[Squirrelloid]

Hmm... edit period expired. Consider this an addendum to the previous post.

On specific mage path demands: When you get construction 2 the items you most want are dwarven hammers, clams, and crystal shields. This requires you have a W3S3 mage ready to be empowered to N1 (preferable way to get clams), and a W1E2S3 mage ready to be empowered to E3 for the hammer (also minimal mage to make the shields before empowerment, so you may want more than one). The odds of getting both picks in the same school is 1/16, but with a 10% chance of +1WESD getting either of those is more like 1/15. That's an expectation you'll have to buy 15 mages to see the one you want. Don't wait to start buying.

Assuming no 3rd random pick, distribution of mage paths are as follows. Especially desirable combinations are marked with an asterix.

W3S3* : 1/16
W2S4 : 1/8
W1S5* : 1/16
W1E1S4 : 1/8
W1E2S3* : 1/16
W2E1S3 : 1/8
W1S4D1 : 1/8
W1S3D2* : 1/16
W2S3D1 : 1/8
W1E1S3D1 : 1/8