Guide to Mages
Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:36 pm
Guide to the world of Mages on Celtic Heroes – Ver 1
This is a work in progress and I will add to it when time permits.
Extra special thanks to fellow Crom friends, Danu, Lili, and Debo.
Let me start off by introducing myself. I am Tragos, mage extraordinaire, on the world of Crom. I have been playing since right before the first patch. My experiences have allowed me to grow and adapt to the various changes made to the game and develop knowledge which fledgling and masters alike can benefit from.
Being a mage is not for the squeamish or impatient of heart. It takes commitment, perseverance, and a desire to be the best you can be. You have an important part to play and those that manage to understand that role will be invaluable to their team and the world in which they preside.
About the Guide: (work in progress)
This guide is only possible though long hours of playing and most importantly continually study and reading of the many excellent contributions within the forum. A few that have been on the forefront of mage development at the time of the writing are: Yesteryear, Magica, Wolf, xLegion, and Vapor. I am sure there are others and more will follow as the game grows.
The intention of this guide is not to be the definitive build, as this will continually develop as the game changes and grows. Therefore, the information I hope to impart is meant only to help guide you to having a fun playing experience and being a contributor to a team. There will certainly be disagreements on what I propose or how I rate. These are very much welcomed and I only ask one thing. PLEASE if you disagree, explain why you disagree and give examples. I too hope to learn more and your reasoning may swing my opinion or at least deserve inclusion as an option to the guide.
Why be a mage!
Well if you are asking this, you are dangerously close to being kicked out of the club already.
Pros:
- Good solo ability at higher levels
- High damage output
- Variety of builds
- Look great in Kilts
Cons:
- Difficult to play at lower levels
- Little armor
- Warriors and Rogues out damage at high lvls (hopefully this well be addressed)
- Reliant on Energy in long battles which does not replenish fast enough if using Ice skills. This requires breaks from battle
-
Ratings Definition:
Now that we got your attention and you understand what you are getting into, let us begin by going through the various in-game options which require a decision. I will rate each of the Stats and Skills using a simple system. The scale will be on a 1 to 5 rating with the following meanings
1 out of 5: This is useless.
2 out of 5: There are only unique situations for this. Get at your own risk
3 out of 5: A fair amount of utility and worth considering
4 out of 5: This is useful and needs to be given attention to when leveling
5 out of 5: You should consider this a high priority and class defining
The STATS:
The mage stats are going to be the first area where there will be some flexibility and opinions about what is best. I will try to give you my thoughts and suggestions, but remember these can be adjusted during leveling to meet your needs. For example, if you are finding you always run out of Energy, add more energy. If you find you die to quickly, add more Vitality. If you find that all your spells are interrupted, add more Dex.
When you level, you will be given 5 attribute points to distribute per level.
Strength: 1 out of 5
Strength affects damage done by melee weapons. Strength for a mage is of little concern. If you find yourself relying on your wand, you should switch to a melee class. You are meant to use your spells and there are much more important stats to spend your attribute points on.
Suggestion: Range 5. You just do not need it.
Dexterity: 3 out of 5 - Could rise with PVP
Dexterity affects your Accuracy of melee and dodge. This does NOT affect your skill accuracy. Skill accuracy is currently 100% accurate. This stat will cause much debate between mages. It is not needed for our weapon, but the dodge characteristic can be valuable. The challenge is you have other stats which are much more important, but this needs some consideration. By putting points into Dexterity, you can occasionally dodge attacks. This might be the difference between casting that lighting/shield or even lure and could save you a death during a solo battle.
Suggestion: Range 5 – 40. 5 if you don’t find you get interrupted or always play in groups. Up to 40 if you solo and dislike interruptions.
Focus: 5 out of 5
Focus determines the amount of energy you have. As a mage you are only as good as long as you have energy to cast spells. The important thing here is you have enough energy to always complete a fight. As you get higher level and boss fighting takes a larger precedence, you can not have to high a focus ability. If it is low, you will find yourself sitting watching why you energy regen to much. That is not helpful to your team.
