War Wizard: Polearms?

[Toadkin]

I admit to not reading these forums all that much. Hell, I barely play GS. Anyway, I've played a straight up bolt-caster for many years now, and figuring it's time for a change.

Rolled up a giantman (mostly for RP purposes) wizard first with the idea of making him an archer. I quickly was seduced by the power of swinging a sword and utilizing his strength bonus.

I was wondering about the motivation behind using pole-arms. Is it the naginata bit? What convinced you, Anticor, to switch from an OHE and shield user to a pole-arm user?

And any successful giantman wizard archers out there? I figure if I'm going to make an archer I'd make him half-elf or some such. Though the carrying capacity of giantmen is staggering, but perhaps I'm just used to playing an elf with a 0 strength bonus for all these years. Oddly enough, rarely had encumbrance problems with him.

Thanks in advance for any answers.

[AnticorRifling]

It wasn't naginatas that convinced me. A shield and ohe/ohb wizard isn't a bad choice but I wanted to be something alittle different. I can't say it's the best choice for everyone but for me I can't imagine going back to GSIII days of shield and ohe. I just like using a polearm. 2h is also good to go but at the time I changed X was still playing Sallazare and I wasn't going to mirror him because I'd never hear the end of it from him. So I picked up polearms thinking that eventually I'd be swinging a lance retarded fast.

Right now I use a naginata because of the fact it's 8x w/air flares, and I swing it in 1 second. More than anything it's the speed I like. Currently I'm hunting supplicants, after they swing I have 4-5 chances to stun the ever living shit out of them with a hit from the godendag(naginata) before they get to swing their flamberge again. It also allows me to focus on several critters in an extremely short period of time. When my lance is done enchanting I'll probably use it, I'll lose 5 AS and the flares but the DF is huge, only downside I really see is going from 1 second swing to 3 seconds. Now with more air lore I plan on dropping that to 2 or even 1.

I can post my training and stats if you care to see them I've never been one to keep such information a secret. Training is training but it's not all there is to a character.



Also I know a giantman wizardess that's currently shield and ohe who's a bit older than Anticor and she's doing more than fine in the hunting regard as best I can tell.

I really don't see myself having any problems until the barrier, so we will see.

Let me know what else I can do to help.

[Toadkin]

Sure, stats and training would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I'm a bit interested in your general tactics. From what I gather, Anticor is an extremely physical war mage. What sort of utility spells do you use on a regular basis? I was envisioning, for my character, a mix of a bolter and swinger, though I suspect that this route would prove less practical as he climbed in levels (lack of 1x CM and Minor Elemental training would just lead to a poor weapon AS I'd imagine).

But anyway, thanks again. I haven't swung a blade with a wizard since there was a 0 second round time.

[AnticorRifling]

Basic tactics are keep haste runnnig all the time, so you're looking at 6 mana a minute there. Depending on the creature or creatures in the room I either wait for them to act or I use tremors followed by cman feint. Then it's just swing til dead. I can also use 415 with ease because I keep my minor elemental circle at lvl, I keep it at lvl for 425 and 430 the increased 415 CS is just a bonus. I'll show the training when I get home.

[hectomaner]

polearming wizards are beef wellington

[AnticorRifling]

H8er

[hectomaner]

http://www.kein.org/~fls/img/food/wellington/DSC00014.JPG

[hectomaner]

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/rth0011l.jpg

[Drew]

How old is Anticor now?

[AnticorRifling]

Name: Anticor Rifling Race: Giant Profession: Wizard (shown as: War Mage)
Gender: Male Age: 46 Expr: 3482142 Level: 60
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 96 (38) ... 96 (38)
Constitution (CON): 90 (30) ... 82 (26)
Dexterity (DEX): 87 (13) ... 87 (13)
Agility (AGI): 81 (10) ... 81 (10)
Discipline (DIS): 84 (17) ... 84 (17)
Aura (AUR): 100 (20) ... 100 (20)
Logic (LOG): 85 (12) ... 85 (12)
Intuition (INT): 75 (12) ... 75 (12)
Wisdom (WIS): 84 (17) ... 84 (17)
Influence (INF): 77 (18) ... 77 (18)
Mana: 186 Silver: 0

Anticor (at level 60), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 130 35
Combat Maneuvers...................| 161 61
Polearm Weapons....................| 161 61
Physical Fitness...................| 105 25
Arcane Symbols.....................| 150 50
Magic Item Use.....................| 150 50
Spell Aiming.......................| 222 122
Harness Power......................| 159 59
Elemental Mana Control.............| 90 20
Elemental Lore - Air...............| 120 30
Perception.........................| 120 30
Climbing...........................| 120 30
Swimming...........................| 105 25

Spell Lists
Major Elemental....................| 31

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 60

Spell Lists
Wizard.............................| 31

Anticor, your Combat Maneuver training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Disarm Weapon disarm 1
Feint feint 5

Edit to fix the wizard spells because I didn't capture them on my copy.

