How do you play your Magic user ?

[Lenwen]

I'd like some help, in attempting to have other players explain a lil bit of how they utilize their spell slinging classes in the games they play. This is to help my daughter's friend who is interested in playing a LLW, but wants some advice via the boards on a good way to play it.

[Glistam]

The way I play a magic user is not as a front line fighter, but as a strategist. Their spells should be cast sparingly and with meaning, in ways that benefit the party's goals.

[Killer Cyborg]

The way I play a magic user is not as a front line fighter, but as a strategist. Their spells should be cast sparingly and with meaning, in ways that benefit the party's goals.

Pretty much.

[Incriptus]

mine thinks of himself much like a martial artist, he is an expert at a particular skill set that most other people will never understand. He recognises the strength of his art, and there is a time and a place to use it.

And like any martial artist, he knows when it's time to go to war. You get a gun.

[Mlp7029]

First I would play a Temporal Wizard. Very easy to trade rare temporal magic spells for any normal spells you want. Spell recommendations:
Temporal magic: See Dimensional Anomaly, Time Maelstrom, Time Warp Space & Time, Dimensional Envelope, Dimensional Pockets, Remote Viewing,Time Hole, Wink Out, D-Phase
Other spell magic: Tongues, See the Invisible, Sense Magic, Detect Concealment, Fool's Gold, Chameleon, Befuddle, Teleport: Lesser, Close Rifts, Dimensional Portal, Armor of Ithan, Talisman, Create Scroll, Restoration, Mental Shock
Shouldn't be a problem to create some dimensional pockets. First available opportunity
trade a dimensional pockets for Carpet of Adhesion, Shadow Meld, Energy Field, Sustain, Time Slip, Escape, Invisibility Superior, Chromatic Protection, etc.
Create some talismans for PPE storage, Wink Out, Escape(make this one a tooth filling or come other inconspicuous item not easily removed or found), Mental Shock, Teleport: Lesser, D-Phase
Create scrolls of Time Warp Space & Time, Restoration, Dimensional Portal
Use Time Hole on a ley line for a safe way to tap the ley line for PPE to make talismans, scrolls, etc. Remember you can tap 2400 PPE per hour on a ley line.
Couple of my favorite starting weapons are TW Snare gun instead of the light energy pistol, Crystal Assault Rifle(has a stun setting)or JA-12 or Dragonfire Flamethrower or HI-80 Combat Laser Rifle depending on what is available as starting weapons. Favorite starting light armor Psionic Crystal Armor if a psychic, Grav pack for your vehicle if allowed, trade the space suit mentioned as starting equipment for the Sustain spell if allowed (cast Sustain on yourself every night before going to sleep or meditating).
My favorite races are Chaing Ku or True Atlantean.

[Mack]

The way I play a magic user is not as a front line fighter, but as a strategist. Their spells should be cast sparingly and with meaning, in ways that benefit the party's goals.

Pretty much.

Yep-yep.

And I would add that having magic is like adding another tool to your toolbox. But you have to remember that you shouldn't always reach for the same tool, but for whichever one is most appropriate for the situation. Mages have a set of options denied to most others, but they have no reason to shun the options that are in common with others.

[Mlp7029]

The way I play a magic user is not as a front line fighter, but as a strategist. Their spells should be cast sparingly and with meaning, in ways that benefit the party's goals.

Pretty much.

Not so much for me. I agree everyone not just the Mage should be be taking actions to support team goals. My Mage casts spells a lot. Armories up the other party members, Globe of Silence on enemy mages, etc. One of my favorite spells is Mental Shock because of the penalty it imposes even if the enemy makes their save "If the target makes a save vs magic, he or she is just dazed for 1D4 melecs, losing two melee attacks per round, and suffering a penalty of-5 to all combat skills and -25% to skill performance. A dull headache lingers for an hour."

[wyrmraker]

Sadly, the last time I played a mage was a Battle Magus. Due to the rather short ranges of spells, he ended up using his laser rifle more than anything else.

The few times he was in close combat however, he used a lot of self-buffing spells.

[Killer Cyborg]

The way I play a magic user is not as a front line fighter, but as a strategist. Their spells should be cast sparingly and with meaning, in ways that benefit the party's goals.

Pretty much.

Yep-yep.

And I would add that having magic is like adding another tool to your toolbox. But you have to remember that you shouldn't always reach for the same tool, but for whichever one is most appropriate for the situation. Mages have a set of options denied to most others, but they have no reason to shun the options that are in common with others.

Well said.

[Alrik Vas]

advice on playing a magic user from a technical standpoint? Or...like...playing someone who is all mystical roleplaying wise?

I gotta say I like Incriptus' idea of a martial artist mentality.

We've got a TW who would cast fly on his hammer and Thor around the battlefield. Then he'd SN PS himself and REALLY Thor around the battlefield.

For a character who is 5'6", kinda scrawny and wearing a flightsuit with a kabuto-shaped aviator cap, it's pretty hilarious.

[Lenwen]

You all helped out thanks! I was trying to tell them they could use a mage, and still utilize technological weaponry, but he kept saying it does not feel right, to do that. So I asked here on the forum's an a couple of ya stated what I already stated prior to him.

Magic users are not banned .. from using Technological mean's of anything . Clearly, this is a stigma .. (for what ever reasons) where almost everyone think's they can not mix the two for any reason.. And I for one love to prove that .. is stupid.

Thanks peoples .

[flatline]

You all helped out thanks! I was trying to tell them they could use a mage, and still utilize technological weaponry, but he kept saying it does not feel right, to do that. So I asked here on the forum's an a couple of ya stated what I already stated prior to him.

Magic users are not banned .. from using Technological mean's of anything . Clearly, this is a stigma .. (for what ever reasons) where almost everyone think's they can not mix the two for any reason.. And I for one love to prove that .. is stupid.

Thanks peoples .

The class descriptions make it clear that mages are comfortable with technology, but there's mixed signals from other parts of the books where communities that use magic seem to be technophobes.

I consider it poor writing.

--flatline

[Secondhand Smoke]

Let's see..... I played the warborn like a D&D barbarian and it was fun!!! Just had him merge with weapons and body armours and have him charge the enemy whilst screaming and promising to bathe in their blood. Carpet of Adhesion ir Magic Net to keep them still while I cleaved them to pieces.

I played the shifter as if he were royalty and his demon and even angel summons were his courtly entourage. The occasionally spell just to prove he was the don but most of the grunt work was done by his "helpers". I actually went overkill with the shifter, I'd have him cast ppe expensive spells early on in engagements to give the impression that he was so powerful he could afford to do it whenever. It helped that I rarely had him cast spells to maintain the image (and of course regenerate much needed ppe)

I used my LLR as a the greasing agent in a machine. Not the main man or most obvious cog, he was there to keep things running smoothly. Again, magic was used sparingly, though for very different reasons to the shifter. Fear was probably one of the most used spells, as was the classic CoA and horrific illusion. I quite liked taking enemies out of cover or reducing their combat effectiveness rather then try to whittle them down.

[Lao Tzume]

You should check out this thread. Helped me a ton on learning how to best utilize my mage:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=142445

[kaid]

Well as my most recent magic user is a tattooed man I mostly just run around touching myself.

[Lenwen]

Well as my most recent magic user is a tattooed man I mostly just run around touching myself.

BAHAHAHAHAHA