[X] My Assistant

The excess AP come much sooner for melee, than for mage. There always seem to be more than 10 AP worth of spells and things worth getting per Rank for a mage. It's not until 120 (the first Rank without an Ability Tree) that you start to get excess AP. I used them to fill in some new deprec./support spells and re-get Fire I.

You don't HAVE to get the elemental ratings for all your spells. I could easily survive without the 15 I have spread out over Fire, Ice, and Wind. I only use those spells to kill bosses/Konata and I could easily survive without them.

Which one of these two robes should I go with? The second one has a higher evade, but the other stats suffer quite a bit. Currently this is used for my mage setup.

Fine Silk Robe of the Fleet
Attack Accuracy Bonus + 0.85 % (+ 0.83) %
Physical Absorption + 3.19 (+ 1.99)
Physical Mitigation + 1.95 % (+ 1.74) %
Magical Absorption + 2.68 (+ 1.67)
Magical Mitigation + 2.31 % (+ 2.05) %
Evade Chance + 7.72 % (+ 6.87) %
Resist Chance + 1.35 % (+ 1.20) %
Burden + 6.49
Primary Attribute Bonuses
Dexterity + 2.21 (+ 1.32) Agility + 1.76 (+ 1.06)

Fair Silk Robe of the Fleet
Attack Accuracy Bonus + 3.39 % (+ 3.32) %
Physical Absorption + 3.68 (+ 2.56)
Physical Mitigation + 0.81 % (+ 0.75) %
Magical Absorption + 2.19 (+ 1.52)
Magical Mitigation + 0.92 % (+ 0.84) %
Evade Chance + 8.14 % (+ 7.47) %
Resist Chance + 0.66 % (+ 0.60) %
Burden + 6.96
Primary Attribute Bonuses
Agility + 0.39 (+ 0.26)

For grinding, is it more efficient to use the lower tier spells compared to the higher ones?

Well, my experience is that if you want to grind as a mage you need to use ether theft once in a while to keep you going. And in that regard the lower level spells not only cost less, but also allow you to get a fair amount of coalesced mana on enemies that don't die straight away when you hit them with the staff (so that you can indeed proc the theft). So I would say that lower level spells are essential for grinding (while the other are essential for arenas).

At least that's my experience at my level...

I do wonder if at higher levels you actually have the problem of your spells making so much damage that ether theft becomes hard to proc...

This post has been edited by uvauva2: Apr 4 2010, 02:42

Is there any way one can imbue karma to another user without utilizing the karma dial on their posts? I was hoping there was a way to imbue from their profile, but I am not sure if any other alternative methods exist.

I do wonder if at higher levels you actually have the problem of your spells making so much damage that ether theft becomes hard to proc...

Yes. :-/

Is there any way one can imbue karma to another user without utilizing the karma dial on their posts? I was hoping there was a way to imbue from their profile, but I am not sure if any other alternative methods exist.

Just copy the URL of a random user's +K button and substitute the ID of the person you want to imbue.

Which one of these two robes should I go with? The second one has a higher evade, but the other stats suffer quite a bit. Currently this is used for my mage setup.

Fine Silk Robe of the Fleet
Attack Accuracy Bonus + 0.85 % (+ 0.83) %
Physical Absorption + 3.19 (+ 1.99)
Physical Mitigation + 1.95 % (+ 1.74) %
Magical Absorption + 2.68 (+ 1.67)
Magical Mitigation + 2.31 % (+ 2.05) %
Evade Chance + 7.72 % (+ 6.87) %
Resist Chance + 1.35 % (+ 1.20) %
Burden + 6.49
Primary Attribute Bonuses
Dexterity + 2.21 (+ 1.32) Agility + 1.76 (+ 1.06)

Fair Silk Robe of the Fleet
Attack Accuracy Bonus + 3.39 % (+ 3.32) %
Physical Absorption + 3.68 (+ 2.56)
Physical Mitigation + 0.81 % (+ 0.75) %
Magical Absorption + 2.19 (+ 1.52)
Magical Mitigation + 0.92 % (+ 0.84) %
Evade Chance + 8.14 % (+ 7.47) %
Resist Chance + 0.66 % (+ 0.60) %
Burden + 6.96
Primary Attribute Bonuses
Agility + 0.39 (+ 0.26)

IMO the 1nd one,although 2nd it have more evasion, acc, it physical mitigation is crap.

