603 réponses à ce sujet

[ezrafetch]

Oh, hey, a ring that doesn't make Isabela turrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible!

I'm picking these up when I get back from work. I like the Warrior's the best. The Mage set smells too much like V for Vendetta. But it still looks really cool. I hope none of those are ones you can instantly equip once you get to Gamlen's house...Act 1 would be a breeze if they were.

[Shep309]

AC Brotherhood is pretty sweet I gotta say, just started my 4th playthrough. Freaking love that series.

[AreleX]

Ughhhh....

WAAAAAAAANT...

If I end up getting these, I'll play the game again. I don't even care. All I needed was a good excuse, and it's right under my nose.

ezrafetch wrote...

Oh, hey, a ring that doesn't make Isabela turrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible!

I'm picking these up when I get back from work. I like the Warrior's the best. The Mage set smells too much like V for Vendetta. But it still looks really cool. I hope none of those are ones you can instantly equip once you get to Gamlen's house...Act 1 would be a breeze if they were.

You will HOLD YOUR TONGUE, SIR!

Shep309 wrote...

AC Brotherhood is pretty sweet I gotta say, just started my 4th playthrough. Freaking love that series.

All I played was MP, I'm like...2? hours into the SP. Never had the motivation to play it after the story got SPOILED FOR ME ON RELEASE DAY.

I was heated.

Modifié par AreleX, 26 avril 2011 - 09:30 .

[Sallul]

Weapons can be used as soon as you get to Gamlens. There are two weapons, chests, head pieces, boots, and gloves for each class(2 daggers and bow for rogue, 2 2 handers, a 1 hander and a shield for warrior. The axe/shield lvl up with you). Weapon: just class restriction. Chest: lvl 5/6 depending on class. Helmet: lvl 5/6 depending on class. Gloves: lvl 9, Boots: lvl 7

Modifié par Sallul, 26 avril 2011 - 10:59 .

[AreleX]

After consulting with my Commander-in-Chief, BrazenNL, I've decided that people aren't really getting how to play mage to its maximum potential, so I'll be playing through the game a third time as a mage to help you all out. This time, I'll be providing a kind of running commentary on general tips, the tougher fights I come across, and maybe a tutorial video or two.

And guys, please, if you're having trouble with something, ask. Nobody is going to laugh at you (except me) or think you suck (except me) or anything, and even if they (I) do, who gives a ****? It's a SINGLE PLAYER game; the only one you're really competing against is yourself. Don't let pride keep you from having a good time and dominating, as opposed to 30-40 hours of just scraping by and surviving. If you ask me a question, and are genuinely interest in learning and improving, I will do everything I possibly can to help you, that's a promise.

Something like this should go without saying, but I feel it needs to be put in writing anyways, just in case.

(P.S buy me the damn dlc)

Modifié par AreleX, 26 avril 2011 - 11:50 .

[Irish Porkchopp]

AreleX wrote...

Shep309 wrote...

Sooooo Arelex.... since you've been gone for... what 23hrs... don't you think it's time to come back and try to write a solo rogue archer guide that competes with IN1s guide of awesomeness?

1. I hate soloing
2. I hate archery
3. I hate DA2
4. I hate you
5. IN1 knows 50x more about this game than I ever will

It'd be pointless.



I still have to finish the last videos for 2-hander and rogue, and after that, unless someone requests an incredibly specific fight that I somehow missed, I'll be done until DLC comes out.

I've seen this post before!

AreleX wrote...

Irish Porkchopp wrote...

Awesome gameplay. I wondered how your no pause, in your face style would tranfer over to a mage character. It looks great so far. Especially with limited hotkeys on the 360. Seems like a lot of fun.

