Warden FAQ version 2.1
This guide was created by MullenSkywatcher of the EQ2 Warden Forums. All credit for this guide goes to him. To see the original posting of this guide click here.
1. What is a Warden?
Wardens are one of the six healing classes in EQ2. We specialize in Heal over Time spells (HoT) and elemental damage spells. While doing more damage than other healing classes, our armor is leather based, providing less physical protection than available to a Mystic/Defiler (chain) or Templar/Inquisitor (plate).
2. Early Warden Considerations (Stats, Races, Class)
Your primary stat is Wisdom.
The "cap" for all stats is (Level*15 +20) with diminishing returns at the higher levels (>600).
Wisdom (WIS) increases the size of the Warden's Power pool. It also increases your resistances to spell damage. Wardens get spells that buff this stat for themselves and their group.
Stamina (STA) increases the size of the Warden's Health pool. When your health pool reaches 0 you fall unconscious, and will usually die shortly thereafter unless healed quickly.
Intelligence (INT) increases the damage of the Warden's spells, including damage shields and items that "proc" (have a percentage change to "process" a spell effect)
Strength (STR) increases the Warden's melee damage and how much you can carry. This stat is important if you decide to take the EoF Melee Alternate Advancement line
Agility (AGI) increases the Warden's avoidance, which decreases the chance of an enemy to hit. Wardens get spells that buff this stat for themselves and their group.
What Race should I play?
Although it might seem that races that start with a higher base wisdom stat are
more suited to be a Warden, the racial difference in the wisdom stat is quickly overcome by the added bonuses of equipment, jewelry and wisdom buffs. Therefore, choosing a race that is visually appealing to you is probably more important long term than the initial stats. Your starting race will determine what city you are from (Freeport, Qeynos, Kelethin), and both good and evil races can choose to become a Warden. A list of racial trait bonuses can be found here.
Why should I play a Warden instead of any other healer?
Wardens are the "pure" healing class. Our heals are the most power efficient because they all include a heal over time (HoT) component. They are also very fast casting! This can make an amazing difference during long fights, or fights with unexpected adds (additional creatures that unexpectedly attack). The caveat to this healing power is the difficulty in healing sudden large amounts of damage (burst damage) that other healing classes have less trouble with. This forces the Warden to be a bit more proactive with our heals than other classes, as it can be easy to fall behind in healing the damage and get into trouble.
Wardens can solo well, using our elemental nukes and dot combined with strong immobilizing spells (roots) to kill melee creatures without being harmed in return. Our strong resists (especially heat and cold) make it possible to resist a large amount of spells cast on us (although your equipment plays a large role in this also). Wardens have strong group heals and regens making us perhaps the best healer to recover from Area of Effect (AoE) spells.
3. What spells do Wardens get?
A truly excellent chart of all Warden spells 1-70 is located here.
Note that this chart shows the next upgrade in the spell line, as well as the Master2 choices (more on this later). A quick summary would include Heals (of course), Nukes, Group Wisdom/Agility/Health/Resist Buffs, Damage Shields, and Evac (emergency group teleport).
Upgrading spells
Your spells are automatically given to you when you gain each level from
levels 1-50. Starting at level 51, you will need to purchase your
spells from merchants or the broker, or find them via mob drops.
Upgrading your spells is of PRIMARY importance, as they have the single
most impact on how well your class performs. Heals will take the
highest priority, followed by whatever spells you are using most often
(buffs for grouping, nukes for soloing)
What are Spell Upgrades?
Unlike EQ1, In EQ2, Spells can be upgraded much like equipment. There are several levels of each spell, going from Apprentice 1 (Weakest) to Master 2 (Strongest)
Apprentice 1 Granted automatically to Warden from Levels 1-50
Apprentice 2 Purchased from NPC vendors in Cities
Apprentice 3-4 Player made by Sage Tradeskill
Adept 1 Dropped from Wooden Chests, can often be found on City Brokers
Adept 3 Player made with rare harvest component by Sage Tradeskill
Master 1 Dropped from Master Chests (usually very powerful heroic or raid mobs)
Master 2 Player chosen upgrade at levels 14, 24, 34, 44, 54, 64
I just got a rare harvest component, what spells can/should I Upgrade to Adept 3?
