Is a Mage build possible?

[Anidem]

Is it possible to base a build on SkelMages? If it is I can't figure it out.

[Indemaijinj]

Skeleton Mages actually deal out decent damage and with stuff like poison (prevent monster heal) and cold (slow effect) they can actually be said to have some perks over regular Skeleton Warriors.

The problem is that they are rather fragile and has no real tanking capability.


One who wants to do a Lord of Mages must thus find a way to keep the enemies away from his precious minions. Bone Walls or Bone Prisons is one solution. AI curses is another, but doesn't work with bosses and champions. Having a side dish of regular Skeleton Warriors is a third.

And if you want to be totally contrary you could do a necromancer who tanks for his minions rather than the other way round. You'd probably still need an AI curse or two though.

[Anidem]

Skeleton Mages actually deal out decent damage and with stuff like poison (prevent monster heal) and cold (slow effect) they can actually be said to have some perks over regular Skeleton Warriors.

The problem is that they are rather fragile and has no real tanking capability.

One who wants to do a Lord of Mages must thus find a way to keep the enemies away from his precious minions. Bone Walls or Bone Prisons is one solution. AI curses is another, but doesn't work with bosses and champions. Having a side dish of regular Skeleton Warriors is a third.

And if you want to be totally contrary you could do a necromancer who tanks for his minions rather than the other way round. You'd probably still need an AI curse or two though.

The problem I had with there fragility was easily solved at first with the curses but from dury on the mages just folded like paper to the first mass attack. i ended up just using life tap and merc most of the time to kill.
I love alterna-builds and have gotten an all passive zon to hell act 4 but cant get diablo to sit still for my Valk. Check out my PASSIVE ZON thread in the amazon section.

[Mad Mantis]

The problem I had with there fragility was easily solved at first with the curses but from dury on the mages just folded like paper to the first mass attack. i ended up just using life tap and merc most of the time to kill.

The problem with Duriel the first time you see him, is that your Bone Prison and Bone Wall will not be strong enough to keep your Mages out of Harms way. Since he is an Act Boss you can not use DV and the other curses to keep him occupied. Once you get further the Bone Prison and Bone Wall will be enough to keep the Act Bosses from killing your Mages.

[Aegon]

I would just like to add that if you work the kinks out, please post some info for us. It sounds like a very interesting idea, and I for one would love to see how it all works out in the end. :thumbsup:

[Aerath]

You'd probably want some help w/ Duriel and Diablo (Firering) I suppose...

But Bone Prison and something like Attract should probably help out a lot after that...

[Sephiroth OWA]

I actually have a Lord of mages (Kbob gave me a gide for it), It really rocks, I just had to use sinergys in bone wall and bone prision, in this moment he is in act 5 nightmare, and he is doing just fine.

[Anidem]

well i'm guessing it gonna look like this

20 bone armor
20 bone wall
20 bone prison
20 mage
20 skel mast
1 skel
1 teeth
1 CE
1 B spear
1 to all curses except attract = 9 OOPS!

Well obviously somthing gotta go for me to get LR!

What should I nerf? And don't say confuse! I love this curse!

[Skips]

get rid of the bone armor, the synergies give +15 to it actual points only give 10

[Indemaijinj]

Yeah, shave off the 19 points from Bone Armor. A fully synergized 1 point BA is good enough for a spell whose only function is keeping your hide safe.

[Starcrunch]

1 to all curses except attract = 9 OOPS!


What should I nerf? And don't say confuse! I love this curse!
You really need Attract...it will save your mages.

-Starcrunch

[Furinol]

What do you all think of a venomancer with lower resist and mages? Using a holy freeze merc?

With fully synergized poison attacks and lower resist would the mages be offering anything other than fodder?

[Mad Mantis]

They would be offering three other elemental attacks. But you can't fully synergize your Poison and have enough points left to build an effective force of Mages.

[kaervek666]

Just make sure you kill off the poison mages. In 1.10 poisoning a monster does not prevent its regen unless the poison damage is higher than the regen rate. poison mages have HORRIBLE damage per second...and a poison mage will keep reseting its poison against a monster, giving it about 10 dmg regardless of how high a level the mage is.

having said that, if your main curse is LR then mages are probably a better deal than warriors. just put a point in revive for some solid shields. Also get a holy freeze merc, all the others are aimed at increasing melee potential.

[Fearox]

I think various facets can beef up your mages. Nightwing's veil has +2 skills and % cold damage, and Ormus' robes is a must in this build as well (with extra % damage to all elements). Trang's gloves gives extra poison damage, and with gloves, belt and shield you get -enemy poison res.

[Mad Mantis]

I thought those Facets only work with damage that you deal out. Not by your Minions.

[Fearox]

I thought those Facets only work with damage that you deal out. Not by your Minions.

I'm not sure about it. But I thought that the mages' attacks counts as your attacks. Has to be tested.