Mage Strategy Guide

IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS IS NOT A 'WORLD OF WARCRAFT' GUIDE!

This guide gives a rough idea on how to play as a Mage. Any word with a "(?)" beside it is unconfirmed.

Starting Spells
The Mage starts with 2 spells, Frost Nova and Eleclance. Eleclance has unlimited charges while Frost Nova has up to 12 and they can be leveled up like any other spell by finding and reading additional spellbooks.

Frost Nova: This spell generates a medium sized AoE field of ice that deals low damage and has a high chance to freeze enemies it strikes. Frost Nova is a useful support spell, especially in the catacombs. Using Frost Nova on zombies will give your party an opportunity to quickly and safely dispatch them. If a hand grabs you or a party member, freezing it will break the grab. Also, flying enemies will fall to the ground when frozen. In multiplayer, consider giving additonal Frost Nova books to your party members first although depending on their starting perk, particular if it reduces ther INT, they won't be able to take advantage of it as much.

Eleclance: This small lance of lightning deals damage in a short range in front of the mage. This spell has the highest immediate damage, usually between 2 and 6, and can compensate for the mage's poor starting weapon. When leveled, Eleclance deals extra damage and travels much further.

Basics of the Mage
The mage starts lower health, STR, DEX, and VIT than the other classes. This is offset by a much higher INT, granting the mage increased spell damage and charges. The mage is generally unsuited to close combat and should instead focus on utilizing his spells as effectively as possible.

Spells for Mages
Shockwave: Shockwave is sometimes useful. It fires a blast along the ground doing medium-high damage to any enemy it strikes. Unfortunately the spell only hits grounded enemies and has a long charge time. This spell is particularly effective in the catacombs.

Magic Missile: This skill deals non elemental damage, allowing it to damage every enemy in the game. It tracks extremely aggressively, charges quickly, and does reasonable damage.

Backgrounds
Bookworm and Heirloom are both solid choices for spellcasting. With Bookworm, each new spell the mage learns will start at level 2. Heirloom replaces the mage's starting weapon with a +2 INT ring. Raised by Merchant gives the group a discount at stores.

Weapon Enchant
Putting 3 points into the Enchant affinity allows the mage to apply permanent fire, ice, and lightning effects to the melee and ranged weapon he is wielding. Multiple effects can be applied to the same weapon. This is very useful in multiplayer. The effect does not wear off if you unequip or drop the enchanted weapon, so the mage can equip his party member's weapons, enchant them. and hand them back. This can be done with god-cursed weapons, but the mage must die and be resurrected before he is able to hand it back. Currently, only fire, ice, and lightning spells add enchantments to weapons.

Support Caster
Focus on casting spells to stun enemies or support your teamates. Kill several of the bosses without them even being able to react.

Background
Bookworm. Getting level two on most spells is just okay, but getting level two iceball with only one book is game changing.

Stats
4 Spellcaster, 4 Alchemy, 3 Enchant.

Spellcaster
You won't notice much of a difference in your spellcasting until you have four points into spellcaster but they make a world of difference. Being able to charge a spell and move freely is 100% necessary if you want to contribute to boss fights without taking damage. Being mobile and able to attack outside of most enemies attack range means you can do incredible damage in complete safety. The crit chance also helps in the late game as a big crit with only 3-4 iceballs can take out 70% of most bosses health and leave them frozen.

Alchemy
Alchemy is super important in multiplayer. Being able to see all potions is incredibly useful and only gets better when you are able to mix negative potions for the chance of getting regen. The full 4 points may seem like a lot but having the chance to drink potions multiple times (expected value of just under 2) means that you are getting much more value out of your stat boosting potions, especially when compared to investing levels into stats. This also greatly improves the healing capacity of regen potions as there is a great chance that you can drink them more than once.

Enchant
Enchant is just a good way to spend your last few points, especially in multiplayer. At level 3 you can permanently enchant ranged and melee weapons with elemental attributes and give them to your teammates. While not a massive increase in damage the status effects are helpful.

Spells to look out for:
puto Iceball: Absolutely your bread and butter spell. Each level just adds another iceball that does full damage so this spell scales much better than any other in the game. With just two iceballs you are hitting hard, with four you can kill most bosses before they can react. More importantly, it freezes enemies for a short duration allowing your party to do serious damage. With a very short cast time and cooldown you can easily chainstun many of the bosses from a great distance and end them before they can react. "Charm: Gamebreakingly good in certain situations. Casting charm on some bosses forces them to fight their summons. A good 3rd of all bosses will simply die if you cast charm on them, the others will kill everything in the level for you and return incredibly hurt.""Summon Monster: Very good utility especially at higher levels. It isnt uncommon that a full batch of level 2 monsters will kill a boss all by themselves. They do struggle against certain enemies and bosses but at their worst they still can clear a good portion of the stage or at least tank some hits for you.""Magic Missile: Very solid spell that is best used on enemies that you are unfamiliar with or enemies that cannot reach you. Increadibly useful when attacking vertically from safety.""Fireball/Shockwave: Very good damage especially on crit. Strong spells if you have not found iceball""Lightning/Chain lightning: Also very good damage and very good at fighting enemies at a vertical distance."

Support
Strongly recommended in multiplayer. A party without a support mage is like a fellowship without a Gandalf.

Background
Raised by Merchant: Discounts for everyone.

Stats
3 Enchant, 3 Rod, 1 Alchemy, 5 Vitality

Enchant
Max this immediately. By the time you're entering floor 4, you'll be able to add at least two enchantments to everyone's melee and ranged weapons. At each level of enchant, you can also enchant yourself with one additional spell. Fire and lightning enchantments will help compensate for poor offensive stats, but be careful around water when you're lightning enchanted. Frost enchant will give you a 50%(?) chance to freeze enemies on hit, and it stacks(?) with your weapon enchant. It may be worth considering luck instead of wand/vit to increase the chance of weapon effects. Some non-elemental enchantments to look out for are shockwave/spirits/blink. Shockwave boosts strength, spirit shield boosts defense(?), and blink boosts speed(?).

Rod
Rod is a powerful tree that synergizes well with Enchant. You will be able to deal massive damage once Leech Cast is learned.

Alchemy
Optional. Identifying everyone's potions for only 1 point is a nice perk. But 2 points will give you a chance to make regen potions from random pots you find.

Vitality
Survivability. All of your remaining levels are best spent here since wand casting and elemental effects aren't(?) stat dependent..

Arcane Archer
An enchanter with a focus on ranged weapons. Suffers from the lack of a starting ranged weapon and ammo. You'll likely be relying on your starter spells until you either find some gear or convince a rogue to donate his bow and arrows. Finding a boomerang by floor 3 can help compensate for a lack of ammo.

Background
Farsight: increase ranged damage at the cost of melee accuracy and a more difficult early game.

Build
3 enchant, the rest in luck/dexterity/vitality at your own discretion.

Enchant
All ranged weapons can be enchanted. Element self-enchants do not apply to ranged attacks.

Luck and Dexterity
Both are good choices for increasing damage. Luck gives a solid return due to affecting the frequency of elemental effects, so at least 3 points will pay off pretty well here. Spending on dexterity helps compensate for the mage's low starting stat. If you haven't found a good ranged weapon by floor 4, luck may be a better first choice due to increased melee crit chance and a small chance for extra loot from chests at level 3.

Final Note
The mage is a must-have in multiplayer. Every group can benefit from having triple enchanted weapons.