Melee Mage...with some spells...

[FrostElfGuard]

I've been thinking about the Battle part of Battle Mage.

And I'm realizing I don't bash monsters with my staff or sword. I spell them to death.

However, I wanted to believe the Battle part of Battle Mage.

Just thinking about the spells first, what seems to happen to my BMs is they get killed. Skinny white guy with few hit points, gets hit a few times and blam. Dead again.

So: what about this:

Stoneskin (primarily to tone down Physical damage, though it helps big time with Poison damage too).
Ring of Ice (not to damage, but to slow. Needs to be roughly 40% of monster level to slow 'em)
Cataract of Agility (the BM speed up---to increase rate of attack).
Whirlwind (for the disarm--to reduce incoming damage.).
Ghost Meadow as always.

That's the core of it. Slow down the enemy while speeding up your own attacks. Support this with life leech. Tamp down damage with stoneskin/flameskin. Consider Shieldwall to prevent projectiles and ranged magic attacks.

That's it.

Skills: Parry, Agility, One of(Sword Lore, Long Handle Weapons), Water Magic (to support Cataract of Agility), Weapon Lore, Riding (all attack animations are shorter mounted, plus you get better resists from your horse), Trading, Meditation. (Not Magic Lore...you're not going to use spells for damage. Period.)

More as the idea shapes and develops...

[JimmyP]

hmm why is it so hard to keep a char alive?my first and last BM at lvl 162 never had trouble *Grinn*
has only used ice shards and offcourse Ghost meadow,he has stoneskinn but never used it

hmm read your post a bit further ...no spells for damage?...bit confiused now ..going to use swords to kill them ?sounds a hard char now:%

[FrostElfGuard]

Picture me, 2 years ago, running around with a Battle mage beating on goblins in Bellevue.

My little guy would survive until Silver Creek...and then get killed by a "goblin horde" (5 goblins at once. oh my!) :%

I tried a Seraphim next...and found it effortless. She never died...but I got bored with her quickly. It was so easy to play a "melee" class character. At least in comparison! :)

Oh how things have changed!!

[Omi]

Yes, a melee Sera's a glad with boobs, lol.

I gave the melee mage a try in plus, with much aide from spells he was ok, but with no combat arts he's very difficult to work with. Stoneskin and all the other deffensive spells are a wonder for the mage! (All the npc spell casters use them along with the tp spell.) However, he'd never be a viable toon in UW, killing a pod (or a dragon now that I think about it) would be like trying to chop down a tree with a spoon. :)