Without Pets

[sparkypercy]

I've always played in RPG games as a Rogue/Thief, so decided to play as a M/U = Earth/(maybe Storm or Spirit).
Anyway, I don't really like playing with pets. So, my question is: what are the best skills to use without pets?
Right now I'm a 6 level Pyromancer with about 4 pts. in EE (really like this skill) and about 6 or 7 pts. waiting to be set, also I'm at 2nd tier of Master Tree.

[Infares]

You'll proly find yourself casting eruption and then standing in the middle of the area of effect and stoneforming yourself to lure enemies into the field of damage, that seems to be the main strategy vs trash mobs as petless pyro.

Not too sure how you're going to beat bosses unless you maxe earth enchantment and brimstone for the fire/burn damage and then DOT kite them with fire-based staff attacks.

[sparkypercy]

DOT? What is this.

I thought Brimstone was good only for Physical Damage for Hybrids.

Planning to max Earth Enchantment; Stone Skin; Eruption; and Volatility.

Should I max(?) out Stone Form?? And Molten Rock?? Any thoughts on these two.

[Hellacious]

DOT = Damage over time (burn damage for example).

[Infares]

I'm currently a summoner, and I got through the last act of normal and into the first act of epic using Maxed Eruption, Maxed Plague (with synergies) and just enough ranks in regrowth to reliably heal half my HP at any one casting, exactly 1 point in Stoneform (Since Regrowth is better as a source of healing, the six second invulnerability is static across all levels so for me, IMO only 1 point is perfect. Hell, just throw up stoneform and use a potion, you get more potions than skill points.

I'd stay off of molten rock, most mobs won't last long enough from your eruptions to actually make molten rock worthwhile. Aside from your 1 point in stone form, and maxing Eruption, Volativity, Earth Enchantment, and Brimstone, as far as I'm concerned if you intend to remain petless everything else can go into your second tree.

VS bosses, you'll proly end up just dumping an Eruption at their feet, although if I were you I'd save Stone Form for when you actually need it and micro your character around the boss' ranged attacks. That's the great thing about eruption is that it lays the smackdown six seconds at a time so you only need to stop to drop it and then run around, much less mana and micro intensive than Volcanic Orb IMO, you can fire it and continue running around etc.

If you're going to remain petless, I'd do some research on your potential subs that benefit you as a pure caster, obviously Storm, Spirit, or Nature will end up being your sub, and I can vouch for the power of Plague tree's synergy with Eruption kiting, mobs get slowed, mobs get some life hacked off, mobs take poison damage, and last but not least, mobs lose 39% of their elemental and damage resistances, (via Susceptibility) which is especially good vs mobs that are strong vs either the fire or physical component of Eruption, making them take a lot more damage in the long run.

Plague with all the trimmings has both offensive and defensive impact on your eruption kiting strategy, and the ability to spot heal yourself for potentially 2000 or more hp at a time is a strong argument in favor of being a summoner that doesn't, er, summon, IMO. Recently tried respeccing back into pets and at 35 I'm to the point where I can feasibly get maxed wolves sans Maul which are nigh immortal and good damage sources, or continue petless. I will probably opt for the latter until I can thread the wolves into my current strategy, once I have EE and Brimstone maxed and Volativity, Strength of the Pack from wolves will actually improve the physical damage I do with my Eruptions (on top of getting a bonus from brimstone and Susceptibility as well) but I'll ahve to stand right next to the wolves while I cast. Positive side to that is of course they'll be doing some burn damage with EE/Brimstone and if I can later afford to get them Maul maxed they'll be pumping out the DOT damage with bleed and burn.

[Khriez]

All I do is run around and cast Volcanic Orb that's upgraded with those extra balls that explode like land mines. I end up drinking so much pots though, I usually carry 30 of each HP/MP pots lol....

Not sure what to do now, I got like 26 unused skill points I might just start using a Core Dweller and Eruption.

[maul]

Playing petless though viable is quite a challenge for a mage class. Playing alone w/ all the aggro focused on you requires topmost defensive gear and DPS. Very difficult to have for a starting character. You need good offense at the same time good defense which always not on the same side of the coin. If you can get at least -80% recharge I think you have a decent progress.. I mean less death and less health potions. By legendary you will mostly have neg. resistances and you will relying mostly on plague or squall>eruption>stoneform>health pots. IMO, Storm's squall and Nature's Plague could help you most. You can at least get the wisp w/c is mainly useful as buff.

[Infares]

Old oracle could have done it with squall and homing boom boom Ternion action, but now I'm not so sure.