Help me understand

Mvtaylor

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Sep 2007

E/Mo

Right, i've enver played a ritualist before so maybe I'm not understanding the mechanics when I say this but...

Why does ANYONE use displacement and shelter?

Displacement blocks 4-6 attacks before dying for 15 energy, 3 second cast and 45 second recharge?

Shelter is an awful PS. 25 energy, 5 second cast, 45 recharge for again stopping 4-6 attacks from doing over 10% damage?


To be honest I see shelter alot less but people seem to think displacement has a use. If i'm correct about the number of blocks it manages before dying then please tell me why anyone uses it? ever? And if i'm not correct then how does the mechanics work?

Tab

Tab

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Oct 2006

Under a bridge

Team Quitter [QQ]

Mo/

Because they are bad.

Mvtaylor

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Sep 2007

E/Mo

Hah, well atleast I wasn't getting it wrong. Maybe these skills could use a bit of a boost because although they're targetted and not party wide Weapon of Warding and (from monk) Aegis, Guardian and PS/SB make these spirits pointless.

zwei2stein

zwei2stein

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Europe

The German Order [GER]

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mvtaylor
Right, i've enver played a ritualist before so maybe I'm not understanding the mechanics when I say this but...

Why does ANYONE use displacement and shelter?

Displacement blocks 4-6 attacks before dying for 15 energy, 3 second cast and 45 second recharge?

Shelter is an awful PS. 25 energy, 5 second cast, 45 recharge for again stopping 4-6 attacks from doing over 10% damage?


To be honest I see shelter alot less but people seem to think displacement has a use. If i'm correct about the number of blocks it manages before dying then please tell me why anyone uses it? ever? And if i'm not correct then how does the mechanics work? It depends on rest of your build.

Displacement can mean much needed break in enemy pressure, long enough to let monks catch breath.

It prevents other spirits (Shetler, Union) from triggering so its kind of buffer before them.

It can be used to fill in gaps in defence of more durable stuff like Wards/Aegis or complement Shaddowsong and turn 90% of miss to 0.98 miss.

Its worth it for N/Rts who would use it basically for free.

Its recharge can be fixed by variety of tools.

---

Bottom line is, if you use this skill alone and just for blocks, you are doing it wrong.

Tab

Tab

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Oct 2006

Under a bridge

Team Quitter [QQ]

Mo/


4 srs?

martialis

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2006

RA, reporting you

[skill]Ritual Lord[/skill][skill]Boon of Creation[/skill]

AlienFromBeyond

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Heros of Titans Realm [HotR]

W/

Soul Twisting + Boon of Creation + Signet of Binding/Creation. Also, remember that these act as party-wide protection as well.

Zahr Dalsk

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Aug 2007

Canada

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mvtaylor
Why does ANYONE use displacement and shelter? For near complete damage reduction in RA or TA? (Combined with Union, Ritual Lord, Boon of Creation, Empowerment, and MwV)

street peddler

street peddler

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2007

mostly to take pressure off of the healers for a few seconds. and you use them with ritual lord.

Winterclaw

Winterclaw

Wark!!!

Join Date: May 2005

Florida

W/

Quote:
Why does ANYONE use displacement and shelter? Rit Spike? Old FotM for those who don't know.

glountz

glountz

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/Mo

Because while displacement is up you can't be interrupted by rangers while spamming spirits and this is good.
Because you always bring Shadowsong to shutdown melee so displacement will be triggered only by range.
Because it can live longer with signet of binding or recasted often with ritual lord.
Because it is passive defense and passive defense is overpowered.

Average Gai

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2007

A/

Not to mention it stop assassin's lead attack which pretty much render them useless for awhile untill they recharge.

Quicksilver Switch-Blade

Quicksilver Switch-Blade

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2007

Columbia, Missouri

Looking for one

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mvtaylor
Hah, well atleast I wasn't getting it wrong. Maybe these skills could use a bit of a boost because although they're targetted and not party wide Weapon of Warding and (from monk) Aegis, Guardian and PS/SB make these spirits pointless. Yea, pretty much a Prot Monk or a DA Paragon can do better things for a team than a communing rit can, communing has needed a change/revamp for over a year now, well that and spawning power.
So yea, you aren't getting it wrong, most communing binding rituals are useless outside of RA/TA, other professions do these jobs so much better.

Draginvry

Draginvry

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Oct 2007

The Underground PvP Society (PVPS)

N/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Quicksilver Switch-Blade
Yea, pretty much a Prot Monk or a DA Paragon can do better things for a team than a communing rit can I have to disagree. If you mean better protection for a team, then I am inclined to agree. However, communing Rit has some things that the others decidedly lack. Spells such as Vital Weapon and Brutal Weapon can make a big difference as they can be reliably maintained on multiple targets. Spirits can be used to distract the enemy or deal extra damage. Also, Shadowsong should not be underrated.

Communing Rit is a lot more than just reducing damage by big numbers. Someone who thinks they are doing something for the team by spamming Union and Shelter, probably need to rethink their strategy.

Quicksilver Switch-Blade

Quicksilver Switch-Blade

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2007

Columbia, Missouri

Looking for one

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Draginvry
I have to disagree. If you mean better protection for a team, then I am inclined to agree. However, communing Rit has some things that the others decidedly lack. Spells such as Vital Weapon and Brutal Weapon can make a big difference as they can be reliably maintained on multiple targets. Spirits can be used to distract the enemy or deal extra damage. Also, Shadowsong should not be underrated.

