Curse

ibex333 · Jun 29, 2007, 07:52 PM // 19:52

In the past I played as a Warrior, Ranger, Monk, Ele, Sin and Necro.

Eventually I got bored with all of them and decided it would be cool to make a Rit since so many people dislike them or don't understand them, I'd be somewhat of a "connoisseur"(not sure if that is an appropriate word).

It was more or less fun up to level 20, but then it started getting boring... I noticed a very disturbing thing.... See, most professions excel in what they do. They are NOT the jack of all trades, but truly masters of their own.
No other profession can do more aoe dmg than an Ele... No one can fight like a warrior... and no one can hex like a mesmer....

Another problem is that the Ritualist doesn't have much skills that combine well with other professions. Splinter weapon and a few other weapon spells that are used with other professions are dwarfed by energy management synergies that mesmer or ele secondary provide to other professions... What about the monk secondary that gave and continues giving so much to other professions? The Ritualist doesn't offer even half that.

Ritualist of the other hand is trying to be good in everything but excels in NOTHING. That really sucks. Most people are not interested in Ritualists, and that is why there is very little builds posted here and on wiki as opposed to other professions that have hundreds of builds. Ritualist has only 1-2 truly effective solo/farm builds. He is not very good in offense and is ok at support/heals. Some people would tell me to make my own builds, but I don't have time for that.

When I made a Rit, I thought that I would have a choice between killing and helping other people kill. It turns out I can only do the latter efficiently.
I'm sure many will disagree with me, but try doing DOA and HM with a rit... I find that I'm probably the least efficient player in by party and more of a burden then a benefit to my team.

My spirits get killed extremely quickly since many enemies in the areas mentioned above do in excess of 100 dmg per hit. If I stay outside of the aggro bubble then my spirits simply don't reach... If I get into the aggro bubble I get owned. I'm speaking about offensive spirits off course...

Also it annoys me how most ritualist builds involve spirits of some sort... Why do I always have to use spirits? I understand that spirits are the core of Rit skills, but I want to have more choices!

I tried using builds without spirits, but those end up being weak. I tried Rt/W and Rt/D builds but those are more wacky than efficient.

I am still looking for a ritualist build that would be so good in offense where I'd be dropping foes in packs like an ele or so good at healing that people would be thanking me for saving their butt like they thank monks....

It looks to me that the Ritualist profession is getting a lot less attention from Anet then other professions. One example is how all professions got primeval armor but sin and rit didn't. Another example is the useless vampirism spirit that was added under sunspear title. Sure it's nice cause it heals and damages.. But it's yet another SPIRIT. Also it just doesn't do enough damage. It should do double whatever it's doing now to be truly good. And that's with my rank9 Spearmarshal title.

Another thing I feel should be mentioned is the need for at least one running skill on a Ritualist. Someone might say that a rit doesn't need running skills... Well I can say the same thing about an ele, but they have 3 running skills!!
Hell, correct me if I'm wrong, but ALL professions xept necro and rit have running skills. Another example how Rits get no love.

I wish ritualists were made more fun and more powerful. I wish that a Ritualist in a party would be someone who is noticed and talked about instead of a loner in the back shadowing the "leader" warrior or a "devastator" elementalist.I wish Anet reads this post and takes notice.

In conclusion, I want to say that I hope someone comes here, and shuts me up for good by explaining to me why I am wrong. I hope someone will give me examples by being effective in DOA and Hard Mode, and being a valuable asset to their party.

Sjeng oet Mestreech · Jun 29, 2007, 08:47 PM // 20:47

-The Ritualist excels at being a jack of all trades.
-The Ritualist has 3 signature moves: Weapon spells, item spells and spirits (not counting the Ranger spirits)
-The Ritualist has enough skills that combine well with other classes. Mainly weapon spells, but also a 4 second cast + 5 energie resurrection skill: Flesh of My Flesh. Which also combines well with other classes.
-If you now when and where to cast your spirits they won't be destroyed as fast a you say.
-The Ritualist heals just as good as a healing Monk.
-The Ritualist doesn't need a running skill because they can also take a second profesion.

And some more stuff I don't come up with right now.

frojack · Jun 29, 2007, 11:11 PM // 23:11

The Ritualist has a lot to offer. A lot... If you look deep enough. They're not as solid as the core professions but they are easily the most interesting and unique of all the new classes.

