Magician is basically useless unless grouped?

[Virtual]

Let me start of by saying I did have a forum account already but I lost the password, anyway I'm a level 38 high elf magician and I'm finding it impossible to solo. I've pretty much been grouping in various places since around level 13-14 all the way until my current level so I thought I would give solo'ing a try.

I tried yetis in DL and I can almost get it to work except my pets get absolutely crushed by them even chaincasting pets takes forever but most of the time I end up dying and losing all the xp i've earned, I also tried spectres in The Ferrott but that does not work for me either I have to zone can't even get one down.

I have focus items and I am using the latest spells but my guy feels weak as hell, am I just bound to being in groups all the way till max level?

[Velerin]

Sounds like you're just targeting the wrong mobs. Mages are great soloers, peaking at level 49. You need to target low blue mobs that are equal or lower than your pets level. Your relative power is directly related to your spell level since that's the pet you're using. 38 will suck, 39 is great, 43 really sucks, 44 great. Often best to solo the first couple levels after a new pet, then group the last levels before new spells. Relax, sick Fluffy on some buggers, open a beer, and get some exp.

Also: I'm sure you know this but never nuke if you're chaining. You'll lose all the aggro of the old pet. Also work on that timing. If using fire pet during chaining if he doesn't cast DS right away, keep backing him off mob and he'll cast it eventually.

[Tenloar]

http://www.troll.me/images/futurama-fry/cant-tell-if-trolling-or-serious-thumb.jpg

No. The Magician can solo excellently. It's just you're probably doing chain-casting wrong. Dont expect any pet other than Earth pet to stand toe to toe, and even Earth pet will need some heals.

Chain-casting fire pets is efficient strategy. You gotta have some distance between the mob and yourself. Start casting your fire pet when your current fire pet gets low. If you're almost done with the current cast and your pet still isnt dead, I just dismiss it before my pet comes out. Pretty simple. Good luck!

[Virtual]

Sounds like you're just targeting the wrong mobs. Mages are great soloers, peaking at level 49. You need to target low blue mobs that are equal or lower than your pets level. Your relative power is directly related to your spell level since that's the pet you're using. 38 will suck, 39 is great, 43 really sucks, 44 great. Often best to solo the first couple levels after a new pet, then group the last levels before new spells. Relax, sick Fluffy on some buggers, open a beer, and get some exp.

Also: I'm sure you know this but never nuke if you're chaining. You'll lose all the aggro of the old pet. Also work on that timing. If using fire pet during chaining if he doesn't cast DS right away, keep backing him off mob and he'll cast it eventually.

I can't find any mobs that don't immediately destroy my pet then kill me and making the last 2 hours of my time pointless because I just keep dying.

No. The Magician can solo excellently. It's just you're probably doing chain-casting wrong. Dont expect any pet other than Earth pet to stand toe to toe, and even Earth pet will need some heals.

Chain-casting fire pets is efficient strategy. You gotta have some distance between the mob and yourself. Start casting your fire pet when your current fire pet gets low. If you're almost done with the current cast and your pet still isnt dead, I just dismiss it before my pet comes out. Pretty simple. Good luck!

Thats exactly what I do and yet the pet never keeps aggro and I die.

[Estu]

It's pretty simple. You're level 38 and you're targeting mobs that should be hunted in the low to mid 40s. Go hunt lower-level mobs. Try drolvargs in Firiona Vie.

[Virtual]

Well. Instead of being all doom-and-gloomy in the face of advice from more experienced players, why not give us some details so we can try to help?

Are you nuking mobs at all or just using pets (and maybe healing)? Where are you fighting (and at what level) that you only find mobs that annihilate your pets? Etc.


No one is lying to you about how effective mages CAN be; you just need to ask some questions and/or give details so that people can give you specific advice to help you tune your methods.

My methods are usually just chaincasting pets at yetis but it burns a hell of a lot of malachite doing that to kill the mobs I was targeting, I don't really heal my pets it seems pointless since the heal spell itself is so weak.

It's pretty simple. You're level 38 and you're targeting mobs that should be hunted in the low to mid 40s. Go hunt lower-level mobs. Try drolvargs in Firiona Vie.

The mobs I was trying to kill were actually suggested to me, i'll try going to Firiona Vie.

[Infectious]

38-47 dwarf guards at bb docks. Stupid easy exp, fast spawns. Get the noob zone exp and nice weapon drops you can sell at the druid merchant nearby

[Infectious]

I dont know if you have, but make sure you have your torch and shovel finished also. They make such a big difference with your pet its crazy.

