Old mage returning...

[Naisikras]

Back when I used to play your standard mage template was

120 mage
120 med
120 eval
120 resist
120 weaponskill/defense skill
120 (scribe, tact, ninjitsu, chiv, bushido, etc...)

Are things pretty much the same now? Is standard mage still viable? The most fun times I had were dueling, what are the successful dueling templates now?

 

[Diomedes Artega]

Back when I used to play your standard mage template was

120 mage
120 med
120 eval
120 resist
120 weaponskill/defense skill
120 (scribe, tact, ninjitsu, chiv, bushido, etc...)

Are things pretty much the same now? Is standard mage still viable? The most fun times I had were dueling, what are the successful dueling templates now?

You do mean 100 scribe right? and, swap out for a 120 skill? Wrestling/defensive mage still works fine, necro/mage, and other hybrid templates.

Someone else will have to speak for the scribe/mage PvP part since I have not used scribe on a mage for PvP in a while. Reason being the PvP cap for SDI is easy to reach without having it on the template. Yeah you get the inscription bonus, but...meh.

 

[Taylor]

An old school mage template still looks like this:

120 mage
120 med
120 eval
120 wrestling
120 resist
100 inscribe

To enhance your damage, I'd consider necro/mage:

120 mage
120 med
120 eval
120 spirit speak
120 necro (110 works fine)
120 resist

It is trendy atm for necro/mages to wear orny, crystalline, inquisitors resolution, and use a -25 or less mage weapon with dci. This allows you to meet your fc/fcr and dci requirements, use a weapon with 115+ skill, and have a free hand open to chug pots. Most times, though, my 30 mil -25, 15 dci mage weapon sits in my backpack, replaced by an arcane shield (+1 fc) and a 500k -20, -1fc leafblade with hit fire ball, hit mana leach, ssi, and di.

Also, depending on your play style, it can be fun to replace resist with spellweaving. At champ spawns, wraith form + essence of wind is pretty fun. For PvP, the pixies...everyone runs from pixies. For peerless, wraith form + word of death is unbelievable.

 

[Diomedes Artega]

An old school mage template still looks like this:

120 mage
120 med
120 eval
120 wrestling
120 resist
100 inscribe

To enhance your damage, I'd consider necro/mage:

120 mage
120 med
120 eval
120 spirit speak
120 necro (110 works fine)
120 resist

It is trendy atm for necro/mages to wear orny, crystalline, inquisitors resolution, and use a -25 or less mage weapon with dci. This allows you to meet your fc/fcr and dci requirements, use a weapon with 115+ skill, and have a free hand open to chug pots. Most times, though, my 30 mil -25, 15 dci mage weapon sits in my backpack, replaced by an arcane shield (+1 fc) and a 500k -20, -1fc leafblade with hit fire ball, hit mana leach, ssi, and di.

Also, depending on your play style, it can be fun to replace resist with spellweaving. At champ spawns, wraith form + essence of wind is pretty fun. For PvP, the pixies...everyone runs from pixies. For peerless, wraith form + word of death is unbelievable.

Everyone runs from pixies? That's news to me. I never had any problems with those silly little gals.

 

[Taylor]

My weaver/archer has used them before. Rather than get shot up with arrows, folks seem to run away and try to kill them before dealing with me. (Of course, I'll have a new batch before they're back).

They're not a game breaker, but they are annoying, especially for folks w/o free hands for pots.

 

[Diomedes Artega]

My weaver/archer has used them before. Rather than get shot up with arrows, folks seem to run away and try to kill them before dealing with me. (Of course, I'll have a new batch before they're back).

They're not a game breaker, but they are annoying, especially for folks w/o free hands for pots.

Ah okay...yeah that's true I suppose lol.

 

[Hail Satan]

if you are a superb mage, and by superb i mean top dog, stay with inscription, 15SDI and 12SDI from 120int.

after all the tweaks and different class introductions throughout UO's history, nothing can rival a top mage with max SDI with logistics on his side (pots, petals, etc.).