Spirit mastery and ternion attack

[Shade]

I have just started a spirit character, and it has taken me some time to find this answer, so I thought I would share with anyone starting spirit.

In all the guides I have read, it talked about ternion attack being almost a game breaker in terms of the damage it does.

I originally thought ternion attack would launch 3 projectiles, initally at lower damage, that would all hit the target causing a large amount of damage.

I have put a few points into this staff attack and I am sucking up my mana and doing less damage than my staff. In addition, one or more of my spread of projectiles seems to be missing.

After research, I now know that ternion attack has been changed to have a large spread of projetiles instead of a small spread which was more likely to hit a single target. This was done because since near launch it has been vastly overpowered.

There may be some tricks or strategies that others are using to make up for this difference, but I certainly did not get the attack that was raved about in many guides I read.

[Sebastian]

you need to put in a few more points. base ternion at one or two points is worse than main attack even when hugging enemies.
but if you max ternion plus arcane lore, it turns into an AoE death shotgun. at +4, the projectiles deal full damage each with a 2.4 meter splash radius.
I dont know what bug is making you lack projectiles, but for me it has always fired three.
also, a small tip, you can somewhat control the spread. if you fire it close to you, the spread is large, if you fire it further away, the shots are grouped closer. so always aim behind whatever you ar trying to hit. or just press your face into whatever the enemy has that counts as a torso and fire away so everything hits anyways.

[sarcastic_godot]

...to reduce the spread, don't aim your mouse cursor at the mid-range baddies, but way behind them. "Aim through them", so to speak. Also, the core trick is to rush them and Tern them at melee range, and then it's death on wheels again...

...but basically, don't expect it to be overly powerful until you're Level 30-ish. From then on it's like using a high pressure cleaner where others use a brush or a rubber gardening hose.

Ternion + Arcane Lore = Supreme critterbroom of TQ.

[Shade]

Thanks for the tips, I will try them!

[kekkuli]

You will get it later when your character grows in power. Always max arcane lore first before ternion itself. I suggest pairing spirit with storm for maximum carnage!

[Sebastian]

Originally posted by kekkuli:

Always max arcane lore first before ternion itself.

I like to go three points ternion, then max arcane lore. three points means that if all hits land, your attacks arent weaker than base attack.

Originally posted by kekkuli:

I suggest pairing spirit with storm for maximum carnage!

dream and earth also work well.

[kekkuli]

Well, i usually go with basic attack up to level 20+, and only then start using ternion. Less mana issues this way :)

Sure they work well but i just love prophet, one of the best synergized classes in the game imo.

[Sebastian]

I just go for it as fast as possible. by level 12 you can already have it and its upgrade maxed.
if you need more mana, two pieces of oracle gear or jewelery socketed with hecates crescent fixes that easily.
or just buy mana potions and assign them to right click, because ♥♥♥♥ everything in your path, you got places to be and no time to waste.

[sarcastic_godot]

Originally posted by kekkuli:

[...]Always max arcane lore first before ternion itself. [...]

+1

Originally posted by Sebastian:

Originally posted by kekkuli:

I suggest pairing spirit with storm for maximum carnage!

dream and earth also work well.

Dream is best IMHO - especially with the melee-range style to go: Deathchill + Wrath = Resistances? So what? Also Reality Distortion swings nicely and in harmony with these two. And when the baddies start to make an impression on your healthbar, switch to Convalescence Trance. And Psionic touch works with Staff base attack and can be used to "park" the skillpoints until you get to the point where you can max Tern + Arcane Lore and put them to good use all the while. But the latter is only the way I chose to do that.

Another one where Spirit (and ofc also Tern) is a highly synergistic later-game thing: Nature.

TL;DR: All staff-wielding masteries can profit from Ternion.