Druid leveling/gear advice...

[Stormhowl]

I know a few people said Root Rot sucks until 29, but seriously? You have it better than Shaman, and I've seen people suggest Root Rot is viable for them. Your efficiency, resists mods, and damage over time are way better from 5-24 compared to a Shaman; Stinging Swarm is > Tainted Breath + Sicken/Affliction. Shaman out do you from 24-29, but after that you blow them out of the water again.

-100 Magic Resist mod on your swarm spells is ungodly. Use it to your advantage.

I've soloed the last... probably 8 or 9 levels because there's just rarely any groups to be had sometimes. From levels 14-24, I was looking at one kill every 6 minutes because it literally took that much mana to down a low-con blue (Granted with Envenomed Breath, its 2 kills every 6 minutes so much better just from the upgraded DoT alone).

If I can do it, a Druid can do it better.

I recommend doing Oasis until 20. If you can be that patient. By level 18 or 19, you'll mostly be targeting Deepwater Crocodiles and the odd dark blue Deepwater Caimen (few and far between). Alternatively for better cash, you can hang out near Orc Highway. There's always tons of crocs (and if you're ballsy, ghouls and mummies or even Desert Madmen but they're wizards so stay out of their way), and for the most part, it's generally very safe sitting on the coast (mind the pumas, SGs, and Lockjaw).

After 20 you have a few choices. Hit up the Aviaks in SK (focusing on Evocets, Darters, and any DB Egrets. It's usually kind of camped though, and there's probably... 5 or 6 spawns near KFC that you can single pull (without a Lull, that is. Druids will have it easier using Harmony to split pulls).

Alternatively, you can camp the Hermit. He's level 20 and casts ranger spells of the same level range, but was always a great camp back in Classic. 6-minute spawn time, too. You just need to kind of work on trying to target him since the door doesn't open. >.>

You can also do 20-27 camping Crag Spiders in Eastern Karana. Not only do they drop a bit of cash and assorted spider parts / research components (you'll probably get about 100pp alone from all this stuff if you let none of it rot), but you'll get a TON of spider silk. By the time I was done there, I'd had 38 Stacks of Spider silk I was able to sell for 340pp to someone. Not a lot, but you'll be set for spells for a few levels.

Beyond that, wouldn't know where to go. LOIO or FM might work to get you to 29 though. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[mwatt]

The life of a wise young Druid (including one of the 19th level) utilizes multiple fighting tactics. You CAN just root and dot, but for some mobs, you will find that a combination of dotting and porcupining/melee is the most efficient way to go.

For me, which tactics to use during a fight depended upon multiple factors:
* Type of mob
* approximate mob level
* my starting mana
* my statring health

Eventually, root and dot will be the most reasonable method of fighting most mobs (though quad kiting deserves an honorable mention). The crossover point happens when mobs simply start hitting too hard. I'm thinking somewhere around level 30. However, even at level 45, my own druid keeps the low damge but long lasting "spiky coat" type spell up at all times and a little meleeing is not unheard of, especially at the end of a fight.

[Estu]

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

Eventually, root and dot will be the most reasonable method of fighting most mobs (though quad kiting deserves an honorable mention).

Really, root-dotting is more efficient than quad kiting? This is surprising. Do you have data to this effect?

[mwatt]

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

Really, root-dotting is more efficient than quad kiting? This is surprising. Do you have data to this effect?

I doubt that he has the mana pool to quad kite at level 19.

Beyond that, quad kiting is only more efficient than normal fighting when the conditions are just right - mainly, you need open spaces, a lot of available mobs that run at the same speed, have lowish HPs and don't cast much. There aren't many places that meet these criteria.

[Lianon]

Druids don't even get a multi target AE spell until after 19, correct?

How do you quad at 19 and have it be more mana efficient than single target combat?

[wrxBRAH]

With the snare/root and dot stacking nerf (fix?), you cant solo efficiently unless you're twinked to the gills.

Most you can hope for is to kill blues that arent fire resistant (Avocets are extremely resistant, not sure about rest of Aviaks). The people talking about quad kiting are on crack. Its simply not possible with normal leveling statless gear.

I would think Everfrost blues would likely be the best bet to kill followed by spire gnolls in SK. Also word of advice, leave Synger Foxfyre alone. She cons blue but does ridiculous dot/nuke damage. I found this out on multiple occasions [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[mwatt]

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

With the snare/root and dot stacking nerf (fix?), you cant solo efficiently unless you're twinked to the gills.

