I like the Mage. But, its a tricky class. My first playthrough kind of failed, since I just put points in what ever spell I thought would look cool.

This time around, I went fro on entropy blood mage arcane warrior. And its freaking hardcore. I do more melee damage then Sten. Miasma really helps, especially when combined with weakness and paralyze. I've got 100 mental and 99 physical resistance (with buff) and 75% resistance for each special type damage. My mage sports the Legion plate armor set, and will look awesome with Arcane Warrior maxed. Death magic rocks with Blood mage. Honestly the only thing I regret is getting the Animate Dead spell, since its the only one in that chain I use. And I don't use it as often as I though.

I've been trying to think of ways I could make the blood mage/Arcane warrior mage better, and other then doing one of the primals instead of the Animate Dead chain I can't think of any. I already have an AoE (death cloud) so I'm not really missing out there.

Any way, what builds do you all like? I'm just trying to get some ideas.

I don't have a mage PC, but I've been using the respecialization mod to slightly alter Morrigan and Wynne. The Earthquake and Petrify line has proven very useful, and I use Hexes all the time. I intend to complete all the primal spell lines. I'm sad that I didn't take mage at creation, because then I'd be able to have Frost Weapons, Flame Weapons and Telekinetic Weapons active simultaneously:(. I level up in Willpower and Magic with a 1:2 ratio, with occasional points in Constitution.

I went for the healing spells, of course, from the spirit healer chain. Maxed out the Cold chain, and the one where you get psychic prison. Worked like a charm. Don`t think i used any other spells.

I normally only build my mages around the primal spells selection but I am finding the hexes to be very useful on my current playthrough with Morigan.

I may have to replay a mage with a concentration on evil type spells. Maybe incorporate some pick pocketing into the mix as well.

Typo, I meant Legionnaire armor. The one you get in the forest.

I like death magic because it does spirit damage.And there aren't any creature immune to it that I've noticed. Steal life, and Death Aura are essential for a blood mage I think. And I just like paralyze since it almost always lands.

Also, I put every point into magic. It really helps with arcane warrior. This is actually a pretty fun build. Its sort of like a warrior with some ranged and AoE attacks. And I've yet to reproduce that amount of damage resistance on any thing but my archery rouge.

I don't like spirit healer because I'd rather make Wynne do that. And shapeshifer just seems clunky to me. I rely on buffs a lot for all my PCs. And I don't like redoing them if I don't have to.

Check it out if you get bored. It plays pretty good. On the 360 any way, might be different on PC.

Typo, I meant Legionnaire armor. The one you get in the forest.

I like death magic because it does spirit damage.And there aren't any creature immune to it that I've noticed. Steal life, and Death Aura are essential for a blood mage I think. And I just like paralyze since it almost always lands.

Also, I put every point into magic. It really helps with arcane warrior. This is actually a pretty fun build. Its sort of like a warrior with some ranged and AoE attacks. And I've yet to reproduce that amount of damage resistance on any thing but my archery rouge.

I don't like spirit healer because I'd rather make Wynne do that. And shapeshifer just seems clunky to me. I rely on buffs a lot for all my PCs. And I don't like redoing them if I don't have to.

Check it out if you get bored. It plays pretty good. On the 360 any way, might be different on PC.

Thanks for the info. By the way I play on the PS3 and not PC. I have many, many post on here on how the consoles systems are cheated compared to the PC. We receive updates to make the game harder but not to fix the bugs that would improve game play or make the game play like it should in the first place.

It's a serious issue. I know a friend who plays on the Xbox and we've basically stopped talking about DA after he got very frustrated with Awakenings and its crashes.

Play faster coin. I intend to debate mage builds with you soon. :p

Nuker: Shapeshifter/Spirit Healer
Race: Any
Stats: 16 Str, rest into Int, respec to full Int in Awakenings. Alternative: pure Int

Progression:

Early-mid game:
-Gear: Chasind Robes, Thane Helm, Enchanter's Boots, basically anything that boosts your defense, gloves: +nature/+all elemental damage
-Weapon: Primary: staff with the best +spellpower/+nature damage. Secondary: Jory's Balanced Greatsword/any low-requirement two-handed maul
-Spells: Fireball, Arcane Shield, Rock Armor, the shifter forms, the cone spells, Force Field, Dispel Magic, Life Ward, Heal, Heroic Offense (optional)

Late game:
-Gear: Reaper's Vestments, First Enchanter's Cowl, Imperial Weavers, Spellward, Lifegiver, Key to the City, gloves: +nature/+all elemental damage
-Weapon: Staff of the Magister Lord
-Spells: the rest of the Primal spells, Arcane Mastery

Awakenings:
Gear:
-swap Staff of the Magister Lord for Staff of the Lost/Spellfury, get rid of your secondary weapon
-swap Imperial Weavers for something better
-gloves:+30% nature/spirit damage gloves in Amaranthine
Spells: Cleansing Aura, Time Spiral, Elemental Chaos (yes, you're taking Battlemage), Mana Clash (get this earlier if you wish). Get rid of Heroic Offense if you took it.

