Well... it's difficult to kill mobs quickly, when there are only 3 damage dealers in dungeon and one control-bot.
I think that you do not understand the damage capability of my build *shrug*
I can see where you're coming from but it is entirely incorrect. You THINK that I am doing things a certain way, but it is not true and trying to convince you of the truth is not easy, imo not worth it, because you can't experience it entirely.
I have already expressed my opinion and I already regret de-railing this thread by falling in to your argumentative trap.
There is literally no time in which casting an Ice Storm is better than casting Arcane Singularity.
In the example that, "Some mobs are left with a little HP." Guess what, another Arcane Singularity will kill them off too, along with still providing better control.
Someone mentioned that Arcane Singularity is not a good CC ability... what are you smoking sir? It's by far the most important spell for a great CW to drop as often as possible.
There are niche scenarios and very very very niche builds wherein Ice Storm should be used, but in essence I agree with you. People saying Arcane Singularity isn't the best control spell just do not know how to use it properly and are probably button mashing their skills.
There are niche scenarios and very very very niche builds wherein Ice Storm should be used, but in essence I agree with you. People saying Arcane Singularity isn't the best control spell just do not know how to use it properly and are probably button mashing their skills.
And people who resort to making vaguely insulting assumptions about those who disagree with them are probably losing the debate.
No one in this thread, to my knowledge, has even come close to suggesting that Arcane Singularity isn't the most generally useful daily (for PvE). But to say that Singularity is the most generally useful is not to say that it's unreservedly the best control power available. Singularity is a positioning tool, and thus, also, a great offensive tool. Or how about this for praise: Singularity is perhaps one of the best positioning tools in the history of MMOs. Does that make it clear that I like Singularity?
But Singularity is not -- and I'm honestly surprised this point even draws the slightest controversy -- the best lockdown and/or emergency CC available to Control Wizards, because there's a huge delay between the press of the Singularity button and the moment that attacks from affected enemies cease. And after that delay, affected enemies are out of commission for a relatively short time.
Now that I've re-summarized my side of this argument, please do explain what's wrong with my reasoning. Preferably without implying that I'm some sort of mindlessly keyboard-mashing baboon. By all means: explain how Arcane Singularity mitigates more damage, more immediately, than Oppressive Force. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.
1) I thought there is no way in hell I would ever remove Chill Strike off Mastery....well that changed when I started running T2s.
2) I thought Magic Missile was the only viable At-Will and laughed at the possibility of using Chilling Cloud. Today I don't even have Magic Missile slotted.
3) I thought Storm Pillar is not even worth 1 point investment. Then I started slotting it for out-of-combat AP regen. Thanks to pfft2 at-wills analysis, I started using it in combat in certain situation and I am extremely pleased.
4) I thought a CW's job is to spam singularities to pile things nicely for my AoE dpsers. Then I realized we are the masters of AoE and that Singularity is really a tool first and foremost to be used for the benefit of the CW, and to the rest of the party as a secondary benefit. So now I use whatever "I" feel will best benefit the encounter.
What works and what is more efficient is really the core of this argument. If you are hung up on Singularity because it works in any situation and gets the job done, I will not argue with that. But I personally don't just settle for what works. I prefer to always find some ways to make things work more efficiently.
I know one thing for sure. I couldn't possibly play a class dependent exclusively on one Power. There are statements here being made similar to ones that were made about Astral Shield. Now there are dps DCs and there are DCs focused on party buff and both can solo heal T2s.
1) I thought there is no way in hell I would ever remove Chill Strike off Mastery....well that changed when I started running T2s.
2) I thought Magic Missile was the only viable At-Will and laughed at the possibility of using Chilling Cloud. Today I don't even have Magic Missile slotted.
3) I thought Storm Pillar is not even worth 1 point investment. Then I started slotting it for out-of-combat AP regen. Thanks to pfft2 at-wills analysis, I started using it in combat in certain situation and I am extremely pleased.
4) I thought a CW's job is to spam singularities to pile things nicely for my AoE dpsers. Then I realized we are the masters of AoE and that Singularity is really a tool first and foremost to be used for the benefit of the CW, and to the rest of the party as a secondary benefit. So now I use whatever "I" feel will best benefit the encounter.
