[X] My Assistant

I'm mage

MELEE

Me lee or you lee? truly we must freely be melee today.

Melee while building up your mage stats for a while, then switch on over to mage.

Mage except right at the beginning.

Melee is so slow...

BTW isn't penetrator better than archmage?

Depends on your build but in the best conditions then they are 1-2% near each other.

If you're truly interested in going pure mage from the start, its certainly possible. Heck, my 1-handed proficiency is .07, 2-handed: 0, and Dual-wield :0 (1-handed was a mistake when starting out, before I knew more of the system). However, my first 150 levels or so were finished before the major overhaul allowing for pc-created monsters, so a while ago. Can't say if its harder to do now.
However, i agree that if you're going for efficiency, melee is almost certainly going to level you faster. I stuck with mage pretty much for personal principle (and bragging rights (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) ). Its true that at 310 things got a lot smoother. I can do randoms on pfudor without trouble. Still can't handle battlefest tho, and so far the upper arenas take too long to bother with higher than nightmare (don't even bother with higher than Tt&T yet). Admittedly, problem is partly/largely related to my relatively poor set of equip. Also, still haven't figured out scripts and such so thats another big hit in the efficiency department.

Wish you luck if you want to try out a purist route, not many players do I think. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

It's probably harder now than it was then, but it's definitely still possible.

(IMG:[puu.sh] http://puu.sh/mygIN/50b0ebd386.png)
(Heavy armour is so high because it's good for grinding proficiencies.)

A little advice, for anyone trying to go pure mage:

1. Get a staff with a high chance of causing coalesced mana, preferably in the 40s or high 30s.
2. When your spell causes coalesced mana, prioritise hitting the affected enemy with melee attacks over group-casing. If you can get a x2 ether tap going, and keep it up, you'll regen mana faster than you can burn through it with elemental spells.
3. When you're down to half MP or less, kill all the enemies in a round except 1, and Focus until you're out of overcharge. Focus can consume 25% overcharge to restore some MP, and if you're bonking enemies to get ether tap, you'll have 250% before you know it.
4. Use channeling or scrolls to apply regen or arcane focus, since they have high MP requirements. You can also use it to cast protection, since protection's high base turn count, combined with channeling's increase in buff/debuff turn count, means it'll go for a long time without needing to be recast. If all your buffs are in good condition, use channeling to cast absorb.
5. Watch for gems that drop. Use mana gems when you need them, use mystic gems before casting your expensive buffs, use health gems when your HP goes critical, and use spirit gems immediately to free the slot up.

Basically, focus on maximising MP regen and minimising MP consumption.

This post has been edited by conundrum: Jan 17 2016, 00:22

Been a mage since starting HV. Mage is life.

There is not better or worse class.
There is: what is more useful for grinding (or arenas), and what you like to use.
If you like one or the other, you should not pick the one you don't like just because it's better for leveling up or doing challenges.
So if you like mages, you can start mage from level 1, even if it's difficult.
And if you like meelees, you can do level 500 without switching to mage, with a lot of patience (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) .

*NOOB MODE ON*
For example, I'm meelee with a complete noob fighting style (heavy armor + dual wielding [ethereal shortsword+wakizashi]/two handed[katana]/niten; I switch them around when I feel like it), but I reached level 209 with no problems and I can do all the Arenas in Nintendo or higher difficulty (IWBTH and Pfudor only the 20- rounds ones (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) ).
My usual fight mode is: activate Regen+Protection (on 7+ monsters turns I turn on Shadow Veil and Spark of Life too) and then spamclick on the monsters all the way (they go down in 1-3 hits [depends on spirit/heartseeker/crits/monster's mitigation]), if I get channeling I activate Heartseeker, and when overcharge hits 250% I toggle the Spirit. When I go under half and there are 3 or more monsters, I cast a Cure. I use about 1 mana potion every 30/100 turns (it depends on the number of mana gems I drop xD) and nothing else.
And my equipment is still not forged or upgraded in any way (all exquisite pieces with very good stats/extra bonuses and some power ones tho).
*NOOB MODE OFF*

You can do everything if you put enough effort on it (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

This post has been edited by ppp82p: Jan 27 2016, 19:11

I have been a mage since the beginning as well.

I always found melee to be the easiest to get into

I switched to mage when I got my first staff, and since group casting was so convenient I stuck with it.

I cant choose either

I cant choose either

Try for a little a "physical mage" and see if you like more the spells or the crushing hits (use a staff if you can, but you can try magic with some other "of the battlecaster" weapon for the moment).
For armor, try light armor for now, because I saw that it's the most balanced with equal stats and low proficencies

mage. but difficult

1 - handed and ice mage.

mage is faster but troublesome (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

melee seems much cheeper

lazy ass (read : like me) go 1H
want some action : mage

melee~!

Melee-er