Suggestion: Range high as you can get it and then a little more
Vitality: 4 out of 5 (arguably 5 out of 5)
Vitality determines the amount of health. Without a realistic amount of health you will die. Contrary to the melee fighters belief, it is IMPOSSIBLE to avoid being in solo melee battles. You WILL be hit and you must be prepared. In boss fights you may occasional pull the agro and being able to survive a single hit can mean the difference between winning and long runs back.
Suggestion: Range as high as needed to survive melee fights solo. Remember in boss fights it is not as important. Just remember the more points here, the less in focus. This means fewer spells for those long boss fights before having to regen.
Additional thoughts on Focus and Vitality. These stats can be flipped if you are intending to exclusively solo. To beat some of the more powerful creatures solo late game requires a substantial investment into Vitality. However with a moderate amount you will be able to beat 99% of monsters in the game.
Abilities:
The mage is currently able to have 4 ability scores. Ability scores affect the power of the spells. The higher the ability score the stronger the skill power. It is HIGHLY recommend to max these each level. It is 10 points per level. If you get far behind, it can be difficult and time consuming to catch them up. If you think that it is no big deal, then you are not playing the best mage you can be. I urge you to start at an early level.
As of this writing, it is not clear what the probability or sequences required to raises an ability. The admin’s say it is a random chance per
cast of the correlating skills
Fire Magic – Affects Fire Skills (Firebolt, Cloak of Fire, Lure of Fire)
Ice Magic – Affects Ice Skills (Ice Shards, Energy Well, Energy Boost, Energy Shield)
First Aid – Affects First Aid Skills ( Recuperate, Mediate, Bandage Wounds)
Wand: - Affects melee damage
Skills:
This is the bread and butter of the mage and what defines you and makes you a powerful entity. You will receive 1 skill point per level to use. I have divided them by Ability and the definitions are in the game. In a future update these will be more transparent as to what each does.
These rating are subject to change as the game changes and depending on your build can modify them slightly. As of this writing, skills can be maxed at 15 points.
Recuperate: 1 out of 5 – This skill is not practical for any non melee based character in CH currently
Bandage Wounds: 4 out of 5 – You will need to heal and this allows a quick large heal that can be cast during battle
Meditate: 5 out of 5 – You WILL need more energy between fights or during long boss battles.
Fire Bolt: 5 out of 5 – This is your quickest spell. It is not interuptable. You will cast this alot
Cloak of Fire: 5 out of 5 – This spell can outright kill monsters and everytime you are hit deals damage. You will be hit and if your dex is low, you will need this to be high to counteract interrupted spells. This is also one of the more useful team spells. By casting on your designated tank, it will help them to keep agro, which allows you to cast in peace
Lure of Fire: 4 out of 5 – Improves the damage of firebolt.
Ice Shards: 4 out of 5 – Highest skill damage spell but casts very slowly. Usually you will only get 1 or 2 uses tops per battle with the exception of bosses.
Lure of Ice: 3 out of 5 - Improves the damage of Ice Shards. While great with ice shards, you can only cast 1 or 2 per battle. Noticeable exception is boss battles
Energy Well: 3 out of 5 – Increases targets maximum energy level for a period of time. This skill has some very important uses. However, it does not add energy, only increases the level. In long boss battles, other than the opening, it is not as useful
Energy Boost: 3 out of 5 – Allows target to have energy regeneration during combat. This skill can improve damage output and more importantly reduce down time. It could use an addition to the amount it recovers, at low levels it is questionable. But as Ice ability improves and points are added it gets better.
Energy Shield: 2 out of 5 – Allows you to use your energy as a shield. This spell is the opposite of what most mages would ever want to do. I give it a 2 because there was/is a very viable Tank mage build that took advantage of this.
It is highly recommended to obtain all 6 skill slots. If you can not obtain all skill slots and can only use three, then I recommend for battles, Bandage wounds, Firebolt and cloak of fire. Adjust points to focus on these. Out of battle you will need mediate.
Sigils:
A word on sigils. If you come across platinum and have purchased your hot slots, it is recommended you next purchase sigils. These allow you to more quickly recover between fights. This in turn reduces your down time.
Energy Sigil: Improves energy regeneration by 1. Buy as many as you can comfortably afford. Range: 10 and up. If you purchase many of these, you can remove points from mediate skill to other skills
Health Sigil: Improves health regeneration by 1. Decreases your down time
This is a work in progress and I will add to it when time permits.
