So You Wanna Feel Useful... The Dominator Guide.

[Inixia]

I wouldn't do this unless you use it as one of your last spells being castes at the end of the mez. Or else it sort of defeats the purppose of the mez.

I'm saying mental shock is the last spell cast during mezz (thus breaking it), you should of course use non breaking buffs/debuffs before it and setup other spells (Edit: maybe even throw in split personality later on right before mental shock if there is some delay between the creation of the shades and them dpsing the opponent so you can still break the mezz with the stun), but the stun plus dmg is a very good controlled break. Its a tradeoff between some direct damage and matchup control, sure, but I think it is a very secure strategy and it could be better than breaking the mezz straight off with a direct dmg spell that allows the opponent to gain control.
the silence shouldn't interfere with the storm shackle as silence should still allow movement.

[Verse]

Another fun thing to mention is Neural Prod. What? Our level 0 damage spell, why is that worth mentioning? Because it's instacast and spam-able. You might not kite like a ranger or marksman but the mobility that offers is just another tool in your toolbox.

[Inixia]

Its spammable.. but it is very low dmg and the global cooldown of (1.5 seconds) still restricts the amount that you can spam it. Using the numbers from the rift soul builder to try to estimate base dmg (which I'm sure there will be some discrepencies in, but as a starting guess) it seems like it will end up being very low damage per second of casting/cooldown as opposed to other spells. Its very good for gaining charges though seems like.

[Narshima]

So you want to be a dominator.
So now that you're hyped about what a dominator can do lets move on to your abilities themselves. Starting at level 0 you get YOUR MOST IMPORTANT SPELL IN THE WHOLE TREE Transmogrify. This spell Like the EQ1 Enchnaters Mesmerize or the Vanguard Psionicists Time Trick, turns your target into a squirrel rendering them completely harmless making tough pull easy, turning boss fights with 2 giants into 2 back to back single fights or rendering the other groups cleric unable to heal mua ha ha ha ha.... until that guy whose not paying attention in your party does a single point of damage to them then all hell breaks loose. Yes folks, the greatest weakness of the dominator is a group who don't know what you can do. Explain that when there is an add DO NOT DOT IT, DO NOT OFF TANK just ignore it and let the dominator squirrel away your problems.

I wish everyone that played a mage was required to read this. Groups that I have played in with a mage that had the dominator soul equipped went so much more smooth than those that did not.

[Verse]

Its spammable.. but it is very low dmg and the global cooldown of (1.5 seconds) still restricts the amount that you can spam it. Using the numbers from the rift soul builder to try to estimate base dmg (which I'm sure there will be some discrepencies in, but as a starting guess) it seems like it will end up being very low damage per second of casting/cooldown as opposed to other spells. Its very good for gaining charges though seems like.

Aye. That's why I praised its mobility not its damage. My point is you don't have to just stand there while building charge. That alone makes Dom one of the more mobile casters.

[Inixia]

Aye. That's why I praised its mobility not its damage. My point is you don't have to just stand there while building charge. That alone make Dom one of the more mobile casters.

Oh, I see! I'm sorry I misinterpreted what you were saying .

Edit: Also I was wondering, how played in relation to other classes do you guys think dominator will end up?

[Cefrum]

A very nice guide, it is well written and thought out.

[Izkimar]

I'm saying mental shock is the last spell cast during mezz (thus breaking it), you should of course use non breaking buffs/debuffs before it and setup other spells (Edit: maybe even throw in split personality later on right before mental shock if there is some delay between the creation of the shades and them dpsing the opponent so you can still break the mezz with the stun), but the stun plus dmg is a very good controlled break. Its a tradeoff between some direct damage and matchup control, sure, but I think it is a very secure strategy and it could be better than breaking the mezz straight off with a direct dmg spell that allows the opponent to gain control.
the silence shouldn't interfere with the storm shackle as silence should still allow movement.

I'm sorry what I said kind of makes no sense, but I still don't understand your motives here. When the OP was talking about the mez I think he meant transmorgify instead unless I'm wrong and that is more relevant to what we are talking about. Transmorgify reduces your casting time, so Idk why you would want to use that time to just shock them again right away. For instance with a Pyro build, use Trans, then do a huge spike dmg ability like Cinder burst which would be reduced to a 2.9 sec cast, then if he's far enough use a modified 1 sec cast of Fireball, then thunder blast and Transmorgify again. If you find the player still getting up to you, or another player coming in then use mental shock. That's not even including the roots and teleport you get with the Pyro setup. I just don't understand why you would want to transmorgify then mental blast right away just doesn't seem to be the way you would want to use it.

