[Gor_Na_Drak]

So you didn't use melee weapons for killing monsters? And how did you managed to advance to ch2 since you cannot buy transformation spells in ch1?

I never said I didn't use melee. I said, without saying it, I disagree with putting any LP into raising your melee skills if you're going to play as a pure mage. Who has the money to buy enough spell scrolls, as if there were enough anyway, to get through the first part of the game without using some melee? Of course you have to use what you have in the beginning, but one can keep it to a minimum and advance to chapter two.

As a pure mage leveling is going to take a very long time compared to the other classes. There is a lot you can take on as a warrior early in the game that a pure mage just can not do. You have to be able to wait it out. Do what you have to do....nothing more. The rest will come to you as you progress.

Only do those quests you absolutly have to do in chapter 1 to advance to the next chapter. Also there are a few places, if you know where to look, to find transformation spell scrolls and that will help you along quite nicely early on. If only to get you from point A to point B without getting yourself killed. (But it does help if you know what creature is stronger than another. Even transforming into a wolf can net you some XP and save you on overall mana.) Also I disagree with not using help. I say use it. You only die if you're not paying attention to what you're doing. And as someone already pointed out.......get used to running away....a lot.

[Articuno]

I never said I didn't use melee. I said, without saying it, I disagree with putting any LP into raising your melee skills if you're going to play as a pure mage. Who has the money to buy enough spell scrolls, as if there were enough anyway, to get through the first part of the game without using some melee? Of course you have to use what you have in the beginning, but one can keep it to a minimum and advance to chapter two.

As a pure mage leveling is going to take a very long time compared to the other classes. There is a lot you can take on as a warrior early in the game that a pure mage just can not do. You have to be able to wait it out. Do what you have to do....nothing more. The rest will come to you as you progress.

Only do those quests you absolutly have to do in chapter 1 to advance to the next chapter. Also there are a few places, if you know where to look, to find transformation spell scrolls and that will help you along quite nicely early on. If only to get you from point A to point B without getting yourself killed. (But it does help if you know what creature is stronger than another. Even transforming into a wolf can net you some XP and save you on overall mana.) Also I disagree with not using help. I say use it. You only die if you're not paying attention to what you're doing. And as someone already pointed out.......get used to running away....a lot.

I get the point. Also the game let's you have all skills to a level. Which you specialize is your choice. It is clever to use this basic skills until you can handle your own. I didn't spend a single lp on str,dex,1h,2h,bow,xbow. All came with languages.So I was able to level quickly and get lps for mana,circles and runes. It's not like playing like 'a fighter in real but a mage in name'. I think your way is harder since you will get all those skills later, but respect

[Dilvish]

That's a good tip about transformation scrolls. I never used them in my previous mercenary game. My mage just cleared out many of the lesser creatures in the Valley of Mines in shadowbeast and warg-form. That will make chapter 2 easier. It's also fun to rip things apart close up after being a cautious mage for a while.
It seems that if NPCs spot you when you're transformed, they are still hostile after you return to human so be careful who sees you.

My mage is level 14 now. His mana is 64 naked and 114 with equipment. He's reasonably pure as mages go since he uses only magic in fights. He's an adventurer who lives off the land too. Since he eats what he kills, I don't think it's unreasonable that he would know how to skin an animal. He's also a bit of a rogue and tomb raider. He can't pass up a locked chest. Knowing lockpicking fits for him.

I'm not sure there are any pure mages in Gothic unless they're the academic types who always hang in the monastery. I'll bet Xardas could skin a wolf if he had to. Old Serpentes seems like he's cut out a heart or two in his time.

[Articuno]

I'm in VoM atm(ch2). I managed to clear everything in Jharkander and Khorinis. I also pickpocketed most people and managed to reach lvl29. Mana is 160(pure 100) which means 8 shots of ice lance. That's enough for two Orc Warriors but Elites and Shamans are nearly invincible.I have to gain 8 more lvls to reach 124 pure mana but it won't be easy.

Btw, is there a belt with mana bonus? Never found one in games before, maybe I missed it

[Danto]

the easiest way to make gold in gothic is by selling the beer that the landlord in Khorinos gives you
Cheers!

