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DISCLAIMER: This is not a guide that will explain what levels are which spells, where the teleports take you to, or how to complete “Desert Treasure.” This is a guide of advanced tactics, dealing with bringing out the full potential of these devastating spells, to blow your opponent out of the water. It is not a pictorial guide, containing only a handful of screenshots, but is mostly pages of pure text. Weaponry and armor also have their place within this guide, but all of this information is centered around using ancient magicks to kill your enemy, no matter who he is, her level, or how many team-mates they have.
Index:
I. The Spells
- 1.1 Overview of useful spells
- 1.2 “Slow,” and “Instant.”
- 1.3 Spell Choice
- 1.4 Video Guide
- 1.5 Auto-Cast
II. Weapons and Armor
- 2.1 Armor
- 2.2 Weapons
- 2.2.1Primary
- 2.2.2 Aid/ Secondary
- 2.2.3 Melee Weapons
III. Tactics
- 3.1 Safe-spotting
- 3.2 Multi-combat
- 3.3 Triple Stack Combination
IV. Scenario Tactics
- 4.1 Fists of Guthix
- 4.2 Castle Wars
- 4.3 Duel Tournaments
- 4.4 Fight Pits
- 4.5 PvP Worlds
V. Magic Aid
- 5.1 Prayer
- 5.2 Other Players
VI. Hybrid Tactics
- 6.1 Magic + Melee
- 6.2 Magic + Range
VII. Closing Words
I. The Spells:
Here are explanations of the spells you will be using in combat. Note that a freezing/ice spell greatly aids your combat abilities, so the BARE MINIMUM magic level you should have in order to use these tactics effectively would be 82, but 88 will allow you to access all corners of this guide. Barrages and their multi-combat uses will be discussed in section 3.2.
1.1 - Overview of useful spells
-Ice Blitz (82): This is a fairly accurate spell, and, like all blitzes, very slow as well, giving it the ability of hybrid KO’s. It has a max hit of 26, and freezes your opponent for up to 15 seconds. Basically a poor-man’s ice barrage. Use this for Stack Combinations, especially if you are using another weapon. (Section 1.2)
2 Death runes, 2 Blood runes, 3 Water runes
Smoke Barrage (86): Smoke barrage is a great spell, as it poisons your opponent (4 damage for poison), has a max hit of 27, and is a slower spell. Also, this spells, when cast, will either splash or hit consecutively, but is mostly very accurate, even against dragonhide.
4 Death runes, 2 Blood runes, 4 Fire runes, 4 Air runes
Shadow Barrage (88): Shadow spells are very devastating, lowing attack by 15%. They are also instant spells with a max hit of 28, and also rather accurate. Combined with Ahrim’s set effect, these spells can lower up to 15 attack levels, and 5 strength. (See more under section 2.2.1)
4 Death runes, 2 Blood runes, 4 Air runes, 3 Soul Runes
Blood Barrage (92): This in a rather inaccurate spell, but it is still very useful. It heals you by ¼ of the damage you inflict with it. This won’t be enough to sustain you in 1vs1 duels, but it can help avoid KO’s, especially in large group battles. It is an instant spell with a max hit of 29.
4 Death runes, 4 Blood runes, 1 Soul rune
Ice Barrage (94): A fairly accurate spell, hits a max of 30, and freezes your opponent for up to 20 seconds, so they cannot move, but they can attack. It is also fairly accurate. Never move to far away from your enemy, as they will become unfrozen if you do. Also note that your opponent cannot be re-frozen right after they thaw out, you must wait one or two attack turns.
4 Death runes, 2 Blood runes, 6 Water runes
Miasmic Barrage (97): With the introduction of PvP worlds, Magicians were granted a new set of spells. They require Zuriel’s staff, either corrupt or normal, which, as for now, carries a hefty price tag. (More Information in Section 2.2) I have not tested this new spell myself, but I do have reliable information. It is a slow spell, about blitz speed, fairly accurate, and has the devastating effect of making your opponent’s weapons twice as slow. This effect lasts for 48 seconds. This spell is amazing, but it isn’t the most practical to use.
4 Blood runes, 4 Soul runes, 4 Earth runes, Zuriel’s staff.
2 Death runes, 2 Blood runes, 3 Water runes
Smoke Barrage (86): Smoke barrage is a great spell, as it poisons your opponent (4 damage for poison), has a max hit of 27, and is a slower spell. Also, this spells, when cast, will either splash or hit consecutively, but is mostly very accurate, even against dragonhide.
4 Death runes, 2 Blood runes, 4 Fire runes, 4 Air runes
Shadow Barrage (88): Shadow spells are very devastating, lowing attack by 15%. They are also instant spells with a max hit of 28, and also rather accurate. Combined with Ahrim’s set effect, these spells can lower up to 15 attack levels, and 5 strength. (See more under section 2.2.1)
4 Death runes, 2 Blood runes, 4 Air runes, 3 Soul Runes
Blood Barrage (92): This in a rather inaccurate spell, but it is still very useful. It heals you by ¼ of the damage you inflict with it. This won’t be enough to sustain you in 1vs1 duels, but it can help avoid KO’s, especially in large group battles. It is an instant spell with a max hit of 29.
4 Death runes, 4 Blood runes, 1 Soul rune
Ice Barrage (94): A fairly accurate spell, hits a max of 30, and freezes your opponent for up to 20 seconds, so they cannot move, but they can attack. It is also fairly accurate. Never move to far away from your enemy, as they will become unfrozen if you do. Also note that your opponent cannot be re-frozen right after they thaw out, you must wait one or two attack turns.
4 Death runes, 2 Blood runes, 6 Water runes
Miasmic Barrage (97): With the introduction of PvP worlds, Magicians were granted a new set of spells. They require Zuriel’s staff, either corrupt or normal, which, as for now, carries a hefty price tag. (More Information in Section 2.2) I have not tested this new spell myself, but I do have reliable information. It is a slow spell, about blitz speed, fairly accurate, and has the devastating effect of making your opponent’s weapons twice as slow. This effect lasts for 48 seconds. This spell is amazing, but it isn’t the most practical to use.
4 Blood runes, 4 Soul runes, 4 Earth runes, Zuriel’s staff.
1.2 - Slow and Instant.
While reading about the spells, you might have noticed “Slow,” and “instant,” used to describe the spells. These mean how long the damage from the spells takes to register on a player. For example, when you cast an ice barrage, there is a slight delay from when you cast to when the damage shows up on your opponent, while, when you use an instant spell, such as shadow barrage, the damage shows up directly after you click. This leads to a very deadly outcome – The ability to cast 2 spells in roughly the same time it would take to cast one ice barrage, then another. Also, this is the only way to potentially KO a person, using only magic.
In order to use these spell combinations, all you have to do is cast a slow spell (Blitz, Smoke Barrage, Ice barrage, Miasmic Barrage) and quickly follow up with an instant spell (Blood Barrage, Shadow Barrage). With Barrage slow spells, you must be some distance away from your opponent for the stack to effectively work, unlike the blitz.
Possible combinations are:
Ice Blitz + Shadow Barrage (26-28)
Ice Blitz + Blood Barrage (26-29)
Smoke Barrage + Shadow Barrage (27-28)
Smoke Barrage + Blood Barrage (27-29)
Ice Barrage + Shadow Barrage (30-28)
Ice Barrage + Blood Barrage (30-29)
Add 10% damage to any of these if using the Special Staves (See Section 2.2)
In order to use these spell combinations, all you have to do is cast a slow spell (Blitz, Smoke Barrage, Ice barrage, Miasmic Barrage) and quickly follow up with an instant spell (Blood Barrage, Shadow Barrage). With Barrage slow spells, you must be some distance away from your opponent for the stack to effectively work, unlike the blitz.
