The Mage

[w-igor]

there's not too much info about this -as ive heared- great char.
you know any guides except Viet's and LordDrift's? can you help me with skills and gear? I would like to make a balanced Mage.

[NarmoTheArapino]

There are other guides..

..we just can't give out the links.

Tip: try finding different D2 forums.

[w-igor]

can you pm me those links please?


any ideas with good gear and skills?

[oneBlast]

can you pm me those links please?


any ideas with good gear and skills?

skills depend on what route you will take:
more hammer, or more foh?

gear could be as follows:

girff [ber]
3foh/3conv scepter [25/25]
eni
dungo
spirit st 35fcr
trang gloves
bk's
mara
ww's
9pcs
anni torch

75fcr.
huge foh dmg
31dr
mb
~10k hammers

or you can take:

hoto
eni
griff [ber]
spirit st 35fcr
dungo
bk's (or fcr rings)
trang gloves
2/5+fcr ammy with mods


125fcr
mb
11-13k hammers
~4k foh

foh/hammer optimal dmg depends heavily on your playing style, and the stuff you get.

[ThatWasShockin]

What's the expected damage with no pcombs?

[oneBlast]

What's the expected damage with no pcombs?

too low to bother making one.

[w-igor]

i would like to make a balanced Mage.

Viet's balanced looks like this:
Helm: Griffons Eye Diadem 5-5 Light Facet'd
Armor: Enigma Armor
Belt: Arachnid's Belt
Glove: Trang's Glove
Boot: Waterwalks / Treks
Weapon: HOTO
Shield: Paladin Spirit
Rings: 2x Sojs / BK rings
Amulet: Mara's Kaleidoscope Ammy or 2 Pally ammy with neat mods

19 vigor
02 concentration
17 blessed hammer
10 blessed aim
15 fist of heavens
17 holy shock
11 prereqs

8k hamm 5k foh.

what do you think about it? what should be changed?

[Ouallada]

Hoz is king for mages. Drop spirit for hoz, and have the last fcr made up by 2/20 ammy or 2/10 ammy + fcr ring. SPider is also the best belt for a mage. Dungos is a swap together with coa for 50dr. As for boots, toss up between waterwalks and treks. The latter allows you to wear ap nigma without a single point in str (if eth) and has better defense and fhr. I would also not really recemmoned 9 pcombs, as resists are hard to stack then. 7-8 should suffice. A mage is very very expensive though. Should not even be contemplated unless there is access to a set of high pcomb lifers.

[ThatWasShockin]

too low to bother making one.

I know that's not true because I have one with no pcombs and he does very well. Just wondering what other people do without them so I can compare how I made mine.

[w-igor]

what about skills? are they ok?
can a mage be effective with gear as you (Ouallada) posted, but with only -let's say- 3 plain pc skillers?

do you guys play Eu Ladd? maybe you could show me some things?

[Ouallada]

The number of pcombs determines your skill placements to a certain degree, but I really dont see how a mage can be truly effective without pcombs. You have better life and resists without pcombs, but the damage is abysmal. In battles where damage is required, esp tough battles such as ele druids/bvc/hdin, damage without pcombs is often not good enough if both players are of similar skill.

As for the OP's question, you have to play around with those skills. I would say that vigour should always be maxed ahead of blessed aim. There are a lot of combinations, and the difference is often small. Use a skill calculator to count if you like. Also, 3 plain pcombs is not enough in my opinion. Need at least 5 pcombs.

[ThatWasShockin]

With no pcombs I'm hitting about 5k each skill. I know that's low for hammers, but it's normal for foh. I don't need to 2 shot people with hammers, it's just as easy to get 4 in.

[Ouallada]

It isnt so much about whether or not it is easy to hit an opponent with 4 hammers, but rather that a mage becomes inferior to a pure build without pcombs to boost damage. For example, mage vs hammer duels are already difficult when both are of similar skill, but a mage with 5k hammers is going to find it tough against 11-12k hammers. For every 2 you get in, a hdin only needs to get in one. Bvcs? Same problem. Decked out smiters who normally get eaten my mages suddenly have a sporting chance, because foh can be stacked easily without worrying too much about hammer damage. 5k hammers also means that smiters can tank a couple hammers, which can mean death for the mage.

One of the mage's best advantages is that it has dual weapons. Stack against foh, and fhr, damage etc drop, which leaves one more vulnerable to the hammer side of the mage. Don't focus on foh, and you get screwed by a 5+k foh. That is a mage's largest strength, but by diluting damage, you effectively encourage people to stack against foh without much fear of the hammer side, because they can now tank twice the number of hammers.

This is my opinion from my experience at playing mages, and my opinion may not apply to you, as you may truly be a very very good player, but a mage without pcombs is at a distinct disadvantage when both players are of similar skill.

[w-igor]

1. ok, skills are important. but can a mage be good with 7-8 NO LIFE pc's ?

2. could you show me a good build for balanced BH/FoH dmg? let's say i will use 8 skillers...

thanks for help

[Ouallada]

You will do the damage on both sides tha make mages so versatile and dangerous, but you will lack the life/resists/fhr to be competitive against well geared and skilled players. This is with 7-8 plain pcombs.

What is balanced to you? What level are you ending off at? All these are important. A mage can get 10+k/5+kfoh easily.

[w-igor]

i will try to go as high as possible, but i think i wont go higher than lv 94.