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<blockquote data-quote="Veep" data-source="post: 6745449" data-attributes="member: 6793297"><p><strong>Originally posted by Nausicaa:</strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Wizard Tactics & Strategy Tips</strong></span></p><p></p><p>A little note: this section was done for "rookie" d&d or wizard players. Seasoned players will find, probably, little help from my advice. Feedback, as usual, is more than welcomed for all sections.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Know your strengths</u></strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>This section (Strengths-Weaknesses) is an overlook of the class. I'll put various statements here in a sparse order. This section is written to be useful expecially for new players, but can be useful for all players.</p><p></p><p><strong>1)</strong> Huge Support: the wizard class, as all the "old time" classes have huge support of powers, feats and items. As you can see in the power list, powers come from many many sources (PHB, HoFL, AP, at least 6 dragon issues and so on). Note that dragon magazine powers are generally tied to a theme (for example d 381 to the "fey theme" that was re-worked into enchanters).</p><p> </p><p><strong>2)</strong> The wizard class is the only implement-user which can use 4 implements baseline (the Mage 3). This means that you can cherry-pick the best items in the game, also from other casters. Wizards are also the only implement-controller (till now) which can also learn to use extra implements with a modicum investment. This is probably underrated, but is very important. For example, invokers, unless hybrid or multiclass (with heavy power investment) can't use orbs. Druids can't use tomes, and so on.</p><p></p><p><strong>3) </strong>Huge moltitude of effects: the wizard can emulate any kind off effects: slowed, restrained, immobilized, stunned, weakened, blinded, dominated. The wizard has many sliding and pushing effects: this means you can exploit easily this kind of powers with the best party setup and get your allies take Agile Opportunist if they want.</p><p></p><p><strong>4) </strong>Very strong effects un-tied from power level: the wizard powers makes enemy unconscious from level 1. Mass dominate from level 9. This means that power retraining is nice but no mandatory. </p><p></p><p><strong>5)</strong> The wizard's feat list is composed by 6-7 "mandatory" elements. These are feats that each player wants for his/her character. Not having some of them will cripple the growth of this character. Not having others, instead, seriously limits their options. </p><p>Members of the first list are the various expertise feats. Those aren't real feats, but "math corrections". In fact monster defenses scale differently from character's attack bonus. Those feats were created to delete this differences and make them scale the same way. At the moment, the best feat is versatile expertise, since it's like implement expertise but you can add also your bonus to a weapon attack (the only weapon you usually wield is the staff, so generally wizards go for weapon: staff / implement: staff or staff/orb).</p><p>At the moment also superior implement expertise is considered very welcomed. Another +1 to hit with your cunning staff is probably the best feat investment for imposers and illusionists. Blasters may want to focus on a single defense and get another bonus damage. </p><p>Very welcomed feats, instead, are not mandatory. But they are so useful that not taking some of them can be a really bad choice. Enlarge spell is one of them: while changed by the errata to affect only at wills or encounter wizard (so, no PP) spells, it's a really lovely investment for 1 feat. Changing burst 1 to burst 2 makes a spell cover 16 squares more (from 9 to 25). While not gamebreaking, it's really useful.</p><p>There are also feats that are build dependant: blasters love to take feats tied to their element specialization, and war wizardry if they have chosen many non-friendly aoes. Enlarge and damage increasing feats are useless for enchanters, which base everything on precision and defense.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Confront your weaknesses</u></strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>The wizard player has a some things to take care about:</p><p></p><p><strong>1) Glass cannon</strong>: the wizard is "the" glass cannon. While it has many ways to escape attacks its AC and HP are probably among the worst in the game. At higher levels you will usually be hit with a roll of 6-7 and this is bad. A little investment on survival is, in my opinion, very welcomed. </p><p>Players usually understimate these facts, saying that ranged characters should worry less about defenses than melee ones. This is not completely false, but it is really DM dependant. Some DM (like mine) like to pursuit you with skirmishers and lurkers. They love to charge you with brutes and kick your face. If you have a DM that makes everything he/she can to avoid to attack the defender (a.k.a.: the "you're not a tank" DM), please, make some investment to stay vertical as much as you can. Otherwise, you will be a burden for your party, instead of the real encounter-winner.