What works and what is more efficient is really the core of this argument. If you are hung up on Singularity because it works in any situation and gets the job done, I will not argue with that. But I personally don't just settle for what works. I prefer to always find some ways to make things work more efficiently.
I know one thing for sure. I couldn't possibly play a class dependent exclusively on one Power. There are statements here being made similar to ones that were made about Astral Shield. Now there are dps DCs and there are DCs focused on party buff and both can solo heal T2s.
No. That'd be me. As a reader, I'm finding some of the posts here increasingly uninformative. All the e-peen waving is just making things more confusing for people coming here to actually learn something. Filtering through the bickering for anything useful is pretty annoying.
I love opinion pieces. Entries where someone explains their explorations, their success stories and explain what works best for them. Inherently, people expressing themselves so also want to share their success and it's overall very swell of them to contribute.
What I like much less is people trying to make their input more credible by debasing that of others. Be 'cooler' because you work to be, and not because you try to make someone appear 'less cool' than you so that you appear 'better' by contrast. This applies to some of you, and if it hits the mark, you'll probably feel defensive, and feel compelled to have the last word, or diminish me in a reply somehow. This is what I mean - the desperate need to come out a winner out of something. You can choose not to. You can agree to disagree, and make more of an effort in trying to understand where the other is coming from.
Never fear, people have been wrong on the internet before, and the planet still turns, and we still manage to enjoy our videogames, and my pixels somehow still get to blow to smithereens other pixels.
But to say that Singularity is the most generally useful is not to say that it's unreservedly the best control power available. Singularity is a positioning tool, and thus, also, a great offensive tool. Or how about this for praise: Singularity is perhaps one of the best positioning tools in the history of MMOs. Does that make it clear that I like Singularity?
I was agreeing with what freedumb4eva said. You could "like or dislike" Arcane Singularity. Also, positioning mobs is a form of CC, an important one at that.
But Singularity is not/I] -- and I'm honestly surprised this point even draws the slightest controversy -- the best lockdown and/or emergency CC available to Control Wizards, because there's a huge delay between the press of the Singularity button and the moment that attacks from affected enemies cease. And after that delay, affected enemies are out of commission for a relatively short time.
Best immediate lockdown spell for rare emergencies? (unless you group with PUGS, then every encounter is an emergency), No, Arcane Singularity is not. I would put Ice Storm and Oppresive Force above Arcane Singularity in those rare cases as a break-glass incase of emergency tool.
So you've noticed there is a huge delay? Yes! There is around 3-4 seconds where Singularity isn't effective at pulling mobs hence my post about smart CWs not mindlessly pushing buttons. Timing is the key and of course, familiarity with the dungeons and the game itself. Before the tank charging in reaches the mobs, Arcane Singularity should already have been casted and the mobs are all being placed on a desired location to help the entire party aoe dps them and keep them locked down. A shield bump here and there, maybe an Entangling Force and Steal Time if that wasn't enough, and you should have built enough AP for your second Arcane Singularity to be casted ASAP.
It gives you positioning AND control. Something no other daily can provide. It is also the only daily that can reliably group mobs to be shield bumped (greatest AP generator) with the plus being the mobs are not scattered all over the place.
Preferably without implying that I'm some sort of mindlessly keyboard-mashing baboon. By all means: explain how Arcane Singularity mitigates more damage, more immediately, than Oppressive Force. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.
Don't be ridiculous. Using your own build, your own specialized spec and your own preferred dailies does not make you a keyboard-bashing baboon. If that build works for you then thats great, props to you.
Willy nilly casted Arcane Singularity without considering timing, the next skills to use, dungeon familiarity, recycling the skills to maintain and then implying it is an overrated CC skill on the other hand is a different story.
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w3est0fn0w3r3Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian UsersPosts: 0Arc User
edited August 2013
I've found the only dungeon that AS is needed back to back is CN.
Spell Plague ? One Sig pop shield over the edge done... beyond that I'm using OF for the daze to stop the big casters... may use the sig to bunch them up but my follow up is almost always a OF to keep them stunned while I'm waiting for Steal Time or Icy Terran to come off CD. Last boss Sig is not really needed if you are Repelling adds every 7sec and on last phase I'd rather have AoE Dps so I run with Ice storm and OF in that fight seeing as they are both more useful in that fight than a black hole.
