The Mentalist
SUMMARY
The
Mentalist of Hibernia is one of the most versatile, high utility,
casters in Dark Age of Camelot. Dependent upon specialization, the
Mentalist can be a master of fast paced damage dealing, pet charming,
long duration Damage over time, a power battery, crowd control, and
even healing. As a result, Mentalists have a reputation of being a
jack-of-all-trades master-of-none. While this can be accurate, a
Mentalist can also be a master in any of the disciplines available to
them, especially given enhancements made available via the Trials of
Atlantis expansion.
CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENT
Which
race makes the best Mentalist?
How
should I spend my attribute points?
How
does dexterity effect casting speed?
What
is the maximum value an attribute can be increased?
How
should I specialize my character?
Where
can I train my character?
What
are the class titles for a Mentalist?
What
is a Light Mentalist?
What
are common Light Mentalist specs?
What
is a Mana Mentalist?
What
are common Mana Mentalist specs?
What
is a Mentalism Mentalist?
What
are common Mentalism Mentalist Specs?
What
is a split-spec Mentalist?
What
are common split-spec Mentalist specs?
SPELLS
What
are the different types of Spells?
What
are the available specialization paths?
Where
can I find a list of spells?
What
is the quickcast ability?
How
does specialization effect baseline spells?
How
do magic items with specialization bonuses work?
How
do resists work?
What
damage types do Mentalists use?
How
does the bladeturn spell work?
Why
does it take so long to regenerate power?
Why
does my mesmerize or stun spell fail to work sometimes?
Do
Damage over time spells interrupt spell casting?
Can
I cast while moving?
How
can I stop a spell after I have started casting?
What
is the maximum damage a spell can do?
Is
there any way I can increase my spell damage?
EQUIPMENT
What
is a focus staff, and how does it work?
How
does condition effect my equipment?
How
often should I repair my equipment?
When
should I get new equipment?
Should
I use equipment that is significantly higher than my level?
How
do I use equipment which has a charge or proc on it?
Are
there any items which are considered “must-have”?
What
is a template, and how can I make one?
SOLOING
How
do I solo as a Light Mentalist?
How
do I solo as a Mana Mentalist?
How
do I solo as a Mentalism Mentalist?
What
monsters are resistant to my damage type?
Where
are the best places to hunt with my new Mentalist?
What
dungeons are good to solo in?
Hey!
The monster changed on me!!!?
GROUPING
5.1 Which
is better for a Mentalist, soloing or grouping?
5.2 What
classes are good for grouping with a Mentalist?
5.3 What
is the best class for duoing with a Mentalist?
5.4 What
should be done differently when in a group?
5.5 How do
I keep from dying in groups?
5.6 How do
I use my AoE spell in groups?
RvR / PvP
6.1 What
is the most important thing to know about RvR and PvP?
6.2 What
are the differences between RvR and PvP?
6.3 What
level is appropriate to start participating in RvR?
6.4 How do
you get to another realm's frontier?
6.5 What
are the best resistances for RvR?
6.6 What
can a Mentalist do in small group battles?
6.7 What
can a Mentalist do in large scale battles?
6.8 What
can a Mentalist do when attacking tower or keep?
6.9 What
can a Mentalist do when defending tower or keep?
REALM
ABILITIES
7.1 What
are Realm Abilities and how do you get them?
7.2 Do
skill bonuses from Realm Ranks stack with other bonuses?
7.3 Which
Realm Abilities are best for a Mentalist?
TRIALS OF
ATLANTIS
What
Master Level Paths are available to the Mentalist?
What
Artifacts are common for Mentalists?
Are
there any item bonuses which are particularly useful to the
Mentalist?
CHARMING
How does charming work?
Why do I get varying levels of charm spells?
What are some good mobs to charm?
-
Is there any downside to charming?
OTHER RESOURCES
Are there other places I can get information on Mentalists?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENT
1.1
Which race makes the best Mentalist?
While
Mentalists may come from the ranks of the Elves, Celts, Shar, or
Lurikeen there is no one “best” choice. Each race brings
a different aspect of the class to the forefront, though in the end,
it matters very little as most of your vital statistics are easily
enhanced through the use of equipment.
The
Elves – While elves start with lower strength, and
Constitution (and thus fewer Hits) they more than make up for it in
the fact that they start with a higher Dexterity and Intelligence
than their counterparts. As a result, with their higher
Intelligence, their spells will deal slightly more damage against
opponents.
The
Celts – Celts are the embodiment of the average. All of
their starting stats are normalized. This leads to them doing
slightly less damage than their counterparts, while giving them a
slight edge in the ability to take damage. Additionally, seeing a
Celt on the battlefield does not instantly label you as a soft target
the way seeing an Elf would.
The
Shar – The Shar are among the newest of the races
introduced into Dark Age of Camelot, and the only high constitution
race in the lands of Hibernia. Unfortunately, this high constitution
comes at the cost of below average dexterity, and only average
intelligence. You will not do as much damage as a Elf or Lurikeen,
but you will definitely take the damage better.
The
Lurikeen – The Lurikeen are the smallest of the races
available in Hibernia. Lurikeen have an incredibly high dexterity,
which comes at the cost of below average strength, and constitution,
as well as only average intelligence. Unfortunately, seeing a
Lurikeen on a battlefield almost always guarantees a soft target.
Fortunately, their small size allows them to hide rather effectively
in larger groups of allies, and even in the turrets of their animist
friends. If you pick a lurikeen, it is highly recommended that you
make them as small as possible.
In the
end, your selection of a race will only really matter as to which
model you can stand to look at the most, as their inadequacies in
statistics can easily be overcome with gear.
1.2 How
should I spend my Attribute points?
Given that
most casters are the embodiment of the glass cannon (meaning they can
dish out large amounts of damage, but take very little in return) it
is not uncommon for people to place their starting points in the
following order – Intelligence, Dexterity, and Constitution.
Something
that should be noted however, is that placing more than 10 points
into a single attribute will lead to diminishing returns. For
instance, your first 10 points will lead to t a 10 point increase in
the ability, the second 10 will lead to only a 5 point increase, the
final 10 will lead to only a 3 point increase. The result is that if
you place all 30 points in a single line you will only end up
increasing that attribute 18 points total.
1.3 How
does dexterity effect casting speed?
Simply
speaking, the higher your dexterity, the faster you will cast a
spell. The official explanation of cast times given some time in the
past (nearly 2 years ago) has long since proven to be inaccurate, and
as a result, the playing community as come up with the following
formula, which has pr oven to be accurate.
CASTING
TIME = BASE TIME*(1-(DEX-65)/650)
So taking
this formula, a caster with a dexterity of 200 casting a spell with a
Base casting time of 3.0seconds will use the following formula to
determine their cast speed: CASTING TIME =
3.0*(1-(200-65)/650)
CASTING
TIME = 3.0*(1-(135/650))
CASTING
TIME = 3.0*(1-.207)
CASTING
TIME = 3.0*.793
CASTING
TIME = 2.3 seconds
1.4
What is the maximum value an attribute can be increased?
