How do I look at 40?

[Ivex]

Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 40 8
Shield Use.........................| 99 23
Edged Weapons......................| 126 33
Brawling...........................| 50 10
Physical Fitness...................| 124 32
Arcane Symbols.....................| 128 34
Magic Item Use.....................| 130 35
Spell Aiming.......................| 130 35
Harness Power......................| 145 45
Elemental Mana Control.............| 126 33
Spirit Mana Control................| 126 33
Sorcerous Lore - Demonology........| 145 45
Sorcerous Lore - Necromancy........| 90 20
Survival...........................| 74 16
Perception.........................| 120 30
Climbing...........................| 58 12
Swimming...........................| 58 12
First Aid..........................| 90 20

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 30

Spell Lists
Minor Spirit.......................| 20

Spell Lists
Sorcerer...........................| 32

I'm thinking I should really starting catching up in my Sorcerer ranks, to help boost my CS. Hunting Shadow Mares and Steeds at the moment for exp and favor. Any suggestions?

[Blazing247]

You are trained for a weapon, and at that, not even trained to your level in ranks. Either go all the way, or go for a runestaff. As a sorcerer, I suggest a runestaff. A good goal is to get 2.5-2.75 spells per level, if possible. Your CS is your deciding factor, after all.

[Drew]

Since it looks like you are getting your DS from sword and board I would probably stop arcane symbols and possibly MIU unless you are really into the benefits from those, same thing for the mana controls (unless those have some benefit I'm unaware of), I think most people train in those for the runestaff DS.

[Blazing247]

As a sidenote, keep your brawling ranks. They help immensely when disarmed.

[Ivex]

I am still not sure how runestaves work. You just train in Arcane Symbols and MIU? Do I stop training in both edged AND shields?

[Drew]

Do you want to do runestaff or sword and shield? I'm personally a bigger fan of weapon DS than runestaff DS, but you have to make a choice, you aren't trained well for either at the moment, but you are trained well enough for weapon DS.

[Blazing247]

Yes, using a runestaff negates the necessity for using a shield and a weapon. Therefore, drop all shield ranks and weapon ranks, and add them into "magical skills". A good goal is 10-11 magical skill ranks per level. 2.5x spells, 1.5x harness, 1x MIU, 1x AS, 2x SA, 1.5x E/SMC, 1x Lores, and you're there. It's all stuff you would (normally) train in as a pure, and it helps to your defense.

[Ivex]

Sounds good. One last note, does the runestaff go in the left or right hand? If left, should I train some more in brawling since I will have an open hand?

[Anebriated]

from what i remember about sorcs(which may have changed in last month or 2) try dropping shield and weapon, throw all points to keep brawling .5-.75 of your train, if possible 1x without the sacrafice of magic skills. This should let you defend yourself with open hands allowing for amazing channeling. This is the plan I was changing to with my sorc before i left. There was a sorc who i hunted with in bonespear a few times who had a similar plan, forget who it was but they did well. It also works very well in association with VOLN.

[Drew2]

Right hand, and no, don't train in brawling.

And you are trained HORRIBLY, by the way. You need to focus it one way or another: runestaff or shield/weapon.

[Edited on 10-6-2004 by Tayre]

[Blazing247]

You don't need to train in brawling, as having a runestaff in your hand equates to having (I believe?) a polearm in hand- in other words, you aren't penalized DS wise for having an open hand. Training in brawling helps for being disarmed of your runestaff and being made "naked" defense wise. Keep 10 ranks, don't go further as returns are diminishing.

[Drew2]

Blazing is wrong.

8x Magic skills per train = 1x Two-handed.

Also, in the rare instance you will be disarmed, critters do not pick up runestaffs. So you will be able to pick it back up immediatly, assuming you survive the few seconds of RT.

[Edited on 10-6-2004 by Tayre]

[Ivex]

Well, I trained him way back in the day, before all of the growing pains, and this is the first and probably only time I can go back and retrain, I want to make sure I am doing it right.

[Blazing247]

<Blazing is wrong.

8x Magic skills per train = 1x Two-handed.

Also, in the rare instance you will be disarmed, critters do not pick up runestaffs. So you will be able to pick it back up immediatly, assuming you survive the few seconds of RT. >

I was wrong about the weapon type, sorry. Also, in the rare instance you ever reach the cap or pretty much ANY LEVEL that has critters that disarm, it's good to have those 10 ranks of brawling. Tayre is wrong, critters DO pick up runestaffs (unless it's changed in the few months since I stopped playing). The purpose of training in brawling is to SURVIVE THE FEW SECONDS OF DEFENSELESS RT INCURRED BY DROPPING YOUR STAFF. Training in 10 ranks of brawling is a considerable amount of added defense depending on stance when barehanded.

[Ivex]

I just purchased a 4x runestaff, my DS dropped very little from my current skills. I guess the runestaves are nicer than I thought. :)

[DeV]

Go with a runestaff if you are looking to boost your CS. At 37 I've got 16 spells over your 40 trained Sorc. Like Tayre said, you need to pick either shield/weapon or runestaff training for the maximum benefit either way.

This site should help: The Sorcerer Depository (http://www.gs4sorcerer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=di splay&ceid=17&meid=13)

[Ivex]

Here are my new stats after fixing them up manually:

Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 40 8
Brawling...........................| 50 10
Physical Fitness...................| 124 32
Arcane Symbols.....................| 136 38
Magic Item Use.....................| 138 39
Spell Aiming.......................| 138 39
Harness Power......................| 145 45
Elemental Mana Control.............| 128 34
Spirit Mana Control................| 128 34
Sorcerous Lore - Demonology........| 145 45
Sorcerous Lore - Necromancy........| 90 20
Survival...........................| 74 16
Perception.........................| 120 30
Climbing...........................| 58 12
Swimming...........................| 58 12
First Aid..........................| 90 20

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 33

Spell Lists
Minor Spirit.......................| 20

Spell Lists
Sorcerer...........................| 40

Went into Night Mares and starting chewing them up rather well. Runestaff = rox :)

Arcane, MIU and Spell Aim I will increase to 1x per train, Harness will be 1x'd, probably going to keep my Demonology going from where it is, bring my Mana Controls up to 1x, and the rest to spells, 2x if possible. Should I invest any more into Necromancy? Maybe .5x if I can spare?


[Edited on 10-6-2004 by Ivex]

[Blazing247]

Training looks good. You should consider dropping physical fitness to 24 ranks (unless there's a new benefit for sorcerer's I'm unaware of), drop your survival completely, and pump those TP's into spell aiming. It's nice to be able to bolt occasionally, and it helps with FI.

[Ivex]

I do like to skin occasionally for cash, though I am not extremely good at it, I do get 90% of mare and steed skinned well, if I dropped Survival completely, do I lose a lot of skinning ability, or is that still majorly tied into First Aid?

As for Physical Training, 24 is all I need for a DarkElf?

[Blazing247]

24 is all you need for most races, depending on your CON bonus. Also, as for survival, either go 1x or don't bother. You won't get a good enough skin quality to make it worth skinning at all. I think it's a waste of TP's, but that's just me.

[Bobmuhthol]

~25 ranks is max for every race, if I know anything about mechanics. It also fluctuates depending on your CO bonus (higher bonus = more max HP per rank).