FH? most boss fights you can't CC the golems so it's all about getting the Aoe damage out and last boss is about single target burn so again Sig may be on my bar for trash but not much else.
Spider? I think one boss fight is about gather up adds and punting the others I'd rather keep them on their backs or dazed, last boss I've found Ice storm to be more effective over Sig.
Really is back to back Sig good? yes it's viable and is what everyone expects from us and if asked I'll do it, but there are other ways to deal with adds and knowing how to chain together dailies may increase the amount of time adds will be dazed/stuned/chilled, in the end if it works for you all the power to you, but be open minded to other options.
Spell-plague - use singularity to knock mobs off edges and is invaluable on the 1st and 2nd phase of the last boss fight
This is definitely the one boss where Singularity is not only overated but actually makes the fight MUCH harder. Next time try Repel. If you get good at it, you may need to cast Singularity maybe 2-3 times the ENTIRE boss fight.
No one here is trying to say that singularity isn't a very useful or powerful daily. It's the first spell a CW has to learn to use, with shield and steal time. It doesn't mean it's the best spell in every single situation. There are times you need a confuse effect without a pulling effect, then you use OF. Sometimes, you want some brutal damage, especially when encounter spells can do enough CC.
The best advice i could give to new CWs is: never, ever use singularity for the sake of using a daily, or because your party is asking you to do that. Always use singularity + something else, be it shield to push or charge AP, icy terrain to freeze the whole pack, or whatever comes to your mind. In itself, it's a terrible CC spell. The only important thing is what you do with the pack of mobs you created: you can dps it (icy terrain + shield), push it (shield), or control it and play with it in a corner (icy terrain + steal time + shield to charge APs).
I myself have no idea why people hate MoC so much. Sure it is not the best daily we have, still it can come in handy when used at the right time [i used it many times in dung just to create some space, kick out mobs to use steal time + icy terrain combo, etc]. Not to mention it have quite nice dmg output.
Okay, I noted that in the game, TRs whack enemy - job done, tanks whack enemy - job done, nobody questions. A cleric gets slammed all the time if healing not fast enough. mage gets slammed when crowd not controlled.
I've played everyday since beta and totally AGREE that using ice storms are way irritating. However, the game is designed in such a way that icestorms are the highest damage dailies of CWs. Inexperienced CWs will often unknowingly inconvenience everyone with the mass repels. Cleric has a similar bounce ability too.
Well, with that in mind, yeah, its bad, but to claim that clerics' job as a healer and a mage as a controller. Its plain stereotyping. Wizards can be battle-mages too - an equally efficient striker, while clerics can have potential in the combat arena. It is after all roleplay. I won't side CWs behavior though, in situations like dungeons when good team-mechanics is paramount and everyone should know their place.
I play a striker as and when i like, but i will stay a controller in dungeons. Ya, so there are two sides to this story. ^^
Why how many failed punts do you go through until you get the group over? Hec after the first few minutes you dont even need a single Singularity.
I would still say that even if you don't "need" a Singularity, it is the best option if you want an efficient run for the reasons I posted a few pages back.
This is definitely the one boss where Singularity is not only overated but actually makes the fight MUCH harder. Next time try Repel. If you get good at it, you may need to cast Singularity maybe 2-3 times the ENTIRE boss fight.
Are you talking about the final boss fight in spell plague? I use both Singularity with Repel on tab. I was focusing on comparing the wizard dailies but you are right, repel is more important.
Sure Singularity throughout the dungeon, because it is a speed run with good opportunities to throw off the ledges. On the queen, OF over Singularity.
As for the spider boss, I would concede that Oppressive Force might be better for the boss, but during the 25min run to the boss, Singularity speeds it up tremendously.
Well w3est made a strawman argument about Arcane Singularity not being useful in Icespire Heart when in reality, the tactics are different there and none of the dailies (unless I'm overlooking a few specific builds) are that important over another. I'm glad you agree.
Okay, I noted that in the game, TRs whack enemy - job done, tanks whack enemy - job done, nobody questions. A cleric gets slammed all the time if healing not fast enough. mage gets slammed when crowd not controlled.
I've played everyday since beta and totally AGREE that using ice storms are way irritating. However, the game is designed in such a way that icestorms are the highest damage dailies of CWs. Inexperienced CWs will often unknowingly inconvenience everyone with the mass repels. Cleric has a similar bounce ability too.
