Dark Age of Camelot Eldritch Guide

Eldritch Guide by Quintessence


Everytime I come to a(n) MB I'm reminded why I hate them so much...all the people bad-mouthing or praising something as though it's fact when everything is really based on personal preferance. So with that said, I'm here to neither put-down nor endorse any type of Eldritch, however I highly stress NOT trying to put points in all three spell lines. You will totally cripple your character and will end up very frustrated in the end.

Ever since I got DAoC in November and started an Eldritch, I loved it. Call me crazy but to this day I now have 4 Eldritches above level 35 and I've started another that is currently level 9. (not to worry, I HAVE tried other classes, but of all the classes in Hibernia the Eld is my favorite and for some reason I can't stand playing in the other realms...)

Ok so, right now I'll tell you that if you make an Eldritch and decide to spec fully in a single spell line, any of the three work fine. Forget whatever you may have heard from the developers on how you should spec, or anyone else for that matter, if you want to pour all your points into one of the three cosmic choices go for it. As for which race to choose, my personal preferance is Lurikeens because they are very difficult to target in RvR. Statistically, however, the Elf is a better choice because they have more Intelligence, resulting in a larger power pool. Someone might argue that Lurikeens are better statistically because their higher Dexterity makes them cast spells faster. Lemme tell you something...it doesn't matter how high your Dexterity is, unless you have a spell that takes 1 minute to cast you'll hardly notice any difference. And even if you do, you probably won't really care. As for Quickness...well, that really doesn't matter either. In any case, either race is perfectly fine, they both portray an Eldritch outstandingly. Where you put your 30 points is really up to you, but it would be wise to put 10 in Dex, 10 in Int, and either 10 in Str (for the carrying capabilities, as any character with less than 50 Str suffers a harsher encumberance issue than those with 50 Str or more) or you can increase either your Dex or Int by 5 points. For you newbies, any stat you raise by more than 10 points costs more to increase. Personally, I put those 10 points in Str since I like to be RvR prepared, and if you get nailed by a Str Debuff in RvR it's like being in a root that doesn't go away when you're hit. So anyway, with the character creation issue out of the way, I'd like to share my extensive knowledge of the Eldritch to the rest of you so that you can better choose how to create your own. This guide only covers those wishing to specialize exclusively in one of the three cosmic spell lines.

Mana Spec - Choose this spell path if you want a good mix of debuff and DD spells. You will do very well as a soloer, make a fine group member, and you'll have many options in RvR.
Base Spells:
Self Shield Spell
Damage Shield
Self Bladeturn
Damage Absorbtion Shield
Spec Spells:
DD/Root
AoE DD/Atk Spd Debuff
Point Blank AoE DD
(AoE) Str/Con Debuff
(AoE) Str/Spd Healing Debuff

Light Spec - From my experience, this spell path offers poor soloing cabalities, but you make a great group member and a force to be reckoned with in RvR.
Base Spells:
Standard DD
Stun
Spec Spells:
Improved DD
Dex/Qui Debuff
Range Debuff
AoE Mez

Void Spec - If you want to do serious damage, pick this spell path. You do well solo and in RvR, however groups might find you difficult to be with.
Base Spells:
Standard Bolt
Standard DD
Spec Spells:
Improved Bolt
AoE DD
Spirit Resistance Debuff
Body Resistance Debuff
Energy Resistance Debuff