Possible combinations are:
Ice Blitz + Shadow Barrage (26-28)
Ice Blitz + Blood Barrage (26-29)
Smoke Barrage + Shadow Barrage (27-28)
Smoke Barrage + Blood Barrage (27-29)
Ice Barrage + Shadow Barrage (30-28)
Ice Barrage + Blood Barrage (30-29)
Add 10% damage to any of these if using the Special Staves (See Section 2.2)
1.3 - Spell Choice
- Now, onto which spells you should use, and when you should use them. All spells are useful, and each has their own place.
When Inventory space is not a problem, all runes needed for the four barrages should be accessible. Ice barrage freezes, one of the best uses of any spell, and blood barrage makes for a cheap and damaging instant spell for those knock outs, so stick with those two primarily. Shadow barrage and smoke barrage are still very viable options, as smoke can be used to lure rangers (See section 3.0) and shadow basically un-pots any warrior. Miasmic spells are very deadly, but aren’t the most practical, because of the staff costs. Ice Blitz is good for combinations, as its delay is longer then the Barrages, so the damage will hit at the same time of your second attack, regardless if it is a magical attack, or a Range/Melee.
However, I feel this might give some vague guidelines, so I’ll be a bit more specific.
ALWAYS have Ice Barrage, if nothing else. It is the best spell for dealing damage, preventing damage, and is easy to carry in your inventory. Following that, I’d being Shadow Barrage for combos and it’s brilliant effect, as it keeps enemies accuracy low. If you are willing to use Miasmic, bring them along as well; they are well worth it if you are intent on winning at any cost. Thee first two should be your go-to spells, with Miasmic as back-up.
When Inventory space is not a problem, all runes needed for the four barrages should be accessible. Ice barrage freezes, one of the best uses of any spell, and blood barrage makes for a cheap and damaging instant spell for those knock outs, so stick with those two primarily. Shadow barrage and smoke barrage are still very viable options, as smoke can be used to lure rangers (See section 3.0) and shadow basically un-pots any warrior. Miasmic spells are very deadly, but aren’t the most practical, because of the staff costs. Ice Blitz is good for combinations, as its delay is longer then the Barrages, so the damage will hit at the same time of your second attack, regardless if it is a magical attack, or a Range/Melee.
However, I feel this might give some vague guidelines, so I’ll be a bit more specific.
ALWAYS have Ice Barrage, if nothing else. It is the best spell for dealing damage, preventing damage, and is easy to carry in your inventory. Following that, I’d being Shadow Barrage for combos and it’s brilliant effect, as it keeps enemies accuracy low. If you are willing to use Miasmic, bring them along as well; they are well worth it if you are intent on winning at any cost. Thee first two should be your go-to spells, with Miasmic as back-up.
1.4 - Video Guide
I've had many requests for a Video demostrating these tactics, and, thanks to Ali Radeon X, I finally have one that covers mentioned in this guide: The normal "slow" and "instant" spells (Section 1.2) aswell as the Triple Stack Combo (Section 3.3).
Please enjoy as use this to your advantage! Ali Radeon X deserves all the credit for this wonderful addition to the Guide.
Please enjoy as use this to your advantage! Ali Radeon X deserves all the credit for this wonderful addition to the Guide.
1.5 – Auto-Cast
With recent updates to Magic brought the ability to Auto-cast any spell, with any weapon. Seems decent, right? Well, while I find the feature to be fairly useful, I find it to be a hindrance as well. Because you must switch back to your attack style before you can use a different attack, it slows down effective Hybriding. However, if you don’t plan on swapping weapons often, or are amazingly quick, then I’d suggest keeping Ice Barrage on auto-cast, for quick freezing and combinations.
It is a helpful feature when you want to eat and fight right after, but a well-practiced Magician will find this unessecary.
It is a helpful feature when you want to eat and fight right after, but a well-practiced Magician will find this unessecary.
II. Weapons and Armor
I’m not going to post any pictures, stating,” This is the perfect set-up.” I won’t do this simply because there is no perfect set-up. I’ll show you some weapons, guidelines, and uses for everything, but decide for yourself.
2.1 - Armors
While a high magic attack bonus is important, don’t let it take precedent over all your defensive bonuses. Here is a good thing to remember: If your opponent is frozen, they cannot hit you. This means keep your magic high, as focusing on defensive items, such as dragon boots, could cause you to splash less, and letting your opponent hit you more. Inversely, if you fail to freeze your opponent, you don’t want to be left completely defenseless.
Ahrim’s robe top and bottoms are one of the best choices out there, as they add both great magic offensive stats, as well as defensive melee stats, better than that of Karil’s armor. However, if you feel yourself still to open to attacks, Verac’s Brassard is a great tanking piece. DON’T use Verac skirt, or any other piece. Verac’s Brassard has the best magic penalty per defense point, but make sure to have on Ahrim’s Robe Bottom, as you need some offensive capabilities. Zuriels can be used in high-risk, high-gain situations.
Amulet spots are pretty specific: if you are risking anything, use Magic Amulet, other than that, Fury. Phoenix necklace can be sued in PvP situations, as it healing abilities make up for magic losses. 3rd Age also has its place (read on).
When it comes down to the helmet and shield spots, it varies a lot. These will be the only sources of range defense, which is very important, but also, these play a big part in magic attacks. The difference between Ahrim’s Hood and Torags/Veracs/Guthans Helm is +11 magic bonus, but nearly +60 defense in all melee stats.
The same goes for the Mage’s Book, and the Dragonfire Shield. If a Dragonfire Shield is out of your reach, the crystal shield shines in its place. It does have a minus ten to magical attacks, but, when fully charged, its range defense trumps that of the Dragonfire Shield, making it a great choice to use against rangers. The Blessed Spirit Shield is a great, fairly priced shield, that has a great set of defense bonuses (not as good as the DFS), but mostly shines because it has no range or Mage penalties. I find that the 10 Magic difference between this shield and the DFS is worth the defense loss. This is the second best Magical shield ingame. But, if the usage of an Arcane Shield is optional, use it in all cases, as it’s balance of defense and attack bonuses make it the greatest item in a Magician’s shield slot. Some might be tempted to use a Mage’s Book for it’s amazing offensive bonuses, but you are also losing massive defense bonuses. I’ve almost never used my Mage’s Book.
If you are lucky, or rich, enough to afford the 3rd Age Armors, the Amulet and Mage Hat actually have the best magic offensive magic bonuses. However, because the amulet and Hat provide no defense against other weapons, use them wisely, and don’t leave yourself completely open to attack.
Rings used to be cheap and only a handful, but with the intoduction of Mobalising Armies, the number of rings that aid Magic grew significantly. First, I’ll list the non-MA rings. The Beacon Ring is obtainable from Zaff after What Lies Below, and provides a +2 to Magic offense. Since the replacement is free, it beats the Lunar ring, which has the same bonuses for 2,000 coins. A normal Seers ring has a +4 Magic boost to offense and defense, and is a great choice to use, until you look at the MA rings.
Now, the MA rings have the disadvantage of costing reward credits, which can be used up very quickly, and hard to get back. The Imbued Lunar and Dragonstone ring have the same offensive bonus with +5, Onyx has +6, and the Seers is king with its +8 Bonus. All are very costly in terms of reward credits, so they might not be the best option for risk situations, but any serious Magician wants a nice bonus, so they can help.