Which one of these two robes should I go with? The second one has a higher evade, but the other stats suffer quite a bit. Currently this is used for my mage setup.

Fine Silk Robe of the Fleet
Attack Accuracy Bonus + 0.85 % (+ 0.83) %
Physical Absorption + 3.19 (+ 1.99)
Physical Mitigation + 1.95 % (+ 1.74) %
Magical Absorption + 2.68 (+ 1.67)
Magical Mitigation + 2.31 % (+ 2.05) %
Evade Chance + 7.72 % (+ 6.87) %
Resist Chance + 1.35 % (+ 1.20) %
Burden + 6.49
Primary Attribute Bonuses
Dexterity + 2.21 (+ 1.32) Agility + 1.76 (+ 1.06)

Fair Silk Robe of the Fleet
Attack Accuracy Bonus + 3.39 % (+ 3.32) %
Physical Absorption + 3.68 (+ 2.56)
Physical Mitigation + 0.81 % (+ 0.75) %
Magical Absorption + 2.19 (+ 1.52)
Magical Mitigation + 0.92 % (+ 0.84) %
Evade Chance + 8.14 % (+ 7.47) %
Resist Chance + 0.66 % (+ 0.60) %
Burden + 6.96
Primary Attribute Bonuses
Agility + 0.39 (+ 0.26)

IMO the 1nd one,although 2nd it have more evasion, acc, it physical mitigation is crap.

I agree, go with the 1st.

All right I'm being raising elemental proficiency with mage character sometimes, and I noticed some things:
-I love coalesced mana
-I like the less time it makes to clear a round
-I don't like gems being overwritten so many times
-I hate resists
-I still prefer being melee character

Now I have some questions/advices to the 1-shot round clear mages:
-First how do you deal with ether theft?
Normally to avoid damage I kill almost the mobs, so the remaining ones with CM I try to proc ET but they die before it happens.
-I'm using the first tiers of fire and thunder with the ratings, should I move the the next tier and raise the ratings or not?
-Only using high evade silk is not enough?
I have only 60 elemental proficiency, and ~35 staff proficiency.

This post has been edited by cmdct: Apr 5 2010, 00:26

Alright, thanks for the advice.

Now I have some questions/advices to the 1-shot round clear mages:
-First how do you deal with ether theft?
Normally to avoid damage I kill almost the mobs, so the remaining ones with CM I try to proc ET but they die before it happens.

It is almost impossible to proc Ether Theft on normal mobs for this very reason. Mini-bosses are generally a better bet.

-I'm using the first tiers of fire and thunder with the ratings, should I move the the next tier and raise the ratings or not?

I generally use Thunderstorm (though I use Wrath of Thor on Dalek). The advantage of having high ratings (generally by having higher tiers as well) is that you get the mana efficiency of the lower tier, but more damage. So, I'd say you should do both. Continue to use the lower tiers, but pick up the higher tiers for the ratings (for Elec at least. You might be able to keep with just the Base fire. I only have Flames of Loki and I get along fine though that might be because I only use Fire on Manbearpigs). That is, assuming you have the AP to do both.

-Only using high evade silk is not enough?

You can get by using only high evade silk. It is harder on higher difficulties where you can't 1-shot everyone, but I don't think that is a problem. There is, however, much to be said about using elementalist gear. Killing everyone immediately is just as good as avoiding damage.

I have only 60 elemental proficiency, and ~35 staff proficiency.

These will rise quickly through use (elemental much faster than staff)

Thanks for the advices, now I'm in the right track (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks for the advices, now I'm in the right track (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

If you want/promise to level it, you can borrow my Mjolnir phase pants. I've yet to do the math to decide whether those are better than my new Elementalist pants, but anecdotal evidence says they are about even.

Is a staff better for a mage when fighting against bosses / legendaries, or is it better to have a rapier for the sake of Penetrated Armor?

If you want/promise to level it, you can borrow my Mjolnir phase pants. I've yet to do the math to decide whether those are better than my new Elementalist pants, but anecdotal evidence says they are about even.

Well if they were on the same level you bet the phase would win lol
I accept them just for a few days, thanks for borrow then, and don't worry I level then up (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Which one of these two robes should I go with? The second one has a higher evade, but the other stats suffer quite a bit. Currently this is used for my mage setup.

