User:RodAdams/UW 8-man

What's Needed

 * 1 Echo 55
 * 1 SB Prot monk
 * 1 GeoTank
 * 5 others

Of the others, highly recommended, but not critical are:
 * 1 Prot+Heal monk
 * 1 Spirit Attack Rit

For rest, see Damage Options below.

Echo 55
[build prof=Mo/Me name="55 echo" hea=9+3 pro=9+3 div=12+1+3][Essence Bond][Balthazar's Spirit][Blessed Aura][Arcane Echo][Spell Breaker][Protective Spirit][Healing Breeze][Shield of Absorption][/build] Must be a human
 * Standard 55 gear: 5*Sup rune, -50 cesta, +5e/+20%enc weapon, wand to swap to, etc
 * Normal Monk gear: Swap to for high HP in areas where 55ing just doesn't cut it.
 * Usage :
 * if you've never 55'd before, this is not the place to start.
 * if you've never been deep into the Underworld before, find someone who has to 55.
 * use echo to keep SB indefinitely in areas that need it. The trick is to watch the recharge sweep of the perma-SB for when to cast the echo-SB before it disappears. Practice makes perfect.

SB Prot Monk
[build prof=Mo/E name="Support Prot" hea=10+1 pro=10+1 div=11+3+1][Glyph of Lesser Energy][Spell Breaker][Protective Spirit][Shielding Hands][Shield of Absorption][Dwayna's Kiss][Healing Breeze][Renew Life][/build] Hero hanging off the 55 works well
 * Required Equipment:
 * runes as listed above
 * +20% enchant weapon


 * Function:
 * Backup skills for the 55... this can make a huge difference throughout a multi hour excursion.
 * Protection and healing for the rest of the party as needed.

GeoTank
[build prof=E/Me name="GeoTank" ins=9 air=3+1 ear=12+1+3 ene=9+1][Earth Attunement][Aura of Restoration][Mantra of Earth][Stone Daggers][Stone Striker][Stoneflesh Aura][Glyph of Swiftness][Obsidian Flesh][/build] Must be a human.
 * Armor: AL 60 armor w/ Geomancer Insignias.
 * Runes: Sup Earth, Minor Energy, Vigor, Minor Air, Vitae
 * Weapons: Any +20% enchantment weapon, but the more energy and health bonuses the better.

Roles:
 * General :
 * Keep Attunement up and spam stone daggers at target of choice.
 * Be in the habit of keeping Aura Restro, Stone Stiker, and Mantra up to take load of healers should aggro hit the back lines. Add in Stoneflesh for serious damage reduction.


 * Obsidian Behemoths : Stiker + Stoneflesh + Mantra == no damage from traps, so add in a Healing Breeze from a monk to counter burning/bleeding, and you're in charge of clearing traps. Traps are great for energy, so go ahead and charge them during battle. And oh yea, fling some daggers.
 * Four Horsemen Quest :
 * Your job is to stand on one side and hold off half the horde until the other side comes to the rescue.
 * Keep all enchants up. Use Glyph before every cast of Obsidian Flesh. Don't worry about attacking, it'll only screw you up.
 * When the 55 comes in to take over, run away from the reaper, breaking aggro if possible. You'll likely end up dead, but the initial spell casting will be away from group, and then aggro will resettle on the 55.


 * Other Notes :
 * For the most part you can tank smites, dryders, charged blackness, and others, but stay in a pure backup role in that capacity.
 * For areas where the 55 can't easily pull, it's your job.
 * Don't even think about tanking the Aataxe.

Spirit Nuker
[build prof=Rt/? name="Spirit Nuker" com=10+1 cha=11+1+3 spa=10+1][Spirit Rift][Painful Bond][Offering of Spirit][Flesh of My Flesh][Pain][Bloodsong][Anguish][Vampirism][/build] ''Must be Human. A Hero can't make this build work right, and you're better off with another Ele."
 * Equipment:
 * Runes as above, though extra health is good as well.
 * Pretty much any staff, but +60hp and +15e is nice.


