Can someone help me make an legendary Wizard?

[Kandidus]

Yeah I'm finding a 3 con as a wizard to not be detrimental at all (at least in non-ironman).  I did end up restarting though - mainly to up the difficulty to PotD with a custom party.  Maybe I'l lend up reconsidering how bad 3 con is when I fight the shades/shadows lol.

[mhadina]

Is it too much to expect to deal with three or four shadows having only wizard and paladin in a party ? I am lvl 2, lurking proudly lol
Which Class should I take to a party? Warrior is a must or not ?

[AzureG]

you guys serisouly trying to fight with a lvl 1-2 wizard alone with no companions? Is this your first RPG....ever?

 

  Gee.  First time playing the game.  No idea even HOW to get to the next town, or even that it is possible to do so without fighting at least the one mob.  Psychic I was not.  I've learned how to get past them now, but did you somehow, magically KNOW exactly where you were going the first time YOU played?  (Please no BS about how we should have checked online first.  Some people don't like spoilers.)

[Shdy314]

 

you guys serisouly trying to fight with a lvl 1-2 wizard alone with no companions? Is this your first RPG....ever?

 

  Gee.  First time playing the game.  No idea even HOW to get to the next town, or even that it is possible to do so without fighting at least the one mob.  Psychic I was not.  I've learned how to get past them now, but did you somehow, magically KNOW exactly where you were going the first time YOU played?  (Please no BS about how we should have checked online first.  Some people don't like spoilers.)

 

LOL. Of course I did. First there's the overland map. So we know we just came from the north. Obviously a cave to the north is not the way to go to reach the next area.

Then there's the road to the south of the map and non hostile npc just across the bridge. 

[mrmonocle]

I went 18/10/15/10/15/10. Picked up all four elem. boost talents, blast and penetrating blast.

[neoxyphus]

 

 

you guys serisouly trying to fight with a lvl 1-2 wizard alone with no companions? Is this your first RPG....ever?

 

 

I tried to solo a bear in a cave as a lvl 2 wizard and kept getting my ass handed to me.  I eventually left... but I WILL return to enact my vengeance.  

 

I do worry though, people keep saying the wizard is weak compared to the druid and cipher... is that just early on or does that scale to later on as well?  wizards are always weak in games like baldurs gate early on, but later they become the single most over the top powerful things in existence, stopping time, summons up the wazoo, dragons breath and comets raining from the sky, even opening locks, stone skin and other defenses that make them immune to damage for a bit.  Is none of that incalculable power going to materialize later on?

 

If not I may just reroll a cipher or druid/chanter.

 

 

 

Lol ... no one can solo a bear at lvl 2... he will wipe your party even with 3 members ... xD (well i did kill it with 3 members ... xD)

 

Bear is soloable with a rogue at level 2 with blind. Done so on normal. Hard prolly not.

[Fimconte]

I went 18/10/15/10/15/10. Picked up all four elem. boost talents, blast and penetrating blast.

Getting all the elemental talents is a bit of a waste, because you're can't spam spells.

Blast and Penetrating blast also kinda meh, since they limit you to wand/rod which have weak average damage against most targets due to DR.

 

It's much better to go Arquebus/Blunderbuss and Penetrating Shot, Gunner, Weapon Focus + Marksman. 

Mostly because auto-attack damage is such a huge component since you can't spam spell in most trash mob fights.

If you're bringing a chanter, ranged weapons with reload get a nice boost once you get Ila's (level 4) as well.

 

Wood Elf for the best race due its +5 Accuracy also affecting spells. 

[RevBlue]

 

you guys serisouly trying to fight with a lvl 1-2 wizard alone with no companions? Is this your first RPG....ever?

 

  Gee.  First time playing the game.  No idea even HOW to get to the next town, or even that it is possible to do so without fighting at least the one mob.  Psychic I was not.  I've learned how to get past them now, but did you somehow, magically KNOW exactly where you were going the first time YOU played?  (Please no BS about how we should have checked online first.  Some people don't like spoilers.)

 

 

1st of all, you have your journal and map, so you should know what direction you're supposed to go, a cave is surely not it.

And even then, you should know a low lvl 2 wizard is no match for any wildlife in the beginning of a game, let a lone a bear

[Phoynix]

How to kill the bears in the cave with a level 2 wizard.

