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Zumbaro's Ultimate Guide to the Spiritmaster
UA: The following guide is written by Zumbaro for free distribution via Aion Source. It may be replicated for free distribution but may not be reproduced or quoted in any document not available to the general public absolutely free.
Version 2.0
-Added some stat value discussions
-updated skill evaluations
-added stigma build evaluations
-refined discussion through out the guide to address reader concerns and questions
Contents
Introduction
I. The Basics
II. Crafting
III. The Stats
IV. Skills Review
V. Stigma Builds
VI. PvP Tactics
-------------------------------------------------Introduction-------------------------------------------------
Introduction
I. The Basics
II. Crafting
III. The Stats
IV. Skills Review
V. Stigma Builds
VI. PvP Tactics
-------------------------------------------------Introduction-------------------------------------------------
The following guide is intended to help those in the community wanting to play a Spiritmaster. I intend to cover everything starting from the very basics of pet control and finishing with very detailed strategies for end game player versus player situations. The guide will cover topics including skills, crafting options, and player versus player. Everything stated in this guide is the result of my own experiences and testing on various clients.
Client List:
Korean Retail (1.2 & 1.5 Patch)
Korean Test Server (7x Late 1.2 and 3x 1.5)
Western Beta (Closed and Open)
Western Retail (since release)
Before we get into the details and intricacies of the Spiritmaster class it is important that you set aside the common misconceptions surrounding the class. There are a lot of what I consider to be general misconceptions surrounding the class that are either the result of inexperience or out dated information. I will not be dealing with these specifically now but will give you the facts surrounding each one and do my best to convince you that they are nothing more then myths. After reading this guide you should be able to go to the forums and better understand the arguments surrounding several of these issues.
As a final note, readers should be aware that as an Elyos this guide reflects specifically upon this faction and may not represent all the faction differences associated with playing Asmodian. It should also be considered that my play style focuses on efficiency in the sense of achieving the lowest cost to reward ratio allowing for the fastest overall growth in both an experience and economic stand point.
--------------------------------------------------The Basics--------------------------------------------------
The following paragraphs cover basic concepts involved with playing a Spiritmaster. It is broken down into subtitled sections for easier browsing and future reference. If you ever think there is something that is left out or you are having difficulty finding something you believe is contained within this section please send me a private message or respond to this thread and I'll do my best to resolve any issues. Please keep in mind this guide will be continually evolving along with the game and while under construction may not contain everything so please be patient in your requests.
If you are not familiar with the basics of the game in general such as attribute names then I advise that you familiarize yourself with such concepts before reading any further as I will not be discussing such information.
The Spirits
Spiritmasters at this time may choose to summon any of up to five different spirits. These spirits are often referred to as our "summons" and represent the namesake of our class. The spirits are not available initially but will be gained via skillbooks as you progress through the levels. Each spirit is based on one or more of the four core elements; fire, earth, wind, and water. Each of our four base spirits represents one element and as of patch 1.2 we received our 5th spirit as a representation of the two elements most related to our faction. That makes six total spirits in the game with each faction having shared access to four of them and a unique level 50 spirit requiring DP.
The following paragraphs will go further into depth on each individual spirit excluding the Tempest and Magma spirit until we have concrete information from the western client relating to it. I will be covering the strengths and weaknesses of each spirit as well as a general overview of its purpose. For each spirit I will also discuss any unique abilities related to the commands that may come up at a later time in this guide.
The Fire Spirit - The Fire Spirit is a melee style summon with high burst damage. It is prbably the spirit that will be used the most by players before they reach the level cap. It has average Vitality, Speed, Attack, and Physical Defense while suffering from a lower then average Magic Defense. The commands are almost entirely damage focused usually consisting of a single nuke accompanied by a resulting status effect lowering the targets defensive capabilities. When used with the Wall of Protection command the Fire Spirit provides a boost to Physical Attack and a shield that reflects damage back upon its source.
The Fire Spirit is a solid source of damage for any party but is preferred especially in situations where the target may be significantly higher then the Spiritmaster. Its high damage single shot abilities have a lower chance at being resisted then many of the over time damage sources associated with other dps spirits. Keep in mind that its base damage is physical and as a result it may provide higher damage against heroic or legendary style mobs. The fire spirit is one of the two pets that at level 50 can be summoned as a level 50 spirit.
The Earth Spirit - The Earth Spirit is a melee style summon with average damage accompanied by strong defensive capabilities. When soloing there is no better choice as high Vitality and Defenses mean very little healing is required. Accompanying its high Vitality, Physical Defense, and Magic Defense are an average Speed and Attack. Not only are its attributes built for tanking but many of the commands are similarly directed through effects like the returning of damage to the spirits health. When used with the Wall of Protection command the Earth Spirit provides HP recovery as well as the elimination of debuffs.
Parties will rarely have a need for the Earth Spirit as it is uniquely designed to serve as a personal tank to the Spiritmaster. The Earth Spirit also suffers against higher level targets as it splits damage sources between burst and easily resisted over time effects. When buffed with the Spiritmaster's DP skill the Earth spirit easily can keep aggro of the Spiritmaster but rarely off higher DPS classes such as Sorcerers or Assassins. The Earth spirit is the lowest level spirit you can summon having reached the current level cap of 50.