 * Skill Variants:
 * Spirit Channeling in place of Offering of Spirit. Essence Bond on the 55 works in a pinch.
 * Ancestor's Rage in place of Spirit Rift, but can be a pain to keep selecting the tank to cast it on.
 * Agony in place of Anguish
 * Resurrection Chant or Renew Life in place of Flesh of my Flesh. Hmm. possibly Rebirth if you are sure someone else has Chant or Renew.

Role:
 * Stay alive:
 * You are potentially the only human player with a hard rez. If in doubt, run away, and keep running until safe.
 * Spirits act as decoys, giving you a few seconds head start.
 * You should be in the back, regardless.
 * I've personally seen several runs where the party is wiped, save this Rit, and this char was able to mop up the remaining aggro, and then rez the entire party.
 * While generally Offensive in play, the ability of this class to prevent wipes places it in the support class.


 * General :
 * Place a row of spirits back a bit from where the 55 will pull to. If in doubt where to go, ask the 55.
 * Use Painful Bond/Spirit Rift in battle, with Offering of Spirit to keep energy up.
 * In areas with choke points, place spirits to block advance of lost aggro.
 * In areas with lots of dryders, space spirits out to avoid one Meteor Shower wiping all the spirits.

Prot+Heal
Build pending, but pretty flexible. Just needs to have extra healing and protection for the rest of the party.

Spirit Healer
[build prof=R/Rt exp=10+3 wil=11+1+3 res=10][Serpent's Quickness][Quickening Zephyr][Troll Unguent][Life][Preservation][Recuperation][Spirit Light][Flesh of My Flesh][/build] Untested Hero might work, but designed for a human
 * Equipment:
 * Runes as above, and a +energy staff and armor


 * Usage :
 * Place all the spirits nearby
 * the combination of SQ + QZ should allow the 55 to recast SB without the use of echo.
 * heal as need be.

Fire Ele
[build prof=E/Mo name="Fire Nuker" fir=12+1+2 ene=12+1 hea=3][Fire Attunement][Mark of Rodgort][Searing Flames][Glowing Gaze][Fireball][Liquid Flame][Glyph of Lesser Energy][Resurrection Chant][/build] Hero or Human
 * Equipment: Standard Fire Ele gear. Fire rune can be Sup or Major.
 * Variants:
 * essence bond instead of glyph. (cast on 55)
 * pretty much any hard rez.
 * while this build looks standard, it was actually carefully crafted to avoid aggro scatter. Do not make changes to it without fully understanding the scatter issue.


 * Usage: If you have to ask, you've never played an ele.

SS/Utility Necro
[build prof=N/Mo name="SS/Support" blo=9+1 sou=9+1 cur=12+1+2][Spiteful Spirit][Insidious Parasite][Suffering][Signet of Lost Souls][Defile Enchantments][Blood Ritual][Well of Blood][Rebirth][/build] Human preferred, but Hero works as well
 * Equipment: Standard Curses Necro gear.
 * Usage:
 * Hex the bad guys.
 * Blood Rit 55 and other casters as needed.
 * Well of Blood to help healing, and corpse denial in Bone Pits.

SS/Utility Necro (alternate)
[build prof=N/Me ins=3 blo=9+1 sou=9+1 cur=12+1+3][Arcane Echo][Spiteful Spirit][Reckless Haste][Well of Blood][Insidious Parasite][Mantra of Resolve][Blood Ritual][Sunspear Rebirth Signet][/build] Must be Human

Suggested Parties
(all are listed in Human : Heroes listing)

3-human

 * Echo 55: SB Prot Support
 * GeoTank: Heal+Prot Monk
 * Spirit Rit: 2 Fire Eles, SS/Utility Necro

4-human
(note: a human can be a lot more religious about spamming well of blood than a hero, which will help a a lot with healing)
 * Echo 55: SB Prot Support
 * GeoTank
 * Spirit Rit
 * SS/Utility Necro: 2/3 Fire Eles (can be shared w/ Rit)

More
Humans take over other roles as desired.