vistachiri
Dalayan Master
Ok before I start this let me clarify I'm not talking about raid weapons as I'm not really aware of a great variety on them thus can't really speak on that particular area. What I am talking about is highend droppable caster weapons. When the med change happened it was mainly intended I would think for healers, who have a decent amount of weapons and just never really ended up using them, fair enough, but intcasters also can melee, and got a cap raise. However there seems to be a pretty huge lack of weapons with which we can do so, at least those that I'd consider viable to their nonweaponly alternatives. Specifically theres a huuge dearth of 1hers of the blunt persuasion.
1hb
Well for mages at least the absolute best I've seen is very sadly...the starfall. Beats the pants off anything else I've seen droppable. Ratio and bonuswise. Now granted it's also beaten out fairly heftily by the stratos sphere, which rocks, but doesnt count for the purposes of this discussion as its nodrop raidgear. Ice crystal staff also rocks...but again raidgear. For a reference of staff of the elements
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM NO DROP
Slot: PRIMARY
Skill: 1H Blunt Atk Delay: 25
DMG: 11
Effect: Elemental Vortex (Must Wear Clicky, Instant)
Focus Effect: Companion Health III
STR: +2 STA: +2 AGI: +2 DEX: +2 INT: +8 CHA: +8
SV FIRE: +6 SV DISEASE: +6 SV COLD: +6 SV POISON: +6
Reccomended Level 30.
WT: 3.3 Size: MEDIUM
Class: MAG
Race: ALL
Staff of the charismatic really doesnt count b/c unless im very mistaken it no longer drops, and malicious scepter, again raid loot. Really 1hb seems to be the most neglected area. Petrified goblin skull is kickass for the ft1 and the cha, unfortunately not intcaster usable though.
Piercing
This area is meh as well but faaaar more variety than 1hb. Heartseeker really I don't think counts b/c those certainly arent casterbased stats, although its ok. Reznolaw fang does, but again not even close to casterbased stats even though it has quite a bit of dex on it. Large shard of flame has alot of mana, and an ok ratio but really if you're not starting to get into raidgear yet, are looking at the droppable stuff at 65 w/out a ton of aa's you still probably have stats to max.
Reznolaw Fang
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY SECONDARY
Skill: Piercing Atk Delay: 27
DMG: 14
DEX: +20
WT: 3.2 Size: SMALL
Class: WAR RNG BRD ROG NEC WIZ MAG ENC BST
Race: ALL
Krizbits jabber...krizbit could be 1grouped I'd figure, but the weapon really gets its ass pretty much handily kicked by the mage starfall again. That and its nodrop so again outside my focus here. Same with cabalist ritual knife, although he's not all that difficult. The ratio sucks, but the stats are at least ok.. resist are pretty decent on it though, and im not quite sure what the proc is...havent seen it go off in the 2 days ive had it.
Worm pincer however is a viable option...sort of. Great for someone who doesnt already have damage increment, and better ratio than most of the weapons. Still I wouldnt exactly consider it "highend" Especially since the mob it drops off of really isnt very hard at all.
Worm Pincer
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY
Skill: Piercing Atk Delay: 20
DMG: 5 AC: 5
Focus Effect: Damage Increment IV
INT: +6 CHA: +6 MANA: +50
SV Disease: +8
WT: 3.0 Size: SMALL
Class: NEC WIZ MAG ENC
Race: ALL
Sharpened skeletal remains seem to really be one of the best options in this area, being both droppable, and having 10int and cha on them. The ratio is ok though not omg, and the proc is well....its not all that useful, a 10mana tap iirc. But still one of the best in this particular category, at least that I've seen. Mob it drops off also isnt that hard though, beaten it several times with 3 neither of which being a healer or tank.
In the realm of 2hb we have
Piter's Walking Staff
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY
Skill: 2H Blunt Atk Delay: 60
DMG: 40 AC: 10
STA: +4 WIS: +10 INT: +10 MANA: +80
SVDISEASE: +10 SVMAGIC: +10 SVPOISON: +10
Required Level of 26.
