So much has changed.

[Ebondale]

It's pretty intimiding these days to come to GS4 after having left for so long. So much has changed that it seems all the game mechanics have changed, so it's like learning to play Gemstone all over again. Even the GOALS thing is new to me. I've read through some of the topics on the Empath forum and I understand a little about the changes that have happened but still not enough to start a level 0 Dark Elf Empath.

I want to shoot for a template that is an effective solo hunter, and I was thinking Two Handers would be the way to go, so I was thinking Warpath. But now I'm seeing a lot about Sorcpath and that has me thinking since I don't really get the mechanics behind Runestaff DS. How exactly does that work?

Seems I would probably have more MTPs and PTPs available to me if I went with a Sorcpath build instead of having to dump points into THW for a Warpath build and I've been playing around with it on Tsoran's character planner spreadsheet.

Keeping to the idea of a Dark Elf Empath (I know it isn't an ideal race choice but it's a RP choice), how would I want to place stats and skills for an effective solo hunter and at what level would I start to really see the big payoff? I can't imagine the life of a young Sorcpath as being very easy.

tl;dr: What do I have to train in to maximize runestaff DS? How would a dark elf Sorcpath optimize their starting stats for hunting? What would a cookiecutter Sorcpath training plan look like?

[audioserf]

Dark elf's actually a good race choice. You get a bonus to CS, they make good bolters if you choose to spell-aim, and their AGI/DEX will help with dodging maneuvers.

Runestaff DS takes into account your magical ranks per level. Those ranks include spells, Magic Item Use, Arcane Symbols, Spell Aiming, Mana Controls, Harness Power, etc. The baseline magical ranks per level the GMs use for runestaff DS is 8. However it's recommended to have closer to 10 or 11 at higher levels for survivability. I'm doing okay with 8.5 on my 20th level casting empath.

I'm focused on jacking my CS as high as I can to hunt with Bone Shatter (1106), neglecting spell aim to accomplish it, but not neglecting what I consider core skills.

8 ranks of Armor Use (double leather)
1x PF (Cheap, blood, maneuver defense, stamina, will go to 2x later)
1x perception (I just think it's a useful skill to have, you don't have to single this)
1x FA (cheap, handy)
.5x swim/climb (I like being able to get wherever I want to go easily)
1x Magic Item Use
1x Arcane Symbols
1x HP
1x Spirit Mana Control
2x Mental Mana Control (Helps Bone Shatter damage)
2.5ish spells (202, 120, 1132 at level 20)

The benefit of having chosen the Empath class to come back with is it's very hard to F up an empath build. Empaths are probably the most well-rounded and, if built right, most powerful class in GSIV. If you look at Cap you'll see examples of THW empaths (sup Rogane), pure casting empaths, bolting empaths, brawling empaths, and combinations of the above.

Something else that's changed in your absence: you now get a free 30 day instant skill migration period, and 5 Fix Stats during those 30 days. What this means is you can make your chracter's early levels a breeze. Max out STR, LOG, DEX, AGI. Train in THW and CM and PF. Get a claidhmore. Plow through as many levels as you can within 30 days, then Fix Stat+Fix Skill into your "real" build." My empath was able to begin hunting solely with his own mana and 1106 at level 18. He is a dwarf in COL, however, so Wracking is helping him a lot.

Good luck.

[B4Hand]

It's pretty intimiding these days to come to GS4 after having left for so long. So much has changed that it seems all the game mechanics have changed, so it's like learning to play Gemstone all over again. Even the GOALS thing is new to me. I've read through some of the topics on the Empath forum and I understand a little about the changes that have happened but still not enough to start a level 0 Dark Elf Empath.

I want to shoot for a template that is an effective solo hunter, and I was thinking Two Handers would be the way to go, so I was thinking Warpath. But now I'm seeing a lot about Sorcpath and that has me thinking since I don't really get the mechanics behind Runestaff DS. How exactly does that work?

Seems I would probably have more MTPs and PTPs available to me if I went with a Sorcpath build instead of having to dump points into THW for a Warpath build and I've been playing around with it on Tsoran's character planner spreadsheet.

