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#56522 24/04/03 02:05 PM
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Someone (Dryhte?) asked for a mage guide and here it is! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

1. Don't let your STR and AGI become too low for your level or the game will be very hard. Don't bother with Constitution, you will have enough life via charms. INT is obvious.
2. Use daggers/short swords and a shield instead of a staff although it looks more mage-likely.
3. As I said raise your STR and AGI to a reasonable number, so that you can also use any equipment that you will find on your way. Don't be afraid to use heavy armor and shield. There is no casting failure. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />
4. Check traders frequently and buy ALL spell books. (i.e. I learned all 5 levels of "Elemental Hail" and "Poisonous Cloud" from spell books. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />) I bought almost every spell book I find in shops. Except the ones which gives point to a skill that I already have 5 ranks. You can use save/load trick to get them books and charms available in their sale list.
5. Be sure that you carry some strength (for quick looting) and shadow (for quick running) potions with you always .
6. Use hit and run tactics (Obviously! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />) and prefer wide areas to fight.
7. "Meteorstrike" is good enough to take you to level 30 by itself. But don't rely only on it and get a few ranks in "Freeze" and "Lightning". When you reach higher levels, you will need more powerful spells. Use "Hellspike" and "Divine Death" at high levels where monsters start to gain good resistances against your low level spells. ("Divine Death" is effective especially against Imps in Wastelands and "Hellspike" is good because monsters can't resist it.)
[color:"red"]*Thanks to Womble for reminding me "Hellspike" and "Divine Death". <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> [/color]
8. Obtain a Frost weapon for intense combat. It is a life saver but don't use it always because it ruins the fun of game. Mine is "Wizard's Long Dagger of Cold" which I bought from Geoff.
9. Spend one or two points on "Elven Sight" or otherwise look for items with boost to sight. It will allow you to target enemies, even when they are out of your screen. This is effective especially when used along with auto-targeting spells such as "Lightning".
10. Spend at least a few skill points on "Lockpick" and "Telekinesis" (Also can be learned from spell books.) and be sure you steal everything you can but avoid losing reputation. Gold is important. (Both charm type and money type <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />)
11. Charms are cool, use them. Charm your items according to their values. (i.e. Don't put a gold/silver charm in a ring with only one charm slot because you will probably find better rings and your gold/silver charm will be wasted.)

That's all for now. Any comments and suggestions are wellcome.

And here is the stats for my mage. He had just been the Divine One <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/birthday.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />.

Thorangal
Level 46
STR 90
AGI 95
INT 160
CON 50

VITALITY 787
MAGIC 1708

OFFENSE 69
DEFENSE 71

5 rank skills: Meteorstrike, Lightning, Freeze, Poisonous Cloud, Elemental Hail, Restoration, Lockpick, Wisdom, Enchant Weapon(Must have!)

He has 19(!) skill points ready to be spent.

Last edited by Kaan; 25/04/03 12:14 PM.
#56523 24/04/03 02:54 PM
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One main comment,-Hellspikes! Good damage and cannot be resisted.
Lightning is a little too random and mana-expensive for effective use, burning wall is far superior.
Meteor strike is fine, but don't expect to finish the game with it.

For bosses, Curse(survivors), freeze, life leach, or elemental hail. Then resurrect them if you need a friend. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Also, when divine, one point in divine death is damn cool for wasting imps. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

Good stat point distribution. I usually have a little more agility and less mana.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />


" Road rage, air rage. Why should I be forced to divide my rage into seperate categories? To me, it's just one big, all-around, everyday rage. I don't have time for distinctions. I'm too busy screaming at people. " -George Carlin
#56524 25/04/03 11:50 AM
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Thanks, Kaan!

just what I needed (now I hope folk will start and give us a bit of their own experiences <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> )

#56525 26/04/03 06:11 AM
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Good thread. Bumping this to the front page. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />


"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." -Rich Cook
#56526 26/04/03 10:14 AM
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Please, no more bumping. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

This thread is already in Lynn's sticky topic: LISTING OF INFO, TUTORIALS, SPOILERS,...