</p><p></p><p><strong>2) Not easy to play</strong>: the wizard is probably one of the most difficult class to play. Its powers, expecially its dailies, are never obvious to use. Naturally this requires some finesse and some brain-usage. If you are a player that likes to play drunk/high i suggest to play another class or stick with the easiest to play builds: summoners and blasters.</p><p>Effects like visions of avarice, storm pillar, evard's spells, phantom reality and so on are very strong, but need careful targeting and party support (see next session)</p><p></p><p><strong>3) Party aid:</strong> if you are alone, you are dead. D.E.D. (quote <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" />). So, try not to play against your party. If the barbarian has readied an action to charge a guy, don't push him far. If you really have to include an ally in one of your effects please DO NOT target the leader. You can target the avenger, the monk, the defender, but NOT the leader. Do nothing instead, it's better. If you have many non-friendly spells, take war wizardry. It's not a choice. Your party will hate you and will write in the C.O. boards posts like "OMG wizards are idiotic". Each time i read a post like this, it's because the wizard made bad choices (took bad powers like, for example, firescythe or erupting flame, things that should be deleted from wizard power list... or didn't simply have a clue about playing a wizard) and blasted away its party.</p><p></p><p><strong>4) Reputation</strong>: controllers? Useless, "a luxury that many parties can't have", With that party you can't have a wizard, Stunlockers? Dead!, Blood Mages? They aren't like at the old times. </p><p></p><p>When you read sentences like these in the forum, just ignore them. Wizard are probably the most errataed class, because some features were really off the board. Stunlockers could reach a -20 to all saving throws. Blood Mages could deal absurd (really absurd) damage using a single encounter. </p><p>Controllers are judged as a luxury, as the "5th loser" you have to carry on the adventure and takes your gold and your magic items. Why? Read again point 4. </p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Party and Movement Management</u></strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Party Management</strong></p><p></p><p>Your party is the best resource you have. Keep this always in your mind. As i wrote before, hitting continuously your allies with your spells is not only not acceptable, but also stupid. In some parties this can bring people not want to play with you or oblige you to change class.</p><p></p><p>So, here's some advices about party: </p><p></p><p>First, <strong>the defender</strong>: we can say that the defender is an high-armored and sturdy controller. In fact, he loves to have enemies near him/her and punish them, commonly with sliding/proning effects, but also with teleport denial. stunning and other nasty things. </p><p>Help your defender: if you want to help your defender, try to make more vulnerable enemies around him. Winged Horde is a great example. This spell makes your defender move more freely among enemy lines and get many marks. With Arcane Whirlwind or Twist of Space you can slide him in good position, with the various charm powers you can force the mark, and so on. Finally, the bane of all defenders are skirmishers and ranged controllers (except for the swordmage, maybe): with the various wall spells and area spells you can cover a large number of squares denying hit and run tactics.</p><p></p><p>Second, <strong>the leader</strong>: the leader helps and heals all your party, enabling attacks and buffing/debuffing. </p><p>Help your leader: usually it's your leader that helps you, so follow his/her attack scheme. Wait to land that strong encounter power until the BBEG is debuffed. Try to get decent defenses: in this way your leader's resources won't be wasted only on you. Last but not least, know your leader: a tactical warlord plays completely different from a pacifist cleric, so pay attention.</p><p></p><p>Third and last, <strong>the striker team</strong>: everyone likes to play a striker, so generally you have at least 2-3 of them in any party. </p><p>Help your strikers: your various status effects help them to land crucial dailies and encounter powers. If you have many melee strikers don't fill the battlefield with non-friendly zones or walls. Summons are great for setting up constant CA. Again, play as a team.