Questa discussione ha avuto 55 risposte

[MikeFL25]

Quick question here. I am loving my Mage but I am not sure which spec to choose. I like the caster gameplay and Rift seems like it has great AoE and debuffs. KE also looks fun and spirit sword plus barrier bonuses sound great. Either way I will be playing as offense oriented with Solus/Dorian specced as support with spirit tree + their specialization.

My next char will be a warrior so I hope KE isn't a copy of warrior gameplay.

[Hellnhavoc]

I have a level 16 KE and it wrecks things.  However, I find myself wishing I was more of caster as I find myself basically spamming two buttons.  I personally would be a rift mage if I could do it again.  If you are going to play a warrior next you may really want to rethink going KE. 

[MikeFL25]

My planis to remain a primary spell caster but have the blade as a "oh ***" attack when I need it. Plus I like the idea of being tough to kill. Do you think the storm/inferno offensive skills + KE work well? Or go rift Mage?

[SpaceV3gan]

I played 15 hours as a Mage and I loved the early pure caster gameplay. I didn't get to specialize that character, but I wouldn't go KE if I had the chance. I am now playing a Rogue, 26 hours in and I tried pure KE on Viviene and though it is a powerhouse both in DPS and survivability, it is completely one dimensional. I wouldn't choose it for my Inquisitor, and besides Viviene can be just as good as a KE, if you want to play one.

[Addai]

I played KE and while it has great passives, the gameplay wasn't too fun for me. It would be different if you could summon a spirit sword for a certain amount of time, but you basically get one strike which means click- wait- click- wait. Rift mage looks pretty badass so that's what I'm going with next.

[themageguy]

Knight enchanter is quite powerful.

However it seems you may enjoy the more diverse role of using Rift Mage.

Rift mage has a powerful focus ability, and upgraded stonefist I've found to be quite a strong and useful spell.
Then there's Pull of the Abyss.

PotA and immolate is a neat little combo .

You may want to get gear with good mana regen as the rift mage abilities are a little costly, but they are definitely worth it.

[Saresi]

RiftMage by far, if you want to play as a MAGE. Seriously.

[revan017]

Knight Enchanter if you like winning.

 

KE/Ice build. I still cast spells, mostly for fun.

[draction]

Knight Enchanter is hands down the more powerful option having the only castable heal in game guarantees that. But I’m finding it fairly boring to be honest Rift Mage is far more fun.

[MikeFL25]

Yeah I have decided to go Rift Mage. I specced Viv into KE last night and it was fine, but then I played as Solus with full rift Mage tree and had a blast playing it. Definitely excited to get on after work and spec Rift and let the epicness commence!

[Ganen]

http://forum.bioware...oles-nightmare/

 

playing nightmare you will want knight enchanter for survival and highest aoe dps with fire and spirit or rift mage if you want more control/support rather than the best dps.

[godlike13]

Im loving KE so far, especially with Fade Step. 

[ZiggyTank]

KE is great as a burst dps melee mage. On Nightmare, and I guess in general, I hated the fact that mobs just wrecked face as a mage and since this was my first Dragon Age game, disliked the use of tactical mode, mainly because I like real time battle as opposed to pausing every couple of seconds or so. The Knight Enchanter takes the fight to the mobs and thensome leaving Blackwall to tank everything else like a boss while the other two spots can pretty much be whatever you want. (This is for Nightmare Difficulty)

 

As a Knight Enchanter, I go for a full Melee group, nothing like a warrior.

 

Barrier to protect the group, all the mobs rush to you since you're all melee and you won't have to position your ranged characters as much.

 

Throw down a fire mine, fade out and use the ability that does damage when you uncloak, immolate, and swing that sword to get your CD's back even faster. The amount of damage is insane without being an exploit like the Tempest Fire Pot.

 

The only thing that trivializes things even more than KE is the Cole/Sera Death Blow, Mark of Rift, Dagger Frenzy combination. 

 

But if you don't want to micromanage, go Knight Enchanter. I only put 1 point in Ice for fade step because the best form of Crowd Control is Death 

[EnygmaSoul]

"Hello. Yes. Hello.  I am Your Trainer."

"Yes?"

"I am Your Trainer"

"You said that."

"Good, because it has been a long journey, the cause is just, and if we don't start soon you won't have time to learn.  Ahem.  I am Your Trainer."

"

You seem a little...scattered."

"It's nothing. I'm just a little fatigued. It's nothing. Thank you.  I was charged with studying the Breach and the subsequent rifts, to discover how they affected traditional disciplines.  I was enthralled. So were the nineteen others, I presume. They are dead.  They learned the power, but couldn't wield it.  Rift Mage, Inquisitor!  The forces are incredible, and with training, YOU will be incredible.  I know how not to die, and I can teach it. It's...incredible."

