So once again the sky it falling. Time to TR into a melee or I guess +5 hearts are back time to buy 4 and move to not a caster.

If your one of the people that are freaking out because Wall of Fire is changing just go a head and find a new game, die in a fire or you can take a breath and relax. From what I have read these spell changes are not the end of the world. Are some spells getting a little nerf? Yes. But is WoF really one of them? Not really. Not that its not getting a nerf. Just that it is not that big of a deal. The spells I am worried about are the ones where the cool down timer as shot way up, aka Wail of the Banshee.

My gut feels is that the devs want us to use a wider selection of spells per quest. Always be doing something. Melees are always in motion. Sure some times you turn on your auto attack and go afk, but most of the time swing, swing, some attack option, move, next target… You can look at the wizards PREs and see that they are trying to get us doing something all the time. So making some spells have a set timer is fine.

Also I think a lot of of changes lately is to reduce pathing calculations. Seems like making kiting less attractive would also help with lower those

Okay now that that is done, lets take about how a few ways to adjust. We can cast a lot more spells per rest, now that the costs are being reworked. Also now that both arcane classes have PRE lines people will have access to cheep spell like abilities, all arcanes have something “magical” at do. And you know you can always cast attack with a weapon. I think shield blocking and taking it will become more popular. So mobs wont get extra saves.

So lets look at the shields I am looking at for blocking.

Fanion my go to shield. 0% Asf, magi and GFL, blocking DR 2. It is a good level 12 shield.

Epic shield X. Most epic shields have blocking DR 12, and a way to add a blue slot for -15% asf. I like the epic Kundarak Warding Shield just so I could get a spare slot.

But I think the best shield if your shield blocking with right now is the epic Swashbuckler. +6, Superior Parrying , Doublestrike 6% , Guardbreaking, Riposte, Exceptional Dexterity +2, Blue Augment Slot for the -15% with blocking DR 8 To me it feels like the right shield for for the time investment.

So I don’t know about you but I will be standing in a WoF, with my Death Aura ticking, spaming my nerco attacks while blocking or using my lighting 2 maul. It is all about clearing mobs and getting to the end and the XP!