Playstyle:
-Fireball + cone spells. Rinse, repeat. Feel free to sneak in a DoT before casting Fireball. Always be at the front.
-Shapeshift once the white mobs are down, or when something goes wrong (eg, your spells get resisted twice in a row)
-Shapeshift when spells are not as effective (eg. against dwarves, packs of wolves, the children and their chain Overwhelms)
-If your nuking draws a boss' attention (esp. dragons) Shapeshift
-Throw the occasional Group Heal/Force Field.
-Keep Arcane Shield, Rock Armor and Life Ward (when you get it) up at all times. Activate Spell Shield against mages (Seriously. It makes no sense for someone to claim to be powerful and then promptly die from a single Crushing Prison).
-Use Dispel Magic on Regenerates, Crushing Prison, Hexes, Curses of Mortality, magical sustaineds (eg. Blood Magic, Shimmering Shield), Paralysis, etc.
-You will constantly be at the center of enemy attention, all the better so they swarm in one place where you can nuke them silly. This the strength of the build, actually. High risk/High reward (with your protections/gear, you can forget about the risk part later). You must outkill your enemies.
-In Awakenings, you get a fifth main nuke: Hand of Winter. Activate Draining Aura on bosses (so you can fight them toe to toe) and Elemental Chaos on mobs. Keep Elemental Mastery up. Note that time Spiral resets the forms' cooldowns, but not those of their skills. Swarm + Stoic rocks. So does double Storm of the Century.

Skills:
-Coercion (two ranks early, max after Combat Training).
You'll need this if you expect to buy the first +spell point tome from Bodahn. Unless you cheat. Same if you want to get your group well-equipped ASAP. Besides, it doesn't make sense to enjoy DA:O without the right dialogue.
-Combat Training (max)
-Stealing (1 rank)
You know you want to.
-Herbalism (max)
You might as well get this. You really wouldn't want the other mage NPC's to skip their Combat Training.

Awakenings:
-get rid of Herbalism and Stealing
-max out Vitality and Clarity

I'm starting my new mage run now. I've got the respec mod, so I'll probably play around with it a bit, but at the moment I'm going pretty pure nuker. I've taken all the cone spells, fireball, and drain life (and death siphon). I'm playing a blood mage (just got the specialization, and I like it) and plan to take Arcane Warrior next. I've put all my points into magic and constitution (2:1 ratio), so I'll end up with an armored character with high HP, powerful magic, and a decent weapon. I don't have any defensive spells at the moment, but I've found Cone of Cold, Winter's Grasp, and fireball are pretty good a keeping enemies down. Wynne's going to take the paralysis line, as well. And probably the Glyph line, so I can throw Glyph of Repulsion around my PC.

The only battle I've had any problems with so far was the hoard of possessed Templars in the Circle Tower (5 or 6 of them and a desire demon). I fixed that by adding a grease trap and caltrops to my fireball opener :evil:. I love it.

Wynne's got healing, Spirit Healer, and the earth line at the moment. Stone Fist and Petrify have come in handy for extra crowd control, but she's really more of a support caster.

I'm starting my new mage run now. I've got the respec mod, so I'll probably play around with it a bit, but at the moment I'm going pretty pure nuker. I've taken all the cone spells, fireball, and drain life (and death siphon). I'm playing a blood mage (just got the specialization, and I like it) and plan to take Arcane Warrior next. I've put all my points into magic and constitution (2:1 ratio), so I'll end up with an armored character with high HP, powerful magic, and a decent weapon. I don't have any defensive spells at the moment, but I've found Cone of Cold, Winter's Grasp, and fireball are pretty good a keeping enemies down. Wynne's going to take the paralysis line, as well. And probably the Glyph line, so I can throw Glyph of Repulsion around my PC.

The only battle I've had any problems with so far was the hoard of possessed Templars in the Circle Tower (5 or 6 of them and a desire demon). I fixed that by adding a grease trap and caltrops to my fireball opener :evil:. I love it.

Wynne's got healing, Spirit Healer, and the earth line at the moment. Stone Fist and Petrify have come in handy for extra crowd control, but she's really more of a support caster.

I will say this more than once...
Mana Clash, Mana Clash, and Mana Clash - this is a MUST have spell in DAO. It is your mage disabler - fights against mages can be killer literally.

If you plain to have your mage tank than go for any spells that is substain that will bost the mage's defense and armor. From there any substain that will bost spell power for the Acane Warrior substain spell. Most Acrane Warriors I build use most of their mana pool on substain spells and I have enugh mana to cast 1 or 2 AoE spells.

for a nuker I always get hex, and every single target spell available, drain life, frost one, earth fist one, arcane bolt and just cycle through those at yellow/red targets. White targets fall fast to all the phys aoe attacks like dual sweep or two handed sweep, or if I want to have fun, eventually chain lightning.

