[Necromancy] Using a Dark Wisp

[Obsidian]

I am working on employing my necro-mage in combat. In another thread, I was advised to do the following on big monsters (like Baracoon):

"Use wraithform and wither to clear spawn. When you're on the champ, summon a familiar (dark wisp), corpse skin for extra fire dmg, evil omen for even more dmg, and spam flamestrikes."

The part I'm having trouble with is the Dark Wisp. I would like to use a summon to attack a monster thus getting the monster to attack the wisp. This would allow me to stand back and wail away with spells. Unfortunately, I can't get the wisp to do anything.

How do I get my familiars to attack the enemy (or more importantly, how do I get the monsters to attack my familiar and not me)?

Thanks!

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[Farsight]

Monsters tend to ignore familiars and you can't get your familiar to attack anything without you attacking it first. So your summon to take the pressure off of you needs to be something else.

Myself, I have two bake kitsune for that job, but I'm a little odd. I made my necro-mage into a tamer as well.

Spellweavers can also use ogre lords, which are perfect for the job as bait.

And mages need to use elementals.

On the other hand, in most spawns that I go to, the bait is purely optional as wither annihilates most non-ranged attacking spawns before they can get to you (and you never run out of mana).

 

[Sir Kenga]

Wisp's special ability is to restore mana of owner, so it's only additional mana, they aren't used for damage.

 

[Obsidian]

Thanks for the input. I'm doing ok with lower-end monsters with wither. It's the big monsters that are giving me troubles. My EVs either get dispelled or promptly destroyed. I'd like to be pumping out flamestrikes and e-bolts, but I find myself constantly running and trying to summon the next EV. That's also quickly draining my mana pool.

The occasional lag monster also seems to arrive at the wrong time and the game resumes only to find myself very dead. So I'd like to get the monster to key in on my summon and then let me sit back and wail away. I suppose I could use animate dead too, but I haven't tried that much. Seems like flesh golems die too quickly. I haven't been fighting dragons so I haven't had a bone dragon to test with.

Anyway, I appreciate any tactics advice you might have.

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[Farsight]

Try using demons or elementals instead of energy vortexes. They are MUCH harder to dispell and they draw the spawn to them rather than just attacking one and leaving the rest to attack you.

 

[Obsidian]

It was recommended to me to try earth elementals. What is the strongest summoned elemental (i.e. which one lasts the longest)?

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[Farsight]

Earth elementals have more hit points AND better resists (except for cold) than air elementals. Fire and water elementals take more than 2 follower slots, so you can't have more than one of either out at the same time.

So earth elementals win.

 

[GFY]

When fighting the 'coon I like a repond slayer spell book for the bigger spawn. I cast chain lightning or meteor swarm and it kills everything in the area. I like EV's to tank for me most of the time, but thats just me.

Using chain lightning at a spawn keeps the area around Baracoon clear of spawn. When he spawns those 4-5 ratmen when your fighting him a quick chain will kill them all and keep you clear. Most of the time Baracoon him self doesn't tend to attack me but that may have changed. My mage can drop Baracoon in a few minutes especially if I have a friend nearby to mana vamp on. You shouldn't have too many mana problems with wraith form and a wisp.

 

[Obsidian]

You shouldn't have too many mana problems with wraith form and a wisp.

Thanks, GFY. So you still recommend having a dark wisp along side with the other summons (EVs or EEs)? I'm going to have to add some "all kill" macros and give the 2 x EE and 1 x DW team a chance. I suspect my wraith form mana leech and wither dmg will get much better when I get from 97 spirit speak into the 115 range (my current scroll cap).

I've been looking for a repond slayer spellbook on Atlantic, but they are very difficult to find for sale within my price range.

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[GFY]

Ask a member, someone probably has an extra one.

If I'm not mistaken the wisp will help with mana regen as well as wraith form.

 

[Arch Magus]

The Dark wisp regenerates more mana depending on how low your Karma is. The lower the better.

Wraith form doesn't regen mana, but gives mana back depending on your damage to the target.

 

[Arch Magus]

Your adviser was right on, although I wouldn't classify Baracoon as a big monster. Bottom line, he's just really dumb. lol

With the strategy you just listed, you can solo Coon easy in about 10 minutes. Summons don't work on him though, he instantly dispels them.
Just stand back and cast away, wither if you get rats summoned around you.
The best group i've found is 2+ necro mages with repond slayers. You can kill all the spawn and knock out Coon in less than 30mins.

As a side note. You won't do enough damage without a Repond slayer to get most of your mana back with wraith form and a wisp. With a Repond, you can literally cast back to back Flamestrikes and almost never run out of mana.

Happy Slayings!

I am working on employing my necro-mage in combat. In another thread, I was advised to do the following on big monsters (like Baracoon):

"Use wraithform and wither to clear spawn. When you're on the champ, summon a familiar (dark wisp), corpse skin for extra fire dmg, evil omen for even more dmg, and spam flamestrikes."

The part I'm having trouble with is the Dark Wisp. I would like to use a summon to attack a monster thus getting the monster to attack the wisp. This would allow me to stand back and wail away with spells. Unfortunately, I can't get the wisp to do anything.

How do I get my familiars to attack the enemy (or more importantly, how do I get the monsters to attack my familiar and not me)?

Thanks!

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[GFY]

I'm going to have to add some "all kill" macros and give the 2 x EE and 1 x DW team a chance.

-OBSIDIAN-

The wisp isn't really an offensive summons. I just like to have them hanging around helping my mana regen.