Interested in a caster but do not want to only cast a spell or two every other fight.

[Jaid314]

this is true. in most other MMOs i've played, there are perhaps as many as 15 different "spells", if that, which a player can use. in DDO, even the sorcerer gets 36.

and furthermore, the spells in most other MMOs tend to be pretty much the same kind of thing. you have roots and mezzes and such, and maybe a couple of other status effects, and generally the spells apply from the same limited selection. and even then, you likely only get that many different spells if you don't specialise... in fact, that's probably too many. i've played other MMOs and never felt like i needed more than 1 hotbar, with maybe an overflow if that. on DDO, the first thing i do with a character is start setting up about 8 hotbars. and that's for my melees, who don't have 30+ spells to keep track of.

[FlyingTurtle]

So what is the archmage the sage path?

No, it's a Prestige Enhancement.

http://ddowiki.com/page/Archmage_enhancements

Archmage 20 is a pretty standard build. Here's an example that I could find that didn't have any glaring weaknesses in feat and stat selection:

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=282196
(^^ its missing an elemental enhancement line in favor of going pure force spec, which I don't really recommend even in a WF, but you can fix that yourself since enhancements are easy to re-spec)

[Kitma]

Tyr what are you even talking about, maybe your not doing something right, please do not come in here and discouraging us newbies wizards are not suppose to be as good as dps as sorces anyways, that is the trade off for versatility that is like saying a bard should have as much dps as the fighter.

Well... sometimes you can discourage somebody and be doing them a favour! it all depends on your goals.

As you're a newer player, are you just looking forward to blasting through some quests and playing for short term enjoyment (which there's nothing wrong with), in which case an Evocation specced Archmage or a Sorc will do you fine. Or are you looking at endgame?

If you're looking at endgame then your blasting power over an entire Epic quest will be akin to throwing custard at the mobs. My caster is specced for Enchantment/Conjuration but I've also taken one Evocation focus feat as well so can throw arcane bolts for around 140 (70) ish damage and magic missile for around another 100 points of damage, each for only 1 SP. The damage is negligible but it's near free DPS. you'll throw around 20 forcebolts and 10 MM per minute... call it around 3,000 damage for 30 SP that most mobs can't resist... and I still have the rest of my SP to use for crowd control. It helps the party's DPS out a bit (a very very small bit) and I can contribute to the groups success.

If you try to nuke it using your big guns in epic... Polar Ray, Meteor Swarm, Chain lightning... whatever you fancy, your SP are going to dissappear VERY very quickly and unless you happy to be pretty **** rich and buy a couple hundred mana pots per day, you'll get frustrated even quicker and probably quick.

This is a GOOD thing to discourage people from IMHO

What make things worse is that for the short period that you ARE doing more damage than the melees are, not only is it too short a period of time to make any meaningful difference, you could very well take aggro which is NOT nice on a caster in Epic. Sure, if you're a Warforged or a fleshie Palemaster you can self heal but this is taking you extra time and SP again and if you're a fleshie AM, it's even more trouble. Then you die, lose ship buffs, have to be rebuffed... all taking more and more of the parties resources and adding you to more and more squelch lists.

Personally, I don't even have time to use the Force bolts and Magic missile SLA. I throw an Orb of Dancing for openers, then throw Web and Hypnotism literally every 5 seconds and use the occasional Crushing Despair, Irrisistable Dance and Mass Hold Monster when I think it's appropriate. Am I a walking killing machine that deals death with a single word? Not in Epics. Am I a caster that throws so many spells in a fight that I'm cursing the cool downs and dread the occasional brainfart when the pressure is on and you forget exactly which spell you're bound to which hot key?

Hell yeah!

Running Epic Devil Assault the other day, one of my guildies asked if I have a Woowoo stick. (A couple staffs in game drain 1-3 levels on a crit and of course, held mobs get auto critted so it's VERY effective). My answer was that I don't have time (or very rarely do) to switch to a staff and start swinging. You see that area over there with two Webs in it. It needs a third!

To sum up a long rambling post, this may be what you're after if you want to cast spells like a crazy person. If you want to deal magical damage though, DDO endgame may not be for you.

[voodoogroves]

I would suggest a bard or fvs ... But as others have said they may come closest to your stylistic desires but ultimately ddo is ddo ....