Fine Silk Robe of the Fleet
Attack Accuracy Bonus + 0.85 % (+ 0.83) %
Physical Absorption + 3.19 (+ 1.99)
Physical Mitigation + 1.95 % (+ 1.74) %
Magical Absorption + 2.68 (+ 1.67)
Magical Mitigation + 2.31 % (+ 2.05) %
Evade Chance + 7.72 % (+ 6.87) %
Resist Chance + 1.35 % (+ 1.20) %
Burden + 6.49
Primary Attribute Bonuses
Dexterity + 2.21 (+ 1.32) Agility + 1.76 (+ 1.06)

Fair Silk Robe of the Fleet
Attack Accuracy Bonus + 3.39 % (+ 3.32) %
Physical Absorption + 3.68 (+ 2.56)
Physical Mitigation + 0.81 % (+ 0.75) %
Magical Absorption + 2.19 (+ 1.52)
Magical Mitigation + 0.92 % (+ 0.84) %
Evade Chance + 8.14 % (+ 7.47) %
Resist Chance + 0.66 % (+ 0.60) %
Burden + 6.96
Primary Attribute Bonuses
Agility + 0.39 (+ 0.26)

In many respects, Evade is pretty much the end-all and be-all of survival in HV; at the end of the day, it doesn't really do you all that much good to be hit while wearing Cloth Armor, since it doesn't protect you all that well in the first place no matter how good the Armor in question is (unless, of course, you're facing a particular type of Boss/Legendary whose attacks have elemental qualities, which you won't at this early date, and you are equipped with a 'Specialty' Armor to counter them).

The trick, therefore, is to minimize being hit in the first place, as much as possible. Go with the item that gives you the best Evade Rating. If I were you, I'd do the same with the Armors for my other body parts. I even practice what I preach; at one point I had on a piece of Crude Cotton for the sole reason that by some fluke of the dice rolls, it had a much better Evade (by about 3 whole % points) than a Fine Gossamer piece. And I'll do the same in the future where the opportunity becomes available.

And on a quick side note: You wouldn't be interested in selling me the one that you decide not to use, would you?? (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)


This post has been edited by Thanos008: Apr 5 2010, 01:37

Is a staff better for a mage when fighting against bosses / legendaries, or is it better to have a rapier for the sake of Penetrated Armor?

I killed my first few bosses using a staff. Then I recently acquired a battlecaster rapier, and I can tell you that the PA+Poison strategy makes them go down vastly more quickly. I imagine the same applies to legendaries as well.

Where should I put my EXP for meele? This is what I have now.
(IMG:[www.imagechicken.com] http://www.imagechicken.com/uploads/1270443049088914200.png)

Is a staff better for a mage when fighting against bosses / legendaries, or is it better to have a rapier for the sake of Penetrated Armor?

Rapier. The loss of Elem bonus from not using the staff is more than made up for by PA. While PA+Poison is a popular tactic, I've been using PA+Elem Weakness versus Bosses with great effect.

The added bonus is: you can hack your way through early rounds of Arenas, thus saving MP, which you will need in later rounds with 3 mid-bosses.

*****

Marvin - Need a bigger image as I can't read the current image.

That was a full screen shot, but the damn image host shrunk it. Hold on, let me find another website...
I think this host will work.
(IMG:[bayimg.com] http://bayimg.com/image/haleaaacl.jpg)

This post has been edited by Marvin666: Apr 5 2010, 08:08

Rapier. The loss of Elem bonus from not using the staff is more than made up for by PA. While PA+Poison is a popular tactic, I've been using PA+Elem Weakness versus Bosses with great effect.

The added bonus is: you can hack your way through early rounds of Arenas, thus saving MP, which you will need in later rounds with 3 mid-bosses.

*****

Marvin - Need a bigger image as I can't read the current image.

However, doesn't Ether Theft make up for the mana usage from casting spells?

The reason I ask is because I tried to tackle a boss with a staff and failed miserably, mainly because Ether Theft didn't trigger often enough and because my magic did pitiful damage. However, I attribute that to the low proficiency stat I have on my Staff (a mere 4 or so) and I'm thinking that if I did have proficiency equal to my level and a moderately stronger staff, I would have been able to survive.