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Old 08-19-2003, 10:10 PM   #8
ScottG
Drow Warrior
 

Join Date: June 13, 2003
Location: Never Never Land
Age: 54
Posts: 267
Graci Wereboar!

The reasons I chose Element Shield as being the most important:
1. Though I don't remember exactly, I think that for an equal power level setting Element Shield (and Soul Shield) provides more than double the protection of Magic Screen.
2. You don't really need Magic Protection always on, in fact you rarely need it - (but of course when you do you need it you want it as strong as possible, see #1).
3. There are multiple elemental attackers in the game; there are only a few mental attackers. Divinity attacks can be guarded against with amulets. Essentially then, with the exception of those rare mental attacks, Element Shield is the most valuable spell in the game.

Don't get me wrong, I like Both in operation - but if forced to choose one over the other utilizing the battle strategy I've mentioned I'll take Element Shield ANY day over Magic Screen,(its an essential, Magic Screen is a luxury). If I'm wrong about the strength of the spells and Magic Screen is at least 80% as effective as Element Shield and Soul Shield then I will reverse my position.

As for speed casting:
1. Remember this is a beginners guide.
2. If you have Magic Screen up before a fight then thats great, but you can still be substantially damaged (or killed) with the protection it provides UNLESS you have a great deal of additional items that add to your protection (and even then you will have some characters that have little better than 50% protection in half of the available subclass "elements"). Additionally here you are assuming that you have Magic Screen in addition to Element Shield and Soul Shield.
3. I have rarely had a magic casting opponent NOT cast their worst spells the first round of combat (Murphy's Law at work?). What do you think a beginner will have happen to them? (i.e. see #1.)

I'd actually consider Missile Shield more important than Mag. screen, but NOT for road type weeds and throwing Brigands. Utilizing the battle strategy and party creation techniques I outlined, (used consistently and faithfully), no beginner should have problems with the roads, (let alone intermeadiate or advanced players). Even in Ironman mode you should find the roads to be VERY easy.

Faeries are the best class for SPEED CASTERS, in addition they have better magical protection AND mana regeneration. No they don't wear armor, but they don't need to (and I provided the one level of Rogue/Stealth skill as an option for enhancing AC. Again, they don't need armor because of the battle strategies in conjunction with the proscribed method for party creation.
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