 

Stealth... cast slick infront of bears, cast Fan of Flames Twice.

 

May take a few times... since you know.... AOE attack by the Wizard makes an accuracy check and Wizards accuracy sucks.

Unless you are elf... then all good...

 

Honestly I have to say the STAT system in the game is retarded.

 

MIGHT effecting spells is just wrong... and how its put forward in game is physical might...

 

In Pillars of Eternity Wizards can armwrestle most warriors and win...

Case in point is level 1 Wizard pushing down a wall because he is muscles MacGee.

The GAME itself repeatedly refers to situations that MIGHT is muscle based and so its actually Wizards time to step up to the plate when you need might... its a horrible mechanic that completely breaks immersion.

 

Of all the things... that alone should never had stayed to release.

 

So many ways to do it that didnt totally screw Role playing... its actually my biggest annoyance with the game.

 

If they wanted to do it right they would have seperated damage increase...

Might=physical damage by Physical acts.

Resolve=Physical damage by force of will(Paladin/Priest abilities as example)

Intelligence=Magical damage/healing.

Perception=Increased Duration/AOE for spells/abilities.

 

RP

Perception is important for any class that deals with the arcane it directly effects how effective a spell will be, while two Wizards could both command the same raw power, the perceptive Wizard can sense and hence direct arcane energies more effectively increasing the duration and area of effect.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Phoynix

[RevBlue]

Will people stop comparing this system to DnD? This isn't supposed to be a version of DnD!

[Phoynix]

Will people stop comparing this system to DnD? This isn't supposed to be a version of DnD!

Nothing to do with DND.

 

Its the fact we are asked to suspend disbelief on something so totaly moronic that the average person cant.

 

In Pillars of Eternity when Little timmy says "daddy I want to be a Wizard when I grow up"

Little Timmy gets told to start bench pressing and execising for 10 hours a day if he wants his fan of flames spell for example to do anything more then light a candle.

 

The game does NOT devide MIGHT interactions between "spell" and "physical" meaning that often times the mage/druid often is the best choice when epic feat of physical strength needs doing...

You REALLY dont have any problem with this mechanic?

 

PS-The DEVS themselves refer Pillars of Eternity system to DND during development...

Go tell them off.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Phoynix

[knownastherat]

Wizard is hardly best choice when it comes to physical strength, melee for example. Out of what picks? Priest and .. priest.

 

What Might represent is just convention - nothing inherently  wrong about this or that implementation - and there is no need to invoke bench press. Perhaps Wizard should sit down and play chess or something to hone skill.

 

Anyway .. on topic, I found that Dex is indeed quite important for Wizard who wants to cast fast and casting fast avoids being interrupted along with the benefit of having initiative.  Con, well, depending on play style and difficulty but Per and Res seem to be dump stats for me. Deflection is too low anyway and Spirit Shield can negate the penalty to Concentration. If Wizard is getting hit then DR and Con + spell buffs are solution not Per and Res like with other classes who benefit from Deflection more. 

Edited April 7, 2015 by knownastherat

[Phoynix]

Game Disagrees... A Player mage for exmaple is likely to have max might, and be stronger then most  melee chars you come across in the game.. capable of completing might based feats of strength interactions when those MELEE chars cant.

Im going to take the fact you couldnt wrap your mind around this as proof of my point that its silly.

 

In the Pillars of Eternity world... a Mage that casts strong spells is also physically strong, this is exactly how the game sees it for example in the starting dungeons... a mage can push down the wall other chars need to use a chisel and hammer to destroy.

Wizard is hardly best choice when it comes to physical strength, melee for example. Out of what picks? Priest and .. priest.

 

What Might represent is just convention - nothing inherently  wrong about this or that implementation - and there is no need to invoke bench press. Perhaps Wizard should sit down and play chess or something to hone skill.

 

Anyway .. on topic, I found that Dex is indeed quite important for Wizard who wants to cast fast and casting fast avoids being interrupted along with the benefit of having initiative.  Con, well, depending on play style and difficulty but Per and Res seem to be dump stats for me. Deflection is too low anyway and Spirit Shield can negate the penalty to Concentration. If Wizard is getting hit then DR and Con + spell buffs are solution not Per and Res like with other classes who benefit from Deflection more. 

