Hey everyone, long time reader but first time poster.
I've been playing TQ like a mad dog, I've successfully got a range of characters to legendary, covering all types of attacks, from an archer, Pure Caster, Pet character, dual welder, Spear+shield and so forth.
I decided to take up the Illusionist challenge. To cut a long story short, all through normal wolves, knives, poison and calculated strike kept me in business.
Early epic started hurting, in Egypt and Early Orient I did some serious farming/leveling, normally I wouldn't be level 50 until the start of legendary. I got quite a few legendary and epic drops. My helm and greaves are not ideal but the rest suited my character quite well, I had full wolves, heal and a nice dps.
Anyway, Late orient I realized I have to do a total respec of the skill points and items because my resistances were sufferring from my "dps" quest.
My plan now was to get -%recharge items and use lethal strike+knives+plague nearly constantly while kiting around
Energy recharge and my energy pool was fine to spam these nonstop. So I took all my points out of wolves/healing and decided pots will do. Anyway, titacal doesn't seem to work for me so I'll type out my skill specs here.
Rogue Mastery
Calc. Strike+lucky hit
8/8 6/6
Blade Honing
6/6
Knives+Flurry
10/10 6/6 [yes I know it only needs 1/10 but I had quite a few spare points left over]
Lethal Strike+Mortal Wound
12/12 1/8
Disarm Trap
1/6 [one point wonder, had it spare]
Evenom+Nightshade+toxin+Mandrake
1/12 8/8 1/12 8/8
*Basically this is now my dmg mastery while nature is purely defensive plans for legendary
Nature Mastery
Heart+Tranquility+Stone 12/12 1/6 6/6
Plague+Fatigue+Suscept 8/8 4/8 1/8
* I still have tier points to add, refresh is the only option I have left.
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Ok, I'll get to my point soon, I just want to give you details to help you help me
Here is a link of my character which is now about to take on Wasu Mountain. I've had to run pass a few mobs now since surivability has taken down my dps dramatically.
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3233343
It shows I have great resistance, hp, energy [great regen on both btw], good total speed but poor average damage. To overcome this I engage mobs by casting plague, then knives. I have -40% total recharge, I run around and cast knives again. I pick the caster enemies for lethal strike and I throw in a few normal hits to get calc.
I've gone more strength, but a few great drops have given me some bonus dex. This has helped since I am using piercing dmg with my spells and normal attack. I've had no need to pump points into int/hp/energy since items have made them more than enough.
This has proved quite well since the reduction all up on their total speed is insane and I have 140% run speed, 178% attack and decent cast speed [forget the number].
My problem lies with BOSSES. I've had headaches trying to kill them. I went through like 100 gazillion pots against the bull, my mob technique is great but against bosses I need to follow it up with quite a few normal/calc attacks sicne my recharge is not THAT fast yet. I also am looking towards legendary, resistance won't be an issue, neither will hps, but the bosses are going to give me a headache if I don't find good recharge items. I have such a good attack speed but it's wasted with a low average attack.
Any suggestions or advice on my current approach with my illusionist? Please only advice from experience or very good judgement. This character is definitely the hardest I've had to use.
Thanks!