How does direct damage mage hold up on impossible?

[john_crapper]

My only crossworlds experience is but a single game with impossible warrior. I got 1731 points, 14 days and 86 quests - missed 6-7 quests somehow, even though i dont know what i missed. I did try for a highscore, but did not read or employ any of the mindnumbing stuff i read people here did, what with kb scanner planning, unit collections and what have you. And in that game in no turn, could i have afforded the luxury of using direct damage, even, consideri

Through that game, i got the impression that the overwhelming numbers you face on impossible cannot be shaved down effectively enough through the use of focused damage spells. I could see how the mage's bulletpoint of whittling down with 2 strong spells the most immediate threats in the enemy army on Normal, but the leadership of units you face on impossible, compared to your mage are ridiculous.

So the armies i faced with my test impossible mage on rusty anchor were of the like of 1338 skeleton archers worth of leadership per stack, and with my 50% dmg from 3/3 destruction, +25% fire dmg from items, 14 intellect, i deal 540 per level 2 fire arrow and 888-1000 per rain of fire level 2, which even cast twice is not too negligible...I find myself using mainly poison + black/red dragon ability to just debuff with dots the enemy army.

Its frustrating to fight enemy stacks which number in the hundreds with my own 1 red 1 black and archmages.

If this magic damage scale keeps up like that, i probably need to reconsider starting anew, as damage is probably not the way to go and i already spent runes on 3/3 destruction.

But then what's to differentiate it from a warrior game? Smaller armies, but i can cast spells on them twice?

[DGDobrev]

Direct Damage mage can cut it, but it requires a very strong backup. This means a very tough unit to carry Amelie around, while minimising the danger of losing the battle. This usually means a Rune Mage (no kiting), a Troll (with Call Collosus scroll, which is ridiculously hard to obtain on Debir) or a Dragon of a sort (with Kiting).

The Rune Mage can cut it, but it is relatively low in HP, doesn't have decent resistances compared to other level 5 units and costs quite a lot of leadership. The Troll is probably the best option, as he needs less leadership to command, has a great physical resistance (even more with stone skin), and does wonders in the night or underground, restoring all his HP every turn. The downside is that it is awfully hard to get a Call Collosus scroll early on - in all my play-throughs I got it only 4 times on Debir. In 2 of those it was pure luck - I got it in the training mission in Debir, but thanks to the fact that my HDD broke, I don't have them anymore... The other 2 were a product of meticulous digging and replayed battles till I get what I need - this means digging for chests after each unit's turn, and if you didn't get the desired result, you try again on turn 2, then turn 3... and so on. This squarely means you can play a single battle for 5 hours real time till you get remotely close to what you want.

The last option is doing a very quick kite run, picking up XP, a couple of items and a dragon egg or two in the meantime. This run is usually: Debir - Scarlet - Verona - Elon - Sheterra - Debir. It can be done in about 2 days game time and will start you off the right foot - level 10-12, a few items, a Black and/or Red and/or Green Dragon, and built up skills to start roasting the enemies right at the start.

I can tell this for a fact since I did such a play-through - I managed to get by with a single Black Dragon, using only direct damage spells till level 43 on Impossible (slapped Elenhel's army too with the single BD). I must admit that at some points, it was more of a torture than fun, but I was interested to know how long one BD can hold his ground.

So, in my opinion, Direct Damage can cut it, as long as you get yourself a decent level 5 unit to back you up.

[john_crapper]

Originally Posted by DGDobrev

I must admit that at some points, it was more of a torture than fun, but I was interested to know how long one BD can hold his ground.

So, in my opinion, Direct Damage can cut it, as long as you get yourself a decent level 5 unit to back you up.

This is the point im currently at and Im not crazy about it. Im not curious about how long a lone 5 lvl unit can be of use to me, because frankly every battle is mentally exhausting , time consuming and Im not really having fun.

