So I played way back when it was Gemstone 3, and you had to travel to Rivers Rest via a boot. I came back just to see how things were and rolled up a Dwarf War Mage (like the one I played in 1999) but things look to have changed a lot since then. Here is what I came up with after reading through some of the basic guides.
I joined Sunfist not CoL for the purposes of Role playing (I never liked the cost of CoL). Which I liked the decision to do but having just been properly blasted a few times trying to hunt a grimswarm camp, I'm worried I might have planned poorly.
Any advice?
Race: Dwarf Profession: Wizard (shown as: Boltwielder)
Gender: Male Age: 0 Expr: 236047 Level: 14
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 77 (23) ... 77 (23)
Constitution (CON): 74 (27) ... 74 (27)
Dexterity (DEX): 79 (14) ... 79 (14)
Agility (AGI): 81 (10) ... 81 (10)
Discipline (DIS): 66 (18) ... 66 (18)
Aura (AUR): 100 (15) ... 100 (15)
Logic (LOG): 76 (18) ... 76 (18)
Intuition (INT): 55 (2) ... 55 (2)
Wisdom (WIS): 57 (3) ... 57 (3)
Influence (INF): 47 (-11) ... 47 (-11)
Mana: 1 Silver: 1500
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 20 4
Shield Use.........................| 74 16
Combat Maneuvers...................| 10 2
Edged Weapons......................| 74 16
Physical Fitness...................| 74 16
Spell Aiming.......................| 124 32
Harness Power......................| 128 34
Elemental Mana Control.............| 54 11
Climbing...........................| 40 8
Swimming...........................| 30 6
Spell Lists
Major Elemental....................| 14
Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 2
Spell Lists
Wizard.............................| 13
NINESPADES
DOUG
Re: Returning player...is possibly an idiot.
03/26/2016 10:43 AM CDT
Isn't even close to an idiot.
There are a couple things I would do differently - but in all honesty, they would be trivial and more flavor in my view. That is, unless you're one of our wizard players who likes to ensure absolute maximum achievement in whatever category you're most interested in. Then there are quite a few things to 'correct'. My view - not necessary, and you'll do fine.
First, GoS and camps - I wouldn't start warcamping, were I you, until forced to or until I had a key strategy that included my blade. Hunt with others in camps, or do other missions and leave camping alone until you get some 'bones'.
Second, as a war mage, you're probably advancing your Harness Power beyond what you need to - thereby spending a lot of training points you could use in other areas. I'd suggest you at least stop training there until you've come back down to the 1.5 to 1.25x level. Use those points.
Third, while I'm sure the dwarven community considers it sexy to roll around on the bottom of caves and such (CMAN), I don't normally suggest training in it until 40 or more levels. Better to get some of those spell ranks in, first.
And finally, as a war mage, don't force the spell training. You're running around 2x, and that's perfect. But early, it's ok to go to 2.25x and then slow the training back to 2x. The reason for the suggestion is you're light key defensive spells - fairly easy to pick up from others and available on scrolls. So not bad in and of itself as a technique. But you're going to be wanting Elemental Targeting and Elemental Barrier on / at level - and you're way behind that right now in Minor Elementals.
Hope to see you about the place more often and have a conversation or two. The Elf hasn't had a dwarf to exchange good-natured barbs with for some time..
Doug
There are a couple things I would do differently - but in all honesty, they would be trivial and more flavor in my view. That is, unless you're one of our wizard players who likes to ensure absolute maximum achievement in whatever category you're most interested in. Then there are quite a few things to 'correct'. My view - not necessary, and you'll do fine.
First, GoS and camps - I wouldn't start warcamping, were I you, until forced to or until I had a key strategy that included my blade. Hunt with others in camps, or do other missions and leave camping alone until you get some 'bones'.
Second, as a war mage, you're probably advancing your Harness Power beyond what you need to - thereby spending a lot of training points you could use in other areas. I'd suggest you at least stop training there until you've come back down to the 1.5 to 1.25x level. Use those points.
Third, while I'm sure the dwarven community considers it sexy to roll around on the bottom of caves and such (CMAN), I don't normally suggest training in it until 40 or more levels. Better to get some of those spell ranks in, first.
And finally, as a war mage, don't force the spell training. You're running around 2x, and that's perfect. But early, it's ok to go to 2.25x and then slow the training back to 2x. The reason for the suggestion is you're light key defensive spells - fairly easy to pick up from others and available on scrolls. So not bad in and of itself as a technique. But you're going to be wanting Elemental Targeting and Elemental Barrier on / at level - and you're way behind that right now in Minor Elementals.
Hope to see you about the place more often and have a conversation or two. The Elf hasn't had a dwarf to exchange good-natured barbs with for some time..
Doug
CAPTAINVIOLETBEARD
Re: Returning player...is possibly an idiot.
03/26/2016 11:29 PM CDT
I'm fairly certain, I big glaring hole in your current training. You need 2x Air Lore as a young warmage to reduce RT with 506 (Celerity)
NINESPADES
Re: Returning player...is possibly an idiot.
