I am returning to EQ2 and have a question regarding character traits for mages (and warlocks in particular). Given the choice among increasing one's power pool size, in-combat power regeneration rate, or health pool size, which would be best? With regard to power, it is my understanding that increasing the size of the pool is better for short fights, while increasing in-combat regen is better for longer fights. The total effective power (TEP) over a given fight duration is claculated as: TEP = power pool + [in-combat regen x (duration of fight in seconds/6)]. Given a base power pool of 2754, a base in-combat regen rate of 4 power/6 seconds, and a 1-minute fight, a 2.5% increase in max power yields a TEP of 2678, while a 5-point increase in the in-combat regen rate yields a TEP of 2664. For fights longer than ~1.3 minutes in length, the benefit provided by regen exceeds that provided by increasing the power pool. For instance, if the duration of the fight is increased to 5 minutes and all other parameters are held constant, then the TEP is 2838 for a 2.5% increase in power pool but 3024 for a 5-point increase in in-combat regen. It has been a very long time since I last played EQ2, and I am uncertain of what constitutes an "average" fight duration. I suspect that it is <1 minute except when fighting raid bosses (which I am nowhere near to doing currently). Alternately, I could go for the 2.5% increase in max health. Aside from allowing me to take more damage, this would also allow for increased use of Void Contract. However, use of Void Contract entails a dps loss due to its 2-second cast time and activation of the global cooldown (0.5-second recovery). I would appreciate others' thoughts regarding optimal character trait choices for a dps caster. Thanks.
Go for Max Health all the time. A Warlock never seems to run out of power. Yes at low level you still do but as you progress you will find your power hardly moving at all. If i am out of power it is because i died or i did some tradeskilling.
