Druids Charm Problem

[Dreaddor]

Why is my weaker charm spell stronger?
When I was level 22 I was charming Kodaiks in Warrens with my level 14 charm. When I hit 24 and memorized my new charm I go to recharm the same Kodiak and get a resist.. Ok this is normal, then another resist, then another. Finally charm lands and wears off 30 seconds later, i recharm and it wears off 1 minute later i recharm and it lasts about 2 minutes. In total my level 14 charm wore off about 7 times in 40 minutes but my level 24 one wore off about 10 times in 8 minutes on the same mob.

Then I tried to charm a rat in Banack with my 24 charm, resisted, resisted again then landed. Wore off 20 seconds later, recharmed, lasted about a minute. So I said screw it and rooted the rat and memed my 14 charm, charmed the rat and it lasted 7ish minutes before breaking. I recharmed and it lasted about 8.. So I try the the 24 charm again on the same rat I've had this whole time and resisted 3 times before it lands. Lasts 1 minute then breaks, recharmed and lasts about another minute then breaks.

So why is a spell 10 levels higher so much worse? I just dont understand that.. A higher spell should last longer and be resisted less but it lasts about 1/4th as long and is resisted two or three times more.

 

[dbum]

I can't explain everything, but I looked at the spell details at Unofficial Spell Database and the only thing I found that could explain some of the above is this:

Befriend Animal (14 spell) has duration of 8 minutes (max)
Charm Animal (24 spell) has duration of 3 minutes (max)

Given, the site may not be correct in terms of the duration information, but if it is, that could definately be the reason why the spells are not lasting the same length of time. As for the resists, I dare not answer (could be really, really bad luck)

 

[zodium]

Higher level spells can charm higher level mobs. Befriend Animals does up to level 24 mobs, Charm Animals does up to 34.

 

[Yakk]

As an aside, if you care...

The duration of a charm spell on live is a cap on the random-duration resist-based check.

Suppose you have a 1 minute and 2 minute charm spell that was otherwise identical.

If when casting the 2 minute charm spell, 25% of the time the charm spell broke in the first minute, 50% of the time in the second minute, and 25% of the time it broke at the 2 minute duration...

Then on the same creature, the 1 minute charm spell would last full duration 75% of the time, and break early 25% of the time.

The "random duration check" that charm spells have when it first lands doesn't pay attention to the max duration of the spell.

This means that short-duration charms tend to last their full duration more than long duration charms -- but long duration charms still last longer on average. The more debuffed/weaker the creature is, the more power the extra max duration has.

I suspect, from the description above, that SoD makes charm last a pseudo-random amount of time between 0 and the max duration of the spell.

Allure on live is a 20 minute spell -- the L 52 charm is only a 8 minute spell. But the -10 resist mod on the L 52 charm makes it better than Allure, dispite the massive change in duration, because the only way to get the full 20 minute duration on Allure is by charming a really really really low level creature.

Thought I'd pass on the results of this research -- take it or leave it. =)

 

[Tasal]

If a lower charm (less mana) charms the same mob as a higher charm. Would you not want to use the lower lvl charm anyways.
That way you can save on mana.

 

[Rambler]

I still don't understand why technically it's better to use a lower level spell, even if you can't charm mobs as high. I suppose it's meant to deter druids from charming when they out grow their level 14 charm.s

 

[Garison]

Iff you're charming the same mob then it doesn't matter. Yes, when you level more you won't be charming green mobs anymore and as such will need to use the higher level charm.