forcing a mage to use magic?

JohnJSal · Post by **JohnJSal** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 10:23 pm

Hi all. I just realized that when I'm controlling a character other than my main character (combat mage), the CM sometimes uses the staff he is holding rather than his magic (even though the spell is selected, not the staff). Is there a way to force them to use only magic? Do I have to remove the staff? I like to keep it there for its benefits. But I'm still wondering if he won't just use his fists anyway. Both he and my NM have gained a level in melee because of this.

Thanks.

P.S. If I move on to Act II, can I still return and do things in the Act I area?

swcarter · Post by **swcarter** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:45 am

Does the CM only use his staff when he runs out of mana, or can it happen at any time? I don't remember this problem when I played.

SWC

Darklear · Post by **Darklear** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:19 am

Well I am still fairly new to DS2, but my mages will just stand there and do nothing if they run out of mana. I don't think I have ever seen them melee on thier own.

That aside however...in my current party, both my cm and nm have like 5 in melee just so I could put a few points in Fortitude.

Yes you can go back Act I, as indeed there are Act I quests you can't finish until you move on to Act II.

JohnJSal · Post by **JohnJSal** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:53 am

swcarter wrote:Does the CM only use his staff when he runs out of mana, or can it happen at any time? I don't remember this problem when I played.

SWC

Good point, but I'm pretty sure I had full mana, because the battle had just started and I happened to look at him and there he was swinging away!

ArsNova · Post by **ArsNova** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:09 pm

JohnJSal wrote:..... and there he was swinging away!

don't the mages always use their staff to cast spells?
without a staff they make the same movement with their hands
that's what i noticed
oh and i think they sometimes seem to defend themselves when attacked
oh well, mages have their mysterious ways

swcarter · Post by **swcarter** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:13 pm

I'm trying to remember how the interface works. Don't you highlight the spell or weapon you want the character to use? Did you select the staff by mistake?

SWC

JohnJSal · Post by **JohnJSal** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:44 pm

swcarter wrote:I'm trying to remember how the interface works. Don't you highlight the spell or weapon you want the character to use? Did you select the staff by mistake?

SWC

No, the spell was definitely selected. And somehow I have a level in melee now, so it's not just that he was waving the staff.

WandererTheLost · Post by **WandererTheLost** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:54 pm

I have had this problem too from time to time. It sometimes changes his set action when you mess with his weapon like unequiping it or equiping a new one. If you do this it sometimes changes that to his preset action. Always double check after you re-equip people.

Killer Elf · Post by **Killer Elf** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:37 am

I think, that after you use the "resuraction" spell it shows, that the combat spell is currently in work, but you're just doing nothing or hit with your staff.

Thing · Post by **Thing** » Tue May 01, 2007 1:56 am

when in doubt hit pause (spacebar), select your mage, check mana level and refresh if necessary, deselect then reselect the required spell as "active", then right click a target enemy to get the mage to attack him, hit the space bar again and resume your battle

tom the terribl · Post by **tom the terribl** » Wed May 02, 2007 7:24 pm

Mage handling

The mage will be in mellee mode every time you change a staff. So remember to choose the spell you want the character to use. How do you do change from mellee to magic. Open up the character and selct the spell to use. e.g. Combat mage use the "w" key to open weapon panel and chose the spell to use.