DC expectations.

adamjk222

I had a question about what is sought after when it comes to DCs in higher level content.

I'm fairly new to the game and I'm working towards unlocking both MSVA and FBI. I'm almost 12k item level and I feel like I'm understanding the class a lot more now. I see so many people looking for DCs for this type of content and I'm looking forward to doing it soon.

My question is, what exactly do people expect from a DC for this content?

Don't get me wrong, I fully understand that a power sharing AC DC is optimal, buy the reality is that my item level and power is no where near enough to be effective at this yet. Therefore, is there still a place for me in these groups, or is it only power sharers that they actually want?

I could go DO, but do they still want me to go Rightous and debuff? Or do they expect me to go for a DO heal build with the Terrifying Insight ability for a slight dos buff? It just seems like there are so many possibilities and no one is ever specific, all they shout is: 'need DC for msva'.

I just want to know so I can prepare my loadouts accordingly and avoid the awkwardness of being asked why on earth are you trying to heal in FBI? Or why on earth are you trying to debuff as a DO?

TLDR; If you don't have high item level or high power, what loadout is best for a DC when doing MSVA/FIB?

Thanks in advance!

putzboy78

adamjk222#8373 said:

Don't get me wrong, I fully understand that a power sharing AC DC is optimal, buy the reality is that my item level and power is no where near enough to be effective at this yet. Therefore, is there still a place for me in these groups, or is it only power sharers that they actually want?

AC DC is not necessarily optimal, depends on the party composition and your gear. If your party isn't sporting R12 bonding companions. If your power is under 30K. If the bonding companions are all dead on turtle. Any of those condition (not all have to be met), then from a buffing perceptive a DO DC will out perform and AC DC.

If you have a weak tank, then they are going to be looking for more of a healer build to compensate. If they have a strong tank then they want all your effort on buffing and debuffing.

The real kicker is most people don't know what they need, they just repeat what they've heard. You do you mate, if that's not enough, get another party. Most of the considerations are more about what your party is than your characters ilvl. It has always been that way for DC since we rely less on stats than most classes.

pitshade

One thing is to manage your own expectations and understand your own class. What other people expect of you may well be completely unrealistic. You are 1/5 of the party and not ultimately responsible for its success or failure. What you can do is smooth out a rocky run or speed up a slow one. Remember that a Righteous cleric can still heal and mitigate damage which is usually enough if the group isn't made up of knuckleheads.

Things that you can't do:
- Buff poor damage dealers to be DPS gods. You are only part of the equation
- Allow people to ignore the Red splats. AA is long since fixed and you have better things to do than spam Empowered AS.
- Save people who run off on their own. If they want to solo, wish them luck and stick with the team players.

DC can be a fun class, sometimes the most fun and rewarding but it can also be the most draining. Learn your class and don't let anyone blame you for their own stupidity.

kydavi

If someone is begging for a Cleric and then complains that they don't like your build, tell them to make their own damn DC.

Anti-social sentiment aside, there are lot of ways to run an effective DC (especially now with load outs); I run a DODC spec'd for personal DPS for solo and T1 content and an ACDC spec'd for high heals for T2 and above. Play around with your build until you are happy with it; as long as you are not a team sink ten you have the right build for yourself.

xinexix

In all content i usually use my DO righteous build because i can be versatile, but not lose my buffing power. I've never been a fan of AC, so i only use it if there are other DCs in the group.

mebengalsfan

You can heal, buff, debuff and do ok dps as a DO or AC. The difference is that AC should be back burner until you get your power up to about 30k. DO IMO is the better of the two for buffing/debuffing and improving the group overall damage, especially if you PUG. If you run with another DC and they are a DO than go to the loadout and go AC as it will help balance out the group.

As for dailies, Hallow Ground should be up almost always and AA when Hallow Ground is on cool down.

Best of luck as DC is really fun class that if setup properly can also DPS.

namelesshero347

I run a dps/buff spec-ed DODC and mostly PUG. I find playing my DC more interesting than the other classes I play. I do whatever is needed for the run to succeed. If the tank is marginal, I heal and debuff. If the team DPS is low, I DPS. If I am fortunate enough to have a HDPS, I go full buff.

When I play my GF, its a bit boring because its the same thing every time. Go conquer SM to the boss, then go tact IV tank. But sadly, I come across many DCs who are not flexible. Many low-end DCs try to buff or dps like high-end DCs and don't know a thing about keeping people alive. I had to leave many runs at the boss, because I end up being the last one standing. Even with me running KV, these DCs are unable to keep the DPS alive.

icelantern

namelesshero347 said:

I run a dps/buff spec-ed DODC and mostly PUG.

You mostly PUG FBI and MSVA? Seems like a bad idea.

clericalist

adamjk222#8373 said:

If you don't have high item level or high power, what loadout is best for a DC when doing MSVA/FIB?