Well, with that in mind, yeah, its bad, but to claim that clerics' job as a healer and a mage as a controller. Its plain stereotyping. Wizards can be battle-mages too - an equally efficient striker, while clerics can have potential in the combat arena. It is after all roleplay. I won't side CWs behavior though, in situations like dungeons when good team-mechanics is paramount and everyone should know their place.
I play a striker as and when i like, but i will stay a controller in dungeons. Ya, so there are two sides to this story. ^^
Well this is another point as to why despite the raw dps of Singularity not being as good as Ice Storm, it is still effectively a better DPS and control tool than Ice Storm. Clumping mobs helps you (shield bumps, conduit of Ice) and your party focus AOE the mobs by gathering them up and putting them in a desirable position to be nuked on.
With that said, you cannot stereotype Arcane Singularity as purely a "control spell". Why can't battle mages use Singularity? Because the raw dps isn't as good? It actually puts you AND your party in a position to deliver more damage. There is a reason why "control, not dps" mages using Singularity and Shield bump are almost always at the top of the damage chart at the end of the dungeon.
...There is a reason why "control, not dps" mages using Singularity and Shield bump are almost always at the top of the damage chart at the end of the dungeon.
So the difference between a "control" and a "dps" mage is whether or not they spam Singularity?
In that case, the "DPS" mages that are applying constant chills, freezing multiple targets all around the party continuously are in fact THE real control mages. And the ones that just spam Singularities in fact are the dps mages?! Quite the insight :P
I think I will stick to my theory, that there is no such thing as a "control" CW. We are first and foremost a DPS class using DPS Powers that also serve as CCs.
And the ones that just spam Singularities in fact are the dps mages?!
They are singularity bots
Man, who writen this, didn't even meet DPS wizard. Top of most dungeons can be get by knocking off mobs. Real DPS checks are Karrundax and Mad Dragon. And wizards should run in parallel, cause they can disturb each other via shield.
First 2 bosses can really be the DPS checks, since both can be soloed by CWs. Have one CW Solo the bosses and record the damage output. Then run it again and have the competing CW do the same. Perfect Single target DPS check.
Not single target DPS, it can be checked on dummies. I meant full dungeon clear with good amount of trash and bosses, overall damage for the instance.
The bosses have over 20% Damage Resistance and a specific amount of HP, so it would be a good controlled test. Plus it is the Single target dps that makes some people wonder about Thauma specs.
There is a reason why "control, not dps" mages using Singularity and Shield bump are almost always at the top of the damage chart at the end of the dungeon.
The reason is because neither of those spells have a target limit, (AS has a 15 limit but that is plenty, almost never hit the cap,) and both do very good damage when synergized together. They also both gain damage from at least 3 feats. I really enjoy using those two spells.
I should also mention that mobs that are bumped to their death have their remaining hp added to the CW's damage meter... unless that has been changed.
So the difference between a "control" and a "dps" mage is whether or not they spam Singularity?
In that case, the "DPS" mages that are applying constant chills, freezing multiple targets all around the party continuously are in fact THE real control mages. And the ones that just spam Singularities in fact are the dps mages?! Quite the insight :P
I didn't say that. CW who have builds around Oppressive Force can also be considered control. What I meant to say was traditional "control" mages WHO HAPPEN TO USE Arcane Singularity usually lead the group in total dps output as well.
I think I will stick to my theory, that there is no such thing as a "control" CW. We are first and foremost a DPS class using DPS Powers that also serve as CCs.
Well, if you use Arcane Singularity and the shield bump combo, CW will usually lead in dps charts and also in controlling the mobs. You can label it whatever you want. I prefer labelling it as a "control" wizard. You can label it as a "dps" wizard. Either way, Arcane Singularity is the best daily that could provide control as well as catapult wizards to the top of the dps chart.
They are singularity bots
Man, who writen this, didn't even meet DPS wizard. Top of most dungeons can be get by knocking off mobs. Real DPS checks are Karrundax and Mad Dragon. And wizards should run in parallel, cause they can disturb each other via shield.
Singularity bots eh? I will reiterate my post earlier. You gotta stop mindlessly bashing buttons and mindlessly spamming singularity for whatever reason.
The way you probably tried using Singularity, I would feel the same way about it too.
