It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Community
Pillars of Eternity SeriesBattlemage in PoE?(30 posts)(30 posts)
(30 posts)
Pages:
1
2
This is my favourite topic
Posted April 17, 2015
Hey everyone!

So, I finally installed the game and got myself on character creation. Instead of creating my character, I wanted to ask something from you people: is there a proper class/build to make a battlemage?

What I understood from other parts of Internet, might Wizard could work. Also, Cipher is the closest thing to battlemage in game (or is it)?

Just being curious overall, due battlemage being obviously my favorite class (and obviously, the best of them all).

Any experiences?
Posted April 17, 2015
It depends a bit on how you want to play a battlemage, I guess.
In principle there's nothing preventing you from putting your wizard into a heavy armor and running to the frontline.
However, heavy armor means less spells cast due to increased time penalty between casting and the wizard has still relatively low health/endurance, making him fragile even with high defenses.
A druid comes with a stronger focus on damage-dealing spells and has higher health, so he might be a good alternative as well, plus you get a shapeshifting ability for some temporal combat bonus.
Didn't use a cypher yet, so I can't tell much about that.
Posted April 17, 2015
Deflection costs spell-casting time. Taking melee hits costs spell-casting time (interruption). Spell-casting classes don't get much health/endurance.

You can do it. But you will do a lot less spell-casting on the front lines because you will be slowed down so much.

Also, do you really want to spend your precious skill points to improve your mages weapons skills?

-edit- I said "skill points", above. I meant the ... dang what are they called... points you spend on talents and things.
Post edited April 17, 2015 by alcaray
Posted April 17, 2015
avatar
Palvikinkku: Hey everyone!

So, I finally installed the game and got myself on character creation. Instead of creating my character, I wanted to ask something from you people: is there a proper class/build to make a battlemage?

What I understood from other parts of Internet, might Wizard could work. Also, Cipher is the closest thing to battlemage in game (or is it)?

Just being curious overall, due battlemage being obviously my favorite class (and obviously, the best of them all).

Any experiences?
If you are thinking in something similar to the D&D 3.x & 2 (BG series, NWN series, IW series) then the short answer is: You are heading to the wrong path. The closet thing to support hits and hit hard with "elemental" damage (and raw) is the druid.

However, as you has total freedom with items and armor you can make a mage and try by yourself if could work the combo but Alcaray already stated the weak points.
Posted April 17, 2015
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, a Druid kicks ass both in meele engagements and in terms of offensive spellcasting
Posted April 17, 2015
It can work, mages have some excellent self-buffs, but in the end is nothing more than a gimmick.
The problem is that you'd have to cast those buffs for every encounter to be useful and with limited spells per rest, as the mages have, you will run out pretty fast. It will become annoying and tedious very soon to travel back for resting all the while.

Yea, I was disappointed too. :)
Posted April 17, 2015
avatar
Belsirk: If you are thinking in something similar to the D&D 3.x & 2 (BG series, NWN series, IW series) then the short answer is: You are heading to the wrong path. The closet thing to support hits and hit hard with "elemental" damage (and raw) is the druid.

However, as you has total freedom with items and armor you can make a mage and try by yourself if could work the combo but Alcaray already stated the weak points.
Well, originally I meant Arcane Warrior from Dragon age: Origins (Never played BG, NWN or IW.... yet) but I do believe we think the same thing.

But kinda disappointing though that making battlemage is more of a gimmicky than "proper" build (though certainly it could work, I think I don't dare to do that.... yet).

Oh well, probably gonna start as something else. Thank you kind people anyway!
Posted April 17, 2015
Aren't Cyphers battlemages-without-the-name? They use magic, and power their spells by using weapons, so they have to use both, no?

Note that I haven't got a cypher in my team, so that assertion come purely from the character creation screen. So I may be talking out of my ass.
Posted April 17, 2015
avatar
Kardwill: Aren't Cyphers battlemages-without-the-name? They use magic, and power their spells by using weapons, so they have to use both, no?

Note that I haven't got a cypher in my team, so that assertion come purely from the character creation screen. So I may be talking out of my ass.
Yes and not, their endurance and health is not so big, and they need to do first damage for be able to cast, if they are in the front line then Alarcay words become a reality (casting will becoming slow).