Personally I go for virtuous DO in MSVA, I have yet to see a party that lacks dps, but I have certainly seen the need for provide the safety of not having a wipe. Hallowed ground and the other buffs you provide are more than enough buffing you provide for the party as a single player, nobody has ever complained about using virtuous in MSVA to me. I would say the same applies to FBI, go for virtuous, go with you the assumption that you are not trying to break speedrun records but playing to not have your party die.

You ask what people expect, I am guessing that there is no consensus, some what this and some want that, so ask them first if you are worried about it. Myself, I go with the assumption that that if somebody is looking for a DC in lfg, they expect healing to happen (unless they explicitly say they are looking for a high power AC).

I also need to add that there are limits to expectations, there are good and bad dps/tank players, if players insist on standing on the burning floor indefinitely in Spellplague or don't know how to deal with the Nothic boss, there is only so much you can do, no matter how high your stats are. If some player says that they failed because you did not choose the "correct path" or didn't heal them enough or your didn't have a permanent Anointed Army up, they are simply ignorant, just put them on ignore.

putzboy78

I'd assume if they say LF DC, then they are looking for buffs/debuffs/healing. If they only wanted healing they would say LF Healer which would include temp SW's and healadins.

namelesshero347

icelantern#6553 said:

namelesshero347 said:

I run a dps/buff spec-ed DODC and mostly PUG.

You mostly PUG FBI and MSVA? Seems like a bad idea.

I can't do any of the the 10-people trials, constant white screen, can't see anything, not even red zones on the ground.

True it is kind of a bad idea. But tbh, if my RiDO slotting healers lore, AS and BoH isn't enough, then the run will probably take too long for me. Rather wipe early.

adinosii

putzboy78 said:

I'd assume if they say LF DC, then they are looking for buffs/debuffs/healing. If they only wanted healing they would say LF Healer which would include temp SW's and healadins.

You are assuming that people know what they want, eh?

Some people do - if they are putting together a 5-man group with 2 DCS (one DO, one AC), people are usually quite exact in specifying that, but I frequently see just "LF DC", and it is not at all clear what they want.

I sort of assume that if their IL is in the 7-8K range, they really want someone to help keep them alive, and if they are il 14K+ they want buffs and/or debuffs, but between those extremes....that's hard.

putzboy78

i thought if they were in the 7-8k range, they wanted me to kill for them

icelantern

namelesshero347 said:

icelantern#6553 said:

namelesshero347 said:

I run a dps/buff spec-ed DODC and mostly PUG.

You mostly PUG FBI and MSVA? Seems like a bad idea.

I can't do any of the the 10-people trials, constant white screen, can't see anything, not even red zones on the ground.

True it is kind of a bad idea. But tbh, if my RiDO slotting healers lore, AS and BoH isn't enough, then the run will probably take too long for me. Rather wipe early.

What platform are you on?

namelesshero347

icelantern#6553 said:

namelesshero347 said:

icelantern#6553 said:

namelesshero347 said:

I run a dps/buff spec-ed DODC and mostly PUG.

You mostly PUG FBI and MSVA? Seems like a bad idea.

I can't do any of the the 10-people trials, constant white screen, can't see anything, not even red zones on the ground.

True it is kind of a bad idea. But tbh, if my RiDO slotting healers lore, AS and BoH isn't enough, then the run will probably take too long for me. Rather wipe early.

What platform are you on?

PC

mamalion1234

dc do expectaction is to slot Terrifying Insight get the weapon of light feature press /follow on me and then he can go wash the dishes, eat pizza and watch a movie while i do an epic heroic encounter or and ilusionist gambit.

THat is the game we are playing.

durugudesu

If you have no gear for optimal power, better to go DO. with just feats you can contribute a lot. slot in Divine Glow, BTS(or FF if another dc has BTS on) and PoD(on boss fights). along with terrifying insight, being righteous, you would be tons of help already.

dairyzeus

mamalion1234 said:

dc do expectaction is to slot Terrifying Insight get the weapon of light feature press /follow on me and then he can go wash the dishes, eat pizza and watch a movie while i do an epic heroic encounter or and ilusionist gambit.

THat is the game we are playing.

Ha, I had a cleric friend that constantly afk'd during silly stuff like gambit so I convinced them to go DO just so they could afk more efficiently.

plavia

from my experince most prefer AC. even if there is another DC in the party i end up as AC...
they expect you to spam AA with hastering light
heal and buff AP with gift of haste
buff power with weapon of light and BoB
and empower BtS on bosses

its doesnt leave alot on imgination for a build, but thats what ppl the expect.
3/4 loadouts are DO, still most will prefer AC buffs in PVE
while in PVP some consider DO buffs as "not fair"