The Idle Mage

FinaLfront

What does your mage do when he's not casting spells? I'm just curious because I normally don't ever have any in my groups, and I'm kinda at odds here.

I'm sure 99% of you have them shooting bullets at enemies, but personally, I just don't agree with that. Slings are NOT easy weapons to use. I wouldn't trust a mage with one of these things anyways. The way I see it a fighter would require 5 pips just to be proficient with a sling.

I don't throw darts or daggers either. I just stand around with a staff and say "no" to enemies every now and then.

Anyone think similarly, or have any justifications they use?

CrevsDaak

When my mages don't cast spells it is because 1) they are dead 2) they are using cleric spells 3) they are fighting in melee 4) they are helpless.

Shin

Darts are usually more efficient than slings given how many attacks you get with them. In the later game though, none of them (in the hands of a mage) tend to make much of a difference, so repositioning or just standing around is fine as well.

dracostrike

My current mage is Mordaine and she has a set algorithm ^^

1st check - Any spells left, if so, use them. If not, continue.
2nd check - Any Darts left, if so, use your decent 17 dex. If not, continue.
3rd check - Equip Dagger of Venom and Gauntlets of Ogre Power. She is now off to show your frontline how it is really done ^^

CrevsDaak

dracostrike said:

3rd check - Equip Dagger of Venom and Gauntlets of Ogre Power. She is now off to show your frontline how it is really done ^^

Mages can't use those gauntlets but yeah, I get what you say

element

my mage doesn't tend to use darts or slings but he will go in with his staff when he's not casting although in bg2 I never tend to be idle

Twani

I usually have my mages back, using darts (or with Aerie, slings). I don't like to rest often (I won't do it in dungeons unless it's absolutely desperate), so I don't cast spells unless the enemy is serious. So my mages often hang around throwing things against fodder.

meagloth

I usually toss one bullet or dart in between spells. Usually he just stands there and try's to look like he know how to use that shiny new quarterstaff, but everybody saw him hit himself in the balls a few days ago. (He got the kobold though, so it was kinda a draw.)

casualt

If your mage has run out of useful spells, put him/her in the back, let the Tanks do their work.
"magic is impressive etc"

Lemernis

Darts or slings. Because they usually have high Dex they can actually hit the side of a barn. I know that the prestidigitation that a wizard uses wouldn't necessarily translate to ranged weapons. But the game engine doesn't differentiate so neither do I.

emjay

Melf's meteors is such a handy spell for this purpose - it gives your mages quite handy single-target damage spread over a couple of rounds, and helps prolong their usefulness in a fight, given the meteors last in the equipped slot quite a while.

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uglyducklynn

I agree that the sling is a difficult weapon to use, however a pip is a pip, and for all we know the mage had trained with the sling their whole life. Hence the proficiency point.

SCARY_WIZARD

Darts. Or Minute Meteors, except those...don't number as well as darts do.

Ehh, might chuck daggers in a game with enchanted ones. Or use quick-slot items.

Calmar

I usually have them use slings as well. Not because I expect them to hit, but so that I can attack with my whole group without having my mages run into certain melee-doom. Sometimes I let them stand around while the warrior-types do the warrioring.

FinaLfront said:

I'm sure 99% of you have them shooting bullets at enemies, but personally, I just don't agree with that. Slings are NOT easy weapons to use. I wouldn't trust a mage with one of these things anyways. The way I see it a fighter would require 5 pips just to be proficient with a sling.

Would you say slings are underpowered in d20? ;P