Guest_Magick_*
My runs have always been AW/BM. I don't mind playing it but like you said I wanted to try something new. From what most are saying, just entropy isn't viable on nightmare an can lead to frustration and too much time consumption. So what other spells can work best with full entropy? I was thinking about going back to just specializing in BM for blood wound and just do whole entropy with some spirit build.
Spell combos: dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Spell_combinations
Just take it one spell at a time, favouring Entropy if it seems opportune. Console commands and respec mods can take the sting out of mistakes, so go forth and slay things.
Also, the time that you spend experimenting will probably be saved tenfold later on. The first and most difficult thing is always to shed old ways of thinking and old approaches to fighting. See for example the difference in approach between cone-bombing and fireballing. If you are used to the one then the other will seem difficult or even inadequate, and vice versa.
P.S.: overall I'd aim for all Entropy lines (eventually) except for the first, which is totally outclassed by the first three glyphs. Entropy does spirit damage, so the most convenient (and powerful) elemental combination would be fire/spirit, with the bomb spells, Crushing Prison and Blood Wound neatly fitting in.
Yup yup and yup...
I think anytime you do a roleplay or specialized build that isn't ideally optimized, you're going to have some issues in general (which is fine since it allows you to try other spells or learn new tactics). As many people state, a pure Entropy build "probably" won't be able to complete the game or it'll simply be not fun and take too long (too much running around, reloads, massive kiting, potion spamming, etc).
Fireball, with it's reliable knockdown effect, fast cooldown-15secs (I typically get 2 off in a fight before everyone is dead) and high damage against Darkspawn (-15% resistance) and Undead (-25% resistance) makes it my typical 1st launch spell. After fireball hits, you typically can paralysis explode or inferno most any group of mobs...since you have a lot of time...
That said, this leads to everyone and oneself playing the game the same way which is why we're here...You take out two or three of the most powerful spells in the game (Glyph line, fireball, cone of cold) and your playthrough and tactics is guarenteed to be different which is what we're (some of us) are trying to achieve. Since you've yourself finished the game 4 times? (That's 4 more than me!), it's understandable that we'd want to try something different.
There are some videos of someone avoiding all Primal spells which would be a fun playthrough probably as this thread is similar...As Death Cloud is the only non-primal area affect, it's going to be my own go-to-spell...just debating between when to get Sleep+Horror line vs. playing with Death Hex/Death Cloud (which I've never tried and does more damage)
Quite a few more times than 4... it's somewhere in the high teens I think, about half of them solos. Probably more than is healthy (though at least it's spread out over a few years).
Ultimately it depends what you want out of it. Soloing a mage without the usual staples is certainly possible... whether it's fun would be a whole different debate.
My runs have always been AW/BM. I don't mind playing it but like you said I wanted to try something new. From what most are saying, just entropy isn't viable on nightmare an can lead to frustration and too much time consumption. So what other spells can work best with full entropy? I was thinking about going back to just specializing in BM for blood wound and just do whole entropy with some spirit build.
Spell combos: dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Spell_combinations
I think it'd be OK if you throw in VWB. That, with entropy's crowd control, should give you enough killing power.
My runs have always been AW/BM. I don't mind playing it but like you said I wanted to try something new. From what most are saying, just entropy isn't viable on nightmare an can lead to frustration and too much time consumption. So what other spells can work best with full entropy? I was thinking about going back to just specializing in BM for blood wound and just do whole entropy with some spirit build.
Spell combos: dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Spell_combinations
I agree with dainbramage and in my current build, I am using a few spirit spells (walking bomb line mostly) to deal with the low damage...Walking bomb, even without VVB can deal large amounts of damage if you are able to gather the mobs very close together...At a low level with non-perfect gear, my mage did 143 on an explosion I think from the video. And that's only the Tier 1 Walking bomb...
The GREAT thing with trying new things is you learn new tactics that you never bothered with. Walking Bomb is a very tough to learn/use spell so depending on it a lot will be fun/interesting/satisfying. I'm still trying to figure out better ways to not blow myself up and decide when to use it and how to control it...
Guest_Magick_*
Has anyone ever done a mage solo and would like to share some experience or tact?