[Articuno]

I'm at 3rd chapter atm, learned Summon Skeleton and Ice Block. I tried it on a Seeker but it takes long time for a skeleton to kill a frozen seeker. It will take a lot longer to kill an Orc Elite. Since I did not make it to 124 mana(I am not planning to use potions,tables etc) it is still impossible for me to beat elite orcs and lizard men. Am I supposed to run from all those beasts till I get badass spells?

[Dilvish]

That's disappointing. I was hoping to use ice block and summon skeleton to get those orc elites when I reach chapter 3. Have you tried multiple skeletons?

My mage is in Jharkendar now. It will take me a while to do quests there since I've never played the expansion before. I finished most of the main quest in the VoM and was getting bored skulking around and sniping at lone orc warriors so I went to the new NotR land.

I don't know of any mana boosting belts.

[Articuno]

No I didn't but I thought it wouldn't work anyway cause summons seems to be lasting too soon. You can't create an army then freeze running orcs. I don't even mention orcs are better armored to weapons than seekers. Also it will be a pain to drink so many mana potions, there may not be enough potions even. 60 mana for a spell? It makes things very though .

I reloaded an older save and tried Storm rune this time but no success really. It costs 100 mana and a very long time. It is really painful to run around whole time since they won't fall in first time. You would have a worse potion problem with this spell

I have over 100 pure mana and I'm considering to use potions,tablets or not.

They had to make Beliar spells strong and useful. I mean you can clear whole map when you got the Claw but you can't kill a single orc with those damn spells

[Hellbilly]

My mage is in Jharkendar now. It will take me a while to do quests there since I've never played the expansion before. I finished most of the main quest in the VoM and was getting bored skulking around and sniping at lone orc warriors so I went to the new NotR land.

Jharkhendar is a great place to collect some XP and improve your character so you're better suited to take on the challenges that come later. I am currently playing with a mage character (not pure mage, though), the 30% one-hander skill and pirate's sable I have, and the spells I have (summon wolf, fireball), I can take on a lot of the foes there. The main problem is lack of mana, which means I can only summon one wolf, but there are some nice mana-related rings and stuff to be found in the add-on world.

Last I played, I took on a lone orc shaman. I wonder what the shaman thought of one guy + his pet wolf (every day a new one) coming to fight him every single morning for like six days in a row and then, after a short fight, running away?

Of course, as a relatively low-level mage with relatively low-power spells, you'll have to pick your fights carefully and use the terrain to your advantage even in Jharkhendar, but the opportunity to slaughter a swampfull of bloodflies, rats, lizards and swampsharks, all relatively easy foes, is sure to give you a few much-needed levels.

[Gor_Na_Drak]

I'm at 3rd chapter atm, learned Summon Skeleton and Ice Block. I tried it on a Seeker but it takes long time for a skeleton to kill a frozen seeker. It will take a lot longer to kill an Orc Elite. Since I did not make it to 124 mana(I am not planning to use potions,tables etc) it is still impossible for me to beat elite orcs and lizard men. Am I supposed to run from all those beasts till I get badass spells?

You know, there is nothing better in the world of Gothic, IMO, than seeing large hords of orcs and lizardmen fall down dead in a heap at your feet. All at one time from one casting. Chapter 5 wave of death. Gotta love it. Oh, and army of darkness can be so much fun. Love to cast a few of those and sit back and watch all the action. Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!

[Avenger Sam]

I instaled NotR 2 days ago (for modding purpoes), but today in school i thought of something! I have never played NotR as a mage, and i want to do it now! But i want to be realy pure mage, Learning Points only to be spend on Magic circles, mana etc.
So Is it posible to finish the game like pure mage without learning str., dex. or swords?

And, is there a way to enter in the monastary without paying 1000 gold and bringing a sheep? (I need those 1000 gold for donation for Innos)

Belive me i've tried that. And man it was hard work. I got killed several hundred times. Until i became a mage was damn difficult. But it wasn't much easier after i became either. Since the fireball now burns 15 mana on one hit, i had to reload many times with mana(potions) and i can tell u that it's the most expensive way. anyway if you mean without learning about potions it's I.M.P.O.S.I.B.L.E..

