Background: I'm in the planning stage for a Sith lord type of campaign and I've chosen the mage class. I'm looking for something deeper than mere superficial or accidental resonance, though. For example, I won't take Force Field simply because it has the word 'Force' in it, but I may well do so because it is a prerequisite for Crushing Prison. The lightning spells are not automatic shoo-ins either.
Anyway, looking at my mages I find that all of them have cone-bombed their way from the spider caves to the party camp, without exception. To be sure, the trinity of Winter's Grasp, Cone of Cold and Walking Bomb is hard to beat for an early mage. It is a fairly complete package that covers a wide range of tactical necessities, and with a bit of freezing skill the damage output is second to none.
The Walking Bomb resonates well with the Sith lord theme but the freezing bit doesn't, so I was wondering whether there are other good gambits for a mage.
I like the fire spells because they are very efficient and do nice damage, and I'm going to take them sooner or later anyway in order to get Inferno. However, apart from the fire ball knockdown they offer nothing at all in the tactics department, meaning that something like Mind Blast is needed much more urgently than in the case of a cone bomber.
What's your take on this? How did your mages erase their enemies during early levels?
Mage gambits (cone-bomb alternatives for a Sith apprentice)
Débuté par
DarthGizka
, janv. 30 2014 01:12
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#2
Posté 30 janvier 2014 - 06:51
Mike3207
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You might put some in the lightning line, and any good Sith Lord will want Storm of the Century.Lightning has a cone spell as well.
You might also put a point in Poison to be able to use bombs. They're very useful in the early levels.
You might also put a point in Poison to be able to use bombs. They're very useful in the early levels.
Modifié par Mike Smith, 30 janvier 2014 - 06:53 .
#3
Posté 30 janvier 2014 - 09:24
DarthGizka
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Yes, SotC sounds like something that a Sith would want to have. However, at the moment I'm looking at the early levels, say up to the end of Lothering.
I know that a mage Warden could easily ride on the coat tails of others all the way. The only time you have to fight alone is during the first minute of the Harrowing, before you get the mouse bear. That's five wisps and one spirit wolf whose demise you have to arrange; even if you didn't have the free Arcane Bolt spell you could do it easily with your fists. From there to the end of the Harrowing you have the mouse bear, after the Harrowing you have Lily and Jowan, and from Ostagar on you always have a full party at your disposal if you want (and sometimes even if you don't).
From that point of view it doesn't matter at all which spells you learn. However, being dependent on others would be anathema for a Sith. The same for depending on things like potions, poisons, or traps when a better choice of abilities to learn would permanently eliminate the need for such crutches. On the other hand, a Sith would accept all that if it were part of a tradeoff that promises even greater power later on.
The lightning line I don't find convincing. It offers neither the efficiency nor the damage output of the fire line, and it doesn't compensate with tactical advantages as the frost line does. The strength-sapping aspect of lightning fits stylistically but a true Sith is about power first and foremost. Hence the lightning line can come later, or someone else can learn it.
I'm looking for spell combinations that can rival the cone bomb in power, simplicity and completeness, particularly with an eye towards achieving power and independence as early as possible. With Winter's Grasp, Cone of Cold and Walking Bomb you can achieve that objective as soon as you hit level 3, which would be still at the tower somewhere in the spider caverns. The first two alone would already be sufficient, but Walking Bomb gives you that extra bit of oomph so that you can breeze through the levels solo without breaking a stride (except for lieutenant/boss level critters, where a bit of kiting is still indicated). Grasp, Cone, Bomb, walk a few steps, Grasp or Bolt. Bam! One whole group of enemies dispatched.
As I said, I'm quite familiar with cone-bombing but I would like to learn about alternatives.
I know that a mage Warden could easily ride on the coat tails of others all the way. The only time you have to fight alone is during the first minute of the Harrowing, before you get the mouse bear. That's five wisps and one spirit wolf whose demise you have to arrange; even if you didn't have the free Arcane Bolt spell you could do it easily with your fists. From there to the end of the Harrowing you have the mouse bear, after the Harrowing you have Lily and Jowan, and from Ostagar on you always have a full party at your disposal if you want (and sometimes even if you don't).
From that point of view it doesn't matter at all which spells you learn. However, being dependent on others would be anathema for a Sith. The same for depending on things like potions, poisons, or traps when a better choice of abilities to learn would permanently eliminate the need for such crutches. On the other hand, a Sith would accept all that if it were part of a tradeoff that promises even greater power later on.
The lightning line I don't find convincing. It offers neither the efficiency nor the damage output of the fire line, and it doesn't compensate with tactical advantages as the frost line does. The strength-sapping aspect of lightning fits stylistically but a true Sith is about power first and foremost. Hence the lightning line can come later, or someone else can learn it.
I'm looking for spell combinations that can rival the cone bomb in power, simplicity and completeness, particularly with an eye towards achieving power and independence as early as possible. With Winter's Grasp, Cone of Cold and Walking Bomb you can achieve that objective as soon as you hit level 3, which would be still at the tower somewhere in the spider caverns. The first two alone would already be sufficient, but Walking Bomb gives you that extra bit of oomph so that you can breeze through the levels solo without breaking a stride (except for lieutenant/boss level critters, where a bit of kiting is still indicated). Grasp, Cone, Bomb, walk a few steps, Grasp or Bolt. Bam! One whole group of enemies dispatched.
As I said, I'm quite familiar with cone-bombing but I would like to learn about alternatives.
Modifié par DarthGizka, 30 janvier 2014 - 09:34 .
#4
Posté 02 février 2014 - 01:42
Mike3207
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I was going to mention the Paralysis Bomb Combo but it's a bomb of sorts-Glyph of Paralyzation, Glyph of Repulsion.
Sleep+Horror, also Waking Nightmare-all would be entertaining for a Dark Lord.
The Drain Life tree-it sucks life from your enemies-very Vaderish.
Stinging Swarm-insects attack a enemy, if they kill it they move on to the next target.It is the 4th spell in a group however.
Hexes possibly, but not sure a Dark Lord would use them.
The Shapeshifter spec-all of the forms would really surprise a group of enemies. The Flying Swarm form is very strong.
Sleep+Horror, also Waking Nightmare-all would be entertaining for a Dark Lord.
The Drain Life tree-it sucks life from your enemies-very Vaderish.
Stinging Swarm-insects attack a enemy, if they kill it they move on to the next target.It is the 4th spell in a group however.
Hexes possibly, but not sure a Dark Lord would use them.
The Shapeshifter spec-all of the forms would really surprise a group of enemies. The Flying Swarm form is very strong.
#5
Posté 10 février 2014 - 10:16
RavenousBear
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A Sith Lord would learn the Blood Mage tree. Fueling their power with the life blood of others fits very well with Sith lore. There were Sith Lords who were necromancers so the animate dead spell can be used in my opinion.
Sith Lords not only like the most powerful force powers in SW but also those that cause extreme pain and suffering to their victims. So I look into the primal and entropy spell trees. The Creation spell tree seems more attuned to Jedi powers in my opinion so I would avoid those spells if playing a Sith Lord in DA.
Sith Lords not only like the most powerful force powers in SW but also those that cause extreme pain and suffering to their victims. So I look into the primal and entropy spell trees. The Creation spell tree seems more attuned to Jedi powers in my opinion so I would avoid those spells if playing a Sith Lord in DA.
