Planar Arena for Mage

[Candylicks]

So yeah, Arena is tough for mage and our lack of dodge. Have you figured out anything helpful to share with your fellow blue friends?

I learned quick clock is a total waste for arena, and was running with fire, ice, shield, light. The only encounter useful for clock was frostir + spiders.

What else is working for you?

I will say the extra HP off kersh was helpful too.

[Robhawk]

I didnt play new arena but the new buffed Singe perhaps gonna help you and the party there.

+250hp
+160 armor (4% dmg reduction)
+42INT
+12 STR
+12 DEX
+12% dmg

+ 75% stun, 12 DEX, 12 INT, 12 STR on AA
+ more damage output
+ longer damageoutput (5 seconds now, before it was 3 seconds)
+ passive 20% hit/armor reduction for 4 seconds

[Haligali]

I suggest you use gun, the root and the -25% armor debuff, plus the extra armor is much more helpful than the hp difference.

[Caabatric]

only thing i can say is stay in the back hope you dot get hit and use shield effectively.
i suggest holding off on planar right now and wait for sts to nerf it because as of now its farming deaths for a pretty bad prize.

[Instanthumor]

Take out Fireball, try insert Gale. 50% armor bonus helps, dmg from fire = gale, gale has larger aoe (for spiders and such), great for running away from vortex, extra speed needed to avoid reds, etc.

Mythic gun would be better. 150 armor > 150 hp (150 hp is small) and also goes nicely with gale buff.

[Alhuntrazeck]

Take out Fireball, try insert Gale. 50% armor bonus helps, dmg from fire = gale, gale has larger aoe (for spiders and such), great for running away from vortex, extra speed needed to avoid reds, etc.

Mythic gun would be better. 150 armor > 150 hp (150 hp is small) and also goes nicely with gale buff.

Gale does about 100 damage less than Fireball not including DoT - I tested during free respec.

I got into planar yesterday with a rogue, it was really hard :/ I get crit about 2k without shield per frostir's normal attack. THere should be a nerf or I don't think us smurfs will get a chance.

[Instanthumor]

Gale does about 100 damage less than Fireball not including DoT - I tested during free respec.

I also tested during free respec - gale does the same damage as fireball. Look at the dmg range on the skill info page, they are the same. You might want to record more samples when testing. I can use any skill twice and the difference can be 100+.

[LibertyBells (Jasper)]

A great way to stay alive a little longer would be to use Gale. I dont use it mainly for damage, i use it to get away from vortex, etc. Also, I started using Curse just so i can stay alive a little longer in place of my shield cool down, and it's working wonders for me. Also, (i haven't tried this out) but you can always put on Ancient druid gear, and have your rouges do the damage while you do your part. (Extra hp/armor)

I noticed that if, (BIG IF) your warrior is able to taunt the boss at the right times, they are able to keep the attention on them (Well, duh) while YOU (THE SORCERER) can either attack the boss, or attack the minions (like spiders) so that way rouges can focus on the boss. Or, if you are able to, also attack the boss.

[Robhawk]

I dont even consider entering this new arena... You farm death, need plats to revive, need pots and in the end you get an peic item out of the chest? lol...

Once in a million someone gets an arcane fossil. Im looking forward how many will loot 1 from these chests!

Then ill stay at tdm with the glitched rogues, this seems to be more fun, lol.

[Haligali]

and have your rouges do the damage while you do your part. (Extra hp/armor)

Oh well, a smurfs role in arena is very questionable. Rogues doing high damage, warrior can grab aggro and save them with horn if they got stuck in a red zone, but there is no mobs beside spiders. Staying alive shouldnt be our only job. So the only thing what we are good for in arena is root the bosses with mythic gun. I hope the planar tombs are near.

[LibertyBells (Jasper)]

Oh well, a smurfs role in arena is very questionable. Rogues doing high damage, warrior can grab aggro and save them with horn if they got stuck in a red zone, but there is no mobs beside spiders. Staying alive shouldnt be our only job. So the only thing what we are good for in arena is root the bosses with mythic gun. I hope the planar tombs are near.

That strategy wont help the smurfs that currently don't have an Elo gun but you're correct there my friend.

[Candylicks]

Oh well, a smurfs role in arena is very questionable. Rogues doing high damage, warrior can grab aggro and save them with horn if they got stuck in a red zone, but there is no mobs beside spiders. Staying alive shouldnt be our only job. So the only thing what we are good for in arena is root the bosses with mythic gun. I hope the planar tombs are near.

I agree, Arena is really not the best place for mage.

I just can't get the hang of the rifle at all either. I just go down so much easier w/it. But yes I see the root proc on boss happening and is helpful, but what am I doing wrong that I die so much more w/ rifle than staff?

[Haligali]

I agree, Arena is really not the best place for mage.

I just can't get the hang of the rifle at all either. I just go down so much easier w/it. But yes I see the root proc on boss happening and is helpful, but what am I doing wrong that I die so much more w/ rifle than staff?

Idk but that small hp difference shouldnt be a problem. Try to keep your gun shield always on maximum.