Most you can hope for is to kill blues that arent fire resistant (Avocets are extremely resistant, not sure about rest of Aviaks). The people talking about quad kiting are on crack. Its simply not possible with normal leveling statless gear.

I would think Everfrost blues would likely be the best bet to kill followed by spire gnolls in SK. Also word of advice, leave Synger Foxfyre alone. She cons blue but does ridiculous dot/nuke damage. I found this out on multiple occasions [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

In lowever levels at SK, elephants tend to be the easiest kills. I think there are still some blue ones at 19. The appropriately leveled centaurs aren't bad either. Aviaks are ok, but can hit harder than the aforementioned mobs, IMO. Also, there tend to be a lot more adds with the Aviaks if you are not careful. I myself prefer SK over Everfrost, mostly because its a pain to get to Everfrost.

[Messianic]

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

The people talking about quad kiting are on crack. Its simply not possible with normal leveling statless gear.

As a wizard, I was able to quad effectively from 29-53 with only 155 int (after 53, I had to do raptors which required a more sizeable mana pool).

The AoE I used from 34-51 was Circle of Force - 216 damage/175 mana/~1.234 damage-mana ratio.

The AoE a druid uses at 34 is Lightning Strike - 184 damage/149 mana/~1.235 damage-mana ratio.

From ~34-42, I quadded guards in NK - the two near the SK zoneline, and the two in the gypsy tower. Those guards have roughly 1150 hp (roughly the same as stoneleer cockatrices, thorny succulants, sarnak berzerkers, and Kunark Rhinos in OT, but I was quadding those guards pre-kunark).

To deal 1150 hp of damage to all those guards, you'd require 7 casts of Lightning strike, possibly one more to finish them off or small nukes to finish each of them + 140-175 mana to ensnare them all, granting the possibility of an ensnare resist.

So, at 7 casts + 4 ensnares is 1183 mana. Say you do get resists, and need 8 casts and 5 ensnares: 1367 mana.

You don't have that much? I'd think you would with minimal gear - i.e. any of the following:

Testament of Vanear, golden jaded bracelets, moonstone rings (I found 6 on a vendor the other day for 48 pp a piece), Ivy braids, CBBs, jasper gold earrings, savant cap, BI medallion (50pp for one in EC forum channel right now I believe), platinum ruby veil, Platinum Dragon Totem, Glowing Bone Collar, etc

[mwatt]

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

As a wizard, I was able to quad effectively from 29-53 with only 155 int (after 53, I had to do raptors which required a more sizeable mana pool).

The AoE I used from 34-51 was Circle of Force - 216 damage/175 mana/~1.234 damage-mana ratio.

The AoE a druid uses at 34 is Lightning Strike - 184 damage/149 mana/~1.235 damage-mana ratio.

From ~34-42, I quadded guards in NK - the two near the SK zoneline, and the two in the gypsy tower. Those guards have roughly 1150 hp (roughly the same as stoneleer cockatrices, thorny succulants, sarnak berzerkers, and Kunark Rhinos in OT, but I was quadding those guards pre-kunark).

To deal 1150 hp of damage to all those guards, you'd require 7 casts of Lightning strike, possibly one more to finish them off or small nukes to finish each of them + 140-175 mana to ensnare them all, granting the possibility of an ensnare resist.

So, at 7 casts + 4 ensnares is 1183 mana. Say you do get resists, and need 8 casts and 5 ensnares: 1367 mana.

You don't have that much? I'd think you would with minimal gear - i.e. any of the following:

Testament of Vanear, golden jaded bracelets, moonstone rings (I found 6 on a vendor the other day for 48 pp a piece), Ivy braids, CBBs, jasper gold earrings, savant cap, BI medallion (50pp for one in EC forum channel right now I believe), platinum ruby veil, Platinum Dragon Totem, Glowing Bone Collar, etc

Excellent information this. However, there is quite a difference between Wizard spells and Druid spells (Wizard spell mana costs are more efficient), not to mention level 19 vs 29.

[Rasah]

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

Really, root-dotting is more efficient than quad kiting? This is surprising. Do you have data to this effect?

In a perfect world, no. However, if you root/rot a mob in your 50's, Breath of Ro and ES Vambraces do a nice job with efficiency. If it takes you 4 minutes or more to find 4 dark blue mobs, round them up and kill them with lightning blast, you are better off root/rotting. It is much easier to track a single blue and dot him down than run all over the map with mobs in tow looking for 3 more to kill.

Once you get Fist of Karana, there is no comparison. Quadding can't be touched.