Potency on non-weapons

[Noctus]

I just stumbeled about a post which exactly expressed how i feel about a certain item design decision. So instead of recounting it in ym own words, i´d like to present the original poster to give due credit:

The 2nd problem with this character type, is that Turbine insists on putting Devotion/Potency on weapons, which completely negate the DnD stereotype of the Cleric who wades into combat with their allies. (I know there are a few non-weapon items that carry Devotion/Potency, but in every case, the min level or prefix [Improved, etc....] is inferior to a weapon equivalent.) WE NEED POTENCY/DEVOTION ON NON-WEAPON ITEMS!!!!!!!

This situation is a big problem for all melee-capable Clerics in DDO, which leads to aggravating the antipathy for Battleclerics, or just normal Clerics who occasionally join the melee with effect weapons.


So my suggestion is to give us some potency items as "normal" loot which arent instantly declassed and made obsolety by the same ML-items in weapon form.


Imho, everything that makes the Healing Class more interesting / less a hustle for players while also not overpowering them is a good thing.


Please discuss.

[pvenoob]

dragontouched armor
the helm from the silver flame trinket turn in

[RobbinB]

I hate having to switch my weapon set just to take 2 swings at a monster then have to switch back to cast a spell. Wherever possible I'd take potency on an item over a weapon, even if I have to take a slight downgrade. I'm glad that there has been a recent trend to more rewards that put caster type enhancements on items instead of weapons. Of course, it's happening at a time when the effectiveness of the "battlemage" or "battlecleric" has seemingly been diminished.

One possible idea I had would be to have some sort of favour or class based reward that let you add one of the caster type enhancements to an existing damage type weapon. This wouldn't really be unbalancing since melee types don't gain much benefit from caster type enhancements and casters pretty much suck at melee, so why not help them a bit?

[Murgatroyd]

There is a way to get around this for a cleric but it takes a lot of work.

1. You need to get the entire Lorrik's set (shield, necklace, dt armor) *groan*
2. Make a min II weapon with the exceptional Wis on it *groan*

This way you can melee and your heals do not suffer.

I still have to swap to cast blade barriers and cometfall, but it's so much fun to waddle (dorf cleric) into battle and steal the melees' kills.

[Noctus]

There is a way to get around this for a cleric but it takes a lot of work.

1. You need to get the entire Lorrik's set (shield, necklace, dt armor) *groan*
2. Make a min II weapon with the exceptional Wis on it *groan*

This way you can melee and your heals do not suffer.

Thats exactly what i mean. You need to have 4 (!) pieces of raid loot to play a Cleric the "traditional" D&D way. Mixing casting and Healing with the occasional melee intermission against weaker enemys.
In DDO this is tedious and takes combat relevant time and micro management.

[VirieSquichie]

Thats exactly what i mean. You need to have 4 (!) pieces of raid loot to play a Cleric the "traditional" D&D way. Mixing casting and Healing with the occasional melee intermission against weaker enemys.
In DDO this is tedious and takes combat relevant time and micro management.

Two of my clerics now have Greater Devotion shields of the appropriate tier for those rare moments when they need to put a "real" weapon to use. Since I'm unlikely to cast damage spells and swing a weapon at the same time (really, hardly use damage spells on my clerics anyway) it works out fine...slight boost to AC, can still cast healing spells to good effect and can do a bit of damage when I occasionally hit. Like when I Hold Person that orc in Feast that always gets by everyone to come thump the cleric...

Most of the time my clerics have spell pen and potency items or magi and potency items in their hands. It doesn't bother me, really...if I wanted to be a melee healer I'd load up my old halfling paladin. My clerics are about pwning crowds with GC.