When does rotting become more viable?
 

Hello fellow priests and more specifically shamans, I have a question as to when it becomes more viable to root rot as opposed to smashing things.

Currently I am a level 37 ogre shaman nearing level 38. At level 39 I get a few spells including a great new dot, and canni 2. I'm following the evil shaman guide (thankyou Blkcamel for that) and so I am currently killing NK guards. I can slow and smash these with the help of a poison dot pretty easily although sometimes they hit a little hard if RNG isn't on my side. My question is -- when I move to a different hunting spot and mobs inevitably hit harder, will it be more effective for me to switch to shield and spear (for more mana) and root rot?

Thanks in advance for any input guys, it's much appreciated.

depends on if you prefer fun over efficiency.

if you own a haste item and a PWC, then wacking stuff is viable for a while yet.

personally I dont like playing shm as a pure caster.....if I wanted that id play a necro which are better at it.

play shms for fun imo....which means wackin stuff!

Think you get your pet soon If not already?

I didn't root/rot until epic, just wasn't efficient until then.

Hmmm, currently I have a PWC and FBSS. Would you guys still recommend spectres or are there easier mobs out there? Would spectres still be preferable because they are so close to home?

Spectres are a shit with their lifetaps and stuns, they're better fear kited or root/rotted and then moving out of their spell range imo. Still worth doing, but specs particularly I wouldn't melee battle with.

Freeport guards on the other hand... ;)

Any guards you would specifically recommend? I've taken a look on the wiki at some of the guards and they seem rather tough... are there any other alternative spots I could solo other than guards?

Could probably still get exp in Highkeep off guards in the higher floors.

I think I moved to CoM at your level and soloed stuff around the entrance while looking for pages for Epic.

BBM Dock folk might work for you they are melee and don't hit exceptionally hard if you want to melee. Otherwise Yeti's in DL in the caves.:D

Do you personally suggest root rotting if I choose the Yeti route? (Thanks again for the guide :))