Dragon mage Optimization in Niob

[Dimeron 0]

Hello, I recently got ice and blood, and starting the Dragon mage. Unfortunately I don't have much time to play I would like to build the most optimal Dragon mage from the get go. I have tried out a few of the skills. I guess elementalist would be the best way to go? Any recommendations on combat arts and skills? Thanks.

 

And in terms of overall optimization, how does dragon mage stack up against the vanilla sacred 2 classes. I remember in sacred underworld the demoness was league above everyone.

 

Thanks.

[Barristan 14]

Heya,

 

absolute best... well, I like the Destroyers/Dragon Strike combo with all three buffs...

 

Greetz

[Dimeron 0]

Heya,

 

absolute best... well, I like the Destroyers/Dragon Strike combo with all three buffs...

 

Greetz

 

TYTY

 

Ah, okay, skills I think I have a fairly good idea on what to get, any recommendations on combat art modifications, and how good is the dragon mage compared to other five classes.

 

Thanks again.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Dimeron

[Spunky 16]

I'm playing with a Dragon Magic/Elemental Magic DM, and have this skill setup:

 

Armor Lore

Constitution

Elemental Magic Lore

Elemental Magic Focus

Concentration

Dragon magic Focus

Dragon Magic Lore

Shield Lore

Combat Discipline

Ancient Magic

 

Works out pretty well at level 107, Destroyers do 7-8K per and Dragon Strike 4K per tic.

 

Mods I took are(1 means upper row and 2 means lower):

 

Dragon Strike: 1/1/1.

Familiar: 1/1/1.

Eternal Fire: 1/1/1.

 

Gust of Wind: 2/1/1.

Tornado: 1/1/2.

Destroyers: 1/1/2.

Protector: 1/2/1.

 

The Dragon Mage is and excellent caster type, and can compete with all other classes if built as a one.

[Dobri 55]

The biggest problem I had a few moths ago and I have now with the DM is picking up an aspect. The DragonMage simply doesn't have a weak aspect. Every single aspect is as good as it gets. DM in dragon form and some offensive and defensive skills mows down everything, Elemental DM, spamming GoW, Destroyer and Tornado while his protector keeps the enemies at bay is great, and a mentalist with Energy blaze is a mass killer with a great Mind Blast spell versus single enemies, and not to mention the wicked usefulness of Combat Trance. Ghost Meadow anyone?

 

What I don't like about the DM, is the poor diversity of the damage. Most aspects inflict physical, or physical+single type damage which is a problem, since a lot of enemies have significant physical resistance. Some of them can be modded for something extra, others can't.

 

The next thing I don't like about him is that every buff is great. Familiar boosts HP, Int and Willpower and can be modded for +XP per kill and reduction of regen times, 1-2 protector(s) are a good way to distract the enemies, and Runes of protection with its chance to stun (even if it got nerfed) is as good as it gets. That may just force you to play a 3-aspect build, and such a build is very hard to maintain.

 

Bottomline is, the DM can be played as just about anything. As a caster, he's a little bit worse than the HE (in my opinion), but has better protection than her, and is better than the Seraphim and Inquisitor, and maybe the Dryad (her acute mind is still a force to be reckoned with, although not as good as in S2FA due to the rune cap). As a fighter, he's decent thanks to the dragon skills and the ones in dragon form.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Dobri

[chattius 2,527]

I was comparing dragon mage aspects in an older thread.

 

A pure dragon magic user is playable at begin, but later the transformations are way too weak.

 

A elementalist needs the buffs from other aspects. Rune of protection is needed to block these nasty life leech combat arts in the AddOn. The companion boosts intelligence and therefore damage

 

A mentalist can be played without elementalism.

 

If you don't have much time, I would vote for a full 3 aspect dragon mage which is possible because the dragon mage gets it defense from buffs.

[Dimeron 0]

I was comparing dragon mage aspects in an older thread.

 

A pure dragon magic user is playable at begin, but later the transformations are way too weak.

 

A elementalist needs the buffs from other aspects. Rune of protection is needed to block these nasty life leech combat arts in the AddOn. The companion boosts intelligence and therefore damage

 

A mentalist can be played without elementalism.

 

If you don't have much time, I would vote for a full 3 aspect dragon mage which is possible because the dragon mage gets it defense from buffs.

 

Hello, I have gone through your guide, just few questions.

 

-Is mentalist focus really needed? Since I understand dragon magic focus increases familiar hp bonus by a huge, huge amount.

-Focus magic is a no I take it since all three buffs will be used?

