The Istarian Spell Casters' Guide

[Kwinn]

Garfonso,

Thanks for the great guide. I have some Shaman abilities in my build. 96 lvls worth and I use every masterable Shaman ability I can, especially Expulse and the DoTs. Expulse works great on undead.

I especially like your trick on pulling with Rust spell. I wonder if a Battlemage can use it Or more importantly, do I have an extra hotkey for it if I can :/

[pevil2000]

Kwinn, excellent idea for a thread, thanks

Garfonso, perfect timing. My biped alt is slowly getting played more often now, and she's a druid, so nature is just what I'm looking for! Now I just need a Life guide and I'll be set... *hint hint* hehe

[Sunuke]

I'm really looking forward on the wizard part I'll be doing on LZ. I've done wizard on Sunuke while playing on Unity and it was really great fun to play, I wouldn't be suprised if i would do sorceror too after having both high lvl chaos warrior and high lvl wizard cause that's just another nice school to play.

Thanks for the great guides guys

[Kwinn]

Many thanks to Warsong for this great write up on Life and Augmention

To who might find this useful

I was asked to put together a guide for Augmentation and Life spells. I am a Healer as a main class so most of what I say will be leaning towards a Healers application or uses. I will first tell of the basic information that most know, then I will give my advice on how to best use them. I am in no way an expert in the use and im sure others will be happy to add anything I might miss. But I do hope someone finds this information useful.

Augmentation Spells
Augmentation spells are spells that raise stats for any gifted that it is cast on. They are used based on Tiers. Some can be teched with Fortify or Purify if needed however I do not tech them I keep them as they are.

Gifts Tiers 1-5
Gifts offer a long term blessing in and out of combat. They last 2 hours to be exact unless you remove one or die in combat or have them magically removed by monsters. It depends on the Gifted on what they prefer to have cast upon them.

Gift of Armor: Raises Armor X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Gift of Alacrity: Modifies delay X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell (Range, Spells & Attacks only)
Gift of Speed: Raises Speed X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Gift of Power: Raises Power X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Gift of Focus: Raises Focus X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Gift of Toughness: Raises Armor and Health X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Gift of Health: Raises Health X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Gift of Strength: Raises Strength X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Gift of Dexterity: Raises Dexterity X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell

Healers Perspective: As a Healer it’s my job to keep everyone alive and to resurrect them if they fall. It is also my job to make sure they get Gifts before and during combat. I like to know who is in my group and make sure that I know which gifts they prefer. After I resurrect someone I then start gifting them with the proper gifts. It’s usually the same for each type of class so it makes it a lot easier than it may seem. There is a basic three I call them that is Armor, Health and Alacrity these three are the foundation of almost every player I have seen or fought with. After that it’s really one of two other set ups to follow. Arcane would be Power and Focus and Melee would be Strength and Dexterity. There are Varying players who might prefer another set up so it’s best to know your team before hand. As a Healer it’s not my job to kill the monster it’s my job to live and keep everyone else standing and in top shape to do the damage for me. When fighting with the usual team and we all have our grove I attack and do damage with the rest of them, but I know what is going to happen and can adjust back to healer mode if something goes wrong or if we get additional monsters.

Enhances Tiers 1-5
Enhances offer a short term blessing in and out of combat. They last only 30 minutes to be exact unless you remove one or die in Combat or have them magically removed by monsters. Again it depends on the Gifted on what they prefer to have cast upon them. The enhances are little more tricky because you can only have one of each type cast upon you at any one time. Example you could have Enhance armor, power and health. If you cast Enhance focus it will replace your power. My opinion is that you can only enhance one aspect at any one time. So you must choose between (casting) power and focus and between (melee) strength, dexterity or health. Armor is a given and is always castable.

Enhance Armor: Raises Armor X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Enhance Power: Raises Power X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Enhance Focus: Raises Focus X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Enhance Strength: Raises Strength X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Enhance Dexterity: Raises Dexterity X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Enhance Health: Raises Health X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell

Healers Perspective: I usually know what my team needs and again treat them like the Gift spells. I ensure everyone has what they need before and during combat. Each person is different so you will again want to pay attention to what they ask for so that when and if they die you will be prepared to cast them again.

Raises Tiers 1-5
Raises are like a lesser form of Enhances. However more classes can cast them and they are less of an increase they also do not last as long in or out of combat. For all purposes I would treat them like Enhances but keep in mind the down side of them not being as good. Enhances also overwrite a raise which means the enhance will take the spot of any raise you have active.

Raise Armor: Raises Armor X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Raise Power: Raises Power X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Raise Focus: Raises Focus X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Raise Strength: Raises Strength X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Raise Health: Raises Health X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Raise Dexterity: Raises Dexterity X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell

Healers Perspective: I usually don’t use these spells at all. However for those of you that might I suggest using the same perspective as enhances.

Surges Tiers 1-5
Surges are the strongest of the increases you can cast however they are also the shortest in duration lasting only 3 minutes. Only one can be cast upon anyone at any one time. Each surge will overwrite another that the gifted in question has cast upon him.

