Spellcasters are kind of useless

[Elepuff]

Just want to add my two cents into viable character classes

There are certain classes that are just not viable. At present, mages are kind of useless. The utility of martial classes just outweighs the magic characters by a significant margin. The clerics companion can easily fulfill the buff/debuff duties
I list some of the arguments below

1. For a vast majority of the game, they are pathetically weak and are only useful for buffs.
The debuffs rarely hits due to high saves on the enemies. People say that they they get higher end spells later on, which is true but for 80% of the game, you will be playing the nanny for the rest of the party.

2. Due to the insane number of enemy engagements in this game. A mage can use up nearly all his useful spells every quickly before needing a rest. And when there are time pressures and non-restocking merchants, playing mages become a chore. All the theory crafting about getting 500+ damage on a sneak hellfire ray sounds good in theory, but useless in actual gameplay. You can only in theory do those damage at high levels, which is towards the end of the game - so unless you want to feel useless for 60 -70 hours - play a pure mage class.

3. Even if you can do those insane damages, provided the spells hits, you are still like a one trick pony - remember you need to rest a lot and the loading screens is insane. So if you want to have a game over - kingdom destroyed - or don't mind the loading screens...yea...rest as much as you want. In dungeons, where there is like at least 10 + encounters per map, you are probably as useful as a random NPC.

4. In order for mages to do some decent sustained damage, they need to multiclass to get some sneak attack or animal companion - and that limits the mage class growth and its usefulness even further. Don't even talk tanking sorcerors - the AC requirements not to be hit in this game is extremely high. Anyone who puts Harrim into the frontlines can tell you that and he is suppose to be a tank/cleric.

Whereas martial classes (except monks) deal sustained damage and sustain throughout the entire game. A few front line martial classes can nearly finish a fight before a mage completes one spell. E.g fight starts - I will chuck a fireball - martial and archers rush over - fireball hits for a measly 30 - 50 dmg maybe. Before I can chuck another spell...fight is over

Look at the damage screen - what did my mage do? Absolutely nothing......

[Jaeger Pilot]

Spellcasters are awesome. What level are you at?

[GreenBob]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1q68cIHpY0

[Shadenuat]

O_o

[StevenXu]

Spell caster covers a lot, my team usually have a cleric and bard.

The only reason I bring a mage or sorcerer is the first play through. When I am not quite sure about which monster can be engaged in game.

[Jkaan]

I count all the damage done via buffs as part of that persons dpr. My bard might only hit for 1D6+2 but the fact that everyone else hits all day for extra damage per attack means my party dpr is massively improved

[StevenXu]

Originally posted by GreenBob:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1q68cIHpY0

I just watched this video, and also commented.

Yes, the spell caster is not weak, but they are still sidekicks.

[UneasyBoosh]

Originally posted by GreenBob:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1q68cIHpY0

His videos are great just got done watching this, hope OP watches it.

[Elepuff]

I mean spell casters are good for buffs but there is no need for the main character to be one.
As the game is quite combat heavy, using spell casters for damage is just not worth it

I am level 12 and Act 4, which I think is nearly 70% of the game completed

[Antinous]

Wizards and Sorcerers are indeed weaker than fighters/archers/rogues...
But only because spellcasters rely on their burst rather than a good standart amount of damage each round. But on critical fights, their burst outweight any other classes damages, because of their AoE spells.

[Elepuff]

I saw that video, when I play a game, I want to feel like a bad ass, not the most important nanny....

[Gogopher]

im guessing u are around 5-7th lvl atm...because once u break 11 or 12 not only are casters ridiculously OP there are tons of fights that u simply cannot win without them...infact in my party (using the pregen companions and an inq as my toon) i dont run a single pure fighter...i have 1 ranger and 1 rogue...the rest including my main are all casters...

let me give u an example...try rolling up on a group of spectres without a caster...u may kill all of them but i guarantee that u will have negative levels galore and since they dont make pots of restoration or greater restoration (at least none i have found) well u are fubar'd...now a decent set of casters using deathward, haste, heroism etc will simply let u roll the spectres...or u can put the party on hold and just nuke them before they ever get to u with aoe...either way u arent going to complete this game without serious aggrevation without casters in ur party anymore than u will without a rogue

[GreenBob]

Originally posted by StevenXu:

Originally posted by GreenBob:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1q68cIHpY0

I just watched this video, and also commented.

Yes, the spell caster is not weak, but they are still sidekicks.

everyone is sidekicks, this game isnt really about everyone being an invulnerable monster theres a reason for having 6 team members. Especailly on higher difficulties. If thats the type of game you are after then crpgs really arent the way to go man.

[StevenXu]

Originally posted by GreenBob:

Originally posted by StevenXu:

I just watched this video, and also commented.

Yes, the spell caster is not weak, but they are still sidekicks.

everyone is sidekicks, this game isnt really about everyone being an invulnerable monster theres a reason for having 6 team members. Especailly on higher difficulties. If thats the type of game you are after then crpgs really arent the way to go man.

Sidekicks mean without sidekicks things are doable in reasonable way. Team can still get help from items, equipment and potions or even scrolls if using magical device is not counting as spell caster.

[Sotanaht]

Buffs are amazing, saves aren't that hard to overcome, but casters in a damage role are VERY weak. I can come up with some ways for casters to solo groups of enemies, but my buffed up melee will usually kill them in a fraction of the time, and then go on to kill 9 more packs with the same buffs while you are waiting for the AOE spells to wear off and make the area safe to enter.

I think everyone needs to stop arguing about who's better and embrace the roles they fit into. Martials do damage, Casters play support (buffs, debuffs, heals, precision, summoned meat shields etc), everyone wins. Hybrids generally fit into one roll or the other depending on which side they are stronger on.

[Shadenuat]

Casters can obliterate things as damagers, and the harder the difficulty is, the bigger the disparity between physicals and casters is.