Level 80 empath - advice on switching gears

[undernolights]

Hello. Just returned to the game again and I found that I was really sick of constantly dying with my level 80 empath. As she's trained up, it's been harder and harder to hunt which I think is largely due to problems with her stats made many years ago. In any event, I started a new character and now I'd like to make my empath primarily healing/rescuing (previously she had been mainly a warpath). I'd like any advice on skill adjustment to heal/rescue really well. Of course I'd also like to be able to use a couple spells to kill critters when needed. Thanks for any advice!

Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 95 (37) ... 95 (37)
Constitution (CON): 94 (32) ... 93 (31)
Dexterity (DEX): 67 (3) ... 67 (3)
Agility (AGI): 81 (10) ... 81 (10)
Discipline (DIS): 100 (25) ... 100 (25)
Aura (AUR): 81 (10) ... 81 (10)
Logic (LOG): 100 (20) ... 100 (20)
Intuition (INT): 78 (14) ... 78 (14)
Wisdom (WIS): 100 (25) ... 100 (25)
Influence (INF): 100 (30) ... 100 (30)

xxxxx (at level 80), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 130 35
Physical Fitness...................| 264 164
Arcane Symbols.....................| 130 35
Magic Item Use.....................| 130 35
Spell Aiming.......................| 262 162
Harness Power......................| 183 83
Spirit Mana Control................| 180 80
Spiritual Lore - Blessings.........| 180 80
Spiritual Lore - Summoning.........| 180 80
Mental Lore - Manipulation.........| 180 80
Survival...........................| 120 30
Perception.........................| 180 80
Climbing...........................| 130 35
Swimming...........................| 90 20
First Aid..........................| 225 125

Spell Lists
Major Spiritual....................| 32

Spell Lists
Minor Spiritual....................| 40

Spell Lists
Empath.............................| 88

[Cereal Killer]

Welcome back! While your stats could be optimized a bit, I don't see anything glaring that that should stop you from being able to hit cap and beyond without taking a break for a fixstat. I'm guessing you're a giantwoman from the stat bonuses, so maybe you had too much RT when swinging a heavy weapon, and not enough AS when trying to web bolt. The higher level hunting ground all have a learning curve, where if you're a lone hunter you'll generally find yourself eating the dust a few times. This gets worse when you're just coming back and are extra rusty. Looking for a hunting partner while you get your feet back on the ground isn't a bad idea, but not really extremely necessary since pure empaths are cheating level over-powered.

If you're planning to go with a pure warding empath, then you'll want to put as much as you can into extra Emapth spell ranks until you're about 20 ranks above your level to maximize your CS. The best places to steal extra points for this in your plan are Armor Use (you'll probably be dropping down to double leather level), Spell Aiming (I'd just get rid of it for now. Your warding spells will be doing plenty of work without you needing to bolt as a pure empath), and possibly backing off on your Spiritual Lore training (I'm not sure what you're aiming for with the lores, but it's pretty expensive to 2x them). At this point, if you find yourself needing additional runestaff defense, then I would put some points into 1xing Magical Item Use and/or Scroll Reading.

Lastly, you should currently have access to the Test Server. When you log into the game using lich(not quick entry) or SGE, you should see an option to enter there. You can enter the server and change your skills immediately at the drop of a hat, teleport anywhere you want to with the DEMO command, and heal yourself completely (even rising from the dead) with the HEALME command. You can try out any build you can think of before you burn your in game fixskills, so I would take advantage of it so you have no regrets.

[undernolights]

What?!?! I've never heard of the test server. Great idea!

And yes, she is a giant and I wanted to go two-handed but couldn't with the RT. I don't know, she was just eating the dust A LOT. Currently hunting in the Bowels.

Your other advice is helpful. Honestly, I can't remember what I was going for with the Lores at this point since I'm rusty. I'm going to give some of your advice a try because I love this character and would be pleased if she was more viable hunting-wise!

Thanks so much!

[Arqueto]

Currently hunting in the Bowels.

The Bowels aren't a friendly place in general. Dying is pretty common - especially at level 80. You'd have an easier time basically hunting anywhere and anything else if you're willing to leave the Landing.

[undernolights]

The Bowels aren't a friendly place in general. Dying is pretty common - especially at level 80. You'd have an easier time basically hunting anywhere and anything else if you're willing to leave the Landing.

That's what I hear. Any specific recs on other hunting areas? I'm a creature of habit and I've been resistant to leaving the Landing because it's the only place I've stayed for any length of time for the 15+ years I've played on and off. Terrible! I'm open to exploring other areas, though.

[Cereal Killer]

Aqueducts in OTF are the easiest hunting for the early 80s. Only scary part is running through OTF proper to get to the aqueducts. This can be deflected by using a gold ring after you step through the portal entrance (it sounds confusing, but you'll get the idea after you've been there).

[undernolights]

Thanks for the suggestion. I just had several successful hunting trips there. More than I can say for the bowels. :)

[Tranquia]

That's good to know about the test server. Thanks!

[khorpulent]

Yeah, the bowels is NOT the place to be an empath. You either have to wither everything, which is not always super effective, or risk blowing yourself up with 1110. I remember the 80s being kind of a rough time for my empath. The aqueducts are probably decent hunting, but if you don't want to cross the Dragonspine you could always try plane 3 in the Rift. You can at least hit everything there (except the warlocks, of course) with 1106.

Warcamps are also a good option, if you happen to be Sunfist. With my empath, I'll go in for about 2 or 3 minutes with 240 up the whole time and blast everything real quick. It's a nice easy way to get fried without leaving the landing.

Also, as far as your training is concerned, you would probably benefit from reducing your lore ranks in favor of more empath spell ranks. You're not even at 2x spells right now, and it probably makes your CS a bit weak. If you got rid of all 80 ranks of blessing lore, for example, you could get 30 empath ranks with the points, which would give you something like 18 more CS. If you're Sunfist, you might need the blessing lore for 1107, but either way that's a ton of points.

You could also stand to drop that manipulation lore. At 80 ranks, it's only giving you a 7% chance to instantly kill anyhow (or you could at least bump it up to 82 to hit the next threshold). The summoning lore is nice for 1115 too, but I found that I didn't use Wither all that much until I got closer to cap, anyhow.

Just my two cents.

[Maerit]

You can also hunt the Red Forest in the Landing now (brand new hunting area). Those druids can be a bit nasty with Spike Thorn, but pretty easy to manage. The Warriors are 80 and the Druids are 83 I believe.

[undernolights]

Thanks all. I've been having a good time in OTF. I'm at "0" deaths for the first time in I can't remember when. I did drop my overall lores, but sounds like I could consider dropping manipulation some (I'm 2x). I have summoning and blessings at 52.