[EQ2] DPS? Sustainability?

[Noxxy]

Simple answer:
- Autoattack

IMHO the early levels of EQ2 trains a user to just go for the burn which works for most mobs except a few. As the levels progress, it can be noticed a team has to be more mana conscious, especially if the intention is to go raiding where mana conservation can become quite critical.

Just from your explanation, it appears you may have just gone for the pure burn on the champion - which is ok if your in a FG of 6...but with 3...not so good (most times).

The best way to conserve mana, whilst maximising dps, is to ensure you never miss an autoattack. Simply, look at the rating of your weapon - let's pick a 4s delay slasher. This tells us every 4s it will automatically slash for whatever the sword can do (say 100-200?? at your current level). Therefore, all you need to do to maxismise your dps is ensure your spells/cas fire within the 4s autoattack swings, wait for the autoattack, then fire off some more spells. This pause saves you a bit of mana plus gives you a bit of dps according to your weapon. This is why there always is a chase to find the latest and greatest sword of +10 papercut purely because of the additional dps output via autoattacking. Never underestimate the value of a slow heavy hitting weapon as the additional dps via autoattack can be HUGE.

What do you need to ensure you never miss an autoattack?
- ACT
- Single/Double Attack detection/notification

ACT is simply unreal - used it for years now and never had any major problems with it. Simply parses your combat logs and reports out all sorts of details. Invaluable for raiding.

So here's what I would like you to try:
- you have all your guys in the corner near the door - good work - that's exactly where you want them to be - stand them all on top of each other and face into the ring
- start the event then follow the simple tried and true method and ensuring you never miss an autoattack of firing off say 2? spells, then wait for the ding, 2? spells, ding, 2? spells, ding...

You'll end up hating the ding BUT you will get the idea before long and eventually know how to do it without relying on the dinger at all

As for who should and shouldn't be dpsing - personally - everyone dps's - no matter who - and they are ALL within melee range except on the really nasty AOE mobs

Good luck

[Lokked]

Thanks Noxxy,

Your post (and the encounter with the Arena Champ) have been a wakeup call, that I need to put a little more effort in gearing my team! I guess I was expecting to be as successful with instance as the 6-boxers, who, while leveling, did not appear to spend any amount of time gearing up until they hit Kunark Quests levels (Khat said she replaced some lvl 20ish gear at lvl 80 or something like that).

I'm going to become more dilligent in bothering my guild's crafters to turn my rares into weapons of mass destruction. And maybe getting some crafted skills as well.