Curse

jimmyboveto · Jun 15, 2007, 04:22 PM // 16:22

Alright, I have been playing a lot with my rit lately, and I have been experimenting with different elites. On that I have been enjoying a lot lately is wielder's zeal. Heres the build I have been using for playing restoration. It allows you to make quick heals without using too much energy, giving you great endurance in terms of healing.

Wielder's Zeal{e}
Vengeful Weapon
Weapon of Warding
Resilient Weapon
Mend Body and Soul
Spirit Light
Recuperation
Flesh of My Flesh

Alright, to play this build, you will want to keep WZ up constantly. Also, if someone in your party is suffering a condition, DO NOT IMMEDIATELY REMOVE WITH MEND BODY AND SOUL. Why? Well, because in most cases when all the condition is doing is degen(poison, bleeding, burning, etc...), it will be more effective to just use resilient weapon to make up for the degen and give a nice little armor bonus. However, if you ally is suffering from something such as dazed or blind, then it is advisable to use mend body and soul as quickly as possible.

So, I know this isn't really anything original, I just wanted to give some other players something to try. Please do not flame, constructive criticism is always much better.

Thank you,

Jimmy

frojack · Jun 15, 2007, 07:13 PM // 19:13

Wielder's Zeal is a really poor elite. It would be poor even if it made all weapon spells free. You see, you tie yourself to a line you really have no use for just to use a sub-par energy skill that is actually an enchantment (fragility ritualist's generally don't need to depend on, though this point is more an aside).
If you need energy, use Offering of Spirit. Put those wasted Spawning att. points (yes, even with the impending buff, I still call it that, if you don't use the good skills) into a line that is far more useful. Sticking Warmonger's Weapon on a melee ally can mitigate far more damage than either Restoration, Healing Prayers, or Prot. in certain instances (stupidly over-powered hard mode casters for example). Nightmare Weapon is also good for them, as is Splinter. You just get more options.

Or you could stay with spawning and just use Attuned was Songkai (add Renewing Memories for even better energy gains). Both of these out-perform That ridiculous elite by a mile and then some...

Still, weapon spells are great. A major reason to use the class, so keep up the good work finding more ways to use them.

LifeInfusion · Jun 15, 2007, 09:09 PM // 21:09

I would have to agree with frojack and it is not because I'm jumping on a bandwagon.

Reasoning:
Given that weapon spells do not stack and the energy doesn't really have any other use than spamming weapon spells, the effectiveness of the build is diminished greatly.

I would think wielder's Remedy is better in a build that cannot swear by a spirit being available but has plenty of weapon spells. The recharge ensures even if it is stripped off that it won't be the detriment of the build. The duration can be up-kept with minimal spawning power as well. This would eliminate the need to rely on recuperation for the removal of conditions.

On the topic of Recuperation, Life is generally more effective than Recuperation, since it has a shorter recharge and combines well with skills like Spirit Transfer and/or Feast of Souls for a big spike heal when it ends. When you play a ritualist you tend to yearn for mobility and the lower energy cost and recharge give you better mobility.

As for the elite, you're better off investing in Attuned was Songkai, Offering of Spirit, or Signet of Spirits, since those give solid energy gain. Attuned was Songkai scales well with spammage, while Offering of Spirit and Signet of Spirits give you energy when you need it.

It does trouble me that Resilient weapon will be about as good as Mending Refrain (read: not very) when the +25 armor cap is implemented , which will probably be today or in the very near future. Since it is a flat regeneration, the conditions inflicted such as those by Corsairs with Burning arrow, easily overpower the regeneration.

In short, wielder's zeal is not a very good elite to base a build off of.

P.S. Signet of Spirits + Mantra of Inscriptions = awesome in a spirit based build.

jimmyboveto · Jun 15, 2007, 10:49 PM // 22:49

Thanks a lot for the input! After trying out sig of spirits, I would have to agree that WZ kinda sucks in comparison. So... here is my updated build, with a few other changes to boot

Signet of Spirits(e)
resilient weapon
weapon of warding
wielder's boon
mend body and soul
spirit light
life
flesh of my flesh

Thankyou,

Jimmy

LifeInfusion · Jun 15, 2007, 11:39 PM // 23:39

nice build.

I am sure it is miles better than the original one