I think your guides are some of the best out there. They are well written and I can tell you put a lot of time and effort into them. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to see a "This is my BOOMSTICK! - Force Mage Guide by AreleX"

"I propose a motion to see such a thread created" - Irish Porkchopp
"I second the motion" - guy in the back

All those in favor say " I "

While I appreciate the recommendation, I'd never, in a million years, write a mage guide. There are already 3, I believe, and I don't feel I have anything really new or innovative to offer. If I were to, however, this is what it would consist of:

1. Gravitic mob
2. NUKE THAT **** DOWN
3. Teammate in AOE radius? STOP BEING A PUSS AND GO BACK TO STEP 2

That's really all it would be.

Also, my disdain for mage-fisticuffs is well documented, but you're free to ask me about the things I like to do as a mage. The accuracy of those things, I cannot be held accountable for; this is my first crack at mage in DA2.

EDIT: Another note, it's much easier for me to play the way I do at low levels, since I don't have any talents to fuss over quickmapping. Mid/Late game, when I have more, it would turn into a pause-fest, I suspect.

Yeah, that's the one.  I think Shep is onto something. 

[Shep309]

It's not true... he doesn't really hate me.. everyone loves me!

Irish -

I didn't wanna say anything, but I did call it about him making a mage guide when he started a topic showcasing his mage videos.  I'm not sayin.. I'm just sayin.

how many times can hell freeze over exactly?

Arelex -

That's the worst when the story gets spoiled.. I hate that crap too. Now I just play through to figure out new ways to take out targets... last playthrough I didn't buy any armor or weapons (cept the double hidden blade deal) so went through with like 5 hp squares or something. That was fun. Plus what can I say I like seeing how different combinations of things look on ezio

Modifié par Shep309, 27 avril 2011 - 04:11 .

[Shep309]

AreleX wrote...

After consulting with my Commander-in-Chief, BrazenNL, I've decided that people aren't really getting how to play mage to its maximum potential, so I'll be playing through the game a third time as a mage to help you all out. This time, I'll be providing a kind of running commentary on general tips, the tougher fights I come across, and maybe a tutorial video or two.

And guys, please, if you're having trouble with something, ask. Nobody is going to laugh at you (except me) or think you suck (except me) or anything, and even if they (I) do, who gives a ****? It's a SINGLE PLAYER game; the only one you're really competing against is yourself. Don't let pride keep you from having a good time and dominating, as opposed to 30-40 hours of just scraping by and surviving. If you ask me a question, and are genuinely interest in learning and improving, I will do everything I possibly can to help you, that's a promise.

Something like this should go without saying, but I feel it needs to be put in writing anyways, just in case.

(P.S buy me the damn dlc)

I think a walkthrough of the tougher fights were you actually comment during the fight (what you're thinking and why etc) would be pretty bad ass.  Of course you risk giving away your seekrits and might no longer be the best player in the universe, double edged sword perhaps?

[Zachriel]

AreleX wrote...

After consulting with my Commander-in-Chief, BrazenNL, I've decided that people aren't really getting how to play mage to its maximum potential, so I'll be playing through the game a third time as a mage to help you all out. This time, I'll be providing a kind of running commentary on general tips, the tougher fights I come across, and maybe a tutorial video or two.

And guys, please, if you're having trouble with something, ask. Nobody is going to laugh at you (except me) or think you suck (except me) or anything, and even if they (I) do, who gives a ****? It's a SINGLE PLAYER game; the only one you're really competing against is yourself. Don't let pride keep you from having a good time and dominating, as opposed to 30-40 hours of just scraping by and surviving. If you ask me a question, and are genuinely interest in learning and improving, I will do everything I possibly can to help you, that's a promise.

Something like this should go without saying, but I feel it needs to be put in writing anyways, just in case.

(P.S buy me the damn dlc)

As of now, there is only one fight I have never managed to beat on nightmare without resorting to cheese, and that's Xebenkeck.  I've watched several videos of it, including the one you posted in your Mach 5 guide.  I've tried and tried and tried with every class, but after dispatching the first couple of rage demons it all falls apart for me. 