There are
three basic ways in which your base attributes can be increased:
items, spells, and realm abilities.
Items –
Items may increase your abilities by 1.5 times your level rounded
down. Additionally, this cap can be increased by items up to half
your level (again rounded down). So a level 50 character may
increase their abilities via items by up to 100 points (75 from
straight attribute points, and an additional 25 with items that
extend the cap on that attribute).
Spells
– Spells which buff a single ability may increase that ability
by your level times 1.25 (i.e. A level 50 caster can receive an
additional 62 dexterity via single ability buffs). Spec Buffs (such
as a dex/qui buff) can increase abilities by 1.875 times your level
(thus a level 50 could receive 93 additional dex from a dex/qui
buff). These buffs will stack, giving the recipient an additional
155 points total.
Realm
abilities – Realm abilities will further increase this
ability. Each level of a realm ability is purchased with skill
points earned in RvR combat. Each level of the ability is more
expensive than the previous version. These abilities can increase
the amount by up to 48 points, if you are willing to spend 34 realm
skill points to do so.
So the
final answer is really this: Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity
can be increased by up to 303 points via items, equipment, and realm
abilities. Intelligence can be increased by 241 points.
If you
are someone who wants to squeeze out every possible point, this means
that as a Lurikeen caster (the highest available dexterity) who put
all available points into your dexterity, at level 50, fully buffed,
and all realm points placed in Augmented Dexterity you COULD in fact
hit a dexterity of 424. Likewise an Elf (highest available
Intelligence) who placed everything in Intelligence at creation and
was fully buffed in the best gear, and all realm points in Augmented
Intelligence COULD in fact hit an intelligence of 348. Though both
of these scenarios are unlikely.
1.5 How
should I specialize my new character?
There are
a number of common specializations (and sub-specs) that are available
to the mentalist. It simply depends upon what you would like to do
in your final levels.
Light
spec mentalists are masters of pet charming, direct damage, and
area effect direct damage spells.
Mana
spec mentalists are masters of extended duration spells, having
spells which with both do damage over time, as well as heal over
time. Additionally, Power over time is found in this spell line.
Mentalism
spec mentalists are experts in the art of healing, crowd control,
and de-mesmerizing their allies.
Finally,
there are the split-spec mentalists, who forgo being the best
in any of these abilities, but prefer to bring all of these abilities
to the table at once, albeit less effectively than their single focus
brethren.
1.6
Where can I train my character?
Gone are
the days when it was necessary to hike all the way back to Tir na Nog
to locate your trainer. You can now find trainers in Tir na Nog, the
Grove of Domnann, the entrance to the Trials of Atlantis, in outlying
towns, and soon even in the Shar Labyrinth in Catacombs.
1.7
What are the class titles for the Mentalist?
Level 5 – Apprentice Mentalist
Level 10 - Adept
Level 15 – Thought Walker
Level 20 – Visionary
Level 25 – Summoner
Level 30 – Diviner
Level 35 – Possessor
Level 40 – Mystagogue
Level 45 – Mind Weaver
Level 50 – Astralist
1.8
What is a Light Mentalist?
A Light
Mentalist is one who takes their Light specialization to, or nearly
to, their current level. Generally, a Mentalist is considered fully
Light spec when their Light spec is at least 45, giving them the
final spell required for specialization.
The Light
Mentalist is a primary damage dealer, having direct damage spells in
the same damage tables as those of the Eldritch, but its true
strength lies in the ability to charm mobs of a higher level than
themselves. This ability, unique in Hibernia to the Mentalist,
allows them to bring orange con mobs with them onto the battlefield
to disrupt the activities of their enemies. Combined with a Nurture
druid, these pets can become truly formidable opponents.
1.9
What are common Light Mentalist specs?
The spec
path of a light mentalist is dependent upon several factors. 1)
What level of mob would you like to reliably charm. 2) What would
you like to do as a sub-specialization. 3) What access do you have
to gear? 4) What Realm rank are you?
The
Full Light Spec – 50 Light / 14 Mana / 14 Mentalism –
This spec is geared toward the charming of the highest level
possible of mob, while sacrificing mesmerize, heals, and other
abilities.
The
Light/Mana Mentalist – 47 Light / 25 Mana / 8 Mentalism –
This spec allows for the near immediate charming of level 53 mobs
(see charming section below), Power over time 3, a respectable Damage
over time, and a good Heal over time spell. However, the mesmerize
and healing spells will be sub-par.
The
Light/Mentalism Mentalist – 46 Light / 4 Mana / 28
Mentalism – This spec allows for the charming of level 53 mobs
after attaining RR4, reliable single target heals, a respectable
mesmerize spell, the ability to de-mesmerize, and the ability to
confuse mobs. Unfortunately, it also leaves the Power over Time
spell lacking.
1.10
What is a Mana Mentalist?
The Mana
Mentalist is one who specializes in powerful damage over time spells.
Additionally, the Mana Mentalist provides continuous power
regeneration abilities to their group, as well as the Healing over
time of damage. Generally, a Mentalist is considered fully Mana spec
when their Mana spec is at least 46, giving them the final AoE DoT in
the Mana line.
1.11
What are common Mana Mentalist specs?
The
Mana/Mentalism Mentalist – 4 Light / 46 Mana / 28 Mentalism
– This spec allows for the final AoE DoT, Power over Time 5, a
118HP Heal over Time, mesmerize, de-mesmerize, Healing, and
confusion. However, their direct damage spells leave some to be
desired.
The
Mana/Split Mentalist – 17 Light / 48 Mana / 17 Mentalism – This spec allows for all spells in the Mana line, including the final
single target DoT. Additionally, it allows for a greater range of
creature charming than the Mana\Mentalism mentalist as you have
access to the third charm spell. The heals, confusion, and mesmerize
in the Mentalism line are somewhat lacking however, as is the damage
from the light line.
1.12
What is the Mentalism Mentalist?
The
Mentalism Mentalist is a rare breed, namely because the tools
provided in the Mentalism lines make survival of a solo Mentalism
Mentalist virtually non-existant. However, the ones that do exist it
is generally agreed that to be considered Mentalism spec, you need to
have at least 40 points in Mentalism.
1.13
What are common Mentalism Mentalist Specs?
The
Mentalism/Mana Mentalist – 4 Light / 36 Mana / 40 Mentalism
– This spec gives nice heals, a good mez, good confusion,
respectable DoT spells, and Power over Time 3. Unfortunately, it
also leaves you with lower direct damage, and the ability to only
charm humanoid mobs.
