Firstly , let me say a big hello to everyone who might remember me. I quit the game (for the third time) just after RoK was released. Secondly, I'm coming back to the game to check out what has happened, so please excuse my blunt words, this is not an attempt at a flame or a troll. -- With that said, on to my questions: 1. One of the big frustrations for me playing a Dirge was the feeling of being a buff-bot on raids. I didn't feel like I had enough of an active role. Is it still this way, or have things changed at all? (I've raided up to and including EoF content) 2. What new features does the Dirge have, if any, since RoK? 3. What's your favourite thing about the new expansion?
Flame away dirges have been to quiet to long. Too many appologists say oh but were a support class we dont need dps or mitigation for one i am sick of that attitude. Its that sort of talk and door mat attitude that has left bards in the dust of every class in the game. We are still no more than a buff bot. In fact we are less than a buff bot because illys are buff bots with huge nukes, we are paper buff bots who wear chain yet get no mitigation from it cast spells that cause no damage and have combat arts that tickle while the brig proudly woots 12k on that back stab. We are no longer scouts , scouts are for DPS, every tank in the game can out parse a dirge with out trying, yet when tanks were hit with a 5% dps loss for a mitigation boost they screamed bloody murder. Nothing has changed, the new expansion just shows that a dirge in the moors with an add is a dead dirge. Perhaps when more dirges flame rant and scream things might change but then no dev ever bothers to put a foot in here Soe doesnt give a flying F@#$ about dirges, we will gradually see our skills degrade over time as they did in EQ1 till a shield gives more regen than we can and a sword has a better heal and dirges are dead and forgotten.
Let me give out the flipside of the abbove gloom and doom. I have 2 80's, my dirge, and my illusionist. My illy has overall better gear, having recently gotten his mythical, and he throws respectable dps for a non-raidgeared dps class. The Illy has more AA, and is invaluable in group situations. That being said.. There are still groups that beg me to play my dirge. If a mob is hitting a wee too hard, if aggro is bouncing a wee bit too much, if we're heading super deep into dangerous areas, I'm on Woodlark, unless another dirge is in the group. Dirges make a shaky group a solid group, and a solid group into a force to be reckoned with. I can and do offtank adds if needed, I do throw respectable dps, and I don't have a problem with an add in the moors. Sure I'm not tossing around pure DPS class numbers, but I can and will beat the tar out of equally geared tanks. Sure I wouldn't say no to a damage boost, sure I wouldnt say no to chain armor actually working to mitigate as if it was the 2nd best armor to have, and not just like a slightly thicker set of cloth. But looking at the big picture, Dirges are fine. You won't top the parse often, but when you do, jaws will drop On to your questions. 1: On raiding your buffs will be the reason for the season, if you have your myth, raidwide blades will be part of your duties, as will gravitas rotation on the healers. Debuffs too, though only 1 or 2 dirges in a raid do that. You still can DPS on the mob, but you will be outshone by the true DPS classes. Thats a fact of life, because you are buffing those classes to -reach- those numbers. 2: TSO brought the whole TSO AA line, thats a major change in how dirge's can spec, and there are more options on there that I can really go into here. Most of them, though, enhance our primary stuff, like buffing, instead of personal DPS. 3: I personally love all the new group content, Groups are where dirges shine, and almost no group ventures into the harder instances without one. The progression isn't bad, and just when zones become tedious, your groups should be able to handle the next ones up in toughness. Shard gear will get you right back into the game from your RoK gear.
Cerissa@Runnyeye wrote: 1: Once you have your mythical and some gear youll be doing a nice amout of DPS, depending on gear/skill/raid/group set up 3k-8k, we really have moved on from being buff-bots. 2: Since RoK weve gained new AAs. Still the same increase CA/Spell X by x% type stuff, the real gold though is the End line AAs in the Bard and Dirge lines. Both Bards have access to Dextrous Sonata which will increase the Crit Multiplyer for the Group. On the Dirge line we have a mini-IA and an increase to our Disease Damage. 3: Nothing, I hate TSO. I think I hate TSO the way others hate DoF. 4: We still some some of the same probles weve always had, scaling of CAs/Spells, our supposed utility is still 90% passive, our AAs, even the nice ones on the Dirge Line I mentioned above, have flaws and problems
Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it. I logged in with Cerissa yesterday to stretch her wings and tune up her mandolin.The community certainly hasn't died! That's something I can attest to at least. I've also bought the new expansion now, I intend to test it over the weekend. The new AA's do indeed look interesting.
