ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Just hit level 19 and died for the first time in the graveyard (or whatever it's called). I was wondering what people think should be my mid-game priorities, point usage and equipment. In particular before i head to Dreadfell.

http://te4.org/characters/14398/tome/01 ... 58090445e3

I've read the guide in this section and poked around the forums for some collective (individual) wisdom. But specifically, …

• Do you normally prioritise magic or spellpower when picking equipment? Lets assume the equipment has some reasonable immunity or resistance either way.
• Meta looks a little average to me to be honest - am i missing something? Perhaps i should invest my level 20 category point in light and my 36 in meta, or something else?
• I'm really loving aether right now. Is the silence effect from beam ever useful (because the damage doesn't seem that great) or do people normally stick with breach and manathrust as their primary weapons while in avatar form (+disruption field)?
• On that note, what's a standard number of points to invest in disruption field? Is it just what you're comfortable managing, or do the later game bosses deal so much damage that you have to invest if you want to avoid blowing out?
• Is it worth investing points in arcane power for the spellpower boost (over the other ways i could spend them)? What about militant mind (which seems pretty sweet against mobs and summoners)?

Thanks!

1. Yes, spellpower is very important. It's your damage, your status chance, and your shield strength.
2. Meta is a little niche, yes. Take temporal instead.
3. I'm not an aether expert, but most dangerous enemies are mages. Silencing them is good.
4. I'm disruption shield enthusiast, so I'd say 5/5 as soon as possible. Especially as it has a synergy with Aether. Use it as (potentially infinite) protection first, and a mana source second.
5. Arcane power seems underuppreciated by people, not sure why. Militant mind is the major point of being a halfling. But you could want to get 4/5 in phase door first.

Meta is great in two cases:

1/ You meet a randboss who has some terrifying spell sustains (e.g. Essence of Speed).

2/ You are not immune to disease yet you are facing something with VD and Epidemic and Catalepsy.



Meta is necessary in one case:

a) You have several attack spells which are always bad for you to be in their area.
Fire and Water both have specific spells which allow you to enjoy being in the area of your spells, so it's pretty much Earth and Aether which qualify.