-Any spells from dragon magic or mentalist worth casting if I'm mostly spamming destroyer and gust of wind? Like dragon strike, mind sear etc?

-What are recommended modifications for the major used combat arts, like protector, destroyer, Gust of Wind, tornado, rune of protection, familiar, etc.

 

Thanks.

[chattius 2,527]

More hitpoints result in just more damage if you are hit by an x% life leech attack. I don't say that less hitpoints is better, but a build based on very high hitpoints is vulnerable to x% life leech attacks.

In niob this life leech can be as high as 35+%. Since 35% life leech are calculated from your maximal and not your current hitpoints a 35% from 10000 hitpoints is 3500 damage and from 20000 hitpoints it is 7000. It doesn't matter how many hitpoints you have, 3 such hits and you are dead.

So runes of protection modified for spell blocking reduces the chance that you will be hit by such attacks. It may also block debuff spells on you and enemies near you will be stunned. You don't need the lore just the blocking percent which come with high levels = focus.

 

I would bring mentalism focus to mastery so you can modify 3 mentalism Combat Art's fully. Runes of protection, maelstream and combat trance perhaps.

 

Even playing an elementalist, I would rather take familar and and runes than the protector if I can only go for 2 buffs early in game.

 

I have to look for my elementalist build to look up my modifications. But be warned I played it as first character when buying the AddOn and there was no knowledge about dragon mages.

* 02 Elementarmagiekunde (elementalism lore)

* 03 Rüstungskunde (armour)

* 05 Elementarmagiefokus (elementalism focus)

* 08 Drachenmagiefokus (dragon focus)

* 12 Konzentration (concentration)

* 18 Mentalistenfokus (mentalism focus)

* 25 Alchemie (alchemy)

* 35 Reiten (riding)

* 50 Drachenmagiekunde (dragon lore)

* 65 Alte Magie (ancient magic)

The idea was to test if alchemy would work when transformed (partial) and to test if horse Combat Art's were fixed in the AddOn (no). Even it was a testing character he was played hardcore to level 135 in niob from different members of my family before retired. The playstyle was quite easy. Using the high riding speed (riding was at mastery for testing) I was riding big circles gathering groups and avoiding combat. Then a maelstream and spamming destroyer gust of wind combinations. The destroyers kill all what is near and the gust hits survivors blowing them away, so the next destroyers have to move to the corner of the screen attracting more enemies....

After pressing the combination key for a while there are no survivors in a very big area and I could use quick riding to find some more for kill. Alchemy was used as boss support, wielding a twohanded sword or shuriken with x% life leech and boosting attack speed and attack value with trophies.

[larvi 0]

What I don't like about the DM, is the poor diversity of the damage. Most aspects inflict physical, or physical+single type damage which is a problem, since a lot of enemies have significant physical resistance. Some of them can be modded for something extra, others can't.

 

This can be overcome by equipping gloves that convert a % of the physical damage to another type. Carry a couple sets around and it's easy to tailor your damage to whatever boss you are facing.

 

I played an elemental/mentalist build with Dragon Magic focus so I could mod familiar and keep regen down. Mind strike/GoW combo makes a great boss killer, Banshee being the sole exception, for some reason I couldn't touch him no matter what I tried, even on silver. Unfortunately the game crashed and corrupted my save file at level 110 while I was working through Niob (now I know to take backups of my save directory) so I don't know how well it would have fared against the final bosses but it was holding its own up until then and since this was the 1st char I built in the PC version I didn't have the benefit of a shopper, smith or a chest full of goodies, only what I could find or shop for myself. Definitely a fun little char to play. I didn't use Dragon Magic much other than to get through the first couple of bosses when I first started, it sounds like I may need to build another some day.

 

P.S. If anyone knows how to uncorrupt a save file I'd be more than happy to send you the one for this char to play around with.

[Dimeron 0]

After going through everyone’s input, and leveling my DM a bit to 12, I think I will go with the following as my triple buff dragon mage build

 

God: Forens (best role-playing god for a light dragon mage I think, power handy at all levels)

 

Concentration

Armor lore

Dragon magic focus

Mentalism Focus

Elemental magic focus

Elemental magic lore

Constitution

Ancient Magic

Toughness (Going to take this over Dragon magic lore)

Bargain/Riding/Mentalism Lore/Enhanced perception/Combat Discipline

 

For spell modifications:

Elemental

Destroyer: Explosives->Swarm->Swarm

Gust of Wind: Stun->Squall->Impact

Tornado: Storm force->Unleashed->Critical

Protector: Elite->Veteran->Protective Shield (would familiar be better)? I figure 20% physical damage mitigation on top toughness would be pretty good.