If you struggle to comprehend the Ritualist or just find no value in what the class offers, play something else. It's as simple as that. There are many people who feel as you do I imagine, but I also know there are many people who feel the exact opposite...

Geishe · Jun 30, 2007, 01:16 AM // 01:16

YOU wish ritualists were made more fun and more powerful??

Honey, I have the most fun playing my ritualist, and is easily my most useful character. Now that PuG's recognize ritualist healing (they all take resto users now) and HA and TA has Rit Spike... NO ONE can say they arent powerful enough.

It's all personal opinion, really. Like Frojack said, if you aren't having fun with ritualist, give another profession a try. Ritualists are fine the way they are.

ibex333 · Jun 30, 2007, 01:30 AM // 01:30

That's the thing. I DID give other professions a try. I'm trying to like the ritualist, but so far I don't see why I should.

There's a post somewhere below mine, where the OP has trouble getting into a party in DOA just like me. According to him, he cant find a single build that would give him a place in a party that would always choose a warrior, nuker or a monk over him... I tend to agree.

This post was more of an attempt to get people to prove me wrong and get me interested/curious, rather than to tell me to just quit and try something else.

Trylo · Jun 30, 2007, 01:52 AM // 01:52

more than half the classes have trouble finding PuGs in DoA, i dont see your point.

whats so creative about rits are that they can be 75% of one class and 75% of another class and STILL WORK in one build.

Rit Twists on prof:

Assassin: deadly arts and communing have some synergies (shadowsong + signet of shadows, anguish + hexes in deadly in general), daggers + spirits strength, daggers + wailing/warmongers weapon is really fun

Dervish: not much synergy really >_>splinter + AoE attacks?

Elementalist: there are some wacky builds in ele, many using the various knockdowns in conjunction with earthbind, glimmering mark + channeling, support with spirits and wards, water hexes and wanderlust is fun together

Mesmer: expel hexes?

Monk: Convert Hexes is a winner on a rit

Necromancer: hexes and anguish are fun... mainly you wanna be N/Rt though >_>

Paragon: Vocal was Sogolon, 23 sec Stand Your Ground is pretty nice, 13 sec Fall Back is nice, Never Surrender can be kept up always. its pretty fun since you only need 3 or 4 slots of your bar devoted to it and you can add some healign like soothing memories. Spears + wailing/warmonger is pretty fun, Spirits Strength can hit 100s in high lvl pve.

Ranger: get barrage and a zealous bow and you can own pve. Splinter weap alone can do over 200 damage to each foe relatively easy and you can also interrupt multiple targets with wailing/warmongers and barrage. it is like the interrupts of a choking gas ranger with the damage of a 16 marks barrager.

Warrior: ghostforge + vital + Spirits Strength can be fun, 700 some health and 75 AL while still doing some decent damage. vocal was sogolon and some of the tactics shouts like shields up! can be good too.

play with the class and you can be whatever you feel like really. remember rits already have AMAZING energy management on their own and have some pretty nice heals with pretty low restoration.

Geishe · Jun 30, 2007, 03:14 AM // 03:14

DoA, like all the elite areas was made for cookie cutter builds. Its a fact, you cant change how these missions/areas operate. You've seen B/P's dominating Urgoz Warren, or Tombs... NOTHING will change that. Same with DoA.

However, Ritualist is more of a trial and error profession, they can do so much that just by experimenting you can come up with the most creative and versatile builds. There are a myriad of Channeling/Resto hybrids... all with deadly efficiency. They combine well with different classes, but can also operate by themselves. Experiment for a longer time, and you will probably find the fun in it.

Div · Jul 01, 2007, 12:24 PM // 12:24

Rits are probably one of the funnest classes to run besides ranger. There's just so much you can do...channeling for damage, restoration for healing, communing for spirits. Besides those you can play with weapon spells, etc. Get bored? Run a hybrid!

KlutzySpy · Jul 02, 2007, 09:55 PM // 21:55

besides ranger? what the.. i found ranger to be the most boring profession ever :S

anyways.. Rt's ROCK

Jetdoc · Jul 02, 2007, 10:13 PM // 22:13

Ritualists are by far my favorite character. Honestly, people that get bored or disillusioned with Ritualists simply haven't played them enough to realize just how powerful they can be.

It's also easy to say that "they just don't combine with other professions very well" if you look at the very limited number of cookie-cutter builds that people post. Again, it's simply because a proportionately fewer number of people play the ritualist and don't realize just what they can do, especially in combination with other classes.

