Grunt's guide to (ugh) keeping mages safe

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Wed Apr 11, 2001 3:38 am

ROFL! I meant "safe" but "sage" works too

D'oh! - I can edit the title too. Whatever, safe/sage.

OK, even I need a mage. But they do tend to get their hienies whupped in IWD/HoW.

Kayless has some great ideas, so I'll steal 'em and put up some of my own too, right here

.

You need to stop the baddies from swarming your defences and getting at the vulnerable spellcasters. This is a big problem in HoW with the call to arms enemy function.

Positional
Scout with a ranger, thief ot invisible character to discover the enemy. When attacking, reveal yourself with fighters first (or summoned beasties if its a tough fight) - enemies tend to attack those that appear first but will often switch to weaker party members.

The best tactic is the "offensive-defense". Expose yourself with a defended or fast character. Retire to the safety of a "prepared" postion - a ring of fighters surrounding the weakest charcaters (doorways & corridors are good for this). You can always launch attacks whilst retreating. Then the enemies will impale themselves on your defence.

Spacing can also be important. You don't want to get iced by area spells or have your spellcaster(s) too far away to help.

The best form of defence is attack
Remove threats to spellcasters. Missile weapons are spellcasters' bane. Target marksmen with your attacks first. Enemy magic users should also go down soon. Then your mage can help the fighters mop up enemy grunts.

Use your spells
Like Kayless sez, use stoneskins, mirror image, blur etc., to reduce the number of hits on spellcasters and let them get more spells out. Defend yourself first before you attack to give you time to launch offensive spells in battle.

Don't neglect "simple" spells and potions. Rangers & Paladins can protect themselves from fire allowing fireballs to be tossed into the front line. 'Shield' blocks magic missiles.

Equipment
There is plenty of equipment to help spellcasters lower their AC. Robes, bracers, even armour and dextirity bonuses.

A quick note on tactics.

I find the simplest are the best. Nothing works quite as well as a couple of stinking clouds or webs and a boat-load of missile weapons.

[ 04-11-2001: Message edited by: Gruntboy ]

[ 04-11-2001: Message edited by: Gruntboy ]

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Wed Apr 11, 2001 5:07 am

Glad I could help contribute to the cause

I'm surprised that so many players neglect the lower level spells, particularly the protective ones. A properly shielded mage is formidable thing. Not mention the fact that Magic Missle is propably my most used spell (after using Sunfire and Fireball, etc to damage the monsters I usually end up polishing them off with Magic Missle

)

So get 'mage-bombing' people!

[ 04-11-2001: Message edited by: Kayless ]

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Wed Apr 11, 2001 5:34 am

Yep. Coming soon: Kayless' guide to turning your mage into a human lawnmower (erm, with the hordes of undead as blades of grass).

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Wed Apr 11, 2001 6:14 am

"Fear my skillz beeitch, for yo' ass is grass and I'm da' lawnmower!"

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!"

"BLOODY HELL!!!"

BOOM

[ 04-11-2001: Message edited by: Kayless ]

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Wed Apr 11, 2001 6:55 am

You're nuts.

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Wed Apr 11, 2001 7:12 am

I try

Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
(Hamlet II.ii. 205-206)

[ 04-11-2001: Message edited by: Kayless ]

Sabretooth · Post by **Sabretooth** » Thu Apr 12, 2001 5:45 am

That Giant looks freak'in AWESOME Kayless!!!

I bought IWD the other day and I have not seen the in-game giant yet...untill now anyway.
Low level mages SUCK by the way. Just as they did early on in BG1. I still have an Illusionist in my party though, just for the sake of diversity.

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Thu Apr 12, 2001 6:38 am

I say, take a thief, max out important skills and dual to a mage. That's the way to stop mages form sucking.

Fatale · Post by **Fatale** » Thu Apr 12, 2001 7:37 am

@Gruntboy:
Cool stuff!

Will try them out after my exams ...
Would you happen to know where I can get some protective gear for mages? I have trouble finding them ... trouble is the mages die before I can find the gear

@Kayless:
Hello there, my favorite psycho!