Edited April 7, 2015 by Phoynix

[knownastherat]

What game disagrees? Any character can have max Mig but if you think that Wizard is good in melee I disagree.

[Phoynix]

scripted interactions in game based on might do not make any distinction between a caster/melee.

Lets take playable races.

 

Orlan are the smallest and weakest race in game, they are also the weakest spell casters.

Aumaua are the strongest and largest race in game, they are also the STRONGEST spell casters.

 

Spell ability is directly linked in Pillars of Eternity due to mechanics...

Mage needs to pump IRON if they want to cast hard hitting spells.

What game disagrees? Any character can have max Mig but if you think that Wizard is good in melee I disagree.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Phoynix

[knownastherat]

 

scripted interactions in game based on might do not make any distinction between a caster/melee.

 

What game disagrees? Any character can have max Mig but if you think that Wizard is good in melee I disagree.

 

 

I see, I did not even notice. Does it matter?

 

I am not here to argue or defend the system in place. I was little surprised I need Mig on Wizard too but after playing for a while it seems to me its working. You have every right to dislike it but wizards do not excel in melee even with high Mig in comparison to other classes with same Mig. Damage is not about Mig only, but ability to hit, talents or buffs.

[bootsnpots]

Wizard is kinda crap, it doesn't really fit in anywhere, cipher and druid do the things the wizard does, but better.

That said max out int and might take a few points from con and put into dex to reduce cast time. Focus on aoe spells that knock down enemies, daze them or aoe damage over time.

Wizard is much better late game than the cipher (just as wizards grow exponentially in every single game ever) as a cipher can drop a few good spells then has to regain focus through weapon attacks, and a wizard can drop spells for much much longer in a single fight (they just dont reset for the next fight like a cipher) but in the really challenging fights where my dual wizards are dropping 8 spells in a row each my cipher was not nearly as effective. But I'll agree the countless easier encounters my cipher basically won for me cuz hed drop everything and have it again next fight. 

 

And to Arctic- My moon Godlike barbarian with a greatsword, scale armo, and gauns pledge solod the bear at lvl 2 took a couple loads cuz the bear kept critting me right off the bat.

 

AND IF YOUVE NEVER TRIED TO SOLO WITH A WIZARD FROM EARLY LEVELS IN GAMES LIKE THIS THAN GTFO ITS SO FUN.

[Phoynix]

You are entirely missing the point...

Some of us like logically consistant universe to immerse oursleves into, and Pillars due to silly decision that makes no sense subtracts from that.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Phoynix

[LHWong]

Are the Blast/Penetrating Blast/Dangerous Implements talents worth taking, or is it better to take other talents to use bows/crossbows/guns?

[RevBlue]

Lets say for a second that you're right about the whole might thing (even tho I don't agree).

Who said that in this universe wizards have to spend 20 years in a dusty room reading to be powerful mages?

Why can't spell potency be linked to a persons vigor/strength or whatever?

Maybe physical strength in this world comes into play by more than just big muscles  and excercise?  The official Wiki describes might as "Might represents a character's physical and spiritual strength...."

 

Again, you keep trying to compare this to classic DND stereotypes, don't.

[Wolken3156]

Are the Blast/Penetrating Blast/Dangerous Implements talents worth taking, or is it better to take other talents to use bows/crossbows/guns?

Scion of Flame, Spirit of Decay and Secrets of Rime are the only real must-have talents, since they affect he Wizard's most powerful spells. Maybe Heart of the Storm for Chain Lightning and Crackling Bolt as well if you like using it (I'm not sure if it affects Essential Phantom, would be pretty sweet if it did).

 

That leaves 2 - 3 talent slots to play around with as you please. Wizards will use their auto-attack less and less as the game progresses. Once you hit level 9, you practically abandon it, since you can cast 1st-level spells every encounter with reckless abandon. Whichever weapon you decide to use won't be a game changer or anything. With the change to Arcane Torrent's range though, Blast is less valuable IMHO.

[RevBlue]

Are the Blast/Penetrating Blast/Dangerous Implements talents worth taking, or is it better to take other talents to use bows/crossbows/guns?

 

I got the acrane blast talent (thats the passive one right?) I'm actually not sure I ever saw it in action lol.

Can anyone confirm it actually works?

