I cant find a way to play the Ritualist

grues0me

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2006

I found the design of the ritualist appealing. So i started one. Given, i am only level 5 but i am having difficulties playing him.

How am i supposed to kill my enemies?

I can call a spirit that shoots my enemy and i can autoshoot with my wand (which i can enchant to deal more). While my spirit may help me kill my enemy, it is going so slow compared to other classes, i am totally lost. The huge cooldown of the spirits slows down my gameplay too...i cast a spirit to kill 2 enemies, then i am pretty defenseless for the next 60 seconds, either have to wait or try killing my next enemy with autoshooting.

The "ash-holding" seems utterly useless to me too. I basically dont have many offensive spells, why should i hold up ashes, which renders me without attacks...?

Could someone give me a clue about this class?

Pick Me

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2006

Thornill, ON, Canada

THE CANUCK MONKS (TCM)

W/R

You can try going with Channelling.

It requires no spirits and the recharge time is a lot less than 60 seconds.

Casting Spirit Rift (make sure the monsters do not move) and Essence Strike will help you a lot.

Holding Ashes is not used very often, its better when you are in a group and are higher level. Spirits are a waiste in the early levels, monsters die quickly and as you have noticed, recharge times are too long.


Your secondary profession may help as well. I have Rit/N, so I use channelling or become a MM when I hench quests. I heal if I'm in a party.

Hope this helps.

Good luck and have fun.

Jetdoc

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by grues0me
How am i supposed to kill my enemies?

While my spirit may help me kill my enemy, it is going so slow compared to other classes, i am totally lost. 1. Playing a ritualist requires mucho patience. You aren't an offensive class, so you definitely need to get used to killing things through attrition (i.e. outlast your enemies, not overpower them).

2. Try Vengeful Weapon. Again, it's a passive skill, but since they're attacking you already, it sucks their life pretty quickly.

3. If you absolutely have a need to destroy, use the Channeling skill line. Spirit Rift can do some good damage at the beginning of the game and gives you a "nuker" feel.

Jeff Highwind

Jeff Highwind

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Grenth's Rejects [GR]

R/Mo

During Missions though I highly suggest going either Spirit Spammer or Restore though, because that's the only way people are gonna pick up a Rit for their group.

SnipiousMax

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetdoc
2. Try Vengeful Weapon. Again, it's a passive skill, but since they're attacking you already, it sucks their life pretty quickly. Yea, that's how I got by until I could get levels and skills to do more.

Dahnel

Dahnel

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2005

Rt/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Highwind
During Missions though I highly suggest going either Spirit Spammer or Restore though, because that's the only way people are gonna pick up a Rit for their group. True. Becuase these people probably have'nt played a Ritualist long enough to know we can do alot more than spam Shelter and Union.

ZomgZergRush

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2006

Altrumm Ruins :o

Swarm of the Zerg [ZERG]

Rt/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dahnel
True. Becuase these people probably have'nt played a Ritualist long enough to know we can do alot more than spam Shelter and Union. Yeah, we have displacement too

Dahnel

Dahnel

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2005

Rt/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by ZomgZergRush
Yeah, we have displacement too Shhh. I gave you life, and i can just as easily take it away.

Jetdoc

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

You silly Ritual Lords - you're forcing us into even more of a cookie-cutter life.

quiarrah

quiarrah

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2006

Me/Mo

My ritualist is a Ritualist/Elementalist. . .I have her up to level 13 now and she is my strongest and highest character. That may not be saying much considering I am quite new to GW, having come form EQ. . .but I think it is a rather good accomplishment in a week.

ubermancer

ubermancer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

******************* Refuge From Exile [RFE]

Quote:
Originally Posted by quiarrah
My ritualist is a Ritualist/Elementalist. . .I have her up to level 13 now and she is my strongest and highest character. That may not be saying much considering I am quite new to GW, having come form EQ. . .but I think it is a rather good accomplishment in a week. Its not bad, I 'grinded' like a bitch when Kryta was finally opened up in order to get to just a level over that before the beta was over...

And Ritualist is one of the harder characters to grasp the importance of for a newcomer to GW (next to Mesmer, likely).

XvArchonvX

XvArchonvX

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

R/

Ritualists generally aren't an offensive class. They tend to play a support role in the group and imo serve best in reducing damage in the group (yes, there is a reason the cookie cutter rit lord build is so popular. Don't blame the player, blame the game.)

Dave83

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

England

SeS

Me/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by grues0me
i cast a spirit to kill 2 enemies, then i am pretty defenseless for the next 60 seconds, either have to wait or try killing my next enemy with autoshooting
It gets better if you stick with it. Later on you get skills that will improve your binding ritual skill recharge rate (Ritual Lord) and another that gives you energy every time you make a spirit (boon of creation), so you can go all day long spamming spirits without running out of mana (pretty much). You can also sac your spirits for some pretty nice effects like group heals or damaging spells.

Quote:
Originally Posted by grues0me
The "ash-holding" seems utterly useless to me too. I basically dont have many offensive spells, why should i hold up ashes, which renders me without attacks...? The ash holding skills give you an obvious benefit - their skill description. But a few Rt skills have pretty nice bonus effects if you are holding an item; like 'soothing memories' where you heal an ally for x amount of health. You can use this skill alone, but if you are holding an item you gain 3 energy. This is then good for energy management so you can go on healing for longer. Later you can even get an elite skill 'Attuned was Songkai' which makes your spells cost less mana to cast. Stack this with soothing memories and you actually gain mana and heal a target. Another thing to consider is, in harder battles later on where you may be too busy healing to wand, the added bonus of ash holding may be worthwhile then.

I'd personally reccommend Restauration Rt. I found this fun, like healing but with a different feal and you should have no trouble getting into parties. Ritual lord is also very good later on.

ScorchedTater

ScorchedTater

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Dec 2005

New York City

Me/

It's quite true that Ritualist are commonly seen in a non-offensive role, but there is a minion bomber build out there that I've been using since Factions came out. If you want to be offensive, there is more than just the channeling line.

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...plosive+growth

Robin_Anadri

Robin_Anadri

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Atlanta, GA

Girl Power [GP]

Me/Mo

Minion bombing FTW.

That's the way to go until you're at LEAST to House Zu Heltzer or Cavalon, depending on whether you're a defender of nature and art or a dirty pirate scumbag , and it can carry you further beyond that as well.

Leveling up, throw as many points in Death magic as you can with the leftover in spawning power, keeping an eye on the progression (ie, if an extra level in DM won't give you an extra minion, throw it in Spawning Power until you get more attrib points.) It's an amazingly effective build and quite fun to play even at low levels.