Which do you think does more damage? Your melee? Or the extra nuke you cast with the mana you didnt waste on an enspell, and the two-three ticks of mp you regened?[/quote}
Actually, the aggregate melee damage will equal about 1.5 magic bursts - at my level. If I rest in between spells (Impossible! I am a freaking RDM I am ALWAYS doing something!) I gain what? Maybe 15 MP?
Which RDM's nukes will be stronger? Yours, with your sword or dagger? Or the RDM with the INT wand or Ice Staff?
Now this brings up a point that I posted in my last response. I am level 42. When I actually DO hit a point where I deem melee damage detrimental, I will stop. An Ice staff might be such an occassion. As for right now, I have +18 INT with Melon Pies +1 - I hardly ever get resisted as is. And the main focus to INT is just that - get by resists. The only other thing INT adds is 1 point of damage for 1 point of INT. So I am missing 5-10 extra damage a nuke, big deal! I nuke maybe two times a fight!
Case-in-fucking-point. You = Dumb if you seriously think that being in melee, as a RDM, doesnt hurt anything. You dont automatically suck for being in melee, but you certainly arnt as good as a RDM of similar skill level who isnt in melee.
Says YOU...
I am all about XP too. Hitting 4-5k an hour gives me chills and a sense of comraderie with my fellow PT members. It's good times. And I have never had a problem hitting those high chains and until I do have trouble - I am in there swinging a sword and averaging 300 melee damage a fight.