Generally play AW/ SH, though I rarely take more than Group Heal for spells in the latter specialty. I have a couple that utilized AW/ BM, but was only for curiosity and RP for those characters.
Glyph of Repulsion remains on all my lists, as does Stone Fist and Force Field plus all preceding spells; too valuable for my choice of tactics.
Generally I leave the Boss fights until last to lower the odds on opposition, but there are exceptions. And the Tab key, and Pause are your new BFF's.
And please enjoy the game.
Most of the spells in SH are for Group, but Group Heal is another good healing spell to add to the lists, if desired. Never know if forced Allies will need help (looking at you, Redcliffe).
Plus the innate bonus for SH are decent.
Guest_Magick_*
Just started my solo as a FEM, all into magic, on nightmare. Going to do Entropy/spirit only.
Most of the spells in SH are for Group, but Group Heal is another good healing spell to add to the lists, if desired. Never know if forced Allies will need help (looking at you, Redcliffe).
Plus the innate bonus for SH are decent.
Guest_Magick_*
Yea...so my elf died..*sigh*..never send an elf to do a "Man's" job!
Heh, I'm a female elf mage too...haven't had time to play so just at the point where I finished the fade...I'm probably going BM/AW and AW just so I can wear most armors. An easy place to die is at the Arcane Sentinel since he heals and is a pain...if you lack damage enough spells to kill him fast.
Still figuring out what spells to use, but here's a video of me going against 9 Darkspawn at once at the Ishal Tower 3rd floor...I've change my spell selection quite a bit during this exercise...Also, the staff I have is not ideal for Darkspawn since it's nature, but it's the only 1 I got on this save game.
If Walking Bomb is resisted, you'd be in a bit of trouble so a better spell selection option maybe Waking Nightmare to buy time for sleep and other spells to recharge vs the Hex...Actually, I may go VVB since I actually like Death Syphon so I don't have to spam as much potions...
The problem I have with forcefield is that when it runs out and you're surrounded, a mob might perfectly time a stun/knock down/grab you...course, the forcefield is much better for the ogre...(as well as the hex)...
EDIT: I gotta admit, the lower levels are extremely brutal without the number of spells to either do damage or have more CC...The fight with the Arcane Sentinel can be a pain and the 2nd wolves group with the Alpha is pretty tough as well due to only having 6 spells at that time...This is all assuming you AREN'T going to kite or retreat much other than repositioning or a few half paces here and there. It's just pretty hard to go toe-to-toe with mobs unfortunately with 2 damage spells and if you get resisted (which seems pretty common at lvl 4 like every other fight), you don't have much other tools to fall back on (like if sleep doesn't work or walking bomb is resisted, etc...you have to either run (which I don't want to do)).
Looking back at the majority of my mage builds, they pretty much ALL had either Fireball, Cone of Cold or the Glyphs so without any of them and mostly Entropy spells, the early levels are pretty rough. Going to have to tweak my build since unlike the video, it's easy when you can have sleep, walking nightmare, paralyze, etc...to fall back on by then.
Modifié par Ironman Gaming, 09 juillet 2014 - 08:07 .
@Tremere GTFO!
Okay, but why am I leaving?
Guest_Magick_*
@Tremere
1. Your comment is literally days late.
2. Unless you have any bright ideas, strategies, tact, or anything pertaining to Entropy soloing, leave.
@Tremere
1. Your comment is literally days late.
2. Unless you have any bright ideas, strategies, tact, or anything pertaining to Entropy soloing, leave.
Oh I'm sorry... I didn't realize you were a moderator. Oh wait... You aren't, so I think I'll stick around. Also, since the intent of my response escaped you, I was actually agreeing with someone that you weren't getting answers pertaining to the question you asked. If you misunderstood, that's on you.
Where in particular are you having problems? It would be helpful if you posted your quickbar, so that we could see your spells...
Guest_Magick_*
I do not know how. Even if eligible my computer wont respond to my commands. My computer is a cheap laptop meant for business and not gaming but I couldn't resist the boredom. If you know how I can I'd be truly grateful.
Edit: Also, how long does it take BW to update DAO profile online? I lost my old saves and just started two new ones recently.
