Shaman Guide For New Players

[mgellan]

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

Yar, server ticks at 6 seconds.I know the frontal stun argument is very popular but it is push that interrupts most of my casts, not stun.

^^^ This, as mentioned easily countered by casting against a wall / corner.

I've never regretted rolling Barb on Live, Progression, or here. The ability to operate as a good race gives me more time to kill mobs, so any incremental benefits of the other races pale by comparison, not to mention the lower levelling time. Iksars are really hampered with limited gear options IMHO. And sorry, I just dislike playing Trolls and Ogres immensely, what can you do.

Normally I only share this kind of thing with my Guild but I suppose people would find this useful: P99 Barb Soloing Guide to 60. It really only represents one path but hopefully it helps people.

Regards,
mg

[Glenzig]

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

PS if you are really a truly first time p99 player shaman and you don't have jack shit, post here, and maybe some of us will throw you some stuffz to get you goin! I usually have a pwc lying around for such things = ).

Well I'm not usually one to beg for handouts, but since you volunteered. I am indeed a brand new Ogre Shaman. Just signed up over the weekend. Currently sitting at level 4 in EC. This is my first experience with P99, and it is just what I have been looking for. Bringing me back to the old days of my very first MMO experience. Anyway, the name is Rottbreath, if you have any goodies to throw my way, I won't turn them down. If not, thanks for the post, it was very informative.

[Macdeth]

First-time SHM here just hit lvl 19. I've been doing croc groups but starting to look for new grounds.

I've been slowing with drowsy even though I have the lvl 14 slow - is this a mistake? It's much more mana efficient and seems to land easier. Groups aren't dying. I pull w/ Drowsy and then beat it with a stick. Maybe a dot if it's an even con.

Also, I just got Malaise and am wondering where it is best used. Pulls are so fast in groups I just can't seem to justify using many of the spells I have atm. Besides, when not pulling with drowsy I'm constantly being asked for buffs inside and out of group. Should I save these debuff lines for larger encounters, or am I being a slacken shaman?

Using a fine-steel 2hb and 1hb (trading to keep skill). Is the springwood club the cheapest/easiest weapon upgrade to look for? I'm pretty busted after spells and banded armor, although sowing at the docks has helped a bit.

[lecompte]

You're doing fine Macdeth. If you want new hunting groups, try orcs in HHP. At level 60, I'll often use my level 39 slow -- perfectly normal to save your higher level slows for harder mobs. Malaise is used when a caster dps group is fighting a yellow con or something that is going to resist your slow. Springwood club is easy. I'll give you one in fact. I'll be home in 6 hours (5PM PST) and I'll give ya one.

[Rupertox]

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

Yeah, just hard when their perceptions are vocalized in a snide way. To be fair, I have run across a few VERY awesome people (ready to explain, don't sweat small stuff), but it seems at the higher lvls, people are less accepting of those (like me) who are, well, newbies (even at 45)!

and 6 months later, you have here the best shaman of the server (not on gear, just on playing)

[Macdeth]

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

You're doing fine Macdeth. If you want new hunting groups, try orcs in HHP. At level 60, I'll often use my level 39 slow -- perfectly normal to save your higher level slows for harder mobs. Malaise is used when a caster dps group is fighting a yellow con or something that is going to resist your slow. Springwood club is easy. I'll give you one in fact. I'll be home in 6 hours (5PM PST) and I'll give ya one.

Jeez thanks, lecompte. I'll check out hhp. Won't be on till 730pst probably.

[thieros]

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

and 6 months later, you have here the best shaman of the server (not on gear, just on playing)

she is superawesome, this is an accurate post

[Estu]

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

First-time SHM here just hit lvl 19. I've been doing croc groups but starting to look for new grounds.

I've been slowing with drowsy even though I have the lvl 14 slow - is this a mistake? It's much more mana efficient and seems to land easier. Groups aren't dying. I pull w/ Drowsy and then beat it with a stick. Maybe a dot if it's an even con.

Also, I just got Malaise and am wondering where it is best used. Pulls are so fast in groups I just can't seem to justify using many of the spells I have atm. Besides, when not pulling with drowsy I'm constantly being asked for buffs inside and out of group. Should I save these debuff lines for larger encounters, or am I being a slacken shaman?

Using a fine-steel 2hb and 1hb (trading to keep skill). Is the springwood club the cheapest/easiest weapon upgrade to look for? I'm pretty busted after spells and banded armor, although sowing at the docks has helped a bit.

1) Don't melee stuff in a group when you could be medding. If you want to DPS, you can do it better by nuking than by meleeing (especially if your best weapon is fine steel). Any time a caster who can meditate (i.e. is level 4+ for INT casters or 8+ for WIS casters) is meleeing in a group, they're doing it wrong.

2) Don't slow stuff until you're at least 30ish+. Low level slows don't do very much (drowsy is only about a 15% slow at your level) but they still take a noticeable amount of your mana and have high aggro. If you want to prevent someone from taking damage, heal them instead. If you want to pull, use something low-aggro like your level 1 nuke so that the tank can grab the monster off of you easily.

As a shaman, your role in a group at low levels is primarily that of a healer and secondarily that of a buffer. You can also root for crowd control, and you can nuke if you have extra mana. As you get higher level, slows will come into play more.

[Macdeth]

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

1) Don't melee stuff in a group when you could be medding. If you want to DPS, you can do it better by nuking than by meleeing (especially if your best weapon is fine steel). Any time a caster who can meditate (i.e. is level 4+ for INT casters or 8+ for WIS casters) is meleeing in a group, they're doing it wrong.

2) Don't slow stuff until you're at least 30ish+. Low level slows don't do very much (drowsy is only about a 15% slow at your level) but they still take a noticeable amount of your mana and have high aggro. If you want to prevent someone from taking damage, heal them instead. If you want to pull, use something low-aggro like your level 1 nuke so that the tank can grab the monster off of you easily.

As a shaman, your role in a group at low levels is primarily that of a healer and secondarily that of a buffer. You can also root for crowd control, and you can nuke if you have extra mana. As you get higher level, slows will come into play more.

I see both of your points, thanks. The only counter-point I would raise is that I've often been the tank in my groups. There have been a ton of clerics and druids around to group with it seems. The few tanks I have grouped with have been really bad at keeping the pace going. I was grouping with an excellent monk for awhile but the few times we had a tank class they weren't cutting it so we decided I'd just tank. As she pulled them in I could instantly get aggro with drowsy so she could be off to grab another, and healers were fine keeping me up.

If I get a group with a proper tank class I'll try your suggestions. Nukes seem so mana-intensive, though. Again, thanks for that advice I will surely try it! I like a properly structured group with a fast puller and everyone doing there job, but sometimes you work with what you have.

[Estu]

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

I see both of your points, thanks. The only counter-point I would raise is that I've often been the tank in my groups. There have been a ton of clerics and druids around to group with it seems. The few tanks I have grouped with have been really bad at keeping the pace going. I was grouping with an excellent monk for awhile but the few times we had a tank class they weren't cutting it so we decided I'd just tank. As she pulled them in I could instantly get aggro with drowsy so she could be off to grab another, and healers were fine keeping me up.

If I get a group with a proper tank class I'll try your suggestions. Nukes seem so mana-intensive, though. Again, thanks for that advice I will surely try it! I like a properly structured group with a fast puller and everyone doing there job, but sometimes you work with what you have.

Sure, if you don't have a tank then all bets are off. If you do have a tank but they can't hold aggro, root is a good way to guarantee that they hold aggro (a rooted monster will always attack whoever is closest). I think as you get higher level you'll see more tanks and more competent tanks.