A3: Does anyone use spell shards? Which ones?

[Nobear]

Some of them seem decent, like Shade Call and Blink, but I keep forgetting to use them. I can't decide whether Blink would be better for my archer tank (just to get her into tanking position) or my dual-wielding backstabber. In either case, it could come in particularly handy in the face of knockbacks and immobilization effects.

 

I assume the damage ones (like Lightning) are as bad as spell scrolls, and I might as well just sell them. On the other hand, even a small amount of damage on a reusable item might not be terrible if I have 6-9 AP left. If hit chance is decent with it on Torment, perhaps this could be more reliable in some cases than hoping that Haste procs.

 

A similar item is the Xian Harp. Anyone had luck with that?

 

I know I could test this stuff out. I was just wondering if anyone else was already experienced in using these items strategically, or trying to and deciding it's not worth it.

[TriRodent]

I always carefully save them, distribute them out to various characters with opposite skill sets than the shard (mass healing to a tank for instance, under the assumption that a priest won't need to use a shard for a spell he knows while a fighter may save the day with the ability to heal everyone while the others are busy), filling up many inventory slots that could be used for other things .... and completely forget to use them.

 

Honestly, in any of SW's games where such a thing is available, I always save them but I can't ever remember using one when it would be tactically useful.  I really like the idea of them (aren't they supposed to cast the spell at the equivalent of a L30 caster?), but I never remember to use the damn things....sigh

[TriRodent]

Thinking about it, I do the same thing with the training crystals...  "Oooh, I'll save a couple of Sniper/Resistance/whatever until I get him trained up to L10 in that skill & then be able to bump it to 12...woo hoo"

 

Come late game, & it will really be late in the game before ever reaching L10 in those top level skills - if they ever do, once again I'll have completely forgotten about them/gotten used to seeing them in a particular inventory slot throughout the game & just mentally filter it out when opening that screen.

 

Again, not that they aren't a bad idea to include, but the use of them never seems to happen - Strictly an ID-TEN-T problem I realize but...

 

(maybe let them be used whenever but still be able to train a total of 10 times regardless)

[Edgwyn]

I did use the training crystals, but I also spend a lot of time accumulating and carefully stacking and distributing scrolls, portions and crystals and then I make minimal use of any of them.