Hi, Returning player here - trying out a druid and I just hit level 40. Class is a lot of fun, but I don't understand how DoT's are structured. I know there have been some changes since I last played and they no longer stack, however on a dmg per tick per mana cast the level 10 stinging swarm spell is much more efficient than the level 40 Drones spell, so I'm wondering if higher level druids use the higher level DoT's or just stick with the level 10 Stinging Swarm? Thanks
it's attractive to most folks to get the fights done 3x faster, then get back to OOC mana return, instead of being maximally efficient
As a long playing druid, you kinda get used to the fact that your DoTs take all your mana. at 115 I can nuke or heal endlessly but when casting DoTs my mana runs our faster then my prom date from our hotel room.
QFT. In the past, mana efficiency was everything for soloing druids (DoTs or quadding). Since the introduction of OOC regen, it's best to just get the fights over quickly, and then OOC regen once you get low. Ironically, this winds up being even more efficient!
I wouldn't call it much more efficient. I am, however, looking at this on a level 85 druid, and some spells in EverQuest don't do their maximum damage until you get to a higher level. I thought this ended by level 60, but it looks like the Stinging Swarm line of spells might do this for all stacking group ranks. Ignoring mana preservation, these are the statistics I'm seeing: Stinging Swarm -- 42 dmg per tick for 71 mana = 0.592 dmg per tick per mana Drifting Death (the level 40 dot) -- 198 dmg per tick for 370 mana = 0.535 dmg per tick per mana On Allakhazam, it says Drifting Death only does 145 dmg per tick at level 40. Within 8 levels (somewhat of a guess), it should be at 198 dmg per tick. So Drifting Death is less efficient, but not much less at maximum strength. At level 85, the description for Horde of the Hive (the level 83 DoT) says it does between 1298 and 1322 dmg per tick and costs 1638 mana. Without mana preservation effects, and assuming the low end of dmg, that's 0.792 dmg per tick per mana. Even if it were less efficient than Stinging Swarm, there's no way I would use Stinging Swarm since Horde of the Hive does almost 31 times more damage.
It's the maximally efficient part. It's maximally efficient (in terms of exp per hour) to NOT use your mana most efficiently (in terms of dmg per mana). Just burn stuff down because you want to use the OOC regen to max effect.
Stinging Swarm = 5.32 damage per mana for full duration (9 ticks) Drifting Death = 4.81 damage per mana for full duration (9 ticks) Horde of the Hive = 7.26 damage per mana for full duration (9 ticks) It's all based on how much life the mob has to determine how long the fight will last and how many times you're going to have to cast the spells over. Overall damage plays a factor too. I'd really hate to have to cast another Stinging Swarm just for a single tick to kill off a mob when Drifting Death would have killed it. Because then Stinging Swarm drops to 2.95 damage per mana and Drifting Death stays at the 4.81. It's more than just face value Quick Edit: Yes I realize that 2x Stinging Swarm is still more mana efficient at killing off a mob (142 mana for SS vs 370 for DD), but this is where time comes into play, or convenience if you will. I'd rather kill the mob in 1 DoT duration than having to double it to 18 ticks. Experience gained per hour is my go to).
