I didn't believe the vets... but I do now

[Drakos]

Dbf?

Delayed Blast Fireball I think.

[Ranmaru2]

not really, doesent compete, even when you spec for it

Someone clearly doesn't carry around a woowoo stick.

Cloudkill is the easiest, most mana efficient way (besides buying a bajillion enervation scrolls) to get stuff to auto-crit in most non-undead content post lvl 10 outside of epic, where mass hold monster makes itself known as a requirement. If you heighten this bad boy, it becomes so much easier unless you have a rogue in your party who took crippling strike.

[Esserbe]

Fun trivia about Wall of Fire:

It still stacks with itself if the stack is on top of a non-hostile mob that goes hostile. Try it on the giant skeleton gatekeeper in Reclaiming Memories - save a blackbone, drop X number of FWs on giant's location, and kill the last blackbone. It will function just like it used to for a single, glorious tick!

[Dunfalach]

While I'm at it... what's the vet-line on asking people to contribute toward Stoneskin costs, cos inscribing up my L4 spells just blew practically all my plat and now I can't afford to buff people...

\

I tend to carry a small stack of stoneskin scrolls, but I only use them when it looks like it's necessary. I do occasionally prep the buff spell, if I think it's more important than whatever else I'm doing for the party, but usually I'll save the spell slot by using scrolls. My first priority buff (as a level 9 wizard) is usually Protection from Elements. This mitigates a lot of spell damage. Blur is often my second, because it's relatively cheap but helpful in melee. I generally only use stoneskin when a party is struggling without it, or facing a really tough fight. There's no reason to cast it on a party who's handling the fight easily, since it has a more significant cost. On the other hand, I do cast it on myself if I expect to get aggro (which wall of fire can definitely do to you). And I don't feel bad if I cast it only on myself; it's my money buying the scroll or ingredient and I'm only casting it on myself because I think I need it. Sometimes I cast it on the person who's contributing most and holding the aggro, to keep them in better shape and ease things on the healer. Sometimes I cast it on the person who's contributing the least and holding the aggro, in the hope they won't die before the rest of us clear the enemy out and cost us a death penalty and soul stone run.

I'm personally of the opinion that asking a party to donate is bad form. Sometimes people *have* donated mnemonic potions or repair potions they pick up (I'm a warforged), and I'm grateful when they do; but I don't generally do a "Hey, I just spent a lot can you pay me something?". But the reverse of that is I never feel obligated to cast anything that costs me money. I do cast them at times, but I don't feel *obligated* to cast them.

I rely on loot sales for funds (except for one generous guildie who sent me cash for an AH item when I was broke and finally found one), and transfer anything too valuable for the general vendor that I can't actually use to my hagglebard to sell for me. He's only level 4 so far but with my wizard's lack of charisma, it's often worth the postage both directions to use the hagglebot bard for selling.

[voodoogroves]

As you get higher in level you'll notice a few things:

Arcanes can stoneskin themselves
At cap, FVS and Monks have their own DR
Barbs already have DR
Plate-wearers are looking for Adamantine or FP of the Giants and have their own DR
War Chanters can give everyone DR 5/-
Bards and rogues often stoneskin themselves
Paladins who aren't using adamantine plate can fire off Angelskin

So really, many people are already looking to their own DR needs. You won't need to hit many people with stoneskin beyond yourself.

I'll offer and pass it out if requested, but it's really those middle levels that are tough. Those levels are tough on everyone (I'm looking at you 8-12) because damage scales up, monsters hit harder, fortification isn't quite common, mass heals are weak or non-existant, etc.


Everyone should aspire to DR. Once the seesaw tilts in that favor, you won't be asked for stoneskin as much, etc.

[donfilibuster]

spiritwall anyone? (from the complete arcane, palemaster wants!)

not sure if there should be an acid continual area just coz fire has one, acid and lightning is more for direct damage.

[Dunfalach]

Note I did write that at almost midnight after my first run using the spell. I was still flame-shocked. I've had best part of a working day to think about it now, and I'm running Delera's tonight with some guildies. I was going to FW it, but I might take a leaf from Mr Wiz and load up Halt Undead as well, just to mix things up...

Anyway. I really would much rather they developed a spell for the 'other' damage spec rather than nerf FW too much. A lightning arc (same length as FW, anchored to the floor at each end, fluctuating wildly inbetween... might blow the special effects budget for this year though), or an acid pool (the floor goes all green and bubbly to a Grease-style area of effect, which may or may not affect the players too), something like that.

Eep, please do not put the idea of a pool of acid affecting players into their heads. If they do that they'll invent a new hireling whose sole job is to cast it under everyone's feet in the middle of melee. :>

As for undead quests, don't underestimate the value (and fun) of command undead. Mindless undead don't get a save, so I cast it a fair bit on skeletons while running the Catacombs chain with a rogue and a hireling cleric, and also in the Delara's chain with guildmates. Not that I didn't use wall of fire as well, of course. :>

[Dunfalach]

I do take the more serious points that have been made: it has its place, it's very useful and extremely efficient, but a wizard has other functions and they shouldn't be neglected.

I'm glad to see that's acknowledged, because from reading the forums and running PuGs, a lot of the time it doesn't feel like the case.

Wait until you start hitting the haste junkies. Then you'll understand that your primary function is to toss haste every 30 seconds. :>

[PopeJual]

crack, please.

[PopeJual]

haste ran out. moar crack plz.

[jcTharin]

haste ran out. moar crack plz.

me to