The Wind Spirit - The Wind Spirit is the third of the melee style summons offering high damage and the ability to stun. Probably the preferred spirit for PvP prior to the level cap, the Wind Spirit is the fastest spirit with a very high critical hit rate. High Speed and Attack are the cornerstone of the Wind Spirit backed by average Vitality, average Magical Defense, and below average Physical Defense. The Wind Spirit is designed with damage in mind and functions much like the actual Spiritmaster itself, combining high damage over time effects with an element of control via stuns. Through commands the Wind Spirit can bolster its critical values or go directly for a stun on the target. When used with the Wall of Protection command the Wind Spirit provides boosts to Accuracy and Evasion.
Parties may wish to use the Wind Spirit for rare fights where interrupting a longer cast skill is highly beneficial. Its damage output will be similar to that of the Fire Spirit but it will lack a little bit of survivability. Additionally several of its command effects may be easily resisted making it a suboptimal choice for fights against higher level targets. The Wind spirit is one of the two pets that can be summoned as a level 50 spirit.
The Water Spirit - The Water Spirit is the only of the four original spirits to be of a ranged nature and also deal mostly magical damage even on auto attacks. Although most people may feel a need to acquire a Water Spirit prior to the level cap, its uses are very limited prior to reaching said cap. This spirit is very focused in its nature and as such suffers across the board with below average Vitality, Speed, Attack, and Physical Defense but standing out with the highest Magical Defense. Its command ability to crash opponents from their flying state was removed with a patch in December of 2009 that gave our pets the ability to fly. When used with the Wall of Protection command the Water Spirit provides boosts to Magical Accuracy and Magical Resistance.
A Spiritmaster may find that it prefers to use the Water Spirit in many parties because of its ranged nature and magical damage. When most of your targets are going to have high Physical Defenses then the magical burst style damage of the Water Spirit can be very useful. Additionally it can be kept at range during fights containing significat aoes and can help to prevent escape during PvP. The other consideration is that the skill of the Water spirit are all in the form of single shot nukes, this makes it ideal for damage things like fortress Deities on which debuffs don't last more then a second or two.
The Tempest Spirit - A combination of your Water and Wind spirits its easily the sexiest spirit in the game. Its a hard hitting beast with the best of both spirits. When used with the Wall of Protection Command the spirit bolsters Accuracy, Magic Accuracy, Evasion, and Magic Resist by 100-200 each.
Though a strong spirit overall its usefulness in largescale PvP is relatively minimal, in part because it quickly becomes the biggest target on the field. The fact that it costs DP is just another fall back, its best used as a second form of a DP AOE. If you go into a fight with full DP and pop this spirit with a DP buff and then Spirit Elemental Flow and then a DP food into Cursecloud the damage is incredible on the 7 targets you get with the spirit AOE.
Spirit Control
The first thing to understand is that the basic controls for your pet have two modes; manual and automatic. Changing between the two modes is as simple as clicking a small button located on the spirits control bar. I highly recommend that anyone serious about this class plays only in manual mode. The reasons for this will be clarified later but it allows you much better control of your pets' actions. Automatic mode plays much more like the defensive modes of other MMOs pet classes and can be a problem at times in Aion. Manual mode will also help with a player's awareness regarding the relation of the pet's target versus the players target in larger battles.
Automatic Mode - While in automatic mode your pet will always be in what is best defined as defensive mode. This means that anytime a hostile target attacks you it will automatically begin attacking, seems nice but can be a real bother if you don't want your pet running off after every little bit of aggro. Times when this mode becomes especially hindering are during PvP situations where there are aggresive mobs in the area or when you are attempting to just run through an area of aggresive mobs in order to reach another area. This mode also makes it very difficult to pull your spirit off of a mob with which you are already engaged in combat. The only functionality this mode may provide is a defensive PvP situation in which you are assisting your pet in order to attack opponents whom are directly affecting the player. Again I don't recommend anyone uses this mode if your are serious about playing the class.
Manual Mode - In manual mode you gain a higher degree of control over your pet relative to how and when it atttacks, or doesn't attack, a hostile creature or player. In manual mode your spirit will not automatically attack something that attacks you but it will still initiate auto-attacks following the issuance of a command. Manual mode also allows you to easily withdraw your pet from combat when you wish in case you want to run away without losing or having your pet despawn. Initially you may not find much difference in these two modes but the ability to have absolute control over when your pet attacks is highly advantageous.
Mana Efficiency
Both Spiritmasters and Sorcerers in Aion are very mana intensive classes and as such understanding of mana efficiency is crucial to properly playing either class. Different situations may alter things like cast sequences thus changing your mana usage and effecting efficiency accordingly. Depending on whether you are in a group or soloing you may use different pots or have more or less time for recovery effects. All these things need to be considered and as such I'll cover the basics of certain aspects here and leave more detailed examples for later in the guide.