Keeping to the idea of a Dark Elf Empath (I know it isn't an ideal race choice but it's a RP choice), how would I want to place stats and skills for an effective solo hunter and at what level would I start to really see the big payoff? I can't imagine the life of a young Sorcpath as being very easy.

tl;dr: What do I have to train in to maximize runestaff DS? How would a dark elf Sorcpath optimize their starting stats for hunting? What would a cookiecutter Sorcpath training plan look like?

Hey, I'm lousy at mechanics but if you talk to Evarin (Fallen on these boards) he set up Merji's training, and she's done really well even solo hunting, she's brawl/shield.

[Nilandia]

If you've read some recent threads, you've probably come across some of my recommendations for playing a caster empath. I'm a big advocate of maintaining flexibility while still being potent, so I train my empaths to be good casters as well as bolters and I toss in the required skills to augment the spells I use most. I'm very happy with the training plans I've done, even if it takes them a while to become effective and I have to live on wands for a good amount of time.

Nilandia in Prime utterly destroys whatever she hunts at level 94, while Nilandia in Plat has been a pure caster from level 7 and is now doing very well in Wyneb at level 61.

If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them as best I can, but for now I'll link to the post where I outlined my training plan so you can look it over.

Generalized training plan (http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=26&topic=18&message=2918)
Example stat and skill sets (http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=26&topic=18&message=2925)

Good luck, and welcome back!

[Fallen]

Dark elf's actually a good race choice. You get a bonus to CS, they make good bolters if you choose to spell-aim, and their AGI/DEX will help with dodging maneuvers.

Runestaff DS takes into account your magical ranks per level. Those ranks include spells, Magic Item Use, Arcane Symbols, Spell Aiming, Mana Controls, Harness Power, etc. The baseline magical ranks per level the GMs use for runestaff DS is 8. However it's recommended to have closer to 10 or 11 at higher levels for survivability. I'm doing okay with 8.5 on my 20th level casting empath.

I'm focused on jacking my CS as high as I can to hunt with Bone Shatter (1106), neglecting spell aim to accomplish it, but not neglecting what I consider core skills.

8 ranks of Armor Use (double leather)
1x PF (Cheap, blood, maneuver defense, stamina, will go to 2x later)
1x perception (I just think it's a useful skill to have, you don't have to single this)
1x FA (cheap, handy)
.5x swim/climb (I like being able to get wherever I want to go easily)
1x Magic Item Use
1x Arcane Symbols
1x HP
1x Spirit Mana Control
2x Mental Mana Control (Helps Bone Shatter damage)
2.5ish spells (202, 120, 1132 at level 20)

The benefit of having chosen the Empath class to come back with is it's very hard to F up an empath build. Empaths are probably the most well-rounded and, if built right, most powerful class in GSIV. If you look at Cap you'll see examples of THW empaths (sup Rogane), pure casting empaths, bolting empaths, brawling empaths, and combinations of the above.

Something else that's changed in your absence: you now get a free 30 day instant skill migration period, and 5 Fix Stats during those 30 days. What this means is you can make your chracter's early levels a breeze. Max out STR, LOG, DEX, AGI. Train in THW and CM and PF. Get a claidhmore. Plow through as many levels as you can within 30 days, then Fix Stat+Fix Skill into your "real" build." My empath was able to begin hunting solely with his own mana and 1106 at level 18. He is a dwarf in COL, however, so Wracking is helping him a lot.

Good luck.

Thanks for the praise, B4Hand. The above post by Audioserf looks pretty spot on. To maximize power you will want to forgo everything you can to get a high CS. I would even consider holding off on bolt spells for some time, as AS recommended. Finish/Stay in COL until you've time to maximize Physical Fitness and Blessing lore (65 ranks). Free points should be put into extra spells and cheap magical skills. The more magical ranks you have, the higher your DS will be. Heal(1101) can now be cast as an offensive CS spell, Harm, and will make a big difference when starting out as a magical caster.

