Noob mage

Suporex · #1 10-05-2010, 11:46 PM

Hello guys,

I hope you won't bash me for creating another thread for mage. I have tried to get through guides here but they are for impossible mage and the tips you guys give seems very usefull but for experiance players.

I am just playing normal (mage

and I got myself to 4th iseland but now I have big problems, big problems getting medals (achivements)

I believe my build is not right and army composition as well. I have uploaded my save and would appreciate if anyone can have a look as explaining my army, skills, items, spells would make this post very long.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XY1N7LW3

well so far I understood that I should get royal snakes and inquisitors as fast as possible, should not get pet dragon to high so I can use it more often, should use palladins, but in my game I could find only 3 in tent guarded by guy on horse, as well I should use bots, the dwarf on Bolo has them I saw (but no money to buy them atm)

so basicly I would like to know, when I start from begining again (Norml) what build I should go for, what army I should go for and what tactic I should use to get no/minimal losses at begining of the game explained for compleate beginner

again sorry for creating another thread about it

PS. in meanwhile trying to learn as much from impossible threads on forum

kcwong · #2 10-10-2010, 12:01 PM

There will be more human troops available on Debir (in castle and the nearby monastery) when you obtain the second, fourth and sixth stones.

Go to Bolo and sneak! You can lure enemies away, then run around to grab the non-map treasures they are guarding. You can kite your way to the amulet in the mines on Bolo (1 boss, 3 minions wandering about). Remember to use the amulet before returning it to the priestess in Debir!

That will get you the second stone (you get the first for free when you arrived), so you will have more paladins to hire.

ludak021 · #3 10-10-2010, 12:22 PM

royal snakes are on debir in the house with a guy asking you to clear his basement. After you do it, he will sell snakes. Beware thou, there are lot of snakes in the basement

I'd go kitting a bit before taking the quest, if you want no losses there.
also, divide inquisitors into two stacks so you can ressurect them in the end and cast that holly anger more times to get rage for your pet. Use stoneskin A LOT, get rid of enemy archers first and bla bla. if you have higher level units than enemy archers, you can cast fear on them (if you got it early in the game) otherwise try to burn them asap, especially plants.

Suporex · #4 10-10-2010, 01:29 PM

Thanks guys, I have read many posts here and started from begining. I have managed to do the sneak but did not use the stone. (but it is only +50 leadership right?)

I managed to find some paladins and got droids and inquisitors, after that first island was easy.

now I am lev 11, hawe guard bots, 2 stacks of repair bots, palas, and inquisitors) have managed to get 50 wins without the loss so (+1000 leadership)

I have managed to kite map for verona, but that is it, I can't kite any map there.

I as well was looking for mage build (skillwise) and I think I have messed it up a bit, I have order 1, chaos 2, distortion 1, alchemy 3 (as I have read that crystals are rare), destroyer 1, and wisdom 1 and linguistic 1. I have put 1 point in resistence and now I lack 4 red runes for chaos 3 but I thought it will be ok since I have gladiator sword that will give 10 runes (13 more fights)

in mind I have scouting 1, holy avanger 1 and prayer 2 (my paladins have 50% crit

)

now 3 islands are cleared (except boss on Bolo, and 1 map guardian on Scarlet), trying to go through 4th map monsters, unfortunatelly I could not find troll in Verona, and I can't kite any map there. I am affraid I will have to start from begining.

My new save if someone wants to have a look and share some ideas:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OEK426A0

bukimi · #5 10-10-2010, 07:48 PM

There is no point in investing in Alchemy so much when you cannot upgrade your spells.
It is really important to have Level 3 of all magic schools as fast as possible to have a few "best" spells without investing a lot of crystals.
For example, Level 3 of healing, stoneskin and Fear are really useful.
The same with resurrection, all summoning and damaging spells (not worth casting on low levels).
You will find lots of crystals on every island so they will be enough before Alchemy will be useful.