Edit:

I have played a no reload magic only game and it was excrutiating. To do it you need to know the game very very well, and plan everything you do....and have no resistance to simply running away.

The first 3 chapters are by far the hardest as you build your character and gain decent runes. Ice block and summon skeles become your bestest bestest friend for a long time. Using transform scrolls to safely go from one place to another helps complete quests early. You will never have enough mana...ever. Plan attacks while trying to save mana/health potions by sleeping. Forget escorts like Lares, it will only get you killed. Damage a creature and RUN. Once it stops pursuit, go finish it off. Avoid wargs and dragon snappers like they are the devil himself. Don't muck around with them, ever. You will die. In a no reload game, you don't have the luxury of dying. And of course lure creatures out one at a time, and never under estimate the potential of dying. You don't get a second chance. Get the strongest ice lance scroll, the 150 dmg, not the 75, and make a rune. Then and only then should you attempt to take on Seekers.......and do it from LONG distance. You can wipe them out and they can't see you to fire back.
The seeker you encounter after leaving the VoM's is prolly the toughest you will deal with. Ice block and get the hell out of Dodge. If you don't have ice block, why oh why are you in the VoM's?

You're kinda right but after you're in the 5th circle you can forget about fear. All youy have to do is learn " Summon Demon". In NOTR it can kill practicly everything. The army of darkness is a nasty piece of **** in NOTR. In the simple gothic 2 i loved that spell. but now it's useless.

Edit2:

Well I think we can use this thread to share info about the path of mage. Any advice is welcome. Since some people finished the game without spending any lp on combat skills , they can help us too.

So here I start:
You buy snapper transformation,wave of ice and rain of fire runes form Zuris. Cross the pass(I'm considering you got key from Hagen), kill the wolves and transform. Just run through orcs and stop in place where you can freeze nearly all of them. Press enter, cast WoI and RoF. You get nice xp and the healing rune. After that you can sell everything about healing and spend money on mana potions. I guess it can be done with speed potions instead of transformation but you may get killed a few times.

I'm researching strenght and dexterity bonuses at the moment. Post anything you think that might be usefull. We can make a 'mage guide' thing here

edit: Speed potion is better than transforming. Just run around and gather them all, then ...

I only know one think about dexterity. after you pass 90 or 100 can't really remember correctly, you get "acrobatics bonus".

[Dilvish]

Jharkhendar is a great place to collect some XP and improve your character so you're better suited to take on the challenges that come later.

That's true. My mage is still in Jharkendar and is now level 22. His mana is 89 unequipped and 149 equipped. I found the amulet and two rings of the priests. When worn together, they add 40 mana. He remains in chapter 2 so fire arrow, ice lance, and various scrolls are his weapons. He used a summon demon scroll to clear the Healer's Mansion of stone sentinels. He simply ran past the troll and the swamp golem.

Articuno, How is your mage doing? I think I will go to chapter 3 and start using some of the mana boosters I've been saving when my mage reaches 94 mana with LPs.

[Articuno]

Well I am pissed. I am at chapter 4, I stayed a while in Khorinis to get one last level then I was going to use my boosts. So I raised my pure mana to 115. I used everything, but didn't make any potions. I wanted to save them till I returned from dragon hunt so I could learn a few more mana with lps I made in VoM. I am about to use my last bonus: I go to take stone tablets to Vatras but he just WON'T take them. There is no dialogue option for that and I don't have a save game to reload. It's too late for me
You better not forget that, I think you have to give them to him before repairing the Eye(not sure though). It's so annoying, I had 21 tablets and that means 80-100 lps
Anyway I will go hunting now. I have 290 mana with priests' set on. Didn't learn any spell from 3rd circle , my main weapon is Large Fireball atm. Even that won't take an Orc Elite down and can't cast it more than once, it means running again
I hope I don't run out of potions because I bought all potions and herbs

[Hellbilly]

He used a summon demon scroll to clear the Healer's Mansion of stone sentinels.

