bomb, bounce, or spray n' pray?

[hklown]

So, I just hit 51 offensive magic (yay! hey nonnie nonnie!) and I now have access to the bomb, richocet, and spray stanzas.... so what I an wondering is, are any of them worth it? I like the sound of bomb, and richocet would make for an interesting heal... and hey, fire+spray=flamethrower

but are they actually usefull?

[jlbloem]

Gratz on de lvl 51! Bomb, spray and ricochet are a little different, but only bomb is really usefull, at higher lvls that is.

Spray 1 affects two targets at x m infront of the caster, and x m high.
Spray 2 (lvl 70) affects 3, and so on

Bomb 1 affects two targets in a 7m radius, around the first target you hit with the bomb. The power gets reduced by x0.7 per meter
(in first betas, and halfway closed, bomb was extremely usefull. It had a full radius effect, although the x0.7 factor did apply. You could hit all targets in the 7m radius, and: when you stood in that radius, your own bomb healed you. Now this features are gone, the single heals are best. As a lvl 115 healer, and with 97/97 amps, im able to cast fast singles heals, 1500 hp per heal. So, np in keeping every1 alive. Although, when in a big team, bomb get usefull at lvl 100+, cause you can hit 4 targets, in an 8m radius. So, with multiple adds, you can heal all the tanks at the front. You need a personal healer though, cause bomb is expensive...)

Ricochet 1 affects 2 targets. The 'spell' jumps to the next nearest target in a certain radius, with a x.07 radius, with Rico 2, it jumps on a new target again, in a radius of the 2nd target, etc.

Most ppl use bomb, but only in big teams with a healer-healer.

I hope this helps =)

[delvalet]

One of our buddy make a very interesting study about the difference between bomb, spray, etc in term of cost and efficiency... unhappily for you, it is in french
I think it could be understood by people with a basic knowledge of french (it is a lot of stats) but surely someone can make a summary ?
If nonody can, I will perhaps do it ....but as soon as I will have time..hmm be patient

See post 16, and a few interesting comments following:
http://www.ryzom.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8450

[lyrah68]

*brain tries to race back in time to senior year of high school, then realizes she almost has a high school aged child* *smell of burning rubber, sound of grinding metal*
OY! been WAY too long since I wrote or spoke fluent French to even try to read that, but thanks for the post. Maybe someone could translate?

One of our buddy make a very interesting study about the difference between bomb, spray, etc in term of cost and efficiency... unhappily for you, it is in french
I think it could be understood by people with a basic knowledge of french (it is a lot of stats) but surely someone can make a summary ?
If nonody can, I will perhaps do it ....but as soon as I will have time..hmm be patient

See post 16, and a few interesting comments following:
http://www.ryzom.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8450

[dazman76]

A translation of this would be fantastic. Personally, I have never understood what spray would be used for. If, as mentioned, there is a height element - does that really matter? I've always been able to hit the mobs I wanted to, regardless of their relative height from my position. Distance always seems to be the key, and I assumed that distance was calculated in a 3D fashion (horizontal and vertical distances being combined into a single, direct distance).

Also I never saw any real difference between bomb and ricochet - I have to admit, I haven't tried ricochet since Open Beta 1, where I had a huge heal spell containing both bomb and ricochet together on a double-missile stanza (a huge cost, but since the heal spell also hit the original caster, the cost was irrelevant).

I could be wrong (hopefully this guide will answer that ), but what I see is 2 stanzas that achieve basically the same thing (bomb and ricochet), and another which has always seemed a bit useless.

Looking forward to finding out if possible

[blogie]

A translation of this would be fantastic. Personally, I have never understood what spray would be used for. If, as mentioned, there is a height element - does that really matter? I've always been able to hit the mobs I wanted to, regardless of their relative height from my position. Distance always seems to be the key, and I assumed that distance was calculated in a 3D fashion (horizontal and vertical distances being combined into a single, direct distance).

Also I never saw any real difference between bomb and ricochet - I have to admit, I haven't tried ricochet since Open Beta 1, where I had a huge heal spell containing both bomb and ricochet together on a double-missile stanza (a huge cost, but since the heal spell also hit the original caster, the cost was irrelevant).

I could be wrong (hopefully this guide will answer that ), but what I see is 2 stanzas that achieve basically the same thing (bomb and ricochet), and another which has always seemed a bit useless.

Looking forward to finding out if possible

Problem with the guide is that thy use french terms. I can traduct but the names of the skils i can traduct.

[baldio]

well, after having taken a glance at the mentioned thread (in french) I must admit, that I do not share the writer's conclusions.

The differences between those abilities are
a) bomb hits the target and randomly up to as many targets nearby as the step is (e.g. bomb 1 targets the target + 1 extra char). These extra targets have to be within a maximum range of (insert the range here) from the main target (that target in the caster's targetting hud). Every target gets a damage of the base damage (no extra damage through gloves etc.) multiplied by the value according to the stanza's value (e.g. bomb 1 = 70% of the base damage). These values are possibly corrected by the targets' special abilities.
b) ricochet hits the target and then randomly up to as many targets as the step is in a sort of chain - this is the next target has to be within the maximum range of the ricochet's specification and then the next random target within range of this new target - so the effect may be a lot more uncontrollable, as there is no AoE from 1 central spot, but a kind of linear chain (that of course can turn to any side )
c) spray is somewhat different as it draws a cone, that starts at the caster in direction of the target. The dimensions differ from step to step to become a tighter but longer AoE. Any enemy within this cone may be a valid target. If so, the damage is apllied to it, after being corrected by the target's special abilities.

So You may see the differences like this:
- Bomb is a circular area-spell (one central spot)
- Ricochet is a lightning-like spellform (bouncing from target to target)
- Spray is a cony AoE-spell that may affect any target within this cone, becoming more accurate (regarding the direction) and therefore longer in range with every new step learned

I hope this might help You

[kokunze]

Does Spray hits all targets within range? Or also only a number depending on the spelllevel?

Does the damage splits up in every of the 3 cases(spry,bomb,rico)?

[baldio]

No, spray does only affect a maximum of as many targets as the spell level +1. This applies to all three bomb types.

Actually I have to investigate the DMG - it should be the factor (of the spell level's explanation) multiplied with the basis DMG of the spell's stanza. This should aplly to all enemies.

However I noticed, that a single person hit by a bomb spell, sometimes gets en extra heal - maybe this is just a normal "may-be-boost" to the spell's basic DMG... I don't know by now.

[lariva]

For healing if set up propertly spray seems to be better then all of the other ones. for offensive, any of them are useless - too little damage, too high of a cost.

With a bomb, there is a degradation of effect, with spray there is none.
The distance is far greater as well (20 meters)

To set up spray proprely though, you need to have someone in front of you that will effectively become a spray dispurse point.

So, I just hit 51 offensive magic (yay! hey nonnie nonnie!) and I now have access to the bomb, richocet, and spray stanzas.... so what I an wondering is, are any of them worth it? I like the sound of bomb, and richocet would make for an interesting heal... and hey, fire+spray=flamethrower

but are they actually usefull?