race and tight stats

Rock

In a situation where you would like a character to have all three stats to be high, which race would you choose to help with mana usage?

1. Human: "Jack of All Trades" (JOAT) gives them an effective 20 points in both Meditation and Focus (3 mana regen and 2 stamina recovery). They will typically spend real skill points on at least one of those, but the other will still be active. I believe jewelry, armor, and weapons buffing those skills does not build on top of JOAT.  E.g. with no true meditation skill, you need more than 20 +med bonuses to have any effect.
2. Elf: Has 20 more mana than the other races.  A human or gargoyle with 50 Int will have 50 mana. An elf will have 70. However, they lack JOAT, so there is no extra racial regen or recovery without spending real skill points (and jewelry, etc.).
3. Gargoyle: Has +2 mana recovery (MR), but no JOAT. But unlike JOAT, this MR stacks with that from skills and stuff they wear.

Specifically, I may create a 6x Mystic Samurai. He would have 120 skill in Mace, Tactics, Mysticism, Focus, Bushido, and Parry. Bushido and Mysticism will both use mana (INT), Parry becomes most effective when DEX is 80+, and STR is a prime factor in how much damage a weapon blow will deliver. With a 230 Stat Cap, I'd tentatively shoot for her having 90 DEX, 70 INT, and 70 STR. She will mitigate her lack of Resist Spells with the Mysticism's Cleansing Winds. Available earlier in the build, Stone Form also mitigates poison, bleeding, and curses.  (I don't know if the two powers together would stack their protective capabilities.) Would one race be a better choice than the others?

Feigr

Man, you make a ton of topics... Just make an elf unless you're a mystic or want fast movement with a full pet slot pet.

Rock

@Feigr, sorry if I was annoying you. I only have a limited period to focus on the game, so I am trying lots of things and learn as much as I can in that time.

I made the Mystic Samurai on TC1, and he is an elf as you (sort of) suggested.  I didn't bring him to full specs and instead focused on the early middle game (New Haven quests, then wandering about some). I learned that Healing Stone is inadequate by itself (even with Bushido regen battle buffs) to keep a melee fighter character alive.  On a real shard, expect to rely on healing potions as well, or through the middle game add Chivalry to the skill set.  Mana seemed okay, but I did not add Chivalry mana load into the mix.

Instead, I accelerated his Mysticism skill, first into the 70s to add Cleansing Winds.  After successfully playing like that a while, I brought it over 80 (matching Focus which got there on its own).  At that point, Enchant becomes full-powered, adding spell channeling to any weapon (and of course keeping its delightful hit-spell capability).  This lasts for about 90 seconds at 100 skil, and 116 at 120. I could have sworn I saw higher number (just checked at those 2 thresholds). It could be there are other factors which make the duration longer.  Tonight I just cast them outside my house.  Enchant seems to last from 60 to 120 seconds, from 50 to 120 skill.

Feigr

ON melee I generally heal with Healing and Anatomy, it'd be interesting if you can pull an alternative off that isn't Necromancy.

Bilbo

@Rock You can post as many threads as you want only a MOD can tell you any different, enjoy your forums.

Basara

Cleansing Winds is almost worth it by itself. It's better than GH, combined with Cure and Remove curse, all in one spell.

Here's another trick to consider for the Mystic part of the template. Low end mage scrolls can be used by anyone, with a chance of failure. While humans can do level 1-3 spells from scrolls at 100%, level 4 at 76% and level 5 at 26% because of JOAT, elves can really only pull off the first 2 or 3 circles from scrolls.

If you're willing to take the Faster casting hit, any race can cast Protection from scroll, and can get those scrolls buying from NPCs.