Jeff's warning is warranted, but things aren't as bad as he
puts them. I can only think of 2 or 3 occasions out of scores
where my accidently chaining a mob that's been snared has
caused problems. In fact, when you get to your mid-30s, the
rangers will *want* you to chain so they can use their ebony
blades (procs ensnaring roots - 40 point DD and root, which
cancels snare). The sword is a nice upgrade from the SSoMorin
they've been using up til now, and the SSoYkesha is still out
of their grasp.
On Tue, 21 Mar 2000, Jeff Illian wrote:
>
> Chains effect rarely lasts 3 ticks. If you get a single resist, especially
Chain usually lasts 3 ticks. It rarely lasts 3 ticks if
you're fighting a very high blue or higher.
> at higher levels, expect the MOB to start moving. When it comes time for
> the MOB to start running, you better not be trying to weave chains with
> another song either. In most high level dungeons your margin of error for a
> runner is minimal. A fire imp running on an efreeti raid doesn't need to go
The imp familiars are hardly typical. The only places I can
think of like the imps are the fire giants, ice giants, and
the planes. Maybe the mermaids in Estrella's room.
> far to bring h3ll down on your raiding party and even in deep paw, a gnoll
> escapes out of a room into the hallway and you are toast.
>
> If your chains is in effect and snare is cast, it won't stick. It takes a
> druid or ranger long enough to recycle to be able to cast again that the
> lost time could mean death as well. Worse even, I've seen bards (including
> myself) press the wrong key and chain a MOB that is already snared... The
> effect is to break snare and in a few seconds your MOB is suddenly on the
> loose. Have one of these things happen once and I guarantee a good group
> with make you stop using chains or will disband from you. You should go
> talk to high level rangers or druids and ask them what they hate most about
> bards... you'll find they all hate the bards that insist on chaining or are
> convinced chains is better then snare.
I think you may be suffering from an overdependence on snare.
:) 95% of the time, chain is sufficient. 98% of the time,
chain+root is sufficient. 99% of the time, chain+stun+root is
sufficient. Snare puts it at 100% for just one spell, which
makes it the preferred method. Except for the efreeti run and
fights against white-red mobs, I've *never* been in a
situation where the group said "We don't have a snarer, we
can't do this."
> At around level 25 is when the good bards start getting set apart from the
> bad bards and one of the traits of a bad bard is to tell other classes how
> to do their job or try to fulfill roles that are clearly already filled by
> another class in a party. How many bards would pixie a MOB that an
> enchanter mezzed? I keep pixie up, but not as a replacement for mez, but
Actually, that's a good way to wake up the mob - get it madder
at you than at the enchanter and his paper-thin robes. :)
The other good ways are stun, or root (though root doesn't
wake it up).
> My brother's character is a druid and I can't even begin to describe how
> much better snare/fear works then chains/fear on the big stuff. Especially
> against larger MOBs where fear gets resisted. A lot of the time fear lasts
> a single pulse.
Well of course. He's a caster, he doesn't care of the mob is
moving. Play with a bunch of melee types and they'll like
Chain/Fear better because the mob stops moving sooner.
> You want a group friendly slowdown? Use binding. And no, it doesn't wake
> up mezzed mobs. Don't use either if you have a shaman with togors who can
> get it to stick.
If it works like chain and CoC, if the shaman casts togors
first, you can use binding afterwards to get the AC debuff and
slow down/taunt extra mobs.
> Don't get me wrong, I love my bard and I love my songs, but I also know when
> to use them and when not too. I do everything I can to learn about the
> other classes and their strengths and weaknesses so that I can make sure my
> song line up augments a party instead of being a detriment.
>
> Taneran Dreamweaver
> <Clan Jax>
> Opinionated Bard of the 45th song
> Prexus
--
John H. Kim
kim@...