I'm curious to hear peoples' thoughts on edge choices for evil shamans. I picked 7 PvP-successful evil shamans from the last couple years and looked at the frequency of edges they chose. Here are the ones chosen by at least two players, minus the race/ethos specific ones:

7 Empowered Enfeeblement
7 Diametric Opposition
6 Sightbinder
6 Languor of Aeons
5 Zealot's Fervor
5 Voice of Condemnation
5 Inquisitor
5 Cursebringer
5 Battle Tested
4 Unyielding Adversary
4 Resurgent Vitality
4 Divine Contagion
4 Claim the Unfettered
4 Apt Learner
3 Remain Conscious
3 Master of Affliction
3 Hex Augur
3 Girded Shield
2 Shieldspinner
2 Sacred Word
2 Remedy Pestilence
2 Lucky
2 Gatherer of the Flock
2 Ehren Soul
2 Ehren Lord
2 Diabolical Soul
2 Curse of Parching
2 Crusader
2 Blightcaller

I'm surprised some of these are so popular:

Zealot's Fervor- Is juiced fervor really that useful? It's just morale, right?

Voice of Condemnation- What is so compelling about stacking damnation? Seems like once you've damned someone you're better off using your commands for other maledictions.

Unyielding Adversary- If you're mending wounds in combat against another player aren't you kind of doing it wrong?

Divine Contagion- Plague that spreads faster. I can see how this would be useful in niche raid situations, but that's pretty much it. What am I missing?

And some seem like they ought to be more popular:

Curse of Parching- Even more reduction to hp/ma/mv regen? Seems pretty useful when you've blinded & cursed someone. Or is it just super expensive?

Master of Affliction- Didn't this used to be awesome once upon a time? Or was it re-balanced?

>I'm surprised some of these are so popular:
>
>Zealot's Fervor- Is juiced fervor really that useful?
>It's just morale, right?

Increases the overall level of the commune which cascades down into the modifiers, duration, etc. Also bumps the healing.

>Voice of Condemnation- What is so compelling about
>stacking damnation? Seems like once you've damned someone
>you're better off using your commands for other
>maledictions.

I think various people have answered this one. I'll just say that being able to repeat a commune that has a random affect could certainly be useful in certain scenarios.

>Unyielding Adversary- If you're mending wounds in
>combat against another player aren't you kind of doing it
>wrong?

The edge works against NPCs at a reduced rate, or it works against PCs at an increased rate, you pick. Fun fact: it scales up with the opponents "AP charge worth".

>Divine Contagion- Plague that spreads faster. I can
>see how this would be useful in niche raid situations, but
>that's pretty much it. What am I missing?

What other people said, basically.

>And some seem like they ought to be more
>popular:
>
>Curse of Parching- Even more reduction to hp/ma/mv
>regen? Seems pretty useful when you've blinded & cursed
>someone. Or is it just super expensive?

I would take this if I was going to do a lot of PKing in the mid/sub-hero ranks, which most Shaman seem to do. It's not very expensive.

>Master of Affliction- Didn't this used to be awesome
>once upon a time? Or was it re-balanced?

It looks like afflict was adjusted (probably when neo-Shamans went in), but not necessarily the edge itself. I'm not sure I'd bother with this one unless I was using afflict a lot, and I don't think I would be.

>>Master of Affliction- Didn't this used to be awesome
>>once upon a time? Or was it re-balanced?
>
>It looks like afflict was adjusted (probably when neo-Shamans
>went in), but not necessarily the edge itself. I'm not sure
>I'd bother with this one unless I was using afflict a lot, and
>I don't think I would be.

Since neo-shamans:

1) Can all shamans pick Master of Affliction?

2) Doesn't Amplified Affliction (AA) already do what the edge does (and better)?

3) A non-Divine Anger shaman with the edge would still be (significantly) worse off than a Divine Anger shaman (with AA)?

4) Would a Divine Anger shaman (with AA) still benefit from the edge (significantly)?

Thanks!

I played Daltheis (Duergar Imperial) and then Aurtu (Minotaur Scarab). I don't have answers to your specific questions since I only took one of those edges, but I can comment on some of the others I've taken.

Some feel that a shaman can't be successful because they run out of mana too quickly. When snooping, I usually see those same people wasting mana by thinking they need all their protections up all the time or trying to summon someone who is three rooms away. Mana conservation is very important to a shaman and my main goal when selecting edges.

