my 1st winner...finally... [v1.04] Disruption Archmage

[attila]

Navar Kazakh

Probably the most powerful character I ever played. Have been playing since late last year with a couple months break in between.

Some notes:
1. two major keys to success: 1) high damage and 2) high shields
Since this is an archmage, this basically translated into primarily maxing spellpower, and secondarily maxing spell crits. Note that "high damage" for an archmage meant merely 1-2k (at peak) in a single hit. Nowhere near corruptors who hit with 6k...

2. I pumped MAG (1st) and WIL (2nd) to max concurrently. Then pumped CUN (for crits). And put the final stats points into CON.

3. The deaths were mainly due to careless play (no surprises haha). The only real threat I died to was an elite patchwork troll rare during my mid-levels (around lvl 30) in Reknor. Its continuous rush/daze, my insufficient damage output, and my inability to get far enough away from it outside of using teleport, caused the death.

4. Spellcraft turned out to be amazingly useful for putting out damage nearby without fear of hitting myself. The spellshock effect was a nice bonus.

5. I lost 3 escorts (spawned in Dreadfell and Reknor right amidst multiple powerful enemies at the entrance) and hence didn't manage to get the Celestial/Light tree. On hindsight that didn't hinder me too much. Had some unused generic points left over after the final High Peak fight.

6. I took the Spell/Temporal tree just before entering High Peak, with the express purpose of using Time Prison (22 turns) on the sorcerors in the final fight. Worked out exactly as planned.

7. The Spell/Meta tree is awesome as usual, those few times I needed it...

8. Disruption shield is the single most important reason for the win. Held up amazingly once I could get spellpower high enough. The ratio of awesomeness began at about 0.2. I entered High peak at about 0.15. With a manapool of 700-800, and running around with just 70-80 mana, gave a constant shield of about 4.7k. Only had to turn on Aegis (the spell) to double the shield size only a couple of times throughout the whole play. Did not lose any life from the prides to Slime Tunnels to High Peak. Died once to orc patrols...during the 1 time I didn't have disruption shield on.

9. The main weapons are Manathrust and Flame for singles, Arcane Breach and Arcane Beam for crowds. I usually open with Illuminate to blind. No surprises here I guess...

10. Unlocked Oozemancers and Adventurers (yay!!!).

11. Couldn't find a worthy staff until very late. Was using a dragonbone of channelling until Tarelion turned up on High Peak level 6. Telos Upper Half turned up in Grushnak Pride (final pride I cleared).

From my experience, archmages are most vulnerable in their late 20s to early 30s. If you have not built up good spellpower by then, you are likely to face significant risks with your encounters. Spellpower buildup relies heavily on equipment, hence a certain amount of luck is needed. For this character, I grinded/farmed shamelessly on adventurer parties, farportals, and level 2 of Sludgenest. Finding and buying up good equipment from stores early in game was also a factor in this success. I made it a point to look through all stores early in the game, made notes which to buy, then farmed adventurer parties for the cash.

Alchemist rewards in order (if I had my way...don't remember if I managed to get them this time):
1. +3 MAG and WIL
2. +2 class points
3. +2 generic points
4. + spell crit
5. + stat points

[SageAcrin]

Congrats.

Archmage isn't too easy of a first clear, despite its raw power, I'd say.