Curse

The Josip · Jun 22, 2010, 07:40 AM // 07:40

At 16 channeling, what Rt channeling spell would you pick? Answers "none" are not helpful.

Doesn't count: Splinter, Ancestors, SoS/Bloodsong, Siphon.

Which is better - Spirit Rift, Burn, Gaze...? I tried Agony but heroes cast it at wrong places so quite often it does nothing. Spirit Rift is really difficult for me to evaluate. I know lightning damage in HM won't do much damage, but how much damage it still does?

Silicon Based · Jun 22, 2010, 09:00 AM // 09:00

First off, having a sup rune on a hero in HM is a bad idea, a minor channeling head rune or maybe a major rune would be more then sufficient but also increase your hero's survivability dramatically.
Why you would exclude some of the best channeling skills avaliable is a mistery to me. Splinter and ancestor would be a good choise if you also bring some melee or minions, even better when your channeling rit is holding Destructive Was Glaive. Likewise, if you have more spirits around (e.g. communing shelter rit with Soul twisting, union and displacement) spirit siphon gives excellent energy supply, otherwise essence strike is an option.

The Josip · Jun 22, 2010, 09:20 AM // 09:20

Those are excluded because they are already on their skillbar, and I need additional skills.

No minions and no defensive spirits (SoS, Bloodsong, and perhaps Life is about it).

I'm not sure what DwGlaive would do. Splinter and Ancestors do armor ignoring damage anyway. And do heroes know how to use Glaive properly? Never tried it on them. They would probably Glaive some warrior who ran up to them anyway, thus not being much helpful I think.

I love superior runes and always use them. The only time I don't use sup rune is on myself when I'm wielding a scythe and running forward. Superior runes are simply superior.

Arrogant Bastard · Jun 22, 2010, 09:37 AM // 09:37

I use Destruction on my SoS hero.

On an SoS hero your only 3 decent options for channeling (outside of the usual skills) are: Destruction, Painful Bond, and Agony.

IMO: Destruction>Painful Bond>Agony

Luminarus · Jun 22, 2010, 09:45 AM // 09:45

Out of the remaining options probably spirit rift is the only remaining decent option other then destruciton & agony which u said u didnt like. Maybe the blinding skill, or gaze of fury. How could i forget it: painful bond!!!

However saying that, I would run 14 channeling (lose the sup) and 13 resto with PwK, Life and either fomf, or rejuvenation or a spot heal in that last slot.

The Josip · Jun 22, 2010, 11:18 AM // 11:18

I'm not satisfied how heroes use Painful Bond. Especially when I only have SoS and Bloodsong.

I don't mind Destruction or Agony, just wanted to point out that skill such as Agony has less effect in practice than one would expect.

Took a look at Destruction now, with these stats the spirit reaches maximum damage in 6 seconds. That's quite good.

I think I'll definitely take Destruction and Agony over Spirit Rift then.

Mintha Syl · Jun 22, 2010, 01:46 PM // 13:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Josip

I'm not sure what DwGlaive would do. Splinter and Ancestors do armor ignoring damage anyway. And do heroes know how to use Glaive properly? Never tried it on them. They would probably Glaive some warrior who ran up to them anyway, thus not being much helpful I think

I just tried to put DwG on a Xandra. She never used it at all, safe for one time when a melee foe attacked her. So I think it's a useless skill on a hero.

Also she seemed to only run Ancestors properly every once in a while. The rest of the time she just used it on her, and also with no foes around her. Maybe I just was unlucky on this one skill, but...

Lanier · Jun 22, 2010, 01:55 PM // 13:55

Channeled strike does a ton of damage if your hero is already holding an item spell anyway.

The Josip · Jun 22, 2010, 02:31 PM // 14:31

They won't be holding item spell because there's none good (outside of restoration), and Channeled strike does lightning damage. I bet Spirit Burn would overall do more damage in HM, for 5 energy, without a need to hold an item.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mintha Syl

Also she seemed to only run Ancestors properly every once in a while. The rest of the time she just used it on her

Are you sure? Uh that would suck.

Mintha Syl · Jun 22, 2010, 02:53 PM // 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Josip

Are you sure? Uh that would suck.

As I told you, I could have been unlucky or didn't watch carefully enough. I think you'd better try it yourself to be sure.

Silicon Based · Jun 22, 2010, 08:07 PM // 20:07

True DwG on a hero should be micromanaged, maybe a bit cumbersome but quite effective still, since its damage is massive. In particular when you also yourself carry DWG.
Painfull bond should be on yourself, ie you are channeling with sos and painfull bond etc, your hero is communing with SoGM.

Chthon · Jun 27, 2010, 07:18 PM // 19:18

I probably wouldn't pick a Channeling spell.
Strength of Honor at 12.
MBS at whatever spec for deep condition removal.
Hex removal at whatever spec.
FomF/DPS so that party has a midline hard rez.

Xenomortis · Jun 27, 2010, 08:02 PM // 20:02

Destructive was Glaive along with Channeled Strike, Spirit Rift would be sort of nice, except the armour penetration from DwG isn't enough to make the lightning damage strong in HM.
There isn't enough in Channeling Magic to make a heavy Channeling build desirable - SoS, Bloodsong spirits with Ancestor's and Splinter is as good as it gets, the rest are only good for fillers which are best taken from other lines.

Dusk_ · Jun 27, 2010, 08:30 PM // 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mintha Syl

As I told you, I could have been unlucky or didn't watch carefully enough. I think you'd better try it yourself to be sure.

I see AR on me often enough in the middle of battle. Then again, I run a melee character, and I usually have 3+ enemies grouped around me.

I'm pretty sure that Heroes won't cast AR unless it'll hit more than one enemy, so that's likely your issue.

AndroBubbles · Jul 20, 2010, 08:08 AM // 08:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xenomortis

Destructive was Glaive along with Channeled Strike, Spirit Rift would be sort of nice, except the armour penetration from DwG isn't enough to make the lightning damage strong in HM.
There isn't enough in Channeling Magic to make a heavy Channeling build desirable - SoS, Bloodsong spirits with Ancestor's and Splinter is as good as it gets, the rest are only good for fillers which are best taken from other lines.

Application of cracked armor with spirit rift or via a necromancer definitely seemed to solve this problem for me. Using DwG and Spirit Rift, I was hitting for 194 on HM squishies at 14 spec channeling. Even against rangers I was hitting for almost a hundred a pop. Weaken armor is a great spell to carry on a hero.

Lanier · Jul 20, 2010, 01:29 PM // 13:29

Cracked armor and the armor pentration from CwD or DwG is more than enough to compensate for the higher armor in PvE.