PvE Build

[Billy Michael]

Ok so after much searching i have decided that the build i was thinking of using seems to be used by others. This is

Fire, ice, clock and heal.

However, i was wondering what upgrades to these skills should be used and also which passive skills i should use?

Thanks

[Valkiryas]

Is better for PVE

Fire, Clock, Ice and Thunder.

[Alhuntrazeck]

Well, I never really caught on to the clock skill. Maybe because I don't know how to use it. I find Fire, Gale, Frost, Heal to be much more capable. Both in PvE and PvP. Fire, Ice and Heal I'd suggest full 5/5 since all/most of the upgrades are useful. Fire's knockback is nice, the way it lets enemies stay down is also good, etc. Frost's ice patch on death and other upgrades are useful too. Heal 5/5 since all the upgrades are excellent.

Let me get on my laptop to give you the best upgrades. Sry for the incomplete evaluation, but this pc doesn't handle the graphics. Will edit this post soon.

[will0]

Well, I never really caught on to the clock skill. Maybe because I don't know how to use it. I find Fire, Gale, Frost, Heal to be much more capable. Both in PvE and PvP. Fire, Ice and Heal I'd suggest full 5/5 since all/most of the upgrades are useful. Fire's knockback is nice, the way it lets enemies stay down is also good, etc. Frost's ice patch on death and other upgrades are useful too. Heal 5/5 since all the upgrades are excellent.

Let me get on my laptop to give you the best upgrades. Sry for the incomplete evaluation, but this pc doesn't handle the graphics. Will edit this post soon.

yes... stuns are good but not a big fan of 15-20% chance upgrades kind of waste of skill point. For Mage they should increase the percentage of the Stuns to make us more viable as a supportive role... Many of times doing runs, warriors ask to give Mage to "mana"! "heal"! do we look like a doctor? I am even being called as "stupid mage" F*** cause i don't heal .. lolz

If STS should add an upgrade "revival" skill on heal ... that will be a great skill why do we need to pay 1 plat to revive on spot ?

I do not use heal as a passive skill. I am more aggro and pots user Time / Fire / Ice / Light .. I know buying pots is not cheap ...

[bluotaku]

I actually take shield over heal (if you're running PUGS you're gonna get called noob a lot.) Here's what I do:

For ice, take upgrade 2 and 3 (DoT and longer duration). The other ones are worthless IMO. A charge and release for frost freezes enemies close to you (AoE without the extra skill), so just let a mob group up, get close, and keep them frozen. The CD is low enough so you can pretty much keep that whole mob frozen for the whole fight (sometimes frost just slows, but most of the time it freezes for me). If you just have 2 or 3 enemies scattered, you can tap frost (no charge) to freeze one, then tap as soon as CD is up to freeze other, and switch between the two to keep them permafrozen.


Clock: I take all except timebomb. Root is most important so you can keep enemies together (especially ranged ones that try to run) and freeze them with frost.

Sometimes you take a lot of dmg standing in the middle of a group of mobs freezing, so I put up shield for protection.

Honestly, I rarely charge my fireball because a charged fireball blows frozen enemies back a bit, thus scattering them and making it worse for my frost. I usually open with a charged fb so I can get into the middle of the mobs and start freezing. After that, I usually just tap fb for the dmg.

Sorcs that use gale without knowing what they're doing annoy me to no end. They scatter enemies so I cant freeze them in groups.

[ishyrionek]

Fire 5/5
Ice 4/5, no rip up
Shield 4/5, no push away
Heal 3/5, no heals over time
Passives: int, dmg, str.

[Silverpegasus]

I actually take shield over heal (if you're running PUGS you're gonna get called noob a lot.) Here's what I do:

For ice, take upgrade 2 and 3 (DoT and longer duration). The other ones are worthless IMO. A charge and release for frost freezes enemies close to you (AoE without the extra skill), so just let a mob group up, get close, and keep them frozen. The CD is low enough so you can pretty much keep that whole mob frozen for the whole fight (sometimes frost just slows, but most of the time it freezes for me). If you just have 2 or 3 enemies scattered, you can tap frost (no charge) to freeze one, then tap as soon as CD is up to freeze other, and switch between the two to keep them permafrozen.


