Got a question for those in the know.

[AnticorRifling]

I'm thinking of dropping alot of magical skills to pick up more CM. I could do this as my fixskill and see if I like it or whatever.

What I want to do is go from:

Anticor (at level 51), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 70 15
Combat Maneuvers...................| 93 21
Polearm Weapons....................| 152 52
Physical Fitness...................| 105 25
Arcane Symbols.....................| 152 52
Magic Item Use.....................| 152 52
Spell Aiming.......................| 204 104
Harness Power......................| 175 75
Elemental Mana Control.............| 58 12
Elemental Lore - Air...............| 114 28
Survival...........................| 152 52
Perception.........................| 152 52
Climbing...........................| 66 14
Swimming...........................| 66 14
First Aid..........................| 152 52

Spell Lists
Major Elemental....................| 22

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 51

Spell Lists
Wizard.............................| 30

To something that looks like this:

No FA, no survial, minimum amount of miu and arcane, the remaining points dumped into CM and maybe 5 ranks of MS....

What do you think?

I know I won't be able to enchant but I haven't even tried to enchant as of yet so it's not like it's something I do a ton of, and I definatly don't use runestaves.

The FA and survial would mean no skinning which kind of sucks but I don't really make a ton off of it as it is so I could live with that if it boosted the combat effectivness of me enough.

Thoughts, disuasions, affermations, etc go here

[Nakiro]

I'd do it. Skinning is so shitty its rediclious. If you don't plan on enchanting then arcane symbol and magic item use don't do a lot for you anyway.

[Xcalibur]

Don't drop miu and sr. At the coast they are, it's almost free. Yeah, fa and survival can be something to drop if you consider that you must (at least in gs3) underhunt to get some cool cash.

Personnaly, I'd drop spell aim too, as your weapon, WHICH COST NO MANA, has a higher DF and "swing" faster (every 2 seconds, instead of every 3)

[Snapp]

Sounds awesome Anticor. I love characters who are different from the norm.



Personnaly, I'd drop spell aim too, as your weapon, WHICH COST NO MANA, has a higher DF and "swing" faster (every 2 seconds, instead of every 3)

No waaaay. Even as a swinging wizard, why would you drop an alternative, easier means of killing?

[Xcalibur]

Because, for the cost, you get a weaker form of attacking. CM is useless with spell aim. By having more cm, his AS with his higher DF will make him completely forget that weak form of attack.

Anticor: MOC is useless for a war mage, 2 swing with it will be WAY slower to just swinging 2 times with haste.



[Edited on 18-5-04 by Xcalibur]

[Kitsun]

The suggestion to drop spell aiming entirely has to be one of the most ignorant suggestions I've ever heard.

If you drop spell aiming, you might as well drop down to 10 ranks of HP. Drop down to 6 spells so you just have haste!

Why not just roll up a goddamn warrior with 10 ranks of MIU and a slew of haste imbeds for god's sake? Why play a gimped warrior?

[AnticorRifling]

I know you think it's ignorant but X's wizard made it to 60+ quite easily with 0 Spell Aim, he used a greatsword and spells and he was tought to match.

I'm gonna run some numbers real quick and show som alternatives.

[TheEschaton]

But it invalidates like...half your spell list. The wastage alone would kill me to no end.


Hell, my empath is 2x in spell aim. He tosses a mean bolt.

<crossing his fingers for a 1110 that's bolt based>

-TheE-

[Xcalibur]

I repeat that with haste and 24 ranks of air lore, you get a swing EVERY SECOND for 6 mana points.

Spell aim is USELESS for a war mage.

And most 2 handeds or pole arms do more damage.

it's 6/3 saved, with around 5/4. Bud, that's 11/7, almost 1X cm with those points!

WOOOOOOOOW

¸P.s. Winning team rock, huh Anticor?



:socool:

[AnticorRifling]

Only 1 problem... Air lore is still F'in buggy!!! I bug it all the time but haven't heard shit back.

I could drop FA and survival and go from 21 ranks in CM to 42 ranks in CM and that's without touching any other skills. It's tempting for the 10 more AS.


Now for shits and giggles here is Anticor in Plat:

Anticor (at level 4), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 5 1
Combat Maneuvers...................| 25 5
Polearm Weapons....................| 25 5
Physical Fitness...................| 25 5
Spell Aiming.......................| 50 10
Harness Power......................| 35 7
Elemental Lore - Air...............| 25 5
Perception.........................| 20 4

Spell Lists
Major Elemental....................| 3

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 3

Spell Lists
Wizard.............................| 4

[AnticorRifling]

Also what do you think about Perception? 1x or 40 ranks?

[Xcalibur]

They always tell you to 1X just to be sure. At 61, I never caught a thief. Know why? I was always invisible:lol:

Personnaly, I really don't know, since it has nothing to do with treasures, I'd... hmm...

.5X it, i think

[AnticorRifling]

Here is Anticor now.... This is gonna be fun:

Anticor (at level 51), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 70 15
Combat Maneuvers...................| 152 52
Polearm Weapons....................| 152 52
Physical Fitness...................| 105 25
Arcane Symbols.....................| 152 52
Magic Item Use.....................| 152 52
Spell Aiming.......................| 204 104
Harness Power......................| 150 50
Elemental Mana Control.............| 93 21
Elemental Lore - Air...............| 120 30
Perception.........................| 152 52
Climbing...........................| 66 14
Swimming...........................| 66 14

Spell Lists
Major Elemental....................| 22

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 51

Spell Lists
Wizard.............................| 30

[Scott]

I don't understand why you would drop spell aiming. Useless for a warmage? How? It never hurts to use a cone in a swarm. That's great that you can swing better, but being able to toss in a spell never hurts. Yeah you have 415/409/519, but still.... you have one of the best swarm control spells in the game, it never hurts to be able to use it on occasions. Morq, one of the highest warmages (I think he left in GS4 though) use to go on and on about how he would never drop spell aiming. Take a look at the offical boards (The older GS3 version) Anticor, look for some posts by Morq, he had some great pointers. Although they might be sort of outdated.