In terms of gloves, Barrows Gloves from “Recipe for Disaster,” is your best choice, as it provides the best magic attack and the best bonuses for your secondary weapons. Infinity gloves are tied with Dragon Gloves for 2nd place, and Rune Gloves are the bare minimum you should use.
The cape is the final slot, and there is only 1 option a good magician should use: God Capes from Mage Arena. Now, the Fire Cape does provide great defenses, but, the +10 Magic Attack the God Cape provides is to much bonus to be lost to a measly 11 Defense points. You’ll freeze more often with the extra magic bonus.
Now, some might ask about the Void Knight Armor. I own every helm, and have gotten the set back 3 or more times, so I do have some experience with it. Alone, even with it's range defense, it is no-where near as accurate, or defensive, as the classic Ahrim's + Verac Helm set-up. However, Void Knight is ridiculously easy to hybrid in, as you only need to switch the Helms and your weapon, great if you need to exploit all of your enemies weaknesses. Don't use Void Knight if you are focused on Magic as a primary, but it is great if you only use freezing spells then switch to another corner of the combat triangle.
It is up to you which one to pick. As we get more into tactics, and things become more situational, there will be obvious better items, but for now, it all falls onto personal preference.
Ahrim’s robe top and bottoms are one of the best choices out there, as they add both great magic offensive stats, as well as defensive melee stats, better than that of Karil’s armor. However, if you feel yourself still to open to attacks, Verac’s Brassard is a great tanking piece. DON’T use Verac skirt, or any other piece. Verac’s Brassard has the best magic penalty per defense point, but make sure to have on Ahrim’s Robe Bottom, as you need some offensive capabilities. Zuriels can be used in high-risk, high-gain situations.
Amulet spots are pretty specific: if you are risking anything, use Magic Amulet, other than that, Fury. Phoenix necklace can be sued in PvP situations, as it healing abilities make up for magic losses. 3rd Age also has its place (read on).
When it comes down to the helmet and shield spots, it varies a lot. These will be the only sources of range defense, which is very important, but also, these play a big part in magic attacks. The difference between Ahrim’s Hood and Torags/Veracs/Guthans Helm is +11 magic bonus, but nearly +60 defense in all melee stats.
The same goes for the Mage’s Book, and the Dragonfire Shield. If a Dragonfire Shield is out of your reach, the crystal shield shines in its place. It does have a minus ten to magical attacks, but, when fully charged, its range defense trumps that of the Dragonfire Shield, making it a great choice to use against rangers. The Blessed Spirit Shield is a great, fairly priced shield, that has a great set of defense bonuses (not as good as the DFS), but mostly shines because it has no range or Mage penalties. I find that the 10 Magic difference between this shield and the DFS is worth the defense loss. This is the second best Magical shield ingame. But, if the usage of an Arcane Shield is optional, use it in all cases, as it’s balance of defense and attack bonuses make it the greatest item in a Magician’s shield slot. Some might be tempted to use a Mage’s Book for it’s amazing offensive bonuses, but you are also losing massive defense bonuses. I’ve almost never used my Mage’s Book.
If you are lucky, or rich, enough to afford the 3rd Age Armors, the Amulet and Mage Hat actually have the best magic offensive magic bonuses. However, because the amulet and Hat provide no defense against other weapons, use them wisely, and don’t leave yourself completely open to attack.
Rings used to be cheap and only a handful, but with the intoduction of Mobalising Armies, the number of rings that aid Magic grew significantly. First, I’ll list the non-MA rings. The Beacon Ring is obtainable from Zaff after What Lies Below, and provides a +2 to Magic offense. Since the replacement is free, it beats the Lunar ring, which has the same bonuses for 2,000 coins. A normal Seers ring has a +4 Magic boost to offense and defense, and is a great choice to use, until you look at the MA rings.
Now, the MA rings have the disadvantage of costing reward credits, which can be used up very quickly, and hard to get back. The Imbued Lunar and Dragonstone ring have the same offensive bonus with +5, Onyx has +6, and the Seers is king with its +8 Bonus. All are very costly in terms of reward credits, so they might not be the best option for risk situations, but any serious Magician wants a nice bonus, so they can help.
In terms of gloves, Barrows Gloves from “Recipe for Disaster,” is your best choice, as it provides the best magic attack and the best bonuses for your secondary weapons. Infinity gloves are tied with Dragon Gloves for 2nd place, and Rune Gloves are the bare minimum you should use.
The cape is the final slot, and there is only 1 option a good magician should use: God Capes from Mage Arena. Now, the Fire Cape does provide great defenses, but, the +10 Magic Attack the God Cape provides is to much bonus to be lost to a measly 11 Defense points. You’ll freeze more often with the extra magic bonus.
Now, some might ask about the Void Knight Armor. I own every helm, and have gotten the set back 3 or more times, so I do have some experience with it. Alone, even with it's range defense, it is no-where near as accurate, or defensive, as the classic Ahrim's + Verac Helm set-up. However, Void Knight is ridiculously easy to hybrid in, as you only need to switch the Helms and your weapon, great if you need to exploit all of your enemies weaknesses. Don't use Void Knight if you are focused on Magic as a primary, but it is great if you only use freezing spells then switch to another corner of the combat triangle.
It is up to you which one to pick. As we get more into tactics, and things become more situational, there will be obvious better items, but for now, it all falls onto personal preference.
2.2 - Weapons
Because this is such a wide subject, I will split it into two sections. “Primary weapons” deals with normal mage-friendly, while “Secondary weapons” focuses on more unorthodox items.
2.2.1 - Primary Weapons
I’m not going to make this introduction fancy or anything, I’ll just list and explain average weapons that a mage should and shouldn’t use.
Staves/Wands
- Ancient staff: Previously, I despised this weapon, and suggested avoiding it as you would a man who asks for “One Small Favor,” but recent updates have changed my mind upon it. It has 15 Magic attack, and adds 10% damage to any spell you can with it. It is also fairly cheap, making it a decent option for risky spots. Trumped by Master Wand, but for the potential dangerous situation.
- Master Wand: With the highest magic attack of any weapon in game, this should be owned by any serious magician. The +20 magic attack and defense make it very reliable for doing a lot of damage. It also boasts the extra 10% damage to all spells when wielded.
- Ahrim’s Staff: On its own, this weapon is seriously lacking. It is two handed, has only a +15 magic attack, and degrades. However, when combined with the rest of the Ahrim’s set (Hood, Robe Body, Robe Bottoms) it has the effect of lowering your enemies’ strength level by 5% EACH TIME THE SPECIAL ACTIVATES, about 1 in every three spells. This is very devastating to a warrior, especially if shadow barrage is cast with it, lowering them 15 attack levels. This is most effective in long fights, such as PK’ing, or when food is being used, as the strength drain is much more deadly when it hits 3-4 times, while, in short fights, the -5 strength is negligible. Be careful when using this weapon though, as it leaves you very open to rangers. Once again, another staff that boosts your damage by 10%.
- Elemental Staves (Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Mud, Steam): The runes these can save don’t make these worth using, as you are only using 4-6 elemental runes per cast. Never go into combat with these.
- Zuriel’s Staff – This staff, if you choose to use it, decays within an hour of wielding it. Only equip this staff to cast a single Miasmic spell, and then switch back to your primary, unless Pk’ing in Zuriel’s Robes already, or in a deadly situation. This staff is another that increases your damage dealt by 10%.
Range Weapons
- Rune Crossbow – Very accurate, decent speed, and power behind it, as well as it being long range make this one of the best options for any mage.
