Please stop blaming "console limitations" for developer choices. DAO, DAA, and DA2 worked just fine on consoles, with the extra skills being allocated on the radial menu. It's not a hardware thing or a controller thing, it's a deliberate move.
As much as I love this game, even I can't deny the bizarre and frankly, ass backwards UI design in terms of slot limits, lack of power wheel and tac cam control >_<
I would like to have more abilities slotted... HOWEVER, I disagree about the damage. My mage does ridiculous damage. I'm not sure what character stats/abilities you are using but I think the mages in this game were made very well.
Respec options are readily available.
A significant portion of DAI's combat system relies on preparation and premeditation.
I can't get over how goofy that this idea is that you're supposed to respec your entire character because the game is designed to punish you for choosing more than eight skills. That and you're no longer allowed to switch weapons in combat or access the inventory - in addition to the pitifully low item limit, unless you want to blow a few hours worth of Influence on a +15 slot perk.
Well at least now you're saying more than 2-3 words, so that's an improvement. PC Gamers are indeed forced to suck it up on account of Bioware getting lazy and only optimizing the game for one platform, console.
I can't say I agree that Origins was a "do nothing and still win" game.. I mean, I don't even think you really even believe that.
I also wouldn't say that DAI is a "hold trigger" to win game, but tactically the game has been widdled down to further appeal to the console crowd at the expense of the PC crowd, rather than trying to please both sides.
My builds do just fine, I can't relate to the OP on that account, but the game is still less enjoyable on account of the many flaws it has.
Its a month in and a simple Walk/Run toggle still doesn't exist.. may not be a big deal, but its all in the little things. This is where this game has gone awry.
In case its not clear, I'm speaking above just the Mage talk in the thread, so in a way, I am derailing.. But, I've said my piece, so rather than further derail, I will let you all continue on.
I can't get over how goofy that this idea is that you're supposed to respec your entire character because the game is designed to punish you for choosing more than eight skills.
You aren't forced to do anything unless you play on Nightmare.
In that case you willfully accept that some enemies will resist your abilities, just like in DA2.
If you wish to go through with a battle that is not on your terms, that's your prerogative.
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Also any build in DAO or DA2 had you at most using 6-8 abilities at a time with all the rest being obsolete, redundant, or sustained powers. Even if you had more, you were limited by your resources.
Given the importance and functionality of passives in DAI, they often accomplish exactly what most sustained / some actives did in previous iterations.
Quit blowing the issue out of proportion. It is functionally the same, unless you were the type to never take upgrades or passives.
You aren't forced to do anything unless you play on Nightmare.
In that case you willfully accept that some enemies will resist your abilities, just like in DA2.
Or you could build your character with that sort of thing in mind, so you aren't a total one-trick pony. But as we've seen, as Bioware's decided, getting out of that one little box you're supposed to cram yourself into is a no go.
I actually enforce a no-respec rule on myself unless I patently screwed up my point allocation. I won't respec against the dragons or tough enemies. I find it more fun to try and min-max my equipment to help compensate for things - Greater Mistral was a tough fight as my both my mages were packing cold staves at the time and Dorian was Winter/Necro. Still was a blast despite taking longer then necessary but it also let me try some creative things.
Or you could build your character with that sort of thing in mind, so you aren't a total one-trick pony. But as we've seen, as Bioware's decided, getting out of that one little box you're supposed to cram yourself into is a no go.
Again, your prerogative.
Respec potions allow you to change your abilities if you wish. You aren't limited by anything but your own choices.
By the way, I'm against ability slot limits myself. I just find the rationale permeating in this thread to be rather extreme.
It's irritating at most. Nothing more.
Again, your prerogative.
Respec potions allow you to change your abilities if you wish. You aren't limited by anything but your own choices.
Why is "change everything you're capable of doing any time you run into a resistant monster" better than "allow for variable character builds", again? Especially with the extreme focus on passives, you're pretty much shackled to the elemental tree you're focusing on.
Why is "change everything you're capable of doing any time you run into a resistant monster" better than "allow for variable character builds", again? Especially with the extreme focus on passives, you're pretty much shackled to the elemental tree you're focusing on.
Limiting yourself to one damage type as a mage has never been a good idea in any game.
You can do it, but you will run into resistances. You can always lower difficulty if you wish to roleplay more strictly.
I distinctly remember having my Primal tree in DA2 rendered useless in Act 2.
I've had much success running a spread elemental build - I have: Fire Mine, Immolate+, Chain Lightning+, Fade Step+, Energy Barrage, Stonefist. While I blatantly lack a direct cold spell, my best staff atm is a cold staff meaning my Barrage absolutely mauls anything cold vulnerable for the moment.
Frankly I wish they'd done a couple more spells like Energy Barrage in that it's staff controlled - would be pretty winsauce 
IMO the trouble is that we Don't even have 8 usable slots.
Playing as a mage barrier is more or less mandatory and eats up one slot while mark of the rift and your specialization's focus ability consume two more. Leaving us only five slots to cram whatever mage build we want make into.
I don't have a console myself but I hear that L3 and R3 are pretty much un or underused in this game, so it would help me and presumably others as well a great deal if Bioware reassigned focus abilities on the consoles to those controls and gave us PC players separate slots for focus abilities.
