Tips -
1) Sage is not needed...
Aeorb Sage is one of the best party members you can have. In fact here's what Cleve's son had to say about Sages2. You need a Sage.
Every party must have a Sage. Sages are basically a jack-of-all-trades caster that has tons of utility early game and becomes just as badass as a necromancer or wizard late game. You can potentially even omit a necromancer, cleric, or wizard from your party and have your sage fill that position instead. Obviously, they won't be as effective as that actual role. But that extra slot would allow you to stick an additional fighter in your party. Make sure you get Detect Secret as one of your Sage's starting spells. An Aeorb or Human Sage is a must.
Tips -
1) Sage is not needed...
Aeorb Sage is one of the best party members you can have. In fact here's what Cleve's son had to say about Sages2. You need a Sage.
Every party must have a Sage. Sages are basically a jack-of-all-trades caster that has tons of utility early game and becomes just as badass as a necromancer or wizard late game. You can potentially even omit a necromancer, cleric, or wizard from your party and have your sage fill that position instead. Obviously, they won't be as effective as that actual role. But that extra slot would allow you to stick an additional fighter in your party. Make sure you get Detect Secret as one of your Sage's starting spells. An Aeorb or Human Sage is a must.
I covered this ad nauseam. If I had an 8 man party I would probably bring a sage, with my six man a sage brings nothing and would weaken the party. His advice is bad and wrong. The fact I was so successful with a six man party with no npcs on veteran and the encounter rate above rare proves it. They are not necessary. Period. If they were I would have needed one. It was clear from the getgo they weren't and aren't. The are also not the best. They are good for 8 man parties and weaken smaller parties. You want lethal blow and healing is meaningless since everyone can do it. Metalsmith has ancient knowledge. Bards get high middle skills to be the thief and can wear much sturdier equipment and have better survivability than a sage. In an 8 man party the second instrument user is nice.
I am thinking of a 4 man party and guess what? I certainly couldn't afford to bring a sage.
What spellcasting does a Sage bring? I think the best part about being a Sage is honestly its access to Bard abilities, namely an instrument and lockpicking. If I were to bring a caster, it'd just be Wizard or a Thaum for Deep Freeze, but yes, casting in general is pretty invalidated anyway
I normally try and limit myself to one of each race.--- adjusted ---
2 Saurian Berserkers
1 Ranger (Drake?)
1 Wolfin Cleric
1 Bard (Durendil?)
1 Aeorb Sage
1 Feyfolk Thaum
1 Vamphyr Necro
But are they worth taking a Thief along for?There are very worthy chests later in the game.
Well, there are only two physical skills worth raising without Assassin/Jester: Inspection (and a bit of Lockpicking), and Iron Hands. And since Iron Hands doesn't proc Lethal Blow (for me, at least), it doesn't leave much choice. I don't really bother thinking about it any more than that, but it is probably true that lockpicking isn't worth it.But are they worth taking a Thief along for?
When you can cast Knock Knock instead?
Should a Ranger & Sage even get Lockpicking?
The fact I was so successful with a six man party with no npcs on veteran and the encounter rate above rare
Tips -
1) Sage is not needed...
Aeorb Sage is one of the best party members you can have. In fact here's what Cleve's son had to say about Sages2. You need a Sage.
Every party must have a Sage. Sages are basically a jack-of-all-trades caster that has tons of utility early game and becomes just as badass as a necromancer or wizard late game. You can potentially even omit a necromancer, cleric, or wizard from your party and have your sage fill that position instead. Obviously, they won't be as effective as that actual role. But that extra slot would allow you to stick an additional fighter in your party. Make sure you get Detect Secret as one of your Sage's starting spells. An Aeorb or Human Sage is a must.
I covered this ad nauseam. If I had an 8 man party I would probably bring a sage, with my six man a sage brings nothing and would weaken the party. His advice is bad and wrong. The fact I was so successful with a six man party with no npcs on veteran and the encounter rate above rare proves it. They are not necessary. Period. If they were I would have needed one. It was clear from the getgo they weren't and aren't. The are also not the best. They are good for 8 man parties and weaken smaller parties. You want lethal blow and healing is meaningless since everyone can do it. Metalsmith has ancient knowledge. Bards get high middle skills to be the thief and can wear much sturdier equipment and have better survivability than a sage. In an 8 man party the second instrument user is nice.
I am thinking of a 4 man party and guess what? I certainly couldn't afford to bring a sage.
The bard cheese invalidates spellcasting altogether and brakes the game. If you refrain from touching musical instruments then the sage is a valuable class with the aeorb sage being probably the strongest spellcaster in the game.
It's probably more challenging to play on novice without touching musical instruments than to play on superhero and onslaught with a bard.
The fact I was so successful with a six man party with no npcs on veteran and the encounter rate above rare
Which party was that? I assume 2 Saurian Berserkers, Fey Bard, Wolfin Thaumaturge ...?
Its probably more challenging to play on novice with one character that doesn't cast spells. So? Instruments provide the only non consumable cc that can be applied before enemies act. Early game this is great, but mid game when there are groups of ninjas that can kill half your party if they act it is nice to know you can cc at least one. The only use spellcatsers are is for aoeing weak groups or high DD of ST if you can eat their hits.
What level does Sage get Deep Freeze compared to the other classes that get it? What are you basing a Sage being the most powerful off of specifically? Because I highly disagree.
My point was that spellcasters aren't weak they just look weak because the bard class is broken.
It's kind of silly being able to 1 man a boss when your lethal blows is up high enough.