Crit or Channeling?

Nayethe - Lost City

In your opinion, what is more useful for a Cleric?

(1) Critical hit rate
(2) Stacked channeling reduction

(I'm asking mostly to know which is best for PvE, but input for PvP would also be appreciated!)

I can really see arguments for each:

With good gear, you can fairly easily get to a 10% critical hit rate, which is pretty significant. If it takes about 5 shots to kill a mob, you will crit once every two mobs (on average). That will save you MP!

Also, with good gear, it is possible to stack channeling reduction very high (~20% with 3-4 good pieces of equipment). Channeling faster means you might just get an extra shot off before the enemy gets to you, or your quicker heal might save the tank's life! This will save you (or the tank) HP!

So, in your opinion, which is better?

Mothergoose - Sanctuary

If it's between 10% crit and 20% channel, I'd say channel is better, especially for pve. Damage is more consistent and reliable. That is, unless you have really bad lag.

Mr_Grip - Heavens Tear

Definitely channeling, you will always have the speed bonus. The higher crit rate isn't set in stone, you may or may not crit all the time.

Alyyy - Sanctuary

whats channeling? i saw that a lot on threads but i dont know what it is-.-

tell me , i shall absorb the knowledge like a spunge absorbs waterb:nosebleed

Mothergoose - Sanctuary

Alyyy - Sanctuary wrote: »

whats channeling? i saw that a lot on threads but i dont know what it is-.-

tell me , i shall absorb the knowledge like a spunge absorbs waterb:nosebleed

The amount of time that the bar at the bottom of your screen fills up when you cast a spell.

Alyyy - Sanctuary

oh so if i understood chaneling is casting speed?

Mothergoose - Sanctuary

Alyyy - Sanctuary wrote: »

oh so if i understood chaneling is casting speed?

Basically, yes.

Alyyy - Sanctuary

ok ty b:bye

Mikel_oru - Sanctuary

Alyyy - Sanctuary wrote: »

oh so if i understood chaneling is casting speed?

There are 3 statuses on the spells; channeling, cast and cooldown
Cooldown = time needed before you're able to cast again.
Channeling = loading of the spell (that bar on the bottom).
Cast = the effects before the actual hit.

Alyyy - Sanctuary

oh so u actualy need to count the channel and cast together to get the real time it takes for it

Aezy - Sanctuary

For a Cleric, Channeling will win out every time because it makes your heals faster.

Unless I was mistold and critical hit rate % affects healing.

Mr_Grip - Heavens Tear

From what I understand, you can't crit on a healing spell.

Enina - Heavens Tear

Sadly, the only things you can crit are your offensive skills. That, or we just don't notice healing skills critting, as we don't get actual figures for how much we heal for. Maybe some of our heals do heal-crits from time to time, but it's just impossible to notice...

In any case, I'd also say -channel if the choice was between 10% crit and -20% channel. However... If it was -3% channel and 1% crit, I'd take the crit. The channel bonus is neglible at that little, but an extra % of crit is more useful.

Mothergoose - Sanctuary

I was told that heal over time does not crit, but instant heal does. Oh well, I guess you really can't depend on heal going crit to survive, so it doesn't really matter anyway...b:shutup

Deceptistar - Sanctuary

I like channeling for sure.
We kill things too fast, and with few strikes. We dont hit the mobs like other melees do for a crit% to actually procure ENOUGH to be worthwhile. (aka hitting a mob 20+ times)

Kiwi - Harshlands

id say -chan for pve and crit for pvp

Nayethe - Lost City

Well, I think I've decided that I'm going for channeling. I do a lot more PvE stuff than PvP, and I kill things with very few shots (5 max usually). So, with even 20% crit, I would crit once per mob on average, but it wouldn't even matter since the mob would be dead anyway! So killing (or healing) just a little faster should be my priority.

But what percentage of channeling reduction should I shoot for? I have a -3% channeling ring (current for my level), and I have a Necklace of the Legion for another -3% channeling. That gives me a total of -6% currently. Once I hit 77, I will add another -6% channeling with Sleeves of the Sea Captain. So, I'll have -12% channeling. How much higher should I stack it?

Thanks for the help so far! It has been very useful!

Mr_Grip - Heavens Tear

I would stack as much as possible without compromising attack/defense and such. -12% is a good amount.

Deceptistar - Sanctuary

Nayethe - Lost City wrote: »

Well, I think I've decided that I'm going for channeling. I do a lot more PvE stuff than PvP, and I kill things with very few shots (5 max usually). So, with even 20% crit, I would crit once per mob on average, but it wouldn't even matter since the mob would be dead anyway! So killing (or healing) just a little faster should be my priority.

But what percentage of channeling reduction should I shoot for? I have a -3% channeling ring (current for my level), and I have a Necklace of the Legion for another -3% channeling. That gives me a total of -6% currently. Once I hit 77, I will add another -6% channeling with Sleeves of the Sea Captain. So, I'll have -12% channeling. How much higher should I stack it?

Thanks for the help so far! It has been very useful!

Around -20% youll get maybe 1-1.5sec reduction, with -30% its about 2sec or so. It doesnt seem much but even with -12% youll see a noticable difference.

Forp - Heavens Tear

Blessing has -39% channeling. Semi-automatic cleric right there.

Sylvae - Sanctuary

Guess it depends on PvE or PvP. -6% is enough that a spell combo of 4 spells will allow you to cast before another poison stack hits, which is all I need. Maybe if it affected casting time as well as channeling speed, I'd spec more towards it. But mostly I'm going for best over-all gear. If some 3*s that are really good and have -channeling appear and i feel like going full out on PvP, might make a switch. But giving up legendary for that and the cost will be a hard sell.

Forp - Heavens Tear

Best all around gear with level 4 gems on it?

Sylvae - Sanctuary

And refined to +4 at that. I don't waste money on early gear when it isn't needed. Getting set for my lvl 90 area, and have the stuff needed to get them all +4.

Blessing - Heavens Tear

Forp - Heavens Tear wrote: »

Blessing has -39% channeling. Semi-automatic cleric right there.

TW Cleric = Spam heals on others until 2 sparks, then Tempest. No need for crit really unless you plan on DD'ing most of the time. The healing system for PW is really terrible so it's understandable that most clerics choose to DD over spending time looking to heal others.

I come from WoW, where addons allowed me to have 40 members' health bars, mana bars, debuffs, and buffs appear where ever I choose to place them. They also tell me if they are within range for my heals. PW healing = guess + click on people outside party. Terrible!

MasonChen - Sanctuary

Well i prefer crit.(Seems like im the only one who's prefer crit in 3 pages..b:surrender)First is that how many hits can u kill a mob in pve.Pure magic cleric is so towards pve and they could easily 3 hit a mob around their level(white name mobs)Crit will help you kill mobs in mostly 1 or 2 hits.Second for -channeling.Many people just think that -6% is 6% time saved.But actually is not.Other than channeling.You still have a cast time which is unchanged by the -channeling.For example you have 1.5channeling time and 1cast so overall you didnt save much time)AOE grinding happens alot at high levels and u 100% want high crit of tempest.Lunar ring at lv95 has 3%crit -6% channeling(really hard to get anyways)if you could get such items it'll probalby helps both anyways.b:laugh

Mothergoose - Sanctuary

The archer likes his crit.b:chuckle