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Grimah's Comprehensive Wizard guide

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  • xreverusxxreverusx Member Posts: 72 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    I didn't mean any offense, it is just that I was frustrated with the difficulty spike at 40-50th level and this looks like a nice comprehensive guide, but I just don't know what he is talking about. This seems more like a guide for experienced gamers who have recently hit level 60 and need tips on how to optimize.
    For example:
    Wisdom, Int and Charisma are all good choices for PvE. Renegade specs makes the most out of Cha due to the combat advantage bonus. However the pet bonus is semi-useful for all wizards (only applies to pet's base stats), and critical chance.
    What do you mean the "pet bonus" ... companion active bonus? or the companion's actual bonuses that only apply to itself? How does this tie in with Charisma ability score?
    If you are trying to min max your character
    So... what does min max-ing your character mean? ... I really don't know. Making a stat really high and sacrificing some other stat as much as possible while still being functional?
    Try every new encounter you have, on mastery and normal.
    I have seen this on the Powers page in the game, when I am picking my stats... but I can never find a clear explanation of what this means. How do you choose to use or not use a General Power, a "mechanic" that says it is always active?
    ArcaneMastery_zps2d472573.jpg
    I would go on... but I am about to hit level 60 so ... back to Neverwinter : )
    Any help would be greatly appreciated and passed on to other players...
    Reverus
  • dodgododgo Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 870 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    xreverusx wrote: »
    I didn't mean any offense, it is just that I was frustrated with the difficulty spike at 40-50th level and this looks like a nice comprehensive guide, but I just don't know what he is talking about. This seems more like a guide for experienced gamers who have recently hit level 60 and need tips on how to optimize.
    For example:

    What do you mean the "pet bonus" ... companion active bonus? or the companion's actual bonuses that only apply to itself? How does this tie in with Charisma ability score?

    So... what does min max-ing your character mean? ... I really don't know. Making a stat really high and sacrificing some other stat as much as possible while still being functional?

    I have seen this on the Powers page in the game, when I am picking my stats... but I can never find a clear explanation of what this means. How do you choose to use or not use a General Power, a "mechanic" that says it is always active?
    ArcaneMastery_zps2d472573.jpg
    I would go on... but I am about to hit level 60 so ... back to Neverwinter : )
    Any help would be greatly appreciated and passed on to other players...
    Reverus


    just wait till mod 4 and then youll need to respec.(major chANGES) basically its all a little complex and you learn as you go and understand more and more
  • shadevpshadevp Member Posts: 234 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    To Xreverusx:

    I had absolutely no problem comprehending Grimah's guide.
    It's extensive and logical in all aspects.

    For this I thank him as exactly this guide was the introduction into CW for me.

    This is my 2nd MMO and I am far from those 'crazy' guys using gibberish language but when I didn't know or wasn't able to understand some in/outgame terms I either googled them or just humbly asked the meaning. No crown fell from my head doing this.

    I believe this is far more constructive way than being a Paladin writing theatrical posts demanding authors of completely great materials to subject to the universal law of grammatical and semantic righteousness.

    And yes I too
    xreverusx wrote: »
    I didn't mean any offense

    P.S. To Grimah:

    I just hope that this guide won't die out in the light of the upcoming [strike]damnation[/strike] M4 :(
  • ironzerg79ironzerg79 Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,942 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Why would this guide die? Some stuff will have to be updated, but a lot of the information is still relevant.

    And *spoiler alert* CW's are going to be just as powerful as ever.
    "Meanwhile in the moderator's lounge..."
    i7TZDZK.gif?1
  • pitshadepitshade Member Posts: 5,665 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Pet bonus means the bonus that your Charisma stat gives to the stats of your currently summoned companion. It buffs their base stats by the amount shown on the CHA tool tip. However as far as I know, it doesn't affect augment pets.

    Min Maxing in short is to stack everything that gives you the most advantages and neglect everything else. For example, in a game that allows you to assign points to a stat, putting all of your points into the most efficient ones for combat and then putting the minimum allowed in stats that only affect roleplay.

    The 'mastery that grimah refers to isn't what you've got highlighted there. It's the Spell Mastery slot that unlocks at (if my memory serves) rank 10. Basically it's the extra encounter power you activate using the TAB key.
    "We have always been at war with Dread Vault" ~ Little Brother
  • xreverusxxreverusx Member Posts: 72 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Thanks Pitshade... I have been a little confused about Spell Mastery so... does it change when it is in that slot?? or is it a permanent change to the mechanics? The reason I ask is because Grimah says try this or that with "Mastery" and "Normal" and I have read all the little tool tips or power descriptions that describe the "Spell Mastery" benefit for a specific spell, but am still confused; can you turn it on and off? and if so how?