The
Mentalism/Light Mentalist – 36 Light / 4 Mana / 40
Mentalism – This spec gives nice heals, a good mez, good
confusion, respectable direct damage, and a good charm. The downside
here is that you only get Power over Time 1.
1.14
What is a split-spec Mentalist?
The split
spec mentalist is one who divides their points evenly, or near evenly
across all three spec lines, accepting that the greater utility makes
up for the true specialization in a single line. Generally, it is
recommended that the split spec mentalist picks up several levels of
Mastery of Focus to reduce the number of resists as a result of spell
level.
1.15
What are common split-spec Mentalist specs?
The
Classic Split Spec – 35 Light / 36 Mana /19 Mentalism – This spec will provide for nuking with minimal variance, Power over
Time 4, the second best AoE DoT, a respectable single target DoT, the
ability to charm a yellow con mob, and 89pt Heal over time, a 34
second mesmerize, and a 172hp spec heal.
The
Even Split Spec – 35 Light / 24 Mana / 33 Mentalism – This spec will provide for nuking with minimal variance, Power over
Time 3, a 59pt Heal over time, a 55 second mesmerize, a respectable
confusion spell, a 307hp spec heal, and the ability to de-mez your
allies.
SPELLS
2.1
What are the different types of Spells?
Mentalists
have a large array of spell types available to them. Mentalists have
access to damage spells, crowd control spells, Charms, Self Buffs,
targeted buffs, heals, and anti-crowd control spells.
2.1.1
Damage Spells – Among the damage spells there are targeted
Direct Damage, targeted Area of Effect (AoE) damage, targeted Damage
over Time (DoT), and targeted AoE DoTs.
Direct
Damage Spells (DD) – Direct damage spells are casted spells
which do direct damage directly to the target, and only the current
target. They are based on a single resist type (in the case of the
Mentalist, all DD spells are based on Heat damage).
AoE
Direct Damage Spells – AoEDD spells are casted spells which
do direct damage to both the target of the spell, and all enemies in
a certain radius of the spell. They are based on a single resist type
(for Mentalists all AoEDDs are based on Heat). The further the
target is from the center of the spell, the less damage they will
receive.
Damage
over Time Spells (DoT) – DoT spells are casted spells which
do damage to the target of a spell over a given period of time, at a
set frequency. Each time damage is done is refered to as a tick.
While each tick of a spell does less damage than a single DD, the
continuous nature of them makes them useful when there is a limited
line of sight to the target.
Area of
Effect Damage over Time – AoE DoT spells are casted spells
which do damage to the target of a spell over a given period of time,
at a set frequency (or tick). Similar to an AoE DD, these spells
effect all enemies within a set radius of the target.
2.1.2 –
Crowd Control Spells (CC) – Crowd control spells are used
to immobilize an enemy so that it can be either removed from the
battle, or held until later in the battle for another ally can deal
with them.
Stun
– Stun spells immobilize an enemy for a short duration, during
which the enemy cannot move, attack, or cast. This spell is not
broken on the taking of damage. This spell is most effective
followed immediately with high amounts of damage to kill your
opponent while leaving them with no recourse but to stand and take
it.
Mesmerize
– Mesmerize spells immobilize an enemy for a longer duration,
during which they cannot move, attack, or cast. This spell is
broken, however, upon them taking damage. This spell is most
effectively used to remove an enemy from combat, particularly on
support classes, as it will greatly hamper their ability to keep
their group alive.
2.1.3 –
Anti-Crowd Control – These spells are used to remove the
effects of an enemy mesmerize spell from your allies, returning them
to combat readiness.
2.1.4 –
Self Buffs – These spells are cast upon the Mentalist, and
cannot be cast on others. They enhance the caster giving them
greater survivability.
Self
Armor Factor (AF) buff – This spell hardens the otherwise
soft target that casters are, allowing them to take less damage in
melee combat.
Self
Absorb Buff – This spell assist in the absorbing of damage
from melee combat, allowing the caster to take less damage.
Blade
Turn – This spell will completely counteract the effect of
a single melee attack, thus causing no harm to the caster. The
downside to this spell is that once it is gone, it must be recast to
have any effectiveness again. Note: Some attacks from assassins and
extremely high level enemies can penetrate a blade turn.
2.1.5 –
Targeted Buffs – These spells are cast upon allies or the
Mentalist themselves, to aid in combat, reduce downtime, or enhance
their effectiveness.
Damage
Shield – The casted damage shield will return damage back
upon an enemy attacking your ally. Generally, the damage returned is
small, however any additional damage is generally welcomed in melee
combat.
Power
Over Time (PoT) – This is a casted power regeneration
spell, which greatly reduces the amount of downtime. This spell is
greatly sought out among caster groups. Additionally, this spell is
sometimes referred to as “Crack”.
Heal Over
Time (HoT) – This is a short duration casted health
regeneration spell, which will periodically heal a target over a
period of time at a set frequency (a tick). While it does not heal
as well as a traditional single target heal, it also does not
generate aggression from enemy monsters the way a true heal does.
Additionally, as this spell is a buff (not a heal) it can be
increased in effectiveness through the use of buff enhancing gear.
2.1.6 -
Healing Spells – These spells are cast upon allies to cure
damage received in battle. Mentalist can make very serviceable
backup healers due to several factors. 1) Mentalists gain benefit of
Focus staves, thus making their power cost of healing lower than that
of primary healers. 2) Mentalists generally have a higher power pool
than their druid brethren and can therefore cast more heals.
2.1.7 –
Charm Spells – Mentalists have the ability to charm
monsters, even some which are higher than their level, dependent upon
their specialization in the Light line, and their current level.
Charming is discussed further in the Charming section.
2.2
What are the available specialization paths?
Spells are
organized into different groups (called spell lines), in which more
potent versions of the same spell become available as the character
progresses in level. For example, armor factor buff spell in the Way
of the Moon (Mana Line) starts with the spell Lesser Power Ward. As
the Mentalist increases in level, he acquires new spells in this
group (line) of spells until he reaches level 50 and has the Supreme
Powerguard. So each spell in a line of spells performs the same basic
function, it's just that higher levels of the spell in the same line
are more effective.
Groups of
spells are organized into different paths or Ways. Base line spells
are spells that every Mentalist gets, regardless of specialization.
In other words, a Mentalist that only specializes in Light will still
get the base spells from the Mana and Mentalism paths. The spells in
the specialized lines (Illusions, Holism, and Mind Mastery) are only
available if specialization points are spent on them. In general, the
spells in a specialized line are more powerful and require less power
than similar spells in the base line.
There are
three spell specialization paths available to the Mentalist.
Way of
the Sun (Light): Baseline Direct Damage, Castable Stun.
Mentalists who specialize in Illusions get a more powerful Direct
Damage, an AoE Direct Damage, and a Charm spell for bringing enemies
to do your will.
