Dwarven upgraded armor worth it for magic users?

[M.T. Fish]

My main complaint with sorcerer in this game is the lack of an augment to protect against stagger while casting. Hooligan goblins throwing rocks and harpies make sorcerer somewhat frustrating even with a full party.

I already plan to use dwarvern on my archistaff for the stopping power when enemies get too close but I was wondering if it would even have a noticeable effect on sorcerer armor since stagger resistance somewhat seems to scale with class.

[Acode]

Magic power - so elvish smithing is better in my opinion for Weapon. For armor its probs dwarven. If you want to minmax, you want to get the Augment from the Thief vocation "Subtlety" (you get that one very early) and you can equip your tanking pawn with a ring that lets them hold aggro even better.

After that, as long as your tanking pawn is alive, you are able to free cast whenever. Turns game into ez mode pretty much, especially once you can just stand around and summon meteors as necessary. I mean its fun, but its making the game very easy.

[M.T. Fish]

I might do one dwarf and two elven on the staff. I want a bit of stopping power since the only defensive spell Sorcerers really get is Thundermine since Magick Agent and Necromancy didn't come back. I often find myself having to spam the weak light attack and I can't ever forget getting absolutely wrecked by a single harpy after soloing Medusa.

Subtlety was something I considered and forgot about. I ran my pawn as a fighter with the Warrior augment that draws aggro and it was very effective. I could be in an enemies face and they would ignore me and chase her. Not that she's mainly a support mage she doesn't have it equipped. I try to hire fighter and warrior pawns that have it when I can.

[Toltage]

I'd say for armor Dwarven definitely helps. Going from the Incanter's Coat to the Orphic Robe with full Dwarven upgrades made me able to ignore a stray hit or two while casting in some cases.

In addition to Acode's recommendation for having a pawn that draws aggro, I personally ran Thundermine to prevent smaller enemies from closing in while casting. You basically become untouchable so long as you're close enough to one.

[Sauriel]

armor but especially shields etc for knockdown power with shieldbash, not sure how much strenght works on shields or simply for the damage from bashes, or if your pawn is a warrior with the black matter hammer or something

[Onirune]

Dwarven smithing possibly best option for everything exept staves, archstaves and magic bows. Knockdown power and resist just too good and you barely lose attack power.

[M.T. Fish]

Originally posted by Toltage:

I'd say for armor Dwarven definitely helps. Going from the Incanter's Coat to the Orphic Robe with full Dwarven upgrades made me able to ignore a stray hit or two while casting in some cases.

In addition to Acode's recommendation for having a pawn that draws aggro, I personally ran Thundermine to prevent smaller enemies from closing in while casting. You basically become untouchable so long as you're close enough to one.

Thundermine feels like a must-have overall. It's basicly Mystic Knight's sigil from the first game and usually buys enough time to case Salamander for CC and DOT.

I still wish the push attack or Magick Agent would have come back to clear a bit of breathing room. Even though the push didn't do much damage the dismissive feeling of it felt really badass and it was good for keeping trash away.

[M.T. Fish]

Originally posted by Onirune:

Dwarven smithing possibly best option for everything exept staves, archstaves and magic bows. Knockdown power and resist just too good and you barely lose attack power.

I slapped three levels of it on a greatsword and that's what I gathered as well. It seems very good for when I run Warrior and lets me clear out the weaker enemies to deal with the bigger targets.

[[-iD-]]

the only things my mage and sorceror pawn ever got hit by was magic. i guess it depends on how you play. but if you keep a warrior or fighter as a pawn you got all the agro on them at all times. aoe magic will pummel your mages.

[M.T. Fish]

Originally posted by -iD-:

the only things my mage and sorceror pawn ever got hit by was magic. i guess it depends on how you play. but if you keep a warrior or fighter as a pawn you got all the agro on them at all times. aoe magic will pummel your mages.

It's mainly the goblins and harpies that flank me that give me heck. My character is nearing level 60 and I just unlocked the dwarvern smith.

I might swap my main pawn back to a tank when running sorcerer again like I was doing (we would swap tank and caster roles depending on what I wanted to do).

[[-iD-]]

i used batahl smithing for my mage because even if she got attacked you never quite have enough knockdown res to break the threshold until you get really high numbers. but at least now she only gets chipped. if she get attacked even once i just take agro over. and mage clothes have a ton of magic defense as is. what its lacking is the defense natively.

[Onirune]

Actually sometimes i wonder if weapons with innate element are benefits more from elven smithing , because it feels like their damage calculates from magic stat only.

[Edelgris]

Originally posted by M.T. Fish:

Originally posted by Toltage:

I'd say for armor Dwarven definitely helps. Going from the Incanter's Coat to the Orphic Robe with full Dwarven upgrades made me able to ignore a stray hit or two while casting in some cases.

In addition to Acode's recommendation for having a pawn that draws aggro, I personally ran Thundermine to prevent smaller enemies from closing in while casting. You basically become untouchable so long as you're close enough to one.

Thundermine feels like a must-have overall. It's basicly Mystic Knight's sigil from the first game and usually buys enough time to case Salamander for CC and DOT.

I still wish the push attack or Magick Agent would have come back to clear a bit of breathing room. Even though the push didn't do much damage the dismissive feeling of it felt really badass and it was good for keeping trash away.

The problem with Thundermine is the same feature that makes it good. It knocks back enemies. This might be good for defense, but it also knocks back and spreads out enemies so far that fights take longer. The question is: do you really need extra protection against trashmobs?

It feels more situational than a must-have for me.

[M.T. Fish]

Originally posted by -iD-:

i used batahl smithing for my mage because even if she got attacked you never quite have enough knockdown res to break the threshold until you get really high numbers. but at least now she only gets chipped. if she get attacked even once i just take agro over. and mage clothes have a ton of magic defense as is. what its lacking is the defense natively.

I was using the Verdum smithing on robes. I spent a lot of time as a Warrior and some of the stats carried over so when I wear my Incantor's set my physical defense is comparable to the Grand Cuirass.

[M.T. Fish]

Originally posted by Edelgris:

Originally posted by M.T. Fish:

Thundermine feels like a must-have overall. It's basicly Mystic Knight's sigil from the first game and usually buys enough time to case Salamander for CC and DOT.

I still wish the push attack or Magick Agent would have come back to clear a bit of breathing room. Even though the push didn't do much damage the dismissive feeling of it felt really badass and it was good for keeping trash away.

The problem with Thundermine is the same feature that makes it good. It knocks back enemies. This might be good for defense, but it also knocks back and spreads out enemies so far that fights take longer. The question is: do you really need extra protection against trashmobs?

I usually just run my main pawn and I so definitely a bit. I only hire wandering pawns if I'm drake hunting or expecting problems.

[Onirune]

Originally posted by M.T. Fish:

I usually just run my main pawn and I so definitely a bit. I only hire wandering pawns if I'm drake hunting or expecting problems.

It's usefull at least to add thief pawn(preferably with plunder) it occasionaly will steal ferrystones\wakeshard\wakestones.