[William_the_Bat]

Everyone seems to think the end-game is all about epic...

For some of us, it's the TR

Play what's fun, and if the broken version of end-game does not appeal, you can reincarnate and start over with a stronger character and choose if you want to spec that one out for epic play or for fun leveling and another TR.

p.s. I'm absolutely loving my evocation/enchantment archmage. I'm soloing with ease, keeping everything hypnotized (for 1 SP) while I pick them off with the 1 SP missiles and bolts. If I get in over my head, I break out the big guns, and have plenty of SP to spare.

Mind you yes, I'm still leveling. When I get to epics, I can either change from evocation/enchantment to the other way around, or I can TR. I'll decide when I get there.

[Kitma]

Well, for all intents and purposes, Epic IS endgame. A TR is just a way of starting all over again from the beginning with a slightly better, already twinked out char, not really all that different from just rolling a brand new toon if you got one to 20 and don't like what's at the end of the game. After all, when you've finished TR'ing, look at where you are! You've just taken a LOT longer to get there

As I said, if the OP wants to have fun leveling, a blasting caster is fine. If he wants to run the highest level content and go for the most powerful items in game though, Epic is where it's at for the time being and it won't cut it there sadly.

(Btw, not commenting one way or the other about whether you prefer the journey or the destination, either playstyle is just as valid)

[Varr]

This may be the dumbest set of responses to a noob question I've ever read. Let's not worry about this fellas 80-100th epic run efficiencies. That guy doesn't post this thread.

Op.....a wf wizard is about the most powerful character in game pre epics.....take arch Mage for extra buttons to mash and in 3 months when you hit cap you will understand you are the second most important player in an average epic group behind a healer (oh how I hate healers.)

Your ottos and Mass holds and general buffs will be an alteration in playstyle, but worry about that later.

[Xalerwons]

Well, for all intents and purposes, Epic IS endgame. A TR is just a way of starting all over again from the beginning with a slightly better, already twinked out char, not really all that different from just rolling a brand new toon if you got one to 20 and don't like what's at the end of the game. After all, when you've finished TR'ing, look at where you are! You've just taken a LOT longer to get there

As I said, if the OP wants to have fun leveling, a blasting caster is fine. If he wants to run the highest level content and go for the most powerful items in game though, Epic is where it's at for the time being and it won't cut it there sadly.

(Btw, not commenting one way or the other about whether you prefer the journey or the destination, either playstyle is just as valid)

I agree with this pretty much all the way.

It's not really that casters can't do enough dps, they just aren't designed to maintain it (unless constantly chugging mnemonic pots) or in a scenario where they can kite in a persistent aoe effect.

[Kza]

this May Be The Dumbest Set Of Responses To A Noob Question I've Ever Read. Let's Not Worry About This Fellas 80-100th Epic Run Efficiencies. That Guy Doesn't Post This Thread.

Op.....a Wf Wizard Is About The Most Powerful Character In Game Pre Epics.....take Arch Mage For Extra Buttons To Mash And In 3 Months When You Hit Cap You Will Understand You Are The Second Most Important Player In An Average Epic Group Behind A Healer (oh How I Hate Healers.)

Your Ottos And Mass Holds And General Buffs Will Be An Alteration In Playstyle, But Worry About That Later.

+1

[Theolin]

Whatsssh ya meannns, Issshh gottss DPSsss, (hic)
Ies gots HASTE
Andsss friends many bigss stongss friendssssss (hic)

Now go away andsss poundsss on stuffffsssss, I gots thing tooos drinks errs do

[Aashrym]

Everyone seems to think the end-game is all about epic...

For some of us, it's the TR

The OP is asking about which caster to use.

TR'ng over and over on a caster cannot be the end goal. Eventually TR'ing will end and the character will have a final life. Even if that takes a long time thru TR it's inevitable and end game ends up at level 20 with a final life.

The OP will still be farming epic tokens and should understand what that will entail in his or her roll. Just sayin'

[BladedThesis]

not when solo/with other casters, and not against hold immune enemies

and the wild mage in between, to... um, to do who knows what.

Wild Magic Surge: Summon Rabbit Horde!

[Aashrym]

This may be the dumbest set of responses to a noob question I've ever read. Let's not worry about this fellas 80-100th epic run efficiencies. That guy doesn't post this thread.