Way of
the Moon (Mana): A self armor factor buff, a self absorb buff, a
self bladeturn, and a castable damage shield. Mentalists who
specialize in Holism get a Single target DoT (which stacks with the
baseline Single target in Mentalism), an AoE DoT, a heal over time
(HoT), and a Power regeneration spell.
Mentalism:
A DoT and a Heal. Mentalists who specialize in Mind Mastery get a
mesmerize spell, a greater heal, a confusion spell, and a remove
mesmerize spell.
2.3
Where can I find a list of spells?
A current
list of spells and delves can be found on the Camelot Herald at
http://www.camelotherald.com.
2.4
What is the quickcast ability?
Quickcast
is an ability that you receive when you choose your class
specialization and become a Mentalist. You should place it on your
quickbar, similar to how you use the Sprint ability. When you select
Quickcast, it allows you to cast a spell in half the normal time with
very little chance of interruption, at the expense of increased power
usage. The ability is on a 30 second timer, and there is a
brief-delay after quickcasting of 1-2 seconds in which you cannot
cast another spell. In PvE, quickcast is best used as a last resort,
when a monster or player is in melee range. Either finish them off
with a DD spell if they are low on hit points, or stun them so that
you can back up or make a run for it.
In RvR, quickcast can be used gain initiative. It is especially useful when
jumped by an enemy stealther. Simply quickcast stun, then nuke to
completion.
2.5 How
does specialization effect baseline spells?
In
addition to providing you with new, or more powerful version of
spells in your line of specialized spells, it will also increase the
damage done by your base line spells. If you spend no specialization
points in a line, then your damage variance will be very large,
ranging from 25% to 125% of the listed damage. As you allocate points
to the specialization path, the damage variance will decrease so that
on average you will be doing more damage as specialization increases.
When the specialization level reaches 2/3rds of your character's
level, base spells will do 75% to 125% of listed damage.
Specialization over 2/3rds your character level will also increase
the upper range of damage, with a fully specialized character (one
where your specialization level is the same as your character level)
will do 100% to 150% of listed damage. It is possible to raise your
specialization level over your character level using magic items, and
this will further reduce the damage variance although the effects are
minimal.
2.6 How
do magic items with specialization bonuses work?
Magic
items can be used to increase your specialization level, such as an
amulet which gives +1 bonus to Mana specialization. This will reduce
the damage variance for those lines of spells, thus increasing your
average damage, however it will not grant you any new spells in the
specialization path. To receive new spells in a given line, you must
allocate specialization points.
Of special
note are items introduced with Trials of Atlantis which will
occasionally have a + to ALL Spell Lines. These items will add skill
to all three spell lines similar to the single line versions listed
in the paragraph above.
2.7 How
do resists work?
There are
two basic types of spell resistance, one which affects the chance of
spell "landing" on the target (similar to whether or not a
melee character hits with their sword, for example) and one which
affects the damage and/or duration of the spell.
Hit/Miss
Resists - Your chances of landing a spell are roughly 85% against
a target which the same level as you. The lower the target's level in
comparison to your own, the higher the chance the spell will hit; the
higher the target's level, the lower the chance is that your spell
will affect them. If the spell fails, you will get a message that it
has resisted the effect. In this case, the target is completely
unaffected by your spell. Note that there is a to-hit modifier which
affects both melee and spellcasters which increases with each player
attacking a given target. Therefore, the more players which are
attacking a higher level monster (or another player), there's a
greater chance that your spells will be successful.
Additionally,
there are items and realm abilities which will increase your chances
of a spell landing. The realm ability Mastery of Focus (available
once a character reaches level 40), allows the caster to raise the
level of the spell for outright resist chances, up to a maximum of
level 50. For instance, Mastery of Focus I will raise the level of a
spell for outright resist calculations by 3 levels. So the Light
Based DD at level 45 will be calculated as a level 48 spell. This
does not effect the amount of damage a spell does.
Damage
Calculation Resists - If the spell lands on the target, then
another set of resistances come into play. These are the bonuses or
penalties that are given as a result of race, armor type and magical
items as well as buff and debuff spells. These don't have any effect
on whether or not a spell lands, but rather on how much damage the
spell does or how long it lasts. When you damage another monster or
player, the effects of their resistance bonuses or penalties are
shown in parenthesis next to the damage total. For example, if you
cast a fireball at a wolf, you might see damage like 55 (+5); this
means that you did additional damage because it is vulnerable to
fire. On the other hand, if you attack a player and see damage like
160 (-40) this means that you would have hit them for 200 points of
damage, but they had a 20% resistance against your damage type.
Additionally,
there are items which will allow you to Pierce through the item based
resists, up to a maximum of 10%. These items have a skill called
Spell Piercing. For instance, your DD lands on an enemy with a 25%
resistance to Heat based damage. Using your 10% piercing, his
effective resistance is now reduced to only 15%.
2.8
What damage types do Mentalists use?
The spells
in the Light line are all based on Heat damage. All other spells
Mentalists use are based on Energy resists.
2.9 How
does the bladeturn spell work?
Barrier of
Negation is a base line spell that all Mentalists get at level 19,
and is commonly referred to as a bladeturn spell. When cast, it will
protect the Mentalist from a single melee hit, absorbing all of the
damage. The spell only affects the Mentalist (it cannot be cast on
others) and must be recast after each time it absorbs an attack. Note
that if your attacker is higher level than you, they have a chance to
penetrate the spell's barrier and damage you. In addition, the
assassin classes will always penetrate a bladeturn if they
successfully use a stealthed attack style against you.
2.10
Why does it take so long to regenerate power?
Power
regenerates at a different rate, depending on how much you've used.
The general rule of thumb is that the more power that you have, the
faster the power that you've used will regenerate; if you drop below
50% power, then power regeneration slows considerably. If you've used
all of your power, then plan on sitting down for a few minutes and
taking a break.
When
soloing, take quick breaks between each kill, perhaps sorting through
the loot you've collected. You'll ultimately spend less time
regenerating your power that way. If grouped, don't dump all your
power into a mob; there are other players there, let them do their
part as well, rather than nuking everything to oblivion and then
forcing everyone to wait on you to recover.
If you
have done some RvR and have enough points, then the first ability you
should train is Mystic Crystal Lore. You can use it to increase your
power by 25% every 3 minutes, outside of combat. If you do use more
than 50% of your power every once in a while during a fight, you can
use MCL to boost your power over the 50% mark and thereby increase
your regeneration rate. It's one of the most useful realm abilities
for casters for both PvE and RvR.
Additionally,
A leveling Mentalist should place a few points into the Mana line
(even at low levels) in order to obtain the power regeneration spell,
greatly reducing your downtime.
2.11
Why does my mesmerize or stun spell fail to work sometimes?
