Got a question about training these two skills as a low ranger. Only way I seem to be able to train scouting is via hunt which has a pretty long timer for trying to lock the skill. Anyone got any good tips to get this skill moving faster? Just hit 30 ranks now but very slow going.
Also I got devolve as my debilitation spell since epedia shows it as the one requiring the least skill to cast. I had to do classes to 13 to even be able to cast the spell. 13 debil and 35 life magic got my first cast off. Unfortunately the spell isn't replaceable so again, it is very slow going. Is there another easy spell I should get instead? Or what skill should I get to and drop/replace it with a better training spell. Currently at 24 ranks.
Thanks all!
MAGE-WARRIOR
ABSOLON
Re: Scouting and Debilition training
03/06/2015 10:41 PM CST
<< Unfortunately the spell isn't replaceable so again, it is very slow going.
Debuffs with long durations are unfortunately poor at training debilitation for this very reason. There's a couple options, however.
Cast it on everything in combat just not your default target if you aren't already. E.g. cast first critter, cast second critter, cast third critter, etc. I'm not 100% sure of the duration of Devolve but most debilitations are short enough that a full rotation of 4 creatures should let you keep casting for experience without much waiting for durations to wear off. That should at least keep it moving if not locking it, assuming the duration isn't too long.
Another option is to learn Dispel (you should be able to temporarily memorize it from a scroll purchased at the magic shop in Crossing) and alternate casts of Devolve and Dispel on a single target. The dispel should remove the Devolve effect letting you cast it again for experience.
Another tip about debilitation is that you don't need to use more than min prep (or min prep +1 for undead) unless you can't succeed at the check. The learning is primarily based around whether the debilitation lands rather than how much mana you put into it like it does with an Augmentation, Warding or Utility spell.
Elanthipedia - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page
Epedia Admins - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Elanthipedia:Administrators
Debuffs with long durations are unfortunately poor at training debilitation for this very reason. There's a couple options, however.
Cast it on everything in combat just not your default target if you aren't already. E.g. cast first critter, cast second critter, cast third critter, etc. I'm not 100% sure of the duration of Devolve but most debilitations are short enough that a full rotation of 4 creatures should let you keep casting for experience without much waiting for durations to wear off. That should at least keep it moving if not locking it, assuming the duration isn't too long.
Another option is to learn Dispel (you should be able to temporarily memorize it from a scroll purchased at the magic shop in Crossing) and alternate casts of Devolve and Dispel on a single target. The dispel should remove the Devolve effect letting you cast it again for experience.
Another tip about debilitation is that you don't need to use more than min prep (or min prep +1 for undead) unless you can't succeed at the check. The learning is primarily based around whether the debilitation lands rather than how much mana you put into it like it does with an Augmentation, Warding or Utility spell.
Elanthipedia - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page
Epedia Admins - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Elanthipedia:Administrators
ABSOLON
Re: Scouting and Debilition training
03/06/2015 10:45 PM CST
Oh, and a third option if you can't cast or learn Dispel yet is to temporarily memorize Burden from a scroll purchased at the same store as Dispel. It has horrible teaching on its own because of a very long duration, but it would give you a second debilitation cast against every target on top of Devolve, so it might help a bit.
Elanthipedia - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page
Epedia Admins - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Elanthipedia:Administrators
Elanthipedia - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page
Epedia Admins - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Elanthipedia:Administrators
HEXEDBYTHENET
Re: Scouting and Debilition training
03/06/2015 10:48 PM CST
>Only way I seem to be able to train scouting is via hunt which has a pretty long timer for trying to lock the skill. Anyone got any good tips to get this skill moving faster? Just hit 30 ranks now but very slow going.
I assume you're using hunt in a hunting zone? One alternative is to hunt the Forest Warden NPC in the city. Or, to hunt the Society Master NPC in the crafting societies. The timer is around 75sec so if you just HUNT and then HUNT (number) to them every so often you should lock it up fine. This teaches both scouting and perception up to some pretty decent ranks, so should work fine to get you up enough until you can just run trails.
