10-30-2005, 08:46 AM
Just for fun, here is a non-mana tide build with enhancement instead of elemental. My thinking behind this one was based off of two lines you said.
So basically the idea was to go enhancement, but avoid the improved melee skills. Instead I went with the more mana, the defensive skills, the improved totems, and two handed. Going this route you would gain a better stoneskin which you say you use. You would also get parry, more blocks, and more +defense for those occassions you do get hit. Plus the extra mana and the choice for two handed weapons. There is a bit of a conflict in this build though. On the one hand you have shield spec and on the other hand you have two-handed weapons. You will always only be using one of these talents. The closest you could come to using them both would be to use a two-hander normally and then when you start getting hit, switch to a shield, then back again when the mob is taken off you. So not really sure how the build would work, but I wanted to toy with the idea. : )
Going back to your original question of where to spend the 3 or 4 (losing combat endurance) points if you keep tide and the two ancestrals. The skills I see as being choices for you are Improved Stoneskin Totem, Shield Specialization, Improved Lightning Bolt, Improved Healing Wave, and Improved Reincarnation. Now since we are keeping everything else in this build healing focused, I'm throwing out shield spec and bolt. You say that you didn't really notice Improved Healing Wave being all that helpful when you had it. So I'm thinking maybe 3 in Improved Stoneskin Totem and one in Improved Reincarnation (or back in Combat Endurance if you must : p ). This is based off the idea that you use stoneskin all the time and so improving it means everyone takes even less damage (a small amount less, but less is less) and so thus helps your healing. The beauty of Improved Reincarnation is also that its not an all or nothing skill. Since it just reduces the time on it, you can just throw one point in it and it still will possibly get some use. Feels less silly than one in Improved Healing Wave at least. : ) So I guess my advice on where to spend the 4 points is either like that or all 4 in Improved Healing Wave depending on how useful you feel Improved Healing Wave will be.
Quote:Shield spec would be slightly tasty, but she doesn't tank that often and when she does, she just heals with her improved lesser healing wave instead and/or warstomps.
Quote:He does the offensive totems (strength of earth, grace of air, etc) and I can do the defensive totems (stoneskin/tremor, any of the water totems and grounding if necessary, etc).
So basically the idea was to go enhancement, but avoid the improved melee skills. Instead I went with the more mana, the defensive skills, the improved totems, and two handed. Going this route you would gain a better stoneskin which you say you use. You would also get parry, more blocks, and more +defense for those occassions you do get hit. Plus the extra mana and the choice for two handed weapons. There is a bit of a conflict in this build though. On the one hand you have shield spec and on the other hand you have two-handed weapons. You will always only be using one of these talents. The closest you could come to using them both would be to use a two-hander normally and then when you start getting hit, switch to a shield, then back again when the mob is taken off you. So not really sure how the build would work, but I wanted to toy with the idea. : )
Going back to your original question of where to spend the 3 or 4 (losing combat endurance) points if you keep tide and the two ancestrals. The skills I see as being choices for you are Improved Stoneskin Totem, Shield Specialization, Improved Lightning Bolt, Improved Healing Wave, and Improved Reincarnation. Now since we are keeping everything else in this build healing focused, I'm throwing out shield spec and bolt. You say that you didn't really notice Improved Healing Wave being all that helpful when you had it. So I'm thinking maybe 3 in Improved Stoneskin Totem and one in Improved Reincarnation (or back in Combat Endurance if you must : p ). This is based off the idea that you use stoneskin all the time and so improving it means everyone takes even less damage (a small amount less, but less is less) and so thus helps your healing. The beauty of Improved Reincarnation is also that its not an all or nothing skill. Since it just reduces the time on it, you can just throw one point in it and it still will possibly get some use. Feels less silly than one in Improved Healing Wave at least. : ) So I guess my advice on where to spend the 4 points is either like that or all 4 in Improved Healing Wave depending on how useful you feel Improved Healing Wave will be.