Starting a Mage. Tips and advice wanted!

[Solb]

I have a lvl 19 mage, and I am interested in hearing advice, experiences, or just any useful information that some of you high level mages have acquired that someone like me would find helpful.

I have gotten almost all my focus items so far, seems to help a great deal! What else should I work on gear-wise to maximize my effectiveness as a mage?

Atm I tend to use Fire pet, as it's DS seems to be great against mobs. Will this pet always be best when I solo? What pet does more damage in groups? I tend to use Air pet when in groups, unless I pull with my pet, then I use Fire pet, as it does a lot of damage before the mob gets to group.

I created this post hoping that something is shared I don't already know about the mage class. I am new to the mage, so I am sure there are many things that will fall into this category. ;)

[Nagash]

My mage is 38 now and I must admit that the fastest way to level has now become grouping. However, when I solo, I cain earth+DS or fire depending. Fire allows me to kill a few more mobs per bar of mana and kills faster but is more risky due tot he pet's fragility, earth is more for a relaxed pet (allowing me to regenerate more mana during the fight although this doesn't seem to compensate completely in terms of efficiency vs fire pet).

Mages have an issue when fighting 2+ mobs as you may have noticed by now. A great trick I've found deal with this is as follow (if I see the pull will be a multi pull, works with adds but is more tricky):
1- Stay far away, I mean it, far away (if you can maximum distance you can be to send your pet in)
2- Send you pet in
3- The 2+ mobs will aggro your pet
4- Sit
5- All the mobs your pet is not hitting will come running for you
6- Just before they arrive and turn you into red gnomish pulp. stand
7- The mobs return towards your pet as he is now higher on their aggro list (you have lost sitting aggro)
8- Before the mobs arrive at your pet, resume from point 4

This works well although chaining pet becomes a fine art (which I haven't mastered to this level) when doing this so I tend to prefer doing it with the earth pet which is more resilient.

For group, I use:
- air (to limit damages done to the tank if need be)
- water (to get max dps)
- earth if we must prevent runners which very rarely happeens.
Always chain summon pets until you have a max hitter, considering your pet will stay around for a long time, it will make a noticeable difference in damage output (not only are the max damage higher, but the pet being of higher level will connect his hits more).

Hope this helps.

[Solb]

Thanks a lot, that's interesting how you use the sitting aggro in that manner I already do a slight variation of this, but never tried it from far off, that would eliminate some damage done to the pet when they running to me in the distance. Thanks!

[Wulvgeng]

Always chain summon pets until you have a max hitter, considering your pet will stay around for a long time, it will make a noticeable difference in damage output (not only are the max damage higher, but the pet being of higher level will connect his hits more).

Hope this helps.

What does this mean? Each pet summoned has different attributes so I should get rid of him immediately if he doesnt hit for max or what?

[Nycon43]

What does this mean? Each pet summoned has different attributes so I should get rid of him immediately if he doesnt hit for max or what?

Pet summons are summoned from a range of levels when you cast the spell; meaning say a level 4 mage could summon a level 3, 4, or 5th level pet. This range depends on the level of the summon spell. All of this information is in the P99 wiki.

[Lammy]

I recommend questing your pet focus items ASAP. They're useful through level 49 and make a significant difference in the power of your pet. And who doesn't like having a fun quest to do?

http://wiki.project1999.com/Magician#Magician_Focus_Items

[Nytch]

do Focus not apply to pets above 49? other than the instant cast reclaim energy?

[Yumyums Inmahtumtums]

do Focus not apply to pets above 49? other than the instant cast reclaim energy?

Then you need your appropriate Staff of Elemental Mastery.

[Lammy]

do Focus not apply to pets above 49? other than the instant cast reclaim energy?

Correct. For pets above level 49 you need the focus effects from the Staff of Elemental Mastery.

[Daldaen]

Among the 4 Elemental Mastery staves:

Water - Phinigel - Relatively easy to obtain, find a puller and 3~ pet classes to chain pet him to death
Air - Stupid PoAir Quest that requires drops from Islands 6-8 including both 7 and 8 bosses. Don't hold your breath trying to get this.
Fire - PoHate trash (or does this even drop yet?). I don't think I've ever seen one drop, although I haven't spent much time in Hate.
Earth - Innoruuk drops this, and if you have this, you basically have your epic rendering all the other staves useless since epic pet is far superior.

tl;dr Only the water one is feasibly attainable unless you raid a lot.

[Tecmos Deception]

Among the 4 Elemental Mastery staves:

Water - Phinigel - Relatively easy to obtain, find a puller and 3~ pet classes to chain pet him to death
Air - Stupid PoAir Quest that requires drops from Islands 6-8 including both 7 and 8 bosses. Don't hold your breath trying to get this.
Fire - PoHate trash (or does this even drop yet?). I don't think I've ever seen one drop, although I haven't spent much time in Hate.
Earth - Innoruuk drops this, and if you have this, you basically have your epic rendering all the other staves useless since epic pet is far superior.

tl;dr Only the water one is feasibly attainable unless you raid a lot.

A-Team had a fire staff drop in hate last week. It is the only one I've personally seen I think, but I've only cleared hate maybe 6-7 times.

[Daldaen]

Okay, so Water and Fire are feasible to obtain.

Air/Earth not so much and Earth if you get it, you are more or less done with epic.

[Solb]

Among the 4 Elemental Mastery staves:

Water - Phinigel - Relatively easy to obtain, find a puller and 3~ pet classes to chain pet him to death
Air - Stupid PoAir Quest that requires drops from Islands 6-8 including both 7 and 8 bosses. Don't hold your breath trying to get this.
Fire - PoHate trash (or does this even drop yet?). I don't think I've ever seen one drop, although I haven't spent much time in Hate.
Earth - Innoruuk drops this, and if you have this, you basically have your epic rendering all the other staves useless since epic pet is far superior.

tl;dr Only the water one is feasibly attainable unless you raid a lot.


Thanks for this info, I got all the lower level focus items. Nice to know what to expect later on.

[Vyal]

A-Team had a fire staff drop in hate last week. It is the only one I've personally seen I think, but I've only cleared hate maybe 6-7 times.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/tripleview/mageFocus.jpg

From years and years back both of mine, fire staff vanished one day and I never got it back.
I notice the info has changed on them from when I used to play, must have changed in a patch.