level 1-10 is often easer melee'd. I've tried playing with some max mana gear but it's just easier to not run out of mana when the abilities arn't really charging very quickly at those levels anyway. Also the damage difference between using dex robe, dex charm + ee dagger, is similar if not more than simple max mana robe/dagger + ee charm.
The magican as a solo character has varous advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
Significantly higher damage output, Great ablities to allow for regular hits of 2 mobs and excellent killing of EP's. Powercast wrecks them.
Ability to heal
usually greatly appreciated in groups later on.
Disadvantages:
Needs mana, this is pretty obvous and I would suggest in most situations you'll need to refuel on mana at the shrine ~3-4 times per level. However this is often similar to whats needed on melee chars at level 55+
Inability to tank, whilst the magician can slay EP's very quickly, using robes is a bit of a hinderance. Using a high EE padded robe is a possible solution and not one i've played around with much seeing the mage will killl EP's quickly with 100-120EE charms very quickly until you reach level 65, where a group of 3 EP's is pretty likely to kill you unless you've saved a powercast to immediately knock one out (easily hit 20k+ crits on my 130ee level 50 ice)
Worst character to own if you wish to use samurai/paladin for when you pass. If you've gone barb, you'll usually already have str charms + ee armors, the only thing you potentially need to buy is swords.
needs more slots in vault due to requiring a heal charm. As well as needing to purchase more items (not necessarily more expensive than a barb/fighter though)
Notes:
Recommended to use /whistle 1 to set levels to 1 to allow you to heal for free, basically i suggest you walk around to find mobs to fight, although especially level 55+ you'll regularly need healing, whilst you can do that in the mob fights, doing it for free saves on mana.
To give you an idea of how much more damage mages do, lets look at the following equipment:
Mystical ultimanium dagger
Level Req: 55
Damage: 85 to 149
+12 Strength
+52 Intelligence
+2 Jubilance
Angelic seamist robe
Level Req: 30
Physical Defense: 0 to 10
Magical Defense: 32 to 97
+4 Strength
+37 Intelligence
+2 Critical Strike
+1 to 2 Life per Attack
Mystical ice XIII
Level Req: 50
Spell Damage: 276 to 331
Mana Cost: 101
+135% Enhanced Effect
+4 Strength
+1 to 28 Mana per Kill
Rare focused heal XIII
Level Req: 50
Heals: 282 to 338
Mana Cost: 101
+140% Enhanced Effect
+1 to 1 Mana per Attack
Barb:
Magical godwood club
Level Req: 55
Damage: 129 to 584
+207% Enhanced Effect
Legendary ultimanium plate mail
Level Req: 55
Physical Defense: 95 to 286
Magical Defense: 0 to 34
+135% Enhanced Effect
+1 Strength
+18 Max Life
+3 Extra Equipment Slots
+1 to 51 Mana per Kill
+1% Quick Draw
+1% Glancing Blow
Mystical wind XII
Level Req: 45
Spell Damage: 25 to 113
Mana Cost: 93
+52 Strength
+2% Experience Gained
+7% Physical Damage Reduction
Mage:
value: 4k fg (lowering the value of the robe to a level 55 robe with 37 int + crit)
Average damage: 1000
Stats: 45 vita, rest to int.
Has to heal regularly
Barb:
Value: 6k fg
average damage: 900
stats: 75 vita, rest to str
Shrines a little bit at level 65+
Much easier to play simply because he just tanks so there's no need to use the whistle command or to be healing, but the damage difference compared to the values also tells a story. I've ran both chars multiple times and would suggest the damage numbers are accurate.
Conclusion:
The mage is best used for players who prefer that playstyle and who do NOT intend to progress in the game and are simply searching for items. In my opinion the mage is very viable solo, however "more annoying" is possibly the best way to describe the healing/shrining involved.
If you intend to use the samurai, the mage is probably not your best first class choice."what about caster samurai's"? this was answered here:
https://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=80032628&f=74The basics of it was that it's easier to melee with a 100 ee dagger, than to cast with a 200 ee charm. By all means it's possible, just expect the budgets to be reversed (a melee samurai of 4k will deal more damage than a caster samurai on a budget of 6k)
In your position i would use a barb. You already have plenty of swords to reach from level 1-55 with a level 55 club to hit 71.
You also already have 2 reasonably decent strength charms.
The issue you have is no armors with EE for levels 25 onwards, so you will be unable to take hits, which is the main selling point of barbs/fighters.
Picking up 80ee armors at level 25,35,45 and 55 should cost under 50 fg if you play your cards right.
This post was edited by mclarke on Apr 27 2019 08:25am