I'm going to have to disagree here. I love my nox mage. I find it quite useful when hunting monsters with a huge hit point pool, you throw down a DP field, cast a few EV's and start firing off some direct damage spells. If the monster youre fighting has magery, they have to waste a spell on cure instead of a damage spell. I think nox mages are also especially appreciated when hunting in large groups, I always make sure to keep whatever we are fighting poisoned.