As a Spiritmaster the first recovery skill we receive is Absorb Energy, a Sorcerer skill by trade but one that all mages receive as a tier 1 skill. It may not seem like much but you should always use it when its available as it ends up being about a 4 mana per second regen. The next skill we receive is Mana Treatment which every class in the game receives and I will discuss in conjunction with potions in the next paragraph. The last skill we get is Spirit Absorption, a skill that sacrifices a fraction of our spirits health pool in order to restore a percentage of our maximum mana. The Spirit Absorption skill is a phenominal skill for our class as it comes just as we're starting to fall off the losing side of the mana efficiency curve.
Potions and the Mana Treatment skill offer us several combinations of mana recovery methods available at any time. A couple of things everyone should realize is that the over time effect of the mana potions may recover slightly more mana each but does not stack with mana treatment. This means you cannot have both up at the same time which suggests that the use of the mana serums in combination with the mana treatment effect goes much further towards maintaining our mana pool. This means in situations where you are constantly casting you'll receive more mana recovery without using the over time mana potions but when moving slow the over time potions may be cheaper and just as effective. In situations like large pvp battles you may still favor the over time mana potions because of the long usage time for Mana Treatment.
The last thing to note about mana efficiency is casting sequences and the relative value of a skill based on its damage versus its mana cost. For the sake of PvE combat its generally beneficial to only use the most efficient skills in this sense while in PvP combat the necessity for more damage or a certain effect can override the value of efficiency. For example at level 20 we gain our first stigma, a skill called Vitality Absorption which many people mistakingly use as a nuke in PvE. The problem being that the skill is very mana intensive because of its overall effect making it massively less efficient then the majority of your other skills, also consider the fact that you probably have a healer and don't need the health. Details regarding skill efficiency, cast sequences, and situational use will be covered in depth further but keep in mind that if you find yourself having mana trouble it may be due to the use of just such an inefficient skill.
----------------------------------------------------Crafting----------------------------------------------------
There are only three crafting options that offer any kind of an advantage to Spiritmasters. Tailoring is used to produce the cloth armor that our characters wear. Cooking produces food items that provide useful buffs and DP. Alchemy produces not only potions necessary in both PvP and PvE but also conveniently is also the profession that can craft the weapons we use.
I recommend that anyone serious about playing an end game spiritmaster for the sake of PvE content, masters in the Tailoring profession. The recipes you will receive from instances and elite zones will provide you with the ability to make some of the top gear in the game. With some of the more recent patches and the ease of obtaining certain gear with a good group of players the value of Tailoring is lower then it used to be. If you are interested in a 449 profession for the Daevanian armor sets and don't want to spend the time and money to master Tailoring I would recommend one of the other two.
Alchemy is generally a poor choice for your master profession but should definitely be levelled to the cap. The problem is we really don't gain anything from alchemy after reaching 399 and the weapons that are craftable really don't stack up to either the Abyss gear or end game instance drops. I recommend skilling up alchemy as you level in order to save a lot of Kinah on potions. Having potions around and the ability to make them will also allow you to use them often and level slightly quicker. Alchemy can also be a very expensive profession to obtain mastery in but can also be one of the most profitable in the long run.
Cooking is probably the best choice for most Spiritmasters since many will not be willing to go through the process of levelling an armor crafting skill simply due to the time and effort of acquiring materials. If you don't have someone that can cook for you or don't have the resources of a well organized legion to help you level an armor crafting skill I have to recommend cooking. The DP foods available to masters of this skill make life a lot easier and make Spiritmasters much better for both group PvP and instance content.
-------------------------------------------------Stats Review--------------------------------------------------
This section covers many of the values found within your character's info window. It discusses the value of each stat to the class, stat caps, and end game goals. Individual player choices may vary based on style, I'll try to discuss some of these variances but cannot hope to cover them all.
HP - Not to much to say here other then at level 50 you should maintain a minimum of about 8000 HP unbuffed.
Magic Boost - This stat directly influences that damage that some of your skills deal to a target relative to the listed base damage of the skill. The increase is effectively about 12 points per 1% of damage increase, with a hard cap at 2400 total or a bonus of 200% damage. Most Spiritmasters will want to maintain about 1200 Magic Boost as a minimum but generally will not want to stack this stat at end game.
Magic Acc - This is probably one of the most important stats for casters focusing on PvP in Aion. This skill directly reflects the chance your target has to resist any magical skill or effect used against them. The percent chance is roughly [(Magic Resist - Magical Accuracy) / 100] with a max of 30%. Although most classes won't stack Magic Resist to high many PvP healers will have a set allowing them to reach upwards of 1600-1800 Magic Resist. With this in mind don't plan on reaching that high, thanks to the passive skill added after 1.5 for Spiritmasters we only need to reach 1400-1600 Magic Acc at end game.
Magic Resist - The single most important defensive stat during PvP it determines your chance to resist most forms of crownd control and even effects such as stuns. With the full level 50 Daevanian gear most Spiritmasters will find reaching 1350-1400 a relatively simple achievement. The harder achievement is reaching an end game goal of 1600 which is ideal.
