkun]

Kaev, Kunark shields don't have the ridiculous AC they provided to shields well after I quit (Live). Sarnak Battle Shield and Clay Guardian shield only have 25AC and Stalwart Seas is ERU only. Pretty much everyone would agree to trade 10AC for the other stats on the epic any day of the week. Also, you'll see fewer ripostes on slower weapons, which favors 2H over 1H+shield (although most people don't consider that an issue until PoP).

Until you have access to VP, epic is BIS for Kunark.

[SamwiseRed]

Ive always done my starting stats on hybrids to their respective mana pool stat. no regrets.

or STR if its low as shit