</p><p></p><p><strong>Movement management</strong></p><p></p><p>I've got some short advices for you: </p><p>1) Follow your team, if it moves. Try to stay at range but in line with your defender. This is for charging denial.</p><p>2) Never, ever ever ever stay in melee, unless you are some kind of hybrid swordmage. </p><p>3) Get as soon as possible a way to fly, levitate, boots of teleportation, etc. You don't want to be hampered by difficult terrain.</p><p>4) Try to stay in a burst 5 with your leader in the heroic tier, burst 10 in the paragon and 15 in epic. This is for the encounter minor action heals. Do this expecially if your leader is a melee one.</p><p>5) If you are a summoner and you don't have to go for CA (or your summon has area attacks), try to stay near it.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Other tips</u></strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p></p><p>Miscellaneous things that came into my mind and can be always useful.</p><p></p><p><strong>Action Economy Analysis by Lucious Leet</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p></p><p>At Will: 24</p><p>Free:0</p><p>Immediate Interrupt:0</p><p>Immediate Reaction:0</p><p>Minor Action:3 (2 cantrips+Mystical Debris)</p><p>Move:1 (1 Utility)</p><p>No Action:0</p><p>Opportunity:0</p><p>Standard:20</p><p>There is only one minor At Will, Mystical Debris, which is actually worth considering regarding consistent usage of minor actions.</p><p></p><p>Encounter: 114</p><p>Free:3 (1 cantrip, 2 Utilities)</p><p>Immediate Interrupt:3 (all Utilities)</p><p>Immediate Reaction:3 (1 Utility)</p><p>Minor Action:7 (all Utilities)</p><p>Move:3 (all Utilities)</p><p>No Action:0</p><p>Opportunity:0</p><p>Standard:95</p><p>All Encounter powers below standard action are utilities and mostly situational</p><p></p><p>Daily: 155</p><p>Free:3 (all Utilities)</p><p>Immediate Interrupt:3 (2 Utilities)</p><p>Immediate Reaction:0</p><p>Minor Action:56 (30 Utilities, 24 Summons or other powers which also eat up the standard to attack, Wizard's Fury and Delayed Blast Fireball)</p><p>Move:5 (all Utilities)</p><p>No Action:0</p><p>Opportunity:0</p><p>Standard:88</p><p></p><p>Only 2 Daily powers are minor and since they are dailies cannot be considered when looking into consistent action economy.</p><p></p><p>It looks like there is not alot of room for action economy for wizards, the powers that use actions lower than standard are either utilities which are situational or dailies which use an action to "cast" them or to sustain them.</p><p>Of course this is a simple count, there may be hidden gems in there which may consistently or at least regularly take up some of the actions other than standard.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Using Mystical Debris</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>How to use Mystical Debris: blocking the way of access is generally a bad idea. The usual use is helping your defender. How? This is generally done in three ways:</p><p>1) The battle is ongoing and positions are set: put mystical debris in this way: XMDMX where X are empty squares, M are mystical debris squares where monsters are and D is your defender. Tip: use only a vertical, horizontal or diagonal pattern. Your defender may need to shift away.</p><p>2) The battle is started and you want to create difficult terrain: put mystical debris in this way: MXDXM. Defender will catch enemies and this will denial shift+charge tactics. </p><p>3) Deny skirmishers or lurkers movement. The pattern is usually MX </p><p> XM</p><p>In this way you block charges and shifting easily with a correct placement of your defender. </p><p></p><p>Avoid to surround him and to block possible escape ways for your party. </p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Storm Pillar</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Storm pillar can still be abused. Just know when to use it: the forced movement can happen only in the enemy's round. So, effects like Arcane Whirlwind, Visions of Avarice or Phantom Bolt don't work. But Hypnotic Pattern and Prismatic Wall, for example, which slides or teleports the target in an adjacent square as an Opportunity Action, still does. Hypnotic Pattern+Storm Pillar is a VERY damaging combo that each wizard has to take on account. </p><p>Also Grease works, but strangely: you have to miss the free action attack. In this way you slide the target into the pillar. If you hit the target is prone, if you miss you slide it 2 squares into the pillar. Overall a nice catch 22 situation.</p><p>Summon Chainbearer works too. As an opportunity action it slides the target, and it has threatening reach.</p><p></p><p>Last but not least, remember that low level orb users usually extend its duration for another round. Having 2 storm pillars on the board is something that can be really nasty.</p><p></p><p>At higher level even a dominated target can be destroyed by a well placed storm pillar.