[Kromzor]

Just an FYI.  Everyone dies in the bear cave if they try to rush it solo.  This is an homage to old school RPGs, which had elements in them that you weren't supposed to be able to beat when you first encounter them.  Even Final Fantasy games had optional bosses, that if you tried to fight them right away, would wipe the floor with your party.

 

Anywho, I don't think Wizard is as gimp at low levels as some people like to claim.  I think the major problem is too many preconcived notions of what a class "should be" instead of working with the classes as they are in PoE.  Another example would be the Monk, which I will admit to being hung up on myself for a bit because a Monk is "supposed to be" a guy in cloth robes who dodges everything... but then i got over my aversion to seeing a Monk in Plate who gets hit, soaks the damage with his massive HP pool, and uses it to fuel his specials.  And now everything is great.

So same thing with the Wizard.  There is nothing stopping you from putting leather, chain, or plate armor on your Wizard if he's feeling too squishy early on.  Hell there is nothing stopping you from putting a big 2 Hander in his hands and sending him to the front lines either.  And in that case suddenly those Touch spells and other short range AoEs look a lot stronger.  Just make sure he's getting some Concentration and %speed from stats or gear if you wanna go the melee route.

 

The class system in this game is very flexible, I dig it.

[RAi]

Hi Guys,

   Just started playing Pillars of Eternity, 1st character of mine a godlike female wizard at level 4, I now just clean house at Redric's keep, lol just left only the old priest there before defeating Redric.

   I notice many complains with wizard not surviving, ok I'm not a noob at RPG RTS online or offline, with that said I emptied out Redric place on my 1st try without problems.

   Its just that I normally play wizard in D&D and though the stat is different the strategy is more or less the same.

 

   To survived solo just sneak always and ready your bow or crossbow, i used one weapon and shield at the begining still do. Basically just always do this "Sneak -1st range attack -2nd range attack -Weapon and shield(for defense only) 1stArcane Assault -2nd Arcane Assault -If enemy is alive cast Fan of Flame (only if enemy not dying yet or more than 1 target). Use only Fan of Flame till I got to the village.

 

   Since new to the game my stat is not min/max maybe thats good too because I don't like negative stat specially Constitution.

My char: Mig=16 Con/Dex/Per=12 Int=17 Res=9 Skill is divided to Lore and mechanics (yes my char the thief in the group).

 

   My char is the killer of the group this is how i do it, with more than 1 enemies or with boss like Redric and his Archmage, I have 2 wizard, my Char and the NPC Aloth, formation is the key. Have the tank in middle and the wizards at the side, everyone shoot range 1st (I mean all char & npcs (not including the animals)) target only 1 enemy or the boss (in case of Redric I kill the Archmage 1st) make sure your in slow and pause alot (pause to give orders to all char & npc) I created an extra Ranger w/ a bear as my tank(the ranger fires a wouding shot 1st). When a enemy closes-in have a npc other than the wizards engage the target w/o moving much from formation, don't move the wizard at the sides even if a enemy engages them. The Wizards cast fan of flames as soon as more than 1 enemy is within range, even if Redric save against the flames his Archmage and guards always takes alot of damage, my Char kills the Archmage or Aloth does, its the same with most enemies, I have the wizards at the sides or at the center for fan of flames. If u have a priest use repulsing seal on the boss.

   <<This is Early game tactics, I recommend u build a Paladin instead of the Ranger w/Bear tank that i used as its a better tanker, I just tested a Paladin with Mig/Con/Dex=10 Per=17 Int=14 Res=17 it can tank so much better>>

   I stop at Caed Nua when I posted this, anyway my 1st wizard was fun being the semi thief of the party. I assume like in D&D wizards a little harder to play at the lower level but they are essentials and fun at mid to high level too bad no multi class in Pillars but Great game all the same.

fyi i solo the bear I almost die but killed it just the same, use up my last spell then. I only came back with a party to climb the ruins, maybe a minimum Con with other players makes it very hard (dunno)

 

 

[mystang89]

I put con down to 3 and shoved the rest of the points in dex. My build is a solo Wiz with focus in might, dex and int. The only problem I normally have soloing is that even with 6 athletics my health always gets so low. I don't like to rest often in games so I try to ration out my spells and only use them when I need them but here I find myself using them just because I'll have to rest to restore my health.