    Thank you for taking the time to respond... I am level 60 now and I went through all the Paragon Feat points in a really sloppy and scattered way... None of the really high ones looked too inviting, and the ones that I wanted were all over the place... I will post my set up in a second.

    But thanks again, I need some help!
  • xreverusxxreverusx Member Posts: 72 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    I had absolutely no problem comprehending Grimah's guide.
    This is my 2nd MMO

    ... I think that is what I was pointing out.
  • pointsmanpointsman Member Posts: 2,327 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    The behavior of all encounters changes subtly when slotted in the Spell Mastery slot rather than in a regular encounter slot. For example, Chill Strike, when in a regular encounter slot, is a single-target encounter that freezes the one target, but when it is slotted in the Spell Mastery slot, it becomes an AOE that not only freezes its immediate target but damages all surrounding targets as well. All of the CW encounters act like this. The only real oddball is Steal Time, when it is slotted in spell mastery, it speeds up the run speed of the entire party instead of stunning mobs. Which is a little weird.

    Anyway, it's okay to explore and experiment with all of the encounters, when leveling you have enough power points to put at least 1 point in everything just so you can try it out and see if you like it. Pretty much everyone ends up respeccing their character once they get to level 60 anyway, so it's no big deal if your power points are spread out all over the place. I am thinking (and really hoping!) that CW's get a free respec in mod4 because so much is changing for them, so it is actually a good time to experiment with different encounters and then respec once mod4 comes around to see what you like.
  • grimahgrimah Member Posts: 1,658 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    xreverusx wrote: »
    This is obviously not for those who are NEW ... Never mind that everything I try to read about Neverwinter has unusually horrific grammar, to the point of being near incoherent, but this guide doesn't actually describe what anything being referred to actually IS. The author introduces numerous terms and descriptors with no indication of what they mean.
    So, I am sorry that I didn't play WoW for the last decade and pick up all the crazy gamer-talk! If you are going to make a comprehensive guide that will actually help intelligent people who are new to games like Neverwinter, who are searching for help regarding technical game mechanics and issues with tactics as they level up to 60 then here are some tips:

    1. Try to use complete sentences, or at least complete phrases.
    2. If you are going to use a term, define it.
    3. In modern literature, it is customary to use the full text of a name or thing PRIOR to introducing an abbreviation or
    acronym. example: Damage per second (DPS) .... then just say DPS from there out, don't assume I know what

    So, I have been playing Neverwinter for about 6 weeks, nearing level 60, and there is either "babytalk beginner guides" or "All I have ever done in life is play video-games" super advanced gibberish. Try making something that you can imagine being printed and sold to the public, then maybe it could be considered useful to those of us who are NEW to online gaming.

    NOTE: Considering that I annihilated Diablo 3 front to back when it came out so I don't consider myself to be an imbecile when it comes to gaming.

    These are legitimate concerns. But you have to remember I didn't get paid to write this, nor do i work for cryptic. Just my way to help with things I did not understand.

    However some terms (min max) i understand could be just changed to maximise stat efficiency (min max = minimise less useful stats and maximise others) When i make a MOD4 update i will try and remove any jargon out.

    However I don't think i will include things like, what is an encounter? what is mastery, this information is in the game. I can't write everything a player knows (press w,a,s,d to move). you can see in the screenshot you posted it says "mechanic", encounters say "encounter" mastery is unlocked later, which I can write a small paragraph about.

    Originally this had no new player guide, it was made to be a reference. e.g. you are playing the game and you dont know what x y or z does, so you pop onto this and find out. (hence target limit info and AP gains things that are not in the game itself).

    When i do a revision during MOD4 I will try and do what i can. But though your concerns bring up valid points i won't be adding too much to it but just editing. This guide is already very long.

    And well take what you can because there is no written up guide like this for other classes. Not many players stay in this game for so long, and if it wasn't because of the foundry contest and playing around in preview shard I don't think i would have come back.
    Creator of the featured survival horror foundry: "The Silence of Haydenwick" Video Review
    and also the featured satirical comedic adventure "A Call for Heroes".
  • jrfbrunetjrfbrunet Member Posts: 388 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    grimah wrote: »
    These are legitimate concerns. But you have to remember I didn't get paid to write this, nor do i work for cryptic. Just my way to help with things I did not understand.