From there it's just get stuff to maximize damage, arcane mastery, spell wisp, maybe a defensive spell or two like mind blast and paralyze. I like the shapeshifter tree because the swarm form is an amazing aoe and once everything is maxed, spider and bear can overrun something I want controlled for a bit. I always take bloodmage as my second, but never put points into it :P, just for stats.

Int/Willpower, I like my mages to be able to cast a lot with minimal potting. More casting, less drinking :).

less drinking :).

Oghren disapproves (-50)

I just got arcane warrior and I'm facing a conundrum. I like the mage-gear my mage has. It all offers bonuses to defense, sometimes substantial (+21 cumulatively), and the heavy armor gives a penalty to fatigue. I'm trying out the heavy armor now, but I'm not sure if I'll like it or not. I plan to eventually give her the Felon's Coat and Wade's Superior Set.

If you have return to ostagar, use King Cailan's armor set, it has something like -25%? fatigue, so it'll put you up around 5-10% + any sustained abilities.

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Oghren disapproves (-50)

Haha.

Good thing I hate Oghren... Sten ftw :)

Mind if I ask for suggestions?

I have a Spirit Healer/Arcane Warrior mage main character who I am trying to max out on creation type spells.

He does good in a fight but Morrigan, who I've focused more in primal spells, seems to be better in one.

Int/Willpower, I like my mages to be able to cast a lot with minimal potting. More casting, less drinking :).

I agee with this. First though I raise magic up to 30. Than I go 2 magic and 1 Willpower. I believe I end up with a mage that does slightly less damage with their spells than someone who invest all their attribute points into magic.

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Mind if I ask for suggestions?

I have a Spirit Healer/Arcane Warrior mage main character who I am trying to max out on creation type spells.

He does good in a fight but Morrigan, who I've focused more in primal spells, seems to be better in one.

You need to mix up the spell selection; just staying in one specific school really limits the character development. I personally like taking a few from each school and using each spell to it fullest potential based on the situation.

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I just got arcane warrior and I'm facing a conundrum. I like the mage-gear my mage has. It all offers bonuses to defense, sometimes substantial (+21 cumulatively), and the heavy armor gives a penalty to fatigue. I'm trying out the heavy armor now, but I'm not sure if I'll like it or not. I plan to eventually give her the Felon's Coat and Wade's Superior Set.

The best armor for a warrior is Wade's Superior Dragon Scale set using the Dragon Scale armor that you can purchase after completing 2 of the treaties and the first part of Red Cliffe without completing the Scared Ash quest. This armor offers the suit bonuses when equipped with Wade's Superior scale gloves and boots. I believe their is a fatigue reduction and a mana/stamina bonus as well.

Well, I decided I don't really like Arcane Warrior (at least, not with this build) and ditched it (with the respec mod) for Shapeshifter (just for the stat points, no talents). I find I'm blasting the he** out of most everything before it can reach me anyway, and what little does, I benefit more from a high defense than a high armor.

I benefit more from a high defense than a high armor.

The only problem is that Defense is useless against certain attacks so armour is much more reliable. :2c:

The only problem is that Defense is useless against certain attacks so armour is much more reliable. :2c:

Armor was also nerfed in the first? patch, they gave all mobs higher armor penetration as you progress in levels. Unless you're a dedicated tank, having massive armor is only worth it for warrior stats.

Well, ultimately, it all has to come through HP, so I relied on that the most (I just finished it). The occasional special attack and spell that bypasses defense is, however, occasional. The grunts' attacks are commonplace.

I agree that mixing up the spell types learned would be very useful. But I still get by and got the conjurer or whatever it is called achievement.

Overlapping runes is highly useful and that is a trick I can pull.

A different one being impressed at the number health items (potions of healing by another name) I have stored up over time with Wynne and my Warden in the same group of 4. 2 spirit healers present at once makes it possible for tanks to hold off some of the more powerful enemies for a bit longer while they get peppered by ranged party members.

I'm a big fan of Hexes and I like Blood magic but I find playing a Mage rather boring (but that's just me as I understand most players do love them). I also like not caring much about friendly fire when slinging spells around (makes sense for a callous Mage IMO).

I've completed the game on Nightmare without a Mage and I find that having a Spirit Healer in the party makes it a walk in the park.

Don't get me wrong though, the game allows some pretty cool spell combinations that can be quite deadly and I admit that discovering these combos in game can be fun.

I recently finished a full arcane warrior in Awakening. I also took blood mage and battle mage, but I never took any blood mage talents. The battle mage talents were quite useful, however. It was an interesting experience, using a mage as a warrior, but it actually worked pretty well. I only used the occasional activated spell, usually one of the cone attacks, though I occasionally opened with a fireball.

I also found out I love haste! The rest of that line aren't too impressive, but haste is great.