Why Is It So Bloody Hard To Use Magic?, Is it just me? Options

[Sirin]

OK, ladies and gents, I've always had a problem with magic users. Am I the only one? Maybe I've been playing FPS's for too long? What the world?

[Bofra]

I'm an old fighter converted to mage so I know your frustration well, however I found the freedom of magic excells the "feel" of bashing with swords (although I love to do that aswell from time to time). I think it was in Baldurs Gate that I finally changed my preference from fighting to magic, there was simply much more to do as a mage than as a fighter, but I agree it was a real pain getting used to it.

Magic for me has to become a part of the player to be easy/fun to use, I tend to think of all options I have in a situation and choose the best spell to use accordingly, in fighting I never really worry what kind of attack spell to use (measuring resistances vs damage types) that is just too much trouble, I just use the spell I like the most and does the most damage and fire away.

However I tend to have a sword ready just in case. It's also a good thing you can quickly pause in most games (both BG and MW at least) and choose your next spell with care.

Also a good think with magic is that (at least in morrowind) it doesn't leave you optionless. If you face a tough enemy as a melee-fighter and find out you can't beat it you have to run and buy better equipment or level up a few levels, however as a mage it all depends on how you fight, maybe it's better to put on a poison first and paralyze later just to drain it's endurance and finish him off with a fire spell? If that doesn't work there are litteraly dozens of options to choose from.

This post has been edited by Bofra: Feb 13 2006, 05:25 PM

[Pisces]

I'm pretty much exactly the same, I always like magic but BG definitly turned me to playing magic characters. Mysticism and alteration offered me all the usefull spells for situations which brawn couldn't get you through, and conjuration offered the means to beat somebody more powerful than me without coming back ages later, I just have to use some magicka to summon some sweet armour and a daedric longsword. Dispell was quite usefull for my character who had a couldn't take some of the more powerful spells enemies cast at me (being a vampiric high elf with the apprentice sign)

This post has been edited by Pisces: Feb 14 2006, 09:12 AM