[Virtual]

Well I tired different mobs in Firiona Vie and it was the same outcome, I die and lose all my exp making it pointless to be even playing the game.

[Velerin]

At level 38 you are still using the level 34 pet which means you gotta target things a lvl 34 pet can handle (mobs around lvl 30 that are just barely blue to you). Mage soloing is completely dependent on your best pet. Your level really doesn't mean much, hence why 38 will suck regardless and at 39 you feel powerful again.
At 39 I was able to pet chain seafuries (awful slow but doable), at 38 I would be crushed by them.

[DarkwingDuck]

Ya you're either doing it wrong or fighting to high lvl of mobs.
My Mage is 52 now.. And as much as I can RIP mobs apart, I group, because I'm not playing skyrim.
Fire pet is always best.. Especially the 49, and especially if u have ur focus items..

[Virtual]

Sorry my posts are slow but the mods have to review them, I guess it's to stop people making new accounts and flaming.

Anyway I found a decent spot in Frontier Mountains at the giants fortress and these mobs are perfect for me I can take them out no problem. I guess I was just trying to take on the wrong mobs.

[Tenloar]

At level 38 you are still using the level 34 pet which means you gotta target things a lvl 34 pet can handle (mobs around lvl 30 that are just barely blue to you). Mage soloing is completely dependent on your best pet. Your level really doesn't mean much, hence why 38 will suck regardless and at 39 you feel powerful again.
At 39 I was able to pet chain seafuries (awful slow but doable), at 38 I would be crushed by them.

Again, can't tell if trolling or serious, but there's your problem. You shouldnt even be attempting Seafuries until you AT LEAST get your 44 pet, 49 is much better for Seafuries. Anything less and they just annihilate your pets.

You should be able to chain-cast most mobs in your level range (assuming its the fire pet only, as well as making sure he casts DS before you even sic him on the mob).

You say you're level 38, thats a perfect level to be chain-casting against Hill Giants in Rathe Mountains. Obviously it will be even easier to chain-cast against them when you get your level 39 pets.

[Kender]

pirates in fv till 40

[Tecmos Deception]

I guess I was just trying to take on the wrong mobs.

Being at the right camp is an enormous part of soloing successfully in EQ, regardless of class. Mages can be annoying to solo, but they are very effective... IF you are at the right location for your level.

[Virtual]

Being at the right camp is an enormous part of soloing successfully in EQ, regardless of class. Mages can be annoying to solo, but they are very effective... IF you are at the right location for your level.

It's going well at this area and I've almost dinged so I guess I found the right spot for me.

[Velerin]

Again, can't tell if trolling or serious, but there's your problem. You shouldnt even be attempting Seafuries until you AT LEAST get your 44 pet, 49 is much better for Seafuries. Anything less and they just annihilate your pets.

You should be able to chain-cast most mobs in your level range (assuming its the fire pet only, as well as making sure he casts DS before you even sic him on the mob).

You say you're level 38, thats a perfect level to be chain-casting against Hill Giants in Rathe Mountains. Obviously it will be even easier to chain-cast against them when you get your level 39 pets.

I'm not the OP. I didn't say you should do seafuries at 39, I just said you can at 39 but no chance at 38, stating my point the huge upgrade in power a mage gets each spell circle. The level right before new spells (ie 38) always sucks for mages.

And nice job Virtual. Glad you stuck with it. 39 will be a nice upgrade for you. Faster regenning pets too!

[Virtual]

I'm not the OP. I didn't say you should do seafuries at 39, I just said you can at 39 but no chance at 38, stating my point the huge upgrade in power a mage gets each spell circle. The level right before new spells (ie 38) always sucks for mages.

And nice job Virtual. Glad you stuck with it. 39 will be a nice upgrade for you. Faster regenning pets too!

Got new fire pet and yeah he's a beast, im taking on guards in oggok now and the xp is flying up.

[Ishio]

So I'm curious, what's Chain-Casting? I'm assuming it's casting at 50% or something depending on how fast the health drops, but wouldn't that be super expensive???

[Velerin]

Malachite only cost 5 silver. It can get boring but you can basically kill any non summoning mob in this way eventually. The mana cost of pets doesn't go up from 39-49 (200 mana) so its crazy efficient.

[Ishio]

Malachite only cost 5 silver. It can get boring but you can basically kill any non summoning mob in this way eventually. The mana cost of pets doesn't go up from 39-49 (200 mana) so its crazy efficient.

My 18 mage uses Lapis. I thought the reagents would increase in price as they change

[Velerin]

Nah, think that might have been the original EQ plan but they just go back to malachite after that weird 2 spell circles of lapis.