- Obsidian Rings (Tok-xil-ul) – Against low defense opponents, these work wonders. They aren’t the most accurate of weapons, but they hit hard, and fast. Great to use on rangers who are safe spotted. (See section 3.1) These rings also work very well with the “Triple Stack” combination. ( See Section 3.3)
- Crystal bow – With the introduction of crossbows, this formerly great bow has been left behind. However, it still has one great attribute: it’s distance. The crystal bow hits further than any other range weapon, and is the only weapon to hit at the same distance as magic hits.
- Magic Short Bow – When using rune arrows, this can deal damage as fast as an opponent can eat, plus, with it’s snap-shot special, it can make your opponent start sweating. It is another weapon that can be utilized in the Triple Stack Combination (Section 3.3) as well. I love this weapon, and prefer it even over the Rune Crossbow.
- Karil’s Crossbow – This unorthodox Ranged Weapon is a great option for any ancient mage. On long range, it can hit targets the same distance your spells hit, shoots very quickly, and is fairly accurate, unless you are shooting high Defense Barrows Armor. However, this bow can also be used in the “Triple Stack” combination. (See section 3.3)
Staves/Wands
- Ancient staff: Previously, I despised this weapon, and suggested avoiding it as you would a man who asks for “One Small Favor,” but recent updates have changed my mind upon it. It has 15 Magic attack, and adds 10% damage to any spell you can with it. It is also fairly cheap, making it a decent option for risky spots. Trumped by Master Wand, but for the potential dangerous situation.
- Master Wand: With the highest magic attack of any weapon in game, this should be owned by any serious magician. The +20 magic attack and defense make it very reliable for doing a lot of damage. It also boasts the extra 10% damage to all spells when wielded.
- Ahrim’s Staff: On its own, this weapon is seriously lacking. It is two handed, has only a +15 magic attack, and degrades. However, when combined with the rest of the Ahrim’s set (Hood, Robe Body, Robe Bottoms) it has the effect of lowering your enemies’ strength level by 5% EACH TIME THE SPECIAL ACTIVATES, about 1 in every three spells. This is very devastating to a warrior, especially if shadow barrage is cast with it, lowering them 15 attack levels. This is most effective in long fights, such as PK’ing, or when food is being used, as the strength drain is much more deadly when it hits 3-4 times, while, in short fights, the -5 strength is negligible. Be careful when using this weapon though, as it leaves you very open to rangers. Once again, another staff that boosts your damage by 10%.
- Elemental Staves (Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Mud, Steam): The runes these can save don’t make these worth using, as you are only using 4-6 elemental runes per cast. Never go into combat with these.
- Zuriel’s Staff – This staff, if you choose to use it, decays within an hour of wielding it. Only equip this staff to cast a single Miasmic spell, and then switch back to your primary, unless Pk’ing in Zuriel’s Robes already, or in a deadly situation. This staff is another that increases your damage dealt by 10%.
Range Weapons
- Rune Crossbow – Very accurate, decent speed, and power behind it, as well as it being long range make this one of the best options for any mage.
- Obsidian Rings (Tok-xil-ul) – Against low defense opponents, these work wonders. They aren’t the most accurate of weapons, but they hit hard, and fast. Great to use on rangers who are safe spotted. (See section 3.1) These rings also work very well with the “Triple Stack” combination. ( See Section 3.3)
- Crystal bow – With the introduction of crossbows, this formerly great bow has been left behind. However, it still has one great attribute: it’s distance. The crystal bow hits further than any other range weapon, and is the only weapon to hit at the same distance as magic hits.
- Magic Short Bow – When using rune arrows, this can deal damage as fast as an opponent can eat, plus, with it’s snap-shot special, it can make your opponent start sweating. It is another weapon that can be utilized in the Triple Stack Combination (Section 3.3) as well. I love this weapon, and prefer it even over the Rune Crossbow.
- Karil’s Crossbow – This unorthodox Ranged Weapon is a great option for any ancient mage. On long range, it can hit targets the same distance your spells hit, shoots very quickly, and is fairly accurate, unless you are shooting high Defense Barrows Armor. However, this bow can also be used in the “Triple Stack” combination. (See section 3.3)
2.2.2 – Secondary Weapons
These are weapons used to help, or aid, your normal weapons, tactics, and spells.
- Seercull – While “Seercull” does mean “Mage death,” it has a very useful special. It lowers your opponent’s magic level by what you hit. Since Magic level also determines your magic defense, if you lower your opponents, you will splash less, if you manage a good spec.
- Dragon Spear – This weapon shines when you are attempting to lure an opponent to a safe spot (See section 3.0) but you froze them in the wrong spot. If you are quick enough, you can simply use this special attack, and push your opponent into the safe spot. You must be quick with this though; you don’t want your freeze to run out before you can attack.
- Dark Bow – This slow, inaccurate, and expensive weapon deals one of the most powerful special attacks in-game, dealing at least 16 damage, and up to 96 damage. Previously I said to avoid this weapon. I now disagree after using it more. It is very possible, and easy, to deal massive damage with this weapon, and is very easy to hybrid with. It is a great finisher, or just a damage dealer.
- Zanik's Crossbow - Fairly fast and accurate, it has a -5 prayer bonus, but it's special attack can deal good damage. Damage is added for every prayeryour opponent uses, or for every piece of God Armor that they wear. If you have somebody Protecting from Magic constantly, two specials from these will deal great damage on them.
- Seercull – While “Seercull” does mean “Mage death,” it has a very useful special. It lowers your opponent’s magic level by what you hit. Since Magic level also determines your magic defense, if you lower your opponents, you will splash less, if you manage a good spec.
- Dragon Spear – This weapon shines when you are attempting to lure an opponent to a safe spot (See section 3.0) but you froze them in the wrong spot. If you are quick enough, you can simply use this special attack, and push your opponent into the safe spot. You must be quick with this though; you don’t want your freeze to run out before you can attack.
- Dark Bow – This slow, inaccurate, and expensive weapon deals one of the most powerful special attacks in-game, dealing at least 16 damage, and up to 96 damage. Previously I said to avoid this weapon. I now disagree after using it more. It is very possible, and easy, to deal massive damage with this weapon, and is very easy to hybrid with. It is a great finisher, or just a damage dealer.
- Zanik's Crossbow - Fairly fast and accurate, it has a -5 prayer bonus, but it's special attack can deal good damage. Damage is added for every prayeryour opponent uses, or for every piece of God Armor that they wear. If you have somebody Protecting from Magic constantly, two specials from these will deal great damage on them.
2.2.3 - Melee Weapons
Melee has the distinct disadvantage of not being able to hit your opponent from a long distance, nullifying one aspect of magic, but they can deal massive damage within a short amount of time, especially against rangers. However, when using melee weapons, magic seems to become more of a secondary skill, so I won’t delve to far into them, only give you an overview.
- The Godswords – These mighty weapons can be conjoined with magic to quickly decimate your enemies. Their high hit rates, accuracy, and specials make them very powerful. The most common, and effective, technique to Ko’ing your opponent, quickly and easily, revolves around casting a slow spell, mostly Ice Blitz, then running up to your opponent, and, hopefully, delivering the killing blow. The Armadyl and Bandos Godswords shine with this, as their special attacks increase the damage they do, meaning bigger hits. The Saradomin Godsword can heal half of what you hit on your opponent, but that can also be done with a Blood Barrage. However, the greatest tactical use for a Godsword would have to be the Zamorak Godsword’s special, which is basically an Ice Barrage, freezing your opponent for up to 20 seconds. Now, this might seem pointless if you can Ice Barrage, but, if that pesky ranger in Armadyl armor won’t be frozen, you can pull this out, freezing him with the special, and safe-spot him (Section 3.1)
- Verac's Set – Verac's has the ability to ignore your enemies armor and defense, making the hits very accurate. It is hard to hybrid in, since you need to switch 2-4 items, but it is great against weakened/cursed Meleers. (See section 6.1)
- Whip + Defender – With maxed melee stats, this combination of items deals the most damage per second, over any other weapon, and regardless of armor, for the most part. It rips rangers to shreds, but it leaves you open, as you aren't using a defensive shield. Use this smartly.
