Fu Empath

[Potzer01]

So I've come back to gemstone after a rather long Hiatus, and apparently am traversing the road less traveled as far as training goes.

My training looks like this.

Rhank (at level 42), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 40 8
Brawling...........................| 144 44
Physical Fitness...................| 144 44
Arcane Symbols.....................| 144 44
Magic Item Use.....................| 144 44
Spell Aiming.......................| 169 69
Harness Power......................| 164 64
Mental Mana Control................| 90 20
Spirit Mana Control................| 160 60
Spiritual Lore - Summoning.........| 120 30
Mental Lore - Telepathy............| 25 5
Mental Lore - Transference.........| 15 3
Mental Lore - Transformation.......| 105 25
Survival...........................| 25 5
Perception.........................| 25 5
Climbing...........................| 70 15
Swimming...........................| 45 9
First Aid..........................| 186 86

Spell Lists
Major Spirit.......................| 32

Spell Lists
Minor Spirit.......................| 31

Spell Lists
Empath.............................| 30


I use a Runestaff and Voln fu. They've changed the Empath spells around so much that it would appear you *have* to train that spell circle or you'll fall behind in DS.

I can't quite get a clear answer about exactly what the DS is on runestaves in what stances. I'm also led to believe that a runestaff will never give more ds then a compareable single trained shield.

Back in gs3 I carried a shield, and would bind and kick. Now I carry a runestaff and bind and kick.

It would seem my defense is not keeping up with the critters I hunt these days. Meaning if I get caught in the wrong stance and get stunned, its going to require a fresh deed.

Anyone have any thoughts/comments/suggestions on any of this? Or anything else you see from the skills that I may be grossly mismanaging?

[phantasm]

My 4x runestaff contributes 60 DS in offensive stance

[Potzer01]

How about training in the Empath spell line? Is it required?

I'd been planning to double Major Spirit for Bind CS once I'd gotten to 140.

Is a Voln Empath doomed to failure? Do I need to goto the bathhouse?

Is Voln fu going to be a viable progressionn plan? It has been so far on Pooka's/Miners but will it work going forward?

Any suggestions on new Hunting Grounds? I've been thinking RR.

[GlassEngine]

I've been playing a Fuing empath as my main character since I started gemstone. There was an 8 year break in between, so he's only level 40 and I've questioned my own approach to training many times. The skills you train in are just about identical to mine, although I focus more on empath spells to raise CS, I double PF and you're waaaay over trained for harness power.
My empath can effectively hunt undead within one or two levels of himself using just his own spells (no outside help - its good to be self-sufficient), he isn't the fastest healer or the best spell slinger but the approach you're taking is pretty much exactly what I've done to make him a decent healing\casting\swinging 'path without being overly badass in any area. I like the roundness of not sucking at anything an empath can do, but not be a strictly one-path 'path. Ya dig?
Move some of your stats around (like harness power for God sakes!) and you may even come up with the points to get Combat Maneuvers which is something I've always regretted not working towards.

[GlassEngine]

As for hunting grounds, I'm just leaving bats, wraiths and troll zombies from Zul Logoth and was actually thinking about the Miasma bog in RR. Maybe I'll see you there and we can kick on into the night. Hiiiiya!

[Anothi]

I hunted and Fu'ed Wind Wraiths for a LONG time and was able to keep up with it for a while. Though I was brawling/shield and not runestaves. I find that runestaves lack in DS when you are using physical skills. It is doable, using bind and kick, though it's not as easy as it would be with a warrior.

[dszabo]

Couple things I'd tweak in your build:

I'd recommend dropping your spirit mana control down to 24 and put your mental either up to 24, or, if you use bone shatter frequently make that your 1x mana control skill.

Harness Power should be, if you're not a primary caster, 1x - 2. That gives you the full amount of mana per rank.
I would also recommend upping your Spell Aiming to 2x with those extra points for your web bolts? (The spirit summoning lores). If you don't web bolt and Fu is your main attack I'd drop your spell aiming completely as well as your spirit summoning.

All in all that should free up plenty of TPs to add shield if you want, or up your armor a bit since casting while hunting isn't a big issue it sounds and give you some "fun" TPs.