TGgold · Jul 03, 2007, 01:42 AM // 01:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetdoc

Ritualists are by far my favorite character. Honestly, people that get bored or disillusioned with Ritualists simply haven't played them enough to realize just how powerful they can be.

It's also easy to say that "they just don't combine with other professions very well" if you look at the very limited number of cookie-cutter builds that people post. Again, it's simply because a proportionately fewer number of people play the ritualist and don't realize just what they can do, especially in combination with other classes.

You see, when I make new builds for my rit, I normally look at other classes first. I almost always play a cute, effective, gimmick build on my rit. (a la Triple Chop Rit, SS Spear (before it was popular...), and other builds). =)

Sheriff · Jul 03, 2007, 07:01 AM // 07:01

- Channeling Ritualists seem to do (has anyone calculated this?) more DPS than fire eles.
- Communing Ritualists are a better party protector than a monk (the monk excels on individual protection though)
- Restoration Ritualists are better healers than monks
- MM Ritualists are at least as good as their Necro counterparts - I don't mean the minion bomber.
- VwK Ritualists have an easier and more forgiving time farming than 55 monks (even though the monks can farm in more varied areas)

The Rts are my favorite class and yes, the Ranger comes close due to its versatility (bow, hammer "thumper", trapper, pet master, spear chucker, toucher... tried them all :-) )

Nightmare Venom · Jul 03, 2007, 09:16 AM // 09:16

One of my favourite professions to play is the Ritualist. You can do a lot of damage with a Ritualist if you take the right skills. I have watched spirits I have summoned on my Ritualist just lay waste to everything in sight most days. The Channeling line of a Ritualist has some powerful skills. Like Painful Bond, which lets the spirits the Ritualist has summoned do more damage. Add Anguish and just watch the damage done soar. Disenchantment is one of my favourite spirits seeing as it can remove enchantments. Which is handy against foes that keep on enchanting themselves. Dissonance is handy when you need someone or something to interrupting.

Ritualists can also make good healers. I haven't tried it myself, but I have played in the odd group with a Ritualist healer and they have always done a good a job at healing as a monk. Ritualists can also do a bit of protection, seeing as they have some spirits that can reduce damage allies take or ensure that allies recieve no damage for a short time. I used to do nothing but spirits that protect and they helped out the monks in the teams I was in a lot

I have managed to do some farming on my Ritualist as well using the VwK elite along with a build depending on where I am planning to farm.

Ritualists can also make a fantastic second profession. Like the R/Rt Splinter Barrage build. Ever since I started to play R/Rt I have never looked back. I can't believe how much damage I can do playing a R/Rt most days. I was helping out a friend in Iron Mines of Moladune and we came to the part where you have to follow the Mursaat. A few of have had our armor infused so it was decided we take them down. I couldn't believe how much damage I did when I saw the damage that all the Mursaat took. It was easily over 200 damage for against all the enemies that was hit with Splinter Barrage. Get a team of Splinter Barrage/Pet's in Tombs and they can easily conquer it on Hard Mode without any hassle.

Ritualist a neglected profession? I don't think so.

Pick Me · Jul 03, 2007, 06:24 PM // 18:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibex333

That's the thing. I DID give other professions a try. I'm trying to like the ritualist, but so far I don't see why I should.

There's a post somewhere below mine, where the OP has trouble getting into a party in DOA just like me. According to him, he cant find a single build that would give him a place in a party that would always choose a warrior, nuker or a monk over him... I tend to agree.

This post was more of an attempt to get people to prove me wrong and get me interested/curious, rather than to tell me to just quit and try something else.

Hmmm...

You liked the Ritualist until you hit lvl 20. What changed? Did the monsters start getting too tough for you? Do you find that after lvl progression, you don't see any change in your character?

A Ritualist is not going to out melee a Warrior, Dervish, or Assassin. A Ritualist is not going to out physical range a Ranger. A Necro will have more minions than a Ritualist has spirits. Dwayna will always favor Monks over Ritualists. Elementalists will always do more fire and cold damage than a Ritualist. A Mesmer will always have better clothes than a Ritualist.

I find that people are still a bit close minded when it comes to non-core characters. Need Monk, Warrior and Ele. People will choose a N/Mo over a Rit/N because Necros have SS, SV, and MMing. People don't always think MMBoming and party heals are as useful.