- Dharok’s set – Dharok’s set has the ability to hit higher as your HP is lower. It I a risky set to utilize, especially when maging, but can become very effective. Like Veracs, it requires you to switch 2-3 items, and leave you very open to Magical attacks, and is even more dangerous with the low HP factor, but the high chance for a KO on your opponent might out-weight these negatives. Make sure you are well practiced before taking this set out.
- The Godswords – These mighty weapons can be conjoined with magic to quickly decimate your enemies. Their high hit rates, accuracy, and specials make them very powerful. The most common, and effective, technique to Ko’ing your opponent, quickly and easily, revolves around casting a slow spell, mostly Ice Blitz, then running up to your opponent, and, hopefully, delivering the killing blow. The Armadyl and Bandos Godswords shine with this, as their special attacks increase the damage they do, meaning bigger hits. The Saradomin Godsword can heal half of what you hit on your opponent, but that can also be done with a Blood Barrage. However, the greatest tactical use for a Godsword would have to be the Zamorak Godsword’s special, which is basically an Ice Barrage, freezing your opponent for up to 20 seconds. Now, this might seem pointless if you can Ice Barrage, but, if that pesky ranger in Armadyl armor won’t be frozen, you can pull this out, freezing him with the special, and safe-spot him (Section 3.1)
- Verac's Set – Verac's has the ability to ignore your enemies armor and defense, making the hits very accurate. It is hard to hybrid in, since you need to switch 2-4 items, but it is great against weakened/cursed Meleers. (See section 6.1)
- Whip + Defender – With maxed melee stats, this combination of items deals the most damage per second, over any other weapon, and regardless of armor, for the most part. It rips rangers to shreds, but it leaves you open, as you aren't using a defensive shield. Use this smartly.
- Dharok’s set – Dharok’s set has the ability to hit higher as your HP is lower. It I a risky set to utilize, especially when maging, but can become very effective. Like Veracs, it requires you to switch 2-3 items, and leave you very open to Magical attacks, and is even more dangerous with the low HP factor, but the high chance for a KO on your opponent might out-weight these negatives. Make sure you are well practiced before taking this set out.
III. Tactics
Here comes the meat of this guide, and what you will actually use in battle. While I cannot explain every aspect and trick (Would make this even longer than it already is) I can give you great approaches to eliminating your foes. First, one of the coolest tricks in the arsenal…
3.1 - Safe-spotting
Anybody can lure a swordsman into a cluster of rocks, freeze him, and shoot him down, but what about those pesky, deadly rangers? Well, using obstacle, good timing, and a bit of ice, that Void Dark Bower could turn into nothing more than a dummy to shoot into. In order to successfully “Safe-spot” a ranger/mage, you must first find an obstacle you cannot shoot through, such as barricades in Castle Wars, trees, or viewing orbs in Fight Pits and Bounty Hunter. Then, have the ranger attack you, whether you hit him first, or he attacks you. If you are going to attack first, I’d suggest smoke barrage, as you don’t want to freeze him until he is in place, and you want to keep your wand/staff equipped because you will need all the magic offense you can get to not splash on his/her armor. Then, move around the obstruction so it is directly in between you and the ranger. Once he is in place, freeze him as quickly as you can, so he is stuck directly on either the north, south, east or west side of the obstacle. You must then move 2 spaces left/right of him, and 3 spaces down, then fire/cast away. You’ll be able to hit him, but he cannot hit you until he thaws out. If you froze him a square away from the safe spot, simple “shove” your enemy with the Dragon Spear (Section 2.2.2) Here are some pictures of luring, safe-spotting, and the actual spot.
Here is a little table of where to stand when your opponent is trapped:
The Magic Short Bow represent where you should stand after your target, the Rune Long sword, is frozen. The numbers on the bows correspond which enemy you should shoot. The checkered flag in the middle represents the obstacle.
If you cannot remember these positions, in some cases, if you freeze your enemy on “1” or “3” (referring to swords) you can attack them from “2” or “4.” This only works if your opponent is north or south of the obstacle.
Another way to prevent damage to yourself and buy yourself some time when there are no obstacles around is to, when your opponent is frozen, move onto the same space he is in. So long as he is unable to move, he cannot attack you. This can allow you time to switch armors or weapons if need be. Also, when fighting against an enemy that prayer/armor swaps often, it might be best to keep the staff in the inventory, and use your other weapons. However, be ready to cast when he swaps prayer/armor again.
Besides trapping people behind obstacles and safespotting them, you can stand adjacent to an obstacle if you can't manage to freeze them and if you see them pull out a DDS or something or your health starts getting low, you can just run around the obstacle and they'll have to click "attack" on you again in order to follow you around the obstacle.
Here is a video guide showing how to safe-spot efficiently, courtesy of Ali Radeon X
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Kk_C4QCC8X0
Here is a little table of where to stand when your opponent is trapped:
The Magic Short Bow represent where you should stand after your target, the Rune Long sword, is frozen. The numbers on the bows correspond which enemy you should shoot. The checkered flag in the middle represents the obstacle.
If you cannot remember these positions, in some cases, if you freeze your enemy on “1” or “3” (referring to swords) you can attack them from “2” or “4.” This only works if your opponent is north or south of the obstacle.
Another way to prevent damage to yourself and buy yourself some time when there are no obstacles around is to, when your opponent is frozen, move onto the same space he is in. So long as he is unable to move, he cannot attack you. This can allow you time to switch armors or weapons if need be. Also, when fighting against an enemy that prayer/armor swaps often, it might be best to keep the staff in the inventory, and use your other weapons. However, be ready to cast when he swaps prayer/armor again.
Besides trapping people behind obstacles and safespotting them, you can stand adjacent to an obstacle if you can't manage to freeze them and if you see them pull out a DDS or something or your health starts getting low, you can just run around the obstacle and they'll have to click "attack" on you again in order to follow you around the obstacle.
Here is a video guide showing how to safe-spot efficiently, courtesy of Ali Radeon X
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Kk_C4QCC8X0
3.2 – Multi-Combat
The usefulness of these barrage spells peak in multi-combat areas. Each barrage spell can hit up to 9 enemies at once, if they are clustered tightly together, or if they are stacked. This makes all the barrages much more deadly: Blood Barrage can heal over 70 hp, ice barrage can stop clans, shadow barrage greatly handicaps everybody, and smoke can poison each enemy, causing a lot of secondary damage. However, because you have many people on you, the risks are higher, and you can’t safe spot everybody. Landscape, good hits, opponents, are formations are all major factors when fighting against many players, and I can’t cover them all, so here are a few key points.
First thing is first, make sure your opponents are in a position so that you can attack them all at once. This may seem hard, as many people like to spread out, but it is very simple to get people clustered. Mostly a team of people, when they see you, will all rush towards you. If they are close-range fighters, they will all stack around you, then cast ice barrage, followed by blood, then run away. Easy. If rangers are involved, freeze them first, then move out of their range, while the warriors follow you, and just cast against them. Blood and Ice barrage are the choices for fighting many people, as it restricts the amount of people who can reach you, and also can heal you in large quantities, if you are casting on a large number of people.