>whisper card geva
Geva is unlikely to appreciate your gift.
I assume you're using hunt in a hunting zone? One alternative is to hunt the Forest Warden NPC in the city. Or, to hunt the Society Master NPC in the crafting societies. The timer is around 75sec so if you just HUNT and then HUNT (number) to them every so often you should lock it up fine. This teaches both scouting and perception up to some pretty decent ranks, so should work fine to get you up enough until you can just run trails.
>whisper card geva
Geva is unlikely to appreciate your gift.
MAGE-WARRIOR
Re: Scouting and Debilition training
03/06/2015 11:37 PM CST
Thank you both for your input. I currently have maf as my spell scroll for my warding spell so I can't get another scroll spell. Devolve has a couple minute duration and I have been casting it on everything in the room. Guess I'll just keep it up until I can get a better spell. Do rangers have any debil spells that don't have duration? Branch break looks like the next best possibility.
Yeah, I have been using hunt when I hunt. I do sometimes hunt down the society leaders when I'm in town but doing hunt+hunt # only gets me to 3/34 in scouting. Was hoping for a faster way of training.
Yeah, I have been using hunt when I hunt. I do sometimes hunt down the society leaders when I'm in town but doing hunt+hunt # only gets me to 3/34 in scouting. Was hoping for a faster way of training.
NINEVAH1
Re: Scouting and Debilition training
03/07/2015 06:34 AM CST
>>Branch break looks like the next best possibility.
I picked this to train Debil on my Ranger. I can't remember how many ranks I needed to start, but it wasn't much. BB has worked great all the way up to 150 Debil, which is where he is at now, and still teaches great.
>>Yeah, I have been using hunt when I hunt. I do sometimes hunt down the society leaders when I'm in town but doing hunt+hunt # only gets me to 3/34 in scouting. Was hoping for a faster way of training.
Hunt is on a 75 second timer so you have to wait and then hunt;hunt # again until you are locked. I found trails to be much easier to get my Scouting up at low ranks. Once I started using hunt consistently while hunting, then running trails till Scouting was locked while out of combat, my Scouting started to race ahead. Now his Perception and Scouting are a good 75 ranks ahead of the rest of my skills.
tldr; Hunt every 75 second while in combat, and run trails from Crossing to Haven ferry and back. Scouting will be your highest skill quickly.
I picked this to train Debil on my Ranger. I can't remember how many ranks I needed to start, but it wasn't much. BB has worked great all the way up to 150 Debil, which is where he is at now, and still teaches great.
>>Yeah, I have been using hunt when I hunt. I do sometimes hunt down the society leaders when I'm in town but doing hunt+hunt # only gets me to 3/34 in scouting. Was hoping for a faster way of training.
Hunt is on a 75 second timer so you have to wait and then hunt;hunt # again until you are locked. I found trails to be much easier to get my Scouting up at low ranks. Once I started using hunt consistently while hunting, then running trails till Scouting was locked while out of combat, my Scouting started to race ahead. Now his Perception and Scouting are a good 75 ranks ahead of the rest of my skills.
tldr; Hunt every 75 second while in combat, and run trails from Crossing to Haven ferry and back. Scouting will be your highest skill quickly.
GALLAHAN
Re: Scouting and Debilition training
03/10/2015 02:25 PM CDT
Once you can pick up grizzly claw or swarm, they teach very well.
Those two spells you can cast three ways:
1. Cast - will affect any creatures that are facing you
2. Cast creatures - will affect any creatures in the room with you
3. Cast area - will affect any creatures or people in the room with you
I typically just use cast, unless for some reason there are a bunch of creatures in the room with me and I'll use cast creatures
I use swarm for training it myself. Epedia says it needs 50 ranks to cast so you might have a little ways to go before that is an option.
I usually gain 2-3 mind states per cast on 4 creatures. I prep swarm, circle, weave, harness a bit more, cast..repeat.
