Return of Reckoning

I. Does the Tapping the Dark tactic in Path of Agony apply an absorb barrier to the sorc as well?
- The tooltip implies the effect is for allies only. But if not, does the barrier absorb backlash damage?

II. Is the Endless Knowledge tactic a must have?
- This is obviously tied to how much int you already posses and the progress into the softcap. But lets assume the circumstance is a rank 40 sorc just softcapped at 1050 int.

III. Is the sorc backlash damage static, and how is it calculated?
- I also asume that such an important mechanic is identical on the BW class.

IV. Does the tactics Devour Energy and Recover Energy complement each other?
- Since sorcs have two tactics for chance on spell hit to gain action points, I was wondering if they work well together, or maybe are only worth taking together, or not working at all.

V. Does Obsessive Focus see any use?
- From experience it was scrapped as not worth the global cd it took to cast it. And completely irrelevant on T4 with most dmg being aoe.

ademai wrote:I. Does the Tapping the Dark tactic in Path of Agony apply an absorb barrier to the sorc as well?
- The tooltip implies the effect is for allies only. But if not, does the barrier absorb backlash damage?

Yes, it will work on yourself too.

II. Is the Endless Knowledge tactic a must have?
- This is obviously tied to how much int you already posses and the progress into the softcap. But lets assume the circumstance is a rank 40 sorc just softcapped at 1050 int.

It is. You won't be able to reach softcap without it.

III. Is the sorc backlash damage static, and how is it calculated?
- I also asume that such an important mechanic is identical on the BW class.

Backlash dmg is pure dmg, similar to how morale dmg works. You can't mitigate it and as for the dmg numbers you should check Dhar Wind skill. Tooltip dmg of that skill matches backlash dmg. Same thing for bright wizards (Meltdown).

IV. Does the tactics Devour Energy and Recover Energy complement each other?
- Since sorcs have two tactics for chance on spell hit to gain action points, I was wondering if they work well together, or maybe are only worth taking together, or not working at all.

You won't have ap issues with the help of Reckless Gathering. Devour Energy might have some use in pve, and that's about it. Recover Energy was not spec'd by anyone ever.

V. Does Obsessive Focus see any use?
- From experience it was scrapped as not worth the global cd it took to cast it. And completely irrelevant on T4 with most dmg being aoe.

Highly situational skill, at least for me.

Thanks for the answers