Fire Resist - Although not a vital skill Fire Resist is important for running Dark Poeta. Depending on the rank you are receiving as a group a higher value in this stat can be required. The A rank boss doesn't require but it is highly suggested to have everyone with a value of 500 or higher. On the other end the S rank boss requires that the entire group have a value in this stat of around 900.
Speed - Although not a necessary skill by any means it should be noted that a cap of 16 exists. This means when evaluating gear options consideration of what your characters speed is when using a scroll may diminish the value of having a speed bonus on a given piece of gear versus reaching your goals in some other stats.
-------------------------------------------------Skills Review-------------------------------------------------
I'm choosing to place the skill reviews early on in the guide because in order to properly understand the strategy sections you will need to recognize and understand the terminology being discussed. When I evaluate skills I will do so using several calculated numerics as well as its overall value in the greater scheme of things. I'll start by explaining the numerical values discussed and what they mean followed by detailed descriptions of skills and stigmas.
The Numbers
Damage Per Second (DPS) - DPS is a direct measure of how much damage you get from a skill based on the length of time it takes you to cast the skill including any globally associated cooldowns. So in the case of an instant cast it would be the total damage a spell does during its duration divided by the global cooldown. Obviously the higher the DPS value of a spell the higher its priority in any situation. This value will change for some skills depending on both cast speed modifiers and the Spiritmaster's Magic Boost value.
TOTAL DAMAGE
----------------------------
TOTAL CAST LENGTH
----------------------------
TOTAL CAST LENGTH
Efficiency (Eff) - Efficiency is a measure of a skills cost versus its reward, basically comparing the damage done by the skill to its mana cost. Higher efficiency spells would take precedence assuming two spells have the same DPS value.
TOTAL DAMAGE
----------------------------
MANA COST
----------------------------
MANA COST
Comparative Adequacy (CA) - I have abandoned a numerical representation for crowd control skills, read my descriptions and learn to use the skills in the proper situations. Each crowd control skill has its positives and negatives relative to others but the situational value of each varies. It is my belief based on this that any rank I may give to them will create preference within my readers and will diminish your skills as a successful Spiritmaster.
The Skills
Skills are listed in order of the level at which the first tier is achieved. I'm hoping soon to have tables available representing the values for certain skills at different tiers but for evaluation here I've chosen to use only the first tier of the skill. Passive skills are ignored as they involve no decision on use. Also ignored are the summon spirit skills as they are discussed based on the spirit that is summoned and not the skill itself.
Skills are listed in order of the level at which the first tier is achieved. I'm hoping soon to have tables available representing the values for certain skills at different tiers but for evaluation here I've chosen to use only the first tier of the skill. Passive skills are ignored as they involve no decision on use. Also ignored are the summon spirit skills as they are discussed based on the spirit that is summoned and not the skill itself.
Flame Bolt - DPS=26.50 - Eff=1.395 - Your primary DPS skill until level 13 at which point you should never cast it again. There has been a lot of discussion regarding my sentiments on using this skill after level 13. My problem is that by that time my normal attacks with a weapon do approximately the same damage and at a higher rate. This leaves only the follow-up skill Blaze as a reason to still use this skill which will be discussed when Blaze comes up a few lines down.
Root - CC - Since its chance of success is static across all levels its just as useful at level 50 as at 1. As basic and as useful as crowd control gets you'll use it frequently in PvP and PvE situations. Considerations may include its inefficiency against ranged mobs and the fact that its easily removed by a Greater Healing Potion.
Ice Chain - DPS=33.00 - Eff=1.571 - A preferable opener at low levels you may use it for its follow-up ability until level 22 when you receive your Earth Chain follow-up. The spell should never be used after level 22 as it shares a cool down timer with your Earth Chain.
Blaze - DPS=92 - Eff=1.533 - The follow-up combo with Flame Bolt, usable until level 13. Catching up to our discussions about the usefulness of this skill brings us to the debuff that the skill leaves. I can only provide 2 considerations regarding this skill, the first is that if you are ever partied with a Sorcerer you'll only be duplicating an effect they are already using. The second is that you really only have a fraction of the Fire spirit skills and Absorb Vitality that are effected. These reasons along with the fact that by level 20 you get better DPS from regular weapon attacks means I'll stand by my belief that this skill becomes useless after level 13.
Erosion - DPS=180 - Eff=4.865 - Your primary damage over time effect and your most commonly used skill. Keep in mind this skill acts as a debuff on the target so there is a chance to resist the over time effect after the initial damage is dealt. It should also be noted that if multiple Spiritmasters are attacking a single target only a single instance of the over time effect may be present so the Spiritmaster with the highest Magic Boost should be the only one casting Erosion. Note the high values for DPS and Efficiency.
Frozen Shock - DPS=101 - Eff=2.02 - A solid temporary stun good for openings in PvE during the low levels but get replaced by the Earth Chain effects at level 22. If there is any doubt whether it is more viable then Earth Chain keep in mind that it does the exact same thing just with a different element and is on a longer cool down.
