When I left UO in 99, there were no scrolls, no arties/marties/parties/mlarties and whatever other kind of items from the AgeOfStuff(tm) I worked a mage to 5 gms without arrows up or down, without soulstones, without golems and 100% poison damage mage weapons...

I came back about 2 years ago and played for a couple months but only pvm trying to catch up to the changes in UO.

My conclusion? No longer is pvp a game of skill vs skill, whereby you could and HAD to force your opponent into fighting your way. No longer can you be sure your opponent's stats are similar to yours, it's quite likely now that you could be facing someone with 170+ hps or mana due to various artifacts, items, or cheats, or any combination of those.

I have been back now for about 2 months and have been working my mage after scrolling up her magery, eval etc. Poisoning is intriquing to me in pvp, I never used it pre-AoS because it just was not that great a spell and only ever did basic poison regardless of mage skill.

I'm having problems making decisions on my template though. I miss the old days where a Grandmaster mage played effectively on a good connection was to be FEARED! :shocked:

After so long, and not having killed anyone recently, I don't know what's truly effective. I spent some time as a ghost at Yew gate Fel just watching, but without the ability to quickly pull up health bars it's hard to see what is hitting hard. Top it off with all the abilities necros and palys get, new bushido and ninja stuff, I am thoroughly confused. Here's my template as it stands right this minute:

110 Evaluate Intelligence
21.2 Focus (pointed down)
100 Inscription
115.2 Magery
80.2 Magic Resist (and I still OWN myself with curse, need more MR for pvp but pvm 80 seems just fine)
110 Meditation
72.7 Poisoning
100 Wrestling (scrolled to 110)

I only have 21.2 points to go and I have to figure out what to drop if I continue to gain wrestle or magic resist....I can't decide which one. I play semi-RP and am adamant that a mage = scribe always, I hate to drop it and I also understand it's 10% SDI will go over the cap (I also depend on it for the bonuses to magic reflect and reflective armor with a 100LRC suit)

With that in mind, I suppose poisoning would be the next skill on the chopping block (will go on a soulstone, I am nearly going clinically insane raising it)

I plan primarily to do champ spawns with my guild and be able to lay down the fields, from what I saw in yew as a ghost, nobody actually *casted* poison. I'd be stuck with only casting it since I can't use 70skill or 90skill infecting wound specials. I wanted a pvp build on this character for the inevitable raid that follows a dead champion in the star room.

I don't know that I'd go actively seeking out pvp targets, but I certainly will defend myself if attacked and won't run.

My question, to bring this long winded post to a close, what would you do in my shoes? I'd love nothing more then 120 wrestling, 100+ magic resist, 120 magery and keep my inscription, but there's no points avail for all of that, so I need to make a compromise.

Any experienced pvp mages out there want to help me out? Thank you in advance, it's nice to be back (I think.)

I'll leave the advice to expert pvp'ers but would just like to extend a welcome back!

Hey Attla, is that you from LLTS? If so, hiya

I'm sure there are better mages out there to comment, but I would try to keep Poisoning as you only need 80 if your Magery is at 120. Invest 4.8 pts to get to 120 Magery and 7.3 pts in Poisoning to get to 80, leaving you with 9.1 pts left.

And I hate to say it, I'd pick up some items that had skills on it if you can fit it. Aegis of Grace comes to mind to bring your Magic Resist to 90.2

Adding all your current skill points you have 709.3, leaving 10.7 points you haven't factored in. Your max skill points should be 720 after 7 years. So I figure you have a total 31.9 skill points to play with.

120 magery
80 poisoning

and definitely raise spell resist

120wrestle is important...

really is not room for both inscribe, and poisoning.
if you plan to keep the poisoning Id reccomend loseing the scribe...
Id also reccomend switching from wrestle to swords and picking up a cleaver...120 mage/80 nox and u can do infecting strike at level 5 (lethal) 4 out of 5 hits roughly...plus use bleed.

If you want to stay with wrestling id advise against trying to keep the poisoning...
because having 120 in your weap skill, be it wrestle, swords, or w/e, is an absolute must imo...as is having 120 resist if possible...and magery.
be happy to answer any questions you may have on here or feel free to pm me, Im not super good on my mage, but have played one enough years I think to know what works well.

Im actually returning after about 3 years. Have had my accout since 97 though. current stats are

120 mage
115 eval
101 resist
120 med
99 wrestling (arrowing down)
had anatomy and healing

going for spell weaving 120 as well. Would like to be set up for PVP mage but i have NO CLUE what to continue to gain skill in. Any good suggestions if i want to survive the pvp world?

bushido/mage with a nice enhance pots ring
evade+confidence+pots=very hard to die...

i refuse to play this temp myself tho.
still dont have a single char w/ bush

i will def look into that. see when u say bushido even that is kinda new to me. i love to learn new but just knowing how and where to learn them is half the battle for me. i have time to play but not TONS so i put in a few hours a day if possible but yeah that sounds like a good combo. can i keep all my current skills with that or do you suggest dropping anything or lockin anything ?

I didnt look closely, but seems like my thread got combined with someone else's or their question. Anyway, I decided to drop poisoning. I just can't take myself away from a pure mage template, whether it works or not doesnt really matter. It's more the sanctity of being a total mage that's important.

Maddux I forgot to mention my current account is only 2+ years old, I sold my original account years ago and am still kicking myself in the a$$ for that. I only have a cap of 710 currently, worked out like this:

100 inscription
120 magery
120 eval (11 eval on my scrappers)
120 meditation
110 resist (10 resist on some hat with stats like an Aegis)
120 wrestling
40 focus

I have been seeing a lot of people declaring how important chivalry is to cast close wounds, I don't understand why? At my current 4/6 FC/FCR In Mani is much faster, heals only 10 points less at worst, and is less then half the mana cost? Someone enlighten me please?