Last edited by lynn; 18/06/04 01:26 PM.
#56527 28/04/03 12:59 PM
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I would like to add this URL to another mage guide topic:

Playing a mage character

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Please PM me if you have good tactics and suggestions for a mage character and I will add them to the first post.
Of course I will mention you <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Last edited by lynn; 18/06/04 01:27 PM.
#56528 05/05/03 09:21 AM
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Excerpt from the old forum about Sir_Toejam's Mage tips

well, the spells that i found that made the game easy were the following:

1. freeze (or course - at level 3 this is just a major pain saver)
2. burning wall - seems underpowered at 1st, but once you get it up to level 3, only enemies immune to lightning stand much of a chance against it. Works great to trap and fry large groups of critters, and combined with freeze, you can use it to make a tight box around a boss, and they will get hit by all 4 sides of the box at once (so about 100pts of damage per second).
3. leech life - usefull even at level 1 against boss monsters to get their hps down in a hurry, it is devastating at level 3 and higher.
4. hellspikes - again, starts being very powerfull starting at level 3. level 5 can take out most normal critters (including those annoying imps) in one shot most of the time.
5. divine death - while most folks frown on the divine spells, this will take out any creature in the game, excepting the black ring bosses, even at level 1 (kill a 7500 hp dragon rider with one shot!), especially when combined with my absolute favorite and most utilitarian spell:
6. Curse (survivor path) - both of the curse spells are cumulative (i.e., you can cast them multiple times on a single character, and their resists will continue to go down - just cast repeatededly on them without stopping for at least 5-7 castings), but only this curse spell will lower spirit resistance, so you can use freeze, leech, or divine death on those high hitpoint, very dangerous critters.
7. lead limbs - for very fast bosses (like the thing in the cave guarding the silver armor); it needs to be at least level 3, but is very usefull to slow powerfull mellee bosses down so you can get a few spells in before they can get to you (e.g., slow, freeze, leech, spike; repeat if necessary)

meteor strike is of course usefull in the beginning areas, but you never really need to spend more than a few points on it

don't forget to constantly check for magic books at the merchants, and try trading with everyone you meet in case they have one too. many of my skill were maxed by books instead of me spending skill points on them. I never found any books for the 8th spell type within any given class, tho, so if you like the highest level spells, that's where to spend your points.

as an example of this strategy, I killed what most people think is the toughest boss in the game (Josephina) in less than 3 seconds by doing the following:
Killing Josephina
4 quick curses (level 5), freeze (level 4), 4 leeches (level 5), one hellspike (level 5). if you can click fast enough, you should be able to beat my time.

Killing dragonriders are even easier: 4 quick curses (level 5), one divine death (level 3). takes about 2 seconds. your only danger is if they see you 1st and get a freeze spell in on you before you can cast curse on them.

general:

spend most of your ability points on agility, to keep from being hit to begin with. my rule of thumb was to keep my agility high enough so that a monster of the same level as myself would have less than a 50% chance to hit me. Once I started getting the larger dex charms, I drove that down to less than 30% chance to hit me.
Equipment Use a shield and armor and helm that have as high an armor class as possible. use a one handed weapon that drains mana (at least level 4) to restore mana when you have something frozen, so you don't have to use so many potions. whatever one-hander you decide on, you don't need to put more than 1 point into it.
don't worry about your int too much, as you can use mana charms later to boost your total mana supply; same with your con. worry about strength to make requirements for armor and a good one-handed weapon, you can stop putting in points into strength once you hit 65 (plate armor requirement).

point distribution, I would do the following:
agility 1st (unless already below 50% chance to be hit) - then
strength (up to 65) - then
int - then
con.

Sounds a bit odd for a mage, but you will still have enough mana this way, and once your strength is above 65, you can concentrate more on your int and con until you find good mana and vit charms. Remember, with low con, your best bet is to not get hit to begin with, so keep your agility high.


#56529 05/05/03 01:03 PM
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why would i want to have agility on a mage? i will never use melee or bow

#56530 05/05/03 01:15 PM
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Well, on easier enemies a spell is wasted mana - so I did go into melee then. And agility is nice if you're cornered by enemies and don't want to swap locations (mage special move).
I didn't put agility as high as TJ does, but he has a point in his arguments.
Kiya

#56531 15/06/03 06:50 PM
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Wow excellent info.

I have to keep reminding myself now to think out of the box and equip my mage with metal armor and a bow <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

#56532 15/06/03 07:25 PM
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thnx, I don't do Mages (being a theif and all) but, I might use it.



#56533 09/11/03 06:22 PM
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I'm new to this game (one week and level 21). At around level 8 I learnt splitting arrows which gave me a leg up. Now I'm in love with my bow, although elemental arrows is a better spell. I've got a hunter bow and drop heavy orcs in 2 or 3 hits (no mana used).

Another tactic I like is to summon a wall of steel warriors and then use freeze on an enemy or 2 (3rd level freeze now), meanwhile I'm in the back plugging the poor frozen chump with arrows. Works pretty well on orc ellites. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

#56534 12/12/03 10:21 PM
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(unless already below 50% chance to be hit)


How can you tell what the probability is that you will hit or be hit? I don't see it anywhere on the toolbar. Of course it is probably obvious so forgive me if this is not a bright question.