The druids have a little more of endurance and good options for being in the front line some seconds

The ciphers can truly control the battlefied with their powers but are not for be in the frontline, and once that you kill the enemies with low deflection, good luck collecting more focus.
Post edited April 17, 2015 by Belsirk
Posted April 17, 2015
I made my character a cipher, equiped him with ultra heavy armor and 2 fast weapons and can be called somewhat a battle mage. Not that I want him to be a frontline guy mind you, it is just that I want to destroy everything fast.

Ciphers have very high damaging spells, a ray you cast between you and someone from your team. So I engage with the fighter, then run the cipher behind the ennemy line. Of course some ennemies come to me but I can stay alive long enough. I cast the spell and everything die. They go poof, just like that. I move to include more ennemies when the ones between me and the fighter are dead, and while the spell is active I attack with melee weapons to recharge my focus, so I can recast it immediatly. Nothing survive this.

Of course you could run another real melee character behind the ennemies, or use summoned creatures, but what is the fun in that?

You could also buff your deflection with spells and, as a cipher, you don't have to rest. I do this in PoTD so I would say go for it you want. Just get a real tank also, you will never be as enduring as the fighter, or you will have to cheese a lot (you will have to if you want to do a solo PoTD run).
Post edited April 17, 2015 by webphi
Posted April 19, 2015
avatar
webphi: I made my character a cipher, equiped him with ultra heavy armor and 2 fast weapons and can be called somewhat a battle mage. Not that I want him to be a frontline guy mind you, it is just that I want to destroy everything fast.

Ciphers have very high damaging spells, a ray you cast between you and someone from your team. So I engage with the fighter, then run the cipher behind the ennemy line. Of course some ennemies come to me but I can stay alive long enough. I cast the spell and everything die. They go poof, just like that. I move to include more ennemies when the ones between me and the fighter are dead, and while the spell is active I attack with melee weapons to recharge my focus, so I can recast it immediatly. Nothing survive this.

Of course you could run another real melee character behind the ennemies, or use summoned creatures, but what is the fun in that?

You could also buff your deflection with spells and, as a cipher, you don't have to rest. I do this in PoTD so I would say go for it you want. Just get a real tank also, you will never be as enduring as the fighter, or you will have to cheese a lot (you will have to if you want to do a solo PoTD run).
After reading your post I check again the characteristic of the ciphers, and yes, is possible that they can work similar to battle-mages, they are mediocre in everything except deflection and accuracy.
I think will be inspired in your idea for the next time
Posted April 19, 2015
I ended up with all my spell casters turned into gunslingers. The spells in this game are quite underwhelming (compared to BG), so most of the time my spellcasters fire pistols and arquebuses from the back row. With the talents or skills that improves ranged attacks they are very effective.

I am in act III and basically the game combat system devolved into the one similar to Baldur's Gate: I have a tank in the front with maxed defenses and everybody in the back are shooting guns.
Posted April 20, 2015
Ehm sorry spells are weak?????? have you tried maxing Might on youre casters ?) spells are fucking insane, Druid has insane dmg spells mages have obscenely good control and dmg spells ( look lvl 1 spells ).( and rly the petrify spells ) Prone spells magic is by far the strongest in this game if u want to win on hard and above!

Also if u want "battlemage" what i did to that was I made A paladin added max lore and i use loads of scrolls... thats my take I grant you its not really the same, but its extremely powerfull :),
Post edited April 20, 2015 by gokke
Posted April 20, 2015
Yeah, don't know if we play differently, but in my game, liberal use of spells during a tough fight makes the difference between "cakewalk" and "total party kill"

Higher level enemies tend to resist direct damage spells, but the secondary effects are often quite efficient at neutering an entire enemy attack for a short but usefull span of time.
Post edited April 20, 2015 by Kardwill
Posted April 20, 2015

After reading your post I check again the characteristic of the ciphers, and yes, is possible that they can work similar to battle-mages, they are mediocre in everything except deflection and accuracy.
I think will be inspired in your idea for the next time
Also, not only they die fast, in PoTD, but you don't have to use some boring tactics like door block. Much more fun that way. Ok, sometimes you will bite the dust, but that's a good opportunity to use your others team members :)
Pages:
1
2
This is my favourite topic
Community
Pillars of Eternity SeriesBattlemage in PoE?(30 posts)(30 posts)
(30 posts)