THE best combat mage ?

Otomo · Post by **Otomo** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:40 pm

Hello all !

I'm running the game with an elf, combat mage and I want to know what specialisation is the best ?

I read that fire is powerful but cost a lot of mana, lightning is damaging a lot of mobs but does not deal a lot of dammage, and it is costless. Death can reach walls and steal life, it is costless but huge diference between min dmg and max dmg.

But even knowing that, I dunno which choose.

Sorry if my english is not wonderfull but it isn't my native language.

paladinapple · Post by **paladinapple** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:43 pm

=)

Personally i like lightning nice damage and cast faster.

life leech from death magic isnt worth it i think, you can just get items with % hp or mana stolen per hit.

hope that helps.

Otomo · Post by **Otomo** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:17 pm

Ok, thank you very much !

So the diference of damage is not very important ? Electric arc is it really interesting ?

swcarter · Post by **swcarter** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:56 pm

I think the damage balances out, so it's just a matter of preference. I'd just suggest, if you're not going to be the one controlling your combat mage, then you should avoid fire magic. Otherwise your mage will spend a lot of time shooting fireballs at walls and hills and such.

SWC

Otomo · Post by **Otomo** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 4:24 pm

This mage is my main character so I always controlling him.

Thanks, so it's just a story of tastes ?

Aran Linvail · Post by **Aran Linvail** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 6:50 pm

If you're controlling your mage constantly, i could tell what i did when i had mine, i used fire (fireballs) and electricity. I remember having both at 20 and 20 points on the first ability that augments the dmg of combat spells.

I guess its kind of depending on your likes of course, but i remember trying out for the first time fireballs and...that spell just caught me. lightning (as i recall) doesn't have any speel similar to that one, and death spells have one that blasts the ground of your target, possibliy damiging several foes. Anyway.... i've never been a necromancer so, i don't really like death magic, but today i used the girl that fixes something at Aman' Lu, and gave her several points so she could improve the special power that creates a green gfog, damiging everything there for 54% max, and i've to say.....it rocks...

Cheers!!!

DarkDain · Post by **DarkDain** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:28 pm

Death magic... Death magic death magic death magic and 2 more times death magics of magical death. Maybe it just looks badass, maybe its the 25%+ hp steal potential (full hp in 1 shot usually) or the convient spells.. I hated fire mostly because it misses if monsters move, not so with most death magic. It has the highest damage potential, nothing out damages Skull Spray at close range. The harvest souls is badass, good range/dmg, instant, and recharges decently fast. And rot is sooo wonderful, it cripples casters AND counts as death damage, but its not resisted, so you can Rot entire groups and just WATCH them die, you'll steal enough HP from the DoT that they cant kill you. Death Magic.

~Death Mage guy

Otomo · Post by **Otomo** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:23 am

Thank you !

DarkDain, what do you mean by "badass", "rot" and "dot" ?

swcarter · Post by **swcarter** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:37 pm

DOT is damage over time.

By rot he might be talking about the infect curse.

SWC

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:52 pm

I second the opinion that having two types to choose from isn't a bad idea. There are lots of monsters that are virtually immune to a certain type.

DarkDain · Post by **DarkDain** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:16 pm

Aye, infect, forgot its name! been too long, have started a new game though at long last! will be remaking my deathmage with the name Valdis. When i said 'Badass' i mean death magic LOOKS cool, grave beam looks much better then firebolt, but lightning is also cool to see.

I say training two elements is hogwash, big waste, reserved only for people in large parties who dont think their mage needs anything else. Anything in merc and vet difficulty with resistance to your element can be debuffed with infect, drown or dehydrate, and in elite when they resist too much even for a -75% resist curse like infect your CM probably has a huge + all combat mage skill bonuses, so your STILL potent in other elements without wasting the points, only drawback is you dont get other elemental powers, but who needs'em?

Otomo · Post by **Otomo** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 2:50 am

Thank you very much !

I think i'll run a death mage. Do you think the skill Debilitation is usefull ?

Fiberfar · Post by **Fiberfar** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 4:10 am

For curses (which I personally love), yes!
Curses will get you far in DSII.

Edit: I can't really remember, but I think you need points in the skill to get Corrosive Erruption, which is a very good (if not the best?) power.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 4:46 am

The problem with curses (in normal difficulty at least) is that it attracts every enemy around to your combat mage. They're only usable if you have a melee fighter with Provoke. (Or a very, very good healing Nature Mage.)

DarkDain · Post by **DarkDain** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:05 pm

Or a well-built combat mage, with decent armor/resistances/absorption, not to mention life stealing from the DoT (even drown steals life for me) you probably wont see your hp move alot, but this isnt as effective in Merc, you need enough levels under your belt to of trained in ranged/melee/nature to support your combat. Before BW, i'd just solo run Zaramoths Horns w/ my combat mage, casting Infect/drown and run past the dying mobs, only the bosses needed personally shot to bits.

infects DPS was about 150 a tick, drown does alot more, 200-250 (with 20+ debilitation, lvl 94 CM) but infect works for death magic.

roller1234 · Post by **roller1234** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:52 am

The best school is probably one with the least immunes/least resistant mobs. I dont know which one it is.

Xayron · Post by **Xayron** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 3:00 am

otomo heres a tip

dude listen when you reach the highest levels of the game and by that i mean 94+ you will find items so powerful!! aspecialy for the combat mage that will give you amzing boost ups in fact if you collect all of them you can get almost mastery in everyone!!! and i mean every skill from searing flames to amplified lightning to death magic arcane fury davastaion you name it then you can enjoy all of them and become supreame!!! check it out if you have any question talk to me as for you too guys if any of you have any questions heres my email: yoavrulz@walla.co.il nick name Xayron

Xzeihoranth · Post by **Xzeihoranth** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:44 pm

I recall someone mentioning that corrosive eruption was the best power...or was it another power they mentioned? Anyways...Aether Blast? I mean...a steady 30k-40k damage potential? Common now...With a 5m radius

. Taar w/ Grasping Vine IV and a Paragon Summon...with Aether Blast/Invulnerablility...dragon scales and spirit embrace/earthen embrace (or other random spell...just dragon scales will do) cannot be killed by any mob

.

I have lvl 72 party with main 1h-tank and taar. Warlords set right now but moving up to uniques

Bloodletter...lvl 83 Endless Memory 40% more damage?

O yea. I think death magic is clearly the best. No matter what a CM will need to curse to reach full potential, enraging all cursed monsters, so alot of HPL is necessary. :devil:

Xayron · Post by **Xayron** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 12:23 pm

well the corrosive eruption is a devastating skill with enough power ups i managed to get to 130% of max hp at level 2 but the most damage at one hit is 140-150k: brutal attack with elemental rage on! how is that possible?? with enough skill, dexterity, and fierce renewal at 25% or +. add the corrosive eruption from weaker creature next to the boss and you can do like 200k DAMAGE!!! truly devastating.... but the most powerful chars are the nature archmage and combat warlock grasping vine IV can get up to 20k per one although its hard to achieve that damage because the key is 4 "elven wedding ring" 1 "protector oath" 1 "harmony to all" 1 "guardian of the north" and that nackless from circle of four set: 25% nature magic!!

Fiberfar · Post by **Fiberfar** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:33 pm

Best combat mage?

The one that didn't die once during the game.