The rare harvest to upgrade your spells to Adept 3 comes from the gem
harvest nodes and uses the mining skill. The rare component harvested
is as follows:
Tier 1 (Level 1-9) Rough Lapis or Copper Cluster
Tier 2 (Level 10-19) Rough Coral
Tier 3 (Level 20-29) Rough Jasper
Tier 4 (Level 30-39) Rough Opal
Tier 5 (Level 40-49) Rough Ruby
Tier 6 (Level 50-59) Rough Pearl
Tier 7 (Level 60-70) Rough Moonstone
Remember, don’t upgrade something to Adept 3 if you are going to get it at master 2!
Master 2 Spell Choices
Starting at level 14, and every 10 levels afterwards (24, 34, 44, etc.) We are allowed to upgrade one of four spells to the most powerful version, Master 2! This upgrade is free!
Here is the list of Master 2 choices. Format is:
(Level Spell Received) Name of Spell – Brief Description of Spell Effect [Next Spell Upgrade]
Level 14
(10) NettleShield - Damage Shield [24 Barbcoat]
(11) Chill - Cold Nuke [25 Frost]
(12) Regrowth - Single Target Regen [19 Greater Regrowth]
(14) Winds of Renewal - Group Regen [28 Blessings of Earth]
Level 24
(19) Greater Regrowth - Single Target Regen [26 Blessings of the Grove]
(20) Protector of the Forest - Wolf form, increased physical mitigation [34 Warden of the Forest]
(23) Cold Snap - Cold DoT [37 Frostbite]
(24) Barbcoat - Damage Shield [38 Bramblecoat]
Level 34
(31) Summer's Flame - Heat Nuke [45 Solar Burn]
(32) Nature's Embrace - Single Target Direct Heal + HoT [46 Verdant Rapture]
(33) Protection of the Seasons - Group Physcial and Magic Mitigation Buff [47 Spirit of the Oak]
(34) Warden of the Forest - Wolf form, increased physical mitigation [48 Steward of the Forest]
Level 44
(39) Bitter Frost - Cold Nuke [53 Hoarfrost]
(40) Chloroplast - Single Target Regen [54 Wild Growth]
(42) Chlorostorm - Group Regen [56 Wild Chlorostorm]
(43) Sylvan Waters - Single Target Direct Heal + HoT [Sylvan Streams 57]
Level 54
(4" /> Steward of the Forest - Wolf form, increased physical mitigation [62 Patron of the Forest]
(52) Thorncoat - Damage Shield [66 Spikecoat]
(53) Hoarfrost - Cold Nuke [67 Subzero]
(54) Wild Growth - Single Target Regen [68 Greater Chloroplast]
Level 64
(60) Winds of Arctic Cold - Encounter based AoE Cold Nuke
(60) Verdant Bliss - Single Target Direct Heal + HoT
(61) Bracken - Encounter based root
(63) Regenerative Spores - Single Target Buff with HoT proc (percentage chance to heal every time target is hit)
Why can't I stack my concentration buffs?
Concentration buffs are meant to be used until you can receive their upgrade, with the old one taken off the spell bar.
I just hit level 51 and didn't get my spell?!
Spells level 51+ are no longer granted automatically, they have to be purchased either from a sage via tells or the broker, or from the Golden Scepter in Maj'Dul
Do Wardens get any spells just for fun?
Yes, these are know as "fluff" spells as they have no use in combat or adventuring. They are just for style and flash. They must be purchased separately from NPC vendors in your home city.
Dust Cloud (Level 20) - Flowing leaf animation around the Warden
Rowyl's Form of the Vale (Level 30) - Bee illusion
Call of the Fae (Level 35)- Fairy illusion
Form of the Strange Bear (Level 40) - Owlbear illusion
Warden's Gentle Reminder (level 45) - Summons a hail of boulders over target ally
Reebo's Circling Runes (Level 50) - Flowing green rune animation around the Warden
4. Warden Quests and Equipment upgrades
Here are a few quest lines that relate to Warden Armor
There is a six part progressive quest starting at level 20 for wardens, rewarding you with a different piece of armor for each completed quest
For Qeynos Wardens: South Qeynos, under the tree on the east side. Selwyn Oakheart
For Freeport Wardens: North Freeport, go to Vassi Darkscale in the Jade Tiger Inn
What about Armour Quests after level 20?
