Celtic Heroes

Thanks a lot for the comments.

I want to try a new tactic after update and I hope I will get it worked out! It is fun that there now really gonna be a diffrent by the path you choose

I think numerous things about being a Druid people will really like.

1> you can see you tank's buff's now. So you can see when your tank's buffs are about to drop (they flash when 10 sec from dropping) and you can recast them accordingly. Same with your own buffs, they all flash when they need recast

2>. You can see Bosses Buffs/Debuffs and DoT's so you can see when a boss has Vines and Rend on it, and when those skills drop, or when Bolas drop you can see it, so you can keep a much better handle on what people in your group are in fact doing in the group, and if they are on top of things or kinda useless. Who hasn't wondered if bolas were on the boss?

3>. Both Rez Idols (30 seconds) and Items like Restoration Pots (At least 10 sec maybe higher at release) have Cooldowns. Meaning that if you use any item, it takes 10 seconds to use another item. This is pretty big for warrior who used to go without Druids and just spam Restorations and idols, the fact is you can't do either now. And thus Druids are made "needed" to coin a phrase from other threads.

4>. As you said there are real choices in Druids, and real choices in Rangers too, you might have a DPS Ranger and a Group Ranger and that group ranger will be casting a serious Shield of Spikes on your Tank that stacks on top of the Cloak of Fire, thus making your tank have 2!!! DMG shields. Obviously though many dps rangers won't roll with this and so you will have heal oriented, group oriented, Rez Druids, dps hybrid Druids, and best thing, in a clan having multiple Druids speccing in different wards like Druid A going Fire/ Magic and Druid B going Pierce/ Ice will make a group incredibly powerful in a defensive setup. And I would imagine that clan Druids will be able to conference in what they wanna spec into and thus make their clan groups that much more powerful in both PvP and PvE.

Just some thoughts

I plan on going dps Druid —with some heals for survival— for some somewhat-epic leveling. Any insights on skills, stats, or gear?

Pure focus it is.

So if i put 300 in focus and the rest in vit, my skills will be strong and my touch will be strong (skill to) that means training and healing is a combination ?
With full cosmic and a bit points on vit and a grear ambund you can survive? That would mean u can train good and heal awesome because of the focus? Sounds great!

I plan on going dps Druid —with some heals for survival— for some somewhat-epic leveling. Any insights on skills, stats, or gear?

I think even a DPS Druid need to throw into touch though probably not embrace, I would get storms touch, vines, lightning, touch and bark and then save a few points for wards and add them when you figure out what you spend your time fighting the most.

In terms of stats, I think obviously over 270 focus, but I wouldn't go too much higher, HPs are still important, many mobs can hit hard and can stun you so you will need the survivability as a DPS Druid that HP allows

I am not 100% sure how the new skills are all gonna be added into the game, if some will just be in shop and others will be drops, I would imagine that we will all see soon.

One thing to note is skill rings, they drop in Otherworld, so you will see a Nature's Touch ring that gives you +1 Skill Nature's Touch, it's not like the best ring ever, but you can steal a few skill points with jewelry.

So if i put 300 in focus and the rest in vit, my skills will be strong and my touch will be strong (skill to) that means training and healing is a combination ?
With full cosmic and a bit points on vit and a grear ambund you can survive? That would mean u can train good and heal awesome because of the focus? Sounds great!

Yes you can survive, you probably will choose a kind of Druid that many go for, the issue with the abundance route is knowing to keep casting it. It definately makes for a good Druid, but it makes that Druid buff dependent and you need to know that going into it

You may have answered this, but I didn't see it when re-skimming through the posts...

Are there any Druid (or Mage) skills where casting time is linked to weapon speed? It could make a big difference in which weapons casters want to use- if so.

Thanks again,
shad

Yes the speed of the skill casts will vary between the wep ur holding.
I dont know if heroic gloves of haste helps you... U know this tea?

You may have answered this, but I didn't see it when re-skimming through the posts...

Are there any Druid (or Mage) skills where casting time is linked to weapon speed? It could make a big difference in which weapons casters want to use- if so.

Thanks again,
shad

No. This is a Melee-oriented class thing. In response to weapon DMG/speed, Druids and mages don't have weapon oriented skills so we are fine.

Yes the speed of the skill casts will vary between the wep ur holding.
I dont know if heroic gloves of haste helps you... U know this tea?

No it won't. The delay is 75% of the speed of the weapon, but that just means exactly what it sounds like, it doesn't matter if you have Haste gloves on, or if you are Entangled...it's purely looking at the weapon speed and taking 75% of the delay.

I don't know if I'm savvy

You can't be Savvy. I am Savvy.

**Edit**
I can't beleive I didn't take the time to read these guides before the update... I skimmed them all but not in great detail...

I spent about three hours so far (yes I know a miniscule amount compared to most of you) and have been pondering to myself as the mobs deflect my spells... "I wonder when I will get the quest for the deflecting skills" (call me Noobvage1982 from now on please)

So now I've read and re-read Tea and Marshill's guides, printed them off, highlighted all relevant bits (yes I'm at work right now on overtime doing this )

So once I get home from work at 5pm, shout at the kids, kick the dogs and argue with the wife, then put the kids to bed, argue with the wife again, do the dishes, argue some more with wife, consider ironing my uniform for the week (I won't) then sit down on my LazyBoy chair with the incredibly small iPod, (in a sulk because she hasn't given me the iPad yet, even though she can look on Facebook the PC...) I will be finding wherever the heck the quests are for these new abilities... and doing them tonight... **sigh** I have to wait for another 7 hours or so before I do all this...