Other than that, I'm just curious about the gear you used.  When I got to the end of Act 2, I noticed it seemed like I wasn't killing the Qunari very quickly.  I had used your glass cannon build as a guide and had my best cold staff equipped, yet I was doing about half as much damage per hit as you were in your video.  I got through the fights just fine, but it left me wondering how you were doing so much more damage than me.

EDIT:  Well, figured out the damage part at least.  It's crit gear.  I hadn't really been making any effort to equip my crit mage with crit gear.  I went back, gave myself some gold, and bought a few pieces.  Now he's putting up some nice, high damage numbers. 

Modifié par Zachriel, 27 avril 2011 - 06:50 .

[Kaylord]

Just a little follow-up: The fight against the templars after the Starkhaven-cave became very easy once I moved far enough to have every spawn point in front of me. Sadly, I consider this cheesy, but I see no way to combat some 12 templars just right in the middle of them. Gravitic ring is all about pulling them into a tight group, and because of its friendly fire I have to move away.

I made the fight against the dragon in the deep roads without any reload, although Varric and Carver died at the last spawn because I did not see them in time (I am playing first time in nightmare mode); they got stunned by spawn, then pulled to the dragon, then roasted, all while Anders was briefly stunned, too. The rest was just a kiting game during cooldown of gravitic ring. Cheesy, but what can I do.

I considered several builds, but I never seem to have enough skill points. After I finished Act I with several uncounted reloads, it seems to me that the key to successful playing in Act I is crowd control. So, ideally, my mage should have started something like that:

- mindblast (given)
- stonefist (2)
- horror (3)
- petrify (4)
- chainlightning+improved (6)

I still think about if crushing prison should be added, but it needs a prior two points investment

- elemental weapons
- crushing prison

Altogether, I would have three CC spells and two damage spells. This would be the built at level 7 with one additional skill via the tome from hubert´s shop. More money for the skill-potion from the Black Emporium comes at level 8 or 9, so the Forcemage-line would effectively delayed by one level.

Any thoughts on that?

Modifié par Kaylord, 27 avril 2011 - 07:53 .

[mr_afk]

You're forgetting the CC benefits from the cold-line. Cone of cold does wonders at freezing/slowing groups of enemies and Winter's Grasp is great at doing the single target/smaller aoe version of that. In addition, if you manage to brittle them and you have an archers lance or mighty blow handy (or scythe i suppose) they're pretty much dead.

Tbh, i don't really like stone-fist. It's alright for companions under tactics as it doesn't ff, but otherwise it's pretty weak, especially at CC....petrify also sucks imo, but other people seem to love it so I dunno. It is single target and adds damage resistance to enemies which is a major turn-off for me. Horror is great, especially when upgraded. Wouldn't necessarily waste it on hawke though.

Pretty much if you mainly control hawke (only micromanaging companions when they're been suicidal) you'll want to get all those spells your companions are too stupid to use via tactics. Hence the ff spells like fireballs/firestorm (which I don't use) or things like cone of cold. That's just my take on it anyhow. Crushing prison sounds pretty good, but i'd probably get it later. Just get anders to have paralysis glyphs etc if you're really short on CCs.

[Kaylord]

Don´t forget, I am talking about Act I. Brittle-Combos start at level 8 for warriors and 7 for archers. You have to deal with the first assassins and elites already at level 5, for example Aveline´s mission. On top, brittle and stagger status tend to be rather shortlived on assassins/hunters, I miss very often because my mage or warrior is in the middle of a swing before he really executes.

With this experience, I have to rely on crowd control. And even with that, two cc are not nearly enough to contain that bastard until he is dead. There are still the elite adds which need to be decimated or they decimate you when you focus on the assassin. Ideal would be that the first cc is ready when the third expires.

I don´t like stonefist either, but it is handy on the way to a very reliable cc.

