Wizard Woes

Seiowan - Harshlands

I like to take time to check FAQs and dig up some information before levelling any particular character. And so it was that I found the Beginner's Guide for Wizards. Two things struck me.

Firstly, an overwhelming number of posts suggested that the VIT stat is not worth taking at all. Second is that having incredible amounts of MAG would greatly enhance your overall damage.

Well, im now a level 21 Wizard with 101 MAG, 5 VIT, 5 DEX and 16 STR (for equipment). I suppose technically I should be able to put a dent in the earth with such high stats, at least on evenly matched opponents, but that's far from accurate.

So, what does MAG actually do? Since overall damage is ultimately limited by the spell you cast and the weapon you equip, does it even have an effect? Is it solely to reduce the resistance rate of the target? Sacrificing survivabilty (VIT = HP after all) for no apparent damage boost seems a little odd, so I must be missing something.

Is anyone able to lay this bag of snakes out straight and fill the gaps in my knowledge?

Fayded - Lost City

Magic = mana. More magic = more mana and faster mana regen.

101 magic is not very high at all, but you are working a pure arcane character, he is NOT designed to get into fights by himself, very squishy, mainly a support build. The problem is while you may do a lot of damage to an opponent, because of low vit = HP they only have to hit you once! You may do the same damage as them, or even more in a lot of cases, but you have to hit them many times.

The amount of damage you do is decided by your base magic damage in a spell and any weapon modifiers, charms etc.

Here is a wizard guide.

http://pwi-wiki.perfectworld.com/index.php/Everything_about_Wizards#Stats_.26_Common_Builds

Vitenka - Dreamweaver

Uh - your problem is simple: You're level 21.

Wizard damage really takes off when they get their better set of skills, up until your 40s or so, even venomancers can outdamage you (though your spikes are better, their skills cycle more quickly)

Wizards, it is commonly agreed, are WONDERFUL at high level. And the most painful class to GET to that level.

But if you start putting points into vit for survivablity now, you may regret it later. (Unless you buy reset notes? But with the current price of gold, that looks like a bad plan)

Up to you - but yeah, you're not earthshattering. You'll get there, but not yet.

Seiowan - Harshlands

Now if only there were a guide which offered practical survival tips. Running away just doesn't work (we have to stop moving to cast the spells), and a lot of enemies can close the difference pretty quickly anyway. Gush can very occasionally slow a target, but it's not frequent enough to rely on.

Furthermore, with my damage output being what it is, I tend to grab the attention of any target im blasting, even with a friend to take some of the heat off. I'm rather proud of the fact I can deal 1100 damage at such a fresh level, but with the ever-increasing HP totals of my targets it's become virtually impossible to solo or even duo with my friend.

Thanks for the guide. It's sure to be helpful on my way to the top, but it doesn't really offer any practical advice for surviving these early levels when I don't have "Will of the Phoenix" or "Force of Will".

Vitenka - Dreamweaver

Ah, now AGGRO I can give tips on

Put simply - don't fire your spell until your tank has a solid lock on the aggro - you need them to have done as much damage as you're about to (or less if they've been using skills, you'll have to practice for a good grip on that)

I find that it's safe to start casting when the monster is down to about 80%, since your spikes are higher you need to wait longer. Of course, if your spell will kill it, then it doesn't matter if you gain aggro...

If you're solo and without decent slow/stun skills then yes, all you can do is run to gain some distance, fire a spell, run some more. It's called kiting and I think it's not very fun at all.

Your other alternatives are to focus on fighting caster mobs (where your arcane armour is most effective) and of course at level 30 you get flight, which really helps.

Edit: Another tip is to make apothecary potions. You can use those AND normal potions at the same time, which really helps survive when you're in trouble. There's a couple of genie healing/defence/stun/slow skills you might want to look at too.

Elviron - Dreamweaver

Apart from all the tips mentioned, perhaps you can try getting an archer/cleric into your squad.

Archers -> They deal quite a good amount of damage and most likely end up taking the aggro and perhaps survive slightly better compared to wizards.

Clercis -> Do we need to discuss the goodness of heals? Also they have magical and physical which can help kill the target before it reaches you

Edit: Changed "might" to "most likely" after Vitenka's comment below

Vitenka - Dreamweaver

One day I'll meet an archer that knows how to avoid stealing aggro.

Probably the same day I meet a blademaster who doesn't charge forwards all guns blazing, and I tame a windwalking piggie

Dvalinn - Lost City

Trust me when I say solo questing will get easier as you level up. At level 39 (not as far as it sounds, trust me) you get Will of the Phoenix, which is a quick spell that knocks mobs back. Leveling up Gush raises the chance to slow the target. You should also raise Distance Shrink, which you get at 29 up a few levels. It helps with kiting mobs.

Oh yeah, don't forget about Stone Barrier, the extra pdef really helps.

godprince

Wizards is the best class that SUITS me, and its true that theres no certain best class in the game. There r just two principal builds for wiz that ppl use the most, it is arcane wiz and light armor wiz. if u like oneshooting and doing damage like a truck, u would go as arcane wiz, but u will die like paper until u get to higher lvls. If u like sacrificing a bit of dmg (we r talking about 2k dmg on mobs and 500 on pvp/pk) for survavility, go for light armor (the one i use), u get much more p def plus the earth barrier bonus p def, and u wont be longer food for archers or clerics, neither for mobs.

Both of the builds are good for soloing, and wizards are good soloers from the beginning of the game, at least i always soloed (not bosses) but killing mobs around is really easy with wizards. but vitality is useless since 1 point would be 10 hp, its just a bit, u would spend 100 vit points just to get 1000 hp, that would mean less attack power. High lvl wizards are just amazing, the dmg is crazy, they become real good at pvp/pk, but the beginning is hard and yes wizards are the hardest class to train.

MagicHamsta - Lost City

Heres the guide you want.
1. Max gush as high as you can.
2. Two choices. Either
A. Squad up.
B. Kite.
3. Your quests be done. d(^.-d)

there that will zoom you to level 70+ in no time. (about 3 months for me )
b:chuckle
also me am full arcane with 327 magic right now and me wuv the damage.
and the squishiness is funny too sometimes.
xD
surviving with 4 life lol. (>.<)' but thats just me.

Dosinn - Dreamweaver

Just a wee side note that has no value to the original post: BMs are SUPPOSED to charge in guns blazing. XD A decent BM will be able to survive most things he charges into. He/she just has to think a little bit beforehand. XD As far as the original post, theres nothing i can add that hasnt already been said. (As a sidenote, i do have a lvl 62 wiz, so i do know a wee bit about them)

Sirrobert - Dreamweaver

Dosinn - Dreamweaver wrote: »

Just a wee side note that has no value to the original post: BMs are SUPPOSED to charge in guns blazing. XD A decent BM will be able to survive most things he charges into. He/she just has to think a little bit beforehand. XD As far as the original post, theres nothing i can add that hasnt already been said. (As a sidenote, i do have a lvl 62 wiz, so i do know a wee bit about them)

A, there's your problem b:chuckle

MagicHamsta - Lost City

Sirrobert - Dreamweaver wrote: »

A, there's your problem b:chuckle

LOLS
Seeking Brains for a BM.
b:chuckle