You mentioned you were spamming ... got a personal website I'd be interested in??
Oh, and I loved the monkey posted in the other topic ...

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Thu Apr 12, 2001 8:00 am

@Fatale - jeesh! You're mages have a low survival rate.

Tips: make their Cons 16 to get more HP at level up. Make Dex 18 to reduce their AC. Cast shield, armour, mirror image, blur, protection from normal missiles before battles. Buy/find & drink potions of mindfocusing, invulnerability and defense (lowers AC). Keep them out of the way - they're useless in melee. Give them ranged weapons to help in a fight (slings , bows & darts).

I just thought - how many mages do you have??? If you have more than 1 you will have problems defending them. I have 1 and a bard but he gets chain armour. You really need no more than this. If you want more, try the dual to thief or fighter strategy. Multiclass characters will also be more useful - a multi Mage/thief or mage/fighter can wear armour and survive longer.

Equipment? Your mages will have to survive long enough to find the best equipment...

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Thu Apr 12, 2001 9:53 am

Originally posted by Sabretooth:
That Giant looks freak'in AWESOME Kayless!!!
I bought IWD the other day and I have not seen the in-game giant yet...untill now anyway.
Low level mages SUCK by the way. Just as they did early on in BG1. I still have an Illusionist in my party though, just for the sake of diversity.

Like all things worthwhile, getting a formidable mage takes time and patience. Just the follow the afore mentioned guidelines and your spellslingers will be kicking ass in no time

As for the giants...You won't have to wait long to see some. MUWHAHAHAHAHA

--------------------

Assassin of the Shadow Guild - We are as relentless as the tides and as constant as the stars above. We cannot be broken. We cannot be driven off. We are the Shadow Guild.

Lionized defender of the Shadow Mages - Sorcery and Shadow together as one, the arcane and the dark united. Through our knowledge and skill none can stand against us. We are as one, infallible and invincible.

"I am become death, destroyer of worlds..."

"I could sure go for some spam right now. Mmmmm...spam."

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Thu Apr 12, 2001 10:13 am

Originally posted by Fatale:
@Kayless:
Hello there, my favorite psycho!
You mentioned you were spamming ... got a personal website I'd be interested in??
Oh, and I loved the monkey posted in the other topic ...

@Fatale: Great to hear from my biggest fan

(at least outside of the Shadow Mages over on the BG2 board

) No web site as of yet, though it’s probably best for my continued health. Between computer games, surfing the net, and spamming, a web site would likely kill me (or at least reduce me to 5 minutes of eating, sleeping and urinating a day

) A spam hunting red dragon has since replaced those scheming monkeys. After all, those treacherous simian bastards were going ape-sh!t on me! (Get it? Get it? It’s a lame-ass pun!) They even tried to assassinate me using the very barrel I had provided for them!

The ingrates!

--------------------

Assassin of the Shadow Guild - We are as relentless as the tides and as constant as the stars above. We cannot be broken. We cannot be driven off. We are the Shadow Guild.

Lionized defender of the Shadow Mages - Sorcery and Shadow together as one, the arcane and the dark united. Through our knowledge and skill none can stand against us. We are as one, infallible and invincible.

"I am become death, destroyer of worlds..."

"I could sure go for some spam right now. Mmmmm...spam."

[ 04-12-2001: Message edited by: Kayless ]

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 3:31 am

*Bump* And this one (appart from the spam).

I'm looking at you Kayless.

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Wed Apr 25, 2001 2:22 am

Originally posted by Gruntboy:
*Bump* And this one (appart from the spam). I'm looking at you Kayless.

Who, me?

SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM

Hey, it's my personal preference to add something entertaining on a post rather then the somewhat indolent “bump” (no offense intended) That way the post is boosted and it’s fun as well

I suppose I could post something “informative” like what the best mage spells and equipment are and where to obtain them, but where’s the fun in that?

P.S. SPAM!

[ 04-25-2001: Message edited by: Kayless ]