Storm + ??????....

[Tichinde]

Hi guys how's it going?

My little Stormcaller is currently running towards the end of act 1 normal. She's quite fun to play.

Generally using staff attacks with chain lightening on RMB to destroy big groups as they approach. Squall for archers and my wisp running interference.

I just added Spellbreaker. How did i live without it? Great little spell. Anyway i currently look like this:

http://www.titancalc.com/TitanCalc.a...1-4-1-0-0&m2=0

So i've been putting off choosing a second mastery since lvl 8, but I think i'm getting to the point of needing one. I've read guides and narrowed it down to Earth, Spirit or Nature.

I'm playing with x4 mod right now though only started using it at Athens (3x Alastor was a shock to the system, 0 to 5 deaths and a slap on the wrist for being under prepared)

Aoe would clearly be nice, and I like each of the pet options in the masteries. i like the skills I use already though so don't want a build that relies on me using other skills instead. CL rocks I want a mastery that will complement what I already have.

Thoughts?

[ArrowofThyme]

Hi guys how's it going?


So i've been putting off choosing a second mastery since lvl 8, but I think i'm getting to the point of needing one. I've read guides and narrowed it down to Earth, Spirit or Nature.

Any of those three will work just fine, but I recommend Earth because you focus more on spell throwing and you get a great pet, but Nature is pretty sweet too because Plague is fun to cast and you won't be going down the most common path.

Oracles are strongest with Ternion since the Death Chill tree lets you survive when monsters are up close and perform amazing life leech with your staff. You don't need to use Ternion as an Oracle but it would be a better build. If you don't plan on using a staff the auras will still help keep you alive and you can get a small damage boost from Dark Covenant. The Lich does super damage but doesn't distract monsters away from you.

Nature would let you use your spells more frequently with refresh, but so would some -recharge gear if you can get it. The health and resistance boost will be nice, and Plague is possibly the best debuff in the game. It will keep you alive and increase your damage. The wolves, in my experience, will not hold aggro all that well especially once you cast Plague. The healing tree might be really handy although my archer never needed it.

The Elementalist is the more typical spell thrower. Volcanic Orb will either replace Thunderball or compliment it if you want to stun large groups at a time. Stone Form is a nice panic button and your pet will pull the heat off you. Eruption will be a fun spell to add to your list.

[Galefury]

The only really useful thing about Earth is the Coredweller, the only pet that can actually take some heat off you even when you start throwing lots of spells. I would go Spirit, Nature or Dream.

Spirit will give you Ternion for offense, Deathchill for defense and the Lich King for support. Very powerful, but not much of a caster. Ternion will take care of most things, Storm will greatly increase your staff damage and let you debuff with Squall.

Nature gives you Heart of the Oak and Plague. Wolves can provide a minor distraction. Shards will be your main offense, probably supplemented by Lightning.

Dream gives you nice passives and buffs, a very sturdy little pet, and better offensive spells than Earth. No third element though (not like it's needed).

Note that none of these pets will distract the enemies once you start casting. But the added defenses are much better than what Earth has to offer.

[Tichinde]

Thanks for the replies guys. I purposely missed Dream because my other character is a Harbinger and I wanted to avoid using the same mastery again. I'm sure given time i'll have characters who do, but this early on in my (current) TQ career I'd prefer to have different trees to play with.

Earth I only really like for the Coredweller. Some of the other spells seem fun but would mmean splitting my damage types. I'm not sure if that would be a very bad thing or just an annoyance but it should probably be avoided (i have lightening and cold as it is)

I like the wolves in nature, having previously (back in the day) played a ranger. That said he didn't get very far (act 2 epic i think) and so they may not be as good as I remember.

Spirit is seeming promising. A mix of ternion, chain lightening and squall should work well i think. Shame the Lich is not as good as the Coredweller for holding aggro though

[ArrowofThyme]

I started my Oracle thinking the same thing, but after awhile I never bothered with Chain Lightning once I had some points in the Ternion tree. Not that it isn't a super fun character! With life steal my Oracle can withstand large melee groups in Xmax by casting Squall, Thunderball, and then multiple Ternion attacks, so you don't need to worry about the Lich not holding aggro. Not everyone recommends Thunderball but I just love it.

Dream is strong and all, but kind of boring for a caster in my opinion.

There isn't anything wrong with using fire and lightning since both are boosted by intelligence and the +% elemental gear but some gear does only boost one or the other. Maybe you'd rather go for an Elementalist with another character and focus on fire spells while using the wisp and squall for damage increases.

You should pick that Ranger back up!

[Tichinde]

Yeah I was thinking about retrying the Ranger at some point. I have a Brigand atm though so with her, my Harby and this caster I have all bases covered. I think I may have to make a shield user though.

[ArrowofThyme]

Yeah I was thinking about retrying the Ranger at some point. I have a Brigand atm though so with her, my Harby and this caster I have all bases covered. I think I may have to make a shield user though.

Yeah, you have to at least use every mastery once! The defense mastery was the last one I made and I almost decided never to use it. That was a big mistake because it is way more fun than I thought it would be. Also it is one of those masteries that is great no matter what you pair it with...

Defense + Hunting
Defense + Dream
Defense + Rogue
Defense + Warfare
Defense + Spirit
Defense + Nature

... everyone of those sounds awesome. Even the hybrids are pretty good from what people say.

[shaposh]

Great in Normal and Epic, but in Legendary Defense lacks OA.

[jakkey]

whats better squall or ternion?

iv just started an oracle and not sure which path to choose for my main attack for the early acts...

[shaposh]

Squall. Max it early.