That way we would have at least seven slots to do with as we please and would alleviate the worst of my problems with the mage class right there.
My other suggestion would be to make barrier, since it's basically a mandatory ability seeing as how it's the mage's way to mitigate damage and preserve health in this game, a passive that automatically activates for our character upon the start of each combat and is upgradeable through further passives (as it is now).
The only barrier active should a feature of a healing/support mage and should serve only to extend and share the benefits of our mage's barrier with one or more selected party members.
That way we really would have the full eight slots at our disposal to customize our mage as we see fit and while it still wouldn't be the system I'd really prefer as I loved diversity and being able to deal with a great variety of situations being the hallmarks of my mages it would at least make the current system more palatable to me.
Until you fight the electric dragon or any electric resistance enemy.
Which is exactly why you take at least one active Fire ability from Inferno (Immolate), at least 1 active Ice ability from Winter (Winter's Grasp), at least 1 active Lightning ability from Storm (Chain Lightning) and have at least 1 Fire, 1 Ice and 1 Lightning Staff, preferably slotting a Rune that does Spirit damage. Oh, and it also helps to redeem your shards at the Temple in the Forbidden Oasis and to have items (found or crafted) that grant Fire, Ice and Lightning Resistance. But that is just common sense, something you are clearly lacking. You can keep ignorantly blaming the game's mechanics for your inability to spec a Mage to do good damage, but the failure is on your part and not Bioware's / DAI's.
Why is "change everything you're capable of doing any time you run into a resistant monster" better than "allow for variable character builds", again? Especially with the extreme focus on passives, you're pretty much shackled to the elemental tree you're focusing on.
How is that any different from switching spell loads in Vancian casting? I hate the 8 ability limit as much as anyone but I just don't get this aspect of your critical POV
Because you aren't limited to one spell per day as a D&D 2e mage forever. You actually get more, representing your caster's growth in their art. In DAI, you're forever limited to eight slots, and nothing you do will ever change it.
Why is "change everything you're capable of doing any time you run into a resistant monster" better than "allow for variable character builds", again? Especially with the extreme focus on passives, you're pretty much shackled to the elemental tree you're focusing on.
Well at least now you're saying more than 2-3 words, so that's an improvement.
PC Gamers are indeed forced to suck it up on account of Bioware getting lazy and only optimizing the game for one platform, console.
I can't say I agree that Origins was a "do nothing and still win" game.. I mean, I don't even think you really even believe that.
Because you aren't limited to one spell per day as a D&D 2e mage forever. You actually get more, representing your caster's growth in their art. In DAI, you're forever limited to eight slots, and nothing you do will ever change it.
I think now i understand why Bioware Dumbed down the series with each release, just look at its fans.
First off what right do you have to insult me I have played All the Dragon age games on nightmare all the mass effects on nightmare the game dos not feel dumbed down as you Put it just new combat system granted I wish they would have put more time on the PC Ui
.i.
Same to any apologist/fanboy.
Your incompetence has been exposed, why haven't you quit in embarrasment by now and what makes you think the opinion of an incompetent gamer such as yourself is worth something?
One little box? Man, for such a dumbed down game its amazing how many old-school veteran PC gamers completely fail to grasp even basic character building for this game. DA:I's skill tree design is all but begging you to multi-spec, and no where is that more obvious than in mages. Skills like Conductive Current, Flashpoint, and Winter Stillness encourage you to spend a few points in each tree. The skill trees are flexible and allow for a wide variety of builds, if you're focusing entirely on a single a tree, you are quite literally, "doing it wrong".Or you could build your character with that sort of thing in mind, so you aren't a total one-trick pony. But as we've seen, as Bioware's decided, getting out of that one little box you're supposed to cram yourself into is a no go.
I too think mages ought to be total fonts of raw POWER, but they want to preserve some sense of... equality. A pretense that a warrior or rogue is in the same league and just as viable as a mage.
We all know this to be nonsense, all the proof we need is right here.
https://www.youtube....6uJ44WE#t=1m37s
mages are far superior to the martial arts of war, but again, if they allowed them their true power, what would all the kids who play shooters and choose soldiers over adepts play?
Mages are useless in this game.... I'm a level 13 mage with necromancy unlocked and I tried reseting my skill points to try out new schools, but no matter what I do my char is useless/powerless. No matter what school I pick it's still the same feeling. My hands are tied, the specializations are not very good either IMO. So yeah.. mages get stupider with every game.
to OP:
1. Whine no Mom
2. L2P
3. Buy Vaseline to cure butthurt
4. Mages are powerful
5. 8 abilities is enough and encourage hard choice making/tactics/preferences from player.
6. Learn about combos.
Mages are useless in this game.... I'm a level 13 mage with necromancy unlocked and I tried reseting my skill points to try out new schools, but no matter what I do my char is useless/powerless. No matter what school I pick it's still the same feeling. My hands are tied, the specializations are not very good either IMO. So yeah.. mages get stupider with every game.
Excuse me for being rude, but i think you have 0 skill, so you even should not be posting prior to learning how to play.
Mage can solo NM.
I playing very sucesfull Nightmare, FF on game with 2w rogue and Mage. Its a cheese. I think your issue is in lack of any skill/understanding/motivation/effort. you should not accuse the game, in first place.
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