For scouting, I mostly do what has already been mentioned here. When I first get to a hunting ground I hunt, hunt # and then go to my preferred spot. I then hunt every 75 seconds. When I'm ready to leave I wait til I'm ready to hunt again, then hunt, hunt # and leave.
Every time I walk through Crossing or Riverhaven I hunt, hunt # to the forest warden (or magical feat trainer in Riverhaven, if the forest warden has wandered out of range)
Both forest wardens and magical feat trainers teach to high ranks of scouting and perception.
I typically don't lock scouting though, I do it just enough to keep it on my mind at all times.
You could lock it by repeatedly hunting down a forest warden though. Hunt one down, collect 5 piles of rocks (prep a spell, collect a pile, cast & kick to mix even more in), hunt him down again..repeat.
That will probably be your best bet until you can run trails.. I had to repeatedly track down a halfling in Arthe Dale to get my ranks up to that point.
Since trails were given a nice exp boost a while back you'll have a lot better time once you can run those.
The ranger cache near Knife Clan requires a little less scouting than a normal trail, but I'm not sure how much less. It might be a good training option before you can run normal trails.
Those two spells you can cast three ways:
1. Cast - will affect any creatures that are facing you
2. Cast creatures - will affect any creatures in the room with you
3. Cast area - will affect any creatures or people in the room with you
I typically just use cast, unless for some reason there are a bunch of creatures in the room with me and I'll use cast creatures
I use swarm for training it myself. Epedia says it needs 50 ranks to cast so you might have a little ways to go before that is an option.
I usually gain 2-3 mind states per cast on 4 creatures. I prep swarm, circle, weave, harness a bit more, cast..repeat.
For scouting, I mostly do what has already been mentioned here. When I first get to a hunting ground I hunt, hunt # and then go to my preferred spot. I then hunt every 75 seconds. When I'm ready to leave I wait til I'm ready to hunt again, then hunt, hunt # and leave.
Every time I walk through Crossing or Riverhaven I hunt, hunt # to the forest warden (or magical feat trainer in Riverhaven, if the forest warden has wandered out of range)
Both forest wardens and magical feat trainers teach to high ranks of scouting and perception.
I typically don't lock scouting though, I do it just enough to keep it on my mind at all times.
You could lock it by repeatedly hunting down a forest warden though. Hunt one down, collect 5 piles of rocks (prep a spell, collect a pile, cast & kick to mix even more in), hunt him down again..repeat.
That will probably be your best bet until you can run trails.. I had to repeatedly track down a halfling in Arthe Dale to get my ranks up to that point.
Since trails were given a nice exp boost a while back you'll have a lot better time once you can run those.
The ranger cache near Knife Clan requires a little less scouting than a normal trail, but I'm not sure how much less. It might be a good training option before you can run normal trails.
ABSOLON
Re: Scouting and Debilition training
03/10/2015 05:45 PM CDT
<<I use swarm for training it myself. Epedia says it needs 50 ranks to cast so you might have a little ways to go before that is an option.
One thing note about the rank requirements on elanthipedia (and DISCERN since that is where the rank information is copied from) is that the number represents the effective skill required in Augmentation, Debilitation, Utility, etc alone. Your effective skill, however, also includes a bonus from your primary magic skill. So if a debilitation spell says 50 ranks then you can probably start to cast it around 40-43 ranks of Debilitation skill depending on the level of your Life Magic skill.
Elanthipedia - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page
Epedia Admins - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Elanthipedia:Administrators
One thing note about the rank requirements on elanthipedia (and DISCERN since that is where the rank information is copied from) is that the number represents the effective skill required in Augmentation, Debilitation, Utility, etc alone. Your effective skill, however, also includes a bonus from your primary magic skill. So if a debilitation spell says 50 ranks then you can probably start to cast it around 40-43 ranks of Debilitation skill depending on the level of your Life Magic skill.
Elanthipedia - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page
Epedia Admins - https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Elanthipedia:Administrators