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>How monsters interact with enchanters?</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Premise: taken on account 200 monsters from MM1, MM2, MM3. Random monsters from all tiers.</p><p></p><p>1) <u>MBAs are MUCH more common than RBAs</u>: only 18 monsters from 200 had an RBA. So, powers that are able to give a "basic attack" instead of a "melee basic attack" are much more stronger on paper than in real game. </p><p></p><p>2) <strong>Damage</strong>: the MBA damage is actually <strong><span style="color: #ff00ff">fairly low</span></strong> compared to what a striker can do. It is comparable, though, to the AOE damage that a non-blaster wizard can dish out. Basically an enchanter mage doesn't hinder too much the DPR side of a party.</p><p></p><p>3) <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Effe</strong></span><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">cts</span></strong><span style="color: #00ccff">: </span>yeah, dark-lightblue: effects tied to monsters MBA and RBA were really a lot. </p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ongoing Damage (10%): a lot of ongoing damage rolling. Usually tied to the element of the creature, but not always<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Prone (2-3%): sometimes. Creatures that prone the target usually deals more damage against prone targets. This can be exploited, probably<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Immobilized (5%): a good half of this 5% creatures had an effect with a save end tied. <br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Extra Damage (15%): usually tied to thier element, but not always. It is always better to target another type of creature with these effects, since creatures are nearly always resistant to their element. I put in this group also conditional extra damage (sneak attacking and extra conditional damage usually common in lurkers and skirmishers)<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dazed (7-8%): a good half of this 7-8% creatures had an effect with a save end tied<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Marked (5%): a marked creatures interact decently with a defender.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Slowed (5%): again often with a save end effect<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Grabbed (7-8%): a grabbed greature has to escape from the grab... which costs precious actions<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Attacker Move (7-8%): the attacker can move (usually shifts, but sometimes jumps or moves ) before or after the action... this can lead to OAs<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Push/Pull/Slide (5% but much more common in MM3)<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Other effects (8-9%): stunning, dominating and weakening are the more common, expecially in higher tiers... but also -hit effects. Always nice.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Only damage (15-20%): a good chunk of creatures deals only damage. Much more increased in MM3<br /> </li> </ul><p></p><p>Creatures completely immune to charm effects are under 3% of the sample (naturally excluded from the statistic). </p><p>Other considerations:</p><p>Enchanters are more than viable, expecially if your DM possess and uses MM2 and 3. </p><p>Enchanters becomes stronger when the enemy is stronger, and this is a great asset.</p><p>Enchanters are more able to help a non heavy debuffer defender.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p>[/sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Veep, post: 6745449, member: 6793297"] [b]Originally posted by Nausicaa:[/b] [CENTER][Size=4][b]Wizard Tactics & Strategy Tips[/b][/size][/CENTER] A little note: this section was done for "rookie" d&d or wizard players. Seasoned players will find, probably, little help from my advice. Feedback, as usual, is more than welcomed for all sections. [b][u]Know your strengths[/u][/b] [sblock] This section (Strengths-Weaknesses) is an overlook of the class. I'll put various statements here in a sparse order. This section is written to be useful expecially for new players, but can be useful for all players. [b]1)[/b] Huge Support: the wizard class, as all the "old time" classes have huge support of powers, feats and items. As you can see in the power list, powers come from many many sources (PHB, HoFL, AP, at least 6 dragon issues and so on). Note that dragon magazine powers are generally tied to a theme (for example d 381 to the "fey theme" that was re-worked into enchanters). [b]2)[/b] The wizard class is the only implement-user which can use 4 implements baseline (the Mage 3). This means that you can cherry-pick the best items in the game, also from other casters. Wizards are also the only implement-controller (till now) which can also learn to use extra implements with a