[Theurgist] A few varied questions from a newbie.

[Night Stryke]

All right, I've been playing for about a week now and I currently have a level 30 Theurgist up to Act III (Normal) at the Eastern Silk Road.

My first questions are how good my build is and how well I'm doing thus far; advice and recommendations are welcome.
As I said, I'm a 30 Theurgist, and I have about 1100 health and 550 mana, 296 intelligence, 212 dexterity, and 90 strength (got it up just enough to wear a torso piece meant for Hunters but useful to me), 172 combined armor, 180 DPS with 172 average damage and 105% attack speed (using a staff) and 15-44 life leech over 4 seconds, resistances of: 11% fire, 21% cold, 5% poison, 10% piercing, 13% vitality, 23% energy, and 10% damage (I'm assuming this applies to all damage types?), 6.59 mana regeneration, 110% cast speed, and 130% run speed.
I have 32 Spirit Mastery, 11 Life Drain, 9 Cascade, 6 Deathchill Aura, 6 Ravages of Time, 3 Necrosis, 1 Spirit Ward, 1 Spirit Bane, 16 Summon Liche King, 1 Death Nova, 1 Wraith Shell, 1 Arcane Blast, 3 Summon Outsider, and 1 Death Ward.
So far I've been fighting quite effectively. I've been able to tank, really; I can be surrounded by a half-dozen enemies and just pick them off as I leech life from them periodically without any serious threat to my mortality - even in most severe cases I can just pop a health potion. Even bosses aren't a problem, though now that I've gotten Summon Outsider I don't need to take as many hits. I've only died 10 times, and that first one was because my first fight out of Helos I attacked one enemy and got a dozen.

My second and third questions applie to Ternion Attack and Arcane Lore.
First: I see Ternion Attack recommended on here, but I've got to say that when I tried it out I wasn't impressed, as it ate right through my mana and left me with nothing to Life Drain with; if I wanted to keep it up constantly in fights I'd have to pop mana potions like crack. And, aside from that, it decreases the elemental damage so much at its lower levels that it renders the shots useless (minus 75% elemental damage?!) so to get any use out of it I'd have to pump a bunch of points into it that I'm just as happy sticking elsewhere. What's so great about it? My normal staff attack - coupled with my Liche King - has always been and still is enough for every fight I've fought.
Second: Arcane Lore adds increased projectile speed and an AoE effect to the staff attacks, which is a very nice effect, but does it only apply to Ternion Attack staff attacks? From my quick test, it didn't seem to do anything to normal staff attacks, which I suppose figures, but I can always hope.

And lastly: I don't have the expansion (as there weren't any at the store and I didn't even know one existed until after I'd bought the game) but I intend on buying it. I'm considering buying and downloading it online, rather than trying to find a store with it, but I've always been leery of the downloaded versions of games as very few of them get patches released. However, from what I've read it seems Immortal Throne has no patch, so I should be fine buying the download version of it. I'd just like to confirm that it has no patch, and perhaps if the download version has any other problems I'd need to worry about.

[mamba]

Originally Posted by Night Stryke

All right, I've been playing for about a week now and I currently have a level 30 Theurgist up to Act III (Normal) at the Eastern Silk Road.

caster or meleer ? you should have decided on one or the other, your build is a mix though (I'll get to that...)

My first questions are how good my build is and how well I'm doing thus far; advice and recommendations are welcome.
As I said, I'm a 30 Theurgist, and I have about 1100 health and 550 mana, 296 intelligence, 212 dexterity, and 90 strength (got it up just enough to wear a torso piece meant for Hunters but useful to me),

so in essence you spent points everywhere, which is a big mistake and should never be done. I suggest you decide on either being a meleer or a caster and either start over or use the defiler to correct your build.

Casters ONLY invest in int (except for maybe 5 points in dex). Meleers invest in str and dex (and maybe a few points in energy, if they need them, which no meleer with a mastery which raises energy ever does). Ratio should be anywhere between 2:1 and 3:2 (str to dex).

172 combined armor, 180 DPS with 172 average damage and 105% attack speed (using a staff) and 15-44 life leech over 4 seconds, resistances of: 11% fire, 21% cold, 5% poison, 10% piercing, 13% vitality, 23% energy, and 10% damage (I'm assuming this applies to all damage types?), 6.59 mana regeneration, 110% cast speed, and 130% run speed.
I have 32 Spirit Mastery, 11 Life Drain, 9 Cascade, 6 Deathchill Aura, 6 Ravages of Time, 3 Necrosis, 1 Spirit Ward, 1 Spirit Bane, 16 Summon Liche King, 1 Death Nova, 1 Wraith Shell, 1 Arcane Blast, 3 Summon Outsider, and 1 Death Ward.

summary : http://www.titancalc.com/TitanCalc.a...0-1-3-1-0&m2=0

Spirit can go either way, it will be your second mastery which decides whether you are a meleer or a caster. From your skill selection I'd say you tend towards meleer, from your weapon and attrib distribution you tend towards a caster however.

As a caster you should have gotten either Earth or Storm long ago, those are your main masteries (i.e. the ones with the skills your focus should be on), Spirit is just secondary.

My second and third questions applie to Ternion Attack and Arcane Lore.
First: I see Ternion Attack recommended on here, but I've got to say that when I tried it out I wasn't impressed, as it ate right through my mana and left me with nothing to Life Drain with; if I wanted to keep it up constantly in fights I'd have to pop mana potions like crack. And, aside from that, it decreases the elemental damage so much at its lower levels that it renders the shots useless (minus 75% elemental damage?!) so to get any use out of it I'd have to pump a bunch of points into it that I'm just as happy sticking elsewhere. What's so great about it?

it used to be great (pre 1.2 / IT), now it is still ok, but nowhere near as good as it used to. To me it is useless in normal, I only invest it once I have my essential skills maxed.

Second: Arcane Lore adds increased projectile speed and an AoE effect to the staff attacks, which is a very nice effect, but does it only apply to Ternion Attack staff attacks? From my quick test, it didn't seem to do anything to normal staff attacks, which I suppose figures, but I can always hope.

yes, Ternion attacks only

And lastly: I don't have the expansion (as there weren't any at the store and I didn't even know one existed until after I'd bought the game) but I intend on buying it. I'm considering buying and downloading it online, rather than trying to find a store with it, but I've always been leery of the downloaded versions of games as very few of them get patches released. However, from what I've read it seems Immortal Throne has no patch, so I should be fine buying the download version of it. I'd just like to confirm that it has no patch, and perhaps if the download version has any other problems I'd need to worry about.

there is no patch, no idea if there are problems with the download version though, maybe you should do the next best thing, order the DVD online

[blackz]

no thats not true...
dex/str ratio should not always be between 1:2 and 2:3...
1:1 is very good for some melee classes such as slayer/assassin

and casters dont just put in int... putting few points in energy if you still have enough to wear your armors is very good... specially if you have spells with no cool down and auras.

i myself is an theurgist(focusing on that tree and will decide the other later...) on one of my characters and i spend alot of energy and it helps alot putting in energy cuz spells like ternion strike use alot of it not to mention well upgraded life drain when thats not on cooldown