SoR leveling on a mage is much improved

[fransisco]

My mage is 129 now, but the level experience in SoR has been vastly improved. Normally, 3/5 mage levels are dead levels where you get nothing that matters.

Now however:
lvl 126:
a. new bolt that is suddenly your best spell. A welcome change, I'm happy to be lvl 126
b. A damage shield that is impactful?! I'm pleased to cast this instead of thinking of it as a chore. I like this level
lvl 127: The second level was always decent since you get water pet and of many
lvl 128: Usually a dead level, but now I get searing skin. omgosh this spell is awesome. Never have I looked forward to the 3rd level before.
lvl 129: Another standard dead level, but I do get a new anti summoned - which is now an amazing spell and worth putting into my rotation.
lvl 130: get the full rotation (gargoyal, chaotic, spear)

Mages are traditionally incredibly top heavy. Almost every spell they cast comes at the 5th/last level. Its refreshing to get new things to change stuff up. I may not cast the bolt at 130, but its a nice leveling tool. Normally mages will only cast the old expac spells until they get replaced. Now we have 2 new ones (bolt and anti summoned) to slot in while leveling.

Kudos to the devs for the spell changes, they been much appreciated.

 

[samil]

Based on the spell dmg numbers, it look like mages had a big jump in dps this xpac, does this seem to be the case in actual gameplay? I haven't had a chance to level up my mage since the release, but the numbers look promising!

 

[Alnitak]

lvl 128: Usually a dead level...

Hmm, at 128 my group beastlord gets the new warder and things get boosted up. Gebantik stops being a main tank and the warder takes over.
Otherwise the leveling 125 to 130 went quite smoothly, no hard stops anywhere.

 

[fransisco]

Hmm, at 128 my group beastlord gets the new warder and things get boosted up. Gebantik stops being a main tank and the warder takes over.
Otherwise the leveling 125 to 130 went quite smoothly, no hard stops anywhere.

did BL leveling change as well? I don't know much about BLs, was your leveling experience improved with the better spells as well?

 

[Bumkus]

did BL leveling change as well? I don't know much about BLs, was your leveling experience improved with the better spells as well?

BST blood DoT went to lvl127, whereas it should have been 126 based on previous expansions. Odd change.

I'm not sure what other changes they made, since I've been playing the SK persona instead. I've been using Overseer to level the BST, and then once my SK is level 130, I'll use him to PL the BST on missions.

 

[Alnitak]

did BL leveling change as well? I don't know much about BLs, was your leveling experience improved with the better spells as well?

yes, significantly more powerful dots starting at 126, warder heal is a serious thing these days (critical warder heal does 1.5+ mil HP heal at times),
buffs are better. So, yes, even before all the new AA's and gear kicks in just spell upgrades make the beastlord better while leveling up.

 

[Eaedyilye]

Based on the spell dmg numbers, it look like mages had a big jump in dps this xpac, does this seem to be the case in actual gameplay? I haven't had a chance to level up my mage since the release, but the numbers look promising!

Yes.

 

[Sixth_Sense]

regarding Item 1.a.

Should Spear/Bolt be standard top two nukes on spam key now instead of Spear/previous Spear? Does 126 Bolt outpower 125 Spear at 130?

 

[fransisco]

regarding Item 1.a.

Should Spear/Bolt be standard top two nukes on spam key now instead of Spear/previous Spear? Does 126 Bolt outpower 125 Spear at 130?

if your solo/don't have enough pets, then yes bolt out does the old spear.

Remember that even if you don't have enough pets to warrent using of many, you still wanna cast it occasionally for the theft of essence proc

 

[Gnomeland]

Of all the pet classes, magicians always had the best leveling curve, IMO, because the new pet & bolt comes at +1. While it's +2 for necromancers, and +3 for beasts. So it's easy to go to +1, stay there for a while and get max. AA, then move past gradually when comfortable. It's true that having both power spells (gargoyle & spear) at level +5 kind of sucked, but it's not as bad as having to go to +3 just to get the new pet.