>I'm curious to hear peoples' thoughts on edge choices for
>evil shamans. I picked 7 PvP-successful evil shamans from the
>last couple years and looked at the frequency of edges they
>chose. Here are the ones chosen by at least two players,
>minus the race/ethos specific ones:
>
>7 Empowered Enfeeblement

Weaken can't be healed at the NPC healer. A very useful edge.

>7 Diametric Opposition

No matter what, I'd go for this edge. It won't come into play if you are fighting another evil, but your primary enemies are going to be Fortress and this little boost is useful.

>6 Sightbinder
>6 Languor of Aeons
>5 Zealot's Fervor
>5 Voice of Condemnation
>5 Inquisitor
>5 Cursebringer

Bumping your curse ability is always a good thing.

>5 Battle Tested

Again, your biggest limitation on a shaman is mana. Something that will get you to sleep faster to regen more quickly is a plus.

>4 Unyielding Adversary
>4 Resurgent Vitality
>4 Divine Contagion
>4 Claim the Unfettered
>4 Apt Learner

Personally, I like this edge because I usually play the dumber evil races, though I'd be less inclined to take it these days because of the increased number of Skill Bonus times.

>3 Remain Conscious
>3 Master of Affliction

Took this only because my duergar went pain path. I didn't really notice a difference.

>3 Hex Augur

Unless you are taking divination path, this is a good way to know when your maledicts are cured by the victim. I think there is a stat requirement because my duergar couldn't get the edge, but my mino was able to.

>3 Girded Shield

Always. Protective shield is a huge mana drain, so an edge that lengthens the duration is one of my first picks.

>2 Shieldspinner
>2 Sacred Word
>2 Remedy Pestilence
>2 Lucky
>2 Gatherer of the Flock

Personally, I like this edge a lot because it increases the effectiveness of summoning, also a mana drain.

>2 Ehren Soul

If you plan to fight solo a lot, taking this is good. Definitely a good choice for a Scarab.

>2 Ehren Lord

See above.

>2 Diabolical Soul
>2 Curse of Parching
>2 Crusader
>2 Blightcaller
>

Thanks for the feedback.

When it comes to Cursebringer- did you find yourself still using curse at the higher ranks instead of just damning people? If so, was it because curse is easier to land, or because you specifically wanted the spell saves effect? (Or both)?

Typically, I damned melee classes (including shifters) and cursed spellcasters (including other shaman and healers).

Opponent a higher level? I'd use curse, as some of the shaman sups are based on level difference.
Fighting another shaman? I used curse (redemption only cures damnation).*
Need to lower saves? Curse
Need to lower stats? Damn

*Long time since I played a healer; can their 'remove curse' cure damnation? If not, I'd damn healers rather than curse them.

So on nererial (99 kills without counting rot kills, I think?)...

>6 Sightbinder

Blindness is so useful it's good to boost it. Helps disorient with a summon, makes it harder to escape on foot. Means they can't run to a healer as easily if they teleport etc.


>6 Languor of Aeons

Old school shaman struggles to maladict dex.



>5 Zealot's Fervor

Means that spiders grace will be active for a Drow. Also boosts sav vs mental iirc


>5 Voice of Condemnation

If this is the damnation one people used to take it to help them land a con loss damnation, which then made rot more dangerous. Pretty sure some venoms dudes also did this.


>5 Inquisitor
>5 Cursebringer
>5 Battle Tested

Mana can be a shaman biggest issue.

>4 Unyielding Adversary

I loved this on nererial. With spiders grace I tanked pretty well and could evade better than a shaman usually does, I thought. It was great for making it hard for ganks to drive me from inner to a waiting thief etc.

>4 Resurgent Vitality
>4 Divine Contagion
>4 Claim the Unfettered

I loved the idea of stealing things like Invoker shields. Never stole anything useful though.

>4 Apt Learner
>3 Remain Conscious
>3 Master of Affliction
>3 Hex Augur

Now I know when they've run to a healer and can replace cured maladictions in drawn out fights.

>3 Girded Shield

Antibash dropping is ouch.


>2 Shieldspinner

I took it. Waste.

