I've wondered this ever since I played Tezdal, and I've gotten several different answers when I've asked.
Which is better defensively for a Shaman:
Wielding a staff
or
Wielding a mace and a wearing a shield
I was always confused, because shamans don't have two-handed, but I've had people swear up and down wielding a staff is more defensive than a shield and a mace.
Your thoughts?
wow if that's true i'd be shocked. you do have the disadvantage, with a staff, of only having one thing to disarm. even if its your beloved cane w/black heart. wielding a weapon + shield at least they have to disarm two things possibly preventing a sudden drop from 600hp to 6.
I think mace/shield is better. Mainly because I don't think shamans get two handed, which is the skill that allows you to block with your weapon.
So wielding a staff you'd only get parry, but wielding a mace and a shield you'd get shield block and parry with your mace.
I think mace/shield is better. Mainly because I don't think shamans get two handed, which is the skill that allows you to block with your weapon.
So wielding a staff you'd only get parry, but wielding a mace and a shield you'd get shield block and parry with your mace.
Shamans don't get two-handed.
I guess, as Tezdal I always wore my staff, but now I'm experimenting with shield + mace. Shield + mace seems to me it'd be better, but I seem to be getting hit more often than I did with Tezdal...so I'm completely lost.
Staff is only the most defensive from what I've experienced when you have the two handed skill. It is the only weapon in the game though that is two handed that you can wield without it removing % from the weapon so if you wielded a two handed mace your mace skill wouldn't be 100% it'd be like 89% or something weird like that without the two handed skill, staff would still be 100% though. Nekky is right in saying that it'd be better with a mace/shield though in a situation like that, the only time staff is really great for a class that doesn't have two handed is when they're an Invoker. Can't think of any other instance where it'd be good though over more defenses unless it has something spiffy added to it, but I'd go mace/flail and a shield over a staff in that case.
You got to take into account your parry/shield block skill along with which weapons are most defensive and your ac. The higher your ac the more likely you'll not get hit as well, so you can't compare a Drow's AC to a Dwarf/Duergar. Also some weapons may add to defense over others. I'd still go mace/flail and shield over staff.
Absolutely true Tant. Tezdal was a drow, so the high dex really counts towards your defenses. But I would go shield mace anyway just because of the ability to use special shields that help out in battles.
Absolutely true Tant. Tezdal was a drow' date=' so the high dex really counts towards your defenses. But I would go shield mace anyway just because of the ability to use special shields that help out in battles.[/quote']
Hehe, so is my current shaman
Err, I mean uh ... my uhm, my friend's shaman, yeah, he has a drow shaman, not me.
Ok ok, actually, I don't care releasing the name, because perhaps you guys would offer some inspiration...the latest creation of mine would be Felhara.
I've been beyond frustrated playing her. My mals have had the hardest time landing, I seem to take insane damage all the time (much more than I remember with Tezdal), and I can't seem to get the upper hand in a pk whatsoever. Very disheartening to say the least.
I have more questions, perhaps I'll just throw them into this thread. Alcoholic perk make you take less damage from physical combat? I've tested it twice and I think it drops the damage a little, but not sure if it's a significant amount. And also, do religion choices affect anything other than my RP and my bless?
I'm so confused now, moreso than I was when I played Tezdal. I thought at the end of Tezdal's life I was getting used to pk, and becoming pretty confident ... now my confidence is pretty much shattered. Ah well, I'll keep plugging away.
Sheild block is THE most effective defense in the game. From that point of view I'd be using a shield no matter what.
As has been mentioned, havnig shield block/parry is better than just having parry. You have twice as many defenses to block incoming attacks.
With regard to why you are being hit more - it could be as simple as your opponent knows what weapons to use vs what defenses.
L-A
Do you fight with all your defensive spells up? What was your ac as Felhara compared to Tezdal? Religion plays into various bless types as for anything else I'm not sure. Alcoholic perk is nice to have unless you're unaffected by alcohol in which case it's pointless to have. You can try testing out the difference between a staff and wielding a mace/shield. Just make sure to log it all.
I just seem to get hit more often with the new shaman.
The thing that annoys me more is my mals. With all the people I fought as Tezdal, I never, ever remember this much difficulty landing mals. With Felhara, I've fought some people who hardly had any equipment whatsoever, and I'll still go several upon several casts without any mal landing...I just don't know what to do, I'm sorta at a loss.
I hate shaman, so I'm just going to laugh and not help you....
Nah, just kidding 
:p
There are several things that might have changed:
Are you trained on your current shaman? Were you trained on Tezdal? If the answer is no to both then Tezdal would have had more % by the time he 'condeathed' than your curent.
Are you lvl 50 (have no idea sorry? :-P) If not, you could easily be casting at a rank 'dis'advantage (since shaman at a stupid spell lvl for mals anyway) that you're disappears at lvl 50.
Some of you cabal abilities would have been helping you.
Did you have any +mal eq, as this would have helped too. Do you have it now?
L-A
I hate shaman, so I'm just going to laugh and not help you....
Nah, just kidding
There are several things that might have changed:
Are you trained on your current shaman? Were you trained on Tezdal? If the answer is no to both then Tezdal would have had more % by the time he 'condeathed' than your curent.
Are you lvl 50 (have no idea sorry? :-P) If not, you could easily be casting at a rank 'dis'advantage (since shaman at a stupid spell lvl for mals anyway) that you're disappears at lvl 50.
Some of you cabal abilities would have been helping you.
Did you have any +mal eq, as this would have helped too. Do you have it now?
L-A
Yes with Felhara, not even close with Tezdal
Yes
Yes, one very much in particular 
No and no
Are you fighting Halflings/Dwarves/Duergars more often? If so, even *** naked they're going to be hard to have things land on them for various things. If you fight a somewhat armored Giant with no saves or very little, then you'll most likely land a lot of things. Get some +mal lvl EQ, you only need 2 since it caps at lvl 55 from what I hear and a Shaman at lvl 50 already communes mals at lvl 53. Voodoo at an increased mana cost and a shorter duration has a much more likely chance of landing things. Chances are if you fight someone decked that deals too much damage will be nailing you down to the ground far before you ever land a lot of things on them.
just curious after hearing this + to mal eq. Is there actually something that says... "raises mal by 2 levels..." or is it something like that certain mask that takes your mastery up on dysentary?
Lets just say when you find a said item, you will know it
Visit the demonicon/bone dragon/Horror/some other places I dont care to mention.
"A Shaman at lvl 50 already communes mals at lvl 53."
Wrong. The only class that cast higher than 50 base, are Invockers, and some very special spells.
Now thats getting interesting. for the last few week I read at least 10 posts saying that shamans commune at lvl 53 and even higher through voodoo....
Gotta love lack of information...
You are wrong, Mya.
