10-22-2003, 05:29 PM
I'll be making a few replies in this thread, so apologies for the multi-posting...this threaded structure still weirds me out a bit. :P
@Deadpan:
Thanks! Your write-up about your Vines and Spirits Druid was the inspiration (well...model, I suppose, since I didn't make too many changes) for my Drunkard, who just achieved Slayer status at the ripe old age of clvl 30, so it's a pleasure to have returned the favor. :)
There were a few other small changes to the guide, but Vines definitely got a big make-over. Both your and Alram's builds led to my shift towards considering Poison Creeper as, at least, a useful addition to the squad. I never had really considered it much as a tank, though; my main thoughts were that it would augment non-physical damage (slightly) and prevent monster regeneration. I'll have to play around with it, though. One of the most annoying things about trying to buff up your Poison Creeper is that Vines don't get Spirit benefits (I'll get into this when I digress into my Drunkard build later).
Good skill layout, if a bit unorthodox (low-HP Grizzly, but hey, it fits your style perfectly, so I can't complain). Heh, I have 22 skill points saved up on my Hunter. :P Haven't decided what to do with 'em yet.
Good point about the lack of mention of prebuffing equipment (though I do have a section on prebuffing in the strategy section). I'll include it.
Spirit stacking! I absolutely meant to include that in the guide somewhere; I can't believe I left it out. If I remember, it's about 8 seconds for a Spirit Aura to wear off, and around 2 seconds for a new one to kick in? That's how I usually manage my Oak healing: unsummon Oak Sage, count slowly to 6, resummon Oak Sage.
Okay, on to my Drunkard, as I have a few questions for you. :) As I said, he achieved clvl 30 on the way to finishing Normal. His skill placement looks something like this:
Oak Sage: slvl 9
Heart of Wolverine: slvl 1
Spirit of Barbs: slvl 1
Poison Creeper: slvl 22 (+2 from Pelt)
Carrion Vine: slvl 1
Solar Creeper: slvl 1
Ravens: slvl 1
Now, why am I moving into the middle Summons branch? Because I hadn't realized that Spirit of Barbs doesn't catch its own aura (or so it seems, at least)! This essentially breaks my original plan, as my Poison Creeper won't get barbed, so I had intended to let the SoB take a beating (and in turn damage the attacker) while I stood back in relative safety. Unfortunately, I can't tank at all (no stat build), thus I need to shift focus over to Spirit Wolves to provide my shielding and damage return. 5 in Spirit Wolves, then points to Oak/SoB/Dire? Already in Act I NM, Poison Creeper is starting to lose its potency, so I'm hoping that my Alcoholic Wolves can bring up the slack. :) Do you purely use yourself as a tank when summoning SoB?
@Deadpan:
Thanks! Your write-up about your Vines and Spirits Druid was the inspiration (well...model, I suppose, since I didn't make too many changes) for my Drunkard, who just achieved Slayer status at the ripe old age of clvl 30, so it's a pleasure to have returned the favor. :)
There were a few other small changes to the guide, but Vines definitely got a big make-over. Both your and Alram's builds led to my shift towards considering Poison Creeper as, at least, a useful addition to the squad. I never had really considered it much as a tank, though; my main thoughts were that it would augment non-physical damage (slightly) and prevent monster regeneration. I'll have to play around with it, though. One of the most annoying things about trying to buff up your Poison Creeper is that Vines don't get Spirit benefits (I'll get into this when I digress into my Drunkard build later).
Good skill layout, if a bit unorthodox (low-HP Grizzly, but hey, it fits your style perfectly, so I can't complain). Heh, I have 22 skill points saved up on my Hunter. :P Haven't decided what to do with 'em yet.
Good point about the lack of mention of prebuffing equipment (though I do have a section on prebuffing in the strategy section). I'll include it.
Spirit stacking! I absolutely meant to include that in the guide somewhere; I can't believe I left it out. If I remember, it's about 8 seconds for a Spirit Aura to wear off, and around 2 seconds for a new one to kick in? That's how I usually manage my Oak healing: unsummon Oak Sage, count slowly to 6, resummon Oak Sage.
Okay, on to my Drunkard, as I have a few questions for you. :) As I said, he achieved clvl 30 on the way to finishing Normal. His skill placement looks something like this:
Oak Sage: slvl 9
Heart of Wolverine: slvl 1
Spirit of Barbs: slvl 1
Poison Creeper: slvl 22 (+2 from Pelt)
Carrion Vine: slvl 1
Solar Creeper: slvl 1
Ravens: slvl 1
Now, why am I moving into the middle Summons branch? Because I hadn't realized that Spirit of Barbs doesn't catch its own aura (or so it seems, at least)! This essentially breaks my original plan, as my Poison Creeper won't get barbed, so I had intended to let the SoB take a beating (and in turn damage the attacker) while I stood back in relative safety. Unfortunately, I can't tank at all (no stat build), thus I need to shift focus over to Spirit Wolves to provide my shielding and damage return. 5 in Spirit Wolves, then points to Oak/SoB/Dire? Already in Act I NM, Poison Creeper is starting to lose its potency, so I'm hoping that my Alcoholic Wolves can bring up the slack. :) Do you purely use yourself as a tank when summoning SoB?
USEAST: Werewolf (94), Werebear (87), Hunter (85), Artimentalist (78), Meleementalist (76, ret.)
USEAST HCL: Huntermentalist (72), Werewolf (27)
Single Player HC: Werewolf (61, deceased), Werewolf (24)
USEAST HCL: Huntermentalist (72), Werewolf (27)
Single Player HC: Werewolf (61, deceased), Werewolf (24)