You can use walls, trees, and other landscape features to further prevent rangers from hitting you, as well as people who might be chasing you. Remember, always try to keep groups together; don’t let them split off. Try to freeze the whole bunch before running off. It is easier for you to cast one ice spell on 5 people, then 5 ice spells on 5 people. If you can, try to lure them into small crevices, or doors, for easier freezing.
When grouping and clustering doesn’t work, hit-and-run is a less attractive alternative. Basically, you freeze opponents as they come at you, run back, and keep casting them or others that come towards you. This is bad however, because, as you move away from your targets, they become unfrozen if you move a certain distance away, leading to more running. Eventually, everybody will catch up to you, but you’ll have done some damage.
First thing is first, make sure your opponents are in a position so that you can attack them all at once. This may seem hard, as many people like to spread out, but it is very simple to get people clustered. Mostly a team of people, when they see you, will all rush towards you. If they are close-range fighters, they will all stack around you, then cast ice barrage, followed by blood, then run away. Easy. If rangers are involved, freeze them first, then move out of their range, while the warriors follow you, and just cast against them. Blood and Ice barrage are the choices for fighting many people, as it restricts the amount of people who can reach you, and also can heal you in large quantities, if you are casting on a large number of people.
You can use walls, trees, and other landscape features to further prevent rangers from hitting you, as well as people who might be chasing you. Remember, always try to keep groups together; don’t let them split off. Try to freeze the whole bunch before running off. It is easier for you to cast one ice spell on 5 people, then 5 ice spells on 5 people. If you can, try to lure them into small crevices, or doors, for easier freezing.
When grouping and clustering doesn’t work, hit-and-run is a less attractive alternative. Basically, you freeze opponents as they come at you, run back, and keep casting them or others that come towards you. This is bad however, because, as you move away from your targets, they become unfrozen if you move a certain distance away, leading to more running. Eventually, everybody will catch up to you, but you’ll have done some damage.
3.3 – Triple Stack Combination
I stumbled onto this deadly combination completely by accident. I do remember watching a video several years ago of a player managing some type of Obsidian Ring + Blitz combo, and did try to duplicate it, but wasn’t successful, and quickly dispelled the idea. However, after my attention was drawn toward it again by one of my friends, I decided to grab some runes, Karil’s Cross, and try again. Lo-and-behold, I figured out how to effectively turn this technique into one of the most deadly attacks I’ve ever delivered. Because it both uses magic and range in a varying sequence, it cannot be completely negated by prayers or armor. It works best when only fighting one person, but this can be adopted to use multi-combat spells and Chinchompas, however I do not recommend it.
Well, onto the actual Combination. You will need at least 88 Magic and a decent Range level to pull it off. You will need either Karil’s Crossbow, Magic Short Bow (No special), or Obsidian Rings, and it is imperative that they are set on RAPID. These should be equipped, and you should be wearing magic armor. I prefer to keep my Mage Attack boosted as much as possible, but remember, Ahrim’s Robes reduce Ranged attack. If you aren’t hitting accurately enough with range, swap Ahrim’s Robe Bottoms with Chaps.
This combination utilizes Slow and Instant spells (Section 1.2) WITH an additional range attack, to add extra damage, and make this combo impossible to completely defend against. Throw on the Eagle Eye prayer, and cast an Ice Blitz, and start to click on your target until you throw a ring or shoot a bolt rack. Once you raise your arm/weapon to fire, cast an Instant spell on your opponent, either Blood Barrage or Shadow Barrage. This will result in all three attacks hitting in quick succession, almost without delay between them. This leads to potentially massive damage (Up to, and maybe even over 80 hp) and also freezes and weakens you opponent, should you cast Shadow Barrage.
Another devastating side-effect of this is that, because it uses both magic and range quickly and alternates, it is impossible to pray against, and you will nearly always penetrate your enemies armor. Metal armors will be hammered by the spells, magical armor cannot defend against the crossbow, and even Dragon Hide cannot defend itself against all magic or range attacks.
The ability to inflict massive damage, the speed in which this works, the fact that it can be cast in quick succession, and its accuracy make it some-what of a Dragon Claw equivalent, without the special bar needed.
Just a small clip of me utilizing the TSC on a player. My current maximum with it is somewhere around 68, but I've estimated that it is possible to hit up to 80 damage.
Well, onto the actual Combination. You will need at least 88 Magic and a decent Range level to pull it off. You will need either Karil’s Crossbow, Magic Short Bow (No special), or Obsidian Rings, and it is imperative that they are set on RAPID. These should be equipped, and you should be wearing magic armor. I prefer to keep my Mage Attack boosted as much as possible, but remember, Ahrim’s Robes reduce Ranged attack. If you aren’t hitting accurately enough with range, swap Ahrim’s Robe Bottoms with Chaps.
This combination utilizes Slow and Instant spells (Section 1.2) WITH an additional range attack, to add extra damage, and make this combo impossible to completely defend against. Throw on the Eagle Eye prayer, and cast an Ice Blitz, and start to click on your target until you throw a ring or shoot a bolt rack. Once you raise your arm/weapon to fire, cast an Instant spell on your opponent, either Blood Barrage or Shadow Barrage. This will result in all three attacks hitting in quick succession, almost without delay between them. This leads to potentially massive damage (Up to, and maybe even over 80 hp) and also freezes and weakens you opponent, should you cast Shadow Barrage.
Another devastating side-effect of this is that, because it uses both magic and range quickly and alternates, it is impossible to pray against, and you will nearly always penetrate your enemies armor. Metal armors will be hammered by the spells, magical armor cannot defend against the crossbow, and even Dragon Hide cannot defend itself against all magic or range attacks.
The ability to inflict massive damage, the speed in which this works, the fact that it can be cast in quick succession, and its accuracy make it some-what of a Dragon Claw equivalent, without the special bar needed.
Just a small clip of me utilizing the TSC on a player. My current maximum with it is somewhere around 68, but I've estimated that it is possible to hit up to 80 damage.
IV. Scenario Tactics
Here are some direct examples and ideas of how to use these tactics in actual, specific situations, and what to use in each different game. These are not written in stone, as it varies from person to person, and use what you find most efficient.
4.1 – Fists of Guthix
In this Mini-Game, there is no reason to bother with a shield or defensive bonuses focus only on offensive items, to boost your magic accuracy. This is the only case that I recommend the usage of the Auto-Cast feature, as you’ll wan to attack your opponent as many times as possible with a single click. When hunting your target, make sure to have you are auto-casting a slow spell, such as Ice Barrage or Smoke Barrage. You do this because: Ice spells freeze your opponent, making it harder to run and hide, Smoke spells poison, a very deadly effect in Fists, as, if your target does manage to elude you, they will still take damage, but also because, if you auto cast a slow spell, directly afterwards, you can manually cast an instant spell, resulting in the damage stack (Section 1.2).
You cannot use these spells as the prey, so not much else to say on that matter. Just remember, kill your opponent quickly. If they pray or have dragonhide, freeze them and switch to your other weapon(s). Always keep your eye out for your prey, as a few of them will carry Seercull bows, and can take away your spells using it.
You cannot use these spells as the prey, so not much else to say on that matter. Just remember, kill your opponent quickly. If they pray or have dragonhide, freeze them and switch to your other weapon(s). Always keep your eye out for your prey, as a few of them will carry Seercull bows, and can take away your spells using it.