modicum investment. This is probably underrated, but is very important. For example, invokers, unless hybrid or multiclass (with heavy power investment) can't use orbs. Druids can't use tomes, and so on. [b]3) [/b]Huge moltitude of effects: the wizard can emulate any kind off effects: slowed, restrained, immobilized, stunned, weakened, blinded, dominated. The wizard has many sliding and pushing effects: this means you can exploit easily this kind of powers with the best party setup and get your allies take Agile Opportunist if they want. [b]4) [/b]Very strong effects un-tied from power level: the wizard powers makes enemy unconscious from level 1. Mass dominate from level 9. This means that power retraining is nice but no mandatory. [b]5)[/b] The wizard's feat list is composed by 6-7 "mandatory" elements. These are feats that each player wants for his/her character. Not having some of them will cripple the growth of this character. Not having others, instead, seriously limits their options. Members of the first list are the various expertise feats. Those aren't real feats, but "math corrections". In fact monster defenses scale differently from character's attack bonus. Those feats were created to delete this differences and make them scale the same way. At the moment, the best feat is versatile expertise, since it's like implement expertise but you can add also your bonus to a weapon attack (the only weapon you usually wield is the staff, so generally wizards go for weapon: staff / implement: staff or staff/orb). At the moment also superior implement expertise is considered very welcomed. Another +1 to hit with your cunning staff is probably the best feat investment for imposers and illusionists. Blasters may want to focus on a single defense and get another bonus damage. Very welcomed feats, instead, are not mandatory. But they are so useful that not taking some of them can be a really bad choice. Enlarge spell is one of them: while changed by the errata to affect only at wills or encounter wizard (so, no PP) spells, it's a really lovely investment for 1 feat. Changing burst 1 to burst 2 makes a spell cover 16 squares more (from 9 to 25). While not gamebreaking, it's really useful. There are also feats that are build dependant: blasters love to take feats tied to their element specialization, and war wizardry if they have chosen many non-friendly aoes. Enlarge and damage increasing feats are useless for enchanters, which base everything on precision and defense. [/sblock] [b][u]Confront your weaknesses[/u][/b] [sblock] The wizard player has a some things to take care about: [b]1) Glass cannon[/b]: the wizard is "the" glass cannon. While it has many ways to escape attacks its AC and HP are probably among the worst in the game. At higher levels you will usually be hit with a roll of 6-7 and this is bad. A little investment on survival is, in my opinion, very welcomed. Players usually understimate these facts, saying that ranged characters should worry less about defenses than melee ones. This is not completely false, but it is really DM dependant. Some DM (like mine) like to pursuit you with skirmishers and lurkers. They love to charge you with brutes and kick your face. If you have a DM that makes everything he/she can to avoid to attack the defender (a.k.a.: the "you're not a tank" DM), please, make some investment to stay vertical as much as you can. Otherwise, you will be a burden for your party, instead of the real encounter-winner. [b]2) Not easy to play[/b]: the wizard is probably one of the most difficult class to play. Its powers, expecially its dailies, are never obvious to use. Naturally this requires some finesse and some brain-usage. If you are a player that likes to play drunk/high i suggest to play another class or stick with the easiest to play builds: summoners and blasters. Effects like visions of avarice, storm pillar, evard's spells, phantom reality and so on are very strong, but need careful targeting and party support (see next session) [b]3) Party aid:[/b] if you are alone, you are dead. D.E.D. (quote :P). So, try not to play against your party. If the barbarian has readied an action to charge a guy, don't push him far. If you really have to include an ally in one of your effects please DO NOT target the leader. You can target the avenger, the monk, the defender, but NOT the leader. Do nothing instead, it's better. If you have many non-friendly spells, take war wizardry. It's not a choice. Your party will hate you and will write in the C.O. boards posts like "OMG wizards are idiotic". Each time i read a post like this, it's because the wizard made bad choices (took bad powers like, for example, firescythe or erupting flame, things that should be deleted from wizard power list... or didn't simply have a clue about playing a wizard) and blasted away its party. [b]4) Reputation[/b]: controllers? Useless, "a luxury that many