Re: Screenies!
 

He's a Late Era mage, he gets 4 magic picks, possibly even 5 if he gets lucky. Doesn't seem that pricy to me. *shrug*

Re: Screenies!
 

All of the Barbarian mages, all 200 gp, give Tien Chi access to a new path. Celestial Masters of LA Tien Chi can only get Nature 2 if they get both their 100% random (AESD) and 10% random (AWSD) in Nature. Celestial Masters can only get Earth 1 with a random, and can't get Death at all. The three Barbarian mages aren't limited to the capital.

LA Tien Chi has 3 paths at level 2 outside capital. One more (Water) 25% of the time via Masters of the Way. The Celestial Masters in the capital always have Water 2 and 55% chance of at least Air 2 or Astral 2. In Late Age, only Mictlan has similar width of magic without randoms, and unlike Mictlan Tien Chi has random paths as well. They are expensive, but I think you can't afford not to buy them as LA Tien Chi.

EDIT:
Spirit Masters have one 100% random, which can't be Nature. They have 25% change of getting D2, and 75% change of getting first level in some path Tien Chi has easier access to. That makes them somewhat weaker than most Dom2 mages, and more expensive.

Re: Screenies!
 

Speaking of Master of the Way and Initiates of the Deep, have they changed or did they get nerfed to oblivion with the change to Quickness?

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The more I think about quickness not helping spell casters the more I dislike it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

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You will get used to it as soon as you start playing.

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Disagree entirely. Quickness in Dom2 was too good, much as Haste in D&D 3.0 was too good. A spell should never be a no-brainer. Quickness for Mages was. It was -always- among the first things I researched in Dom2 if I was using a mage-heavy strategy as doubling a mage's efficiency early in a battle could be huge. Yes, you'd rack up fatigue, but if that meant inflicting such heavy casualties early on that you routed the opponent's units before taking much damage on your own end, the fatigue was well worth it.

Now Quickness isn't a no-brainer. It retains utility without being a must-have. Personally, I prefer it that way. If the utility is too low, perhaps it can be boosted a bit, but doubling spellcasting rate was too good.

Re: Screenies!
 

Well, I'm just afraid that 1 Water mages that are in Atlantis and TC are utterly useless now.

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Like E1 crafters of LA Caelum and F1 initiates of Marignon and the cheap Nature independent mages and lots of other cheap mages?
E1 gives some basic protection spells for the caster, Flying Shards, few weak spells and the basic bread and butter of magic items.
F1 gives Fire Darts, few items later in the game (Lightless Lanterns or something) and few nice spells (Blindness, Will'O'Wisps)
N1 gives Vinemen, Tangle Vines and Vine Arrow, Maggots, and Endless Vineskins.

W1 gives Slime, more things underwater thanks to Water Power, some nice items (Water Bracelet, Boots of Quickness are still good, anti-demon items, items for water-breathing), and Frozen Heart.

All the elements get Lesser Elementals as well.


The stakes are now even. If W1 casters were powerful before, then something was wrong.

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Thing is, Marignon doesn't get only Initiates out of their capital. Tien on the other hand...

And E1 gives quite possibly the best trinkets in the game.

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You didn't see the screenshot of the Warrior Smith, did you? 170g for 2.5 points of magic!