ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Hello!

I tried a few different mage builds.
Apparently I screw, as all is well untill I meet high lvl archers.
Theese guys just kill me.

What is the trick to survive elite archers as a mage?

Tom

Dont let them see you, hit around a corner, duck, heal, continue. Stun them, freeze them, ...

Also, Barrier Runes are a big help against sudden ranged physical threats, for mages, which is why I tend to swear by at least one of them as soon as I can get it. They don't take a turn to use, and can buy you a precious turn or two to bring them down.

And if all else fails, teleport or Phase Door(or, even better, controlled Teleport or Controlled Phase Door, which you get by leveling up those skills.).

High level Archers usually can't drop you in one turn, and two is unlikely for mages that aren't Yeek or Shaloren in my experience. If you think you're going to die next turn against an Archer, get out of there. Next time, you may see him first, and you can mow him down just as fast as he can kill you. And if you have the controlled teleports, you're pretty sure to land some place safe.

You have a spell (arcane eye)that lets you see problems around a corner. Use it, and if you're exposing yourself to danger pop a shield up before you step out. You can also sometimes use indirect targeting (e.g. fireballs) to damage enemies who are just out of your line of sight if the angle is OK.