[3.2.0] High Elf Mage point-based distribution

[dcztmband]

Hello,

I never played a High-Elf Mage, choosing the "point-based" option during the character generation gives me this:

STR: 13
INT: 18/30
WIS: 9
DEX: 18/20
CON: 14
CHR: 16

Is this also the recommended distribution of you veterans or would you advice another distribution?

Maybe less DEX and more CON?

Please let me know.

All the Best!

[PowerDiver]

Nowadays there are potions that increase one stat at the cost of a random stat. Use them for fine-tuning rather than your birth points. IMO you should choose what you want to emphasize, and put equal birth points into each. Increasing a stat past 16 before mods is costly. The only exception is when an extra point of str or dex gets you another blow with a dagger. If that leaves your int lower than you would like, use one or two potions of intellect when you find them.

I'd decide up front whether I wanted my mage to be able to melee or not say from DL40 to DL70. If so, I'd start with equal weight on dex. If not, I'd put nothing into dex. Mage attack spells have roughly half the mana cost compared to 3.0, so it is possible to play without much melee.

If you find the early game too tedious because of lack of mana, try the next game with higher starting int and see if it makes a difference.

[Derakon]

Higher starting INT makes a big difference if you can get it up to 18/50, but that will come at the cost of severely weakening your mage in other areas. IIRC high-elves and gnomes are the only two races that can do this anyway.

[Tiburon Silverflame]

The 18/50 Int is really nice, but yes, you're brutalized in other areas...you're looking at Str 9, for example. Fine, you're using spells to kill, but 9 Str means *awful* carrying capacity...especially once you hit DL 15 or so, and need to start carrying multiple copies of 3 different spellbooks.

[dcztmband]

Thanks to all of you!

What do you think about this distribution:

STR: 11
INT: 18/60
WIS: 9
DEX: 16
CON: 14
CHR: 16

Or like Tiburon Silverflame suggested emphasizing STR (and CON?) at the cost of DEX:

STR: 12
INT: 18/60
WIS: 9
DEX: 14
CON: 15
CHR: 16

Would you go in with the first or with the second variant?

All the best!

[LostTemplar]

max int, rest in str probably, con will not save you early anyway.

[Derakon]

It all comes down to how much you want your mage to rely on spells. If you're going for a pure-caster mage, who uses his weapon and launcher only to get passive bonuses, then DEX is completely irrelevant and CON. You will need STR regardless, though.

I don't think it's worth pushing for 18/60 INT. It's been awhile since I looked at the stat charts but I don't think it gains you anywhere near as much as 18/50 does. Could well be wrong though. In any event the opportunity cost of that extra INT point is huge; you will eventually want to push up your CON as high as possible, and the fewer potions you need to do that, the better. If one less point of INT gets you 4-5 more points of CON, I'd say that's a worthwhile trade.

[Tiburon Silverflame]

A significant point to remember, tho: to get the 18/60, you have to buy the 18, which costs, IIRC, 8 more than a 16, 4 more than a 17. As people noted: you get the stat-swap potions a lot earlier, and they're +1 for -1...not +1 for -4.

[buzzkill]

Just use the standard roller . You could have burned through 8, maybe 10 mages by now.

[dcztmband]

It all comes down to how much you want your mage to rely on spells. If you're going for a pure-caster mage, who uses his weapon and launcher only to get passive bonuses, then DEX is completely irrelevant and CON. You will need STR regardless, though.

I don't think it's worth pushing for 18/60 INT. It's been awhile since I looked at the stat charts but I don't think it gains you anywhere near as much as 18/50 does. Could well be wrong though. In any event the opportunity cost of that extra INT point is huge; you will eventually want to push up your CON as high as possible, and the fewer potions you need to do that, the better. If one less point of INT gets you 4-5 more points of CON, I'd say that's a worthwhile trade.

Thank you *all* for your explanations.

Yes, I want to play a pure-caster mage,s o I will raise INT to 18/50, keep STR at 13 for a better carrying capacity and put the reaming points into CON for higher HP:

STR: 13
INT: 18/50
WIS: 9
DEX: 14
CON: 16
CHR: 16

All the best and happy diving!

[Antoine]

> pull the reaming points into CON for higher HP:
> All the best and happy 'banging!

Dude! just like you should never play Angband drunk, you should never post after taking Viagra

A.

[Bostock]

I thought Eddie's Guinness-fueled antics had established that one, in fact, should play Angband drunk??