by Gaknab » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:59 pm
Personally I have Panther almost perma memed while xp'ing (I swap it out only to mem and refresh Champion, saves me a spell slot) and keep it up on as many pets and melee types in the group as I can (5 targets maximum, I still DoT and nuke too). I use it becuase it is a buff that is fire a forget DPS. You buff up the group and it's that much more DPS you add, MoB's die that much faster, you gain xp that much faster, the group can handle more at once etc, etc.
It's still a very useful spell in xp groups although it is a rather large mana drain. You need not only have a very large mana pool to be able to use it and still have mana for things beyond Malos/Slow like nukes, DoT's, root cc'ing and spot heals but you have to be very on the ball about hitting canni and mass canni everytime it pops or it can easily suck you dry.
Sure it's a pain in the ass to keep refreshing every 3 - 4 mobs (80% Buff extension helps alot) moreso that any spell in the Avatar line ever was and SoE can kiss my a$$ for not only sticking us with a spell that is such a PITA but then nerfing the crap out of it after it was so popularly recieved.
Raids are a differnt situation, it's only really useful against boss mobs (Keeping a proper Melee Group perma buffed with Panther during say a Vishtimar fight is a large increase in overall damage and DPS) However keeping Panther up during clearing is pretty much a waste because of three things 1) Mobs die so fast anyways 2) Mobs are usually incoming at a rapid pace and in large numbers, requiring lots of time and attention for debuffing and 3) it takes a fair chunk out of the time you should be focusing on debuffing MoBs (Int Casters, Clerics and the weaker off tanks thank you)
So anyways I use it, it's another tool that ups DPS and makes me as a Shaman more desireable in a group becuase I use it and it makes the melee classes chests puff out when they proc. However I don't really like the spell becuase the short duration is a serious pain in the butt.
Gaknab Eater of Guktans
Troll Soothsayer of 985 Froglok Dismemberings
Help the Hopeless, Help fight Time's Antithesis Dependancy Syndrome