Surge of Armor Raises Armor X amount where X is dependant on the Tier of Spell
Surge of Health Raises Health X amount where X is dependant on the Tier of Spell
Surge of Strength Raises Strength X amount where X is dependant on the Tier of Spell
Surge of Dexterity Raises Dexterity X amount where X is dependant on the Tier of Spell
Surge of Power Raises Power X amount where X is dependant on the Tier of Spell
Surge of Focus Raises Focus X amount where X is dependant on the Tier of Spell

Healers Perspective: A lot of people don’t bother with Surges since they only last 3 minutes. I love to use them and have noticed a difference when they are upon someone. My tactic for using these varies. I hold Strength for the Melee Tank in the group, I use Dexterity for any Archer types, Power for any Caster types, after that I look for 2nd string group members another Melee Tank might get Health or Armor if he isn’t supposed to be the main tank, the Caster might get Focus. I try and keep these up based on the combat length and the situation at hand. If im to busy healing to pay much attention then I don’t it’s as simple as that. However any spare second and ill cast them again. I also pay attention to their effect in combat is the main tank doing a good amount of damage but getting hit hard should I change to Armor instead of Strength? These questions I ask myself and adapt to the situation at hand.



Life Spells
Life spells are your healing spells and Res spells. Mystic Blaze is the only attack spell. For the purposes of this guide im going to talk about heal spells then resurrection spells and then Mystic Blaze.

Healing Spells
I love healing spells they are what make or break a healer in combat. I have the old school set of spells that you can’t make anymore Teched with Recycle, Heal Increase and Potency. You will find a lack of techs to apply to your heal spells but I suggest using this priority when teching recycle and then either Heal increase or Potency with Purify following behind. I say this because Purify used to and might still remove the Boars Hide Mask effect that is supposed to be a player boon.

Minor Health: Heals X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Health: Heals X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Major Health: Heals X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Group Health: Heals X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Revitalize: Heals X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell
Improved Revitalize: Heals X amount where X is dependant on Tier of Spell

Healers Perspective: Minor Health, Health and Major health have a 10 second recycle with Revitalize and Improved Revitalize has 20 second recycle with the Recycle 3 tech added. I have looked at the max each of my heal spells will heal. I only cast the spell that is needed in any given time I try not to over or under heal if I can help it. I also use the quicker spells first leave the revitalize spells for when I have to use them. Most times the Health line of heals is enough and if its not then there will be Revitalize spells ready to cast. I also make sure I have some Heal over time spells on myself so that I don’t have to use heals on myself while in combat. This ensures the Tank and the Casters are getting the heals they need to kill the monster or monsters in question. When in Combat it is helpful to stay calm and think about what heal is needed. Overcasting will leave you without heals and no one in a group fighting the Son of Gigaroth wants to hear the healer yell "I'm out of heal spells". With proper planning and testing of your spells and abilities being a Healer is very rewarding both as a solo or group hunter and your ability to manage your life spells will determine who will ask you to help them with killing monsters.

Resurrection Spells
Resurrection spells lets face it sometimes no matter how prepared you are people die. There are a lot of reasons for this so we have Resurrection spells. There are five different ones and as you gain in levels you will be able to cast the higher tier ones. Each will give life to the dead gifted, the tier will determine how much health they will have when they stand up.

Resurrection 1 Restores dead character to 20% of health
Resurrection 2 Restores dead character to 40% of health
Resurrection 3 Restores dead character to 50% of health
Resurrection 4 Restores dead character to 70% of health
Resurrection 5 Restores dead character to 90% of health

Healers Perspective: Resurrection spells are just as important as healing spells in some cases. If your party members are dropping all over the place it’s your management of resurrection spells that will save everyone from a wipe. Case in point if you have Res 1, 2 and 3 HOTKEY THEM ALL. Resurrection spells recycle is 30 seconds you don’t want to wait that long for one to be castable again. I have all 5 Hotkeyed and I have had them all recycling at one time more than once. Second bit of advice always res the Healers first, if you have anyone with healing spells down and they can res then they are your priority. This will also increase your chance to avoiding the wipe every group dreads and fears.

Mystic Blaze
Mystic blaze what can I say it’s not a super attack spell but in the hands of someone with high Life it will do a good amount. Tack on a few techs and it just might save your butt. We are fighting undead after all and we know undead hate life so it stands to reason that Mystic Blaze will hurt if cast on an undead. There is not a lot to say about Mystic Blaze I use it when I fight undead and have time to cast it. I used to use it a lot when I was a Paladin and needed a spell to pull with. But now it is only used if I have time to cast something other than Heal, Gifts, Enhances or Resurrections.


Ending Notes
This is just a collection of information that runs through my head when dealing with these spells. I hope it is useful to someone out there as some of it has saved my life and many others in my time hunting the lands of Istaria. If anyone has anything to add I would love to read it. I am always looking for ways to increase my effectiveness in combat.