WT: 5.0 Size: MEDIUM
Class: CLR PAL SHD DRU MNK SHM NEC WIZ MAG ENC BST
Race: ALL
Piter's pretty rare but it is droppable and very decent, however if you're going 2hb and you're a mage or have one in your group...you'd pretty much be nuts keeping that on instead of a ft3 staff in my personal opinion. But then again, other than greatstaff of the summoner, which is useful until you get aegis of magic, then its really garbage again, its one of the best droppable choices in the category.
and 1hs???
Eternal Hand of Tarhansar
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY
Skill: 1H Slashing Atk Delay: 30
DMG: 3
Focus Effect: Affliction Enhancement V
STR: +12 STA: +12 CHA: +8 INT: +15 HP: +75 MANA: +45
WT: 1.5 Size: SMALL
Class: NEC WIZ MAG ENC
Race: ALL
odd b/c I dont think we have a 1hs skill at all, more of use to the necros and chanters out there than wiz or mag, but still rocks. Finally something droppable that beats out the mag starfall in terms of intcaster important stats. But one alternative thats droppable kinda sucks, notwithstanding the difficulty of the eternal one encounter but meh, its droppable so that balances. The ratio still blows but at least its an option to hit things w/this.
Now consider these with some droppable loot of the nonweaponly persuasion. Such as
Coldstone's Globe of Conjuration
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY SECONDARY
Focus Effect: Companion Strength IV
STR: 15 STA: 15 WIS: 10 INT: 10
SV Magic: 10
WT: 0.5 Size: SMALL
Class: CLR DRU SHM NEC WIZ MAG ENC
Race: ALL
Which totally beats the ass off of all of the above for classes with a pet. Or really even in general, except for the eternal hand. 10 sv vs magic is also nothing to scoff at either.
Off everyones favorite big yellow semitoothless one-eyed bruiser we also have orb of the all seeing which is pretty much just acumen constantly w/a massive 25 int boost, but droppable nonweaponly and a damm sight better than most of the weapons. The heart of mielech and vingrin's wand also win pretty much against most of the weapons, One being buyable, the other pretty easily questable, w/certain components being buyable. Think I pretty much covered most of the weapons if not all in the scope. Though let me add I'm not looking for some fantasitic goditems nor suggesting there should be some, theres enough of those in the raidgame where they should be,but some viable weapon alternative to the faaaar better nonweapon alternatives would make casters a little less likely to just cast and chill.
1hb
Well for mages at least the absolute best I've seen is very sadly...the starfall. Beats the pants off anything else I've seen droppable. Ratio and bonuswise. Now granted it's also beaten out fairly heftily by the stratos sphere, which rocks, but doesnt count for the purposes of this discussion as its nodrop raidgear. Ice crystal staff also rocks...but again raidgear. For a reference of staff of the elements
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM NO DROP
Slot: PRIMARY
Skill: 1H Blunt Atk Delay: 25
DMG: 11
Effect: Elemental Vortex (Must Wear Clicky, Instant)
Focus Effect: Companion Health III
STR: +2 STA: +2 AGI: +2 DEX: +2 INT: +8 CHA: +8
SV FIRE: +6 SV DISEASE: +6 SV COLD: +6 SV POISON: +6
Reccomended Level 30.
WT: 3.3 Size: MEDIUM
Class: MAG
Race: ALL
Staff of the charismatic really doesnt count b/c unless im very mistaken it no longer drops, and malicious scepter, again raid loot. Really 1hb seems to be the most neglected area. Petrified goblin skull is kickass for the ft1 and the cha, unfortunately not intcaster usable though.
Piercing
This area is meh as well but faaaar more variety than 1hb. Heartseeker really I don't think counts b/c those certainly arent casterbased stats, although its ok. Reznolaw fang does, but again not even close to casterbased stats even though it has quite a bit of dex on it. Large shard of flame has alot of mana, and an ok ratio but really if you're not starting to get into raidgear yet, are looking at the droppable stuff at 65 w/out a ton of aa's you still probably have stats to max.
