Guides

@Oriel

The one you mentioned by Sunreon. I know the screenshot is there--but it's not as helpful if I'm using a tinctured dragon and need to know how to assign points while I'm not at lvl 25 (for easier Kelp Bed Leveling).

@LilyBound

Sunreon's guide actually doesn't include suggestions for that!

Distribute points about 50/50 as you level. For reference values of QCK at lower levels, just use Culex distribution while keeping your final values in mind.

Example (and this is roughly the rationale I used):

LEVEL
2 - 10 QCK
4 - 15 QCK
5 - 20 QCK
10 - 25 QCK
13 - 35 QCK
16 - 40 QCK
17 - 50 QCK
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The above stats are reference suggestions taken directly from the Culex guide at each level and will appropriately scale QCK up until about level 17-18. Past that point your dragon should be healing well enough regardless of stat points, though you can prioritize INT if you need more potent heals and QCK if you'd like your level 25 trainer dragons to have more turns.

After level 17 prioritize the stats roughly equally as you level and distribute them as you see fit up until the final goal stats:
100 INT / 94 QCK (these are within six points of each other, which is why 50/50 distribution works fine)

NB: I recommend leveling teams of three dragons as 3xGC build only. Non-level 25 trainers just do not work as well. If your trainers are not level 25, leveling in Mire is a better and more sustainable option imho.

---

The healer dragon in the picture on the front page was not already 25 when I chose to make him part of my team. He went from 1-25 in the Mire, Kelp Beds, and Golem Workshop, respectively - in the company of my level 25 fodder trainers - and I distributed stat points during the leveling process exactly as I have outlined above.

When in doubt, use Culex guide for references to appropriate QCK at each level. When you get closer to even values in INT/QCK, just make sure not to go over the amount suggested by the build.

You really can't go wrong!

@Oriel


Ah, I actually have two 126 STR, tinctured Culex dragons to help me kelp bed train, so that won't be a problem.
Thanks though! That helps. *pokes progen* I did that two years ago before the were guides out, but still. That stat point distribution is a crime. xP

Anyways, on the elemental theory part, I'm using my Light/Wind 129 Str farming dragons for the Golem Workshop (with one of my 126 trainers atm), but plan to eventually use Fire/Wind farmers with an arcane mage to cover the strongest monsters in the area/have a somewhat cohesive team. Do you think the elements will actually matter/help?

What do you recommend doing differently if I'm using tinctured farmers with 129 str instead of 125 str?

@LilyBound

Usually I haven't noticed elements helping all that much in Golem Workshop. For the most part we're killing caster mobs early on. I recommend using high QCK fodder trainers (125/126 STR) rather than 129 STR and lower QCK .... but that's just personal preference. Not much changes between using the two other than you 'might' be able to get away with not using Rally as often as I do.

I prefer the 59 QCK glass cannons over any other type, to the point where I actually do not recommend using 129 STR dragons and tinctured my 'farmers' into fodder trainer builds, instead.

The only thing that might matter is the element of your mage. A mage dragon that is elementally strong to melee enemies will allow you to (occasionally) one-shot them. My Light healer is capable of one-shotting Plague, Shadow, and Wind enemies on critical hit with Enamor. It doesn't happen that often but it's cool when it does. Plus you can use that in lieu of a scratch/contuse cast if you have a lot of extra breath.

@Oriel I was thinking in terms of boss fights/higher level monsters.

My mage will be Arcane. ;)

@LilyBound This is another case where elements don't matter. The only times that the elements of your dragons count are when they're being hit with elemental attacks, and the only boss monsters (that I know of) that frequently use elemental attacks are the caster mantarunes (easily handled with reflect). Borers and Delvers are melee attackers, as are wartoads in the Mire. They may occasionally use their elemental slashes, but there has not been enough of a difference that elemental alignment ends up mattering to me. Abyss Strikers in Kelp Beds (Shadow Element) and Psywurms in the Mire (Arcane Element) are the only annoying monsters because of their fast cast speeds. You'll probably do fine with an Arcane element mage, though it will only be useful against the Wind-Aspected golems (you're otherwise strong to Nature and Earth, which are reasonable choices as well). Reminder: [img]http://24.media.tumblr.com/2a5b2340ac661ef3adc0bd79463327f4/tumblr_mq75toik7y1sbylx1o1_500.jpg[/img] Edit: I should mention that I don't pick mages strong to boss monsters because of how rarely they're encountered. I chose to speed up regular fights and just deal with the bosses as heal and scratch-elim. :)

@Oriel

...but that means I *shouldn't* use my elemental slashes then? @@?


And I picked Arcane because of that, yep! And I'm an Arcane with Light, Wind, and two Ice Coli Dergs.

@LilyBound [quote name="LilyBound" date=2015-08-29 16:20:08] ...but that means I *shouldn't* use my elemental slashes then? @@? And I picked Arcane because of that, yep! And I'm an Arcane with Light, Wind, and two Ice Coli Dergs. [/quote] Rallied eliminate tends to be more effective than Elemental slashes. The only exception to that is if you don't have enough breath to Eliminate and the monster is very close to dead, at which point using a slash is good. To be honest I only find elemental slashes useful at the lower levels. Some people may have a different experience than me, but Rallied Eliminate has been a more consistent damage dealer for me. I used Ice fodder trainers with my Light mage for a long time. Now I have a Fire trainer and a Light trainer. Haven't noticed much difference. XD The variance in attack damage on Tier 2 elemental spells from a mage is MUCH higher than the equivalent numbers a GC dragon gets from an elemental slash. Or if you're like me you just scratch borers/delvers to death, heal up, and don't worry about element, really. :)

@Oriel

*tosses notebook page of careful element weighing* Well that was time I could have better spent in coli. Thanks!