Mesmerize
spells, like all spells targeted at enemies, have a chance to be
outright resisted by the target. As a result, higher level enemies
will often be completely unaffected by the spell.
Additionally,
a mesmerize spell may fail to land if a target falls under immunity
to that form of attack. Following a mesmerize, a fellow player is
immune to another mesmerize for one minute. The immunity to stuns is
5 times the length of the stun. So if you cast a 9 second stun on an
opponent, they will be immune to future stuns for 45 seconds.
Finally,
some items grant a form of bladeturn to crowd control spells.
Allowing them to ignore the first attempt at a mesmerize.
2.12 Do
Damage over time spells interrupt spell casting?
The
initial damage from a DoT based spell will interrupt spellcasting as
with any other direct or area-of-effect damage spell, but subsequent
damage over the duration of the spell will not. However, a DoT spell
will prevent a stealther from re-stealthing. It should be also noted
that an assassin's DoT poison act the same as spells, but bleeding
styles will interrupt you each tick.
2.13
Can I cast while moving?
None of
the standard spells currently available to the Mentalist are of the
instant-cast type (also called "shouts") which can be cast
while moving.
2.14
How can I stop a spell after I have started casting?
Currently
the only way to cancel a spell once you've started casting it is to
move your character. Note that you can turn or /face a target and
that will not interrupt the spell.
2.15
What is the maximum damage a spell can do?
The number
of points of damage that a spell does is displayed when you "delve"
the spell by right-clicking on the icon and pressing Shift+I. The
maximum amount of damage that the spell can do is 300% of the value
listed. So, for example, if a spell is listed as doing a damage of
209 points, the maximum damage it can do is 627 points. Additional
damage can be done if you get a critical hit, and that damage is in
addition to the base damage of the spell.
2.16 Is
there any way I can increase my spell damage?
There are a number of ways you can increase the amount of damage you
do during the course of a battle. This damage over time is referred
to as DPS (Damage per second).
There is equipment in the game which can increase your spell damage
by up to 10%, thus the 627 point damage above would become 689
points.
Additionally, while each spell may be capped at a damage potential,
the faster you cast, the more damage you will produce. So in
addition to items that increase your damage, you will find items
which can increase your casting speed by up to 10%.
Finally, the Realm Abilities Mastery of Magery, and Wild Power, will
increase your damage potential by raising the damage of a spell, and
increasing your chance for a critical hit.
EQUIPMENT
3.1
What is a focus staff, and how does it work?
A focus staff is a staff which, when equipped, will lower the power
consumption of casting a spell. When you are not using any focus
staff at all, a spell will cost you 120% of its delved cost to cast,
provided it is a spell that uses focus. A focus staff will only
benefit you if it has focus bonus in the same line as that spell, as
modified below. (i.e. A staff with 50 levels in Mana will help Mana
spells but not Light or Mentalism spells).
If you are using a focus staff, a spell will cost you between 80-120%
of its delved power cost to cast, depending upon several factors.
If your modified spec level (Your spec level plus any enhancements
from equipment, such as Light Magic +1) is below the level of the
spell, you will not get the full focus bonus, and it will cost more
power to cast the spell. If the focus level on the staff is below
the level of the spell, you will not get the full focus bonus, and it
will cost more power to cast the spell. If the condition of the
staff is not 100%, you will not get the full focus bonus, and it will
cost more power to cast spells.
Note that all three of the above conditions factor into power cost.
Thus, To get the the full 80% cost on your spells, you would use a
100% condition staff with a focus bonus greater than the level of the
spell you want to cast, and cast a spell that is lower in level than
your modified spec level. As each of these factors (condition, spec
level, and focus level) gets further away from the optimal condition,
the power cost slides from 80% to 120%. --Grab Bag -8/29/03
How they are supposed to work: 80% cost at ( focus >= spell level
), 90% cost at ( focus = 3/4 spell level ), 100% cost at ( focus =
1/2 spell level ), 110% cost at ( focus = 1/4 spell level ), 120%
cost with no focus at all in the appropriate skill.
Before the introduction of Trials of Atlantis, a good focus staff was
something to be cherished and closely guarded. However, since the
release of Trials of Atlantis, and the very recent addition of the
ability of a spellcrafter to imbue “All Focus” gems on a
staff, good staves are becoming much more common.
3.2 How
does condition effect my equipment?
While it has been reported, and even commented on by Mythic, that
people should keep their equipment as close to 100% condition as
possible, some consider this unnecessary, and costly. This is
especially true in light of many of the irreplaceable items found in
the game today (namely Artifacts).
Eventually, not repairing an item will lead to a loss of some of the
magical benefits which it provides to its user. However, the only
benefit effected by the condition of your gear are the + skill items
(such as +Light or +Mana). Attributes, resists, hits, and even
effects are not effected by the condition of the gear you are using.
In light of this, many choose to not repair any jewelry items unless
they have + skills on them. This is especially helpful on
irreplaceable items such as the Paidrean Necklace from Shrouded
Isles, which gives 4 10% resists.
Additionally, some casters have begun to forgo repairing their
staves, especially artifacts, as the difference in power consumption
between a 70% condition staff and a 100% condition staff is only
noticable over very long periods of time, and is easily countered by
the proliferation of today's Power Fonts and power regeneration
spells.
Gear that should be repaired is that which will directly assist your
survivability on the battlefield, as well as any gear with a + to
Skills.
3.3 How
often should I repair my equipment?
Some people choose to repair their equipment any time it drops below
95% (this is especially true of tanks with their weapons) as it has a
direct impact on their ability to deal damage. As the condition of
the gear of a Mentalist does not effect their damage output, and
every repair of your gear effects the overall life of your gear, many
casters prefer to wait until it is closer to 80% if they choose to
repair it at all.
Why is this? Every time equipment is repaired it loses durability,
and is closer to being completely useless and unrepairable.
Additionally, for every condition point your repair, you lose 1
durability point, PLUS 1 for the repair itself.
For example, a staff at 100% durability and 95% condition is being
repaired. After the repair the staff will be at 94% durability and
100% condition. This is due to repairing 5 points of condition PLUS
1 for the repair.
3.4 When should I get new equipment?
While you are leveling, the piece of equipment you need to closely
monitor is your staff. As a caster it is the thing which will most
effect the pace at which we level. Fighters are much more likely to
be concerned about the level and condition of their gear.
While leveling, most casters will use whatever armor is available to
them, generally even allowing it to drop down into the blue and green
con range. Meanwhile, they will seek out the best staff they can
locate for their level.
3.5
Should I use equipment that is significantly higher than my level?
This is truly a matter of personal preference. As a fighter, the
answer was always a strict no. As a caster however, it is acceptable
to use gear which is much higher level (purple con) without worrying
about it degrading rapidly. This is due to the fact that casters are
generally not in melee combat, and their armor is therefore not
degrading from taking hits.