Strategies for Mana Speccers
Solo - Mana Elds are probably the safest soloers of the three...heck in the game. Rarely will you die soloing as long as you're in an area where you can run for a bit. It's pretty simple, you just find a nice yellow or orange, get at maximum spell range, and cast your DD/Root. You should be able to get 2 to 4 spells off it before it gets close to you, depending on the creature's speed. Now, when it starts closing in on you, turn and run. Do NOT sprint! You don't need to. Count about 10 seconds and then turn back around and blast again. You should be able to take it out before it gets to you again. If it still has sufficient Hits left when it gets to you you'll probably need to sprint away as your Root will no longer last long enough to hold it back. If at any point it has few Hits left when it reaches you, you'll only need to run a few steps away before turning and blasting it again because it will already be moving very slow due to its weakened state. With this hit-and-run tactic, you will find that you get a lot of XP from killing high yellows to low oranges, however there is a drawback: downtime. Of the three Full Speccing Elds, you have the longest downtime because your DD spells cost more power than anyone elses. In one instance, I was able to kill a red but it was pretty pointless because it took a looong time to do it, I completely drained my power, and I really didn't get a porportional amount of XP from it (due to the XP cap). So while soloing reds is (barely) doable, it's just plain stupid to. Oh, and I just remembered: It is important that you NEVER have your Damage Shield on when soloing. If your victim closes in on you enough to get a hit in while your Damage Shield is active, you will do damage back to it thus breaking the root and you will have to sprint away from it...if you don't die first.
Dos and Don'ts:
DO start running well before the MOB reaches you, unless you're certain you can kill it or get it into critical status with your next spell. This applies even once you get your Bladeturn at level 19 because it costs about 10% of your maximum power to cast it and that's about 30 more seconds you have to sit down to regenerate.
DON'T cast your Damage Shield on yourself and cancel any that some else casts on you.
DON'T bother using any of your other spells when soloing, except maybe the Light Base Stun Spell (though I've never had to). No matter how tempting it is to let the MOB get close and unleash your AoE, don't do it. For one, you probably won't be satisfied with the results and two, you could accidently hit something dangerous close by.
Groups - Ask around and use common sense to determine your role in a group. For small groups (four or less people) you'll most likely be fighting single, orange or red MOBs. In these cases it's usually just best to nuke with your DD/Root. In larger groups you might be fighting single, high level MOBs in which case you may be asked to pummel it with Debuffs and then nuke. If you're fighting multiple enemies you'll probably be asked to nuke a single target since your group will most likely have a Mezzer. If your group doesn't have a Mezzer, but instead has many tanks, ask them to get the attention of each MOB and keep them close together. Once they've done that, first use your AoE DD/Atk Spd Debuff and then get up close and use your Point Blank AoE DD. If your group falls under neither of these catagories then you're probably better off soloing.
Dos and Don'ts:
DO cast your Damage Shield on the tanks (might as well)
DO ask and clarify your role in the group
DO consider leaving a group if it doesn't or won't have a healer, or if you're losing more XP than you are gaining.
DON'T go nuke crazy. If you're being silly and using your AoE Spells when you're not supposed to or nuking before the tanks get enough aggro then your teammates are more likely to eject you from the group.
RvR - As a Mana Eld, you have many options when it comes to RvR. When it comes to just soloing in the Battlegrounds, you have to be fairly witty to get things done. From my experience, Hibernians are pretty lazy in the Battlegrounds (well, maybe not Thidranki) so you're gonna be on your own most of the time. When RvR soloing, Stun will be your best friend. Because your DD/Root has such a short range (compared to, say, a Bolt), you need to utilize your stun to allow some extra nuke time. And this really only applies if you're lucky enough to be faced against one opponent. Most of the time, when I'm in the Battlegrounds, I'm unable to do anything because the opposition outnumbers me at least 3 to 1. It's fun to scare the whole lot of 'em with any of the number of AoEs we get, but be warned! If one of your victims has a pet, that pet will be after you for a loooong time. Pets also know exactly where you are (even stealthers can't avoid 'em, though I think that's a bug) so your position is blown and soon the rest of the group will be after you. I could go on and on about RvR tactics but I encourage you to simply see for yourself and make up your own through experience.
Dos and Don'ts:
DO have your Shield Spells up at all times!
DO avoid the pet classes
DO use the terrain to your advantage! This is pretty obvious, but the way you use it determines its effectiveness. Many trees aren't completely "solid" and you can often easily sneak yourself inside one if you're a Lurikeen. I have seen an entire army of Albs run right past me, no farther than 5 feet away, simply because I was completely hidden in the tree. Unfortunetly, part of my name stuck out a tiny bit and someone saw it and...well you can guess the rest.
DO use your Point Blank AoE often if there is reason to believe there is an Assassin-type in the area. Usually it will make the person think twice and turn around, but that's a good thing.

