Wanting to go wizard.

[Vallanor]

As a wizard, your sustained dps is determined entirely by your mana regen rate, not your maximum mana. Unless you're planning on unloading an entire mana bar on something (this can happen during some quads or during aoe groups), I'd swap some mana for hps any day of the week.

Granted I chose high elf, which is correctly identified as the worst min-max race, so take my advice with a grain of Felwithean salt.

[Rasah]

I played a high elf wizard on live, and a DE wizard here. The difference between having hide and not is huge. I use it multiple times each day I play.

[Castcalm]

What are all these 60 wizards hiding from?

[Tuljin]

Good question =) If you're on a "raid" hide is useless. If you are in a dungeon hide is convenient but still if you are somewhere dangerous you really want to get to a little safe corner somewhere. Usually you don't even have to invis in a spot where you would even consider staying for safety. If you're somewhere remotely unsafe you and your fellow adventurers will say "yeah, its not safe here, we either have to stay on top of these pops or go somewhere actually safe." You won't sit and hide, I guarantee it.

Then again most 60 Wizards on this server are parked for "raids" or playing on another toon and not camping tough nameds in dungeons. Hide is a nice racial ability but it really is non-essential. Since the nerf a while back its far less useful than it once was.

[Rasah]

Ever sit next to east wall in DL? It's pretty safe, until someone trains the KC guards to FV or FM. On their slow saunter back, they will aggro you if not invis or hidden. Hunting snow cougars or snow griffins? Just park yourself right in the middle of EW and hide. Immense time saver.

[Bweetza]

I took a look at the Magelos on the wiki, and most went the INT, STR/STA route. Members of raiding guilds seemed to tend more towards the STA. This is a tiny, probably non representative group though.

I wanted to see how easy it is to get to the INT caps, so I made a quick fantasy gear list. None of this involves raiding to my knowledge, and everything except the staff can be bought (not for a new character, though). I believe everything is also pre Velious. This is not an optimal list for anything.

Gatorscale Sleeves / 4
Molten Cloak / 4
Froglok Bonecaster's Robe / 8
Batskull Earring / 5
Ivandyr's Hoop / 6
Sheer Bone Mask / 3
Sarnak Hide Boots / 5
Velium Rose Engagement Ring / 5
Velium Rose Engagement Ring / 5
Impskin Gloves / 5
Runed Cowl / 9
Loam Encrusted Pantaloons / 3
Sapphire Platinum Necklace / 7
Sarnak Ceremonial Dagger / 3
Loam Encrusted Amice / 3
Giants Reminder String / 5
Polished Bone Bracelet / 3
Polished Bone Bracelet / 3
Staff of the Wheel / 10
Glowing Black Stone / 9

That gives a total of 106 INT. An unmodified Erudite INT of 117 puts you over the soft cap already. So, yes, the cap might be an issue. I'm just not sure if you gain more from adding the STA or having a high INT to more easily substitute items and stay around 200.

Decisions are hard.

[Lojik]

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

I took a look at the Magelos on the wiki, and most went the INT, STR/STA route. Members of raiding guilds seemed to tend more towards the STA. This is a tiny, probably non representative group though.

I wanted to see how easy it is to get to the INT caps, so I made a quick fantasy gear list. None of this involves raiding to my knowledge, and everything except the staff can be bought (not for a new character, though). I believe everything is also pre Velious. This is not an optimal list for anything.

Gatorscale Sleeves / 4
Molten Cloak / 4
Froglok Bonecaster's Robe / 8
Batskull Earring / 5
Ivandyr's Hoop / 6
Sheer Bone Mask / 3
Sarnak Hide Boots / 5
Velium Rose Engagement Ring / 5
Velium Rose Engagement Ring / 5
Impskin Gloves / 5
Runed Cowl / 9
Loam Encrusted Pantaloons / 3
Sapphire Platinum Necklace / 7
Sarnak Ceremonial Dagger / 3
Loam Encrusted Amice / 3
Giants Reminder String / 5
Polished Bone Bracelet / 3
Polished Bone Bracelet / 3
Staff of the Wheel / 10
Glowing Black Stone / 9

That gives a total of 106 INT. An unmodified Erudite INT of 117 puts you over the soft cap already. So, yes, the cap might be an issue. I'm just not sure if you gain more from adding the STA or having a high INT to more easily substitute items and stay around 200.

Decisions are hard.

But a lot of this gear can be swapped for hp gear/mana gear, usually going for int on your character select then mana/hp items is more effective

[Tuljin]

Pure mana and HP is much better at lower levels than returns from STA and INT. For example a better (and cheaper) pair of gloves for a nub is the Dusty Bloodstained Gloves instead of the Impskin. I would also get a pair of Silversilk Leggings rather than spending money on Loam Pants because of pure HP. Gatorscale Sleeves are a good choice because of the pure HP. For bracelets you can buy cheap jewelcrafted HP/Mana ones, Golden Jaded Bracelets. A pair of HP rings is also an excellent idea for a nub toon, probably the best way to spend your money.

Also, if you're going to save up for something and you're not going to powerlevel your nub Wiz, get a Solist's Icy Wand. Its a great item until up into your 30s. They have crashed in price because everybody powerlevels these days. I've seen them sell for as low as 1500 plat, which is attainable even for a nub.

[Bweetza]

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

Pure mana and HP is much better at lower levels than returns from STA and INT. For example a better (and cheaper) pair of gloves for a nub is the Dusty Bloodstained Gloves instead of the Impskin. I would also get a pair of Silversilk Leggings rather than spending money on Loam Pants because of pure HP. Gatorscale Sleeves are a good choice because of the pure HP. For bracelets you can buy cheap jewelcrafted HP/Mana ones, Golden Jaded Bracelets. A pair of HP rings is also an excellent idea for a nub toon, probably the best way to spend your money.

Also, if you're going to save up for something and you're not going to powerlevel your nub Wiz, get a Solist's Icy Wand. Its a great item until up into your 30s. They have crashed in price because everybody powerlevels these days. I've seen them sell for as low as 1500 plat, which is attainable even for a nub.

None of those choices were meant to be optimal, just an exercise in seeing if it was easy to max INT without raid gear.

Wand is on my list. Might try and camp it as an alt, but I may be underestimating how rare a drop it is.

[Tuljin]

And you see how easy it is to hit softcap on Wiz =)