Ciphers vs Wizards. (Path of the Damned comparison.)

[tamurm]

I keep seeing how 'Wizard' is underwealming, and Cipher is superior due to potentially unlimited resources as opposed to spells per rest mechanic, but...

I'm not seeing it. Perhaps this judgement is based on Harder and Below difficulty?

 

Based on Path of the Damned difficulty and the huge increase in the enemies Deflections. My Cipher hits possibly 1/10 attacks, this includes things like, Eyestrike, and Mental Binding, Mind Blast. - and can never regain focus because of accuracy issues. This is still early in the game however, around level 5.

 

The Cipher clearly 'wins' out on small encounters, where there arn't 6+ enemies on the field. - But like D&D and Pathfinder in many ways, when there is only one to three enemies on the field, you're usually not in trouble anyway due to simple action economy. That and Arcane Barrage does the trick often enough.

 

Meanwhile, the wizard , in those big fights, is dropping a Chill Fog, blinding and damaging everything, Foe AoE only so you can drop it right on the tank, or on your party if swamped by teleporting Phantoms, Everything becomes easier to hit, like with Eyebite, a wider area, longer lasting, and damages quite a bit. I've had several encounters where Chill Fog is the only thing that can actually hurt the enemy.

 

and in the really difficult large encounters he can toss out Miasma of Dull Mindedness to severely lower the enemies deflection , and will. (-10 to int, resolve, and perception is a massive -20 deflection. -10 Reflex, and -20 Will,  Accuracy being king, that's like giving everyone a +20) - and I've never had the spell miss. (Perhaps because it targets Will, and not deflection) - Even when they successfuly save, it lasts for most of the fight.

 

I know my opinion is biased toward the beginning of the game to slightly after stronghold, and perhaps due to inadaquete weapons with + accuracy and lack of enchants, but I'm seriously finding Wizard vastly superior to Cipher.  Both characters are elves, for distant advantage, with max might, dex and INT. - and the Cipher is a ranged user.

 

I had initially thought the comparison in power was based on the early game, but even then I'm finding the wizard superior when things are actually dangerous. When do Ciphers get good on Path of the Damned?

[Mungri]

Chill Fog is amazing. That is all.

[Necro]

my biggest issue with PoTD was due to the stat boost you miss...a lot and as far as i know there is only the accurate enchantment that u can get