Stone Skin - Effectively a health boost when in use it can save you in many situations. Notable should be the fact that when the shield is up certain skills like the Templar's Inescapable Judgement ability are prevented. Take note as well of the differentiation between the duration of the shield and the cool down as it lets you effectively have double the effect available for 2 minutes. They don't stack but this simply references the ability to use the skill immediately following the destruction of the prior one during this period. Keep in mind as well that damage over time effects are a debuff present on you so the shield only prevents the initial damage of such an effect and not the damage from the following debuff.
Absorb Energy - Definitely a solid source of mana during the lower levels you should always be using it since even at higher levels it will grant you an extra cast or 2 and effectively increase mana regeneration for free.
Spirit Thunderbolt Claw - The quickest casting of your spirit skills this can often be squeezed in early during a cast sequence to prevent to much stacking of pet skills later in the cast sequence.
Spirit Armor of Light - As your first Divine Power skill its easily the most useful in the game at this level and it makes you a Player vs Environment god. Not as useful in Player vs Player at this level but honestly no one should be concerned with PvP until the level cap. The skill can be used in conjunction with the other pet buffs and your level 50 debuff
Root of Enervation - The definition is incorrect at this time, the skill decreases the targets attack speed not its movement speed as the description suggests, whether the description or the actual effect is wrong we don't know. A good skill in pvp early on when you don't have many other option but relatively useless in the larger picture. Although not useless in end game you generally are going to use it only against Rangers, against other melee classes you generally are more worried about the distance between you and them then their attack speed.
Spirit Threat - All there really is to say is that for Player vs Environment it should serve as your opening skill for the remainder of your play. Its a necessity if you plan on using your spirit to tank, if you don't plan on doing this then I'll tell you your doing it wrong.
Summon Fire Energy - DPS=300+ - Eff=2.205+ - Your primary damage skill, the orbs will hit as often as once every 2 seconds for a total of up to 5 strikes each ro 10 total. At worst they hit 2 or 3 times and generally the damage even at the lowest levels and without resistance debuffs is 75+ per strike. This skill is the single highest DPS skill you will ever receive and should be early in cast sequences. It should be noted that this skill can be a bit buggy in the air and you may get very few actual strikes from the orbs if an opponent decides to flee.
Chain of Earth - DPS=150 - Eff=2.205 - These numerical values are the maximum possible for the skill, if the damage over time effect is resisted the numbers are approximately a sixth of those given. That said it replaces the ice chain you received as a mage once you get its combo skill. Although not a great skill for damage the slowing effect and the stun follow-up make it a very useful skill for PvP.
Dispel Magic - Useful and required for stripping things like reflect during many of the major PvE encounters in the game it also has limited usefulness in PvP. If you do plan on using it during PvP be warned it takes a massive understanding of all classes to know not only what target you can get with it but also which ones are actually worth going for.
Replenish Element - It heals your pet by sacrificing your own health but since you later get Absorb Vitality and have the ability to use cheap methods of health recovery its way easier to let your pet do the tanking while you use this skill to keep it alive. You'll probably want this skill on a click bar as opposed to using a key bind and will want to avoid its use during PvP.
Spirit Wrath Position - Depending on the pet you may have a hard time noticing the effect of this skill. With its short duration and pet based effects I find that it generally isn't worth the time or the mana to use it during PvP. In PvE situations I generally use it as a click activated skill at the same time as Spirit Erosion since they have the same cool down.
Summon Wind Servant - See the skill "Summon Fire Energy" and take note that the two skills are basically identical if there are no resistance debuffs on the target. This means that generally you will want to coordinate the damage type with that of your currently summoned spirit. The exception may be choosing an element that matches another debuffer such as a sorcerer in party.
Spirit Erosion - One of your most useful commands allowing the pet to place a Damage Over Time effect on the target. If successful the DoT also reduces resistance against the elements type and increases the targets chance to drop items by 20%. Note that this is one of the commands that emphasizes coordination of your servant summon with your pets element type in order to take advantage of the resistance reduction. Also keep in mind that the increase in drop rates is not static so it only increases the current drop rate by a factor of 20% (eg: normal drop rate of 50% is .5, new drop rate is .5x1.2 giving .6 or a 60% drop rate.)
Stone Shock - DPS=158 - Eff=1.411 - The second stage of your Eath Chain skill it has high dps and a brief knock back effect associated with it, all at instant speed. As an instant keep in mind it is also castable while moving using WASD and can be used as an effective interrupt.
Summon Stone Energy - See the skill "Summon Fire Energy" and take note that the two skills are basically identical if there are no resistance debuffs on the target. This means that generally you will want to coordinate the damage type with that of your currently summoned spirit. The exception may be choosing an element that matches another debuffer such as a sorcerer in party.
Sandblaster - DPS=858 - Eff=6.085 - It should be obvious from the numbers where this skill stands. The damage isn't fast but on a per cast basis on just a single target it both provides the damage and does so with the same high efficiency of any Damage Over Time skill. If it does catch even one more target the numbers start climbing rapidly as with any Area of Effect skill. The important thing to note is that its good even on just a single target but watch its range in crowded PvE situations.
