Author Topic: Starting as a mage tips  (Read 1686 times)

Legacy_keyvin

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Starting as a mage tips
« on: October 31, 2010, 06:43:51 pm »


               I'm really having trouble getting started as a wizard. I just started the game, and I keep dying to escaped prisoners in the peninsula district. Any tips for a low level wizard? My summoned boar gets skewered by the gang leader. Any good strategies for being a low level wizard?
               
               

               
            

Legacy_HipMaestro

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« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2010, 06:50:35 pm »


               Grease, Grimgnaw & an xbow.  Try not to move into perceive range of too many at once, then back away and fire.

Edit: buy invis & speed potions in case you start to get mobbed, drink them and back away.  they will chase until you move out of range.
               
               

               


                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 31 octobre 2010 - 06:53 .
                     
                  


            

Legacy_keyvin

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« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2010, 08:51:58 pm »


               Thanks for the tip, Its going a little better now.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_jmlzemaggo

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« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2010, 10:17:03 pm »


               Grimgnaw, definitely, for a spellcaster. The best henchman in the OC.

After Sharwyn, of curse.

               
               

               
            

Legacy_Adam024

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« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2010, 09:40:11 pm »


               You can get Grimgaw at the begining?
               
               

               
            

Legacy_jmlzemaggo

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« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2010, 10:29:19 pm »


               I believe so, yes. Straight to the pub, the first NWN rule!
The best game for kids... ':devil:'
               
               

               


                     Modifié par jmlzemaggo, 11 novembre 2010 - 10:30 .
                     
                  


            

Legacy_Blue_dodo

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« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2010, 02:15:55 am »


               keep magic shield up and other defensive spell up, get a decent henchmen and use summoings as fodder, low level ones (1-3) are rather useless.



later on take quicken spell, it REALLY helps all casters and eventually take auto quicken which is godly.



also if you havent take combat casting kind of a necessarily and toughness
               
               

               
            

Legacy_HipMaestro

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« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2010, 09:30:32 am »


               

Blue_dodo wrote...
later on take quicken spell, it REALLY helps all casters and eventually take auto quicken which is godly.

also if you havent take combat casting kind of a necessarily
 

Essentially all Quicken feats are worthless for any caster playing the OC and most other environments.  Take note that Autoquicken is only available during epic levels so is not even a option while playing the OC.

Permahaste items are available in the OC (besides the standard Haste spell and Speed potions).  Haste provides the identical (shortened) casting time as a quickened spell, does not require a higher slot and adds +4AC besides.  The only benefit of a quickened spell can be justified before the acquiring of the Haste spell at low-levels when meta slots are few and attacks of opportunity are a problem.  Still, quickened spells DO require a standard Concentration check, so can be interrupted/countered like any other spell (contrary to what the eroneous in-game description may state).

Combat Casting only has value in the OC if your caster uses Defensive casting combat mode which will limit movement. It becomes completely redundant with higher Concentration (over 27) in epic levels.

edit:  Incidentally, the easiest way for a caster to avoid all attacks of opportunity is by equipping a range weapon.
               
               

               


                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 13 novembre 2010 - 09:38 .
                     
                  


            

Legacy_avado

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« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2010, 04:25:19 pm »


               

HipMaestro wrote...

Blue_dodo wrote...
later on take quicken spell, it REALLY helps all casters and eventually take auto quicken which is godly.

also if you havent take combat casting kind of a necessarily
 

Essentially all Quicken feats are worthless for any caster playing the OC and most other environments.  Take note that Autoquicken is only available during epic levels so is not even a option while playing the OC.

Permahaste items are available in the OC (besides the standard Haste spell and Speed potions).  Haste provides the identical (shortened) casting time as a quickened spell, does not require a higher slot and adds +4AC besides.  The only benefit of a quickened spell can be justified before the acquiring of the Haste spell at low-levels when meta slots are few and attacks of opportunity are a problem.  Still, quickened spells DO require a standard Concentration check, so can be interrupted/countered like any other spell (contrary to what the eroneous in-game description may state).

Combat Casting only has value in the OC if your caster uses Defensive casting combat mode which will limit movement. It becomes completely redundant with higher Concentration (over 27) in epic levels.

edit:  Incidentally, the easiest way for a caster to avoid all attacks of opportunity is by equipping a range weapon.