Destroyer is not a good idea until you want to get to higher magic.
(or later in the game when you have really high intellect)

Try to invest some runes in mana recharging abilities (concentration or transmute)

Generally, remember to kill weaker stacks on every island and then go back to tougher ones. Do not fight with enemies where you will get heavy losses.

Check list of overpowered tricks. There are many you may find useful.

Suporex · #6 10-10-2010, 10:07 PM

at this point of the game, meaning clearing 4th Island and access to 3 more should I already go for red dragon tactic ( I can hire them on one island) or I should go for trolls?

ludak021 · #7 10-11-2010, 01:03 AM

dragons. just take care of them, dont rush them in. It depends what you are fighting against. You basicly wait for melee units to go towards you, then go with dragons on his mages (since dragons have hi magic dmg resistance, especially black ones) or you get your summoned units to hit and get retaliated, then attack same stack with dragons. It is also good idea to have them stoneskined (actually, everything is good stoneskined

)

as for build, I go for linguistics 2 (intelect), then chaos magic to 2, then distortion to 2, then go for higher concentration 1, then transmute 1, then, if if i have demon portal chaos 3, otherwise distortion 3 (stoneskin, phantom) then chaos 3 (fear, later demon portal, fire rain etc.) then i go for more transmute and higher concentration, order magic i level up I have spare runes since Out of 5 games I find ressurect only in 1 or 2, and beside that only dispel lvl3 and heal lvl 3 are worth it, at least for me. Dragon slayer, demon slayer are not bad but i rather cast stoneskin or haste.

as for the rest of the skills in mind and might, dunno, I take onslaught asap (scouting is first of course

), then I go for rage control anger. By the time you do all this, you don't really need anything cause you are prolly level 30 already :/

as for paladins, they are great, especialy when phantomed, but they don't like to do critcal attacks against anything except demons, don't know why. I had that banner of true faith, gives them 20% more critical, i had morale items for humans that gave them + 2 more morale, 7% more critical from medal, 3% more critical from prayer, all in all, there were at some 70% critical chance and I NEVER saw them do critical dmg against anything except demons. I always dump them for something else that can go tank. ED are great tanks and they do more criticals with only ~45% thatn paladins did with 70+. Maybe it's just my luck, dunno. undead units, namely ancient vampires, with only +1 morale do criticals all the time.

PS. word of caution: as a mage your LS is low, meaning, bringig paladins into a battle with 70+ evil beholedrs or 120+ demoneses = mind control/charm + your paladins hit your dragons, then dragons retaliate, pretty nasty if they hit red or black dragons...or 150+ inquisitors of yours that will die hard and then retaliate with magic dmg

Suporex · #8 10-11-2010, 02:10 PM

well, got 2 red dragons and 3 trolls, and cleaning everything on 4th first islands, all the heros are pice of cake. as well got my novice staff a level higher. Got chaos 3 and destruction 2 and higher magic 1. everything is so easy now, trying to lev up and get more leadership for extra dragon. can get Green Dragons as well so I think I will add them

basicly I stone skin dragons and troll and fireball rest later than after killing stacks and getting 4 mana I use it for heal on dragons as trolls regenerate themselfs, I wonder how long it will work.

One more question, can I rush to a good companion? as the one I have got now gives me bonus to pirates and stuff and would like to go for some other.

[EDIT] can hire cyclops, should I add them to to my army composition?

Petwin · #9 10-11-2010, 03:12 PM

Quote:

One more question, can I rush to a good companion? as the one I have got now gives me bonus to pirates and stuff and would like to go for some other.

Elenhel can be found in the north of Verona (house next to the bridge). You'll need 20 Int to hire him (or 10 INT + the wanderer scroll that gives +10 INT for a short while). He gives you +4 INT and a wanderer scroll every 30 battles. see http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?t=10991 for more info.

Quote:

[EDIT] can hire cyclops, should I add them to to my army composition?

There are not many fans of the Cyclops. Have you collected the free Green Dragon at Rusty Anchor yet?