Reznolaw Fang
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY SECONDARY
Skill: Piercing Atk Delay: 27
DMG: 14
DEX: +20
WT: 3.2 Size: SMALL
Class: WAR RNG BRD ROG NEC WIZ MAG ENC BST
Race: ALL
Krizbits jabber...krizbit could be 1grouped I'd figure, but the weapon really gets its ass pretty much handily kicked by the mage starfall again. That and its nodrop so again outside my focus here. Same with cabalist ritual knife, although he's not all that difficult. The ratio sucks, but the stats are at least ok.. resist are pretty decent on it though, and im not quite sure what the proc is...havent seen it go off in the 2 days ive had it.
Worm pincer however is a viable option...sort of. Great for someone who doesnt already have damage increment, and better ratio than most of the weapons. Still I wouldnt exactly consider it "highend" Especially since the mob it drops off of really isnt very hard at all.
Worm Pincer
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY
Skill: Piercing Atk Delay: 20
DMG: 5 AC: 5
Focus Effect: Damage Increment IV
INT: +6 CHA: +6 MANA: +50
SV Disease: +8
WT: 3.0 Size: SMALL
Class: NEC WIZ MAG ENC
Race: ALL
Sharpened skeletal remains seem to really be one of the best options in this area, being both droppable, and having 10int and cha on them. The ratio is ok though not omg, and the proc is well....its not all that useful, a 10mana tap iirc. But still one of the best in this particular category, at least that I've seen. Mob it drops off also isnt that hard though, beaten it several times with 3 neither of which being a healer or tank.
In the realm of 2hb we have
Piter's Walking Staff
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY
Skill: 2H Blunt Atk Delay: 60
DMG: 40 AC: 10
STA: +4 WIS: +10 INT: +10 MANA: +80
SVDISEASE: +10 SVMAGIC: +10 SVPOISON: +10
Required Level of 26.
WT: 5.0 Size: MEDIUM
Class: CLR PAL SHD DRU MNK SHM NEC WIZ MAG ENC BST
Race: ALL
Piter's pretty rare but it is droppable and very decent, however if you're going 2hb and you're a mage or have one in your group...you'd pretty much be nuts keeping that on instead of a ft3 staff in my personal opinion. But then again, other than greatstaff of the summoner, which is useful until you get aegis of magic, then its really garbage again, its one of the best droppable choices in the category.
and 1hs???
Eternal Hand of Tarhansar
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY
Skill: 1H Slashing Atk Delay: 30
DMG: 3
Focus Effect: Affliction Enhancement V
STR: +12 STA: +12 CHA: +8 INT: +15 HP: +75 MANA: +45
WT: 1.5 Size: SMALL
Class: NEC WIZ MAG ENC
Race: ALL
odd b/c I dont think we have a 1hs skill at all, more of use to the necros and chanters out there than wiz or mag, but still rocks. Finally something droppable that beats out the mag starfall in terms of intcaster important stats. But one alternative thats droppable kinda sucks, notwithstanding the difficulty of the eternal one encounter but meh, its droppable so that balances. The ratio still blows but at least its an option to hit things w/this.
Now consider these with some droppable loot of the nonweaponly persuasion. Such as
Coldstone's Globe of Conjuration
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM
Slot: PRIMARY SECONDARY
Focus Effect: Companion Strength IV
STR: 15 STA: 15 WIS: 10 INT: 10
SV Magic: 10
WT: 0.5 Size: SMALL
Class: CLR DRU SHM NEC WIZ MAG ENC
Race: ALL
Which totally beats the ass off of all of the above for classes with a pet. Or really even in general, except for the eternal hand. 10 sv vs magic is also nothing to scoff at either.
Off everyones favorite big yellow semitoothless one-eyed bruiser we also have orb of the all seeing which is pretty much just acumen constantly w/a massive 25 int boost, but droppable nonweaponly and a damm sight better than most of the weapons. The heart of mielech and vingrin's wand also win pretty much against most of the weapons, One being buyable, the other pretty easily questable, w/certain components being buyable. Think I pretty much covered most of the weapons if not all in the scope. Though let me add I'm not looking for some fantasitic goditems nor suggesting there should be some, theres enough of those in the raidgame where they should be,but some viable weapon alternative to the faaaar better nonweapon alternatives would make casters a little less likely to just cast and chill.