Two majors or one superior?

16 Healing Prayers > 15 Healing Prayers.

Nuff said for me...

I prefer one Superior Rune, as I like to use all Minor Runes and then have a Superior Rune on my head piece to go along with my highest attribute. Perhaps if I used multple sets of armor, or more varried attributes in any of my builds, my ideals would be different.

For example, I think my Warrior's setup would be a good example of this. With the way its setup, only having minor attribute linked runes, I can switch between builds and running merely by changing my head piece, attribute allocation, and skills. This is especially useful for running, as I for one dislike having anything attribute linked that is higher than a Minor Rune.

This update really changes things but I guess now Major runes are worth a little more than before..

But I'm used to one superior.. but maybe someone will come up with some game-changing build(like 55mo) with the health reduction --reduction.

Necro> 2 majors
Mesmer> 2 majors
Monk> 2 majors
Ranger> 2 majors
Warrior> 1 sup (only because of henge helm)
Assassin> 2 majors or 1 sup (very flexible class)
Ele> 1 sup
Ritualist> 2 majors

For most classes hitting 16 is not worth it so why use a sup rune. Use 2 majors and hit another break point in another attribute and gain +5 hp. Hitting break points is more important than adding 2-3 dmg to your skills. Overall 2 majors + 1 minor comes out to +5 attribute lvls while 1 sup + 1 minor is only 4. Still more importantly is the break points.

I wonder why it took so long ANET to implement this change. People have been suggesting this at least 6 months ago.

Some breakpoints are good at +3/+2/-, but many are still optimal with +4/+1/-. Rangers were one of the initial observed benificiaries with the hp cost of major runes being reduced.

Twicky - Monks could just as easily go for a single superior as they could for two majors. I mean, in a two major setup, they would replace their minor divine, with a major divine. Then put the other major on the head. Though if you were running a majority of healing spells, for example, then the superior head would be almost as effective. Without having to re-buy two more overly priced runes.

another thing to point out now for casters is that using a hale staff head instead of a insightful one pretty much cancels out a major rune now. for example my mesmer could still use sup dom + mask to get to 16, but use a hale staff of fortitude and be able to use a major rune somewhere else with only -5 health overall. is it worth it? dunno yet (just got on and read about the update so i havent tried anything), but since some classes (mes and necro especially) have great energy management skills, the -5 energy shouldnt be a big deal.

thumbs up to ANET though for realizing how major runes were pretty much worthless and unused. whether this turns out to be a game-changing addition or not, at least it gives us the possibility for new builds that definately werent worth the health loss before.

Omfg if you think of it now, if you wouldve invested into a lot of monk runes needed for 55 you could sell them now for hundreds of k since they dont get sold on the market anymore...

It might be useful but if people wanted to use a major before, 15 less hp wouldn't have stopped them.

Divine favor add more of an increase in healing that pumping healing attribute. Most healing spells increase by 2 healing between break points. Spreading 2 majors over healing and divine will give you more healing while having to spend less attribute points. With a 2 major set up you can have 2/2/2. 2 major runes, head peice and minor rune. I'd rather go that route instead of 3/2 or 4/1

Hit the break points then pump the attribute points you saved into your secondary attributes for more energy management. I don't think a 10 heal difference is going make that much effect but that 2-3 extra energy will.

Tbh i think casters are better running at lvl16 of there main stat. Its there ONLY method of damage or healing in a monks case. A ranger, warrior or assassin can still deal out plenty of damage with slightly lower weapon stat. Meteor Shower or Spiteful Spirit can only get noticably better.

Atm 2 of my casters (namely necro and monk) run 2 Sup runes. My monk always runs a sup prot or healing and i usually tack a divine favour onto it. My necro will run the stat i need and a sup soul reaping (because i messed up a bit mainly). I think in light of this i'll drop a Major Soul Reaping in definatly, although the Divine Favour is part of my 55gear (i dont think i've actually used it beyond leveling myself in Elona), so i may just stick with either a minor or sup when i need it.

Edit: Twicky, Divine Favour doesn't add more to healing than a Healing Prayers would. For a start your not taking into account things like Heal Party, which have nothing to do with Divine Favour, nor WoH or Other which do alot more than 3 at the next level. Only Healing Touch would benefit more from this. The only skill i can think of that may heal less is Dwaynas Kiss, but once you throw a hex/enchantment in there you see the difference. Unless your going as a boon prot, then you can use a sup+tat to get the most from boon then go to a major prot+divine, in which case the difference can be subtantial. Same goes for prot, since not all things that hit RoF do max, and the 2% difference on Guardian is tiny. Not sure if it makes a difference to Aegis either.

In any case the more I can add to my energy gain the better. Healing spells increase by 3-4 per point. DF increases at +3 and +4 at break points. I'd still take 2-3 energy over maybe 10 healing. In the end the energy gain would allow me to cast more therefor adding more to my healing ability over time.

This will also be a good set up for smiting monks. Even though they are rather rare smiting is make a small come back with air of enchantment. 2 smite, 2 prot, 2 divine would be much more optimal than 3/2 or 4/1.

I would use 2 majors when I'm going into 3 attributes of my primary like most every mesmer and ranger does. Warriors I'd go with the 3/2 or 4/1 because of the HoD helm decreasing my weapon to 15 max.

If its 2 attribute lines of the primary I'd go with 3/2 or 4/1. Maybe even risk 4/3 if you can use the +hp armor to offset the life loss. If its 3 attribute lines of the primary definatly go with 2/2/2.

Twicky can you explain how the new major runes would benefit a ranger? I don't see the maths you used sorry must be the early in the morning brain drain.

Yes that is pretty stupid... 380 life ftw

Most rangers use expertise, mark, and wilderness. Most of the time they are kept pretty even with expertise around 13-14. With the major set up you can do a 2/2/2 or a 3/2/1 attribute points spread. That will allow you reduce the mark and wilderness by 1 giving you more attribute points to spread into other attributes. After you add 1 more point into expertise to bring it to the 13-14 lvl you need you will have more points compared to the 4/1 sup combo. That means more points for your 2nd class. Usually being mesmer for more energy.

Thats what I was thinking but I think I got confused somehow. Running Sup/Maj/Min right now 450 Hp with +30Hp Bow Grip. Am liking the new Major Runes.

My current builds are designed around Min/Sup, I'd have to rework them to use Majors. *shrug*

Maybe in the future.

confession: I never use Sup runes. Like ever. But I'm rarely doing anything really specialized in a tightly knit 8-man setup.

So yeah, I basically just got 16 attrib points and 5 health back (for ~120g I think). Been a good day.

2 Major builds work nice its now something else to try.

Since I'm not the tank, what does it matter? I hardly take damage as it is, playing a character that stands back at all times to do casting.