Iksar necro XP penalty

[Nagash]

Iksar have a 20% xp penalty (like trolls), see http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...-29249950.html

Necro have a 10% xp penalty like every INT caster (can't fins the source).

End result: total xp penalty is 28% (1-0.8*0.9) so yes, an iksar necro will level slower than most other combination (the only worst ones involves hybrid classes (sk, pal and bard).

Now coming to playing one as your first toon, remember one thing: what do you play for? I play for fun and can't give a rat's behind regarding my leveling speed, do you? Once you're at level 60, this won't matter anymore (and xp penalty didn't affect AA xp). Necro is a great class to start with as it's very powerful and will let you enjoy the game solo when you can't find a group but also farm some nice stuff to get some cash. Only you can tell if the class/race combo is for you, I sure enjoy mine [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Please feel free to correct my statement if inaccurate.

Nagash/Petitpas

[Bubbles]

If you're rolling a new necro and looking for the best option possible and don't go iksar, you might as well roll a gnome warrior. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[redghosthunter]

ISK Int. blows... Go ERU. More INT = more drains and spells period. Who would not like to have a few more spells to throw ??? People just have a hard on for ISKs .

[dredge]

.

[Kassel]

Originally Posted by redghosthunter [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

ISK Int. blows... Go ERU. More INT = more drains and spells period. Who would not like to have a few more spells to throw ??? People just have a hard on for ISKs .

INT = super easy to cap with items
Regen = ?????

[odiecat99]

Originally Posted by Kassel [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

INT = super easy to cap with items
Regen = ?????

[Lyssia]

Erudite Necromancer and the Mantle of Souls. End of discussion

[Vexenu]

Originally Posted by Lyssia [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Erudite Necromancer and the Mantle of Souls. End of discussion

This is a very nice item you can get with some high level help at any level. And it's right up there with the PoSky shoulder, which is much more of a pain to acquire.

There are also a few popular mid-range Necro items that Iksars can't use, including:

GEBs
Golden Bracer
Golden Chitin Bracer
Tome of Miragul

Given the disparity in starting INT between an Iksar and Erudite (85 vs. 117) and the added INT on the easily obtainable non-Iksar gear, an Erudite Necro is going to have a noticeably larger mana pool than a comparably geared Iksar, on the order of several hundred points 50+.

For example, assuming 1 INT = 10 mana (around lvl 50ish), the Erudite's 32 INT racial advantage, the GEBs and the Mantle of Souls alone total around 500 extra mana (and that's factoring in the mana from BIS non-raid gear an Iksar would be using, like a Squallsurge Shawl (+50mana) and Grave Sandals (2 INT, +10 mana). Bond of Death costs 360 mana and returns 720 health. At 60, Iksar sitting regen is 18 vs. non-Iksar at 7, so the Iksar regens approximately +66hp per minute over the Erudite. A liched Necro will regen approximately 500 mana per minute at 60 regardless of race. The Erudite/DE mana pool advantage allows for a cast of Bond/Vexing that nullifies the Iksar regen.

My Necro is a level 54 Iksar geared for HP and is sitting around 1500 HP self buffed, with 2000 mana and 155 INT. An Erudite Necro with identical gear plus GEBs and Mantels of Souls would be around 200 INT with 2500 mana and the same 1500 HP.

All that said, Iksar is still the better Necro race, since max mana isn't really that important over a long grinding/farming session and the regen allows for increased long term efficiency. But if we're talking about short term efficiency starting from full health, full mana, the Erudite is going to enjoy an advantage. They will also make better mana batteries for obvious reasons, although as an Iksar it's nice to be able to med while liched with Regrowth on and lose no health.

So basically, for long term farming sessions, the Necro is indeed the superior race. But for short bursts, the Erudite is unquestionably better due to their much higher mana pool nullifying Iksar regen. If you're making a Necro to farm (95% of people) go Iksar, if you're making one for PvP (more taps) or raiding (lol wut), go Erudite. The conventional wisdom of "go Iksar or go home" with Necros is technically correct, but the Erudite definitely has some considerable advantages as well which should not be overlooked.

[Mardur]

Originally Posted by redghosthunter [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

ISK Int. blows... Go ERU. More INT = more drains and spells period. Who would not like to have a few more spells to throw ??? People just have a hard on for ISKs .

Higher mana pool doesn't matter when you're oom. Mana regen > mana pool. Iksars have a greater ability to benefit from their mana regen spells.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by redghosthunter [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

ISK Int. blows... Go ERU. More INT = more drains and spells period. Who would not like to have a few more spells to throw ??? People just have a hard on for ISKs .

This is offset slightly by higher Iksar STR/STA.. Trust me when i say STR is by far the most important stat for a chinese plat-farming class like a necro.

My pal Karsten would be proud to know that at 107 STR, I may in fact be the 'strongest necro on the server'.

But yeah, unless you are seriously levelling to 60 at Dino in OOT, max mana isn't ever going to matter much on a necro. We arent a 'NUKE TILL OOM THEN DIE' kind of raiding class like wizards, or a "HEAL TILL OOM THEN DIE" raiding class like clerics or a combo of the two like Shamy Druid etc... I guess you could claim a necro could be mana pumping for a full raid encounter, but even then a few extra INT/Mana isn't going to make or break anything.

Necro all about mana/hp regen, and max hitpoints. While it's true the higher your base INT being higher will free you up to go +Hps all the sooner, you are still better off in the long run grabbing the extra Iksar regen and maybe wearing, say, a Giant Reminder String or Braided Cinch Cord over a (lol) Thick Banded belt.

With the advent of the Staff of the WaterWalker, Fire Plat Wedding Rings, Golden Bracers, HBCs, as well as all the new kunark lewtz flowing around, you're going to be just fine as an iksar maxing out both INT to 190+, STR, and having pretty massive HitPoints for a caster. Probably the only thing you're going to have to grind is a mask (PMM off Rokyl, Tobrins (gl), etc) or the end game BCG/Hierocloak combo.

You just simply aren't going to be a FM -> OOM caster class as a necro. Accept that. In most experience groups when you hit 40m you'll be shocked, unless you are just chain nuking or being CC or something. And even then you'll need faster pulls to catch up on hitpoints far more than you'd ever need to 'slow puills to med'.

meh, i've rambled enough.