Ok Hip, you just gave away some of the best kept open secrets of the ECB!  10 lashes with a wet piece of spagettini!  The thing with Quicken is, you cast magic missile as a 5th lvl spell!  Wait, there are more powerful 5th lvl spells... thats no good '<img'>   While in theory, quicken is great, in reality, it sucks (as Hip so kindly told you).  Combat casting also, is a feat for the inexperienced player because you soon realize that Concentration and casters is important, and the -4 penalty soon becomes nothing at all to worry about.

It has been a LOONGG time (circa 2005 or 2006) that we of the ECB have figured all this out.  Listen to Hip.  He knows what he speaks of!  Oh, and now he must die for giving away the secret!  LOL  just kidding  'Posted

At least he didnt give away the super elite build, Fighter/rdd/SD! 
               
               

               
            

Legacy_HipMaestro

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« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2010, 10:52:43 pm »


               

avado wrote...

At least he didnt give away the super elite build, Fighter/rdd/SD! 


Fighter/rdd/SD?  Dang!  That's so elite it exists only on another plane of conciousness! ':blink:'

BTW, it may be wet but it still stings.  Must've been prepared al dente! ':pinched:'
               
               

               


                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 13 novembre 2010 - 11:21 .
                     
                  


            

Legacy_Blue_dodo

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« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2010, 03:09:36 am »


               ah yous see I am still a bit of a noob so therefore  these things I did not know, but then a gain I play a cleric/fighter/blackguard with prc (makes the game sooo much more interesting)



that said it does still help being able to cast something in combat and have a lesser chance of spell failure, and also be able to quickly cast something and go back into the fight with no chance of enemies getting attack of opportunity,but I again I am not soley a spell caster
               
               

               
            

Legacy_Westan Willows

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« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2010, 04:44:16 am »


               Combat Casting  applies only to Concentration checks while casting in combat. I max my Concentration skill which applies to all Concentration checks . I go for extend, empowered, maximize spell. Still spell is not bad
               
               

               
            

Legacy_MrZork

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« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2010, 12:51:51 pm »


               Don't feel too noobish. I have been playing wizards for almost a year now and didn't figure this out right away. (And, I still may not have the whole story straight.)

Combat Casting is described in-game in such a way that many players don't realize exactly what it means because the description mentions the combat mode so casually. I.E., one may not realize that "when casting defensively within four meters of an enemy" doesn't just mean casting while trying not to get hit, but actually casting while in the specific 'defensive casting' combat mode. Since defensive casting makes casting every spell as hard as if the caster got hit for 5 hp during casting, it is a crummy mode for lower-level casters whose concentration skill isn't likely to be very good, (And, it's arguable whether the feat is that great at any point.)

Unfortunately, Combat Casting, while nearly useless on its own, is required for Improved Combat Casting, which is largely useless, too, but also very convenient. By the time a caster can take ICC, his concentration (likely 24 + constitution bonus + focus feats + magic items) is basically high enough that he should just use the defensive casting mode all the time in close combat, since it costs noting and, with an adjusted concentration skill of 27, a caster will always make his defensive casting concentration check. So, why bother with ICC? Because it's annoying to keeping flipping on the combat mode after every movement, particularly when the player is to trying figure out which of the forty spells that he has available will be useful against whatever blurry maelstrom of sticky death is speeding his way. He would benefit more from an "Automatic Defensive Casting" feat. It's a shame to waste two feats just to avoid having to scramble around pressing keys.

(Of course, there may be a better way to enter defensive casting mode, and I would love to hear of it. But, aside from the obvious step of assigning another precious quickslot, I don't know of a way.)

BTW,

HipMaestro wrote...

edit:  Incidentally, the easiest way
for a caster to avoid all attacks of opportunity is by equipping a range
weapon
.


I know we're joking around here, and I know that a caster will not be tempted into making an AoO if he has a ranged weapon equipped. But, just to make sure no one new to casting characters is led astray, the discussion, at least regarding the casting feats, was about AoOs that  others gain against the caster, triggered by his casting a spell. Equipping a ranged weapon will not help the caster avoid others' AoOs.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_cds13

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« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2011, 10:52:15 am »


               A low level spellcaster could be a pain to play, on the other hand he can receive higher XPs than a fighter that's why I usually play them alone. All you need is to keep with you a wand of sleep and run around with a crossbow then finishing the sleeping enemies with your dagger. Flame weapon is a must!