Attribute Points

luckyny7

luckyny7

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2010

W/N

I am new at this game, and I am wondering do you need to put points on your secondary character skills? The reason I ask as a warrior I want to devide them up between strength, axe, and tactical. I realize you can change where you put your points, but I am just wondering if i hurts not to add any to your secondary.

Dzjudz

Dzjudz

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

gwpvx.com/user:dzjudz

You need to use points according to the skills you use. If you don't use any Tactics skills and don't equip a Tactics shield, then you don't need to put any points into Tactics.

The only attributes that give an advantage by themselves are primary attributes (in your case Strength). All the other attributes just function to strengthen the skills used.

It is usually best to divide your skill points over 2-4 attributes, depending on your build.

If you're not using any skills of your secondary profession there is no need to put skill points in those attributes.

Quaker

Quaker

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Aug 2005

Canada

Brothers Disgruntled

As above - you don't need to put any points in your secondary - nor do you need to use any skills from your secondary.

Marty Silverblade

Marty Silverblade

Administrator

Join Date: Jun 2006

Attributes affect 3 things.

*If you are running skills from an attribute, putting points in that attribute is worthwhile. It will make skills last longer, do more damage, heal more, etc.
*If you are using an item that has 'requires x <attribute>', putting points in that attribute is worthwhile.
*Sometimes an attribute gives a bonus just by having points in it. Primary professions are an example of this. For example, a Warrior with 3 points in Strength gains 3% armor penetration when using attack skills.

Decide which of these are relevant, and then you'll know whether to put points into that attribute.

BrettM

BrettM

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2008

Fuzzy Physics Institute

E/

I would also add to Marty's excellent explanation that there are some skills that can be useful even with zero points in the related attribute. For example, Maelstrom will provide 10 seconds of interrupt even with zero points in Water Magic. Other skills may last a shorter amount of time without points, but still last long enough to do what you want them to do in your build. A secondary profession is often chosen just to provide access to these kinds of skills that require zero or minimal attribute investment while providing good support to the primary profession.

A secondary profession should almost always be exactly that: secondary. Use only one or two skills from it that complement your primary profession.

Nechrond

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Oct 2009

Netherlands

Utrecht Usurpators

D/

Quote:
Originally Posted by BrettM View Post
A secondary profession is often chosen just to provide access to these kinds of skills that require zero or minimal attribute investment while providing good support to the primary profession.
^This, except for certain specific builds. In the case of your warrior, you should be putting most of your points into a weapon mastery of choice. Then you should put at least 9 into either Strength or Tactics, because 9 is the minimum requirement for shields that give 16 armor. Then add points to Strength and Tactics depending on what skills you use. If you've got any left, you could, for example, use them on a skill from your secondary profession that removes conditions. Mending Touch(Monk) or Plague Touch(Necro) are useful secondary profession skills for a Warrior.