    However some terms (min max) i understand could be just changed to maximise stat efficiency (min max = minimise less useful stats and maximise others) When i make a MOD4 update i will try and remove any jargon out.

    However I don't think i will include things like, what is an encounter? what is mastery, this information is in the game. I can't write everything a player knows (press w,a,s,d to move). you can see in the screenshot you posted it says "mechanic", encounters say "encounter" mastery is unlocked later, which I can write a small paragraph about.
    .
    I agree with xreverusx when it comes to grammar - but to be honest, grimah, your grammar is not nearly the worst. Voltomey, who wrote an updated a guide for HRs, has the worst grammar I've ever seen in an online post (not including English-as-a-second-language users).
    However, I'm thankful for his guide - if I read through it 4 or 5 times, I can finally understand what he's talking about, and those concepts helped my HR.

    Back to your guide - when you say something like "pet bonus", as xreverusx pointed it, you don't specify what pet, active or passive bonus, and thus the reader is left to ponder what you meant. If you assume that the reader already knows what you're talking about, then that reader would also presumably not need your guide at all.
    Anyways, keep up the good work.
    Where'd my blinky-blinky path go?
  • veshorokveshorok Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 127 Bounty Hunter
    edited August 2014
    Have no idea what people are talking about when refer to some misunderstandings during guide reading..
    my fellow wizards! it's the utterly all-embracing, highly detailed, well written guide i have ever met. And it's literally the only reason that pushed me to try out wizard class since i preferred rogue/hunter in all previous mmo's.
    Just one suggestion: if you want to make this guide even more shiny according to your point of view - just leave here your valuable suggestions like "i think it'd be more clearly stated 'maximizing stat efficiency' instead of 'min-maxing' etc etc
    Remember what do mods write about all the time - more constructive feedback! and not like rewrite sentences, add definitions, explain once again..

    separately. kudos to your work, Grimah. hope you won't leave this game in M4 whatever it brings to us =)
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • beckylunaticbeckylunatic Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 14,231 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    grimah wrote: »
    And well take what you can because there is no written up guide like this for other classes.

    Do not deny the might of Kaelac! (I'm sure you just forgot. And it isn't posted directly to these forums.)
    Guild Leader - The Lords of Light

    Neverwinter Census 2017

    All posts pending disapproval by Cecilia
  • xreverusxxreverusx Member Posts: 72 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    I think the guide is great, and I will most likely write up a similar one once I get things all dialed-in to my own preferences. In this way Grimah's guide is inspiring to me. I am happy to hear that there will be an update with the 4th module release. That being said, I was not trying to downplay the awesomeness of the guide itself, it is indeed highly detailed and extremely helpful, I just couldn't understand a lot of it being totally new to gaming in general and I was also having a really rough time with my build.
    So thank you Grimah, for acknowledging my issues and I will be anticipating the updated guide : ) People like me need a little help when it comes to things like optimization, especially when I see other Control Wizards that are tearing it up while I am getting wasted again and again!
  • grimahgrimah Member Posts: 1,658 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    xreverusx wrote: »
    I think the guide is great, and I will most likely write up a similar one once I get things all dialed-in to my own preferences. In this way Grimah's guide is inspiring to me. I am happy to hear that there will be an update with the 4th module release. That being said, I was not trying to downplay the awesomeness of the guide itself, it is indeed highly detailed and extremely helpful, I just couldn't understand a lot of it being totally new to gaming in general and I was also having a really rough time with my build.
    So thank you Grimah, for acknowledging my issues and I will be anticipating the updated guide : ) People like me need a little help when it comes to things like optimization, especially when I see other Control Wizards that are tearing it up while I am getting wasted again and again!

    By all means write it! Would be nice to retire this one. It feels like im almost obligated to keep this one up to date.

    Though i look forward to the CW changes, and i might be here and there in the future. I like my GF equally, if not more. Only reason i haven't wrote guides for my other classes is because well, theres alot more unexplained stuff for CW.
    Creator of the featured survival horror foundry: "The Silence of Haydenwick" Video Review
    and also the featured satirical comedic adventure "A Call for Heroes".
  • dodgododgo Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 870 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Grimah! Grimah! Grimah!
  • grimahgrimah Member Posts: 1,658 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Just a small notice, I won't be updating this guide anymore. If anyone wants to use this format to make their own guide (copy/paste) feel free.