I used a Summon Golem for that, preferring to save the Summon Demon scrolls for later... those dragons give my "hero" the willies! A golem was able to take care of the stone sentinels easily.

But atm my mage is seriously underpowered when it comes to mana; a measly 49 with two mana-boosting rings equipped. But some precious LP's have gone, as previously stated, to increasing 1H and strength a bit and now I "wasted" a fair amount on learning the ancient languages. But I guess everything from now on can go to improving the magic skills and learning new runes.

[Altair-AoD]

I used a Summon Golem for that, preferring to save the Summon Demon scrolls for later... those dragons give my "hero" the willies! A golem was able to take care of the stone sentinels easily.

But atm my mage is seriously underpowered when it comes to mana; a measly 49 with two mana-boosting rings equipped. But some precious LP's have gone, as previously stated, to increasing 1H and strength a bit and now I "wasted" a fair amount on learning the ancient languages. But I guess everything from now on can go to improving the magic skills and learning new runes.

Don't even remind me of stone sentinels im in Jarkendar right now and i had to walk all the way back to the pirate camp from the library for those two filthily sentinels. On the other hand the fire devils are piece of cake.

[Dilvish]

I used some of my mana boosters when I reached 96 mana with LPs. Here are my mage's current stats.

I'm going to chapter 3 now. It seems that create skeleton and ice block are popular choices for third circle runes. I'm still wondering if multiple skeletons can kill a frozen orc elite. Has anyone tried? I might make a ball lightning rune too.

I'm off to face the seekers. They were helpless against my mercenary in G2 classic. I hear they are tougher now in NotR.

[Altair-AoD]

I'm off to face the seekers. They were helpless against my mercenary in G2 classic. I hear they are tougher now in NotR.

My old Mercenary could barely dent them in NotR but i haven't play G2 classic so i cannot make a comparison.

Anyway a fire protection amulet could make your life easier since they use fireballs.

Also you might find it usefull to know that Seekers wear a Dark Robe with these protection values (in NotR ofc):
Weapons: 130
Projectiles: 130
Dragon Fire: 65
Magic: 65

[Dilvish]

The seekers haven't been too bad as long as I see them before they see me. Three ways a mage can kill a seeker:

1. three summoned skeletons (most fun to watch)
2. two skeletons and one ice block
3. 12 ice lances from extreme distance

Summon all the skeletons first for methods 1 and 2. You get best results when they all attack at once.

Method 3 will work for a circle 2 mage. The seeker won't attack when your mage is at maximum targeting distance.

[Black Sphere]

The seekers haven't been too bad as long as I see them before they see me. Three ways a mage can kill a seeker:

1. three summoned skeletons (most fun to watch)
2. two skeletons and one ice block
3. 12 ice lances from extreme distance

Summon all the skeletons first for methods 1 and 2. You get best results when they all attack at once.

Method 3 will work for a circle 2 mage. The seeker won't attack when your mage is at maximum targeting distance.

Best way to kill Seekers would be by Lightning; you need 2-4 hits, can't remember the precise number anymore as i haven't played the game for a some time now. Or with Ice Block, then you finish him with a weapon or you summon a couple of skeletons.

I've done 'the magic way' of NOTR in a hardcore manner. The 'diary' is in Hardcore challenge thread, so if anyone is interested to look into it to get some useful info ... It's a very hard, the hardest path to be a pure mage in NOTR, it requires a patience and concentration, but above all maticulous planning. Some spells had been like very dissapointing, but some are excellent and very useful, like Steal Energy from 'Beliar magic'; with it any and every (mortal) human oponant can be beated very easily.

[Dilvish]

I read your posts in that thread. That was a good idea to give Biff the Dragonslicer.

I'm getting ready to start chapter 4 now. It looks like the only fourth circle magical attack able to damage a dragon much is large fireball. I'll have to make that my first rune unless there are many new powerful scrolls available in the new chapter.
Lightning and awaken golem look like good chapter 4 runes too.

My mage gave Beliar's claw to Saturas. It was cast into the depths of the sea.