4.2 Castle Wars
Ice Barrage is the main spell of choice within this game, as it holds Flag Holders, allowing them to be surrounded, stops swarms of people to help defend either your castle, your teams Flag-Holder, or yourself. Smoke Barrage is a useless spell here, despite the fact that the damage it inflicts is great, as poison is cured by bandages. Shadow Barrage really does cut deep wounds in the opposing team however, as a few well placed spells can cost a team a chunk of their Attack, and, therefore, their weapon accuracy. Blood Barrage is a commonly used spell, as many mages will simply go to the enemy’s castle, up to the respawn room, and kill all the men they can, to distract the team, so that the Flag Catchers can get by more easily. Blood Barrage, combined with bandages and a good number of enemies, can keep the mage sustained for long periods of time, even under constant attack. If you intend to do this however, Verac’s Brassard is a good chest option, as it provides prayer bonus and great defense. You need this, as you cannot use a helmet, which would provide much of your defense that your Robe’s do not. Another aid to the mage in this game is the barricades: You cannot shoot over them, making them perfect for safe-spotting rangers (Section 3.1), as it portable, and can be used anywhere at nearly anytime.
4.3 Duel Tournaments
Duel tournaments are rather fun, enjoyable, and require the usage of smarts and tactics to outwit and beat those who would kill you in three hits with their Godswords and Dragon Daggers. Basically, you have to fight through many rounds of combat, each time 1vs1 with an opponent, until all opponents are gone. The rules set for each tournament is different, sometimes food and potions are activated, on occasion prayer is allowed, obstacles can be on the terrain, and all armor can be taken off. But these are decided by the game coding, so be ready to wait for the rules that you desire. In order to mage and emerge victorious within the Tournaments, you must utilize every spell that you have, as well as bring a change of combat clothes, and weapons. Before the tournament starts, try to stay away from the register, as if players see that you are a magician, they will rush to the bank to retrieve their bows and Dragonhide, not exactly what you want. When it starts, be prepared to cast Ice Barrage, followed by a Shadow Barrage. This is incase your target does not become frozen, his accuracy is down, so you will be hit less. Continue to cast Ice Barrage until he/she is frozen, then run out of their range, and continue casting. If you can quick, you can get up to 3 spells on your opponent before they start switching armor/weapons, if they brought them. If your opponent did bring a bow and magic-resistant armor, make sure they are frozen, and move under them, as discussing in Section 3.1. Swap armors to resist their weapons, change weapons, and move out to attack them. This should be the main tactic for beating hybrids, just be ready to swap armor/weapons fast, and cast spells swiftly. In obstacle fights, use this same tactic, as there are no spots you can safe-spot rangers with like in Section 3.1, as you can shoot over all the walls. Blood Barrage would be a good idea in no-heal fights when you opponent has only melee armor, but it will not be enough to keep you alive throughout all the rounds of fighting. Use a crystal bow here as well, as, if you’ve frozen a ranger who has a different bow, you can hit them, but they cannot hit you
4.4 Fight Pits
This game makes you fully utilize the multi-target spells and tactics, as, if people see you are a magician, you WILL be teamed. Just stay clam, and make them cluster, and cast an Ice Barrage, with a Blood/Shadow afterwards. Make sure to time it right, as there are usually 2-3 groups of people, so make sure that the first group you attack will die, then you can focus on the others. Rangers are a problem, as you have little defense, and they can tank mage hits, but, thankfully, there are columns that you can dash around, to avoid damage from them. Also, the Viewing Orbs within the Pit can be used as safe-spots against the rangers (Section 3.1). Once the group thaws out, they should be rather weak, poisoned, but spread out. Hit and run from this point on, especially if there are only a few men left. Once the level 22’s start spawning, you can cast Blood Barrage on them to both kill them and keep your prayer points, and also heal yourself for the rest of the fighters to come and get you. Use the landscape to your advantage: Sulfur vents can be used as safe-spots to shoot over if the swordsmen are trying to rush you, and the walls can prevent rangers from hitting you, as well as the Viewing Orbs. Also, if using hit-and-run method of multi-combat (3.2), make sure to utilize the walls. Just run around them so you aren’t off screen, but those frozen will have to move a long ways before they can attack you, making them vulnerable to more freezing.
4.5 PvP Worlds
Magic updates have greatly increased the Power of Magicians in PvP situations. 0-item worlds, Anti-Pj’ing coding, 10% spell bonuses, teleport penalties, and every tactic you’ve ever used prepare you for the battlefield of you against the World.
I suggest 0-item worlds, as there are more rushers then Pk’ers in Bounty Hunter, you have more of a chance of a fight in the World, and the risk you take will be rewarded by the masses of players unready to fight a Mage.
In high-risk situations such as this, I would suggest PvP armor, as its bonuses will help immensely, and Zuriel’s is cheaper then Ahrim’s, should you fall. Other then that, make sure to pick economical choices for armor. Torag’s or a Neitiznot Helm are your best options, along with a Granite Shield or Dragon Sqaure. Mystic Boots, Beacon ring, the cheap stuff, and Phoenix necklaces, for KO prevention.
Always bring a secondary, as most players will Pray against a Magician. Zanik’s crossbow shines in that scenario, so just watch for prayer-flipping, armor swaps, and always try to exploit your enemies weaknesses. Safespot, combo, basically mage the hell out of them. No rules in the PvP world.
Best of luck out there, not much else to say. Keep them frozen to prevent them from Attacking, retreating, and use Miasmic to decimate any offensive capabilities they had.
I suggest 0-item worlds, as there are more rushers then Pk’ers in Bounty Hunter, you have more of a chance of a fight in the World, and the risk you take will be rewarded by the masses of players unready to fight a Mage.
In high-risk situations such as this, I would suggest PvP armor, as its bonuses will help immensely, and Zuriel’s is cheaper then Ahrim’s, should you fall. Other then that, make sure to pick economical choices for armor. Torag’s or a Neitiznot Helm are your best options, along with a Granite Shield or Dragon Sqaure. Mystic Boots, Beacon ring, the cheap stuff, and Phoenix necklaces, for KO prevention.
Always bring a secondary, as most players will Pray against a Magician. Zanik’s crossbow shines in that scenario, so just watch for prayer-flipping, armor swaps, and always try to exploit your enemies weaknesses. Safespot, combo, basically mage the hell out of them. No rules in the PvP world.
Best of luck out there, not much else to say. Keep them frozen to prevent them from Attacking, retreating, and use Miasmic to decimate any offensive capabilities they had.
V. Magic Aid
These are skills beside the obvious (Defense, Hit Points) that help an ancient magician, but not his enemy. They should be used whenever possible, but used smartly, as not to waste them.
5.1 Prayer
Prayer is very important to a magician, as it acts as an additional defense that your armor may not provide. The “Protect from Missiles,” prayer is one of the most useful, as it will decrease the amount a ranger will hit on you by around 40%, making them much less deadly to you. Also, damage reduction means less chance to die, more time to attack, and a better chance of safe-spotting or killing them. Another great addition that comes with prayer is “Mystic Might,” which increases your accuracy by 15%, which is good, while, as it doesn’t increase your max hit, it will aid your consistency. Use these when fighting and there is a ranger anywhere around: Three lucky diamond bolts can destroy you.