 

"The rifts were triggered by the Breach. There's already a school of magic?"

"A school? No. Yes. Sort of? The holes in the Veil flooded us with magic. And that can be used. It changed some rules, modified them.  Enough that the careless inverted themselves.  Old forces in new forms. Others will try, their results will vary, but you will have the best instruction.  Because Your Trainer has already taken the risks.  The price has been paid."

 

"Who charged you with studying magic from the rifts?"

"The Mages Collective.  I did not just say that.  Yes, I did say it, and we're proud to help.  We are nimble, We could move quickly and commit people to this Rift magic.  Many people.  Their lives made it stable and safe. We're very proud."

 

"You...didn't mention your name."

"I am Your Trainer"

"That...isn't a name."

"It is what I am. I try very hard to remember that much.  There is so much else to keep in mind. Understand, Inquisitor, that I have learned it all, very quickly, so that you do not have to."

 

"Tell me why this would best suit me?"

"You are The Inqusiitor."

"And?"

"You deserve power that casts your enemies aside with the abandon of a creator force, crushing them with your very will.  That is the promise. Who better than you? You are The Inquisitor."

 

"Very well. Show me how this should go."

"It goes places you have been, and some you have not. That is necessary, so the price is not paid twice. Follow the instruction and you will know the way.  You'll understand the power. Then I'll show you more.  After all, I am Your Trainer."

 

 

 

I think awesome dialogue qualifies as my vote?

[ZiggyTank]

Unfortunately, some people are reporting bugs w/ Weakness not applying correctly. This shouldn't be too much of a problem on anything under Nightmare, and Kudos to those who can make do. There's a way to avoid the bugs by not putting points in certain abilities. Unfortunate. 

 

Here is the link to the pose about Rift Mage Bug: http://forum.bioware...-rift-mage-bug/

[Anelyn77]

I haven't encountered such bugs with weakness. Playing as a Rift / Lightning mage, party with Necro Dorian, Cas 1h/shield Templar and Sera Archery / Tempest.

 

I can do PoA into Veil into Fist w/o problems and then just do it all over again (thanks to the 2 talents from fire tehehe).

 

Also Dragons are affected by weakness.

[Kestral]

I just started the KE and I like it. I have read a lot of threads on it, and I still like it. I play on the xbox 1, and the button for the spirit blade is in the second set. Those who play on the xbox know what that means. I keep the main spells I use on the front, and the rest on the back.

 

I just play as a mage, and when things get hairy and I get surrounded/overwhelmed, then I will whip out the spirit blade. For those of you who have played DA Origins, I kind of role play like the arcane warrior there, where you can use a sword and use magic at the same time.

 

I guess what the whole things comes down to is how one plays. If one plays on nightmare, then spirit blade might be good for that person, whereas others might believe that it is way over powered. I play on normal, and run with Cassandra, Cole and the Bull. I am the only mage in the group and it works out well that way. It also depends on what you outfit your followers with. I keep mine with as much high quality stuff as I would my own character.

 

Most of the time I just keep my barrier up, and let the enemies have it from a distance. I use inferno and winter, with spirit on the side. If I get into a jam, and my health is super low, then I will bring out the spirit blade. It just depends how one plays. I tried the rift mage, and outside of veilstrike and stonefist there was nothing there that I wanted. I wanted the barrier for my mage, so went with KE, as I wanted only one mage in my group.

 

Again, it depends on how one plays and what one wants to achieve as playing a mage.

Modificata da Kestral, 03 dicembre 2014 - 01:06 .

[q5tyhj]

KE is really powerful, but not especially satisfying to control as a traditional mage- you're actually playing it more like a warrior (spirit blade). I really wanted Rift Mage, but the specialization quest is either bugged or really poorly designed (there was no Venatori spellbinder at the 3rd location, none of the Venatori Spellbinders on, e.g. Dorian's quest and other areas where they can be found dropped any, despite having killed 10+ of them) so I was forced to choose between KE and necro. In other words, if you can choose Rift Mage (i.e. complete the quest), that's what I'd do, at least if you want something like a textbook combat/destruction RPG mage. 

[Anelyn77]

KE is just a fighter that is still subject to getting OHK since you are not immune to knockdowns / sleep / frozen etc.

 

Rift is a control machine with great dps - do note that DPS doesn't mean highest burst or killing a dragon before he attacks. Rift doesn't have the same single target capability as a Tempest / Assassin / Artificer by any means, but it can INSANELY boost those specs dps on boss fights as well as making encounters trivial via weakness debuff, back to back barriers and double static cages (yes by a single mage). If you don't know how fast a dragon melts with double lightning cage when a Tempest uses flask of lightning and shoots with a bow or flask of fire with Thousand Cuts, give it a try.