[Slaave]

I'm sorry what I said kind of makes no sense, but I still don't understand your motives here. When the OP was talking about the mez I think he meant transmorgify instead unless I'm wrong and that is more relevant to what we are talking about. Transmorgify reduces your casting time, so Idk why you would want to use that time to just shock them again right away. For instance with a Pyro build, use Trans, then do a huge spike dmg ability like Cinder burst which would be reduced to a 2.9 sec cast, then if he's far enough use a modified 1 sec cast of Fireball, then thunder blast and Transmorgify again. If you find the player still getting up to you, or another player coming in then use mental shock. That's not even including the roots and teleport you get with the Pyro setup. I just don't understand why you would want to transmorgify then mental blast right away just doesn't seem to be the way you would want to use it.

This guys got it Also don't forget that the first attack that you use against a Mez'd target is at a 50% damage boost starting with a stun wastes that increase. If you want to have a more steady DPS output you can mez, Cinder burst THEN stun then continue DPS rotation. Thing is though with big spike/mez/big spike combo You can wait on cooldowns and on cast time while the targets mez'd so pretty much every spell is the equivalent to instant cast. They can't move around or attack why bother with something small.

[Stimuz]

Arresting presence is a long duration silence aura. At 100 charge its a 10 second (ish) silence. in Warfronts, give your team a heads up get a healer targeting you drop that and run right into their zerg-pile 90% of the time they get confused and can't figure out where the silence is and all their mages can't nuke and all their clerics can't heal (or in rift the opposite sometimes occurs). Then there's Priests Lambent. This spell KILLS healers. Here, let me show you: "Debuffs the enemy causing any healing or beneficial abilities they attempt to use to have a 60% chance of silence them for 3 seconds" and it ONLY HAS A 20 SECOND COOLDOWN AND LASTS 15 SECONDS! this spell is almost ALWAYS active so long as you remember to drop it. If you are about to try and focus fire down a healer this spell is mana from heaven, see a rogue jumping a cleric off to your side, stop what you're doing drop that on the cleric, see a cleric heal somone you're fighting? Stop what your doing.... you get the picture. this spell is great, be sure to take it, be sure to use it.

Arresting Presence is indeed overpowered for chasing down clerics who are being focused. HOWEVER, priests lament is not as good as you claim, not against good clerics. It can and will be cleansed instantly HOWEVER it is amazing to drop on a healer you have transmog'd as its about to break to force him to use a global to clean it. Also great to drop on any cleric being focused.

Oh, forgot the name of that DoT that stacks to 10 and removes stacks as players move. That is my favorite way to get a pet off me. Just stand there spam zaps and watch the pet disappear.

[Inixia]

I'm sorry what I said kind of makes no sense, but I still don't understand your motives here. When the OP was talking about the mez I think he meant transmorgify instead unless I'm wrong and that is more relevant to what we are talking about. Transmorgify reduces your casting time, so Idk why you would want to use that time to just shock them again right away. For instance with a Pyro build, use Trans, then do a huge spike dmg ability like Cinder burst which would be reduced to a 2.9 sec cast, then if he's far enough use a modified 1 sec cast of Fireball, then thunder blast and Transmorgify again. If you find the player still getting up to you, or another player coming in then use mental shock. That's not even including the roots and teleport you get with the Pyro setup. I just don't understand why you would want to transmorgify then mental blast right away just doesn't seem to be the way you would want to use it.

Right, when I say mezz I'm talking about transmorgify too, or possibly disorient or another confuse effect depending on how confuse works- but basically mezz meaning long duration, disabling, break on dmg. All the confuse and polymorph effects should reduce cast time if I remember right. Why stun them right away? The goal is to be able to safely dps an enemy while they are disabled- stuns, roots, and silences usually still stay in effect while the enemy takes dmg. By dpsing them without using dmg taking control effects to break the mezz you risk the enemy being able to cast or control spell you back while you are dpsing there are ways you can still dish out dmg while disabling the enemy, so in a way breaking the mezz for the chance of higher dps can in fact be a risk, plus the stun does have some dmg attatched and hides the storm shackle root period (if that's relevant). What I'm trying to accomplish with this setup is a way to mix in dps with control effects in a way that you can create a safer attack strategy.

edit: idk just my opinion of course strat will end up being a personal choice.