Don't get discouraged from PUGs doing elite missions, join with your guild, or join intelligent groups.

Others have already said the versatility of a Ritualist is well known and documented. Their healing is just about un-matached. It sounds like you want to kill things, well... I've gone Channelling/Communion without spirits, and I've killed things quickly. The thing is, you have to know what you are facing, and what you need to pack in order to survive and do damage.

Ritualists will never get the cudos that they deserve if a Monk is around. If your group has 0 monks then you will get the praise you deserve. I know when I use my Rit and there is a Monk, I'll help heal, and let him/her get all the praise or the flack for the healing.

Bargamer · Jul 04, 2007, 05:05 PM // 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheriff

- MM Ritualists are at least as good as their Necro counterparts - I don't mean the minion bomber.

Why you gotta be hating, man? *Sniffle.* Just kidding, I know most people can't deal with the minion-selecting, haha. Pain in the butt! Which is why it irked me when Anet implemented auto-targetting for foes, but minions got passed by again. *Sigh. Shakes fist.*

Toutatis · Jul 04, 2007, 06:15 PM // 18:15

Rits are great fun to work with. How many other professions can keep up with the big guns of the Elementalist, stand toe to toe with a Monk's healing power and display energy regen that a Mesmer would be truly envious of, all in the same build?

In the build my Rit runs at the moment, he's pumping out damage at a truly tremendous rate and never runs out of energy. Spirit Rift, Spirit Burn, and Essence Strike (cast in that order of priority). Bloodsong is the main spirit that powers it, with Preservation or Life as a backup spirit in case Bloodsong gets sent back to the Mists too soon or if the Monks need a hand. That leaves 3 skill slots left to add in a coupla high-power heals and a hard rez.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibex333

My spirits get killed extremely quickly since many enemies in the areas mentioned above do in excess of 100 dmg per hit. If I stay outside of the aggro bubble then my spirits simply don't reach... If I get into the aggro bubble I get owned. I'm speaking about offensive spirits off course...

This is a spirit user's biggest tactical issue. It's often better to wait until the monsters have already thrown their first volley at you so you know which positions are relatively safe for a spirit to be placed in than to place a spirit first and let it get destroyed too quickly. And the offensive spirits have a much longer range than one might think - mine attack at longbow range, and if mine can do that then everybody's can. It's just a matter of picking a target and the spirit will follow your direction much like a hero, henchie or pet would (unless the spirit is already attacking a monster in order to defend itself). Wait for the tanks to grab the aggro first though

Marverick · Jul 05, 2007, 01:12 AM // 01:12

TBH I haven't found a single build I can do on my Rit without relying on spirits, which is getting really annoying lugging a load of spirits around. Besides Spirit's Strength stuff and MM bombing (which really sucks) I can't think of anything else that works effectively.

Spirit Light and Spirit Transfer, the only two large heals in Restoration, both need spirits to work, or work effectively.
Communing is just totally about spirits. Painful Bond + Spirits does around 100 armor ignoring DPS but I just get bored of lugging spirits around. Ritual Lord with protective spirits is amazing too but it's still just mashing spirits out at every fight.
Channeling really sucks in PvE... it does nowhere near the AoE damage of an AP nuker and it isn't as good as an Air ele for single target damage or utility. It just has a little of everything; some AoE damage, some single target damage, and some DPS... really lame

Is there another path to take with the Rit that I'm missing?

Dodo The Extinct · Jul 05, 2007, 01:54 AM // 01:54

Channeling can be useful in PvE.

I remember how useful Grasping Was Kuurong was. I would chain it twice in a row for two AoE KDs. When I worked with my Hero Nukers, mobs never lasted long. Plus, I had Splinter Weapon on my Melee.

Ritualists don't have to suck at PvE.

Turbobusa · Jul 05, 2007, 06:49 AM // 06:49

Channeling is ftw
I even set my ele heroes as channelers because i only have one rit hero.
I got a team with 5 potential healers, and 6 damage dealers
party of 11? no just 3 rits

Dr Strangelove · Jul 05, 2007, 07:47 AM // 07:47

Splinter barrage is one of the most insanely overpowered things in the game. Use it.

Spirit's strength rits are also massively effective all by their lonesome in PvE.

As for support characters, you're right in that rits are generally inferior to primary monks. However, as "half monk" characters, like, say, spirit spikers or weapon of remedy spammers, they're insanely effective.