12 réponses à ce sujet

[Bayonet Hipshot]

Is it a necessity to have Fade Step ? I am trying go for this Rift Mage build.

1. Energy Barrage (no upgrade)
2. Immolate (Consuming Fire)
3. Winter's Grasp (Winter's Ruin)
4. Stonefist (Shatterstone)
5. Blizzard (Winter Winds)
6. Fire Mine (either upgrade)
7. Pull of the Abyss (either upgrade)
8. Barrier (Energetic Defense)

Should I keep Blizzard (Winter Winds upgrade) or should I switch it for an upgrade Fade Step (upgrade irrelevant) and instead use an Ice Staff so that I can use Winter's Grasp (Winter's Ruin) ? How long does it take for an Ice Staff to freeze or chill a target via auto-attacks in order for Winter's Ruin to work ?

[Dabrikishaw]

I'm playing a Rift Mage right now, and I don't use Fade Step at all. I took Blizzard and use the Ice Storm upgrade because I can generate infinite Mana to keep it up.

[sjsharp2011]

I wouldn't exacctly call it necessary but it is a very useful power especially for dodging enemy blasts like dragon breath or whatever. My firsrt character I played DAI with didn't have it I don't think but certainluy most if not all of my mages since then have.

[Forsythia77]

I never used it when I took it - not even when I did my nightmare run.  And I mage a lot.  Some people swear by it, but I'm not one of those people.

[PapaCharlie9]

It's not needed in your build. Keep Blizzard, that will make plenty of Chilled. Don't take an ice staff, too many enemies have defenses against cold attacks. Electricity staff spoils Weakness, so don't take that either. Fire staff is the only staff for Rift Mages.

If Blizzard isn't making enough Chilled to fuel Winter's Ruin, drop it in favor of Ice Mine/Chilled Array. That will guarantee plenty of Chilled targets, plus it is a great defensive spell.

Fade Step is good for 1) to close into melee range quckly, like for a KE using SB, or 2) escaping a big wind-up attack, like a high dragon's tail swipe, or 3) generating Chilled to fuel Ice Armor or Winter's Ruin, or generating mana.

The only benefit you would get is for reason #2. You already get #3 from other actives and passives. I don't think it's worth dropping any of the other actives you have.

What I would do, though, is find a way to carry Veilstrike. A Rift Mage without Veilstrike is like a tricycle with only two wheels (Stonefist and PotA). I'd dump Immolate in favor of Veilstrike. You've got Fire Mine, that's plenty.

Also, if you plan to do JoH at some point, you're going to have to drop something else for Aegis of the Rift. That's too useful not to have. I'd vote to dump Barrier and have a second mage in the outfit to cast Barrier instead.

[Deebo305]

Not really, went through the main campaign several time without needing it. Its good early on if you have trouble with Dragons and Giants but aside from that other spells are more useful in outright killing the enemy

[Blood Mage Reaver]

It's not necessary but is hella a lot fun to damage and chill large groups of enemies then hit them with Winter's Ruin with bonus flank damage.

 

I am playing as a Rift Mage in an unorthodox fashion mind you, instead of just focusing on weakened I use a lightning staff to put enemies to sleep then cast Nightmare with Immolate to keep the battlefield a complete mayhem.

 

Also, always equip your mages with the Sigil of the Great Bear, it makes mana a non-issue.

[Bigdawg13]

I never used Fade Step as a Rift Mage.  For me, the primary purpose of Fade Step is to avoid damage.  Before upgrade that's all it can do, and at low levels that is all you can normally afford.  But a Rift Mage has other forms of avoiding damage.  Namely crowd control.  Obviously doesn't work too well on dragons, but by then I have ice armor and a few other tricks that don't take up slots.  The other toggle upgrade gives mana, which is never a problem as a Rift Mage as long as you avoid the shocked/weakness bug.

 

Fade step really works best with a knight enchanter IMHO.

[Blood Mage Reaver]

I never used Fade Step as a Rift Mage.  For me, the primary purpose of Fade Step is to avoid damage.  Before upgrade that's all it can do, and at low levels that is all you can normally afford.  But a Rift Mage has other forms of avoiding damage.  Namely crowd control.  Obviously doesn't work too well on dragons, but by then I have ice armor and a few other tricks that don't take up slots.  The other toggle upgrade gives mana, which is never a problem as a Rift Mage as long as you avoid the shocked/weakness bug.

 

Fade step really works best with a knight enchanter IMHO.

 

I get where you are coming from, indeed "Ice Armor + Chilling Array" is meant to be the logical choice for long range spell casters but I find it more fun to troll around while dealing a good 1000k+ damage to enemies who get too close to me.

 

Mind you I have over 150% attack and 20% cooldown reduction so enemies rarely get the chance to lay a finger on me before dying.

 

CONFUSION FU FTW!

[RiverHillBlue1]

I always used it on my Rift Mage.  It's a great skill--no mana cost, chills enemies (w/upgrade) that provides an additional set up for Winter's Ruin, restores mana vs weakened enemies, brilliant escape move, short cool down with Clean Burn.  

 

Necessary?  No.  Nothing really is in this game.  Still one of the best skills?  Yep.  

[Blood Mage Reaver]

I always used it on my Rift Mage. It's a great skill--no mana cost, chills enemies (w/upgrade) that provides an additional set up for Winter's Ruin, restores mana vs weakened enemies, brilliant escape move, short cool down with Clean Burn.

Necessary? No. Nothing really is in this game. Still one of the best skills? Yep.

Also, don't forget that "Barrier + Fade Step" = Matrix Jump

[Bigdawg13]

Please don't misunderstand me.  Fade Step is a good ability.  If it were not for the 8-slot limit, I would recommend it on every mage.

 

For me, a Rift Mage just doesn't have the room to fit it in.  It's damage is sub-par compared to alternative choices.  It's utility is no longer needed given Rift Mage skills.  And it's mana-regen is wasted on any Rift Mage who knows how to keep weakened on a target.

 

1-4) I like my Rift Mage to have a focus ability and all three Rift Mage magic abilities (PotA, Stonefist, and veilstrike).  I often am tempted to drop veilstrike, but it's quick CC utility and the ability to re-apply weakened is too hard to pass up.  That's 4 abilities gone, and in just one tree.

5) Energy Barrage (one of the few single target mage abilities that can be tuned to swapping staff weapon types)

6) Firemine (too much synergy with PotA to not have it)

7) Immolate with upgrade toggle (can be spammed as a rift mage, i.e. too much synergy to pass up, plus you have to get it)

 

8) At this point, I am reminded that the Rift Mage is one of the few classes that can create cross-class combos all by themselves.  I need something I can shatter.  So Winter's Grasp comes naturally.  Sometimes I swap it out for ice mine if I want to guarantee ice armor.  But more likely I'll swap out immolate for ice mine (or blizzard).

 

Simply too many spells that have great synergy with Rift Mage, and Fade Step is not one of them.

 

That doesn't mean Fade Step sucks though.  It's a great spell.  In fact, I think it's a must-have before Skyhold.  But after specialization, not so much (at least for a Rift Mage).

[DameMagpie]

if you are playing companions at the same time, like in nightmare mode, you don't have to watch things as closely, I think