A staff, however, can be problematic. Generally, a staff more than
10 levels above you should not be used, as it will degrade very
quickly and while leveling it is unusual to have access to a power
font to reduce downtime. It is generally recommended to keep a staff
which has a focus bonus 5-10 levels above your own, as it will grow
with you without degrading too rapidly.
TIP: If you know a good spellcrafter, find a 100% quality low
level staff (should cost maybe 10g), and have the spellcrafter imbue
a level 50 all spell line focus staff in it. The staff will last
virtually forever, while providing you with all of the benefits of a
good focus staff.
3.6 How
do I use equipment which has a charge or proc on it?
To determine if your staff has a spell proc or charge, delve its
properties by right-clicking on the staff and then pressing Ctrl+I.
When you have a staff with a spell proc, there is a random chance
that when you hit something with the staff, the spell effect will be
processed, typically inflicting additional damage. For the spell proc
to work, your character level must equal to or higher than the staff
(in other words, the staff must at least con yellow to you) and then
you must actually go into melee mode and hit your target. Of course,
this means that it's functionally useless for a Mentalist, but that
is how all weapon procs currently work.
To use a charged staff, you must first equip it and then drag the
staff icon to an empty slot on your hotkey bar. Press the Use Item
key (by default, the letter 'E') and then immediately press the
hotkey you just created. You can only use a charged staff once every
two minutes, and switching to a different charged staff won't let you
bypass the timer.
You can recharge your staff at a Recharger NPC, which can be found in
Camelot (and?). The cost varies, typically ranging from 10 to 50
gold.
3.7 Are
there any items which are considered “must-have”?
The only true “must-have” for a mentalist is a good focus
staff. There are a number of artifacts and items which provide the
mentalist with a lot of additionally abilities however, which are
nice to have. Additionally, having good attributes and resists are
especially helpful, as is a full +11 to Light for charming purposes.
3.8
What is a template, and how can I make one?
A template is the collection of gear that a character wears. It
consists of a combination of items which are found, quested for, or
crafted throughout the world.
Many items are static items which are the same regardless of who
picks them up. They allow people to build better templates as they
always know what to expect with that gear, and where to get it.
These templates are generally formed through the use of a program
which allows you to get the absolute maximum out of the equipment you
are using.
SOLOING
4.1 How
do I solo as a Light Mentalist?
Light Mentalists make excellent soloists. Generally, the process of
soloing is very simple. Just DD the mob until dead.
Once you get into higher levels the tendency is DD, Stun, DD, DD, DD.
Very few even con mobs will stand up to more than four DD spells.
If you prefer to get a bit more adventurous, pick up a pet and send
the pet in before you being to DD.
4.2 How
do I solo as a Mana Mentalist?
Soloing as a Mana Mentalist is not as straight forward as it is with
Light. You will need to DoT (from Specline), DoT from Mentalism
baseline, then KIT (pronounced Kite – means to Keep In Tow) the
mob while the DoT does its job. It may be necessary to reapply the
DoT, or to finish with the baseline DD.
4.3 How
do I solo as a Mentalism Mentalist?
Soloing as a Mentalism Mentalist is an extremely tricky proposition.
It is not generally recommended that you solo as a Mentalism
Mentalist.
However, if you absolutely must, you will need to DoT, DD, Stun, and
KiT if you plan on surviving long.
4.4
What monsters are resistant to my damage type?
For Light – Any mob which is made of plant matter (i.e. Trees)
or has fur (i.e. Animals) will be good hunting for you as they will
be weak to Heat damage. Fortunately for you, there are plenty of
mobs in Hibernia, the Frontier, and SI weak to heat damage.
Additionally, most underwater mobs in ToA are weak to Heat.
4.5
Where are the best places to hunt with my new Mentalist?
As I am writing this guide before the release of Catacombs....
Leaving from the Grove of Domnann and working your way out the road
is the best place for a budding Mentalist to level. There is plenty
of room to get a max range for nuking, as well as plenty of room to
KIT the mob if necessary.
Following the release of Catacombs, the instanced dungeons will be
good, as well as the entrance to the Catacombs, the Veil Rift. This
zone can keep you occupied from level 1 to level 20 or so.
4.6 What
dungeons are good to solo in?
Casters have a much harder time in dungeons than their hardier tank
counterparts in dungeons, due to the fact that it is much more
difficult to get maximum range on your target, and the limited space
to KIT the mob.
4.7
Hey! The monster changed on me!!!?
One of the nastier tricks that Mythic introduced with Shrouded Isles
were bait mobs. They appear to be one thing, but upon taking damage
they shed their less dangerous form and become hardier mobs.
To deal with these can be difficult, but I generally recommend that
people quickcast stun and make a hasty retreat. These mobs have a
tendency to close to melee distance before you realize, thus making
it nearly impossible to cast a DD on them.
GROUPING
5.1
Which is better for a Mentalist, soloing or grouping?
Mentalist
can easily solo yellow and many orange con creatures that are
vulnerable to their damage type. This often leads to wondering
whether or not it's ultimately better to solo, particularly if you
have had bad experiences with groups at the lower levels. The answer
really depends on the individual style and preferences of the player;
some prefer to always be grouped with other players, while others
enjoy time alone. For the most part however, the first ten levels or
so is when you learn how your spells work together and how to solo
effectively. However, grouping with other players at the higher
levels will significantly reduce downtime and increase the speed at
which you level because you'll be able to fight larger groups of
creatures, which leads to better experience bonuses. Even if you're
inclined to solo and do it very well, be sure to trying grouping with
others. If you're in a low level group, keep in mind that you may
need to educate them as to how Mentalists function in a group.
Patience and a positive attitude will go a long way to ensuring the
success of your group.
5.2
What classes are good for grouping with a Mentalist?
Mentalists
group well with most classes, often most successfully with those that
can control who a creature attacks (aggro management) such as
Wardens, Heros, Champions, and Blademasters, or those who can crowd
control, such as Bards.
5.3
What is the best class for duoing with a Mentalist?
There
really is no “best class” for a duo with a Mentalist,
however the agro management abilities of most tanks is a nice
compliment, with the Mentalist providing both damage and healing
after the battle.
5.4
What should be done differently when in a group?
Of primary
importance to remember when in a group is to mind your power.
Without power a Mentalists is useless. Unlike when soloing, you do
not have to kill the mob completely on your own, so after the agro
holders have engaged the mob, cast a DD or two and wait. You must
constantly assess the situation to balance your power consumption
(and thus downtime) with your contribution to the group.
5.5 How
do I keep from dying in groups?
This is a
frequent problem encountered by newer Mentalists in groups,
particularly in dungeons. In a group, the key to survival is to make
sure that the creature is attacking the tanks in your group, and that
they have gotten a few hits in, before you start nuking. If you start
off doing a lot of damage to the monster, then it's going to focus
its attacks on you and because you do so much damage, it will be very
difficult for other members of the group to pull it off of you. So be
patient, and wait before you start firing off those spells.
