A Question about MAGE Weapons.....

Are they really worth it ?

I mean, Weapons, whether ranged or Melee, need also Tactics in order to really do some damage, right?

Too bad then, that Mages (usually) have no need for, and do not have, any Tactics because they need instead Evaluate Intelligence....

So, my question is, what is the point for a Mage to actually use a Mage Weapon which reduces their Magery depending on what the Mage Weapon is and yet does not allow that Weapon to do any significant damage because the Mage, usually, has no Tactics ?

Also, are Mage Weapons automatically also Spell Channelling which it means that the Mage can cast spells while holding them in hand or would spell casting automatically unequip a Mage Weapon thus making it even less usefull ?

Is there even a point to have them and use these Mage Weapons for Mages ?

I know deep down this is a trap but i'll give it a go anyway.

IF you set it up correctly with the proper slayer and elemental type it will be close to the same base hit damage as a template with tactics and anatomy. Archery is what I've toyed with as it gives more weight to play when imbued. For example, a spell channel -20 magery 100 fire yumi spider slayer will pump 40-65 damage with a regular hit to Navery. That's not bad damage for a template with no wep skill.

I have my stats set for max swing and I also add as much mana leech as possible.

Is it worth it? It's a headache to set correctly but it does add more damage.

Is there a point? Sure. I'm contemplating some form of hybrid samp using this.

Urge said:

I know deep down this is a trap but i'll give it a go anyway.

IF you set it up correctly with the proper slayer and elemental type it will be close to the same base hit damage as a template with tactics and anatomy. Archery is what I've toyed with as it gives more weight to play when imbued. For example, a spell channel -20 magery 100 fire yumi spider slayer will pump 40-65 damage with a regular hit to Navery. That's not bad damage for a template with no wep skill.

I have my stats set for max swing and I also add as much mana leech as possible.

Is it worth it? It's a headache to set correctly but it does add more damage.

Is there a point? Sure. I'm contemplating some form of hybrid samp using this.

Thanks for the reply.

You mention that you have your stats set for max swing..... which it means, increasing dexterity and possibly wearing +stamina items...

This, when a Mage, instead, would need as much intelligence and +Mana Regen, Lower Mana Cost, Lower Reagent Cost etc. etc.

What I am trying to say is, that there is only "so much" item properties that a Template can sport, there is a CAP on Stats and if Dexterity and Stamina are increased to max swing, doesn't this happen then at the expense of Intelligence and Mana that a Mage would need to have as high as possible as a priority ?

And this, without taking into account that if a Mage is using a -20 Mage Weapon, the Mage, if he/she wants to use his/her Magery using all of the Scrolled points he/she has, will need to ALSO find room in the item worn for +20 Magery on some items....

My point being, that "if" it is possible to accomodate the use of a Mage Weapon without hurting the maximizing of the Mage abilities, both as skills needed as well as properties needed for Magery, then, sure, the added points from the Mage Weapon would be nice, but is this really advantageous for a Mage ?

For example, wouldn't some other skill, take Spellweaving or Mysticism, be more helpfull for a Mage as compared to mess around with skills, stats and item properties to accomodate a Mage Weapon and use it to some advantage ?

Also, does a "Mage Weapon" automatically mean that it also is a Spell Channelling weapon thus not being unequipped each and every time that the Mage casts a spell ?

For what it is, it isn't as bad as you think. I planned my whole template around getting as much damage with as little work as possible. It doesn't do as well as someone with max sdi chaining word of death but I don't have to worry about buying high priced slayer books and suit pieces. My template I say all kill, point and click and watch the number flow.

No, you can find mage weapons that aren't spell channeling that will unequip. You need spell channeling. However, if you are casting spell with either version, it will not swing.

Most often a mage weapon serves as a defensive barrier to taking damage that only requires an investment in some +skill items to offset the penalty as opposed to the skill investment in wrestling or anatomy.

Popps, you only mention one of the three benefits of mage weapons.  The second is that they help one train magery, by lowering effective skill, allowing more gains and casting of lower level spells.  It is kind of funny to me that you want a low magnitude -magery for fighting, but a high one for training. The third is defense against physical attacks.  If your character does not have either wrestling or eval+anatomy, the mage weapon can help fill that hole in your defense. So, yes, to me at least, mage weapons are worth it.

Rock said:

Popps, you only mention one of the three benefits of mage weapons.  The second is that they help one train magery, by lowering effective skill, allowing more gains and casting of lower level spells.  It is kind of funny to me that you want a low magnitude -magery for fighting, but a high one for training. The third is defense against physical attacks.  If your character does not have either wrestling or eval+anatomy, the mage weapon can help fill that hole in your defense. So, yes, to me at least, mage weapons are worth it.

The second benefit you mention, sure, it is of some help when training but it is a limited "one time" benefit..... once the character has trained up, what is the point of using a Mage Weapon again ?

And the Third benefit that I see often mentioned, the defense against physical attacks, comes at too much a heavy toll, to my opinion....

What toll ?

It lowers the Magery of the the Template who is a Mage and, thus, has Magery relying on that skill as the "main" tool for combat....

And it gets worse, considering that Masteries take into account that value of a skill in order to provide a greater or lesser benefit..... lowering Magery because holding in hand a Mage Weapon, not only nerfs the Powerfullness of Magery but ALSO it hurts the effectiveness of the Magery Mastery....

My question is, considered the heavy downsides of holding a Mage Weapon that also needs to be Spell Channelling with its its -1 FC (we are talking of a Mage Template and this penalty hurts....), in the end, is it REALLY worth it the defensive advantage that it gives when it hurts so much the effectiveness of Magery as well as the Magery Mastery ?

Saved 1 single item which is a 0 Mage Weapon, the lowest Mage Weapon is 15 and going down from 120 Magery to 105 Magery is quite a difference in the effectiveness of the spells being cast.....

That is, when balancing the PROs and CONs, the use of a Mage Weapon can we really consider it as a Plus and not instead a CON ?