[Edited on 2-23-2005 by AnticorRifling]

[Xcalibur]

Best war mage ever made is really with an heavy weapon AND you need to swing the fastest possible (so 2 second without air ranking)

A claidh is your best option.

Instant kill before the monster attack again most of the time

[AnticorRifling]

Here this is what I'm doing right now:

>e
[Temple Wyneb, Calvaria]
The shadowed ceiling ripples strangely, then squeaks. A second glance reveals it to be a solid mass of bats, most of them juveniles. A trio of the winged rodents swoops past you with shrill, piercing cries, defending their nest. You also see an emaciated hierophant and a tarnished invar kaskara.
Obvious exits: east, west
>909
*** TypoHelp: Converted "909" to PREP 909 and CAST

Your disk arrives, following you dutifully.
>
An emaciated hierophant gestures and murmurs a quiet prayer.
>
Your hands glow with power as you invoke the phrase for Tremors...
Your spell is ready.
>
You gesture.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
>stance offensive
You are now in an offensive stance.
>
The ground begins to shake violently, making it hard to stand.
An emaciated hierophant loses its balance and falls over.
>cman feint hier
[Roll result: 118 (open d100: 54) Penalties: 0]
You feint low, the emaciated hierophant buys the ruse and moves to block the blow that never came!
Roundtime: 3 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.
>att hier
You swing an onyx-hafted godendag at an emaciated hierophant!
AS: +363 vs DS: +249 with AvD: +25 + d100 roll: +26 = +165
... and hit for 41 points of damage!
Slash to the emaciated hierophant's chest!
Breathe deep, it'll feel better in a minute.
The emaciated hierophant is stunned!
The scintillating white light surrounding the godendag fades some.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.
>att hier
You swing an onyx-hafted godendag at an emaciated hierophant!
AS: +363 vs DS: +249 with AvD: +25 + d100 roll: +65 = +204
... and hit for 57 points of damage!
Deep slash to the emaciated hierophant's left forearm!

** As you hit, your godendag sucks the air surrounding it away! **
... 5 points of damage!
Fingernail explodes!
The scintillating white light surrounding the godendag fades some.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.
>att hier
>
You swing an onyx-hafted godendag at an emaciated hierophant!
AS: +363 vs DS: +229 with AvD: +25 + d100 roll: +71 = +230
... and hit for 67 points of damage!
Deep slash to the emaciated hierophant's left forearm!
The hierophant's iron pavis falls to the ground.
The scintillating white light surrounding the godendag fades some.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.
>att hier
An emaciated hierophant gestures, cracked lips moving in silent prayer as she focuses, shaking the stun.
>
You swing an onyx-hafted godendag at an emaciated hierophant!
AS: +363 vs DS: +189 with AvD: +25 + d100 roll: +39 = +238
... and hit for 75 points of damage!
Flesh ripped from back, muscles exposed.
An emaciated hierophant thrashes one last time and goes still.
The very powerful look leaves an emaciated hierophant.
The white light leaves an emaciated hierophant.
The deep blue glow leaves an emaciated hierophant.
An emaciated hierophant seems to lose an aura of confidence.
An emaciated hierophant seems to lose some dexterity.
The scintillating white light surrounding the godendag fades some.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.

[Xcalibur]

ONE SECOND? they finaly solved that damn bug man?

1 second wielding claidh is just a massacring machine

[AnticorRifling]

415 shot:

You gesture at a muscular supplicant.
CS: +325 - TD: +280 + CvA: +25 + d100: +40 == +110
Warding failed!
You blast a muscular supplicant for 11 points of damage.
... 20 points of damage!
Blood gushes from ears and nose!
The muscular supplicant is stunned!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

Here's a bolt without 513 as I don't wear it:

You gesture at an emaciated hierophant.
You hurl a powerful lightning bolt at a hunch-backed dogmatist!
AS: +313 vs DS: +204 with AvD: +40 + d100 roll: +21 = +170
... and hit for 54 points of damage!
Arcing strand of electricity jolts across a hunch-backed dogmatist's back. Pretty.
The hunch-backed dogmatist lies weakly upon the floor. "Why hast ye forsaken me m'lord, served you well I did!" beckons the dogmatist in a desperate prayer.