03/27/2016 01:21 AM CDT
Currently I get a 3 sec rt. using a broadsword with 506, it will go down with 2 trains of air lore?
DOUG
Re: Returning player...is possibly an idiot.
03/27/2016 03:40 AM CDT
>>Currently I get a 3 sec rt. using a broadsword with 506, it will go down with 2 trains of air lore?
I think the point is that if you double train in Air Lore until you have about 45 or 46 ranks, you can take that 3 seconds down to 1 second.
I think the reason I don't see it as that glaring a hole (yet) is simply because 3 seconds is about 1/2 the speed your current foes manage at level 15. I'm more concerned about 425, and 430, as a warmage.
Still the point is a good one - don't forget to pick up some Air Lore along the way to help keep that speed up. I'd say 1x training (or hitting 45 to 46 by level 45) is probably sufficient. Others will sacrifice in order to get that flashy one second swing earlier. Mileage varies, of course.
More information here:
https://gswiki.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/506
Doug
I think the point is that if you double train in Air Lore until you have about 45 or 46 ranks, you can take that 3 seconds down to 1 second.
I think the reason I don't see it as that glaring a hole (yet) is simply because 3 seconds is about 1/2 the speed your current foes manage at level 15. I'm more concerned about 425, and 430, as a warmage.
Still the point is a good one - don't forget to pick up some Air Lore along the way to help keep that speed up. I'd say 1x training (or hitting 45 to 46 by level 45) is probably sufficient. Others will sacrifice in order to get that flashy one second swing earlier. Mileage varies, of course.
More information here:
https://gswiki.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/506
Doug
NINESPADES
Re: Returning player...is possibly an idiot.
03/27/2016 11:59 AM CDT
First: thanks for the advice! I am much obliged!
The warcamp thing has pretty much run its course - but not quite yet. I'm at rank 13, and I have acquired my necessary razings, except of course for the rank 15 one. I'll be glad too, they use a combination of 410 and vines that seems highly coordinated for NPCs. I'm like half the business for empaths in Icemule.
I read up on Harness power - I didn't realize that I was only getting one mana point per train on that. That is good advice. I am done for now on that.
As far as CMAN goes I think should have done more research. Once upon a time (late in the last millennium)combat maneuvers were a big part of training for fighters. Now that I've read more I think maybe that has changed. I think I get +1 AS bonus overall for 24P/16M points. I can relocate those to more benefit. What can I train in that will stop the creeps from knocking me down? I have a ton of left over phys points. I need someplace to put them. I don't quite understand how the system works. I think they can be used as mental points for half credit? does it hurt me more than that?
I'm done with wizard spells for a long while. At least until I get up to 414 and 516.
What about lore - I really like the idea of focusing on earth and fire lore - I am a dwarf after all. But CAPTAINVIOLETBEARD pointed out air would speed up my rt with my ohe - and that is very tempting. I'm currently swing at 3 sec roundtime using 506 and my broadsword.
P.S. Thank you also CAPTAINVIOLETBEARD.
The warcamp thing has pretty much run its course - but not quite yet. I'm at rank 13, and I have acquired my necessary razings, except of course for the rank 15 one. I'll be glad too, they use a combination of 410 and vines that seems highly coordinated for NPCs. I'm like half the business for empaths in Icemule.
I read up on Harness power - I didn't realize that I was only getting one mana point per train on that. That is good advice. I am done for now on that.
As far as CMAN goes I think should have done more research. Once upon a time (late in the last millennium)combat maneuvers were a big part of training for fighters. Now that I've read more I think maybe that has changed. I think I get +1 AS bonus overall for 24P/16M points. I can relocate those to more benefit. What can I train in that will stop the creeps from knocking me down? I have a ton of left over phys points. I need someplace to put them. I don't quite understand how the system works. I think they can be used as mental points for half credit? does it hurt me more than that?
I'm done with wizard spells for a long while. At least until I get up to 414 and 516.
What about lore - I really like the idea of focusing on earth and fire lore - I am a dwarf after all. But CAPTAINVIOLETBEARD pointed out air would speed up my rt with my ohe - and that is very tempting. I'm currently swing at 3 sec roundtime using 506 and my broadsword.
P.S. Thank you also CAPTAINVIOLETBEARD.
THROGG
Re: Returning player...is possibly an idiot.
03/31/2016 12:48 AM CDT
1x in HP, you don't need more. 1x in Cman should be your goal, although less than that initially is usual due to lack of TPs. I planned my initial stats so that I never converted any TPs until I was post cap and had full 1x in weapon, PF and Cman. Cmans add to your weapon AS but also help defend against things like feint and disarm ... which are the two skills I picked up. And eventually you will need your AS as high as possible. I went so far as to grab a fair number of ranks of earth lore ... 49 if I recall ... to increase the AS bonus from self cast strength spell. And of course, air lore for that sweet 1 second RT swing.