[GoodSyntax]

Here are some new discoveries I came across while trying to solo the arena pure:

Glob - always fight him at melee range. His running shoulder attack is a one-hit wonder. As long as you are in melee range, he never does the running attack, and his windups are slow and easy to avoid.

BloodHammer - Only fight him at long range. Don't get into melee or intermediate range. All of his melee range attacks are one hitters against Sorcs and Rogues.

Frostir - Use a lapping strategy on him. His attacks are slow and predictable. The only challenge with Frostir is when you get him coupled with Vortex Crystals. In this case, I had some success pinning myself onto the left side of the arena, wait for 2 or three Crystals to drop and Frostir to get close and use a charged Pierce to evade. Pin yourself on the right side, rinse and repeat. For Sorcs, Gale would be the equivalent of Pierce.

Ferrix - He's easy to deal with....no real strategy needed, except to avoid his death pools (they hurt a lot).

Mother - Fight at an intermediate range (don't try to kite, she will use her pull attack on you and then you'll die). At melee range, you risk being stunned by her, at kiting range, she has a spit attack that hurts A LOT, plus that pull attack which is a pull and kill.

Stahl - Don't stop potting....I don't know what to say about a weak boss that one hits me when I have ~3.4k HP and just under 1.6k armor. You can't kite this guy, so you might as well fight him up close. Folks have told me that Curse works well to mitigate some of his insane damage.

And, as I have suggested before, use a stun/panic pet to get yourself out of trouble when you get pinned or stunned. Keep the pet's AA available, and only use it when you need it. Nothing worse than being pinned/stunned, seeing a windup and knowing that there is nothing you can do to avoid it because your pet's AA is on cooldown.

[Caabatric]

Here are some new discoveries I came across while trying to solo the arena pure:

Glob - always fight him at melee range. His running shoulder attack is a one-hit wonder. As long as you are in melee range, he never does the running attack, and his windups are slow and easy to avoid.

BloodHammer - Only fight him at long range. Don't get into melee or intermediate range. All of his melee range attacks are one hitters against Sorcs and Rogues.

Frostir - Use a lapping strategy on him. His attacks are slow and predictable. The only challenge with Frostir is when you get him coupled with Vortex Crystals. In this case, I had some success pinning myself onto the left side of the arena, wait for 2 or three Crystals to drop and Frostir to get close and use a charged Pierce to evade. Pin yourself on the right side, rinse and repeat. For Sorcs, Gale would be the equivalent of Pierce.

Ferrix - He's easy to deal with....no real strategy needed, except to avoid his death pools (they hurt a lot).

Mother - Fight at an intermediate range (don't try to kite, she will use her pull attack on you and then you'll die). At melee range, you risk being stunned by her, at kiting range, she has a spit attack that hurts A LOT, plus that pull attack which is a pull and kill.

Stahl - Don't stop potting....I don't know what to say about a weak boss that one hits me when I have ~3.4k HP and just under 1.6k armor. You can't kite this guy, so you might as well fight him up close. Folks have told me that Curse works well to mitigate some of his insane damage.

And, as I have suggested before, use a stun/panic pet to get yourself out of trouble when you get pinned or stunned. Keep the pet's AA available, and only use it when you need it. Nothing worse than being pinned/stunned, seeing a windup and knowing that there is nothing you can do to avoid it because your pet's AA is on cooldown.
Whoa nice guide.
Btw. Ancient doesn't help too much (since for the most part you still get ko) but makes shield stronger so i guess it works fine ( I use ancient over mythic in arena).
Use the strategies goodsyntax said and you should be fine.

[Candylicks]

Some tips:

Encounters with mushrooms always stand against a wall

Keep still with spiders - the more you move the more they spawn

[fumolamota]

I have yet to experience the new arena, but I've been looking at the thread trying to figure out how I can be useful with my squishy mage.

I've been thinking a pure support mage might be of use:

Gale - 3/5: Protective Current, Speed of Wind
Curse- 4/5: Words of Weakening, Penetrating, Lingering
Shield- 4/5: Extended, Static Res, Hardened
Lifegiver- 5/5
Int/Str/Agi/Armor -5/5

Would this build be useful in keeping the party/yourself alive? Would there be enough damage from the rest of the party? Swapping lifegiver for a stun & dot, like fire or ice, might be an option too. What do you think?

[GoodSyntax]

I have yet to experience the new arena, but I've been looking at the thread trying to figure out how I can be useful with my squishy mage.

I've been thinking a pure support mage might be of use:

Gale - 3/5: Protective Current, Speed of Wind
Curse- 4/5: Words of Weakening, Penetrating, Lingering
Shield- 4/5: Extended, Static Res, Hardened
Lifegiver- 5/5
Int/Str/Agi/Armor -5/5

Would this build be useful in keeping the party/yourself alive? Would there be enough damage from the rest of the party? Swapping lifegiver for a stun & dot, like fire or ice, might be an option too. What do you think?

Heal isn't much help in arena. People die because of one-hits, not because they get DPS'ed to death.