The Drunken Lizard Pub

I'm replaying book 1 with a mage when before I played a rogue. In the beginning I felt I hadn't much tactical choices with my mages being some how limited in spell choices and in fact I feel some wasn't useful like Sonic Blast. Or you can get quickly Element Armor but I don't see its use during the whole beginning. So I was wondering what combat tactics you had found.

With my mage in the whole beginning I didn't see much than:

• Using Fire Dart for few shots then flee/restore and come back.
• Some time flee just to walk a little to regen enough mana to be able to cast the final blow.
• Some time to be able to flee I need reach the map border and change of area.
• Few time use water to shot from long range with not worry of reply.
• Sometimes use predator sight in the dark with no light.
• Use portculis or trap at few occasion.
• Use explosive barrel at very few occasion for a quick kill.
• Few time, attract some type of monsters close to some other type so they beat each other.
• In rare case with the mage, use a door or corridor to have only one opponent that hits me.

With my rogue many tactics/tricks was the same and:

• Use the bow a bit like the mage use the Fire Dart but with less efficiency and use sword against close opponents.
• Use before fight the various buffer spells for their help in fights, Air Shield, Bless, Leatherskin, Element Armor against ghosts.
• Use obstacles more than mage to minimize number of opponents that can hit.
• Use darkness a lot to exploit sneak fights with Predator Sight and Cat's Eyes for exploring.
• Many time wait the night the exploit the darkness.
• When using sneaking for fights, use sometimes wait to avoid be stuck by surrounded monsters detecting me and don't allow me move.

The mage is a special kind of class, one that requires dedication and planning. You will find this thread very helpful: My thoughts on a pure mage.

Thanks for the link well I feel mage easier to play than rogue but I applied some trick included in this thread like druid and high focus on perception asap to get more mana. The present thread was more to have a collection of various combat tactics, not about character management even if there are obviously some links.

You've pretty much got it although Predator Sight is not necessary for a mage--spells don't miss.

Basically, the tactic is to keep enemies away from you while you zap them. You can use existing physical obstacles or you can create a barrier with Demon Oil.

Invisibility is very effective for a mage; Hide in Shadows can be useful for recharging mana in the middle of a fight, but casting any light-generating spell will reveal your location.

Against ranged enemies, Air Shield will save your life.

Your main challenge is always mana management, and I'm sure you've read all the tips on that. And yes, running away is always an option.

Nice the demon oil trick.

About Predator eyes I know it's not for aiming but it's a very efficient way to see situation evolution when in the dark. In the dark I use it a lot even when I'm using a light source. Well since the game doesn't allow anymore to change the gamma when I play in a dark area it's really dark and I won't change my monitor setup just for a game.

About mana management, if it's not related to character building I don't see what you reference. I don't remember something in thread linked by woem nor from my previous reading. Well there's the hide in shadow trick you mention.

Character building mainly, but also stockpiling mana potions and mana fortify potions for those occasions when running away would be awkward (Obviously you want to buy Alchemy as soon as you can) .

Also, using your area-of-effect spells (like Compress Atmosphere) to best effect: what they call "kiting", which is running away (while visible) in a zig-zag pattern so as to get the mobs to clump together. The more critters you can hit with one shot, the less mana you have to use!

And you probably know that with the Druidic Axiom, you will only need to rest for a few seconds real-time (usually an hour or two game-time) to regain full mana above ground.