    After the new changes I just dont have much interest in CW anymore.
    Creator of the featured survival horror foundry: "The Silence of Haydenwick" Video Review
    and also the featured satirical comedic adventure "A Call for Heroes".
  • thothamon123thothamon123 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 7 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    xreverusx wrote: »
    this is obviously not for those who are new ... Never mind that everything i try to read about neverwinter has unusually horrific grammar, to the point of being near incoherent, but this guide doesn't actually describe what anything being referred to actually is. The author introduces numerous terms and descriptors with no indication of what they mean.
    So, i am sorry that i didn't play wow for the last decade and pick up all the crazy gamer-talk! If you are going to make a comprehensive guide that will actually help intelligent people who are new to games like neverwinter, who are searching for help regarding technical game mechanics and issues with tactics as they level up to 60 then here are some tips:

    1. Try to use complete sentences, or at least complete phrases.
    2. If you are going to use a term, define it.
    3. In modern literature, it is customary to use the full text of a name or thing prior to introducing an abbreviation or
    acronym. Example: Damage per second (dps) .... Then just say dps from there out, don't assume i know what

    so, i have been playing neverwinter for about 6 weeks, nearing level 60, and there is either "babytalk beginner guides" or "all i have ever done in life is play video-games" super advanced gibberish. Try making something that you can imagine being printed and sold to the public, then maybe it could be considered useful to those of us who are new to online gaming.

    Note: Considering that i annihilated diablo 3 front to back when it came out so i don't consider myself to be an imbecile when it comes to gaming.

    omfg lmfao
  • silgalian1silgalian1 Member Posts: 14 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    grimah wrote: »
    Just a small notice, I won't be updating this guide anymore. If anyone wants to use this format to make their own guide (copy/paste) feel free.

    After the new changes I just dont have much interest in CW anymore.


    Just wanted to say thx again for producing the best most comprehensive CW guide out there.

    I have used your guide as reference and teaching tool for guildies.

    I can understand your dissolution with the class the devs have gone out of their way to ruin the best class in the game.

    But please take no heed of the morons who have complained and criticised when they have done nothing to further anyone's game experience.

    Thanks Grimah your the best!
  • ironzerg79ironzerg79 Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,942 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    So, Grimah, what's your big beef with the CW? I think the Module 4 changes have made us better than ever :o
    "Meanwhile in the moderator's lounge..."
    i7TZDZK.gif?1
  • grimahgrimah Member Posts: 1,658 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    ironzerg79 wrote: »
    I think the Module 4 changes have made us better than ever :o

    That is my issue. I grew tired of CWs being the 1st class citizens for PvE, and now it is even worse. I like grouping because of diversity of roles, but with these changes it's worse than ever. For me, CWs ruin PvE balance and the fun factor.

    I would suggest changing stormspell back to normal and frozen to root instead of stun (amongst other things) but i don't think the devs really care much for the health of the game and rather just please those players who want to be OP. Playing any game on easy mode for me is boring (hence why i retired my GWF ages ago too)
    Creator of the featured survival horror foundry: "The Silence of Haydenwick" Video Review
    and also the featured satirical comedic adventure "A Call for Heroes".
  • ironzerg79ironzerg79 Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,942 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Are you in a guild? My guild runs whatever with whoever. We don't care about metaplay, and just want everyone to have a good time.
    "Meanwhile in the moderator's lounge..."
    i7TZDZK.gif?1
  • c1k4ml3kc3c1k4ml3kc3 Member Posts: 1,257 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    I'm sorry that us, CW's, are playing the game as intended.

    Wait, I'm not. Also, when did CW's NOT melt in PvE? GW rushes into a mob, CW follows and casts a spell by stacking up stacks of chill, arcane damage etc. It's pure math, basically. You good with Math grimah?
    True Neutral
    Left the Game due to heavy Damage Control & Missing Spanish Language
  • thirstiusthirstius Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 60 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Grimah,

    Thank you so much for keeping up this guide for so long. It really helped me out a lot when I was trying to improve my CW.

    However, I totally borked her Feats and have been meaning to redo them, and now Mod 4 is making me, lol.

    So, I've considered re-making her as a Master of Flames, just to mix up game play, but it sounds like that isn't a good idea yet, based on some of the comments I've seen. In any case, I can't see how to change from Spellstorm Mage to MoF. Does that require a respect token?
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