If your
group wants you to pull, then use the weakest DoT that you have, the
level 1 baseline spell Illusory Ache. It has the same range, but will
do very little damage. And even if the DoT is resisted, it will still
get the attention of the target and have it come back to the group.
Once the tanks have hit it a couple of times, then start in with your
direct damage spells. Another option, if there are multiple linked
creatures, is to cast a stun spell on one of them. The one target
will be stunned while the other moves towards the group, allowing you
to fight them one at a time but still getting the group experience
bonuses.
5.6 How
do I use my AoE spell in groups?
If there is more than 1 mob in the pull, ask that your tanks and agro
holders do their best to bunch the mobs together as close as
possible. After they have hit each at least once, begin using your
AoE DD. The close bunching of the mobs should minimize the damage
lost as a result of falloff.
It is generally recommended that if you choose to do this, that you
get at least 1 tank to protect you, thus absorbing some of the agro
from the damage you do.
RvR
/ PvP
6.1
What is the most important thing to know about RvR and PvP?
As a
caster, you are fragile. When you are standing still or casting,
you're particularly vulnerable to melee and ranged attacks from
archers and other casters. Keep moving as much as possible, and try
to keep a low profile. Remember that you're the long range artillery,
not a foot soldier. Keep your armor buff and bladeturn spells up at
all times. Sitting down to regenerate power is an invitation to be
killed by an assassin.
6.2
What are the differences between RvR and PvP?
RvR tends
to have larger battles centered around key locations, such as towers
and keeps. PvP on the Mordred server is much more chaotic since
players can fight anywhere outside of the capital cities.
If you
want to play a Mentalist on the PvP server, it's highly recommended
that you specialize in Light. In an unrestricted PvP environment,
small one-on-one or group fights are more common and the player who
strikes first and does the most damage often comes out the winner.
The one thing that hurts the Mentalist on the PvP server is their
lack of speed (beyond the ability to sprint), so look to team up with
a class that has group speed buffs such as a Minstrel, Skald or even
another caster such as the Runemaster or Enchanter.
6.3
What level is appropriate to start participating in RvR?
With the
New Frontiers expansion, it has become possible to engage in RvR from
the very beginning levels of the game. Each level range has an RvR
battleground to enjoy.
However,
the frontiers (sometimes called “Big Boy RvR”) are
generally best reserved for those who are level 45 or higher. A
level 40 Mentalist is virtually begging to be killed over and over
again to the frustration of both the player and their group.
6.4 How
do you get to another realm's frontier?
Gone are
the days of buying a portal medallion and waiting on a pad, ala Old
Frontiers. With new frontiers you may port to any of your realms
inner keeps, as well as the “beach-head” keep in any
realm, provided your realm controls that keep. Additionally, at the
central keep, and the beachhead keep in each realm is a dock where
you may purchase a boat to the enemy frontier.
6.5
What are the best resistances for RvR?
There are
six basic magic resistance types: Heat, Cold, Matter, Spirit, Energy
and Body. Higher resistance to a specific type reduces the amount of
damage that you take, or the duration of the spell in the case of
root, mesmerize and stun spells.
Gone are
the days when you could neglect a single resist. With the additions
of Shrouded Isles, Trials of Atlantis, and the upcoming Catacombs,
each realm will have a plethora of damage in each of the resists
types. It is generally recommended to keep each of the magic resist
types to 21 or higher.
As far as
melee resists are concerned, that is a matter of personal preference.
Many have begun neglecting their melee resists, figuring that as a
Mentalist, if Melee has closed the distance on you chances are fairly
high you will be face down in the dirt not long after.
6.6
What can a Mentalist do in small group battles?
In small
group skirmishes, a Light Mentalist is pretty much restricted to his
DD spell as well as the occasional stun spell to stop a rushing tank.
The Mana Mentalist can DoT, then move on to the next target. Be
careful using AoE damage spells, since they'll break the mezzes or
roots that may have already been cast.
6.7
What can a Mentalist do in large scale battles?
The same
general rules as small group battles apply here as well. Larger scale
battles give you the opportunity to stay in the rear, take some extra
time and select your targets. Look for other casters and healers,
since they'll generally have fewer hit points. Be wary of classes
with nearsight, as they will quickly reduce your ability to do
virtually anything.
Generally,
after the first minute or so of an engagement, most targets will have
some form of Mez or stun immunity timer in effect, so switching at
this point to pure AoE spells is not unheard of.
6.8
What can a Mentalist do when attacking tower or keep?
Use your DD spells to help kill any guards or defenders who appear.
Use your AoE spells, targeting the archers to get any nearby casters
who may be positioning themselves to attack.
Due to the nature of towers and keeps providing a good deal of cover
for defenders, it is sometimes a good idea to lead with a stun,
followed by several DD spells. The other alternative is to assist
cast, concentrating the power of several casters on a single target.
6.9
What can a Mentalist do when defending tower or keep?
In a tower or keep defense situation, Mentalists can truly shine.
The ability to stun your opponent and then DD until they are dead is
truly impressive. Combined with the ability to DoT an opponent
running out of range, thus allowing the DoT to continue damaging them
long after you would have been able to DD them.
If you were fortunate enough to gather a pet before the conflict
began, the pets make excellent interrupts against enemy casters and
healers.
REALM
ABILITIES
7.1
What are Realm Abilities and how do you get them?
Realm abilities are additional skills which you can train after
earning realm ability points. For each realm level that you earn, you
get one point that you can spend on a realm ability. Some abilities
are passive, which means that they are always active and typically
either adjust an attribute up, or provide some small percentage
increase in some skill. Other realm abilities must be activated, and
are placed on your hotkey bar, similar to how Quickcast and Sprint
are used. Active realm abilities are typically on a timer, which
generally varies from 3 to 15 minutes between each use.
Here is a summary of the ranks available and the realm point totals
required to attain them. Keep in mind that each rank has ten levels,
so each increase in rank gives you 10 realm ability points to use.
Rank Points Title
1 1 Savant
2 7,125 Consantoir
3 61,750 Brehon
4 213,875 Grove Protector
5 513,500 Raven Ardent
6 1,010,625 Silver Hand
7 1,775,250 Thunderer
8 2,797,375 Gilded Spear
9 4,187,000 Tiarna
10 5,974,125 Emerald Rider
11 8,208,750 Barun/Banbharun
12 23,308,097 Ard Tiarna/Ard Bantiarna
The Camelot Herald (www.camelotherald.com) has a complete list of
realm abilities and what is available for the Mentalist class.
Another useful resource is the DAoC Realm Abilities Configurator at
http://www.legionsofasgard.com/newRA.htm which allows you to plan out
which realm abilities you want to train in.