MIU and SR I can see as being useless. If you aren't worried about enchanting, I really don't see the point. The only thing you might need it for is to carry some outside spells into OTF without being blown up. However the forumla is MIU + AS + Mana Share = X / 3. Thats the number of OUTSIDE mana you can hold. Which is pretty easy with GS4. 101, 103, 107, 120 (if you want), 202, and possible colors and such. However you wouldn't need too much training into it.

FA you might want to keep a little of to keep your RT down on eating herbs while hunting if you don't want to head in if you get hurt. Survival.... 0 ranks on all my wizards. If skinning hadn't have been nerfed and you could use it as a money making tool, then sure. But now I really don't see a point for wizards.

[AnticorRifling]

>cman disarm tayre
[Roll result: 133 (open d100: 57) Penalties: 0]
You swing your black naginata at Tayre's orase runestaff and connect!
Tayre's orase runestaff is knocked to the ground!
Roundtime: 5 sec.

You swing a black naginata at a massive black boar!
AS: +333 vs DS: +144 with AvD: +25 + d100 roll: +17 = +231
... and hit for 72 points of damage!
Stomach ripped open by mighty blow!
The black boar collapses to the ground, emits a final squeal, and dies.
The scintillating white light surrounding the naginata fades some.
Roundtime: 5 sec.

I like.

[AnticorRifling]

I've been told that feint stances critters down, if so I might look into that instead of disarm. CMan is really just for fun given that I'm a wizard and I'm not supposed to be good at any of them...

[FinisWolf]

I don't know, but I have been looking to switch my wizard around some, and I think you gave me some good ideas, thanks.

Finiswolf

[Parkbandit]

As a wizard, I would never give up spell aiming for a couple of parlor tricks that CM brings.

And X... do you really believe you were never stolen from? With Falgrin on the same island?

Come now.

[Xcalibur]

The argument that cone of lightning is good is stupid, as get caught in a swarm is RARE.

Most of the time, a war mage can swing 3 times faster than a monster (if he swings every 2 seconds) or 6 times if he swings every 1 second.

That makes him able to swing 3 monsters at "once". I was never caught in a room with more than 3 beside when there is an invasion (which monsters there are immune to cone, anyway).

His AS with his weapon is higher than he would have if he was doubled in spell aim AND his DF with most of his weapons will be higher.

And don't bring up Morq in the conversation. He gaves me, all in all, bad advises:

He only saids to keep spell aim, back then, because there was no reallocation possible/fix skill/migrations. He was being conservator. He was not a good war mage too, as he needed to hunt with his "wife" and depended on his MANY toys. A war mage wouldn't need a 4X claidhmore to hunt. He needed. And he had a lot of toys to rely on, like 215 stuff.

To conclude spell aim is a good alternative, a weaker, but a good alternative.

edited an error

[Edited on 18-5-04 by Xcalibur]

[AnticorRifling]

Add a bard and some bravery....

You swing a black naginata at a muscular supplicant!
AS: +372 vs DS: +134 with AvD: +25 + d100 roll: +57 = +320
... and hit for 113 points of damage!
Whoosh! Several ribs driven into lungs.
A muscular supplicant drops to the floor, quite dead!
The scintillating white light surrounding the naginata fades some.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 2 seconds


I love it.

[Gan]

I say to each his/her own when it comes to training. I have a rogue that has zero trainings in lockpicking - but then again, lockpicking is not his calling because he's trained in OHE's and ranged (2x). He's a pure hunter with only 2 spells.

However, the tradeoff for not training in spell aiming sure does limit the wizard to just physical attacking. Especially when there is such a variety of magical spells at his disposal. Its a brave track to follow, but I dont think I would travel down that path. Especially if I were to consider the resale value when (if) the time comes to say goodbye to Gemstone.

Imagine a world where there are wizards walking around swinging blades, enjoying redux, and acting like warriors... we can even offer them warrior guild tattoos!

:weird:

[Parkbandit]

What CM skills are you getting Anticor?

[Askip]

<< the forumla is MIU + AS + Mana Share = X / 3 >>

Has anyone tested if the mana control is your Total MC, only your highest MC, or just your primary profesional MC?

I'm getting SMC ranks and hope they count. :D

Thanks,
Askip

[Kitsun]

I'm currently 1x in AS, MIU and EMC with about 16 ranks in SMC and haven't hit the max yet and it isn't from lack of trying.

If that formula is right, I doubt I could hit it without tapping a ton of scrolls specifically for outside spells.

[AnticorRifling]

I didn't give up spell aim for anything. I'm still fully 2x in spell aim.

What I did was drop all my FA and survival ranks because I'm no longer a skinner. I don't need FA for herb RT or anything like for two reaons, sign of staunching and haste. If I can't cast haste well I have staunching which gets me back to town.

I still have my magic ranks fully 1x in MIU and Arcane.

What Cman did I get?

Disarm. Wizards are limited in what they can get. I might switch to feint but I haven't played with it, the cman stuff is just something fun to play with I don't use it to hunt.

But it's fun as a wizard to be able to do this:

>cman disarm tayre
[Roll result: 133 (open d100: 57) Penalties: 0]
You swing your black naginata at Tayre's orase runestaff and connect!
Tayre's orase runestaff is knocked to the ground!
Roundtime: 5 sec.