Using Damage shields to maximum efficiency

[Janiblis]

Level 95 mage uesing "Surge of Arcanum" every time it refeshes, when it has faded or been used up on Pet when solo/moloing.

Standard: Circle of Embers cast on pet unless blocked by a higher damage shield from another class, then if other class DS fades "Circle of Embers" is used.

Is there any other damage shields that can be used in conjunction with those 2 that are specifically mage oriented only?

Looked at Famished Flames but it has a gawd awful recast timer, like 10 minutes.

Tried "Molten Skin" with somewhat good results in addition to the stanadard "Circle of Embers" and "Surge of Arcanum" not sure about the mana efficiency but it helped kill the mob faster.

I have not gotten "Molten Veil" so can not comment on that yet.


ALSO: any good spots for 95 mage to level up in regular exp like to start levels in Rain of Fear expansion.

I was able to molo the Alaran Flesh for the shards task, got the port ring reward and that broken charm that stats are not working on. The Clergyman in the Silent Hall dropped the flesh btw.

Was aslo easily killing the dog mobs at the entrance of Shards zone in area but it took like 6 to 7 mobs to get 1 % experience. Was hoping for a faster "Regular" leveling experience.

[Potawatomi]

Well first, you would have been better served with the aug that was a choice and not the port ring.

For experience, your best bet is to do all of the quests. I went from 96-97 just doing those quests.

[Tweelis]

Level 95 for me was Zeka. Mobs in there are easy low HP mobs and your anti-summoned nukes work well.....they'd work better if theft of essence worked but that's a different discussion. When you ding 96 some of the mobs go green so stay 95 until you're ready to leave Zeka.

As for damage shields Surge and Embers are what I use, Famish flames isn't worth the spell gem for me either.

[Vincentt]

I did alot of digging on dmg shields few months back. I apologize if you already know this info, repeating can't hurt new readers though. I got most of my info from evilgamer.net:

Different dmg shields (DS) take up buff slots. On Lucy we see slot 1 through 12 on any buff spell. Dmg shields can slide into a good portion of these slots, hence so many stacking issues. The primary long duration DS uses slot 1,2,3; 4 is often for items with spells; other duration spells cast by druids, mages, slide into 5-12. If you have a spell that casts a DS in slot 2, and an AC boost in slot 3, it will not stack with anything else weaker that gives a DS in slot 2, or AC boost in slot 3. And will be overwritten by stronger spells. And of course overwritten by detrimental spells using that slot.

But if a spell gives a DS in slot 2 and AC in slot 3, like Cloak of Burs, it will stack with something that gives AC in slot 2, and DS in slot 3 (the reverse), like Briarcoat, the RNG/DRU self buff. Many DS spells in slot 2 like Guard of Earth and Cloak of Burs use slot 3 for their AC component. Cleric AC spells like Credance and Ward of the Zealous use slot 4 for their AC component. So they rarely have stacking issues with DS buffs. Innate worn DS currently has a maximum of 35 at my level and stacks with everything.

The following are the slots and the buffs that are used:

1-Mage/Druid main line [Embercoat, etc.], Bard’s Psalm will stack on the next tick of song.
2-Potion of Skinspikes, GoE, Cloak of Burs, Coldain ring and some other items with Illusionary Spikes.
3-Rng/Dru/SK self buffs
4-Mage limited hit DS, med duration [Surge], Storm Eye Guard (YarL’ir ring), Bard’s War-March song
5-Druid limited hit DS, med duration [Surge], Ranger DoT/DS
6-SK self buff
7-Dru AA Wrath of the Wild – 1 big hit, SK AA Scourge Skin
8-Dru AA Convergence of Spirits, and Spirit of the Wood
9-N/A - unused by DS
10-Dru Spur line [Vinespur, Fernspur], very short duration and limited hit.
11-Mage 3rd spire
12-Mage Molten Skin line, very short duration and limited hit., and items.

Item effects, since there are so many, can invariably take up any slot. Yar Lir ring takes slot 4, Coldain ring and Vengeful Cloak take slot 2, Dru TSS BP takes slot 12.

For a mage, your pet is best off ie. efficient with:
slot 1: main DS, + bard in group Psalm (stacks)
slot 2: cloak of x from a ranger
slot 4: surge, or bard in group WarMarch
slot 11: 3rd spire
slot 12: molten skin

You can tell any druid in group to stack on his Spurs for slot 10, and heal over time + DS for slot 8.

I do play a ranger, druid, bard, and stack the DS's with mage when I'm swarming. You can really get up there with a bard (over 500! without spire+molten) Whole lotta fun!