Op.....a wf wizard is about the most powerful character in game pre epics.....take arch Mage for extra buttons to mash and in 3 months when you hit cap you will understand you are the second most important player in an average epic group behind a healer (oh how I hate healers.)

Your ottos and Mass holds and general buffs will be an alteration in playstyle, but worry about that later.

The OP might be interested in how his character's playstyle will be changing before investing 20 levels into it and then deciding he doesn't like it when he starts running epics. I would prefer to help make an informed decision. Just sayin

[BladedThesis]

But really though in response to the OP, as a caster I would recommend starting w/ wizard. As a wiz you can switch spells in and out so you can test ice vs. lightning vs. fire etc to find the niche that you prefer. Currently wizards have access to 2 Prestige Enhancements and sorcs have none, so thats something to consider also. If you want to go ice, the ice enhancements are tied to the fire ones, so you should still pick up Wall of Fire as it's likely the most useful damage spell in DDO. Lightning is nice and not resisted as often but does not quite do as much damage as delayed blast fireball or meteor swarm.

[gurgar78]

But really though in response to the OP, as a caster I would recommend starting w/ wizard. As a wiz you can switch spells in and out so you can test ice vs. lightning vs. fire etc to find the niche that you prefer. Currently wizards have access to 2 Prestige Enhancements and sorcs have none, so thats something to consider also. If you want to go ice, the ice enhancements are tied to the fire ones, so you should still pick up Wall of Fire as it's likely the most useful damage spell in DDO. Lightning is nice and not resisted as often but does not quite do as much damage as delayed blast fireball or meteor swarm.

All casters, regardless of spec, should pick up Wall of Fire.

[BladedThesis]

All casters, regardless of spec, should pick up Wall of Fire.

Agreed, but I prefer to not TELL people they have to have something or that something is required. While a caster w/out WoF will be very gimped in many situations, it is his character to do as he pleases and play as he wishes and many ppl take offense to being told what to do or being pigeonholed into a playstyle. But to the OP, please pick up WoF and Haste regardless of what spec you choose ^^.

[Thrudh]

This may be the dumbest set of responses to a noob question I've ever read. Let's not worry about this fellas 80-100th epic run efficiencies. That guy doesn't post this thread.

This...

Too many vets post advice based on THEIR current situation... Most of them seem to have completely forgotten what it is to be new...

OP... Make a wf wizard... Max out INT, get a 16 CON... Put all level ups into INT...

Take the Archmage Prestige Enhancement at level 6 (Check the prerequisites so you know what feats and other enhancements are required).

Archmage gives you low SP spells you can cast all day long (like 1 sp Magic Missile, for instance, and 1 sp Arcane bolt)

[gurgar78]

This...

Too many vets post advice based on THEIR current situation... Most of them seem to have completely forgotten what it is to be new...

OP... Make a wf wizard... Max out INT, get a 16 CON... Put all level ups into INT...

Take the Archmage Prestige Enhancement at level 6 (Check the prerequisites so you know what feats and other enhancements are required).

Archmage gives you low SP spells you can cast all day long (like 1 sp Magic Missile, for instance, and 1 sp Arcane bolt)

New players ask for advice from experienced players specifically for the purpose of getting information that only experience can grant you. This is done with the expectation that the new player will some day be in the same position that the experienced player is now in, and will have gotten there much faster for the wisdom that was passed down from those who have gone before.

[NadgersFishtoaster]

Given the OP I would recommend that people filter their advice by how spectacular and magical-seeming the build is right from the start. This is not to say that being graphics-focused is a bad thing but it is an unusual request for DDO.

For example I think the advice of a Wizard is sound and the most spectacular spell-effect is Summon Monster I but you generally only cast this spell every 10 minutes unless the creature you summon dies before then.

The most impressive spell set I have discovered at low level would be a Cleric with Summon Monster I (see above), Nimbus of Light (you see the pulse of light) and Shield of Faith (you get a big symbol appear in front of you).

[shagath]

Lightning is nice and not resisted as often but does not quite do as much damage as delayed blast fireball or meteor swarm.

Actually chain lightning is aoe and does exactly same amount of damage as polar ray and DBF if you fully spec for it.