15 réponses à ce sujet

[wombat777]

So I'm playing a mage, but I've noticed a LOT of critters, especially some of the high dragons are annoyingly immune to fire damage. As a result, I want to make two staves, one with electrical dmg, one with cold. I'm thinking I should incorporate either a Spirit rune, a dragon-hurting rune, or a living-critter-hurting rune. 
My question is this, are there any staves in game or that I can make that are better than what I'm using now?
My current staff is one I crafted:
Resolute Imbued Scepter

201 DPS

92 Fire dmg.

+32 vs. Living (from a Master Corrupting Rune)

+27% Barrier dmg.

+28% Critical dmg.

+9 Magic

+9 Willpower

 

Suggestions are MOST welcome as to either a game-staff or a crafted staff that at least matches this in Electrical or Cold or even Spirit Damage. 
Thank you.

[Dai Grepher]

So I'm playing a mage,

 

Wise choice.
 

but I've noticed a LOT of critters, especially some of the high dragons are annoyingly immune to fire damage. As a result, I want to make two staves, one with electrical dmg, one with cold.

I would actually recommend three, if you have the patience for it.

One with fire base and spirit rune to combat electrical dragons.

One with cold base and dragonslaying rune to combat fire dragons.

This is really all you need right here, but the third...

One with electrical base and corrupting rune for ice dragons. Then after all ice dragons are dead, replace the corrupting rune with a cleansing rune or dragonslaying rune for the Red Lyrium Dragon.

The ice dragons are the weakest by far, and electricity/corrupt or fire/spirit should be all you really need for them.
 

I'm thinking I should incorporate either a Spirit rune, a dragon-hurting rune, or a living-critter-hurting rune.

I think all three do damage, but spirit only really does well against electricity dragons. And I don't think corruption does anything against the Red Lyrium Dragon. The dragonslaying runes work well for all dragons. The only time you'd use something else is if they have a weakness to something. Like the electricity dragons having a weakness to spirit runes. Dragon slayer runes are basically for dragons that have no obvious weaknesses, or where the weaknesses don't matter much to winning the fight, like with the ice dragons.
 

My question is this, are there any staves in game or that I can make that are better than what I'm using now?
My current staff is one I crafted:
Resolute Imbued Scepter
201 DPS
92 Fire dmg.
+32 vs. Living (from a Master Corrupting Rune)
+27% Barrier dmg.
+28% Critical dmg.
+9 Magic
+9 Willpower

 

Probably. One thing that stands out right away is that you only have a Master Corrupting Rune. There is such a thing as a "Superb" tier of rune above the "Master" tier. I don't remember if the corruption class is among them though. But I think a Superb Dragonslaying Rune would be better. I think it gives +50 damage vs dragons. And corruption won't work on the Red Lyrium Dragon.

Another problem I see is you are wasting your time with barrier damage. Dragons don't use barriers (the blue bar). Some use guard (the grey/white blocks). But I wouldn't bother making a staff with guard breaking ability either. Let your warriors smash guard with Shield Bash and such, or use the alternate Stone Fist ability. Unless of course you are playing a solo mage.

Willpower is a waste. It only increases your mana pool. Not that important for long fights. Basically, you should just have enough willpower to cast two spells from a full bar of mana. For example, Barrier and Energy Barrage. Then wait to recover mana. Having spell passives that allow for faster mana recovery is the better option. Like the alternate Fade Step ability that replenishes mana instead of inflicting frost damage. Increasing willpower won't do much except cut down on how long you have to wait before casting another spell.

I think with dragons you should try to focus more on critical damage and critical chance. This is so you can damage their limbs faster, leading to them wincing in pain for a few moments and eventually falling down until they can recover. Magic is fine for a mage, since it increases damage.

Look for the best schematics possible. I'm not sure if your staff design is better or worse, but there might be a better design and material than 92 base damage. Not sure though. I'd have to look.

[Gold Dragon]

Instead of Crit Damage, I use Bonus against Guard usually.

[CoM Solaufein]

What did you use to get a staff with 92 damage?

[In Exile]

Attack% and/or critical chance/damage % are better options. Stats - the base stats like magic/willpower etc. - are not as good as pure attack %. The way the math works out, each point of Will or Mag are 0.5% to attack, and 0.5% to either barrier damage or magic resistance, depending.

 

As a general rule, if you have to take a stat, take willpower over magic (magic defence/resistance is superior to barrier damage, which you should be breaking using dispel type skills anyway). Attack% is the most valuable as a DPS, especially if you're playing a Qunari mage (because the Vitaar add pure damage, and Attack% stacks with that damage number, giving you the highest damage output of any mage). 

 

The runes are fluff - they don't stack with your bonuses, they're mostly just a light slow. 

 

Haven't played for a few patches, so this may all have changed. 

