"Just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big old storm right in the eye and says, 'Give me your best shot. I can take it.'" -- Big Trouble in Little China
Looking at all the madness that Yrodable had going on in that now-infamous fight against 4 Nightshades, and after discussing it with a friend, I'm taking another look at some RAs.
I asked a while ago about Second Wind and was told, if memory serves, that it's not usable in combat. I'm not so sure that's accurate though. Take a look at the Yrodable fight. thomen.home.comcast.net/
He uses Second Wind in the 5th screenshot down. I didn't see any messages indicating he'd dropped out of combat before using it. Shouldn't it say you are no longer attempting to use your stiletto, or something similar?
The pre-req for this RA is a bit high at Aug Con 3, but having Con 3 wouldn't be a bad thing at all. Second wind costs 10 points, but at 15 minute reuse timer it might be worth it. I often find my self wishing for some more endurance; styles are the best damage add you can get.
The other RAs I'm looking at again are the Rain of X damage adds. These also have a 15 minute reuse timer and are, for the first levels, not prohibitively expensive. The question is: "how much damage is 10% really going to be?" If I remember correctly, the damage add is based off of your unstyled damage for a given attack. Is this right? Is the damage add about 10 on an unstyled attack that does 100 damage? Additionally, since they are heat/cold/spirit based, are they lessened by resists? If so, level 1 of these RAs is probably pretty weak for the cost. Level 2 might be half-decent, and level 3 might be solid...but at 3 + 6 + 9 points, the cost is probably too high. Something to think about though. Especially after the RA review...assuming that happens within our lifetimes. 50 Infiltrator
48 Shadowblade
50 Nightshade
I always thought about second wind, but was given the same information you were. I currently have long wind 2 and although useful get told that potions are better. Though it has benefits not having to have a potion on the bar or worry whether you have enough on hand
I am looking at a respec soon and would be curious to see some more opinions on RA's
Earlier today, I was reworking my RAs to see if I could somehow come up with Second Wind. I never seem to remember to pick up those bounty point stones or to make potions, and SW would be quite nice. Besides, what else am I going to buy here? Bladedance?!?
I'm also wondering about Mastery of Water, given the upcoming Trials of Atlantis. I HIGHLY doubt that I would pick it up, regardless, but it might be worth some testing later.
The prohibitive costs of the pre-req is why I never tried 2nd Wind. Even if I had to drop out of combat, I think I could use it.
The other that I had really wanted to try- and, I may on Pend- was Whirling Dervish- Active every 15mins. 60sec 5% boost to dw/l-a chance/dmg. But, unfortunately, it required Aug Dex 3.
So, what I decided to do was to get DR1(1pt) for the 3% anytime dmg add. And, then get Rain of Ann(3pts)15mins, etc... for the 10% spirit dmg add. Even at 26% resist, that's only removing 2.6pts of dmg- which is what the DR1 is there to compensate for.
I don't hunt other stealthers. So, the 15min wait period wouldn't bother me much. And, I don't need the extra damage vs. my primary targets of casters. So, I won't be wasting it on them. I'd keep it saved for when I do bump into an assassin. On the sidewalk...Sunday morning, comin' down...lies a body oozin' life.
Someone's sneakin' 'round the corner...could that someone be Mack the Knife?- Mack The Knife, Louis Armstrong.
I've tried out all three of the Rain of *** at level 3. They arent as impressive as a Value 11 Damage add proc that some quest items or epic tinctures will do..
Rain 3 against Molochian tempters in DF did 20-35 extra damage.. A value 11 damage add does 30-50 against the same monster
I'm sure none of the Rains are anything special. It's just that, as an sb, there's not really much to choose from. I'm not even high-ranked(at 5L5) and, I've already ran out of any particular good RA's to get.
Maybe I can look into getting some magic resists. But, the extra resist percentage really won't save my ass either if I get stunned, debuffed, etc....by a caster.
So, I'm at a loss for anything else to get.
You know, I was in DF the other day and jumped some Sylvan. Just as I killed him, an Elf caster came around a corner. At full health, I immediately headed for the Elf but he stunned me right as I reached him. He nuked me two or three times before the stun wore off. When I came out of the stun and he managed to get another nuke in on me (QC'd cuz I was beating on him right after leaving the stun). I managed to kill him with Garrote/AH, but when he died, I had a TINY sliver of health left...like one pixel worth. I have no doubt that my AoM1 saved my arse in that one. 50 Infiltrator
48 Shadowblade
50 Nightshade
As a shade, I've no plans to buy Second Wind. And I already have the Aug Con 3 (because I recently won a realm respec and switch over to Avoid Pain 3 which, by the way, isn't nearly as useful as I was lead to believe. I already miss my other RAs. I can think of 4 or 5 fights off the top of my head that I'd have won if I still had them, whereas AP has yet to win a fight for me... but yeah back to the point) prerequisite.
10 points is too much for an endurance heal. If you want that, talk to an alchemist. Hell, make an alchemist. At 650 or so skill you can make 10 minute duration potions that are endurance 3.
I never seem to remember to pick up those bounty point stones or to make potions, and SW would be quite nice. Besides, what else am I going to buy here? Bladedance?!?