parties can't have", With that party you can't have a wizard, Stunlockers? Dead!, Blood Mages? They aren't like at the old times. When you read sentences like these in the forum, just ignore them. Wizard are probably the most errataed class, because some features were really off the board. Stunlockers could reach a -20 to all saving throws. Blood Mages could deal absurd (really absurd) damage using a single encounter. Controllers are judged as a luxury, as the "5th loser" you have to carry on the adventure and takes your gold and your magic items. Why? Read again point 4. [/sblock] [b][u]Party and Movement Management[/u][/b] [sblock] [b]Party Management[/b] Your party is the best resource you have. Keep this always in your mind. As i wrote before, hitting continuously your allies with your spells is not only not acceptable, but also stupid. In some parties this can bring people not want to play with you or oblige you to change class. So, here's some advices about party: First, [b]the defender[/b]: we can say that the defender is an high-armored and sturdy controller. In fact, he loves to have enemies near him/her and punish them, commonly with sliding/proning effects, but also with teleport denial. stunning and other nasty things. Help your defender: if you want to help your defender, try to make more vulnerable enemies around him. Winged Horde is a great example. This spell makes your defender move more freely among enemy lines and get many marks. With Arcane Whirlwind or Twist of Space you can slide him in good position, with the various charm powers you can force the mark, and so on. Finally, the bane of all defenders are skirmishers and ranged controllers (except for the swordmage, maybe): with the various wall spells and area spells you can cover a large number of squares denying hit and run tactics. Second, [b]the leader[/b]: the leader helps and heals all your party, enabling attacks and buffing/debuffing. Help your leader: usually it's your leader that helps you, so follow his/her attack scheme. Wait to land that strong encounter power until the BBEG is debuffed. Try to get decent defenses: in this way your leader's resources won't be wasted only on you. Last but not least, know your leader: a tactical warlord plays completely different from a pacifist cleric, so pay attention. Third and last, [b]the striker team[/b]: everyone likes to play a striker, so generally you have at least 2-3 of them in any party. Help your strikers: your various status effects help them to land crucial dailies and encounter powers. If you have many melee strikers don't fill the battlefield with non-friendly zones or walls. Summons are great for setting up constant CA. Again, play as a team. [b]Movement management[/b] I've got some short advices for you: 1) Follow your team, if it moves. Try to stay at range but in line with your defender. This is for charging denial. 2) Never, ever ever ever stay in melee, unless you are some kind of hybrid swordmage. 3) Get as soon as possible a way to fly, levitate, boots of teleportation, etc. You don't want to be hampered by difficult terrain. 4) Try to stay in a burst 5 with your leader in the heroic tier, burst 10 in the paragon and 15 in epic. This is for the encounter minor action heals. Do this expecially if your leader is a melee one. 5) If you are a summoner and you don't have to go for CA (or your summon has area attacks), try to stay near it. [/sblock] [b][u]Other tips[/u][/b] [sblock] Miscellaneous things that came into my mind and can be always useful. [b]Action Economy Analysis by Lucious Leet[/b] [sblock] At Will: 24 Free:0 Immediate Interrupt:0 Immediate Reaction:0 Minor Action:3 (2 cantrips+Mystical Debris) Move:1 (1 Utility) No Action:0 Opportunity:0 Standard:20 There is only one minor At Will, Mystical Debris, which is actually worth considering regarding consistent usage of minor actions. Encounter: 114 Free:3 (1 cantrip, 2 Utilities) Immediate Interrupt:3 (all Utilities) Immediate Reaction:3 (1 Utility) Minor Action:7 (all Utilities) Move:3 (all Utilities) No Action:0 Opportunity:0 Standard:95 All Encounter powers below standard action are utilities and mostly situational Daily: 155 Free:3 (all Utilities) Immediate Interrupt:3 (2 Utilities) Immediate Reaction:0 Minor Action:56 (30 Utilities, 24 Summons or other powers which also eat up the standard to attack, Wizard's Fury and Delayed Blast Fireball) Move:5 (all Utilities) No Action:0 Opportunity:0 Standard:88 Only 2 Daily powers are minor and since they are dailies cannot be considered when looking into consistent action economy. It looks like there is not alot of room for action economy for wizards, the powers that use actions lower than standard are either utilities which are situational or dailies which use an action to "cast" them or to sustain them. Of course this is a simple count, there may be hidden gems in there which may consistently