Strategies for Light Speccers:
Solo - As a Light Speccing Eldritch, soloing is tough for you. In the early years, your Stun spell doesn't last long enough for it to do you any good and because you don't have the range of a Void Eld, you're generally stuck soloing blues, possibly low yellows. One advantage you have as a Light Eld is that you can inflict two different damage types: Heat and Cold. This allows you to add a little more punch to your spells if you know your victim's weakness, but this really isn't much. For a Light Eld, instead of going one on one against a MOB of your level and getting XP that way, your forte is killing off a bunch of blues and greens one by one. Your main advantage as a Light Eld is that your spells are among the shortest casting times AND the lowest power costs. So if you're one of those people who can see the bigger picture and understand that killing the lesser critters fast with little downtime, then you will do just fine as a Light Eld. In order to get you through levels 10-14 quickly, as well as net you some GREAT loot, hunt the blackthorn/lunantishee groups first between Mag Mell and Mardagh, and then move onto the slightly harder ones behind Tir na mBeo. This seems to be the most effective tactic I came up with: First, find a full group of a blackthorn and two lunantishees to maximize XP. Get as far away from the group as you can and target the blackthorn. Nuke it with your Moon Streak/Moon Blast spell once, then twice and while the second one is being cast, get your cursor over one of the two lunans that'll be rushing toward you. Once you've casted your Moon spell twice on the blackthorn, it should be dead and you should switch your target to one of the lunans. Quickly cast your AoE Mez (do NOT mistake Mez for Stun!). If both the lunans are blue to you and you're fully specced in Light at this point, the Mez should stick with no problem. If one or both of the lunans is/are yellow to you then there's a chance your spell will be resisted. If one (or none) of the lunans does resist the Mez, nuke that one a few times with your Shadowcharge/Shadowshock spell. It should fall in no more than 3 casts. Now you're left to finish up the job by killing the second lunan (who should still be Mezzed). If both lunans resist the Mez then you can try taking out one of them and then either try to melee the second one or run. Meleeing a lunantishee at this level isn't easy because they have a Damage Shield like you. A blue is an even match (50/50 chance of win/lose) but a yellow is a very unlikely win. You can do this all the way to level 14 and you'll get rich along the way. If you're lucky, you might even find some armor or weapons that you (sadly) can't use. But they're good for the Healer-types so set up a shop. It'll make you look good to all the by-standers who are attempting to solo a group themselves.
Dos and Don'ts:
DO know your enemy's weakness! Although the Shadow nukes are stronger than your Light nukes, if a MOB is strong against Cold damage then they're probably weak against Heat damage. Use this to your advantage!
DON'T be conservative if it saves your life. Once you get a better Stun spell at level 15, you have a better chance against yellows, but only if you use that Stun!
DON'T bother with your Range or Dex/Qui Debuff when soloing. There's just no point.
Groups - Possessing an invaluable AoE Mez, you are very useful in groups. However, many people don't realize that you also make a wonderful puller. At level 9 Spec in Light, you get a seemingly useless spell called "Negate Sight". In truth, this spell's main use is in RvR, but in groups it can be used to pull. The beauty of this spell is that it has THE longest range of any spell or bow in the game, takes less than a second to cast (which is sometimes bad, explained further down), and draws absolutely minimal aggro (also sometimes bad) so it's very easy to get the target off you once it's pulled. Not to mention all it costs is a fraction of power to cast as opposed to a Bolt, or Arrow which you need to keep a stock of. All things considering it is the perfect pulling tool. As mentioned though, it has some small downsides: Because it is so quick to cast, it's difficult to interrupt it by moving if you cast it by accident. This means you might pull something by accident when the party's not ready. Second, in a highly populated camp site (i.e. Parth farms) if someone from another group tries to pull the same MOB after you hit it with this spell, the MOB is probably going to go for them instead since your spell causes next to zero aggro, which means you gotta find a new MOB. Still, to sum it up, you've got some great group tools: Long range pulling spell, AoE Mez should you be facing multiple enemies, and nukes...and a Dex/Qui Debuff. =P
Dos and Don'ts:
DO cast your Damage Shield on the tanks (might as well)
DO ask and clarify your role in the group
DO consider leaving a group if it doesn't or won't have a healer, or if you're losing more XP than you are gaining.
DON'T go nuke crazy. If you're being silly and using your AoE Spells when you're not supposed to or nuking before the tanks get enough aggro then your teammates are more likely to eject you from the group.
RvR - When going it alone (most likely in the Battlegrounds), you probably stand a better chance against anything that might be out there than the other two Full Speccing Elds. If you're able to identify different types of enemy classes from one another (Casters carry staves, Archers have bows, etc.) then you're at an advantage. If you encounter any lone enemy Archers or non-pet Casters (Theurgists count as non-pet), immediately cast your Range Debuff on them (watch out for this spell as well since Runemasters and Cabalists are capable of lessening your Range too). Now you've got them in your grip and basically all you need to do is stay as far away from them as you can while still being able to blast 'em. Against classes with pets, it's probably best to Mez and then go for the source. Against everything else, just nuke and don't neglect your Stun. If you find a group of Albs or Middies, the smart thing to do is just avoid them, unless you're in a group. But then, it's just a game so have fun with 'em if you want. ;) Mez the lot of 'em, try to take out whoever you think is the healer first, etc. Especially in the Battlegrounds though, when a group from one Realm will often camp another Realm's Portal Keep, no matter if you're the camped or the camper, you can cause a lot of grief by casting your Range Debuff on the opposition. If someone from their Realm strays just a bit too far and you or your group manages to kill him then just camp his body and Range Debuff their Rezzer(s). The poor guy will be forced to release so long as you hold your position. Sure it's mean, but everyone does it so hey... Anyway, when it comes to serious raids and such you will usually be informed about what you should do so there's no point in posting and sort of group tactics like that here. Personally, I think Light Elds are the most fun to play in RvR.
Dos and Don'ts:
DO have your Shield Spells up at all times!
DO avoid the pet classes
DO, with common sense in mind, use your Range Debuff and AoE Mez often, even for just plain fun.
DO be careful when trying to sneak up on someone and nuking. Your Light spells are rather eye-catching so try to position yourself behind a tree such that the spell graphic will be hidden in the tree. Your Shadow spells emit a small ripple around you which could be enough to give away your position, but it isn't so easy to see if you're in the water... Use your better judgement.