[Fatt_Shade]

@john_crapper You didnt mentioned what else spells you have at disposal. Death star is great if you have 1 lvl of tactics to arrange your units in first turn, after that piranha shoal is also great spell for it`s mana cost, fire rain as you already siad. But all this doesnt mean much with your 14 intellect (or was this number wrong?). For mage trying to go on impossible with just troops i`m not sure is that what you trying to achieve, or just didnt find enough +int items. Mage is best high int spells dmg, or support build for high resistances and other beneficial spells in my opinion. If you want to go mage army build, i think you`r in for a fun time Because she simply doesnt have enough lds or att/crit% to do some serious dmg with just units.

[john_crapper]

Originally Posted by Fatt_Shade

@john_crapper You didnt mentioned what else spells you have at disposal. Death star is great if you have 1 lvl of tactics to arrange your units in first turn, after that piranha shoal is also great spell for it`s mana cost, fire rain as you already siad. But all this doesnt mean much with your 14 intellect (or was this number wrong?). For mage trying to go on impossible with just troops i`m not sure is that what you trying to achieve, or just didnt find enough +int items. Mage is best high int spells dmg, or support build for high resistances and other beneficial spells in my opinion. If you want to go mage army build, i think you`r in for a fun time Because she simply doesnt have enough lds or att/crit% to do some serious dmg with just units.

Basically only thing i have is poison, fire arrow firestorm and rarely trap when i need to cancel a turn of an enemy unit. Shoal is 20 mana level 2 and does less damage than the 12 mana fiestorm. And if firestorm dmg doesnt hold up effectively as i said, shoal will be even less efficient. And i cant get more int, due to the fact that i have only access to low level items and i cant afford to fight the battles to upgrade them.

[Fatt_Shade]

Hm . . . what lvl are you now any way? ANd do you play any mod, or original campaign. For only those spells, and 14 intellect you cant be too far in game.
Difference between piranha and firestorm is aoe and type of dmg, so against demons/dragons piranha is much better spell, for plants firestorm ofc.
I dont know did you play before mage, but it`s normal to get around 60-70 int by end game, i had 91 int before and piranha are 7200-10500 physical dmg(all enemy units in first turn), firestorm 11000-11800 fire dmg to 7 cells area. Trap is 17000-25000 physical + poison, black hole 12000-21000 astral, illusion 108% . . . so mage is strongest with spells, but you need high intellect for it.
Of all hero classes mage have most difficult start, due to lack of spells and intellect, and no army because low lds, but later you`ll get to usual to battles 2 turn killing enemy army, and then spend 3-4 turns digging chests/reviving units if you play no loss.
But for that you need to survive till verona, and maybe kiting dersu/uzala/tekron to pick up exp spells and maybe some int shrine.
Good luck, have fun

[plin500]

Originally Posted by john_crapper

Basically only thing i have is poison, fire arrow firestorm and rarely trap when i need to cancel a turn of an enemy unit.

In my mage IMP game, i'll search the nearest trap spell, get dist. lv1 and start building my trap level. At level 3 you'll get 3 traps with a damage of 100% and that helps to slow down enemy and kill weaker units.

And as it been said already, high intellect is the key.

[Khaldun]

Hi all, I write in here because don't want create new thread. Someone know where is possibility to get Black Hole scroll in Crossworlds Campaigns? I ask because KBScanner don't show it at all ;( Thx in advance for some info & sry for not fluently english.

[Fatt_Shade]

Black hole spell is only possible to get as reward from Dark Misticus, on nameless island. I`m not sure what quest is it for black leather demon box, or for defeating him in battle to bind his soul.
So you have to finish his both quests to get 2 black hole spells for sure.

[casio1987]

Direct damage is crap in AP / CW...
The mage got nerfed a lot compared to TL.

The only effective function the mage has in AP / CW is to buff or nerf.

The mage is the easiest character to win on impossible no loss in a very small amount of time, if you only nuke through the end (high mana prefered over int + astral resistance + armageddon + invisibility on 1 red dragon + heal).

On the other hand, warrior will beat the mage if you don't use the above mentioned "abuse", in terms of damage (physical vs magical). But... for no loss, games are very long for the warrior (because of high rounders, when you need to heal: phantom + resurrect, again, again and again) and even more for the mage (due to low leadership).