But have fun earning T1 gear in Mad Dragon though.
15 targets is plenty... any how that is why they top the meter, because of the reasons that I posted?
You didn't post any reasons and didn't name any feats you claim to use. You even took kerrovitarras statement about the target limit of Arcane Singularity and edited your post. "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."
Even as a Thaumaturge specced CW, I can slot Entangling Force and use Arcane Singularity back-to-back, if I need to. But the chill effects I gain from Icy Terrain, Conduit of Ice and Chilling Cloud just add more benefits for the whole group. This is no single player game and if we're talking about epic dungeons--which you claim to do--, there are always 4 other players with you.
Comments
Uhhh, OK... I guess 20-50% AP gain in one spell is a waste... I will carry on.
All mobs are dead? I guess I did a really great job. Ready to go with another Sing when required!
I think that you do not understand the damage capability of my build *shrug*
I can see where you're coming from but it is entirely incorrect. You THINK that I am doing things a certain way, but it is not true and trying to convince you of the truth is not easy, imo not worth it, because you can't experience it entirely.
I have already expressed my opinion and I already regret de-railing this thread by falling in to your argumentative trap.
There are niche scenarios and very very very niche builds wherein Ice Storm should be used, but in essence I agree with you. People saying Arcane Singularity isn't the best control spell just do not know how to use it properly and are probably button mashing their skills.
And people who resort to making vaguely insulting assumptions about those who disagree with them are probably losing the debate.
No one in this thread, to my knowledge, has even come close to suggesting that Arcane Singularity isn't the most generally useful daily (for PvE). But to say that Singularity is the most generally useful is not to say that it's unreservedly the best control power available. Singularity is a positioning tool, and thus, also, a great offensive tool. Or how about this for praise: Singularity is perhaps one of the best positioning tools in the history of MMOs. Does that make it clear that I like Singularity?
But Singularity is not -- and I'm honestly surprised this point even draws the slightest controversy -- the best lockdown and/or emergency CC available to Control Wizards, because there's a huge delay between the press of the Singularity button and the moment that attacks from affected enemies cease. And after that delay, affected enemies are out of commission for a relatively short time.
Now that I've re-summarized my side of this argument, please do explain what's wrong with my reasoning. Preferably without implying that I'm some sort of mindlessly keyboard-mashing baboon. By all means: explain how Arcane Singularity mitigates more damage, more immediately, than Oppressive Force. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.
1) I thought there is no way in hell I would ever remove Chill Strike off Mastery....well that changed when I started running T2s.
2) I thought Magic Missile was the only viable At-Will and laughed at the possibility of using Chilling Cloud. Today I don't even have Magic Missile slotted.
3) I thought Storm Pillar is not even worth 1 point investment. Then I started slotting it for out-of-combat AP regen. Thanks to pfft2 at-wills analysis, I started using it in combat in certain situation and I am extremely pleased.
4) I thought a CW's job is to spam singularities to pile things nicely for my AoE dpsers. Then I realized we are the masters of AoE and that Singularity is really a tool first and foremost to be used for the benefit of the CW, and to the rest of the party as a secondary benefit. So now I use whatever "I" feel will best benefit the encounter.
What works and what is more efficient is really the core of this argument. If you are hung up on Singularity because it works in any situation and gets the job done, I will not argue with that. But I personally don't just settle for what works. I prefer to always find some ways to make things work more efficiently.
I know one thing for sure. I couldn't possibly play a class dependent exclusively on one Power. There are statements here being made similar to ones that were made about Astral Shield. Now there are dps DCs and there are DCs focused on party buff and both can solo heal T2s.
You're a rather angry person.
I love opinion pieces. Entries where someone explains their explorations, their success stories and explain what works best for them. Inherently, people expressing themselves so also want to share their success and it's overall very swell of them to contribute.
What I like much less is people trying to make their input more credible by debasing that of others. Be 'cooler' because you work to be, and not because you try to make someone appear 'less cool' than you so that you appear 'better' by contrast. This applies to some of you, and if it hits the mark, you'll probably feel defensive, and feel compelled to have the last word, or diminish me in a reply somehow. This is what I mean - the desperate need to come out a winner out of something. You can choose not to. You can agree to disagree, and make more of an effort in trying to understand where the other is coming from.
