Support Mages

and

How to Work WITH them


It appears, as the game evolves mages are becoming more support based. As this occurs, more and more are retiring and rerolling characters that they believe will give them a more active roll in the game.

This post is about how we can support the support mages that we may group with. Maybe we can get some to stay in the game. This is only ideas based on personal experience and should be used only to help you help your favorite support mage. Grouping is a lost art in AC and yet can also be quite rewarding.

One of the facts of being support in a group of melee's is that the kill and loot rights go to the member that did the most damage. Even though you're grouped. Take turns looting and give the support mage a turn to loot, this means even standing and waiting for the SM to have loot rights. The game gets terribly old if you take away one of the funnest parts, the lottery chance to loot something grand or fun. This one selfless consideration may have SM's lining up at your groups doorstep.

Another consideration, particulary if your group is large and the SM has his job cut out for him, is share the killing. Chances are, especially if you have a 4-school mage playing support, he may be using only 2 or three of his magic skills. The debuffs a SM uses to help his melee group are different then if he were playing solo and debuffing for him to make a kill. Designate a mage kill every 4 or 5 kills, so that the mage can get experience in all of his magic skills. The kill may take a tad longer or require a couple of steps but be patient, your support mage will love you for it.

Prior to your adventure with a SM, work out a healing process. First and foremost, members are responsible for their own lives. Do not treat your support mage badly if the inevitable occurs. Here is a healing process idea that I have used in the past. Have melee members keep track of their Mage as best they can, if they need a heal run toward the mage, around his back and then back the way you came. This keeps you in radar range of healing spells and also gives the mage notice of who is badly in need of a heal. Be aware that the 'wind up' and casting animation is slow, particularly for the higher level healing spells and you can easily run out of range before you get healed. A member that runs around my back gets targeted and healed without my needing to waste the time to wait for the ID window to open. This is only one healing process idea, work on one that best suit you and your group. Also turn off deception while grouped with a support mage.

Another idea and one of my favorites is recharging. Draining can be the lifeblood of a mage. Before adventuring, have the SM designate a mob that would be considered a good battery for their level. Something relatively easy yet with good stamina and mana. For me it's copper golems. Easy one hit kills but they have an almost endless supply of stamina and mana. My melee friends are even to the point of dragging these happless golems home just so I can stock up. It's simple, easy, clean and dowsn't hurt the enviroment very much. Drain stamina, drain mana and then let the group wail on it. Little to no damage taken and your SM is full of both stamina and mana. This can also be alot of fun, having members drag home stray golems. You'll never think of golems the same way. You'll see little duracell's now.

A basic consideration that I am sure you are all aware of but can't hurt to add here. Keep an eye on your support mage, if your group is attacked kill the mob on the SM first. You keep your SM alive and he will keep you alive.

These are just ideas to make grouping with a mage fun and rewarding for all. Mages are a blast to hunt with, try it sometime. But remember, they are fully created characters just as your own is and able to kill everything you can. Share the hunting experience, I don't mean points but the process and fun. Put yourself in the shoes of a support mage for a moment. Imperil, heal and look at rumps of group members. It gets old fast.

The support mage is not a full time power leveling service. It's a person playing the game for fun and adventure just like you. They may offer help, but don't assume that they should do it on a full-time basis.

This post assumes that your group is fellowing. However, if that's not the case you should always group/fellow with your support mage. This accomplishes several things. It gives the SM the ability to see your main stats even if you are not in radar range. Lets you communicate easier, this is especially important if you are grouping with a popular life mage. It also spreads out the experience for the group. You will quickly lose the interest of a support mage if the only experience they get is Heal Other II. The SM is probably working his butt off for you, don't be stingy with the experience.

If you're a melee that uses some magic for buffing, let your SM know what buffs you're running so that they don't waste mana duplicating buffs. Also let your SM know when you have completed your buff cycle so that they know when you are melee ready.

When attacking a mob and your SM is the one initiating combat with a debuff, the SM should say some sort of warning word. We use 'inc' for incoming. It gives your other group memebers one last chance to say they aren't ready for combat.

Work out an attack pattern before hand, particularly for packs of mobs. Designate which mob the SM will debuff and which the melee should target and kill first. We start with the weakest in a pack so that the SM can drain and be ready for the big baddies. i.e shadows

If you as melee have life magic, consider helping your SM recharge their mana buy using infuse mana or revitalize stamina. Helps shorten the downtime that may occur for your SM. Besides, think of it as replayment for all the times they revitalized you when you needed it so bad. :)

The group should have some key words the SM uses to let everyone know how he's doing for mana. We use 'LOM' for low on mana. This means that the mage has some mana left, but won't be able to throw too many more heals your way. Start planning your retreat if you havent done so already. 'OOM' - out of mana. Something you never want to hear your SM say because it means there won't be any more heals coming your way, and they don't have any mana left to heal themselves either. At OOM you better be prepared, and capable, to finish the MOB on your own or get the heck out of Dodge and recharge.

Also, if your SM is a true robe wearing mage, they will need to stop and buff it every cycle. Possibly every 12-20 minutes depending on the buffs. They are no better then naked without those buffs, so be patient. Go find a battery for recharge while you wait. That can be fun.

Last but not least consider saying thank you for the heals, imperils and butt saving. SM's are becoming a rare resource and this is my attempt to help keep some around.



-----signature-----

Fadari
Level 54 Archmage
Morningthaw
The An'Darim Monarchy

Original post at ACVaults boards here http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=8147485



Email me