Stoneskin not useful?

[Remyus_Nara]

I've gotten rid of Stoneskin and replaced it with Surecast. I find Surecast more useful in case things go bad and I NEED to get that helios/raise off while an add is attacking me. Stoneskin is only decent at best before pulls and tankbusters in which case my partner can take care of that.

[RazeLandale]

Since cast between fights it's free mitigation that lasts until used I can't say it's useless, but it's certainly not very strong. Even on the ideal target, a 20k health warrior it's still less than a basic heal.

They should give whms back their 18%. The scaling health fears really don't hold any water. As health scales you're going to make enemies hit harder. And you're going to make healers heal harder for that matter. Keep things balanced and it shouldn't be a problem. DON'T keep things balanced and you've got bigger problems then stoneskin potency.

[AnaviAnael]

Since cast between fights it's free mitigation that lasts until used I can't say it's useless, but it's certainly not very strong. Even on the ideal target, a 20k health warrior it's still less than a basic heal.

They should give whms back their 18%. The scaling health fears really don't hold any water. As health scales you're going to make enemies hit harder. And you're going to make healers heal harder for that matter. Keep things balanced and it shouldn't be a problem. DON'T keep things balanced and you've got bigger problems then stoneskin potency.

The more I read the responses here, the more I'm agreeing with this sentiment.

[Velox]

snip

This is true. Even though HP scaling was increased in 3.0, damage scaling was equally increased. It's not like we're using 3.0 HP scaling with 2.0 damage scaling (which would warrant a change). Right now boss autoattacks hit for 1-2k, making Stoneskin utterly worthless at 10% (which is 1-2k for most players).

Either change enemy damage to follow the 2.0 scale or increase Stoneskin to 20% traited.

[Negafox]

I tend to keep Stonestone up on ranged classes since it is more rare for them to be hit and because I am paying more attention to the melees. If I have zero concern that any player will die, then it's not really worth my casting time or mana to keep Stoneskin up on anybody (especially if a non-WHM).

[Jonnycbad]

Can someone explain why they nerfed stoneskin? Everyone I ask, says that 18% of Max HP of 12-15k+ is extremely over powered...but I don't buy it. If our HP has scaled up from 50-60, then shouldn't mob damage have scaled up proportionately? So 18% of 15k HP at level 60, vs 18% of 7k HP at level 50, should be comparable, as we are taking proportionately the same (or lower) damage as we did at 50. So what gives?

As it stands, Stoneskin is decent for a precast on tank before bosses, but that's really about it (or maybe to cast on self as a HP buffer since it lasts 30min). The cast time is way too long to be useful on SCH or AST during a fight, at least WHM have SS2.

I think SS1 should be AoE, and SS2 would be the same but also reduce incoming damage by 10%(until the stoneskin HP is consumed), making it like an expensive Succor without the heal, for WHM

[Dante_V]

Useful for raiding. Tank busters, mechanics, preys, extra bit of time to dps.

[PetiteMalFleur]

Can someone explain why they nerfed stoneskin?

Yoshi had said it was too make whm more balanced with new skills they got; nothing to do with hp scaling in 3.0.

[Raso]

Right now even 18% wouldn't really be used, Stoneskin just costs too damn much mp to be used in combat. Stoneskin's only real use is that it is an aggro free shield if cast prefight and can tank 1 hit while the healer gets in position to heal.

Notably on Alex 1 normal a 10% stone skin will take 1hit of the AoE so it saves mana and the Assize for the second one, presumably when you will get mana back as you should have spent a little on the tank.

Also had a FC mate who had almost all his gear break in the middle of a Neverreap run so he had only 4k hp, stoneskin after every hit kept him alive throughout the whole thing, it was... Interesting.

[Aurelinaus]

I can't make a case for stoneskin the mp cost and cast time is just too high. 3 cure's worth of mp for half a cure's worth of hp. On a Whm that's quite a bit of mp, on a Sch a shield only adlo is still cheaper stronger and can crit, the cast it too long to bother with when everything is in full swing. And watching it get stripped by auto attacks as soon as it goes up isn't really that fun.