Cleglaw


The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?
~Jeremy Bentham
#56535 12/12/03 10:32 PM
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If you move the cursor over the Offense and Defense listings in the stats pane, it will display the corresponding chance to hit / be hit by a monster of the same level as your character.

#56536 12/12/03 11:53 PM
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Quote

Killing dragonriders are even easier: 4 quick curses (level 5), one divine death (level 3). takes about 2 seconds. your only danger is if they see you 1st and get a freeze spell in on you before you can cast curse on them.

I don't want to sound rude, but actually even if dragonriders hit you with freeze you are able to cast all of the spells, so all the curse combination is still possible; don't know though if this just isn't a bug of some kind...


You will have a gun on you; but are not to use it under any circumstances- it's only to strengthen your authority. (EH)
#56537 20/02/04 10:20 PM
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Heh!I agree absolutely that points should be mostly added to agility!(=Monsters can't hit you,you don't miss much- I always have 94% of hitting and 19% getting hit-)

Just giving my opinion here:
The best combination in my opinion is to start with a survivor(but if you prefer mage that's fine) so adding to AGILITY will give you more defense/offense % points!
Don't waste your points on constitution and intelligence(YOU WILL FIND MANY items giving lots of mana and vitality,also charms(For vitality and mana NOT CONTSITUTION AND INTELLIGENCE) give a very big amount even when they are RED CHARMS +60!
Don't waste charms adding resistances,when you need resistance JUST drink a few ELIXIRS(THAT'S what i do to BOSSES and i just kill them with my time....thought this makes the GAME VERY EASY,also ONLY USE RESTORIATION potions instead health/mana potions,use strentgh potions if you are encumbred,there effect stays for quite a long time <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />)

I use bow and poison weapon SKILLS(at least 3 points) that WAY ALL LIVING die immediatly,EVEN BOSSES!(POISON CLOUD/POISON ARROWS skills ARE USELESS,since using your own poison bottles with poison weapons skill you do FAR MORE POISON DAMAGE and in a much FASTER RATE)

:Spells:
Burning wall: is COOL and extremely useful against hordes of enemies,since NOT only it does a good damage BUT stucks the enemies until they get out of the wall,giving you time to kill them all safely!

Freeze:Works with almost all creatures,nice for taking out unique tough monsters!

Skeletal wall:Its "OK" if you want to distract the enemy's attention!Thought i don't use it,since its easy as it is!

Lighting and meteorstrike and hellspike:If you have a large mana,click insanely on the enemy all the time,your character won't have time to finish the animation <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> but you will still be able to fire each "milisecond"(way of speech) and that won't let the enemy DO ANYTHING,very good method especially against self-healing creatures!

Restoriation:I use it very often when i get low to vitality,which doesn't happen much <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />!Just right-click 3 times fast i'm full health again!

Polymorph:If you have too many enemies around just polymorph them all,but i don't like this much because the little animals RUN all the way around making it difficult to hit with a bow)

Ressurection:Add only 1 point to this one,just for the "more XP"
trick you all know!

NO TO Summoning Powers:Instead of wasting good skill points on summoning powers(like dreadknight,skeletons,master summoner ect. just add to DEADLY GIFT 2-3 points and 1-2 points to aura of command and control POWERFUL scorpions!(I think scorpions are TOO powerful,making it very easy,imagine having 5 level300 scorpions around you...they would just KILL EVERYTHING FOR YOU taking out the fun!)

I haven't become the divine one yet so i don't know about the other SPELLS or whatever...!

*Life leech seems to not work with me,i tried it out and the monsters never loose life nor i get life(vitality) back...strange....
**Until now I NEVER found one single merchant that SELLS SPELL BOOKS... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sad.gif" alt="" />,do you have to be a MAGE for NCPs to sell you books?
***The game is TOO EASY if you ask me...i never encountered difficulties(NO CHEATING since I HATE CHEATING VERY MUCH),anybody else thinks as i?


Any comments welcome <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" /> !

#56538 21/02/04 12:22 AM
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**Until now I NEVER found one single merchant that SELLS SPELL BOOKS... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sad.gif" alt="" />,do you have to be a MAGE for NCPs to sell you books?


Both Kristandalus (how do you spell that?) in the Rivertown Market area and Corrina in Verdistis occasionally get Spell Books in their inventory.


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#56539 21/02/04 01:19 AM
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Blake in Ars Magicana and (less often) Mpenzak in Verdistis also occasionally have spell books, though not as often as Kistandalius and Corinna.

If you quick save before running your mouse over an item/chest/merchant or hitting the alt key, you can identify the item or trade with the merchant, then quick load to get different stats or inventory. This can be done repeatedly to get the best stats or specific bonuses on an item (save after finding good candidates) or looking for specific items (such as spell books or charms) from merchants.

