Monday, July 2, 2007

Pally Wizard

The more stuff I read for learning about playing on the high end of playing my Paladin and trying to understand my own class even more, I realize there is TOO MUCH DAM MATH INVOLVED for a character that should be fun to just log on and play. I love my Paladin, but the more stuff I read I'm honestly getting annoyed at the amount of math that's involved in deciding on spec, placing talent points, deciding ones gear set stats or sets, how much damage you can do or even better yet the always ever debate or match up. Pally math on match up Paladin vs Warrior. I never signed up to do Math! I signed up to have Fun, not get a headache doing math calculations.

When I played Secondlife I can't recall having to use this level of math to play a fun game. Yeah I had to align Prims for modeling and carve up and size land in lots on a Sim and such but that was basic stuff. I started playing WoW for fun! Not to get to the upper level and find out I'm going to have to spend a great deal of my time figuring out the .....MATH on my paladin gear stats, talents spec, damage and such just for efficiency. Playing a paladin class is complicated in my opinion, I've figured that out. But why the hell is so much dam Math involved just to have fun playing a paladin? I mean Damm, I though I quit Advance Math & Physics long time ago. I don't want to have to figure out all this math just to play a game character. I don't have to use this complexity of math on my X-Box or PlayStation.

15 comments:

Augustian said...

Don't worry about it too much, just do your own thing and do your best. If any math whatsoever, just aim towards 390 defense for now, by the time you start worrying about crushing blows, the math will be second hand to you.

Anonymous said...

Have to agree with the previous poster, the math is not relevant to you until lvl 70 and not really then either. Aim for a gear with good Defence, Stamina, Splldmg, Armour and Intellect (roughly in that order) and try to hit that magical 490 defence after picking up a blue or 10 in instances and you should be ok. Crushing blow math is simple yet not really needed until you reach Karahzan or other raids. To be honest the math is only necessary when you go from playing “for fun” to playing a bit more seriously, trying to raid and do heroics, and trust me you are no where near that lvl in gear yet, and won’t be for a while after hitting 70. Basically what I am trying to say is, don’t worry about it, the hints and tips they are giving on the forums are all well and good, but much geared towards playing a Tankadin in Raids and Heroics and is merely a point of, I would like to be there one day for those who are aspiring tankadins.

Sylvina Solaris said...

Yeah, they covered it. That's one of the reasons I don't want to be any sort of major raid tank, off-tank, sure, but raid tank outside of Feral Druids, you have WAY too much math and other stats to worry and stress over and need almost exact and particular pieces. It's more headache then it's worth to be a main raid tank.

- Sylvina

megan said...

Mathadin, fractions before actions!

Anyways, I too get headaches from "math" but at the same time, I recognize that basics will vastly improve your gameplay and your appreciation of what's really going on behind the scenes. I suggest you pick and choose your battles (I myself have given up on the new Weapon skill rating calculations since the glancing blow change) and fasten on to what skills/gear/situations you come into in everyday play.

Nibuca said...

Mmmm math. I'm a frustrated math geek.. I want to know why it works.. or rather why it isn't working and I want to back that up with math.

I HATE item comparisons. I HATE having to carry around 3 sets of armor for role switching. Sometimes I can really understand the Protection pally who joins a group and says "nope, I can't heal" instead of "sure, let me just change half my armor to cripple my defense and double my available mana".

David "Southernboy" Hanson said...

Just read this today and even tho my paladin is only level 46 I will use it if it works.
http://blessingofkings.blogspot.com/2007/07/avoidance-macro.html

/script DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage("Need 102.4 combined avoidance. Currently at:",0.8,0.8,1)
/script DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage(GetDodgeChance()+GetBlockChance()+GetParryChance()+5+(GetCombatRating(CR_DEFENSE_SKILL)*150/355 + 20)*0.04,1,0.5,0)

Keiya said...

There's a UI mod that automatically calculates crushing blows etc, it's super duper handy when swapping gear around. I think it's called Tank Points or something like that.

Hehe I wouldn't worry about it too much, as long as you have a basic understanding of the mechanics and what not, you'll do fine. *Is a geek* I derive sick pleasure in turning everything into a math problem >_<

Rob said...

I've been feeling the same way recently. I refuse to carry around three sets of gear, one for each 'specialization.' I've pondered just going back to play my mage again and worrying about nothing but making things ignite! But I'm a sentimentalist and I can't bear to let Jehu rot after I got him every key in existence in the old world and have made significant progress in BC.

Yet another reason why I enjoy being a healadin versus a mathadin (good one megan).

Anonymous said...

Math is extremely important if you want to experience end-game content successfully but there are guides that already have done the math. It is just a matter in getting the gear the guide suggests.

Sylvina Solaris said...

Just a heads up to all the folks upset, gear makes the class not the spec. Now, if you choose to not carry around healing gear, that's your choice, but you're limiting your ability to play the class as a multi-role class.

Long story short:

You can't have everything and be the best at it without making sacrifices. The sacrifices in this case is bag space. This goes for all Hybrids. Spec is only 1/4 of the battle, maybe more like 3/8, in the end however Gear makes you who you are.

Augustian said...

Agreed, spec definetly helps, but if you have the healing gear, 90% of the time you'll be able to heal it.

For healing, all that spec does is make it easier for you to slack off and have your overheal high.

Ardent Defender said...

Gee, lots of Comments from everyone. Much Thanks for all the input from everyone.

I can't say what it was that snapped me to get annoyed on the Math thing with Paladins. Yeah we are hybrids and thus or gear thus determine what role we're in as well as the spec helps. Its math when i have 3 sets of gear and undecided on what to do with them. Yet i do see a lot of math there in determining which set of gear or which point spread make you more effective or which one of the gear i actually wear all math there.

Yeah i know it will matter more at 70 when i get there real soon. And i know i will still think of it then when i get there. I don't hate math. Just seem like there is a heck of a lot of it in figuring out the mechanics of Tanking and the gear that goes with it or off roles.

But will keep in mind gear sets for the different off roles though within my current spec. Yeah doing that is still math.

Paul said...

The maths can seem intimidating at first, but it's easy when you get into it.

Step 1: Get your defense up to 490 (or 485 if you're not raiding).
Step 2: Stack Block/Parry/Dodge until you reach uncrushability (102.4%) with Holy Shield up. As with 490 defense, this is only necessary if you're going to be a raiding Main Tank. If you don't have the patience for that kind of maths, get your hands on Tank Points. It does the calcs for you.

Step Three: Once you've got the Defense cap, and uncrushability if necessary, then stack stamina and spelldamage as necessary to maintain threat and take the beating.

Step Four: Laugh bitterly at how easy tanking Warriors/Druids have it.

Ardent Defender said...

Thanks for that tip. Don't think many other classes have it as hard as paladins or with the math either.

Blogged this on my new iPhone straight from work. Give a new meaning to playing WoW & Blogging on a phone :)

Paul said...

Tanks are defined by their gear, tanking hybrids doubly so. The ability to avoid/absorb as much damage as possible whilst generating sufficent threat to let the DPSers go nuts is a tricky balance.

That said, in my case it's paid off. In Chaotic Divinty, the two best geared and preferred tanks for raids are Ulushnar and a Feral Druid. We don't currently have a Prot Warrior who can touch either of us, although there's a couple who are catching up.

Then again, I've been playing tabletop RPGs since I was twelve, so I'm used to numbercrunching and stat manipulation. Strangely enough, it's what I look for in any PC or Xbox games that really absorb me, be it NWN, WoW, the Elder Scrolls or KoTOR.