or at least regularly take up some of the actions other than standard. [/sblock] [b]Using Mystical Debris[/b] [sblock] How to use Mystical Debris: blocking the way of access is generally a bad idea. The usual use is helping your defender. How? This is generally done in three ways: 1) The battle is ongoing and positions are set: put mystical debris in this way: XMDMX where X are empty squares, M are mystical debris squares where monsters are and D is your defender. Tip: use only a vertical, horizontal or diagonal pattern. Your defender may need to shift away. 2) The battle is started and you want to create difficult terrain: put mystical debris in this way: MXDXM. Defender will catch enemies and this will denial shift+charge tactics. 3) Deny skirmishers or lurkers movement. The pattern is usually MX XM In this way you block charges and shifting easily with a correct placement of your defender. Avoid to surround him and to block possible escape ways for your party. [/sblock] [b]Storm Pillar[/b] [sblock] Storm pillar can still be abused. Just know when to use it: the forced movement can happen only in the enemy's round. So, effects like Arcane Whirlwind, Visions of Avarice or Phantom Bolt don't work. But Hypnotic Pattern and Prismatic Wall, for example, which slides or teleports the target in an adjacent square as an Opportunity Action, still does. Hypnotic Pattern+Storm Pillar is a VERY damaging combo that each wizard has to take on account. Also Grease works, but strangely: you have to miss the free action attack. In this way you slide the target into the pillar. If you hit the target is prone, if you miss you slide it 2 squares into the pillar. Overall a nice catch 22 situation. Summon Chainbearer works too. As an opportunity action it slides the target, and it has threatening reach. Last but not least, remember that low level orb users usually extend its duration for another round. Having 2 storm pillars on the board is something that can be really nasty. At higher level even a dominated target can be destroyed by a well placed storm pillar. [/sblock] [b]How monsters interact with enchanters?[/b] [sblock] Premise: taken on account 200 monsters from MM1, MM2, MM3. Random monsters from all tiers. 1) [u]MBAs are MUCH more common than RBAs[/u]: only 18 monsters from 200 had an RBA. So, powers that are able to give a "basic attack" instead of a "melee basic attack" are much more stronger on paper than in real game. 2) [b]Damage[/b]: the MBA damage is actually [b][COLOR=#ff00ff]fairly low[/COLOR][/b] compared to what a striker can do. It is comparable, though, to the AOE damage that a non-blaster wizard can dish out. Basically an enchanter mage doesn't hinder too much the DPR side of a party. 3) [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Effe[/b][/COLOR][b][COLOR=#00ccff]cts[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff][/COLOR][/b][COLOR=#0000ff][/COLOR][COLOR=#00ccff]: [/COLOR]yeah, dark-lightblue: effects tied to monsters MBA and RBA were really a lot. [LIST] [*]Ongoing Damage (10%): a lot of ongoing damage rolling. Usually tied to the element of the creature, but not always [*]Prone (2-3%): sometimes. Creatures that prone the target usually deals more damage against prone targets. This can be exploited, probably [*]Immobilized (5%): a good half of this 5% creatures had an effect with a save end tied. [*]Extra Damage (15%): usually tied to thier element, but not always. It is always better to target another type of creature with these effects, since creatures are nearly always resistant to their element. I put in this group also conditional extra damage (sneak attacking and extra conditional damage usually common in lurkers and skirmishers) [*]Dazed (7-8%): a good half of this 7-8% creatures had an effect with a save end tied [*]Marked (5%): a marked creatures interact decently with a defender. [*]Slowed (5%): again often with a save end effect [*]Grabbed (7-8%): a grabbed greature has to escape from the grab... which costs precious actions [*]Attacker Move (7-8%): the attacker can move (usually shifts, but sometimes jumps or moves ) before or after the action... this can lead to OAs [*]Push/Pull/Slide (5% but much more common in MM3) [*]Other effects (8-9%): stunning, dominating and weakening are the more common, expecially in higher tiers... but also -hit effects. Always nice. [*]Only damage (15-20%): a good chunk of creatures deals only damage. Much more increased in MM3 [/LIST] Creatures completely immune to charm effects are under 3% of the sample (naturally excluded from the statistic). Other considerations: Enchanters are more than viable, expecially if your DM possess and uses MM2 and 3. Enchanters becomes stronger when the enemy is stronger, and this is a great asset. Enchanters are more able to help a non heavy debuffer defender. [/sblock] [/sblock] [/QUOTE]
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