Celtic Heroes

In fact, dagger rings do have diminishing returns, but that's a different topic

As I stated earlier, a shrive set would be better than spirit for a dps druid, guaranteed. But if you're pure support the chance to inflict a skill is not a factor whatsoever. So it comes down to whether 200 focus will boost a skill (such as bark, touch, etc) more than 1000 nature magic. This is where diminishing returns comes into play. If you have massive nature magic already, the 1000 boost will not improve your skills as much as it would have if you were starting at only 2000 nature magic. On the other hand, boosting focus from 1k to 1200 is a far greater difference than 3k to 3.2k. Therefore, depending on the ratio between your current ratio of focus:nature magic without either set equipped, spirit may be better in some instances


Sqrt(0)=0
Sqrt(100)=10
Sqrt(200)=14.1

^diminishing returns. Increasing from 0 to 100 added 10. Increasing from 100 to 200 added 4.1 (which is less than 10)

Don't need to be a math major to understand what a square root curve looks like.

Here's the example that you requested:
Level 50 Nature's Touch Heal = 28.89*sqrt(Focus) + 8.9361*sqrt(Nature Magic) + 452.42

The 452.42 is a fixed value and can be thrown out of this comparison

So you're comparing these two values:
28.89*sqrt(x+200)-28.89*sqrt(x)
vs.
8.9361*sqrt(y+1000)-8.9361*sqrt(y)

Feel free to play around with the numbers using a calculator, I don't have that much time to waste

Here's my comparison.
Started with 4.9k nature magic and equipped shrive set giving a boost to 5.9k nature magic with 2315 focus

Equipped spirit set to give me 2515 focus with 4.9k nature magic.

With shrive my bark, touch, abundance, breath, vines, strike, winds, storm touch were higher in either the amount it buffed, debuffed, or healed respectively.

Then for kicks I played around with removing armor and gear that gives ability and focus bonuses. The results were always the same. Shrive edged out spirit set even if it were only slightly. All druid skills are based on focus and nature magic. So it doesn't matter if you're support or more offensive in nature.

When I was in carrow I loved spirit set and defense bonuses with winds to absorb the autos. In towers, health wins out over defense.

My opinion on when to choose which -
Need more defense and energy, use spirit
Need more health, use shrive

In a lot of cases I don't feel one absolutely trumps the other in terms of a boost to skills so you can't go wrong with one over the other.

Now what hasn't been mentioned is the higher the ability, the more accurate and less likely your skills are to be evaded

Anyway, mumba I'll give you props in your last post for being respectful and informative.

I'll actually give you last two posters props... Both good informative posts, but Mr Mamba... There was a slight "tongue in cheek" swipe in there but the rest of the post, very worthwhile. Nice when we all play nice

Here's something I totally forgot about until now with regards to focus vs ability

I decided to mess around with beta one time and they put my druid at level 190 but since I didn't request maxed abilities (this was before they just copied as is toons), I had 0 nature magic. Even going full focus, my touch, breath, strike, vines, etc was extremely low...like reallllly low. Imagine being a level 190 and not being able to kill a brown dog in high shore village with maxed strike.

Now compare that to when I messing around about a month or so ago at level 210ish with maxed nature magic and trying different numbers in focus (400, 500, 800, 1200, etc). There wasn't a lot of difference between support and dmg skills with a low focus vs a high focus. I mean, there was of course an increase with 400 focus vs 1500 focus but not a lot. The biggest impact was running out of energy with low focus.

So, at least with this example, we (or I) can conclude that nature magic has a much bigger impact than focus on ALL skills. There isn't a difference between support vs dps with a druid. All the skills run on focus and nature magic.

I tested skain shrive and spirit the set bonus for either at high level does very little for your skills. Getting 16+ usable skill points from a spider charm was enough to break set for me. Between that charm and a Hrung skull I can nearly max an additional skill. Even a focus nat magic ring from Necro isnt that appealing to me as it has no skill points. Getting that extra ward into my build is much more important to me.

I tested skain shrive and spirit the set bonus for either at high level does very little for your skills. Getting 16+ usable skill points from a spider charm was enough to break set for me. Between that charm and a Hrung skull I can nearly max an additional skill. Even a focus nat magic ring from Necro isnt that appealing to me as it has no skill points. Getting that extra ward into my build is much more important to me.

This I will agree with. I was just coming from the strict shrive vs spirit debate

I prefer spirit myself, but I'm crazy and love the dex and having 500 autos with edl totem lol. Using 200 haste ring with Royal or better morbius nerco ring and attack lix bumps attack over 5k with no base dex and no base str haha. Yes I'm nuts.

I prefer spirit myself, but I'm crazy and love the dex and having 500 autos with edl totem lol. Using 200 haste ring with Royal or better morbius nerco ring and attack lix bumps attack over 5k with no base dex and no base str haha. Yes I'm nuts.

Drop the haste ring for a valor ring the pump that str to 600 and you'll have 1k auto attacks. Pop heroic haste. That's when the fun begins

^ dude I love your thinking lol

Didn't read the whole thread, but just wanted to say that any square-root relationship does have diminishing returns, for skills that includes both stat and ability.

/math