As far as I can make out, online profiles stopped updating for good around the end of January. Only achievements continued updating. Got my last achievement in March or so, which means I wouldn't have noticed if updates stopped after that.
You can look up the hotkey for screenshots by looking in the controls sections of the options menu. I rebound mine to a different key ages ago, so I don't know what the standard key would be. The screenshots end up in your Documents folder, under BioWare/Dragon Age/Screenshots/User.
I guess a simple spell list as text would work, but seeing a filled quickbar focusses the mind wonderfully and puts one in battle mood... 
Cool! I'd given the thing up for dead already... Most of my characters are still in the same sorry state as when the update stop hit in January and I was doing research for my MinXP project (which involved copious poking around in origin saves and replaying of origins). The other characters seem to have regressed to level 20, because of some Landsmeet research I was doing around the time of the last update on June 11th... Solo mages Sonea, Empyrea and Ajira never showed up.
There's more weird stuff going on. The feed shows some two dozen achievements as unlocked '7 day(s) ago' even though I haven't unlocked anything since March or so, and the achievements in questions are a lot older. "Veteran", for the Maker's sake... Must have unlocked that one eons ago.
Hit or miss all right.
'Manage Characters' is working again, after having been inoperable for many months.
P.S.: in the game itself all achievements show up as unlocked on June 19th. Perhaps there is some server migration going on.
Guest_Magick_*
Glad to see its somewhat updating. For the life of me soloing only as Entropy is so intense. No sustainables, companions, or use of bombs. I might just drop this out of pure frustration.
Glad to see its somewhat updating. For the life of me soloing only as Entropy is so intense. No sustainables, companions, or use of bombs. I might just drop this out of pure frustration.
Oh well, I've pretty much finished my testing and as mentioned earlier, I don't think it's possible to only use Entropy spells to finish the game. 2 main damage spells (Arcane Bolt and Drain Life) just doesn't hit hard enough and even all Entropy spells is only 16 so you would need other spells anyways.
Going the Spirit Route (to avoid Primal), the early game seems easiest with learning Walking Bomb and Virulent Walking Bomb. Virulent hits extremely hard (close to 200) at low levels already and with both Bomb spells, even if one is resisted, usually both won't be. I learn Forcefield as well which is one of the most useful in general for most any build.
However, going this route means you don't even start Entropy spells till the Tower of Ishal and tactics and strategy is pretty boring since you fire off 2 bombs and sit in a forcefield and wait. The explosion is fun though. Virulent will possibly infect an alpha which is the main danger of blowing yourself up.
To deal with the Kokari wilds, you have 5 spells and easiest again is just 3 Death spells and 2 Telekinisis spells.
Using traps is actually more useful than bombs since it's the gift that keeps on giving. As you can also forcefield yourself, some very hard fights like the 2nd pack of wolves which always chain overwhelms you can be won easily while you're in forcefield and the traps continue to do damage. Without it and say, with only Walking Bomb, usually, a few of the wolves and the Alpha will be alive so you'll get chain Overwhelmed and die pretty consistently after forcefield runs out.
Death Cloud is pretty hard to get off so in my test with it, I just never could cast it. Also, to take both sleep and Death Cloud, the Kokari Wilds is harder since you sorta need forcefield to use Death Cloud since you don't have paralysis explosion (Which is only 3 spells and a much better line in general than most anything else).
You can try to make do with Sleep and Walking Bomb and Mindblast for the Kokari Wilds, but the 2nd Wolves fight is hard since you'll get chain overwhelmed and you don't have forcefield again.
If there's any videos you'd like to see, let me know and I can post it, but overall, I didn't find any of them that entertaining (since it's bomb x2, sit in forcefield with death syphon).
My other video with sleep, paralyze and blowing up 9 DS is actually a funner build (for me) since you don't rely on forcefield at all (only learn walking bomb) and run around a bit more in combat, but using that build is harder in dealing with the 2nd pack of wolves and you spam more mana potions without death syphon.
All these comments / strategies generally assumes you engage each mob group all at once (no pulling) and don't kite really.
Using bombs, you can do the 2nd wolf fight, but it's still a tough fight to not kite the alpha.
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