Never fear, people have been wrong on the internet before, and the planet still turns, and we still manage to enjoy our videogames, and my pixels somehow still get to blow to smithereens other pixels.
I was agreeing with what freedumb4eva said. You could "like or dislike" Arcane Singularity. Also, positioning mobs is a form of CC, an important one at that.
Best immediate lockdown spell for rare emergencies? (unless you group with PUGS, then every encounter is an emergency), No, Arcane Singularity is not. I would put Ice Storm and Oppresive Force above Arcane Singularity in those rare cases as a break-glass incase of emergency tool.
So you've noticed there is a huge delay? Yes! There is around 3-4 seconds where Singularity isn't effective at pulling mobs hence my post about smart CWs not mindlessly pushing buttons. Timing is the key and of course, familiarity with the dungeons and the game itself. Before the tank charging in reaches the mobs, Arcane Singularity should already have been casted and the mobs are all being placed on a desired location to help the entire party aoe dps them and keep them locked down. A shield bump here and there, maybe an Entangling Force and Steal Time if that wasn't enough, and you should have built enough AP for your second Arcane Singularity to be casted ASAP.
It gives you positioning AND control. Something no other daily can provide. It is also the only daily that can reliably group mobs to be shield bumped (greatest AP generator) with the plus being the mobs are not scattered all over the place.
Don't be ridiculous. Using your own build, your own specialized spec and your own preferred dailies does not make you a keyboard-bashing baboon. If that build works for you then thats great, props to you.
Willy nilly casted Arcane Singularity without considering timing, the next skills to use, dungeon familiarity, recycling the skills to maintain and then implying it is an overrated CC skill on the other hand is a different story.
Spell Plague ? One Sig pop shield over the edge done... beyond that I'm using OF for the daze to stop the big casters... may use the sig to bunch them up but my follow up is almost always a OF to keep them stunned while I'm waiting for Steal Time or Icy Terran to come off CD. Last boss Sig is not really needed if you are Repelling adds every 7sec and on last phase I'd rather have AoE Dps so I run with Ice storm and OF in that fight seeing as they are both more useful in that fight than a black hole.
FH? most boss fights you can't CC the golems so it's all about getting the Aoe damage out and last boss is about single target burn so again Sig may be on my bar for trash but not much else.
Spider? I think one boss fight is about gather up adds and punting the others I'd rather keep them on their backs or dazed, last boss I've found Ice storm to be more effective over Sig.
Really is back to back Sig good? yes it's viable and is what everyone expects from us and if asked I'll do it, but there are other ways to deal with adds and knowing how to chain together dailies may increase the amount of time adds will be dazed/stuned/chilled, in the end if it works for you all the power to you, but be open minded to other options.
http://www.romulanstarempire.com/
CN - Back to back singularity on mobs, very effective in the 3rd boss, a must for the final boss
Spell-plague - use singularity to knock mobs off edges and is invaluable on the 1st and 2nd phase of the last boss fight
Spider - makes the entire run to the end-boss very quick and painless. The final boss fight, Arcane or Oppressive works
Frozen Throne - GF kites adds while you kill archers and debuff boss. None of the AOE dailies are important here
Why how many failed punts do you go through until you get the group over? Hec after the first few minutes you dont even need a single Singularity.
This is definitely the one boss where Singularity is not only overated but actually makes the fight MUCH harder. Next time try Repel. If you get good at it, you may need to cast Singularity maybe 2-3 times the ENTIRE boss fight.
Sure Singularity throughout the dungeon, because it is a speed run with good opportunities to throw off the ledges. On the queen, OF over Singularity.
Good, we can agree on at least one boss fight :P
The best advice i could give to new CWs is: never, ever use singularity for the sake of using a daily, or because your party is asking you to do that. Always use singularity + something else, be it shield to push or charge AP, icy terrain to freeze the whole pack, or whatever comes to your mind. In itself, it's a terrible CC spell. The only important thing is what you do with the pack of mobs you created: you can dps it (icy terrain + shield), push it (shield), or control it and play with it in a corner (icy terrain + steal time + shield to charge APs).
I've played everyday since beta and totally AGREE that using ice storms are way irritating. However, the game is designed in such a way that icestorms are the highest damage dailies of CWs. Inexperienced CWs will often unknowingly inconvenience everyone with the mass repels. Cleric has a similar bounce ability too.