Communing Rit is a lot more than just reducing damage by big numbers. Someone who thinks they are doing something for the team by spamming Union and Shelter, probably need to rethink their strategy. Vital Weapon is overated, there are better weapon spells to put on ppl (unless youre facing some spike team in PvP, in PvE, it wont matter much), brutal weapon is useful in ranger spikes, but generally splinter and nightmare are better. Shadowsong can't be kept up indefinitely (without extra skills), and falls prey to blinding bad targets (spellcasters), an ele blindbot is usually better, especially since he has a chance of blinding multiple targets. Now, if you are talking about the norn tourny, RA, or TA, then a communing rit is good, combined with painful bond and a bunch of attacking spirits, other than that, there are professions that do a much better job.

bungusmaximus

bungusmaximus

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guild Of Handicrafted Products [MaSS]

W/Mo

Since spirits burn I wouldn't bother anymore at all with pure spiritspam in arenas, BA rangers will poo in your face with ease.

Div

Div

I like yumy food!

Join Date: Jan 2006

Where I can eat yumy food

Dead Alley [dR]

Mo/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mvtaylor
Displacement blocks 4-6 attacks before dying for 15 energy, 3 second cast and 45 second recharge?

Shelter is an awful PS. 25 energy, 5 second cast, 45 recharge for again stopping 4-6 attacks from doing over 10% damage? A typical spiritspammer runs ~15 communing and 13 spawning. At those levels, shelter has 319 health and loses 45 health per hit. That means it stops 8 attacks from doing over 10% damage, which is pretty nice against hard hitting stuff (bosses and HM monsters). Displacement has 380 health and loses 60 heal per hit, meaning it'll stop 7 attacks from hitting completely. Against sins, it could be huge. In PvE (especially HM), it greatly helps the monks in preventing damage.

In practicality, the spirits will soak up and prevent ~300-500 damage, making it just as effective as trying to heal with restoration magic.

street peddler

street peddler

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2007

i always run 16 spawning and 13 communing, and then i also take [skill]signet of binding[/skill] plus [skill]ritual lord[/skill]. these spirits are alot more effective then they appear, especially when combined with ritual lord.

Draginvry

Draginvry

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Oct 2007

The Underground PvP Society (PVPS)

N/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by street peddler
and then i also take [skill]signet of binding[/skill] plus [skill]ritual lord[/skill]. Those are so awesome for protective spirits. [skill]signet of creation[/skill] can be usefull in a lot of cases, as well. Even better in some situations.

Sir Pandra Pierva

Sir Pandra Pierva

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

Sardelec yelling at Tenshi

Angels Of Strife

E/

They used to be pretty good skill back with faction release but the nerfs have pretty much made them like balth pend. Just bad overall

Omniclasm

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2007

Guild Hall

A/

The fewer number of enemies, the more effective they are. Try them against Glint, it is pretty much a guaranteed win.

Sir Pandra Pierva

Sir Pandra Pierva

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

Sardelec yelling at Tenshi

Angels Of Strife

E/

Still not worth it.

street peddler

street peddler

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Pandra Pierva
They used to be pretty good skill back with faction release but the nerfs have pretty much made them like balth pend. Just bad overall not at all actually, theyre still extremely useful.

zwei2stein

zwei2stein

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Europe

The German Order [GER]

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Omniclasm
The fewer number of enemies, the more effective they are. Try them against Glint, it is pretty much a guaranteed win. Yes, glint is fine example of how powerfull those skills can be ... the less enemies, the more usefull. thats why spiritspamers are good in 4 man arenas.

Quicksilver Switch-Blade

Quicksilver Switch-Blade

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2007

Columbia, Missouri

Looking for one

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by street peddler
not at all actually, theyre still extremely useful.
If there was no other skill that could do what they do, this would be true, but right now, a bonder or prot monk is better for the team. I've used the build multiple times post-nerf, in GWEN and DoA, its just not viable, sure they give some cool down for your monks (5 seconds at most), but just taking another monk would be better, plus there are much better things your rit could be doing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by zwei2stein
Yes, glint is fine example of how powerfull those skills can be ... the less enemies, the more usefull. thats why spiritspamers are good in 4 man arenas. Not sure why thats a good thing, considering how little amount of fights actually come down to 1v1 or 4v4 in PvE. Id much rather these be useful when there are multiple enemies so it can be useful in 8v8 PvP and general PvE, rather than a few select areas in PvE and RA/TA.
Also, why would you use glint as an example, how many fights are like that, the end boss fights?
That doesn't sound like a good enough reason to say they are fine as is imo.

Omniclasm

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2007

Guild Hall

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Quicksilver Switch-Blade
Not sure why thats a good thing, considering how little amount of fights actually come down to 1v1 or 4v4 in PvE. Id much rather these be useful when there are multiple enemies so it can be useful in 8v8 PvP and general PvE, rather than a few select areas in PvE and RA/TA.
Also, why would you use glint as an example, how many fights are like that, the end boss fights?
That doesn't sound like a good enough reason to say they are fine as is imo. Jotun are actually a pretty good example too. They usually don't have more than 3-4 in their group.

Quicksilver Switch-Blade

Quicksilver Switch-Blade

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2007

Columbia, Missouri

Looking for one

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Omniclasm
Jotun are actually a pretty good example too. They usually don't have more than 3-4 in their group. Spirits dont effect hexes, so its not going to save you, the hexes are what kill you (though if Izzy fixes the duration of Ineptitude and Clumsiness, that won't be too much of a problem, it will give your melee a chance to actually attack), so I don't see how a spirits will save you compared to a prot monk. So using that as an example is kinda pointless.