I would place stats very high for CS for these first 30 days, unless you actually do start swinging a claid to make the first few levels go by. You can adjust as needed once that time is up. Rather than concerning yourself too much with stats, though, I would get to leveling as soon as possible to give yourself a good head start once those 30 days are up. Don't take that to mean you shouldn't roleplay, but think of this time as a really important XXX. You don't want to waste it.

[audioserf]

Bolting would be useful but I think it's for closer to cap than it is low levels. I hate relying on wands, and until you get more mana, 1110/111 are mana intensive for hunting. I plan to fix to shield/brawl/bolting around cap (as if my alt will ever cap, heh).

[Fallen]

Bolting would be useful but I think it's for closer to cap than it is low levels. I hate relying on wands, and until you get more mana, 1110/111 are mana intensive for hunting. I plan to fix to shield/brawl/bolting around cap (as if my alt will ever cap, heh).

That's the thing. I know you don't like wands, but for a young empath with Spell Aiming, they are great for stretching out one's mana supply. That's..kinda the whole POINT of wands!

[audioserf]

I can't argue with that.

For me, though, 1106 kills in one or two casts most of the time. You can't wrack and bolt, but I can wrack twice in a hunt if need be to fry.

[Fallen]

I can't argue with that.

For me, though, 1106 kills in one or two casts most of the time. You can't wrack and bolt, but I can wrack twice in a hunt if need be to fry.

I'd been meaning to ask, how is your CS with non-native spells, Audio? Have you tried to using a twisted wand? Maybe at this level you could still have a good chance to land a shot, especially if you're using quartz orbs.

[audioserf]

Great question, I'll check it out next time I'm in game. I recall finding a twisted wand and nuking some pumas with it not long ago, but forget what my CS was.

[Fallen]

Great question, I'll check it out next time I'm in game. I recall finding a twisted wand and nuking some pumas with it not long ago, but forget what my CS was.

Hell, that might be all it takes to enable a pure empath without Spell Aim to march through the lower levels.

[Ebondale]

Thanks for all the input, everybody. I read somewhere that Summoning Lore was important, whats the reason behind that?

[audioserf]

I believe Summoning Lore is what allows you to turn 118 into a Web Bolt when cast at stances above Guarded. I think enough Summoning Lore also gets you other-realm Locate (116). It probably does other stuff too but I don't remember.

Also, not sure if you're aware of this site or not, but check out krakiipedia.org. It's helpful for pretty much everything: http://www.krakiipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=spiritual+lore+summoning

[Fallen]

Thanks for all the input, everybody. I read somewhere that Summoning Lore was important, whats the reason behind that?

http://carabele.com/odds/LoreBenefits.htm

Excellent website. It may not be insanely up to date, but close enough.

[Nilandia]

Bolting would be useful but I think it's for closer to cap than it is low levels.
Not true at all. I've been using my own bolt spells for a long time, starting with dobrems in the upper 20's. I'd use bone shatter and then a cast of 1110 to finish it off using the stun to lower its DS. Depending on what I'm hunting, 1110 was the only spell I used.

Gretchen

[Nefertiri]

I was going to post for help on my empath since I'm coming back, but I think this thread answered all my questions. Thanks you all :)

[iJin]

If you guys need info for a two-hander build, Salim always had the best one and was one of the first original two hander empaths. I think his training plan is on krakipedia. I would link but I'm on my iPhone ATM! I'm sure someone else wouldnt mind to do so.

Also, summoning lore is my favorite. It affects so many spells and it's very versatile.

[eeky]

I'm actually dumping on my summoning for blessing lore to see how well it works. Thing about GoS is at lvl 59 I have 115 stamina, 3x pf. That means I can get 50 mana. In reality I get 25 because I'm using sigils so say 75 with 65 ranks of blessing lore. Compare that to CoL which would be 229 for wracking. Of course I get padded armor and some other nifty sigils but be aware it is a trade off.

[Kembal]

Blessing lore makes sense as a GoS empath, because of 1107. (the boost to AS from 215 doesn't hurt either.)

Don't need more than 50 ranks of blessing lore though.

[eeky]

Blessing lore makes sense as a GoS empath, because of 1107. (the boost to AS from 215 doesn't hurt either.)

Don't need more than 50 ranks of blessing lore though.
65 for full stamina