[JaegerBane]

KE is just a fighter that is still subject to getting OHK since you are not immune to knockdowns / sleep / frozen etc.

This is being a little economical with the truth. A better description would be 'just a fighter that can cast spells and played properly, can tank anything'. You wouldn't play a Rift Mage just spamming stonefist so not sure why you'd play a KE just spamming spirit blade.

Well... you *can*, but it's not really the fault of the class if you insist on doing it.

[Kestral]

I feel differently. I remember the arcane warrior in DA Origins, and that is what I relate the KE to. True, one can just spam the spirit blade, but there is no fun in that. Playing on the xbox one, I have the spirit blade on one of the back buttons, and only use it when I am in really big trouble. Mainly I use my other spells from the fire, spirit and inferno tree.

 

But the KE also gives magic +6 and constitution +6, depending on the perks one takes. Plus there is a lot to do with the barrier under that tree, whereas under rift mage it is all about stonefist. My mage is not a tank, but a mage. I like the KE tree for more than just spirit blade. There is barrier decay reduction, damage returned to the enemy, and mana regeneration rate.

 

It is all about how a person plays and their playstyle. Some like it, and some do not. That is like some like being a warrior and some do not. Same difference.

[momasri]

I had the same dilema, until I realized that I was being silly. Since Bioware lets you play your companions, then you really can't make a wrong decision.

Spec in whatever you like. When you want to have fun with another caster tree then play your companion. Want to to kill that dragon as a KE, then drive Viv as an OP KE.

You could even choose to not specialize and just play a balanced elemental mage.

[Bhaal]

Well Rift Mage better than KE on all difficulties except NM where KE with it's durability makes all the difference, Rift Mage still dishes out some crazy AoE damage mind you but very vulnerable to ranged attacks in NM untill you get some masterwork armors. If you keep the heat of your Rift Mage it's CC and AOE damage unrivaled. Also Rift Mage is so very fun to play.

 

If you're playing FF on, then there is no competition, KE is the winner.

 

Also never forget one can play KE like a traditional mage just as well. Constantly having %85 mana regen bonus(or even 135), deflecting arrows, slowing enemies and bombarding them with fire spells it's just as durable and even better at doing damage. Using spirit blade between cooldowns just as cool.

[SomeoneStoleMyName]

Best mage damage in the game is energy barrage, and even better static cage + energy barrage. Or if you want to go uber-mode. 
Flashpoint and static cage with double energy barrage. rings: Static cage duration, EB damage. 

The best way to play a "proper" mage imo are to supplement energy barrage with specializations. For this purpose KE and rift are both solid choices.

You go rift mainly for restorative veil
You go KE mainly for fade shield

Go for Chaotic focus, clean burn and flashpoint in fire.

Riftmage: Applies weaken and restores mana for spam.
KE: Massive damage boosts from chaotic focus and fade shield synergy.

You main skills will be Static cage + EB. As a rift mage you will need one weakening spell as well, but its risky because if it crits you lose the double EB. However you do get more mana regen.

 

With KE your main skills will still be Static cage + EB, difference is they will do more damage.

So my suggestion? Grab static cage + EB /w upgrades, fire passives and either rift or KE for that one passive. Then play as a regular empowered Static + EB mage. 

The staff you want is enchanter staff. With 50% crit chance and 50% crit damage, each of your 30% damage boosted EB projectiles can crit, and hard. With static cage this combo is even stronger. 

---

 

Half barrier /w strength of spirits = 750 bonus damage.
With a 80 damage staff
EB = 792% weapon damage x 0.8 = 633 damage x 2 (flashpoint)

1266 + (30% of 1266 = 380) + 750 + (80 x 0.5 = 40. 40 times 24 = 960) = About 3.5k damage. About 1500 of this damage has a chance to crit statistically, setting crit damage at 100% will mean: 4500 potential damage for one full combo. And this is being very conservative / pessimistic with the numbers in less than optimal circumstances.
 

Conclusion: With crit chance and crit damage and the +30% EB damage ring, this skill scales insanely well.
Source: 2 x completed nightmare playthroughs

Edit: Note that this doesent even include proc on hits! Multiple upgrades like hidden blades, veilstrike and chain lightning added on top of this for pure madness.

[SpaceV3gan]

I don't know whether I got he numbers right, but I constantly see my Fire Mine hitting for 7k - 9k crits, and with 30-40% crit chance, they happen pretty often, especially because they hit multiple targets.
Also my Immolate hits for 2.6k damage regularly, and 2x 2.6k isn't uncommon, since it is AOE.
I guess having high Attack helps a lot, too.

Regardless, the best mage builds depend more on the basic trees and less on specializations. Thus playing a full melee KE is one of the least effective approaches to the class, albeit so popular.