Well, with that in mind, yeah, its bad, but to claim that clerics' job as a healer and a mage as a controller. Its plain stereotyping. Wizards can be battle-mages too - an equally efficient striker, while clerics can have potential in the combat arena. It is after all roleplay. I won't side CWs behavior though, in situations like dungeons when good team-mechanics is paramount and everyone should know their place.
I play a striker as and when i like, but i will stay a controller in dungeons. Ya, so there are two sides to this story. ^^
I would still say that even if you don't "need" a Singularity, it is the best option if you want an efficient run for the reasons I posted a few pages back.
Are you talking about the final boss fight in spell plague? I use both Singularity with Repel on tab. I was focusing on comparing the wizard dailies but you are right, repel is more important.
As for the spider boss, I would concede that Oppressive Force might be better for the boss, but during the 25min run to the boss, Singularity speeds it up tremendously.
Well w3est made a strawman argument about Arcane Singularity not being useful in Icespire Heart when in reality, the tactics are different there and none of the dailies (unless I'm overlooking a few specific builds) are that important over another. I'm glad you agree.
Well this is another point as to why despite the raw dps of Singularity not being as good as Ice Storm, it is still effectively a better DPS and control tool than Ice Storm. Clumping mobs helps you (shield bumps, conduit of Ice) and your party focus AOE the mobs by gathering them up and putting them in a desirable position to be nuked on.
With that said, you cannot stereotype Arcane Singularity as purely a "control spell". Why can't battle mages use Singularity? Because the raw dps isn't as good? It actually puts you AND your party in a position to deliver more damage. There is a reason why "control, not dps" mages using Singularity and Shield bump are almost always at the top of the damage chart at the end of the dungeon.
So the difference between a "control" and a "dps" mage is whether or not they spam Singularity?
In that case, the "DPS" mages that are applying constant chills, freezing multiple targets all around the party continuously are in fact THE real control mages. And the ones that just spam Singularities in fact are the dps mages?! Quite the insight :P
I think I will stick to my theory, that there is no such thing as a "control" CW. We are first and foremost a DPS class using DPS Powers that also serve as CCs.
Man, who writen this, didn't even meet DPS wizard. Top of most dungeons can be get by knocking off mobs. Real DPS checks are Karrundax and Mad Dragon. And wizards should run in parallel, cause they can disturb each other via shield.
First 2 bosses can really be the DPS checks, since both can be soloed by CWs. Have one CW Solo the bosses and record the damage output. Then run it again and have the competing CW do the same. Perfect Single target DPS check.
The bosses have over 20% Damage Resistance and a specific amount of HP, so it would be a good controlled test. Plus it is the Single target dps that makes some people wonder about Thauma specs.
The reason is because neither of those spells have a target limit, (AS has a 15 limit but that is plenty, almost never hit the cap,) and both do very good damage when synergized together. They also both gain damage from at least 3 feats. I really enjoy using those two spells.
I should also mention that mobs that are bumped to their death have their remaining hp added to the CW's damage meter... unless that has been changed.
I didn't say that. CW who have builds around Oppressive Force can also be considered control. What I meant to say was traditional "control" mages WHO HAPPEN TO USE Arcane Singularity usually lead the group in total dps output as well.
Well, if you use Arcane Singularity and the shield bump combo, CW will usually lead in dps charts and also in controlling the mobs. You can label it whatever you want. I prefer labelling it as a "control" wizard. You can label it as a "dps" wizard. Either way, Arcane Singularity is the best daily that could provide control as well as catapult wizards to the top of the dps chart.
Singularity bots eh? I will reiterate my post earlier. You gotta stop mindlessly bashing buttons and mindlessly spamming singularity for whatever reason.
The way you probably tried using Singularity, I would feel the same way about it too.
But have fun earning T1 gear in Mad Dragon though.
15 targets is plenty... any how that is why they top the meter, because of the reasons that I posted earlier regarding target limits and synergy.
Even as a Thaumaturge specced CW, I can slot Entangling Force and use Arcane Singularity back-to-back, if I need to. But the chill effects I gain from Icy Terrain, Conduit of Ice and Chilling Cloud just add more benefits for the whole group. This is no single player game and if we're talking about epic dungeons--which you claim to do--, there are always 4 other players with you.