Fear - Two things of importance that many people may not recognize with this set of skills; it becomes an elemental, it runs from YOU. What I mean by this is that don't forget that skills you receive later in the game that may seem useless in pvp because they only effect elementals become very good when an opponent is feared. When I say it runs from you thats exactly what it does! In most games something that is feared just runs around randomly but in Aion it runs from your character, use this knwoledge to pin a feared target in a corner where its only way out is past you and if you don't get to close it will stay there. This is your strongest CC and one of the few in the game that isn't easily broken by damage or potions.
Spirit Disturbance - The single most important command you get in Player versus Player prior to level 50 this skill provides you with an on command effect through your pets. The crash effect of your water pet that instantly knocks a target out of flight was removed with patch 1.5.1.7 to the western client. Learn the effects, study their uses based on classes and location, if you know when and where to use each pet and this skill you'll find you win many of the fights other Spiritmasters may be complaining about.
Disenchant - Situationally very good especially if you aren't equipped with the Disenchantment Burst stigma. Be careful however, many players will use this just because its there and never bother to actually concern themselves with whether or not they receive a useful result. In Player versus Player you never want to waste a cast and this skill is specific to magic buffs and should not be used if the target doesn't have a qualified buff or two.
Summon Water Energy - See the skill "Summon Fire Energy" and take note that the two skills are basically identical if there are no resistance debuffs on the target. This means that generally you will want to coordinate the damage type with that of your currently summoned spirit. The exception may be choosing an element that matches another debuffer such as a sorcerer in party.
Summoning Alacrity - A very strong skill in your pvp set even though it may not seem so. By allowing you to cast your summon skills at instant speed it allows you to quickly replace or change summons in times of need and can be the difference between winning and losing a fight when used with proper timing. Extremely powerful when combined with Summon Energy of Cyclone.
Spirit Absorption - Pretty straight forward it consumes a fraction of the summons health and restores 25% mana to the caster. Easily off set by your elemental replenishment you will use it as often as possible during end game combat. Its the largest mana replenishment skill you have and probably the best in the game, a little bit long on the cast but when you need mana it provides it and then some.
Contract of Resistance - The skill is incradible when you learn how to pay enough attention to use it. Learn what skills from what classes are to be avoided and I promise you'll find much greater success in PvP. With that said make sure you can use it as fast as possible cause sometimes your only gonna have a second.
Blade of Earth - Its an Area of Effect slow but don't over estimate the effect, its not crowd control and its generally not gonna gain you as much time as it takes you to cast it. Best when used from the air on targets that are grounded it also shares a cool down with Chain of Earth.
Spirit Detonation Claw - Probably the closest thing you get to a true nuke up to the point at which you get it, but via your pet. It hits hard and should be the first thing cast after damage over time skills in a sequence.
Cursecloud - DPS=6,480 - Eff=N/A - You first DP skill that isn't a pet buff is one of the most powerful Area of Effect spells up to the level at which you acquire it. Its not an end all but it is definitely a lot of damage without a restriction on the number of targets.
Curse of Fire - Another Fear, one which I have had minimal experience with but is designed for use with the DP summon at level 50 as well as later level skills that specialize in a specific element depending on your faction. Take note of the resistance reductions granted by this skill and plan your following casts appropriately to achieve much higher damage especially in player versus player situations. When it has to be its at least an instant fear giving you time to setup the longer cast time skills or land a crucial interrupt.
Wing Root - This skill has been continually nerfed enough so that it went from being a first cast during aerial PvP to being the last cast because of its range. The skill should be used on fleeing targets and during long fights, it works best when used on plate classes that don't have a flight time restoring skill. Generally not of much use on a Ranger or Cleric because they do have skills that restore flight time.
Spirit Substitution - Once in a while its better to keep your pet close by then to let them run off, combined with your pet heals and the "Spirit Recovery" stigma you can effectively increase your health buy 300% or more using this skill. Keep the pet alive and keep it close while you let your opponents health drain away through Damage Over Time effects and the few nukes you can muster not involving your summoned elemental. If melee classes want to come in close and you think you can survive it then you can effectively use both but don't get overly anxious to do so.
Spirit Elemental Flow - Give a good Area of Effect skill to your pet and your effective sources of damage only get better and by the time you get this they really start to hurt. In mass player versus player situations you can roll through your are of effect skills to do massive damage to a close group of players and ending with this hard hitting AOE is very effective.
The Stigmas
Absorb Vitality - DPS=125 - Eff=2.229 - Although one of the higher efficiency skills in your book its long cast time makes it less preferable in most situations. Its a good follow-up to a spirit heal that sacrifices your health but can cause you to pull aggro from a spirit quite easily. I generally use it only as required in Player vs Environment situations and usually find the DPS value of it to make it very rarely usable in Player vs Player although don't rule it out, especially against melee opponents that you know are not able to catch you in the 2 seconds.
