Int builds boring?

[Sgt. Flaw]

Started a new playthrough and while I'm not having to much difficulty I'm finding there really is no fun in an Int. build. Everything I pick up seems to be for faith and I'm stuck here with glintstone pebbles lol

Does this build open up at all? Or should I just ditch it. Like WTF is crystal barrage lol

I'm just wondering why faith has fire, dragon and all buffs while int. is stuck with pebbles and a giant floating moon.

[SotiCoto]

Originally posted by Sgt. Flaw:

My favorite spell is honestly glintstone arc tbh..You can take out hordes of enemies that would otherwise take you forever going melee.

I got a spell from a transport trap too...rock blaster...Fun spell...I just wished the wind up staggered heavy enemies more...too easy to get knocked out of.

I believe I have both of those but have never used either.
The Rock Blaster one I figure was just what the miner dudes were using on me the whole time, and I had zero interest in trying out a short-range PBAoE. The other one... I dunno. It just also seemed short range or something and I never got around to trying it.
I got the swordy one. I forget what it is called. The one where you just magic up a sword and make it go BRRRR until your FP runs out.
Honestly, I don't use that much either. I switch to an actual melee weapon if enemies close to melee range... I've got that... Meteor Ore Katana or whatever it was called. I'm bad with names, but apparently it has the shortest range of any katana in the game. But it has Int scaling, so I use it when my projectile spam fails to kill things fast enough.

[Sgt. Flaw]

Originally posted by SotiCoto:

Originally posted by Sgt. Flaw:

My favorite spell is honestly glintstone arc tbh..You can take out hordes of enemies that would otherwise take you forever going melee.

I got a spell from a transport trap too...rock blaster...Fun spell...I just wished the wind up staggered heavy enemies more...too easy to get knocked out of.

I believe I have both of those but have never used either.
The Rock Blaster one I figure was just what the miner dudes were using on me the whole time, and I had zero interest in trying out a short-range PBAoE. The other one... I dunno. It just also seemed short range or something and I never got around to trying it.
I got the swordy one. I forget what it is called. The one where you just magic up a sword and make it go BRRRR until your FP runs out.
Honestly, I don't use that much either. I switch to an actual melee weapon if enemies close to melee range... I've got that... Meteor Ore Katana or whatever it was called. I'm bad with names, but apparently it has the shortest range of any katana in the game. But it has Int scaling, so I use it when my projectile spam fails to kill things fast enough.

Carian slicers cool...But I imagine the great sword and hammer are where things get really interesting with the Carian Weapon arts...I find the Scholars armament to be a little better than the slicer as the wind up and FP cost of Carian slicer really hold it back.

I've been using dual daggers...they slap but have really short range. I'm kinda holding back for those Carian weapon spells tbh

[SotiCoto]

Originally posted by Sgt. Flaw:

I've been using dual daggers...they slap but have really short range.

I thought daggers were supposed to be sharp.

[Lenox]

Originally posted by SotiCoto:

Ambush Shard is ridiculously fun.

I love using Ambush Shard around corners.

[fmalfeas]

Carian slicer has one of the highest possible DPS outputs in the whole game. If something makes the mistake of letting you open up on them with it, it's over. Thousands of damage before they even know what happened.

[Yal]

Originally posted by Sgt. Flaw:

I got a spell from a transport trap too...rock blaster...Fun spell...I just wished the wind up staggered heavy enemies more...too easy to get knocked out of.

Supposedly that drill spell is really good, there's a couple effects from talismans that boost power if you hit multiple times in quick succession which are trivial to trigger with it and you can hold the drill indefinitely until you run out of FP or stamina. Especially if you get a Miner's Staff to boost the power of stonedigger sorceries (you don't need to cast with it, just hold it in the other hand) and then keep that drill going, you'll rack up some serious damage in melee range.

Originally posted by SotiCoto:

Honestly, I don't use that much either. I switch to an actual melee weapon if enemies close to melee range... I've got that... Meteor Ore Katana or whatever it was called. I'm bad with names, but apparently it has the shortest range of any katana in the game. But it has Int scaling, so I use it when my projectile spam fails to kill things fast enough.

Fun fact, it's got a different heavy attack from most other katanas (a fully vertical chop). Not sure if it's got any major functional difference from the regular katana R2 combo but you'll have a slightly easier time in tight spaces where you don't wanna get your weapon stuck on walls at least.

(Also the AoE is occasionally useful, though pulling enemies closer is usually the exact opposite of what a mage wants)

[cridus]

int builds have never been as fun to use as in this game.
try out: carian piercer, great oracular bubble, zamor ice storm, gavel of haima, cannon of haima, and other cool spells.
also try the glintstone kris as soon as you get it. it slaps.

[Cootswig]

Originally posted by Stakanov:

On the contrary it is one of the best and most powerful, I play a Black Mage and I can almost kill in one shot.

You found your gender! Congrats

[Lenox]

Originally posted by cridus:

int builds have never been as fun to use as in this game.
try out: carian piercer, great oracular bubble, zamor ice storm, gavel of haima, cannon of haima, and other cool spells.
also try the glintstone kris as soon as you get it. it slaps.