[mr_afk]

Nooo, what my main point there was that those cold spells slow down enemies or freeze them in their tracks. That effectively is CC right there. If an enemy is unable to move (frozen) or slowed you can safely attack them or leave them alone without any retaliation.
The same deal with electricity. It's not quite as obvious but zapping them can leave them stunned if they don't make the fortitude check. Spirit can also impart some sort of weird horror state and fire makes them run around screaming or something. Anyhow, this means that basic elemental spells have minor CC value and can help in controlling the enemies. E.g. a tempest can actually render some fights really easy not only because of the damage that is done (which is considerable especially if they have weaknesses to electricity) but because they are left in a semi-permanent stunned/interrupted state such they damage they inflict is much less. Firestorm also can achieve this but more from just knocking them around. That's why early game (when enemy fortitudes are especially low), using elemental spells (with decent elemental force) can actually work better than all those single target CCs like petrify and crushing prison. Ofcourse single target spells do have their uses against assassins and the like.

And anyway, you should be ~level 12 by the end of Act 1 if you do most the side-quests. So it's not so strange to utilise CCCs early game. But yeah, the major CCC you should be doing early game is the STAGGER-chain lightning

Btw, why didn't bioware just explain all the mechanics properly? I'm trying to figure out how %attack is figured out and it's proving to be a lot harder than I thought. gahh

[tonnactus]

Kaylord wrote...

Just a little follow-up: The fight against the templars after the Starkhaven-cave became very easy once I moved far enough to have every spawn point in front of me. Sadly, I consider this cheesy,

I call it getting out of an ambush (planned for the apostates,but nonetheless).

Modifié par tonnactus, 27 avril 2011 - 12:16 .

[tonnactus]

AreleX wrote...

After consulting with my Commander-in-Chief, BrazenNL, I've decided that people aren't really getting how to play mage to its maximum potential, so I'll be playing through the game a third time as a mage to help you all out.

Maybee as a bloodmage/spirithealer then?

[Kaylord]

mr_afk wrote...

Nooo, what my main point there was that those cold spells slow down enemies or freeze them in their tracks. That effectively is CC right there. If an enemy is unable to move (frozen) or slowed you can safely attack them or leave them alone without any retaliation.
...

In my current game, I started with winter grasp and cone of cold, and I was pissed because most of the enemies you encounter in Kirkwall are immune! In addition, cone of cold requires being near to enemies, which oftenly conflicted with those far ranging swings of Carver´s two-hander (and oftenly, too, the tactic setting scythe/mighty blow -> Hawke dead, enemy still alive). Besides, a slowed down assassin still goes backstab when you come accidentally to near to him while kiting, especially in close quarters. I really have to completely pin them down. Pinning shot wouldhave been perfect if it worked.

@tonnactus: Thanks, that´s a good possible explanation for those parchuters. As considering the running away tacic, I find it highly unrealistic. The game mechanics allow to entirely negate melee attacks by running away. That´s why I call it cheesy.
I think I remember only one game which had D&D 3rd edition rules properly implemented so you would suffer extra "attacks of opportunity" when running away or passing through someone´s melee zone (I think it was ToEE, an overall underwhelming game, sadly).

Modifié par Kaylord, 27 avril 2011 - 11:23 .

[tonnactus]

Kaylord wrote...
The game mechanics allow to entirely negate melee attacks by running away.

There are still archers.And the game have "super assasins",with health of tanks,chugging healthpots(and stealing them while your rogues couldnt do that anymore) and be invulnerable for some seconds while in stealth,what is completely retarded(and have almost zero cooldown for that on nightmare)

So no need to ashamed(when the game "cheats" too) when retreating and repositioning at better places becauses otherwise the game becomes too much trial and error.

Modifié par tonnactus, 27 avril 2011 - 12:30 .

