Druid Gear - 250 pp What to Buy

[Seredoc]

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

/facepalm


Unless you are routinely running yourself dry each single target kill (in which case I'd argue you're biting off more than you should chew), 100-200 extra mana just gives you a bit more of a mana buffer - nothing more or less. It's presence doesn't increase your xp rate.

Will 5/55s help you kill faster? Nope. Will it make you nuke harder, meditate quicker, run faster, or shoot laser beams from your eyes? Again - nope. Will it make you sturdier when shit hits the fan (either solo or grouped)? Yes. At low levels before you can afford good mana or wisdom (increased returns at higher levels) gear, it's really hard to find a better value ... I don't care what class you are.

I didn't die often, but especially when my druid has sow, yes ... 110hp makes the difference between life and death. It'll nearly buy you a full round from that wandering Hill Giant you didn't see (or hear? lol) stomping up behind you. In a group, it might just buy you the twenty seconds <your words, not mine> needed for the tank to taunt off you, the rogue to burn it down ... etc.


My point is simple. 60 mana for the sake of 60 mana isn't nearly as useful in the long efficient grind as some people make it out to be. It isn't your mana pool slowing you down ... it's the rate you fill that pool. For raiding, quadding, and high level high intensity grouping a mana pool will buy you added degrees of safety ... but once again these aren't things that a low level druid is going to be doing.

If you're snaring/nuking on a low level druid ... that's a pretty bad way of getting xp compared the the much more mana efficient root/rot or better yet charm methods of xping.

Again with the cherry picking my statements. The 20 second it buys you is below lvl 10 when druids would be snare/nuke kiting. I'd like to see anyone make root rot efficient when root takes 10% mana and lasts 2-3 ticks. It won't happen and in that case it is when you use snare/nuke, then at 14 you start charm kiting and around that level mobs start hitting for 30 damage so it buys you a few hits is it, drastically diminishing returns over 30 or 60 extra mana

[Troxx]

Prior to charm kiting the best kill rate still isn't nuking and snaring.

Treeform + self thorns + flame lick = profit in those awkward levels 9-15.

Sucks that you can't move and all, but with proper planning you can keep a lot more mobs dead with very little comparative mana expenditure. I did this with nothing but a cracked staff and some patchwork up to 15. I was broke at the time. If you haven't tried it in those ranges you don't know what you're missing. Tree regen is enough to offset a large portion of low mob incoming damage. Instead of ending a fight having lost a big chunk of my mana I'd end a fight having lost 20-30% of my hit points and the cost of thorns, 1 root/snare and flamelick. I could speed up the killing and milk 2 mobs out of 1 thorns by chain sitting - losing more health, but then very quickly getting back to full health while meditating.

Point is - snare nuking is incredibly inefficient in the absence of clarity line buffs. A deeper mana pool doesn't mean a lot at low levels where your bottleneck is mana regeneration. The exceptions we've already discussed. With quadding you CAN'T do it if you don't have the mana pool to kill them. In higher groups you will benefit from a deeper pool by holding se reserve for emergencies. In standard groups, charm kiting, root rotting, etc ... the bottleneck is, has been, and will always be mana regen - not mana pool.

Look man, we'll just agree to disagree. Wisdom and mana are a Druids bread and butter but the question here is a guy low level with limited resources. Those 5/55s will pay for themselves. They are very consistent in the market and everyone wants them and can wear them. Doesn't matter what your class is, they are a fantastic investment.

More mana at low levels does not increase kill time. It gives you a slightly deeper reservoir for those moments you might need it - but the reverse is also true with regards to having more hit points giving you more hp reserve when the alternative is death.

"Potato tomato potato tomato"
-Megamind

[Vermicelli]

Just a zone away from Dyllin Starsine, undead spawn in the Kithcor Forest at night, and if there are any players hunting there (sometimes for a part of the Rogue epic quest), they might be killing some Undead Clerics which carry a NO DROP a weapon that often goes to rot that would be great for ya!

http://wiki.project1999.com/Tainted_...n_Morning_Star

[Seredoc]

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

Look man, we'll just agree to disagree.