[Izkimar]

Arresting Presence is indeed overpowered for chasing down clerics who are being focused. HOWEVER, priests lament is not as good as you claim, not against good clerics. It can and will be cleansed instantly HOWEVER it is amazing to drop on a healer you have transmog'd as its about to break to force him to use a global to clean it. Also great to drop on any cleric being focused.

Yeah but no matter how good the cleric is he has to have 2 points into Warden to get that cleanse atm. However, say a Sent/Pur/Templar spec'd cleric is what you are up against at 50 he will have just as good of a cleanse through Purifier. But, as it is right now the Sent cleanse is only situational and that situation in which it is used doesn't happen all that often, so you find yourself aching for those points in Warden in some situations.

[Izkimar]

Right, when I say mezz I'm talking about transmorgify too, or possibly disorient or another confuse effect depending on how confuse works- but basically mezz meaning long duration, disabling, break on dmg. All the confuse and polymorph effects should reduce cast time if I remember right. Why stun them right away? The goal is to be able to safely dps an enemy while they are disabled- stuns, roots, and silences usually still stay in effect while the enemy takes dmg. By dpsing them without using dmg taking control effects to break the mezz you risk the enemy being able to cast or control spell you back while you are dpsing there are ways you can still dish out dmg while disabling the enemy, so in a way breaking the mezz for the chance of higher dps can in fact be a risk, plus the stun does have some dmg attatched and hides the storm shackle root period (if that's relevant). What I'm trying to accomplish with this setup is a way to mix in dps with control effects in a way that you can create a safer attack strategy.

That's still not the ideal way to do it and is completely counter productive. To do what you want you wouldn't need transmorgify. Also, why even those 5 points in Controlled Opportunity would be completely wasted because 50% dmg increase on a Mental Shock scales nowhere in comparison to the other spike dmg. moves you could be using. To make more sense out of what you want to do would be to Trans, then while they are still transmorgified you hit them with that long cast spike dmg, then you Stun them and hit them, then repeat. But, stunning them right after you transmorgify is completely wasteful and doesn't help you out at all.

[Inixia]

Breaking the mezz without a stun or silence can be wasteful too imo for a single target spell because then the enemy has time to control spell you back (most mages get the 0pt dom abilities for pvp) and wait off any timed debuffs/buffs they have on them, or cure off all of the healing/dmg debuffs you put on them, or port to you and disable you, etc... The 50% spike dmg is lost some on mental shock, but the goal is to secure the long term dmg output instead of the short term single target addition (which will amount to a smaller amount than I think a lot of people assume).

[Slaave]

Stunning someone to break a polymorph is not at all wasteful... the polymorph allows you time to setup various debuffs and buffs on the enemy, reduce any cooldowns you have, and then control the break. That's extremely useful, and mezzing to stun and silence in eq2 was a huge strat for cc. Breaking the mezz without a stun or silence can in fact be wasteful for a single target spell because then the enemy has time to control spell you back (most mages get the 0pt dom abilities for pvp) and wait off any timed debuffs/buffs they have on them, or cure off all of the healing/dmg debuffs you put on them, or port to you and disable you, etc... The 50% spike dmg is lost some on mental shock, but the goal is to secure the long term dmg output instead of the short term single target addition (which will amount to a smaller amount than I think a lot of people assume). Plus since it is your first single target dmg spell in the match it can be risky sometimes if the opponent has any of the various reflects up to do something too big.

I think both you and izkimar are right in your own ways. However you're forgetting you can move and they can't while in mez why not Mez get out of thier LoS Cast your big nuke (lightning strike or cinder) for that HUGE wallop with extra 50% and as that goes off you have increased cast speed from trans and your casting time on trans is lowered via another talent and Suddenly you're at a 1 second trans, that gives them ONE SECOND to spin to face you and get off thier attack otherwise they're mez'd again they start a 1 second cast spell even a milasecond behind you and your mez or stun interupts it and you can carry on. and on a mage that extra 50% on a cinder burst crit can often drop people a HUGE amount of HP if you see they're really low just pop a thunderblast and if they were using anything but an instant cast its been interupted and you've either dropped them dead or will be able to on next GCD.