Level 30+ Enchanted Lands, Deputy Nettlebrine on the steps down from the dock.Level 30+ Zek, Hammer on the top of the barricade (although imo its more brawler oriented)
Level 40+ Armor upgrades can come from rare pelts (augmented leather pelt) unless you want to raid - apart from the Golden Efreeti Boots (GEBS) heritage quest you can get the Tobrin's EyePatch heritage quest from Everfrost, but its not really worth the effort IMO - and you will have leveled beyond it by the time you get it without help from higher levels.
Level 50+ Armor is also rare pelts (scaled leather pelts), and player made Pearl Jewelry (is a major step up from t5 jewelry)
Level 60+ Armor is easy enough to find if you group through instanced zones a lot. You can also use the tier 7 rare pelts (dragonhide leather pelts) for the player made mastercrafted leather armor (nice stats andresists)
I've heard some players talk about Relic Armor. What is that?
(from EQ2 Traders) Relic armor is high-end KoS armor that is created from mob drops.
Players must obtain the base no drop armor in KoS raid zones (Lyceum, Vyemm's Lab, Deathtoll), then bring the piece(s) plus the appropriate dropped (tradeable) gems to Keortor Talyse in Solusek's Eye for final creation. (He is located down near the Forge of Ages at -67, -625, -48.)
Priest Classes - appropriate Relic piece plus:
Chest: 3 Pristine Obsidians
Legs: 3 Refined Black Pearls
Shoulders: 3 Refined Adamantines
Forearms: 3 Refined Quartz
Head: 3 Refined Aquamarines
Hands: 3 Refined Topaz
Feet: 3 Refined Rubies
Any non-essential but helpful Quests I should do?
Call of Ro - quest that gives you the Call of Ro teleport spell, like your Call of Qeynos/Freeport spell.
Splitpaw Access
- Complete 3 quests for the "good" gnolls in the Splitpaw Dungeon to receive a teleportation shard. This gives you a quick way to access the Thundering Steppes as well as another way to get to a mender if you are in need, and your 'Call' is down. Note that while in Thundering Steppes, your evac spell will give you fast access to the TS docks, with mariner bells to Everfrost, City of Mara, Zek, Feerot, and Nek Forest.
These quests are too easy! I want something harder!
At the end of the original game, and each expansion, there is a lengthy quest ending in a tough raid fight and a powerful item. These quests are not of the faint of heart, or people not willing to devote a lot of time to complete them. Solo wardens need not apply, you will need powerful allies to complete these quests!
Prismatic
Godking
Claymore
Swords of Destiny
5. Warden Achievements (Alternate Advancement - Kingdom of Sky, Echoes of Faydwer)
What are Achievements?
Achievements are specialized points you can use to upgrade your character beginning
at level 10 if you have the Echoes of Faydwer expansion. You can earn a maximum of 50 Achievement Points for your character in your archetype (Druid) and another 50 points in your class (Warden). You earn achievement experience by exploring new places, defeating named mobs, completing challenging quests (ranked blue or above), completing tome and collections quests, and looting legendary and fabled items. At level 70, any experience gained is converted into Achievement experience.
What are the Warden Achievements?
Achievements
Kingdom of Sky Achievements (Warden and Fury, from eq2ref.com)
Echoes of Faydwer Achievements (Warden only, from eq2ref.com)
6. Echoes of Faydwer Druid Portal
What are the Druid Portals?
Starting at level 25, druids can quest for a set of spells which allow them to open a portal to 5 zones, two old world and three in the new EoF expansion. The zones you can open a portal to are, Antonica, Commonlands, Butcherblock Mountains, Steamfont Mountains, and Greater Faydark. You arrive at the Druid Ring in each zone. The portal stays open for about a minute, and other players that have visited the druid ring and collected an item from them can travel through the portal as well. There is a short quest involved, details of which can be found in the below guide written by Crimson Dragon.