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Build Review: Shield Mages
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<blockquote data-quote="VDX_360" data-source="post: 69205" data-attributes="member: 2651"><p>A forum user expressed significant frustration with his mage, which can be described as a Shield Summoner (Shield, Wand, Summon, No Spells). Companion: A light weapon Griss. A test was done with his exact build and the following are noteworthy. Note, nothing new.</p><p></p><p>Summary: The biggest challenge was the player didn't understand game mechanics, and seemed confused some areas might be too hard. That prevented the player from adjusting tactics to the party's strengths.</p><p></p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="Comment on Mage Shields:"]</p><p>1) In the early game, some players might find using a Shield more useful than orbs. In the ultra early game, every point of armor counts. That and available off-hand orbs are rather weak (it's the early game, after all).</p><p>2) By mid-game, Level 10 or so, a wand mage is well served by using a combination or orbs, or shields that serve the exact need at hand.</p><p>3) By late, game wand mages are best served by using the best orb available, and maybe using a shield in a few unique situations.</p><p>5) These notes stem from the limited number of shields a mage can equipment (and of those only two have decent resistance).</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="Comment on Summoner:"]</p><p>1) The player in question was trying to rely on purchased summon scrolls, namely wolf. That was using a lot of gold.</p><p>2) The player hadn't learned Fire or Ice Summon yet so it's unclear if he would have improved his quality of life with those summons.</p><p>3) Wand mages do less damage than Staff mages, so the use of strong summons (or spells) is vital to an effective build.</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="Comment of Spells:"]</p><p>1) Wand mages benefit greatly from learning spells. The damage output helps make up for the defensive nature of a Shield Mage.</p><p>2) Not learning any spells means the build needs to relay on other damage methods (summons!), or expect longer, tougher fights.</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p><p></p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="Comment on Companion:"]</p><p>1) A Light Weapon Shield Griss tends to be rather defensive. She can take a lot of punishment, but will struggle to do damage in the mid-game until better equipment, and her side quest is done.</p><p>2) Hirge, with her healing ability might serve a little better, but having her in the party might further reduce the offensive ability of the party.</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="Party / Equipment"]</p><p>1) Neither a mage nor warrior can heal. This makes the party really dependent on healing potions, and the recovery skill. A skilled player might limit potion use to a reasonable amount (a few timely potions as needed), but a inpatient player can easily consume way too many potions per dungeon run, resulting in a constant shortage of funds. Sometimes its just better to leave and come back rested.</p><p>2) Wands have pushback. That can interfere with using doorways as chokepoints (the push back breaks the log jam). It can also push enemies where you don't want them to go (fire elementals into fire floors, mummies back into their gas clouds, etc). It also interferes with Companions and Summons ability to attack.</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="Conclusion for this exact test"]</p><p>1) If the player sticks it out and learns Earth Mastery, the Iron Golem might help out a lot.</p><p>2) Shield Mages aren't a broken build, but they are handicapped compared to other Wand builds.</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="VDX_360, post: 69205, member: 2651"] A forum user expressed significant frustration with his mage, which can be described as a Shield Summoner (Shield, Wand, Summon, No Spells). Companion: A light weapon Griss. A test was done with his exact build and the following are noteworthy. Note, nothing new. Summary: The biggest challenge was the player didn't understand game mechanics, and seemed confused some areas might be too hard. That prevented the player from adjusting tactics to the party's strengths. [SPOILER="Comment on Mage Shields:"] 1) In the early game, some players might find using a Shield more useful than orbs. In the ultra early game, every point of armor counts. That and available off-hand orbs are rather weak (it's the early game, after all). 2) By mid-game, Level 10 or so, a wand mage is well served by using a combination or orbs, or shields that serve the exact need at hand. 3) By late, game wand mages are best served by using the best orb available, and maybe using a shield in a few unique situations. 5) These notes stem from the limited number of shields a mage can equipment (and of those only two have decent resistance). [/SPOILER] [SPOILER="Comment on Summoner:"] 1) The player in question was trying to rely on purchased summon scrolls, namely wolf. That was using a lot of gold. 2) The player hadn't learned Fire or Ice Summon yet so it's unclear if he would have improved his quality of life with those summons. 3) Wand mages do less damage than Staff mages, so the use of strong summons (or spells) is vital to an effective build. [/SPOILER] [SPOILER="Comment of Spells:"] 1) Wand mages benefit greatly from learning spells. The damage output helps make up for the defensive nature of a Shield Mage. 2) Not learning any spells means the build needs to relay on other damage methods (summons!), or expect longer, tougher fights. [/SPOILER] [SPOILER="Comment on Companion:"] 1) A Light Weapon Shield Griss tends to be rather defensive. She can take a lot of punishment, but will struggle to do damage in the mid-game until better equipment, and her side quest is done. 2) Hirge, with her healing ability might serve a little better, but having her in the party might further reduce the offensive ability of the party. [/SPOILER] [SPOILER="Party / Equipment"] 1) Neither a mage nor warrior can heal. This makes the party really dependent on healing potions, and the recovery skill. A skilled player might limit potion use to a reasonable amount (a few timely potions as needed), but a inpatient player can easily consume way too many potions per dungeon run, resulting in a constant shortage of funds. Sometimes its just better to leave and come back rested. 2) Wands have pushback. That can interfere with using doorways as chokepoints (the push back breaks the log jam). It can also push enemies where you don't want them to go (fire elementals into fire floors, mummies back into their gas clouds, etc). It also interferes with Companions and Summons ability to attack. [/SPOILER] [SPOILER="Conclusion for this exact test"] 1) If the player sticks it out and learns Earth Mastery, the Iron Golem might help out a lot. 2) Shield Mages aren't a broken build, but they are handicapped compared to other Wand builds. [/SPOILER] [/QUOTE]
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Build Review: Shield Mages
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