 

Also, unless your crit chance % is already high don't waste your time with crit dmg % - focus on attack%, that's a direct multiplier to your damage.

[Addictress]

Fire base for electrical dragons? I thought cold base would be a better opposition to electrical.

[AlanC9]

Willpower is a waste. It only increases your mana pool. Not that important for long fights. Basically, you should just have enough willpower to cast two spells from a full bar of mana. For example, Barrier and Energy Barrage. Then wait to recover mana. Having spell passives that allow for faster mana recovery is the better option. Like the alternate Fade Step ability that replenishes mana instead of inflicting frost damage. Increasing willpower won't do much except cut down on how long you have to wait before casting another spell.

Wait a minute. Since when did Willpower increase DAI mana pools?

And as In Exile says, WIllpower is better than Magic for mages, most of the time. Both convert directly to Attack at the same rate, but in general Magic Defense is better than a bit more barrier damage. (I can see a case for more Magic with Walk Softly on.) Anyway, depends on what mats you have.

Though this means that your build advice is even more appropriate.

[Serza]

I remember having staves with a larger Magic bonus, because you really don't need that Willpower, IMHO. Could be biased by playing a Rift Mage, as their mana regeneration lies elsewhere than the regen over time. Hell, I could even afford to have the sigil of +100 Mana -50 Mana Regen.

 

It'd be likely that you used a Magic+Willpower thing. I'd ditch that, go for pure Magic, and get stuff with Heal on Kill and such (and Magic) as your staff mods. It's up to you how you combine the bonuses, but more Magic never hurts for a Mage.

[SonnyKohler]

Mage, now postgame

 

Running w/Dorian, Sera & Bull.  Works like a charm for most things.

 

For Descent going to run Blackwall, Varric and Bull

 

For Avvar going to run Dorian, Bull and Sera to see if it works, otherwise, Blackwall, Bull & Sera

[Serza]

Staff, not party.

[AlanC9]

I remember having staves with a larger Magic bonus, because you really don't need that Willpower, IMHO. Could be biased by playing a Rift Mage, as their mana regeneration lies elsewhere than the regen over time. Hell, I could even afford to have the sigil of +100 Mana -50 Mana Regen.
 
It'd be likely that you used a Magic+Willpower thing. I'd ditch that, go for pure Magic, and get stuff with Heal on Kill and such (and Magic) as your staff mods. It's up to you how you combine the bonuses, but more Magic never hurts for a Mage.

Again, how is Magic better than Willpower?

[Dai Grepher]

Fire base for electrical dragons? I thought cold base would be a better opposition to electrical.

Fire element materials typically have higher base damage than cold element materials.
 

Wait a minute. Since when did Willpower increase DAI mana pools?

Since Dragon Age Origins.
 

And as In Exile says, WIllpower is better than Magic for mages, most of the time. Both convert directly to Attack at the same rate, but in general Magic Defense is better than a bit more barrier damage. (I can see a case for more Magic with Walk Softly on.) Anyway, depends on what mats you have.

Magic adds to base damage, as well as magic resistance. Willpower adds to mana pool.
 

I remember having staves with a larger Magic bonus, because you really don't need that Willpower, IMHO. Could be biased by playing a Rift Mage, as their mana regeneration lies elsewhere than the regen over time. Hell, I could even afford to have the sigil of +100 Mana -50 Mana Regen.

Correct.
 

It'd be likely that you used a Magic+Willpower thing. I'd ditch that, go for pure Magic, and get stuff with Heal on Kill and such (and Magic) as your staff mods. It's up to you how you combine the bonuses, but more Magic never hurts for a Mage.

Heal on Kill won't do him any good against a dragon, since the battle would be over. It would only help somewhat against little dragons that attack during the fight. Heal on Hit is a better option, but the point is to not get hit.
 

Again, how is Magic better than Willpower?

It adds to base damage. Willpower just means how much mana or stamina you have to use for your spells or abilities.

[AlanC9]

Dunno which version of DAI you're playing. I've got a mage with 52 Willpower and his mana pool is the same 100 points he started with.

You're also wrong about Willpower not adding to damage. Willpower raises Attack. It's trivial to check this for yourself.

Seriously, dude... you've been dogmatic before, but it's not typically about stuff that's this easy to fact-check.

[Dai Grepher]

Well what do you know. They changed Willpower for Inquisition.

I blame my ignorance on BioWare not including a manual. But thanks for the correction.

So yeah, the Magic and Willpower stats are good ones to go with.

[In Exile]

Well what do you know. They changed Willpower for Inquisition.

I blame my ignorance on BioWare not including a manual. But thanks for the correction.

So yeah, the Magic and Willpower stats are good ones to go with.

I can't speak to how it works on console but on PC I believe you have a tool tip in the stats window.

[Big I]

It's more efficient to raise a specific quality (e.g. attack %) than it is to raise the associated stats (e.g. magic or willpower).