Still grinding on lesser mobs when soloing

kinokunya · 01-02-2008, 04:36 AM

Hi guys I'm a mage user here, from what I read in the Archer discussions, they can inflict 1/3 to 2/3 of a mob's health before it reaches them, which is about the same as what I do. I will suffer at least one hit even when fighting green mobs. On average it takes 4 consecutive spells for me (magic missile lv1, magic missile lv1, fire bolt lv1, magic missile lv4) to pin Grave robbers down (their names are grey to me, I'm already lv28), which I think is quite weak for a lv28 mage.

My Skill points go to:
Magic missile skill empower cooldown+5, damage+3 (going to max dmg also)
Fire bolt skill empower damage +5

Recently I added 2 points to SPR, with all the previous points into INT. I am using a [+7 SPR] ring and [+6 INT +6 SPR] ring from the Marlone Quest, with 1% crit earring. As I thought the SPRs and crit% i got from the accessories will balance off with the INT I've been putting into my Priscillia.

Is this the norm? I'm using a +5 lvl20 merchant wand by the way.

AnimosityAlone · 01-02-2008, 04:39 AM

SPR from accessories doesn't add to your crit, only to your SP.

I'd recommend you start using Ice Bolt and Lightning Bolt as well. Ice Bolt has a chance to slow your target's running speed, so it's good at the start of a combo. Lightning Bolt does the most damage for mages your level.

**Loveless** · 01-02-2008, 04:59 AM

The recommended sequence for mages is (taken from JWiki)...

Lightning > Ice > Magic > Fire > Magic > Back to Lightning
or
Lightning > Ice > Magic > Fire > Back to Lightning

Look at your enemy's health and decide which is best... in most cases the first sequence is enough to kill off whatever you're going against. Max cooldown on your MM (as well as SP Consumption) and just spam that away..

**Hyper** · 01-02-2008, 05:02 AM

Wait, you use [1] skills on mobs at Lv28?

Wow. I think that's the problem.

kinokunya · 01-02-2008, 05:14 AM

hyperswoss:that is because I so hate the 15 seconds wait.
Even the maxed cooldown for fire/ice/lightning will be like 15-4.5secs Y_Y

Loveless: Lightning > Ice > Magic > Fire > Magic > Lightning does that mean I need to dedicate some skill points into the cooldown/dmg department too? I've never purchased Lightning magic and I have only Lv1 ice bolt.

AnimosityAlone: will Lightning Bolt lv1 suffice? Some sources indicate that mages only need their lv1 spells.

once again thank you guys for replying. that was fast =).

**Loveless** · 01-02-2008, 05:19 AM

I think that with Magic Missile it's been said that using LV1 with reduced SP consumption and cooldown is much better than using it at max level. You're able to spam this skill every 1.3(5) seconds... it's your most basic attack.

Fire Bolt is best to have it's max level no matter what. If you can't get any other skills that's okay but get this maxed. I always have it in my shortcut at LV1 and one with max level available to me at that time. Lightning will do a bonus damage and it's always great to have one more damage dealing spell. Same with Ice Bolt, if it slows the enemy down you can kill it before it even reaches you. If you can't afford to buy the next level that's fine... but try to if possible.

AnimosityAlone · 01-02-2008, 05:35 AM

Try to get Lightning Bolt at the max level. I use FB and MM at level 1 for fast cooldown, but I keep Lightning Bolt maxed for damage.

kinokunya · 01-02-2008, 05:42 AM

I guess I'll have to empower on the cooldown time for FB then .. I guess I really need lightning and FB scrolls then ...

Thanks for the advice. I always thought that lightning effects were cool, but always classify them as another spell the game makers threw in to the disposition of mages with arrays of spells. Never knew that lightning have bonus damage on mobs o_O.

Azling · 01-03-2008, 11:26 AM

if you got the upgraded versins you could pwn graverobbers and tuff there level easily

jacquin · 01-03-2008, 09:06 PM

Spells left at max level are used to fling high damage in a short spurt. They aren't used for repeat spamming. Basically, you fling it, then fire something else during the cooldown. The advantage is getting the damage out quicker and, thus, killing the monster before it can do too much damage.

Low level spells are for spamming and dps. Over the long haul, low level does more damage and costs less sp. The problem is that it's over the 'long haul': soloing you may die before they do.

From how I've heard of it, Lightning and Ice are usually set to high level while MM is left as low level. Fire, I've heard a few people use at low level but is mostly left at high level.

Thus when you meet a monster, you fling your high level spells first, then spam the MM during the high level cooldown. Some start the attack with a high level MM, since, by the time fire/lit/ice is flung MM wil be available again: L1s are flung afterwards.

Analogy to all of this would be entering a room, firing a rocket launcher, then pulling out the machine gun to anything left standing: if they don't die before you reload the launcher, fire it again.

Your empower points are fine without the cooldown to fire. If you like a low level fire: I say have these in your hotkeys:

Max level MM (since you are empowering damage)
Max level Fire
Max level Ice
Max level Lightning
L1 MM
L1 Fire

Then fling the maxes in that order. After Lightning, fling L1 MMs until fire is ready, then fling both L1s as you wish.

In parties, if you want to conserve sp then you can just fling L1 MM/fires all day. Against bosses, Fling everything at max except MM, which will be flung at L1 to keep the dps going.

It may not kill the monster when they reach you, but it'll die much faster at least, so you'll suffer less damage. For further defense, you could fling the Max Ice first to slow it down, then the rest of the maxes.