To all the newer fighters out there looking for advice.

[Stupid Miner]

<Rant-Ramble>
Realize this: that if you copy someone else's template your character's maximum potential can only meet, not exceed, that player's potential. (unless they're playing their char sub-optimally)

Don't think that the commonly posted templates are the only viable ones, there's one basic theme that they all revolve around, hit life leech of some sort, and the rest is up to each person's preference.

Take my template for example:
118.2 Bushido
70 chiv
100 necro
109.8 weaving
100 SS
120 Swords
100 tactics
132 hp 120 stam 54 mana.
4/6 casting 45 dci 20 HCI and only 20 DI (+weapon) 40 lmc, and 9 mr

He's terribly suboptimal for exclusively PvM purposes, but he's soloed a Stygian Dragon, and there's little he can't kill. (possibly not Melisande, haven't tried)

It's tedious seeing 20 new threads a day asking for help on building a Sampire.
Why build a generic template? Be creative, design your own.

Another example:
I have a friend who says he uses a Bladeweaver/Swords Sampire gargoyle to great effect: able to hit for 400+ damage total with a momentum strike from a soul glaive.

If you're not sure if a design will work, go to Test Center and test it!
What about a wraith form archer that throws up summons as meat-shields?
3 Necro animates along with whatever you want for the 5 pets slots.

Or some form of noxer melee fighter that uses parasitic poison to leech back extra life? Could toss on corpse skins to lower their poison resistance by 15 points.

Anyone tried out the effects of an 18 HPR suit?
...or an 18 HPR suit in dog form (+40 hpr i think) casting mirror images? It's not like you need the special attacks for 1v1 fighting, and can quickly switch to wolf form to flee.

Did you know that with a level 6 focus you can clear an entire screen of low-tier champ critters in 2 casts with Essence of Wind?

Also, I still haven't noticed anyone who's figured out the reason why JoaT is far and away better than elf-bonuses.
It's better-known by PvPers, but still not widely known, and I haven't come across any PvMer that knows it.
How do you find out? *Research*



Basically what I'm trying to say is, there are a whole TON of template combinations that people haven't tried out yet.

So quit being sheep and try something new.
</Rant-Ramble>

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

I agree with the sentiment but not that they 'all revolve around life leech of some sort', the Ninja which you mention yourself doesn't.

60 HPR and images is very powerful, though images are powerful anyway.

The benefits of human JOAT are frequently posted. I'm sure I've posted it at least 3x myself, the main ones are 2 HPR, increased carrying capactiy for all the pots/bandages/boxes/petals/bolas/summon balls and all the rest of it. Base Med & Focus. Spellweaving, Gift of Renewal and Attunement, even Natures Furys, and Thunderstorm for revealing. Tracking. Hiding. Animal Lore, you can Lore anything Tamed, some PvPers train the Resist on their mounts. Theres also lesser known ones like Alchemy gives a bonus to EP, Inscribe makes Protection penalties slightly less.

Elfs get 20 mana, which doesn't make much difference its regeneration that counts, if you have more mana but run out quicker you're not better off. They get Nightsight, which humans can have on earrings anyway, or make NS potions with their JOAT Alchemy.

Gargoyles get no mount & Berserk, which gives -5 to resists when your HP drops below 30 and 15 SSI & 1 FC. The idea of your resists dropping while you're dying isn't the best thought out racial ability.

*Don't mean to sound like I'm picking holes if thats how it come accross, like I said I agree with the sentiment, just trying to answer a few.*

Edit: Humans can also cast higher from scrolls, PvP dexxers often carry Teleport/Wall Of Stone.

 

[Stupid Miner]

Spellweaving, Gift of Renewal and Attunement

Ah, finally someone gets it

... for those who still don't understand i'll post the numbers:

Gift of Renewal - JoaT and Level 6 Focus
11 HP regenerated every 2 seconds for 90 seconds (495 total)
Cooldown timer 60 seconds

Attunement - JoaT and Level 6 Focus
83 Damage Absorbed (or wears off in 132 seconds)
Cooldown timer 180 seconds

I agree with the sentiment but not that they 'all revolve around life leech of some sort', the Ninja which you mention yourself doesn't.

Well generally they all do, with a few exceptions.
But the point was more at: Necro is typically the only skill you *need* other than Weapon Skill/Tactics, still leaves plenty of room to customize yourself.

 

[Nyses]

Good Post Miner.

Don't forget Natuers fury, with JOAT, you have about a 55% chance to cast (maybe wrong on the %, I thought at 37.5 Spellweaving you had a 100% casting). Great for distractions or getting stuff on ledges.

The way I figure it, you only NEED 2 skills to be considered a Sampire. Samurai = Bushido and Vampire = Necro. I suppose everything else is an option. have fun exploring those options.

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

Ah ok, it didn't read like it was specific to Necro/Dexxers to me, but if it was meant that way then yeah you would need it.