Swarms

[Maerit]

Whats the best way to handle swarms around 50 trains as a sorcerer? Open Implode seems to be a lot weaker than I remembered it being.

What about evil eye (717)? Open maelstrom seems really slow. Just trying to figure out the best way to handle swarms after being out in Teras and seeing the crazy red-scaled thrak groups.

[zhelas]

Don't forget you have E wave, quake, major ewave, open web, Searing light. In OTF when it swarms like crazy some folks will major ewave to knock creatures over and possibly stun them, followed with an open implosion then dispell the void.

And if it is swarming too crazy. Move one room away.

[Allereli]

ewave/quake followed by focused limb disruption then either plink or maelstrom. use imbeds/rods

[rolfard]

quake first (use peer though in all directions if you don't want to tick off others in your hunting area) followed by balefire (hopefully stunning everything) followed by major ewave (again, be mindful of others in your hunting area)

[Fallen]

If they stun, Mind Jolt can be a life saver. If not, training with Spell aim and 708 can leave things disabled. If you're trying to avoid a maneuver, it may or may not help depending on their BCS status. If mana is tight, remember you can use wands for 706 and 708, though I don't think you can aim with 708 via wand. You can also make your own with ranger rods for a good many uses on the cheap.

[Maerit]

All interesting ideas. I think I am more interested in learning how to destroy a group of mobs quickly instead of disabling the group of mobs. Thraks, for example, in Teras are not particularly dangerous to me. They just swarm, and then they run away, and pop in and out of the room.

I think the idea of an open 118 (web) is a good way to prevent mobs from fleeing perhaps. Then maybe I can use 717 to disable / stun them in order to open implode / dispel?

Also, if you Attune Random will 435 be reverted to random flares instead of your attuned element? Or is 435 always going to use the element you attuned?

[Fallen]

Ball bolt spells may be another option if you're over them in levels. You can stun a good majority of them, then open implode as opposed to Evil Eye, though that's certainly an option too. If you have a decent amount of Multi-opponent Combat you can use Focused implosion to good effect to stun other creatures in the room too, setting them up nicely for an open implode. I'd suggest using enhancives to add ranks of the skill.

R>incant 720
You trace an intricate sign that contorts in the air while forcefully invoking Implosion...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a Grimswarm orc cleric.
A void rips open in the area, directly above a Grimswarm orc cleric!
Rather abrupt decompression causes a Grimswarm orc cleric to explode!
Billions and billions of tiny cleric bits shower everything.
Quite severely dead.
[You have earned 60 recognition points.]
A Grimswarm orc guard gasps for what little breath it can!
A Grimswarm orc guard gasps for what little breath it can!
A Grimswarm orc guard is not affected by the vacuum of the void.
A Grimswarm orc acolyte gasps for air and is stunned!
A Grimswarm orc warrior is not affected by the vacuum of the void.
A Grimswarm orc ranger gasps for what little breath it can!
A Grimswarm orc guard gasps for air and is stunned!
A Grimswarm orc guard gasps for what little breath it can!
Everything in the room seemed to stay in place. The void disappears without further incident.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

That's with 10 ranks of MOC. Pretty decent crowd control IMO.

[Allereli]

118 plus 111 is fun. I assume since you keep mentioning 717 that you are trained to use it with like level creatures.

open maelstrom works, too.

[Maerit]

What I just tried worked out pretty well, Open Maelstrom + Ewave + Evil Eye. Everything stayed stunned and immobilized and died (though it took a little while).

I typically don't like implosion when I can avoid it because I like my loot... Also, one of the problems I was having is that the swarms sometimes included Skayl, which completely destroy me if I have an implosion running. Fortunately, I got some good tips about where to hunt and not have to deal with Skayl anymore, so implosion is an option again.

The ball spell idea begs the question: To 102 or not to 102?

[Sorcasaurus]

What I just tried worked out pretty well, Open Maelstrom + Ewave + Evil Eye. Everything stayed stunned and immobilized and died (though it took a little while).

I typically don't like implosion when I can avoid it because I like my loot... Also, one of the problems I was having is that the swarms sometimes included Skayl, which completely destroy me if I have an implosion running. Fortunately, I got some good tips about where to hunt and not have to deal with Skayl anymore, so implosion is an option again.

The ball spell idea begs the question: To 102 or not to 102?

102 does not effect bolt spells.

From Krakii:

This is a very useful defensive spell for casters of bolt spells or users of wands containing bolt spells since there is no bolt AS penalty.

[nindon]

Honestly, the best way to handle it is to more to another room. Almost every time I die, it's because I've grown overconfident and decided to take on a swarm. Discretion/valor.

Regarding aiming 708 with wands, you cannot aim a wand, but if you use the AIM command in advance, that will direct your 708 wand to the desired spot. It only works with 708 and not any other sorcerer spells. There is no RT with the AIM command, so you could use macros to change it frequently, if desired. Don't forget to clear it, if you want to go back to random. Mostly, it doesn't matter which leg you aim for, but which arm you choose can make a difference depending on the target and how the target is armed (right arm) and armored (unarmored target holding a shield receives CvA bonus). There are some critters for which removing limbs on the same side of the body (e.g., right leg, right arm) is not as effective as removing limbs at opposite corners (e.g., right arm, left leg). I know of no reason ever to aim for a hand.

[caelric]

Only reason not to use 102 as a sorc is if you are some sort of mutant weapon swinging sorc. Otherwise, 102 is a great defensive spell.