Which is better for a low-level cleric to learn Debil: soul sickness or malediction? I'm currently trying to decide between them for my first debilitation spell. I can get soul sickness one circle earlier, but I like the effect of malediction better.
I'm also wondering when I should start saving slots for Sol (since it will cost 9 from where I am now) and the other nice, expensive spells.
Also, anyone have an opinion on Soul Attrition or Chill Spirit? Spirit combat sounds interesting, but I wonder if it will pay off.
SEMYON
BADGOPHER
Re: Picking low level spells
05/08/2016 09:21 PM CDT
When I was working up clerics (going 0-30 or so), I would take sick; it's 0 ranks to cast (malediction is 50, by the wiki).
You're going to want Malediction eventually to use with HyH, but until 50 I'd suggest skipping it. Once you're ready to get HyH and malediction, I'd just drop sick entirely, pick up male, and move on.
Only reason to keep sick at that point is if you want soul attrition, and/or just like the effect sick produces (force kneeling). There's a lot to be said for that, if you're going to do PvP. In PvE, it's a fair enough trainer, but can't hold a candle to HyH-malediction just because the latter debuffs everything.
As for SOL, it's probably an OK buy. Getting MAPP at low levels is a great idea. It's a much better combat oriented buff than Centering; you can maintain balance with combat commands, but a 1-5-10 rank buff in evasion and defending at low levels is huge. Divine radiance is poised to be a good spell in magic 3.2; it should increase damage from other sources to the target, and use regular target-then-cast mechanics. Plus you're going to want both MAPP and DR for halo/benediction anyway, so taking them at low levels isn't a bad idea.
You're going to want Malediction eventually to use with HyH, but until 50 I'd suggest skipping it. Once you're ready to get HyH and malediction, I'd just drop sick entirely, pick up male, and move on.
Only reason to keep sick at that point is if you want soul attrition, and/or just like the effect sick produces (force kneeling). There's a lot to be said for that, if you're going to do PvP. In PvE, it's a fair enough trainer, but can't hold a candle to HyH-malediction just because the latter debuffs everything.
As for SOL, it's probably an OK buy. Getting MAPP at low levels is a great idea. It's a much better combat oriented buff than Centering; you can maintain balance with combat commands, but a 1-5-10 rank buff in evasion and defending at low levels is huge. Divine radiance is poised to be a good spell in magic 3.2; it should increase damage from other sources to the target, and use regular target-then-cast mechanics. Plus you're going to want both MAPP and DR for halo/benediction anyway, so taking them at low levels isn't a bad idea.
GABRIEL4
Re: Picking low level spells
05/08/2016 09:25 PM CDT
<<soul sickness or malediction?
SICK is better in my opinion as a first debil spell because it doesn't have duration beyond the short immobilize. Malediction is great for the effect, but it lasts around 2 minutes on a single creature making it hard to keep debil moving using just it and training is more important at lower levels than the effect. Also, Malediction is harder to cast requiring an effective 50 ranks of debil including the holy magic bonus. You'll want SICK just to be able to cast it right from zero ranks.
The only way that SICK lacks is against undead since it reverses the effect onto you instead. I never really hunted undead, but I would suggest going for Phelim's Sanction eventually for them if you want to hunt them and either just not hunt them before 50 ranks or so or hunt them pre-50 ranks but train debil using a living creature on the side until you can learn it.
Eventually at 50th you'll want Hydra Hex, and I would plan to have slots saved for it since the spell effect and training potential is so good.
As for the spirit attack spells, I've never used them. I think Soul Attrition is more a PvP thing, from what I can gather.
SICK is better in my opinion as a first debil spell because it doesn't have duration beyond the short immobilize. Malediction is great for the effect, but it lasts around 2 minutes on a single creature making it hard to keep debil moving using just it and training is more important at lower levels than the effect. Also, Malediction is harder to cast requiring an effective 50 ranks of debil including the holy magic bonus. You'll want SICK just to be able to cast it right from zero ranks.
The only way that SICK lacks is against undead since it reverses the effect onto you instead. I never really hunted undead, but I would suggest going for Phelim's Sanction eventually for them if you want to hunt them and either just not hunt them before 50 ranks or so or hunt them pre-50 ranks but train debil using a living creature on the side until you can learn it.
Eventually at 50th you'll want Hydra Hex, and I would plan to have slots saved for it since the spell effect and training potential is so good.
As for the spirit attack spells, I've never used them. I think Soul Attrition is more a PvP thing, from what I can gather.
BLUEFROG99
Re: Picking low level spells
05/08/2016 09:51 PM CDT
Spirit attacks are effective at killing in PVE as well as PVP, and they can even have an interesting niche that allows your TM training to not conflict with your weapons training as much (like giving the critter an extra life bar). I like them for RP reasons--hurting something, even killing it, without leaving a visible mark, how hardcore creepy is that. Don't use them on undead. They don't have spirit to drain and it'll trash your devotion, unless something changed in the years since I stupidly attempted that maneuver, hee.
DERIUM
Re: Picking low level spells
05/08/2016 10:38 PM CDT
Adding one more to the pile. You'll want malediction for hydra hex, but at the lower levels soul sickness is the best spell you can get. It'll let you hit anything, and it's easy to snap cast if you get into trouble.
SEMYON
Re: Picking low level spells
05/13/2016 11:01 AM CDT
>Malediction is great for the effect, but it lasts around 2 minutes on a single creature...
Unrelated, but I was thinking: if you cast Malediction OFFENSE and then a second cast of DEFENSE, do both debuffs affect the target or does the second cast replace the first?
GABRIEL4
Re: Picking low level spells
05/13/2016 11:43 AM CDT
Neither. You can't cast the spell on the same creature until the previous effect wears off regardless of whether it was cast as offense, defense, or a blend of the two.
