Yeah, you are definitely not using good strategies if you struggle as Mage in Normal mode. Unless I am facing stacks with low mobility and low range power, I'd prefer going around with a single level 5 stack (either dragons or trolls).
Against bosses or stacks with high range damage potential, I'd cast Invisibility on my single stack and then cast Demon Portal + Mana Spring over the next few rounds. As long as you keep the enemies pre-occupied with the summoned creeps (recast invisibility if needed), you can defeat most armies without casualties. This should hold especially true in Normal mode.
Alternatively, you can also opt for nuking the sh1t out of the enemies with Fire Rain/Fire Ball/Ice Snake. Since this is Normal mode, you should easily be able to wipe out the enemy within a few rounds.
Of course, this is assuming you have the right and spells skills learned... For example, a viable Mage should at least have:
- Maxed Order, Distortion, Chaos magic
- High Magic (as many levels as possible)
- Summoner (as many levels as possible)
- Invisibility spell
- Mana Spring spell (maxed)
- At least one of Fireball, Ice Snake, and Fire Rain spell (maxed)
- Demon Portal spell (maxed)
- Trap spell
Spells like Time Back, Resurrection, and Divine Armour are actually not a necessity.
As for your lineup, I'd dump Cyclops and Assassins. Trolls should also be dumped except for the occasion of using one-stack strategies. As many suggested, Royal Snakes are good. Paladins are also decent. With the right items, a Dwarf (Alchemist, Foreman, Soldier, Cannoneer, Miner) or Undead lineup (Necromancer, Ancient Vampire, Dark Knight, Bone Dragon, any other Dragon) will also be very powerful. If you ever come across any Dragons, you should also get a few.
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