This forum is to be used for all discussions pertaining to Black Isle Studios' Icewind Dale and its Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster expansions.
The one reason I'm not big on mages is the fact that they always get their spells disrupted before they do any damage. They couldn't even survive long enough for me to upgrade them one level ... so knowing that I'm really missing out on the special effects department if I use only warriors, so I'm here to fish for tips from you expert mages !
Anyone with survival guides for mages or any tips on spells? Oh, and I'd really like to know how you could make them cast a devastating spell without getting disrupted, and also not injuring fellow party members while at it (I tried making my mage cast spells far away from the party, but the poor thing got ambushed by monsters almost instantaneously).
All I can suggest is take your fighters, put them up front and guard the mages. Since I dont play mages I don't know how to stop them from hurting their own comrades.
Just keep your mage away from the front line until you get such protective magics as Blur, Mirror Image, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, and especially Stoneskin. A hasted wizard loaded up with these defenses can ‘mage-bomb’ (my term for running the wizard ahead of your party and attracting all the enemies in the area before casting multiple area effect spells like Sunfire and Malavon’s Rage). Your warriors can then clean up whatever survives (I took out 15 Umber Hulks and 5 minotaurs once using the mage-bomb technique, without the assistance of my warriors ).
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
when you are refering to mages been disrupted i guess you mean the early stages of the game, right? Well, as i see it you needn't start with a mage, start with a human fighter instead, then dual him to a mage when he has achieved mastery in a certain weapon (preaferably a ranged one, 3 slots). In the begining as a mage you don't acquire any "devastating" spells and those you get don't help much in a fight.
Conclusion? Build up your health and weap. mastery as a fighter, then dual to a mage and at least later in the game you'll never sweat about low health and spell disruption.
I must warn you, though. The transition WILL be dificult, so have your tanks keep you safe.
Fiddler, you couldn't have read my mind any better I tend to avoid dual-classing cos I'm more for pure power, but it looks like mages don't work that way ...
I have a level 26 pure human fighter who has 5 slots in long swords and another 5 slots in maces. Can I still dual to mage? What'd happen to the fighter if I do?
Originally posted by Fatale:
<STRONG>I tend to avoid dual-classing cos I'm more for pure power, but it looks like mages don't work that way ...
I have a level 26 pure human fighter who has 5 slots in long swords and another 5 slots in maces. Can I still dual to mage? What'd happen to the fighter if I do?</STRONG>
You can only dual class to a mage if your fighter’s INT is high enough. After you dual you’ll lose ability to wear armor and utilize non-mage weapons until you’ve surpassed your old fighter level with the new mage one. (It’ll take quite a while if your fighter is level 26) My recommendation is to just go with a pure mage and follow the guidelines set here and on the other guide pages. A well-protected mage is a formidable thing. Right Elminster? "Damn strait, Kayless."
[ 04-25-2001: Message edited by: Kayless ]
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
!
