Tranquilizer, Do you have it?

[ioshua]

I'm thinking of picking one of these up. I've got an Attuner and a Target Marker and the percentage based nature of the attachments has made a mind-blowing increase in my auto's output in xp parties. However, I can only ever pull out my Valor or Sharpshot. Spell resists are -killing- me. It's bad enough that I can't stomach using any caster head and my skills are seriously hurting because of it. It's one thing if I got partial resists now and again but when Ranged is consistently hitting for 145 and Fire II is hitting for all of 16 I just can't do it.

Does the +macc increase function in a similar way? Is the effect dramatic enough to merit the 300k+ no-refund cash dump? I'm almost there but the wife suggested I actually ask somebody before dropping the dough. If my little Fou will still be gimped out due to resists, I'll save my gil for something better.

[Silent Howler]

Re: Tranquilizer, Do you have it?

I assume it would help, but I have yet to get my hands on that attachment myself so I can't say from experience. The Guide by Poof unfortuntely doesn't have much to say about Tranquilizer and just says you can achieve more consistant numbers... which I assume would mean less resists, but depending on your automaton's magic skill it might only raise it up to 50/50 chance of resist or not.

[ioshua]

Re: Tranquilizer, Do you have it?

I'm receiving consistent 16s at the moment. *chuckle*

I've about got the cash, now I just need to find someone selling one. I'm not the kind of guy to run serious testing but I'll post what off-the-cuff numbers I see.

[Langley]

Re: Tranquilizer, Do you have it?

What's your magic skill at and what level are you? Pretty much the best thing you can do is make sure that's *at least* with 15 points (kind of pushing it at that, but you can still catch your skill up in exp at that range) from the cap before even trying to use it on exp mobs. Also, tranquilizer is going to be up on the AH less than even the ENM 60 attachments because of their odd and somewhat unpredictable source: an quest reward requiring appraisal from a chest at the end of the repeatable quest Targeting the Captain. (Which you should try to go on whenever possible once you hit 75 to have a chance at getting the very nice rare drop Barbarossa's Zerehs.) The point I'd like to emphasize is that while attachments can often dramatically increase your effectiveness, even the best of them still won't cover for lack of melee/ranged/magic skill. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to just set a day or two aside and catch up the skill levels on the frame you haven't been using for exp. Tranquilizer especially is one that can wait awhile. It's useful, but if you're short on cash it's best to just keep it on the back burner for now.

[ioshua]

Re: Tranquilizer, Do you have it?

As of last night I've got about 100k more than I need to buy one, even if someone is gouging. Magic skill, when I first started seeing the problem, was at cap. However, we were fighting 7-10 levels below so that could have had something to do with it. I broke out Spiritreaver last night and, against a 3-6 level difference the hits were far, far more reliable. I would even stick about 3 out of 4 Absorb-Int whenever I'd have a dark up and forget to throw ice *groan*.

I made up, I think, 12 full points of casting skill and am heading quickly to capping. With Target Marker and Attuner covering for melee/ranged skill gaps, I think I'll be able to keep auto. magic at max and catch up with the others when able. I'm still getting the Tranquilizer when I can. As it stands, the only upgrades I can buy for my auto or myself are in the "expensive" to "crazy expensive" range anyway. I might as well put them on Foucade where they'll have more noticeable effect.

I nearly had a Condenser last night but the price jumped from a solid 100k for the past year to 250k in the span of 2 sales. Thanks, I'll pass for now.

[ioshua]

Re: Tranquilizer, Do you have it?

So, I got one.

400k and it was worth it. At worst, at least when fighting things within the bounds of sanity, DD resists went from 90% reduction to about 40% at the worst. I haven't rolled out and used Fou as a dedicated debuffer but with how often Absorb-Int is landing compared to before (read: forgot to use an ice maneuver), I'm sure the rest will be even better.

Imo, if you're serious about pup and will be fighting ITs, get a Tranq. It's like a Target Marker or Attuner. You need it to really make using your Pup in an xp party worthwhile.

I've still got about 200k in master gear off the AH that I need to get before 75 but, past that, I'm down to just the crazy expensive attachments. I'm not sure if I'm getting an Optic Fiber or Condenser next, probably the fiber. Cmon Seraph, time to start spamming those Assaults and drive the prices back down!

[Silent Howler]

Re: Tranquilizer, Do you have it?

Thanks for the info. I think this will be the next attachment I try to shoot for. I'm only level 44 and chose Soulsoother at 40, so I won't be doing any serious magic damage quite yet. But I'll probably try to get it by at least level 50.

[ioshua]

Re: Tranquilizer, Do you have it?

50 is really where I started seeing the problem. The mobs we were targeting were farther away and the number of ups needed per level are greater so you've got more ground to cover. If I did it again I'd get the Attuner and Target Marker before 50 and then Tranq.

I wouldn't have had the money before then anyhow.