Strategies for Void Speccers
Solo - Of the three Full Speccing Elds, this is about as basic as it gets. Find a yellow, get to maximum spell range, and start castin' one of your Bolts. While you sic that fella on the creature, prepare your next Bolt. By the time both Bolts strike your target, it should be just in range to start nukin' it with your Ethereal Spell. You should be able to take down any yellow with this simple procedure. Low oranges are also possible, but the XP to downtime ratio is basically the same. Just keep nukin' whatever it is you're nuking until it's dead and don't let up. If you have to turn around and sprint a bit that's fine, and there's no shame in running from a losing battle...except in RvR. =P Don't try using your AoE DD to take out multiple opponents at a time because its damage isn't even comparable to your Bolts'. While it's possible to do against low blues and greens, the nature of AoE DDs causes the spell to do full damage only to enemies at the very center of the spell's affected area, and considerably less the farther an enemy is away from that point. In other words, you'll end up killing your main target first and then you'll have to switch targets until you kill them all. It's a pain to do and you might as well just kill yellows.
Dos and Don'ts:
DON'T hold back to be conservative. Just nuke your target until it's dead. Otherwise it will run off and then come back for revenge when you've forgotten about it.
DON'T bother using any of the spells other than your two Bolts and Normal DD to solo, they won't do you any good.
Groups - Honestly, as a Void Eld, you're a pretty lousy group member. You've probably heard from every other guide out there that using your Bolts in a group is pointless because they won't hit. Well, they're right. People complain about that a lot and used to think it was a bug, but in my opinion it makes perfect sense. We don't need to talk about why though, just know that Bolts are useless in big groups. In a group, you're usually stuck with one spell: Ethereal. That's about it. That's all you have to offer unless you're fighting multiple opponents and your group allows you to use your AoE DD. That's right, you should ask permission before using it. Otherwise you pay the price so it's for your own good. Plus, if you do too much damage to the MOB, it might start coming after you, in which case the tanks and healers are scrambling to keep you alive and, no matter the outcome, end up having a much longer downtime than they should. This is why most Void Elds solo a good portion of their lives. I suppose together an Enchanter and an Eldritch could do some serious damage in the higher levels, when you get the Resistance Debuffs, but I haven't really had a reason to try it.
Dos and Don'ts:
DO cast your Damage Shield on the tanks (might as well)
DO ask and clarify your role in the group
DO consider leaving a group if it doesn't or won't have a healer, or if you're losing more XP than you are gaining.
DON'T go nuke crazy. If you're being silly and using your AoE Spells when you're not supposed to or nuking before the tanks get enough aggro then your teammates are more likely to eject you from the group.
RvR - You're about as useful in RvR as a Light Eld is, only in a completely different way. You can take out the weaker, more lightly armored classes with your two Bolts alone, but don't plan on being able to take out the beefier Fighter-types without some follow-up. The problem with Bolts is that they give away your position almost indefinitely. So if anyone from the other Realm is around to see his pal fall, they'll know where to go to avenge him. Still, you're a good enough distance away to outrun them and hide if you are spotted. If you're only there to get Realm Points or Bounty Points, this should suit you just fine. If you're lucky enough to come across a battle between the other two Realms, find yourself a nice spot where you won't be easily spotted and unleash your AoE DD. Most likely, both sides will be too distracted to single you out and you can get in some extra Realm Points when someone from either Realm falls. When you're in a group for whatever reason, you'll probably be responsible for making the other guys die. All in all, in RvR, your role is pretty straight-forward; you nuke stuff. Avoid pet classes and be on your guard when traveling alone. As long as you get the jump on the opposition, you're gold.
Dos and Don'ts:
DO have your Shield Spells up at all times!
DO avoid the pet classes
DO (as stealthly as possible) change locations if you're "sniping" people on your own
DON'T make yourself an obvious target (i.e. wear dark clothes, stay hidden, etc.)

Well, there's my guide to making an Eldritch. I could have gone into strategies for those attempting to specialize in two spell lines equally, but I figured you all are smart enough to be able to combine the strategies of your two chosen spell lines instead. Anyway, I hope you all found this to be informative and not too confusing...took me about 5 hours to type so you better appreciate it! =P