#56540 14/01/07 09:12 AM
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The game is actually easy enough to not bother with the majority of the spells (sadly). I managed to get 5 in many spells here people said I should take (Freeze, Divine Death etc) but I never felt neccessary to use them ever.

Here's how to do the game the really boring way:

Deeply recommended skills
Path of Lore: Alchemy 3
Path of the Ranger: Elven Sight 3
Path of the War Gods: Enchant Weapon 5
Path of the Warrior's Lore: Repair 1
Path of the Thief*: Lock Pick 3+2**, Pickpocket 1
* Theese are actually needed to finish all quests in the game
** You get 2 points for free for the thief guild Verdisist without fighting

Where to drop the rest of the points:
Path of the Ranger: Elven Sight 5, Evade Arrows 5
Path of the Thief: Evade Trap 3
Path of the War Gods: Reflect Missiles 5
Path of the Warrior's Lore: Augment Defense 5, Repel Damage 5
(Note that the majority of theese are just additional defenses)

Spells
Buy all spellbooks. The only ones you REALLY need 5 of are Hell Spikes & Restoration.
Bless 5 and Spellshield 5 will give some boost against bosses at lower levels.

Strategy
Your first goal is to reach 70 strength without falling above 50% chance for the monsters to hit you. Each levelup, hold hold your mouse pointer above "Defense" on your Statistics pane and verify that you have 50% to avoid attacks. If you do not, increase your Agility until you do. Put your remaining points into Strength. A tip is to find the Wishing Well early on, save, put 10k gold in it and keep reloading until you get +10 strength. During this part of the game you will use bows to preserve mana and kill bosses with your weak meteorstrike. Bring Alchemy up to 3 and buy as many empty vials as possible, this is a huge moneysaver at earlier levels. When you got some points left, drop points into Elven Sight (as many as you like), Repair (max 1), Lock pick (max 3), Pickpocket (max 1), Hell Spikes and Restoration.

When you reach Rivertown, make it your stronghold. Use the pyramids to jump back there once in awhile and spam the wizard and Blake for spellbooks. You can save prior to talking to the merchant and reload if he do not have any in stock.
Look out for Bless, Spellshield, Hell Spikes & Restoration. (You can "book" yourself up to level 5 even if your character level do not support it). Also buy Large bonus to Vitality, Constitution, Mana and Vitality and store them somewhere.

The path up to 70 strength will be the difficult/tiresome part, after that you will quickly be a god. You can actually afford to "waste" a few points in meteorstrike if you want it, even if you wont use it anymore after a certain point. Once you have 70 strength you start to drop points in Intelligence but keep up your 50% avoiding attacks as you did before. As soon as your mana start to support multiple hell spikes you can swap your bow to a shield and weapon since you will use Hell Spikes for damage for the rest of the game. Now you pick items based on how many charm slots they have (5 max) and their amount of vitality+mana+intelligence+constitution bonus. At this stage you want Enchant Weapon 5 as quick as possible and start to fill the slots with Mana, Vitality, Constitution, Intelligence and Dexterity.

At this point forward you will just walk forward, hold down CTRL once in awhile and rightclick some and everything on screen will fall to your hellspikes. You do not even need to aim anymore.

Your bosskilling strategy from now on will be to spam Hell Spikes and sometimes swap to Restoration to refill your health (or use potions).

There are a few extraordinary items such as the Holy Item, the Brestplate of Dragonheart (enhanced dragon armor) and Helmet of the Dragon. When you can get them, save before taking them. Take the item, identify it, and if it do not have 5 charm slots, reload. Continue until you have the best possible item and only enhance them ONLY with "Very Large" charms (which you will in the end of the game).

When you reach the last areas (as divine one) buy/loot all very large charms you can find. A primary goal there is to get +100 resistance vs everything (which will make you practically immune for the rest of the game since the majority of the opponents use spells).


My final stats:
Level 50 Mage
Experience 41775623/44200000

Vitality 1000 Mana 2016

Str 92, Agi 140, Int 196, Con 140

Offense 100 (75%) Defense 105 (44%)
Damage 30-59 Armor 340

Resistance:
Lightning 120 Fire 115 Poison 100 Spirit 100

Reputation 52

Weight max 3440


Last edited by JemyM; 14/01/07 09:18 AM.
JemyM #395671 15/12/09 04:52 PM
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Hi all, new player here about to start as a Mage. Just wondering about early game skill choices. I am thinking first couple points into Identify to save $ and hassle, but it sort of pains me to put points into something that doesn't help me survive when I am weak. Any tips? Thx

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