[DW2511]

Based on this thread and my own experience with a SH/FM focused on healing/CC, and deciding to maximum offense/CC with enough healing to make Anders non-essential, I came up with this(already posted in another thread):

1. Heal
2. Chain Lightning
3. Spirit Bolt
4. Rock Armor
5. Fireball
6. Chain Reaction
7. Fist of the Maker
8. Telekinetic Burst, Unshakeable (Tome 1)
9. Pull of the Abyss
10. Gravitic Ring
11. Firestorm
12. Walking Bomb
13. Maker's Hammer, Edge of the Abyss (Tome 2)
14. Healing Aura, Group Heal (Tome 3)
15. Winter's Grasp
16. Apocalyptic Firestorm
17. Tempest
18. Cone of Cold
19. Deep Freeze
20. Pyromancer
21. Elemental Mastery
22. Spirit Strike
23. Horror
24. Hex of Torment
25. Despair
26. Strikes Twice

Advice? Viability?

[AreleX]

DW2511 wrote...

Based on this thread and my own experience with a SH/FM focused on healing/CC, and deciding to maximum offense/CC with enough healing to make Anders non-essential, I came up with this(already posted in another thread):

1. Heal
2. Chain Lightning
3. Spirit Bolt
4. Rock Armor
5. Fireball
6. Chain Reaction
7. Fist of the Maker
8. Telekinetic Burst, Unshakeable (Tome 1)
9. Pull of the Abyss
10. Gravitic Ring
11. Firestorm
12. Walking Bomb
13. Maker's Hammer, Edge of the Abyss (Tome 2)
14. Healing Aura, Group Heal (Tome 3)
15. Winter's Grasp
16. Apocalyptic Firestorm
17. Tempest
18. Cone of Cold
19. Deep Freeze
20. Pyromancer
21. Elemental Mastery
22. Spirit Strike
23. Horror
24. Hex of Torment
25. Despair
26. Strikes Twice

Advice? Viability?

Leave Primal to Merrill besides Rock Armor/Chain Reaction, skip Maker's Hammer, leave Entropy to Merrill, max Elemental besides Fireball upgrade.

Build Hawke like this.
Build Merrill like this.
Talents not in that order, of course. Hawke build assumes you get all 4 (3 +1 Ability Tomes, Elixir of Heroism) free skill opportunities, and end the game at level 26.

Of course, this is all just my theory, but it evenly spreads the damage/ability investment burden out between yourself and Merrill (for the mages), while granting the best level of synergy possible, i.e you set Merrill up for Walking Bomb with GoP, Merrill gets Death Hex/Entropy, etc.

I wouldn't know anything about SH, as I'll be goddamned if I'm healing any f**king body. This, of course, makes me a slave to Anders and his mood swings, but whatever, I don't even care at this point.

Modifié par AreleX, 27 avril 2011 - 02:23 .

[Kaylord]

DW2511, I am cracking my mind on how a SH could be useful and not just "nice to have". Knowing the battlefields and being FM, there seems to be not much need anymore. You leave out two cc, namely horror and petrify, so you rely only the FM line of spells. This is what I wanted to avoid, since the battles are already very tough before level 7-10. Viable? Certainly, if you manage to disable assassins somehow. Also, which spells you take after level 10 seems to be more a matter of taste. Your concept seems to go elemental, which certainly can be a lot of fun.
Based on discussions here I though about two different concepts up until level 10 (also, I am trying to save 1g23s für a makers sigh potion by building the mage optimal from scratch):

"Disabler Adept"

1. mindblast (given)
2. stonefist (2)
3. horror (3)
4. petrify (4)
5. chainlightning
6. chain reaction (6)
7. FH, elemental weapons, crushing prison (tome 1)
8. fist of the maker
9. telekinetic burst, pull of the abyss (potion from Black Emporium)
10. gravitic ring

This is a development from my earlier posted ideas about maximum single-target-disablers.

Another approach would be an entirely support build, but I am nor sure if that one would be fun to play:

"Buffing Bloodmage"

1. mind blast
2. heal
3. heroic aura
4. elemental weapons
5. chain lighning
6. rock armor
7. BM, blood magic, chain reaction (tome 1)
8. crushing prison
9. arcane shield, arcane wall (potion from Black Emporium)
10. valiant aura

The idea behind this build is to give maximum buffs to your party by spending your entire manapool for that. You would not invest in willpower, just in constitution and magic. Fenris would have together with his own buffs +48 defense, Isabela could have +53 defense. You do support damage mainly with your staff, with the occasional heal, which feeds of your blood magic, as well as chain lightning on staggered targets and paralysing prison with one more level. This build would also harmonzise nicely with Merill, who would concentrate on Entropy, Spirit and Primal and also only the basic blood fist talent.

