What skill should a Druid specialize in?

#2 Dec 28 2011 at 12:03 AM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1691367413219

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2,689 posts

Depends on what you do most, if it's healing / buffing / porting, then Alteration; if it's nuking, then Evocation; if it's Dotting, then Conjuration. Alteration is probably the most popular, but if you solo alot, Conjuration may be a better fit.

Yther Ore.

#3 Dec 28 2011 at 12:28 AM Rating: Good

Ladihawk

Scholar

557 posts

I solo all the time. At least for now and probably until i hit the 60's.

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#4 Dec 28 2011 at 7:21 AM Rating: Good

Sippin

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3,035 posts

It's relatively easy to change your specialization. So go with a solo spec now and change it if you ever start grouping or raiding a lot. Most solo druids tend to use their dots for damage so go with that spec.

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#5 Dec 28 2011 at 7:24 AM Rating: Excellent

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If you're unsure, you can try one out and use the reset quest to reset them all. What I did to help Octavia figure out was the best, was I searched her log file for all the You begin to cast (or whatever the exact phrase is), and then sorted that list by the spell name, then used excel to count them up, delete the duplicates, then looked up the spells and put down what type of spell they were, then sorted the list by spell type, and added them up. It was clear for her that Alteration was the way to go, but she was usually the primary healer, and did alot of buffing and porting as well.

For Druids Alteration is the largest number of spells, but again, if you solo alot, you may want the Conjuration. I guess it also comes down to what you want to save mana on the most.

In a rush at the moment, so when I get some time, I'll add a link to the specialization reset quest.

EDIT: Respecialization Quest

Hope this helps some, and doesn't make you more confused.

Yther Ore.

Edited, Dec 29th 2011 2:30pm by Yther

#6 Dec 28 2011 at 8:24 AM Rating: Good

__DEL__1646007443457

Sage

3,212 posts

Take conjuration, later on you start working on AA you will work on the heals because you will need them.

#7 Dec 29 2011 at 7:11 AM Rating: Excellent

Azalysa

Guru

486 posts

Yther wrote:

What I did to help Octavia figure out was the best, was I searched her log file for all the You begin to cast (or whatever the exact phrase is), and then sorted that list by the spell name, then used excel to count them up, delete the duplicates, then looked up the spells and put down what type of spell they were, then sorted the list by spell type, and added them up.

That impressed me and made my head hurt at the same time...lol.

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#8 Dec 29 2011 at 7:17 AM Rating: Excellent

Azalysa

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486 posts

Hi Ladihawk Smiley: smile

I've been a lifelong soloing druid myself. I *think* I chose evocation due to being a soloer and nuking a lot, but I also did a LOT of root-rotting back in the day. I'm not in game atm, but I think all my skills are about the same level now (level 80 and holding). Not sure how that came about, or if once one specialization skill is maxed another begins. (I returned to the game last summer after a 3-4 year absence, so I'm a bit fuzzy on that.)

As the others said, choose what you use most in soloing, which would likely either be evocation or conjuration. (Gah, I didn't even realize dotting wasn't evocation. lol)

And welcome back. *smiles*

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#9 Dec 29 2011 at 9:32 PM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1691367413219

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Azalysa, Fire dots are Evocation, but the rest are Conjuration, and may be why you thought all were Evo. :)

Yther Ore.

#10 Dec 29 2011 at 11:40 PM Rating: Excellent

Azalysa

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486 posts

Yther wrote:

Azalysa, Fire dots are Evocation, but the rest are Conjuration, and may be why you thought all were Evo. :)

Yther Ore.

Ahhh, ok...that does explain my confusion since I tend to use a lot of fire dots, especially now. Earlier on I used more of the bee/swarm type DoTs.

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#11 Dec 30 2011 at 8:42 AM Rating: Excellent

amastropolo

Sage

856 posts

Yther wrote:

Azalysa, Fire dots are Evocation, but the rest are Conjuration, and may be why you thought all were Evo. :)

Yther Ore.

Aye. The insect ones are conjuration.

Personally speaking, I've never really worried about the specializations. Whatever I use most is the one that is raised. I'm sure every little bit helps, but I tend to worry more about mana pres and mana regen than what specialization I have.

#12 Dec 30 2011 at 10:20 AM Rating: Excellent

Azalysa

Guru

486 posts

amastropolo wrote:

Yther wrote:

Azalysa, Fire dots are Evocation, but the rest are Conjuration, and may be why you thought all were Evo. :)

Yther Ore.

Aye. The insect ones are conjuration.

Personally speaking, I've never really worried about the specializations. Whatever I use most is the one that is raised. I'm sure every little bit helps, but I tend to worry more about mana pres and mana regen than what specialization I have.

"Whatever I use most is the one that is raised" is apparently what I am experiencing when I said that it looks like now all of my skills are pretty much at the same level and I never reset any specializations. I agree I look at mana when I consider what spells to load up (if a lower spell of a line will work on a mob, I don't load the higher one just because) as well as mana being the primary stat I consider for new equipment.

I haven't heard anything about specializations for a long time prior to this post. I'm wondering if it's because the EQ population (toon-wise) is now older. I do recall a LOT of posts debating this issue "back in the day." (Think I'm going to copyrite that phrase...lol.)

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#13 Dec 30 2011 at 10:52 PM Rating: Excellent

Ladihawk

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557 posts

The main reason i started this thread is many of my spells are failing when i cast them. So i figured a visit in the pool in the guild lobby casting spells would be the best bet. But i did not want to raise a skill into specialization by accident and it ended up being the wrong one.

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#14 Jan 01 2012 at 10:33 AM Rating: Excellent

Azalysa

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486 posts

Ladihawk wrote:

The main reason i started this thread is many of my spells are failing when i cast them. So i figured a visit in the pool in the guild lobby casting spells would be the best bet. But i did not want to raise a skill into specialization by accident and it ended up being the wrong one.

After I ding a new level I immediately do what was referred to in an EQ tips article years ago as "Sharpening the Sword," ie. casting the lowest level spell of each type on myself until it caps out for the level, which sounds like what you are doing as well.

The interesting thing is, after doing that - with all casting skills maxed - I always have some fizzles at the beginning of the next level. No idea why that is, but I've read others reporting the same thing. Just threw that out in case that could be what you're experiencing as well.

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#15 Jan 17 2012 at 3:53 AM Rating: Decent

Fubbin

12 posts

If you havent done charming as a druid yet you should try that. Bonus to that is that spec alteration works for it. Snare a mob, charm it, set it on another mob, snare that mob and when your pet is almost dead root the mob you fighting and break charm with your pet at lowest hp you can get without it dying, so that 1 dot will kill it. As you run and it follows if its the type to flee at low health once it gets far enough away from your rooted mob it will stop and sit there as dot kills it. While its doing that be charming another mob and set it on rooted mob, repeat. It can be fast exp but its a lot more fun for me then root rotting.