Body Root - This skill is probably one of the more overlooked in our group of crowd control skills. Although useless in Player vs Environment it can shine when used properly against melee opponents in Player vs Player. The better you become at Player vs Player combat the more you'll realize there are some situations where this skill is absolutely incredible.
Enmity Swap - Seems good up front but its entirely useless and a waste of a stigma spot to use it. Even at the level you acquire it don't waste the stigma shards. The unfortunate down side is its the only pre-requisite for one of the strongest damage dealing advanced stigmas we get.
Ignite Aether - Warning results may vary. What this means is pay attention to your opponent's buffs, if they don't have a crucial buff or at least 2 of them that can be removed then its not worth it. That said its an amazing skill in PvP and can make a lot of very difficult situations much easier.
Sigil of Silence - Your version of a silence skill its not essential but helpful for defeating clerics and chanters in a one versus one situation and very good against any other casting class. Its necessary for a small scale setup and can be a really good option for mass player versus player combat if you have a good burst dps squad.
Blessing of Fire - It can produce a good chunk of damage when used properly but the occasions to use it are rare. In my experiences I've never found it to be more useful than any of the other damage causing stigmas I could choose.
Weaken Spirit - DPS=349 - Eff=5.022 - I mention elsewhere that you will get skills that seem useless against everything but elementals, the glory of it being that the fear skills turn your target into an elemental making this a massive nuke usable against the majority of targets you will encounter. After gaining the skill I have never removed it for anything but a higher tier. Don't underestimate the strength of the skill during pvp just recognize the lengthy cast time before using it against a fleeing target.
Spirit Wall of Protection - Usable if you have absolutely nothing else to do, the effects are short duration and the only one thats really useful is the Earth Elemental's and you'll almost never have this summon out during player versus player. Would be at least useful if it wasn't a stigma but that not being the case I don't even see it worth bank space.
Fear Shriek - The strength of an Area of Effect Fear skill can't be underestimated but it can be overly used. Remember you have two other fear effects by end game and the most powerful of them should not be the first one you use unless its necessary for survival. Learn to wait a little bit and you'll find it becomes more productive as targets become better placed, with this skill patience can be your best friend.
Cloaking Word - Good for avoiding trains in Dredgion, bad for anything else. The skill honestly is pretty much useless unless you expect to have troubles with training in Dredgion.
Spirit Recovery - Part of a crucial set of stigma skills that effectively grant you massive amounts of health best used during small scale player versus player situations. Not entirely useful without the other skill but very very good when used with it. Its also extremely handy when farming PvE but useless in largescale PvP when you don't really worry about your spirit's health.
Spirit Elemental Flow - See the skill of the same name, I don't recommend bothering with the stigma for this or the stronger version. The skill is individually the hardest hitting skill you have thats not an over time effect so once you get the non-stigma version make sure to start using it.
Cyclone of Wrath - DPS=645+ - Eff=5.244 - When combined with Summoning Alacrity this can be part of a very powerful damage burst. The only thing going agianst this skill is the pre-requisite Enmity Swap which is entirely useless in PvP.
Summon Energy of Cyclone - DPS=1200 - Eff=4.068 - One of the strongest and easiest to acquire advanced stigmas its only downside is the pre-requisite Enmity Swap. It has a seperate coold down from the other summon energy skills and can do more then 2400 damage when the orbs hit. Combine it with Summoning Alacrity and a normal summon energy skill to produce a quick burst of 3000-4000 damage.
Armor Spirit - Guess what, it stacks! This skill is rediculous on its own, combine it with Spirit Armor of Light and watch your pet trash mobs and players alike. Keep in mind when flying it also provides your pet with the extra speed to keep up. Spirit Recovery is a pre-requisite and is welcome in any pet based build while Weaken Spirit is a decent nuke and even better when used on a feared target. If pets were more influential in PvP it might be moer desirable but its still very strong in PvE and useful in PvP.
Shackle of Vulnerability - Hands down the strongest debuff in the game and it can boost skills like Ignite Aether. Its very fragile when used on targets that are being focused by multiple people so be careful, in small scale PvP or even duels this skill can make all the difference. Add in that its got two of your best PvP skills as pre-requisites and its hard not to include it in any PvP based build.
Magic Implosion - DPS=2300 - Eff=8.949 - A stronger version of its pre-requisite, Ignite Aether. Its just as solid as the initial skill but the duplicity of having two of them even on different cool downs makes it situationally better.
Spirit Burn-To-Ashes - A stronger version of the Spirit Elemental Flow skill I don't see it being worth the stigma slot when at the same level you get the weaker non-stigma version.
Spirit Ruinous Offensive A strong hitting spirit skill this tops your advanced stigma tree for your spirit. Although strong and a very good choice for any PvE build it still hits hard in PvP but with the heavy requirements something like Sigil of Silence may be a better choice.