As I said, from level 10 onwards you can pretty much choose your taste, but the basic playstyle / usefulness in the party is set.

Modifié par Kaylord, 27 avril 2011 - 03:35 .

[Kaylord]

Hmm.... thinking about past level 10... how about a "stagger-brittle master"?

11. paralysing prison
12. winters grasp
13. cone of cold
14. FM, fist of the maker, telekinetic burst (tome 2)
15. gravitic ring
16. pull of the abyss
17. makers hammer
18. an onwards: go full elemental

By level 17, you would be able to make use of 3 staggers (chain reaction, paralysing prison, makers hammer), and later you could add plenty of "brittleity" when the elemental tree is complete. Alternately, instead of elemental, you stay a bit spread around the trees and have despair, spirit bomb, tempest strikes twice to nicely complement your arsenal.

Of course, you can also harmonize your build depending on which party members you prefer by then. Fenris is a beast with killer blow, tornado, spirit pulse and (of course) cleave. Add in my previous posted support build, and he should be a monster.

Modifié par Kaylord, 27 avril 2011 - 03:09 .

[mr_afk]

If you're going to for stagger CCCs just go bloodmage and get haemorrhage. It's the best spell for exploding/('chunking' as Arelex always puts it) enemies. It's way better than makers hammer

[ezrafetch]

Hello, I'm a SH, and my guide is here if you have SH questions...hope it helps.

That being said, Elemental FM/SH should probably look like this: Hawke. That's designed for a lvl23-24 finish (24 with 3 tomes, "23" with Tomes + Level Potion). FM to me is just for looks: you can easily take packs down without corralling them around and stuff. I prefer to dump those points into filling out the Primal tree. Plus, the new DLC gloves make Unshakable essentially redundant, which was approximately 35.30957208% of the reason why you take FM in the first place. Also, by far the best anti-assassin is Petrify + Dessicate. Petrify + Dessicate (causing Brittle) into Mighty Blow + Shattering Blow, Bursting Arrow + Shattering Arrow, or Archer's Lance + Punishing Lance will off assassins very quickly. And if the Brittle didn't trigger, you have everyone wail on the assassin...works pretty well. Alternatively, you Petrify the assassin, take out all his compadres by the time Petrify ends, and the assassin will no longer stealth. Basically, you have to figure out what works with the flow of the battle you're currently in.

Leave the Arcane tree to someone not Hawke. Too many goodies for you to pick up, unlike your companions, who have those points to dump in.

edit: as mentioned above, if you make STAGGER your primary CCC, just stick with BM and run Hemorrhage + Paralyzing Hemorrhage instead of Fist of the Maker + Maker's Hammer.

Modifié par ezrafetch, 27 avril 2011 - 03:33 .

[AreleX]

I made a tutorial video to give you guys insight into what I do/why, and also to show some gameplay pre-Unshakable, where people seem to have the most trouble (I'm level 7 in the video). Step your game up!

Video has:

Tranquility
Meeran Fight in Lowtown
Wayward Son (Docks portion)
Bait and Switch (Alienage portion)

Teach Me How to Force Mage!

Modifié par AreleX, 27 avril 2011 - 03:44 .

[Kaylord]

My only gripe about the standard old man´s hemorrage would be that hemorrage wants 3 points in blood magic, and a bit of roleplaying issue against going to deep into that life-sacrificing demon stuff. IN addition, hemorrage has a cd of 30 seconds, while you could beef um makers hammer to 10 seconds cd. Take Avelines upgraded shield bash and you have a guaranteed stagger every 10 seconds. having in mind multiple spawn waves, this should allow a much more flexible combat.