Healer merc spell blocks

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by Hingabe, Sep 14, 2017.

  1. Hingabe Augur

    Is there an up to date list of spells that should be blocked at which levels? All I can find is a year old or more.
  2. Tatanka Joe Schmo

    I don't know names off the top of my head, but it's all spells in the same line, and it's usually not too hard to figure out what the new ones are.

    If you look up the cleric class spells on ZAM, you'll have the spells all on one page, and it should be pretty easy to figure out which ones are the new ones to add to the block list.

    Tat
  3. MyShadower All-natural Intelligence

    I believe it is anything with "Promised" in the name and complete heal since they are slow cast/deliver their payload. With those off the table it is forced to cast the faster casting/instant payload heals.
  4. Qbert Gallifreyan

    I really dig the promised line, it's one of the only things I want my merc to cast. I am a paladin, so when I have a cleric merc out, it is usually on efficient (sometimes balanced). I can time my stuns to maximize the impact of promised . . . which usually crits due to my aa.
  5. Hingabe Augur

    One website I saw, had used numbers to identify each spell, instead of words. How do i find out the numbers? And, if i block the "promised" spell on a lvl 98, when they lol to 105, will the new "promised" spell be blocked too? Or do I need to block new spells as the merc levels up?
  6. Zhaunil_AB Augur

    The number used is the spell-ID.
    You find it either in the various spell-databases or in the flat-file spells_us.txt which you can find in your EQDir.

    You need to block the highest to block the entire line.

    That being said, i really don't think blocking merc spells is that good an idea.
    Sure, one can "force" them to use remedies or lights exclusively that way in an extreme.
    But i do not want promised to be blocked, for example.
    On the opposite:
    I'd wish my merc would cast it (as i do with my cleric) on a pull...
    As was indicated above, the stances are already a pretty good way to limit the spells or at least affect their likelyhood of being used by the mercs.
  7. MyShadower All-natural Intelligence

    You can add a blocked spell by name as well as ID. The IDs are very handy to make macros with to toggle it on/off.

    I have no idea how useful this is for players/specific classes. I can only say it definitely helped with pet tanking. As for myself, I've learned to not expect my merc to act in my best interest no matter how much I pay him.
  8. Zhaunil_AB Augur

    That's because "your best interest" is a subjective thing and might differ from what i or the next guy might find in "our best interest".
    In the end, mercs are only scripts and scripts are offering only that much flexibility and zero adjustment to personal preferences.
    We'd need the ability to script them ourselves, really ;)

    Blocking spells is viable - for some, in some or most situations certain people get themselves into.
    Where it should clearly end, imo, is raiding.
    People block spells and when that is carried over to raiding, it's a hindrance.
    That's my main point of why i personally am not using it.
    I absolutely hate it when people block surety for example, which is ok for their groups because they box a druid and want to "force" symbol - but it prevents mid-fight rebuffing and doesn't even give a message that the player has blocked it, resulting in at least one other cast, taking away from the buffer's normal duties.
    Or the healers start complaining (rightfully so in my opinion) when tanks block the promised-line, when they wand to "time" that extra heal for add-pop or engage or similar.
    Anyone doing a /blockspell add me should at least ALSO do a /blockspell remove me.
    Well, in MY opinion anyways.
    But most do not or "forget" to unblock - which is just one reason (aside from me not seeing the immediate need for myself) for me to be against it.
  9. Sindaiann Augur

    Might be nice if we could just have blocked buff saved sets. Similar to saving spell sets.

    Create one for group, one for raid and other sets for whatever you desire.

    I know hitting the limit on blocked buffs is annoying and this may be an easy way around some of those issues you described.

    That or they could just increase the blocked buff limit but that doesn't solve anything you said.