What's your Zamor Ice Storm strat? I like the spell but couldn't find a good situation for it.

[fmalfeas]

Originally posted by Lenox:

Originally posted by cridus:

int builds have never been as fun to use as in this game.
try out: carian piercer, great oracular bubble, zamor ice storm, gavel of haima, cannon of haima, and other cool spells.
also try the glintstone kris as soon as you get it. it slaps.

What's your Zamor Ice Storm strat? I like the spell but couldn't find a good situation for it.

You can bait most bosses into walking right into it. There's a cold sorcery run on youtube that is almost entirely ice storm, and shows just how to use it well.

[Lenox]

Originally posted by fmalfeas:

Originally posted by Lenox:

What's your Zamor Ice Storm strat? I like the spell but couldn't find a good situation for it.

You can bait most bosses into walking right into it. There's a cold sorcery run on youtube that is almost entirely ice storm, and shows just how to use it well.

Interesting. Thanks.

[Dedprice]

Originally posted by Sgt. Flaw:

Started a new playthrough and while I'm not having to much difficulty I'm finding there really is no fun in an Int. build. Everything I pick up seems to be for faith and I'm stuck here with glintstone pebbles lol

Does this build open up at all? Or should I just ditch it. Like WTF is crystal barrage lol

I'm just wondering why faith has fire, dragon and all buffs while int. is stuck with pebbles and a giant floating moon.

crystal barrage is amazing at melting bosses dude, idk why u said that...but pvp? it sucks.
theres two so i could be wrong but anyway heres my go to spells for pvp and pve.
Comet (everything)

Azur comet (pve strictly)

night maidens mist (invisible fast life draining spell if their in the mist. use in consecrated snowfield and no one will ever tell where tf the mist is. also useful in tight spaces or hall ways to block pvp gankers from getting to you) ((pve and pvp as its DOT is nutty))

fia's mist. (same as night maidens but its death status. use the same way u would night maidens)

carian slicer (everything)

carian piercer (pvp, combo it with slicer for faster cast and catching people off gaurd. also just pull it out randomly. even charge it if they expect it. timing it down to dodge is extremely difficult for alot of people)

Magic glint blade (ill get to my fave combo) ((everything))

ancient death rancor (combo. everything) ((use literally just this spell on malenia and cheese her because each skull stuns her))

Stars of ruin/star shower (combo. weak in pve, much better in pvp)

shard spiral (combo. without a combo its just really good for large bosses in pve as it doesnt break on impact instead keeps spiraling and inflicting its impact damage ((which can be absurd damage))

Gavel of haima (everything. big smash. big poise. big poise breker. good get tf off me spell for something that wont give u space for other spells, good on elite enemies that typically have tons of poise. even crystal guardians get their face slammed to the floor before getting their armor cracked)

cannon of haima (everything. crowd wiper. gtfo me spell if cast pointed at your feet, or long range nuke on unsuspecting enemies)

meteorite of astel (if something is strong vs magic. use this. watch them get knocked prone then buried alive. ((PVE ONLY))

now my combo that works in pve and pvp and is barely even dodgeable at all.

cast 3 magic glintblades, then ancient death rancor, then star shower/stars of ruin. thats 3 high tracking spells that if cast in order stated will leave a steam as long as comet azur that FOLLOWS the target. ive never seen someone dodge this without bloodhound which has been abandoned due to its heavy ass nerf, and if they use it to step towards you, carian slicer, gavel of haima or cannon of haima your feet and u punished them. if they try to back up, they get hit. if they dash through, still hit as theres like 30 projectiles in that stream of death.

other noteworthy combos:

if someone fears carian slicer and starts dodging away, carian pierce.

if youre trying to engage, shoot 1 or 2 spiral shards followed by a comet, the flow and speeds as well as spiral shards tracking catches them off gaurd. its dodgeable but its like 50/50 they get hit by 1 of the spells.

spiral, delay, spiral, comet, cannon of haima.

waiting for the spiral to get some distance then casting another keeps the enemy rolling just trying to dodge, comet sets in panic, cannon of haima if not timed perfectly, will hit with explosion radius for huge damage.

thats it. enjoy being a filthy mage like me.

[Dedprice]

also, if you can, pick up helphens steeple im not sure my exact stats but like 50 int, 20 or so faith (just enough to use ancient death rancor) and 30 str and 20 dex and its around 800 ar pre ghostflame and 920+ with. slap a magic boosting physique and congrats. your past 1000 AR with a greatsword (that are now faster than ever) somewhere in the 120 to 160 level range depending on your other stats with a complete armada of versatility spell wise.

[Lenox]

Originally posted by Dedprice:

crystal barrage is amazing at melting bosses

It’s nice to see another Crystal Barrage enjoyer. I didn’t mean to, but this is what led to me kinda skipping Morgott’s phase 2. It works too well sometimes.

[Last Jackdaw]

Originally posted by Stakanov:

On the contrary it is one of the best and most powerful, I play a Black Mage and I can almost kill in one shot.

Why did you bring race into it.