 

Dragon magic

Familiar: insight->Quick Mind->Life Force

Dragon Strike: Terror->Blind->Scatter (For debuffing I guess)

 

Mentalism

Rune of protection: Awe->Stone Skin (Or protection? I figure I should have more than enough physical mitigation)->Runes

Maelstrom: Grind (Would Slow work better here?)->extension->Demoralize

 

For stats, probably 1/3 points into stamina for every 2/3 points into vitality.

 

Any critique or recommendation is appreciated, thanks.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Dimeron

[Llama8 8]

This can be overcome by equipping gloves that convert a % of the physical damage to another type. Carry a couple sets around and it's easy to tailor your damage to whatever boss you are facing.

Doesn't work for non-weapon-based Combat Arts unfortunately.

[larvi 0]

This can be overcome by equipping gloves that convert a % of the physical damage to another type. Carry a couple sets around and it's easy to tailor your damage to whatever boss you are facing.

Doesn't work for non-weapon-based Combat Arts unfortunately.

 

So is the damage display bugged in the Combat Art window then? I just checked and it shows the following Combat Arts damage changing when I equip gloves

Dragon Strike

Gust of Wind

Tornado

Destroyer

Mind Strike

Energy Blaze

 

For Dragon Strike and Energy Blaze it's 100% conversion, for the others it based on the % conversion of the gloves. I haven't actually done any testing to be sure it's actually converting as shown though.

[Llama8 8]

Yes, it's a display bug. It's not converting anything, though the conversion is applied graphically (ie, converting a % of physical & all other elemental damage).

[larvi 0]

That would probably explain why I had problems damaging Banshee then. I want a refund on all of those gloves I bought On the plus side I no longer have to worry about not equipping the set piece gloves

[Dimeron 0]

Okay, so apparently poison from gust of wind stacks after each time GoW hits the target, after hitting a mob with three cast of GoW its hp was ticking three times as fast.

 

It looks like modification from GoW will be rather tricky, both bronze and both gold mod are now very, very good. Stuns is also very nice, the boss just sits there for like 50% of the time being stunned.

 

Decisions Decisions.

 

PS. anyone tried the radius mod, does it actually do anything? In theory it should help GOW hit more, but does it really work? Thanks.

[larvi 0]

I've built chars with radius and squall and to me the choice depends on what you are using GoW for. If you are using it for crowd control you will want radius as you will push more mobs aways. If you are using it mainly for single target boss killing (which is what I used it for) I think squall is better as you will do more damage as opposed to some of the gusts missing the target. I hadn't tried the poison mods but may have to give those a shot.

[Dimeron 0]

I've built chars with radius and squall and to me the choice depends on what you are using GoW for. If you are using it for crowd control you will want radius as you will push more mobs aways. If you are using it mainly for single target boss killing (which is what I used it for) I think squall is better as you will do more damage as opposed to some of the gusts missing the target. I hadn't tried the poison mods but may have to give those a shot.

 

How does squall make faster boss killing? doesn't it just make the wind travel faster?

[larvi 0]

With squall when you use GoW from a distance it is focused into a stream where the entire damage is directed at a single target and the farther away you get from a target (within range of the gust) the more damage it will do. Once you select radius you now have 3 smaller streams the fan out at an angle so you no longer get that focusing efffect.

[Dimeron 0]

With squall when you use GoW from a distance it is focused into a stream where the entire damage is directed at a single target and the farther away you get from a target (within range of the gust) the more damage it will do. Once you select radius you now have 3 smaller streams the fan out at an angle so you no longer get that focusing efffect.

 

Really? I thought the focus thing is part of the GoW spell. I seem to remember being able to focus GoW into a single line even with radius. Although I didn't know about the fact that further away you are the more damage GoW does. I guess that would explain why my GOW damage varies so greatly.

 

After reading about life leech mechanic, I think I will go and test out the elemental Sohei. If it works then it will hopefully have all the Area of Effect power of elemental dragon mage and never need to worry about focusing GOW into a stream again. In which case GoW will purely be used for CC and Area of Effect nuking.

[larvi 0]

It could be, I definitely put more time and killed lots more bosses with my DM with squall than with radius so it could be I never found the distance sweet spot on the radius build. And unfortunately I lost my HC DM that had radius so would have to build another to do more playing around with it. My thinking with the distance is that the damage is based the velocity of the wind when it hits so squall may play into that. I didn't do any before and after testing with it though.