Extra special thanks to fellow Crom friends, Danu, Lili, and Debo.
Let me start off by introducing myself. I am Tragos, mage extraordinaire, on the world of Crom. I have been playing since right before the first patch. My experiences have allowed me to grow and adapt to the various changes made to the game and develop knowledge which fledgling and masters alike can benefit from.
Being a mage is not for the squeamish or impatient of heart. It takes commitment, perseverance, and a desire to be the best you can be. You have an important part to play and those that manage to understand that role will be invaluable to their team and the world in which they preside.
About the Guide: (work in progress)
This guide is only possible though long hours of playing and most importantly continually study and reading of the many excellent contributions within the forum. A few that have been on the forefront of mage development at the time of the writing are: Yesteryear, Magica, Wolf, xLegion, and Vapor. I am sure there are others and more will follow as the game grows.
The intention of this guide is not to be the definitive build, as this will continually develop as the game changes and grows. Therefore, the information I hope to impart is meant only to help guide you to having a fun playing experience and being a contributor to a team. There will certainly be disagreements on what I propose or how I rate. These are very much welcomed and I only ask one thing. PLEASE if you disagree, explain why you disagree and give examples. I too hope to learn more and your reasoning may swing my opinion or at least deserve inclusion as an option to the guide.
Why be a mage!
Well if you are asking this, you are dangerously close to being kicked out of the club already.
Pros:
- Good solo ability at higher levels
- High damage output
- Variety of builds
- Look great in Kilts
Cons:
- Difficult to play at lower levels
- Little armor
- Warriors and Rogues out damage at high lvls (hopefully this well be addressed)
- Reliant on Energy in long battles which does not replenish fast enough if using Ice skills. This requires breaks from battle
-
Ratings Definition:
Now that we got your attention and you understand what you are getting into, let us begin by going through the various in-game options which require a decision. I will rate each of the Stats and Skills using a simple system. The scale will be on a 1 to 5 rating with the following meanings
1 out of 5: This is useless.
2 out of 5: There are only unique situations for this. Get at your own risk
3 out of 5: A fair amount of utility and worth considering
4 out of 5: This is useful and needs to be given attention to when leveling
5 out of 5: You should consider this a high priority and class defining
The STATS:
The mage stats are going to be the first area where there will be some flexibility and opinions about what is best. I will try to give you my thoughts and suggestions, but remember these can be adjusted during leveling to meet your needs. For example, if you are finding you always run out of Energy, add more energy. If you find you die to quickly, add more Vitality. If you find that all your spells are interrupted, add more Dex.
When you level, you will be given 5 attribute points to distribute per level.
Strength: 1 out of 5
Strength affects damage done by melee weapons. Strength for a mage is of little concern. If you find yourself relying on your wand, you should switch to a melee class. You are meant to use your spells and there are much more important stats to spend your attribute points on.
Suggestion: Range 5. You just do not need it.
Dexterity: 3 out of 5 - Could rise with PVP
Dexterity affects your Accuracy of melee and dodge. This does NOT affect your skill accuracy. Skill accuracy is currently 100% accurate. This stat will cause much debate between mages. It is not needed for our weapon, but the dodge characteristic can be valuable. The challenge is you have other stats which are much more important, but this needs some consideration. By putting points into Dexterity, you can occasionally dodge attacks. This might be the difference between casting that lighting/shield or even lure and could save you a death during a solo battle.
Suggestion: Range 5 – 40. 5 if you don’t find you get interrupted or always play in groups. Up to 40 if you solo and dislike interruptions.
Focus: 5 out of 5
Focus determines the amount of energy you have. As a mage you are only as good as long as you have energy to cast spells. The important thing here is you have enough energy to always complete a fight. As you get higher level and boss fighting takes a larger precedence, you can not have to high a focus ability. If it is low, you will find yourself sitting watching why you energy regen to much. That is not helpful to your team.