SOunds good, didn't mean to try and single you out or derail this thread either, going from personal XP both here and live so trying to make sure the next generation of druids have knowledge from everyone

cheers

[lecompte]

Save for Lumi staff at level 44 or invest in your next toon. druids don't need anything they can't farm themselves!

[mtb tripper]

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

Save for Lumi staff at level 44 or invest in your next toon. druids don't need anything they can't farm themselves!

[Auvdar]

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

Save for Lumi staff at level 44 or invest in your next toon. druids don't need anything they can't farm themselves!

In a nutshell this.

I started my druid when the server opened, so I really had nothing to get. Pathwork/Leather armor, saved up enough to get a combine scimitar (for magic hit), then farmed what I needed for the most part.

If you are wanting to quad kite (like I had to do, since druid charming back then wasn't very viable like it is now) then getting +mana is paramount. Hunt the bandits in WK, turn in sashes for bronze weapons, turn around a tiny bit and sell to the guy right next to him. You can make a few hundred PP extra to get some gear.

However, charming takes far less mana for almost a far greated exp return. Once you are able, charm until you are in your 30's. Then you can do the port game and make some coin. And well, keep charming until you are 60.

I will also say unless you are melee'ing, or maybe root/rotting 5/55 rings are somewhat useless. They will help a ton early on when quading and charming isn't an option, but you will outgrow them fast in favor of +mana rings. But the return investment on them is great, you can easily resell them fairly quick.

I would honestly say if you really want to gear up buy some cheap +mana items, work on getting a set of leather/patchwork armor made, and do some easy quests. Testament is a easy one you can do like said before here. If you have patience you can do the Paw quest around 25/26 solo. (Breaking the fungi room can be a bitch, but it can be done). Split Paw gloves you can easily get from Paw yourself, or just buy them for 20p or so (and these will be your gloves until you get higher up. I really don't know if there are any other good wis/mana gloves for druids until you get higher up.. if someone else knows some, let me know.) Black Chitten Leggings I think are cheap, and have good +mana. There is a quest in Crushbone I believe that gets you a nice melee or shoulder item. Not sure which (really has been a long time). Tunares Initiate if I remember has a few good items you can get, but I heared the quest is a PITA.

But you really don't have to gear a druid. You can get some decent items on your own that will last you. I would save for spells.

[Wildino]

Some other advice that come in my mind for druids.

Again : charm animal is the win. Karana's, Lake and many kunark outdoors and the temple of XP, i called Kedge Keep.
In kedge, play comfortable, save for an EB item and, why not, a gazhugi ring, witch is way more efficient than invis and hide. U can sell it back once 60 (Cuz KK can lead you 70 60 straight)

Once 34, bind yourself and xp in OT, join <Dial a port>, make profits and good xp with buffs from clients, lot of 60 there want a port.

At level 25+, a good place for a druid is ogre camp in west Karana. Lot of items u can use and resell. Beware, they are caster, put resist on, root'n dot and stay out of range is the best way i think on this place. Chief Gooda will be a problem if he pop though, but check who s in zone and send a tell to have him killed.

Overall, play your druid as you want, because the druid permit it, it s a swiss knife. I promote the charm way, but kitting is not a bad choice.

[Aeaolena]

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

The Testament of Vanear is a good read until well higher levels, and it's practically free! I remember being able to take down Dyllin no problemo at L19 on my druid. Just make sure you keep him rooted to avoid him alerting his buddies.

http://wiki.project1999.com/Testament_of_Vanear_Quest

You can use harmony on his buddies also, to make it safer, before killing.

This book and the no-drop morning star from Kith is solid advice.

You can do /who all kith, and wait until you see a hunting party of high levels there. Ask them if you can tag along to loot any no-drop wis weapons that may rot.

As for other gear:
30p - Gold Jasper Earring (+3 wis)
30p - Gold Jasper Earring (+3 wis)
50p - Moonstone Ring (+30 mana)
50p - Moonstone Ring (+30 mana)
50p - Black Iron Medallion (+3 wis)
50p - Savants Cap (+3 wis)
Free - Tainted Battleworn Morning Star (+6 wis)
1p - Testament of Vaneer (+10 wis)
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$261pp for +28 wis and +60 mana, assuming a little luck is on your side.