Hi all, I'm looking for advice from the more experienced grouping/raiding Warlocks, as I have soloed for most of my EQ2 career. I have found that I am always with the least amount of power on the raids I go on... It doesn't look good when the Warlock has 20-30% power while the rest of the raid is at 50-60%. What could I be doing wrong? For group encounters I normally cast Netherous Realm just before the pull, group debuffs, Pillaging, Aura, Dark Infestation, FHS + Devastation, Rift (If surroundings allow for it), Vulian, Concussive + Absolution, Gift, Nebula. Target is usually dead by then.. Except for raid encounters, which is where I run into the worst power trouble. For single targets: Netherous Realm before pull, Curse, Netherlord, DoTs, Aura, DI, Concussive + Distortion, Soul Flay, repeat. Note that I'm level 69, between average-Legendary gear, have most spells at Master level and have 4/4/8/1 into the WIS AA line. I've started resorting to casting Terrible Deeds in combat whenever it's up, as well as casting Bestow-Energy on myself... Am I really supposed to sit and do nothing so that I don't run low on power?
There are a ton of factors that determine how much power you have on a raid, how fast you will burn it, and how much/fast you will recover it. It's important to get a sorcerer into a group in a raid that has good power regen (Bard, Chanter, or both) Beyond that, if you raid a lot, there is a ton of gear out there in raid instances that helps with power regeneration. One of the very best is something you don't need a raid to get, X'Haviz's Gown of Glory. It's a fabled robe that drops off the Chamberlain in Nest of the Great Egg, and it's the best robe in the game for raiding. If you don't have it, get it. It has a 15 percent chance to proc a damage ward and like 150 power feedback. If you are a sorcerer that raids, you know that a 15 percent chance to proc anything = something proc'ing fairly constantly. In addition to all that, it's not a lore item, which means you can have more than one. I have a backup copy of it, along with some of the best T7 Robes in my bags, and I never wear anything else on raids. Completion of Deathtoll access gives you a very nice neck/wrist piece with FT 7 on it. The Blackheart relic hat for Warlocks has FT 8, The godking weapon has a 14 point in combat regen, etc. Use your manastone and Terrible Deeds whenever they are available, no matter how early in the fight you are. Get Terrible Deeds at Master I, or at the very least, adept 3. If you are raiding with a Conjuror or a Necromancer, have them give you a shard/heart, which you can use through long fights to stay up on power. If you are really lucky, or in a good guild, you might get some of the better shoulders in the tier that have a high amount of Flowing Thought on them, or a proc like mine, which is called Ethereal Strands, which procs 100 or so power on a hostile spell. Spell selection is important too. As a warlock, your best damage for power spent is your DOT's. Dark Infestation, Scourge of Shadows, War Pyre can be run almost constantly, for a fraction of the power required to throw the larger encounter nukes, and add up to a hell of a lot of damage. Also, Void Distortion at adept 3 or Master I has a relatively low power cost when the feedback is factored in. Once you add all of this up, you should notice a huge difference. With a little practice, you will notice that you don't run out of power so quickly, or at all.
1. You need to be with a enchanter and/or troubador<dirge's suck > 2. Be flexible with your spells, if there is only 2 mobs in a group don't use your AE spells, they use far more power and for only 2 targets its not worth it. 3. Cast your Power regn Spells as soon as they refresh, on long figths. 4. Use Hearts, and mana regn potions. I can last 5+ minutes doing clsoe to top DPS without much of a problem. With an enchanter and troup abd 2 hearts I was able to last 9 minutes once<I know no fight should last 9 mins but we only had 2 people who coudl DPS on that raid>
Well, there's my main problem!! Thanks, you've all been helpful. To who asked how long the fights were - I haven't timed them, but I would guestimate 1-4 minutes for raid mobs. Now, time to recruit some Troubies.. they are pretty hard to find.
What the above posters said about making sure you're grouped with a chanter/bard--plus, you may want to try a Spirit Totem of the Beholder, which increases out of combat power regen (to keep your power up between encounters in raid instances). Also make sure to get hearts/scintillas from your guild's summoners. And, finally, there are potions alchemists make called elixirs of clarity (grandmaster's is the best, although exceptional isn't too far behind), which automatically regenerate quite a bit of power/tick while in combat. Using these and cannibalizing whenever it comes up, you should be just fine once you're raid equipped. -Kai
