Air/Storm - lightning Archmage build

[Delmuir]

I've played every single-element build possible on an Archmage, including a melee that used Phantasm… the only build that I have never gotten past the maze with is a lightning mage.

So, is it just me or is this build crap?

Daze never hits, even with Nova and its claim of 75%… and when it does hit, it provides little benefit that I can ascertain. Worse yet, it doesn't maintain very long.

Has anyone found it viable to use lightning as their primary element as an archmage?

[HousePet]

Lightning is below average damage, increased damage variability, applies a debuff that breaks when you do damage, applies a debuff that does damage every turn, and relies on beating stun resistance for both debuffs.

As for viability, I get nowhere with any Archmage.

[Delmuir]

Come on HousePet, I know what the lightning skills DO… I'm just curious if I'm missing anything… some secret…

As for mages, how is it that you struggle with them? I'm curious because they're the easiest build's for me, especially the cold/arcane hybrid… that thing is a death machine.

Seriously though, what seems to be holding you up?

[HousePet]

Generally carelessness and trying to stick rigidly to a single element is what kills me.

Basically a Lightning Archmage needs to get Thunderstorm/Hurricane running for excessive damage output.

[Delmuir]

Well, if you ever want to try a mage out that has a high chance of success, I suggest a skeleton/cold mage. It's probably the most durable of all of the mages and the only one that can just auto explore the entire game… the start is a little slow but it comes around quickly when you cycle tri-beams off for Frozen Ground, right around the time you're entering the maze.

It's a single-element build and often has an extra category point at the end… I never know what to do with it so I usually end up with Meta and the cool-down reduction ability. Honestly, you don't need it with that build but it's always nice to have.

I use all of the defensive sustains from the Staff Mastery Category to the Phantasm (including the damage on hit shield… that thing can do almost 200 damage per strike at the game's end) category and whatever the early earth sustain is. It makes for a close-quarters, tanking mage with high survivability. Sometimes I even put a shield on it…

If you can get past the Maze, this build is pretty much a lock to finish the game… if you switch in Aether, it gets a bit more volatile (better damage output but lower survivability).

Seriously, this build is very, very hard to kill.

[Danton]

We seem to be opposites. I found air/storm really easy but can't get a cold mage off the ground to save my life.

[Delmuir]

How far have you taken a lightning mage? I can never seem to get one off the ground… The hardest part with cold is generally the hardest part for every build, lvl 14-20. However, with a cold mage, you can still cycle on a lightning and fire with two points each if you need to. However, you shouldn't have to… just keep layering the damage.

[Danton]

Won and blew my lives on Atamathon. I mean, it was normal, so nothing to write home about, but once I got the storm sustains up and running it just melted everything except very hard single targets.

[Delmuir]

Ha! That describes every mage I've ever made… Taking down Atamathon is another problem entirely. I guess I just have to work harder on the lightning mage...

[Razakai]

Lightning AM requires heavy investment. It won't be good until you can get Hurricane, Thunderstorm and Tempest all running as the majority of their damage comes from proccing Hurricane from daze effects.