>2 Sacred Word
>2 Remedy Pestilence
>2 Lucky
>2 Gatherer of the Flock
>2 Ehren Soul
>2 Ehren Lord
>2 Diabolical Soul
>2 Curse of Parching
>2 Crusader
>2 Blightcaller
>
>I'm surprised some of these are so popular:
>
>Zealot's Fervor- Is juiced fervor really that useful?
>It's just morale, right?
>
>Voice of Condemnation- What is so compelling about
>stacking damnation? Seems like once you've damned someone
>you're better off using your commands for other
>maledictions.
>
>Unyielding Adversary- If you're mending wounds in
>combat against another player aren't you kind of doing it
>wrong?
>
>Divine Contagion- Plague that spreads faster. I can
>see how this would be useful in niche raid situations, but
>that's pretty much it. What am I missing?
>
>And some seem like they ought to be more
>popular:
>
>Curse of Parching- Even more reduction to hp/ma/mv
>regen? Seems pretty useful when you've blinded & cursed
>someone. Or is it just super expensive?
>
>Master of Affliction- Didn't this used to be awesome
>once upon a time? Or was it re-balanced?

I did not buy a pbf but I was around 60-80 kills so I think I was reasonably successful for a non ganking shaman.

As an evil I think inquisitor is a must, you find a lot of not opposite align people and with it demonfire is the best damage option for the mana you can spam. Earth rend is great too if you are desolation but it's more mana and mana is king.

The divine contagion was also really great for fighting groups, your plague spreads a lot and without earthrend you suck vs groups so it does a lot to help with the long term battles. Plus in cabal raids plaguing an inner screws with defenders.

Other then that anything that helps you cut through saves is a boon. Honestly outside of inquisitor for evil you just don't have any must have edges so you take whatever seems convenient. Hex augur is solid because you know what has been cured and the enhanced blind/weaken/curse make sense cause you use them a lot. In the new rot age the damnation edge is less clutch but once upon a time you could keep trying for con based damnation, it might still be good on a poison shaman.

Guessing I'm 1 or 2 of them :)

1) Zealot's Fervor is quite nice if you stack it with other nice edges like the drow-only edges or aristaesia edges.

2) Usually because a shaman really has to trick people into sticking around - you will not keep people there if you're doing something visually scary (spamming the random poison DEMOs) so allowing you to stack damnations can just make it slower in your favor. Also getting a key one sometimes is important (dex, saves, con, str, etc).

3) Lot of times you can't flee (aristaesia) and it's also tricking your opponent to sticking around longer :) Very useful for ranking too and it's not expensive.

4) It's much more important that you don't plague yourself. Especially when looting your kills/etc, you don't get it.

5) I never sit in the mid ranks long enough to care about famish.

6) Again, afflict isn't used that much unless you're certain paths that get improvements to afflict.

>1) Zealot's Fervor is quite nice if you stack it with other
>nice edges like the drow-only edges or aristaesia edges.

How so? Something more than morale, or is morale just that important?

>2) Usually because a shaman really has to trick people into
>sticking around - you will not keep people there if you're
>doing something visually scary (spamming the random poison
>DEMOs) so allowing you to stack damnations can just make it
>slower in your favor. Also getting a key one sometimes is
>important (dex, saves, con, str, etc).

If I had already damned someone and didn't want to scare them off I would probably poison (the normal kind) and plague. Then famish for the hunger & thirst. Then blind if I don't think they can cure it, or energy drain if I do. Or healing curse if I'm High Priest. If I land all that and they're still there then it would probably be time to switch to damage.

This is all theoretical, mind.

>4) It's much more important that you don't plague yourself.
>Especially when looting your kills/etc, you don't get it.

Can't you just cure yourself when you catch your own plague?

>5) I never sit in the mid ranks long enough to care about
>famish.

The hunger & thirst effects seem like they'd still be useful if you're going to follow it up with blindness.

>6) Again, afflict isn't used that much unless you're certain
>paths that get improvements to afflict.

Which path is that? Seems like it would only be useful at higher levels if the "wound" effects are significant, but so far I haven't been able to work out what the "wound" effects actually are.

1) Fervor also heals you quite a bit. The edge boosts this too, IIRC.

2) I agree with you, voice of condemnation never seemed good to me.

3) Unyielding adversary is basically a PvE edge.

4) Divine contagion always seemed more of an RP thing than anything else.

5) Famish gets the most use at low-mid ranks against disease resistant players. At high ranks, players have too much svs to spend too much time trying for a famish. Edge seems like it'd be moderately useful, I guess, but nothing spectacular.

6) Except for the paths related to afflict, you almost always have better options. I think it's pain path, but you could look it up yourself.

edit: I played Zsztyrr and one less successful neo shaman.