“Protect from Melee,” is a great prayer to reduce damage when fighting many stacked opponents, especially in places like Fight Pits and Castle Wars. Just slap it on, and cast away. As melee can deal a lot of damage, this is great to avoid quick KO’s after they thaw out as well. Don’t feel dishonorable for turning on protection prayers. Odds are your opponent has them on if you are maging, and they will save your life
Quick-Prayer is helpful for any need to, well, switch prayers quickly. I normally keep my secondary attack style ready, so when I switch, I can be attacking with full power.
In some situations, Redemption is also a great prayer. Slap it on, and keep Maging. Combined with Phoenix necklaces, it can prevent many different Ko’s, and give you just enough time to heal up for the next attack.
“Protect from Melee,” is a great prayer to reduce damage when fighting many stacked opponents, especially in places like Fight Pits and Castle Wars. Just slap it on, and cast away. As melee can deal a lot of damage, this is great to avoid quick KO’s after they thaw out as well. Don’t feel dishonorable for turning on protection prayers. Odds are your opponent has them on if you are maging, and they will save your life
Quick-Prayer is helpful for any need to, well, switch prayers quickly. I normally keep my secondary attack style ready, so when I switch, I can be attacking with full power.
In some situations, Redemption is also a great prayer. Slap it on, and keep Maging. Combined with Phoenix necklaces, it can prevent many different Ko’s, and give you just enough time to heal up for the next attack.
5.2 Other Players
Strength in numbers is nullified to an extent when it comes to the 3x3 hits of the barrages, but it is always helpful to have another man behind you. In clans, stay back for a bit, and let meleers take the first hits, as, hopefully, this will lead them to cluster, leaving you a good opportunity to shoot off some barrages. With your spell damage plus the damage of your fellow players, your opponents ought to fall quickly. Also, warriors, while great for distracting enemies, can also destroy any ranger that might be plaguing you. Mages that fight alongside you will greatly help in the freezing of the oncoming enemy, and can double your damage output if you work well together, rangers can pick off the stranglers that are low on Hit Points, shoot the unfrozen people as they charge towards you, and take care of any other mage that might try and immobilize you with an ice spell. Good communication with your teammates is the greatest factor here, so keep clan chats open, and make sure everybody understands the plans.
VI. Hybrid Tactics
While Magic is deadly enough on it's own, you might want to have a back-up plan or fall-back combat style should you want one. Here are a few more advanced tactics dealing with Magic. Remember, I don't have all my secrets in here, there are to many, but I will give you a good over-view on what to use.
6.1 Magic + Melee
When using melee with magic, you lose the tactical advantage that freezing gives you, since you are up close with your weapon. Some might say, "Freezing then halberd." NO! Halberd is slow and inaccurate beyond measure. You are better off continually Maging or taking damage with a short-range melee weapon.
that out of the way, Magician + Melee hybrids are mostly focused against Meleer's, with ranger's being another good target. The spells that this type of hybrid should focus on are Smoke and Shadow, as Smoke is poison your enemy, and Shadow can weaken them, as valuable asset when you fight toe-to-toe. In terms of weaponry, look under Section 2.2.3 and you'll see that Godswords, Abyssal Whip, and Verac's set are your best options. Verac's would be the first choice if you are against higher leveled opponents. Start off the fight in mage gear, and cast an Ice Barrage to hold, then combo cast Smoke-shadow barrages until your enemy swaps armor. If they don't, just continue to cast spells. If he does swap, change into your Verac's and Attack.. Shadow Barrage would have taken their Attack down 15%, and Verac's ignores Defense, so, even if they are a significantly higher level, you can still wreck them. This is very effective, even if they are heavily armored.
Some might say, "Blitz + AGS is the only way to kill with magic." The average AGS + Blitz combo will is is around 30-50 HP, not factoring in the target's defense and Magic levels. Save Godswords and Whips for when Rangers are after you, but in Ahrim's, don't leave yourself open to attack.
that out of the way, Magician + Melee hybrids are mostly focused against Meleer's, with ranger's being another good target. The spells that this type of hybrid should focus on are Smoke and Shadow, as Smoke is poison your enemy, and Shadow can weaken them, as valuable asset when you fight toe-to-toe. In terms of weaponry, look under Section 2.2.3 and you'll see that Godswords, Abyssal Whip, and Verac's set are your best options. Verac's would be the first choice if you are against higher leveled opponents. Start off the fight in mage gear, and cast an Ice Barrage to hold, then combo cast Smoke-shadow barrages until your enemy swaps armor. If they don't, just continue to cast spells. If he does swap, change into your Verac's and Attack.. Shadow Barrage would have taken their Attack down 15%, and Verac's ignores Defense, so, even if they are a significantly higher level, you can still wreck them. This is very effective, even if they are heavily armored.
Some might say, "Blitz + AGS is the only way to kill with magic." The average AGS + Blitz combo will is is around 30-50 HP, not factoring in the target's defense and Magic levels. Save Godswords and Whips for when Rangers are after you, but in Ahrim's, don't leave yourself open to attack.
6.2 Magic + Range
Ah, my personal favorite. As much fun as bashing maxed players with Verac's Flail is, I find range to be a fine compliment to Magic. While range is used in the Triple Stack Combo, that is the tip of the iceberg. Range let's you utilize the tactical advantage of freezing, while still dealing terrific damage. There are many weapons to use (See Section 2.2) but I tend to stick with two: Karil's Crossbow, and the Dark Bow. Most would reach straight for a Rune Crossbow, but I find that Karil's can be far more deadly because of its speed and combo possibilities. Using bolt racks, you can deal a slow attack before you shoot, or an instant spell after you shoot, or both. It is easy to switch out, and you won't lose an attack turn because of it's speed. Rune cross might be more accurate, but you don't need much accuracy to hit on Dragonhide Armor. If they are in metal armor, you ought to mage anyways.
Dark Bow is for the special, of course. If your opponent slaps on Mage Protection, pull out Dark Bow BUT DON'T ATTACK YET. Keep casting spells, as when the see the Dark Bow, they will switch to Range Prayer. Once they switch back to Magic Protection, then fire. Dark Bow hit's fine against nearly any armor, so no worries there. This same tactic works well with any weapon, especially Zanik’s. As long as you safe-spot and learn to adapt to your opponents prayer/armor switching, Mage + Range can win many victories.
Dark Bow is for the special, of course. If your opponent slaps on Mage Protection, pull out Dark Bow BUT DON'T ATTACK YET. Keep casting spells, as when the see the Dark Bow, they will switch to Range Prayer. Once they switch back to Magic Protection, then fire. Dark Bow hit's fine against nearly any armor, so no worries there. This same tactic works well with any weapon, especially Zanik’s. As long as you safe-spot and learn to adapt to your opponents prayer/armor switching, Mage + Range can win many victories.
VII. Closing Words
Magic is a very versatile skill, one which cannot all be explained and dissected within one guide. This is only a small portion of information, having to do with combat, and using these spells to their full potential. A massive part of this guide is up to how you perceive and use it. Magic and combat are very flexible, and can be altered to aid you in the best way for you. Test it out for yourself, make yourself familiar with using these combat tactics. Experiment, do-it-yourself, and have fun.
I would like to thank the following people for their hand in creating this guide:
Death_Dude74 (Max) – Provided pictures and gave me extra ideas/input while writing the guide.
Muggiwhplar - Gave me inspiration to use ancient magicks in combat, gave me feedback for the guide, and introduced me to the original guidelines for magic. Also for providing a video of his max Ice Blitz + Shadow combo damage.
Compfreak847 – Provided information regarding Miasmic spells.
Pirate Felix - Providing filming and a lovely banner.
Ali Radeon X - Made a film demostrating some of the tactics described in this guide.
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