Clock: I take all except timebomb. Root is most important so you can keep enemies together (especially ranged ones that try to run) and freeze them with frost.

Sometimes you take a lot of dmg standing in the middle of a group of mobs freezing, so I put up shield for protection.

Honestly, I rarely charge my fireball because a charged fireball blows frozen enemies back a bit, thus scattering them and making it worse for my frost. I usually open with a charged fb so I can get into the middle of the mobs and start freezing. After that, I usually just tap fb for the dmg.

Sorcs that use gale without knowing what they're doing annoy me to no end. They scatter enemies so I cant freeze them in groups.

I have the same play style as you. After I lead the party, freeze em in a bunch and Time Shift them, some noob mage in PUG will always scatter them away with gale. so f'' annoying.
Follow Bluotaku's build. It is the most party-friendly build. Always have time shift at hand. it is epic!

Unless you want "I-come-in-after the better mage did the pre-kill, I simply use gale to scatter the enemies ticking to die in time shift". Then you really only need gale skill.

[SuRfY]

I have the same play style as you. After I lead the party, freeze em in a bunch and Time Shift them, some noob mage in PUG will always scatter them away with gale. so f'' annoying.
Follow Bluotaku's build. It is the most party-friendly build. Always have time shift at hand. it is epic!

Unless you want "I-come-in-after the better mage did the pre-kill, I simply use gale to scatter the enemies ticking to die in time shift". Then you really only need gale skill.

Yeah, i hate mage that use gale in hauntlets too.

Anyway, my skill setup is fire,lightning,clock and heal. Used to have ice but personally, i don't feel it is good. Being a crowd's favorite skill doesn't necessary mean it is good. It all depends on how you play.

[Alhuntrazeck]

Gale is good if you know how to use it (in PvE as its sucky in PvP). Like, gale using mages shouldn't use it when enemies are rooted in a clock. The best time to use it, at least imo, is when the tank's dragging every mob over. Then you can scatter them for some breathing space for the tank. Its also useful in boss battles as a purely damaging skill.

[Otawaazavie]

Gale is good if you know how to use it (in PvE as its sucky in PvP). Like, gale using mages shouldn't use it when enemies are rooted in a clock. The best time to use it, at least imo, is when the tank's dragging every mob over. Then you can scatter them for some breathing space for the tank. Its also useful in boss battles as a purely damaging skill.

Or when the mobs are near a wall so they won't be scattered. I'm also annoyed by scatter mages -.-

[katish]

I don't think gale does enough damage compared to fire, ice or clock. It requires skills to know how to use it so to not scatter mobs.

[JemNI]

I could be wrong but I don't think a charged Fireball scatters mobs held by Timeshift, am I right? It just stuns them. Anyway, I use the root effect of timeshift and can easily solo any Watcher Tomb level. I rush in and root a group and blast that group with fireball. Dozens of mobs start to sizzle and fry from the combined DoT. This is WAY more effective for me than Frost which only has a 20% chance to do AoE. I use Frost against individuals and bosses since it does more damage, but I may switch it out for shield.

Is damage passive really worth taking for an extra 1% DMG per point?

[Deadroth]

I reccomend:

- Fire
- Ice
- Time
- Shield

(Just drink pots)

or

- Fire
- Ice
- Shield
- Heal

[coedie]

Fire 5/5
Ice 4/5, no rip up
Shield 4/5, no push away
Heal 3/5, no heals over time
Passives: int, dmg, str.

then what skill to use with this? pure int? pure dex? pure strenght? or int dex strength?

[katish]

I think most mages go for pure inteligence as it gives you the most damage. And to compensate, most go for int/str gear.