My Thoughts on Buffs

When I first started, I play all my stamina every hour. However, after I learn about buffs, I realize this game is not about playing every hour. Buffs, also called skills, require stamina to cast, but they can help you gain XP faster. So when should you buff?

Let's take an example when you have 120 stamina (so you can use 100 stamina). Adept Learner at skill level 100 lets you gain 20% more xp. So if you cast it, you only have 90 stamina remaining to kill creatures. But the 20% gain means you'd get xp equivalent of 1.2 * 90 = 108 stamina. Therefore you should cast the adept learner. Librarian at skill level lets you gain 10% more xp statistically. So after casting the Adept Learner, if you cast Librarian, you'd have 80 stamina remaining. But now, you get 30% more xp. But 1.3 * 80 = 104, so you are better off casting only Adept Learner.

What if you don't have the buff, or that your skill level is low?
There are many players selling buffs. Those you see advertizing in the shoutbox are usually very expensive. Those players are out there to make a profit, so as to justify the fsp used to advertize their shop in the shoutbox.
However, there are may players offering value buffs.
Nicram Duel (link was also given in my first blog post) has this post documenting value buffers :

http://forum.fallensword.com/viewtopic.php?t=45574

Think of it this way : Are you willing to spend (5k) to gain 26% more xp (example for Adept Learner level 130)? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and buy the buffs. Next, is probably Libarian, are you willing to spend (5k) to gain 13% more xp (example for Librarian level 130)?

Treasure Hunter is another common buff, and its value is even easier to measure. Above, you're trading gold for xp. But Treasure Hunter is trading gold for gold. First you have to have an estimate of how much gold you are making. A level 25 typically makes about 10000 gold (assuming you do a 1-hit kill), when using 500 stamina. Treasure hunter gives you 20% more gold. So a treasure hunter is worth about 1700 gold. If you can get a buff for that price, you will break even. If it cost more than that, you are better off not buying it. At level 50, you get about twice as much gold, and the break even value for that buff is about twice that also, so you will be willing to spend 3400 gold on a Treasure Hunter buff.

Note, all the above also points to not using all your stamina immediately, but saving and then getting buffed and using it all at once.

When getting free buffs from guildmates, the buffs are free to you, but they cost your guildmates stamina. So please be considerate, and use it well. I am usually very upset when I buff my guildmates and they leave without using all their stamina.

Here is a list, not as comprehensive, but useful for starters (more as a reference fro my guildmates):

Adept Learner (AL) / Librarian (LIB)
SuperWave - (AL level 140 - FREE), (LIB level 140 - FREE)*
Niohoggr - (AL level 135 - FREE), (LIB level 135 - FREE)*
rhann123 - (AL level 130 - 2k), (LIB level 130 - 2.5k)**
lilsicko - (AL level 135 - 0.8k), (LIB level 135 - 0.8k)
Mccoyn - (AL level 130 - 1.2k), (LIB level level 110 - 1k)
kendi - (AL level 135 - 1k), (LIB level 135 - 2k)
ken88kin - (AL level 135 - 2k), (LIB level 135 - 2k)
Marbunz - (AL level 135 - 2k), (LIB level 135 - 2k)
PWIII - (AL level 135 - 2k), (LIB level 135 - 2k)****
shutuplos - (AL level 135 - 2k), (LIB level 135 - 2k)
mospeada - (AL, LIB, TH, MERCH level 124 - 7k for all)*****
bewslayer - (AL, LIB, TH, MERCH level 140 - 10k for all)

* : donations accepted
** : price reflects 1/2 price discounts for guild "A K A T S U K I", and players below level 15
*** : free for players below level 25
**** : free for players below level 20
***** : price is for guild "A K A T S U K I".