7.2 Do
skill bonuses from Realm Ranks stack with other bonuses?
Yes, the bonuses that you receive to skills (+1 for each rank over
level one) stack with skill bonuses from items. Note that the maximum
skill bonus from items is based on your level, and calculated as
(LEVEL / 5 + 1). This means that the maximum bonus for any one skill
at level 50 is +22, with 11 of the points from item(s) and 11 points
from realm rank 12.
7.3
Which Realm Abilities are best for a Mentalist?
The first realm ability that every Mentalist should train in is
Mystic Crystal Lore, which is available after earning 5 realm ability
points. This ability allows you to increase your power outside of
combat, and is extremely useful for both PvE and RvR.
Following this, Wild Power is the most frequently taken Realm
Ability, increasing your chances of a critical hit. Additionally,
Wild Power will allow for DoT spells to have a critical hit.
Finally, Mastery of Focus is recommended for any mentalist taking a
split-spec path, as it will allow for fewer resists in their
offensive spells.
TRIALS
OF ATLANTIS
8.1
What Master Level Paths are available to the Mentalist?
Mentalists
may choose from either the Stormlord or Warlord Master level paths.
Stormlord allows for the laying of various DD and debuff spells at
ground targets, however its uses are mostly limited to RvR
situations. Warlord is a Master Level path which allows for the
faster operation of siege gear, as well as the boosting of
effectiveness of allies.
8.2
What Artifacts are common for Mentalists?
While most artifacts are useful, and hold abilities which allow for
the greater survivability of Mentalists and their group, there are
several which are more sought after than others.
Nailah's
Robes – These robes provide both extended range and damage
for all spells cast by the wearer.
Traldor's
Oracle – This staff allows for the piercing of resists
(ignoring them) of an enemy, as well has providing this ability to
others in the mentalist's group. Additionally, this staff allows for
a percentage chance that a spell cast will not use power.
Erinys'
Charm - This jewelry item provides constant power regeneration,
which stacks with the mentalists' own power regeneration.
Additionally, this item allows for a passive resist piercing. This
jewelry item is one of the most sought after in the game.
Jacina's
Sash – This item provides
all allies in a radius with an MCL1 charge, replenishing their power
by 25%.
Tartaros
Gift – This staff provides
an MCL2 charge to the wielder, replenishing 50% of their power.
Additionally, it allows for their spells to do 5% additionally
damage.
Maddening
Scalars – These gloves
allow the wearer to take the form of a wolf, thus disguising that
they are a caster, and thus making them less likely to be targeted on
the battlefield.
There are many other artifacts sought out by Mentalists, these are
just some of the more popular ones.
8.3 Are
there any item bonuses which are particularly useful to the
Mentalist?
Any Light Mentalist who plans on charming mobs should have a minimum
of 10% spell duration. This is due to a current bug with charming in
which the mob will break charm without resisting the spell, or with a
single resist.
Casting Speed – This ability is limited to an additional 10%,
but is extremely useful in casting as fast as possible.
CHARMING
9.1 How does charming work?
Charming works by selecting the mob you would like to charm, and then
casting a spell on said mob. At this point, provided that spell can
charm that type of mob, and it falls within the level range you can
charm, the mob will become your pet.
Unlike a sorcerer charm, this charm is not permanent. This charm
spell will pulse, or recheck itself, every 10 seconds. When the
spell pulses, it will use power.
The established and tested formula to determine what mob you can
safely charm is:
Charm Level = (Mentalist Level X .66) + ((Light Spec + Spec Modifier)
X .33)
So, with this formula in hand we see that a Fully Spellcrafted, Level
50, Realm rank 4 Mentalist, with 46 points in Light spec would use
the following formula:
Level = (50 X .66) + ((46 + 11 from Items + 3 from Realm Rank) X .33)
so...
Level = 33 + (60 X .33)
Level = 33 + 19.8
Level = 52.8
This is usually rounded down to 52, for safety sake.
9.2 Why do I get varying levels of charm spells?
Varying levels of the charm spell are provided, as each level of the
charm allows for an additional type of mob to be charmed. Generally,
it is a good idea to use the lowest level charm available to charm
that type of mob. For instance, the lowest level charm allows for
only charming Humanoids. Regardless if the mob is level 1 or level
50, you should always use the lowest level charm as it consumes less
power per pulse.
The levels, types of mob, and power per pulse are:
4 - humanoids - 1 Power per pulse
10 - humanoids, animals –
2 power per pulse
17 - humanoids, animals, insects – 3 power
per pulse
25 - humanoids, animals, insects, magical – 4
power per pulse
33 - humanoids, animals, insects, magical, undead
– 5 power per pulse
42 - anything charmable – 7 power
per pulse
9.3 What are some good mobs to charm?
A good pet, is anything that you can reasonably hold (use the safe
calculation above) without draining excessive mounts of power
(generally humanoid or animal).
While there are a number of varying opinions, the Holy Grail of
charming seems to be the famed Salamander from Volcanus in ToA.
The salamander ranges in level from 52-55, has nearly 4000 hit points
when buffed, and is virtually immune to Heat based damage.
Additionally, it has a reverse proc making it more effective than
other pets in high end encounters.
9.4 Is there any downside to charming?
With all of this information, it may seem odd but there are downsides
to charming.
Occasionally, encounter credit may not be granted if the pet does the
majority of the damage, or makes the killing blow (though this is
being investigated).
Additionally, there is currently a bug which allows the pet to break
charm with only a single resist (normally a mob will not break charm
unless there are 2 consecutive resists), or with no resist message at
all. When this happens all aggression is transferred to the
Mentalist (called an Agro Dump) and both the pet AND the mob turn on
the Mentalist. The result is generally a very dead Mentalist.
OTHER
RESOURCES
10.1 Are there other places I can get information on Mentalists?
There are a number of locations on the Internet which are of help to
the Mentalist.
For Spell Lists:
http://www.camelotherald.com/spells/
For a the Mentalists Discussion forum:
http://derangedmonkey.com/phpBB/index.php
For the Hibernian magicians Forum:
http://vnboards.ign.com/board.asp?brd=20909
For Realm Abilities:
http://www.legionsofasgard.com/newRA.htm
For Mobs to charm:
http://charm.enygma.net/
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks go out to the community for all of the information while
I leveled my Mentalist, and for all of the guidance they have
provided.
Additional thanks go out to all of the people who helped me in my
quest to level, and for the support to stick to it even when it got
tough.
Yrunvan
- 50th Mentalist – Percival
Shimasho – Growing Druid - Percival
Gwirad
- 50th Reaver – Guinevere
Gwirminst
- 50th Minstrel – Guinevere
Yrunvan – Growing Paladin - Guinevere
Site
Tool Box
RSS