Infernal Pain - DPS=1,230 - Eff=3.830 - Its hard hitting with a lot of pre-requisites and very easy to remove. Although I like the skill, the idea of a damage over time effect this powerful being so easily removed or even pushed off by other effects is reason for concern. It can be good for small PvP or against anyone without a Cleric but when attacking something like a deity I would much rather have a skill like Summon Energy of Cyclone that does its damage up front. If you do choose to use this skill try to protect it with your other skills such as Erosion and Chain of Earth which are both instant cast.
------------------------------------------------Stigma Builds-------------------------------------------------
This section will discuss a few of the advanced stigma builds available as well as some of my favorite stigma setups. I'll emphasize the aspects of each build in PvP and PvE including their benefits during fortress sieges. Hopefully these builds give you an understanding of the considerations that go into designing a build above and beyond just the skills it contains. You can click on each stigma build's heading to bring up the details within the Aion Armory stigma calculator. When designing stigma build remember that there really aren't any general builds, you have to cater to what you expect next and change your stigmas when that changes.
Spirit Ruinous Offensive
This build is quite simply desinged with the intent of making sure you have the skill Spirit Ruinous offensive. Add to it Fear Shriek which will be included in any build regardless of its focus and you will be left with a single stigma slot to play with. Your choice for this one slot will be determined by your choice of PvP versus PvE focus.
If you wish to focus on PvE play then this is going to be the strongest build for straight up damage. The extra stigma slot can add to that fact by introducing Cyclone of Wrath for instance style PvE with a healer and relatively low damage taken. If you are more intent on something like farming fortress guards then Absorb Vitality to keep your health up after healing your pet or Spirit Substitution for when you get jumped are probably better choices.
Adapting this build to PvP takes a little more consideration on whether your focus is Dredgion style small scale PvP or a larger fortress scale PvP. For a Dredgion Style smaller scale PvP the Body Root and Sigil of Silence stigmas will be most useful depending on your group make-up and their access to similar skills through other classes. Fortress style PvP is a little different as you will not likely be single debuffing targets in the same fashion so Ignite Aether for a quick effective debuff and damage is going to provide better results. If you don't wish to swap stigmas the Spirit Burn-To-Ashes skill is going to be quite effective for both but you will want to make sure you have a healer for your spirit or Spirit Recovery ready and cast back-to-back AOEs to create the best results.
Another consideration for this build is to fill the last spot with Spirit Substitution. Effectively creating a Spirit Substitution holds the base strength in PvE while creating a build thats very strong for PvP as well. It greatly increases your survivability if you can keep your pet within range and provides what is high damage PvP spec. Doing this creates what is probably the closest thing to a strong general build.
As simple to understand as the previous build this one focuses on the Infernal Pain skill and the required Pre-requisites. Fear Shriek is again included as it should be in any build and you are again left with a single slot with which to tinker. Like before that slot can vary based on your gameplaye preferences.
This build typically is quite weak with regard to PvE as the damage output can be very low without a buffed pet and the additional damage skills. The entire pre-requisite tree is almost useless for PvE and if your party isn't paying attention to debuffing effects the Infernal Pain damage over time effect can be pushed off before it even comes to a close. Because of the lack of damage I can only recommend using Cyclone of Wrath to fill the last spot for PvE but again it can be pushed off similar to Infernal Pain.
Small scale PvP is the strength of this build, specifically duels. With all the debuff skills available to disable an opponent beyond fear its almost impossible for anyone to beat a Spiritmaster running this spec in a one on one situation, provided the Spiritmaster knows how to properly play the build. This is also the hardest build to play for spiritmasters and the last stigma slot the hardest to fill. The majority of Spiritmasters will fill it out with Cyclone of Wrath which is the best choice in most cases. If however you are going to be in an arena or a closed in location where fear is going to pin a target close and you won't have to chase then consider Weaken Spirit instead.
This build is something I've spent quite a bit of time designing and learning to properly play which is not easy. It requires not only the ability to pay attention to your opponent's skills but also their buffs and debuffs. It is however what I believe to be the strongest dueling build available and when played properly can beat any class in the game 95% of the time when DP skills are not allowed. There are times especially against well geared Assassins and Rangers when a little luck with godstones goes a long way and you just can't win.
The build's strength lies in the versatility of bringing the best of all aspects of your stigma options together. It starts with Spirit Substitution effectively forcing your pet to become a factor they can no longer ignore. The debuffing skills of the Shackle of Vulnerability tree and Ignite Aether when used properly are disabling to any opponent while the added burst available from a potentially instant cast Summon Energy of Cyclone does the damage. I can't understate the amazing strength of this build in one-vs-one PvP.
Regarding pvp info against specific classes: I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to properly approach writing these. Although I have plenty of stuff written regarding them its far more situational then would be applicable to this guide. Many of them also rely on the mechanics of specific stats such as Magic Resistance and as such may be highly dependent on your specific gear build. With this in mind I'm going to keep this out of this guide and potentially write it up as a dueling specific guide for the spiritmaster. This will not be released prior to the 2.0 patch in anticipation of upcoming changes from the possibility of a level cap increase and changes to things such as Magic Resistance.
This post has been edited by Zumbaro: 12 February 2010 - 08:59 PM
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