Suggestion: Range high as you can get it and then a little more
Vitality: 4 out of 5 (arguably 5 out of 5)
Vitality determines the amount of health. Without a realistic amount of health you will die. Contrary to the melee fighters belief, it is IMPOSSIBLE to avoid being in solo melee battles. You WILL be hit and you must be prepared. In boss fights you may occasional pull the agro and being able to survive a single hit can mean the difference between winning and long runs back.
Suggestion: Range as high as needed to survive melee fights solo. Remember in boss fights it is not as important. Just remember the more points here, the less in focus. This means fewer spells for those long boss fights before having to regen.
Additional thoughts on Focus and Vitality. These stats can be flipped if you are intending to exclusively solo. To beat some of the more powerful creatures solo late game requires a substantial investment into Vitality. However with a moderate amount you will be able to beat 99% of monsters in the game.
Abilities:
The mage is currently able to have 4 ability scores. Ability scores affect the power of the spells. The higher the ability score the stronger the skill power. It is HIGHLY recommend to max these each level. It is 10 points per level. If you get far behind, it can be difficult and time consuming to catch them up. If you think that it is no big deal, then you are not playing the best mage you can be. I urge you to start at an early level.
As of this writing, it is not clear what the probability or sequences required to raises an ability. The admin’s say it is a random chance per
cast of the correlating skills
Fire Magic – Affects Fire Skills (Firebolt, Cloak of Fire, Lure of Fire)
Ice Magic – Affects Ice Skills (Ice Shards, Energy Well, Energy Boost, Energy Shield)
First Aid – Affects First Aid Skills ( Recuperate, Mediate, Bandage Wounds)
Wand: - Affects melee damage
Skills:
This is the bread and butter of the mage and what defines you and makes you a powerful entity. You will receive 1 skill point per level to use. I have divided them by Ability and the definitions are in the game. In a future update these will be more transparent as to what each does.
These rating are subject to change as the game changes and depending on your build can modify them slightly. As of this writing, skills can be maxed at 15 points.
Recuperate: 1 out of 5 – This skill is not practical for any non melee based character in CH currently
Bandage Wounds: 4 out of 5 – You will need to heal and this allows a quick large heal that can be cast during battle
Meditate: 5 out of 5 – You WILL need more energy between fights or during long boss battles.
Fire Bolt: 5 out of 5 – This is your quickest spell. It is not interuptable. You will cast this alot
Cloak of Fire: 5 out of 5 – This spell can outright kill monsters and everytime you are hit deals damage. You will be hit and if your dex is low, you will need this to be high to counteract interrupted spells. This is also one of the more useful team spells. By casting on your designated tank, it will help them to keep agro, which allows you to cast in peace
Lure of Fire: 4 out of 5 – Improves the damage of firebolt.
Ice Shards: 4 out of 5 – Highest skill damage spell but casts very slowly. Usually you will only get 1 or 2 uses tops per battle with the exception of bosses.
Lure of Ice: 3 out of 5 - Improves the damage of Ice Shards. While great with ice shards, you can only cast 1 or 2 per battle. Noticeable exception is boss battles
Energy Well: 3 out of 5 – Increases targets maximum energy level for a period of time. This skill has some very important uses. However, it does not add energy, only increases the level. In long boss battles, other than the opening, it is not as useful
Energy Boost: 3 out of 5 – Allows target to have energy regeneration during combat. This skill can improve damage output and more importantly reduce down time. It could use an addition to the amount it recovers, at low levels it is questionable. But as Ice ability improves and points are added it gets better.
Energy Shield: 2 out of 5 – Allows you to use your energy as a shield. This spell is the opposite of what most mages would ever want to do. I give it a 2 because there was/is a very viable Tank mage build that took advantage of this.
It is highly recommended to obtain all 6 skill slots. If you can not obtain all skill slots and can only use three, then I recommend for battles, Bandage wounds, Firebolt and cloak of fire. Adjust points to focus on these. Out of battle you will need mediate.
Sigils:
A word on sigils. If you come across platinum and have purchased your hot slots, it is recommended you next purchase sigils. These allow you to more quickly recover between fights. This in turn reduces your down time.
Energy Sigil: Improves energy regeneration by 1. Buy as many as you can comfortably afford. Range: 10 and up. If you purchase many of these, you can remove points from mediate skill to other skills
Health Sigil: Improves health regeneration by 1. Decreases your down time