essentials mage

[fendermallot]

Last week at our gaming session my mage came under attack by a foe that I could not get away from. The DM kept pushing up on me so if I wanted to attack (other than my dagger) I had to take the attack of opportunity.

How do I go about getting some distance so I'm less of a punching bag?

Mage
Lvl 2
At wills: magic missle, arc lightning and freezing burst
Encouter: burning hands and illusory obstacles
Daily: Fountain of Flame and Phantom Chasm
Utility: Shield and Spectral Image

[evirus]

Last week at our gaming session my mage came under attack by a foe that I could not get away from. The DM kept pushing up on me so if I wanted to attack (other than my dagger) I had to take the attack of opportunity.

How do I go about getting some distance so I'm less of a punching bag?

Mage
Lvl 2
At wills: magic missle, arc lightning and freezing burst
Encouter: burning hands and illusory obstacles
Daily: Fountain of Flame and Phantom Chasm
Utility: Shield and Spectral Image

Shift 1 away, then attack (preferabily with an immobility effect like chsam). Anything that will slow him also works by taking the 1st AoO attacking him and then moving away.

[Drglenn]

if you get access to it swap magic missile out for thunderwave

[Fox Box Socks]

roll eladrin

[tcrudisi]

Staff Expertise. Switch your implement to a staff and never provoke OA's by casting again.

Shadowdance Armor also functions the same way.

Given the option and lack of a good dagger expertise feat, though, I'd go staff expertise in a heartbeat.

[fendermallot]

Thanks for the info folks.

Drglenn: thunderwave isn't available in essentials

So the "event" we ran was a gladiator thing. I ended up fighting out Knight for the top spot. He has that damned aura that gives him an attack of opportunity when you shift. Either way I was screwed. Good information though!

[Mando Knight]

if you get access to it swap magic missile out for thunderwave
Magic Missile is a "free" at-will for Mages. They can pick the other two, but that one's locked in.

Drglenn: thunderwave isn't available in essentials
Not in Essentials, but it is in the material provided (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/dra/201107wizard) that updates older material to the Essentials format. Go to page 8. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/401_Playtest_Wizard.pdf)

[fendermallot]

dammit, why did I choose orb expertise!

[Kurald Galain]

How do I go about getting some distance so I'm less of a punching bag?
(1) get a defender in your party.
(2) replace arc lightning by beguiling strands.
(3) just take it, you're probably less squishy than the DM thinks.

[Mando Knight]

(3) just take it, you're probably less squishy than the DM thinks.
This is probably because of...

So the "event" we ran was a gladiator thing. I ended up fighting out Knight for the top spot.
...This.

1.) 4e was not written for PvP combat.
2.) You were up against a Defender. One of a Defender's jobs is to nail down squishy ranged guys... like you.
3.) Knights are a Fighter subclass. Although the Weapon Master subclass is the most notorious for it, Fighters are ridiculously badass in this edition.

[fendermallot]

ok, so I think my DM is possibly going to allow me to re-roll as an arcanist as it's sort of what I wanted to play in the first place. He told me originally we were just using the "heroes" books for essentials. But he just allowed his brother to join our session and roll a vampire. he's only concerned whether it's a "printed" class by Wizard.

So my question is this: If you were setting up an Arcanist, which spells/feats would you choose? I'm stuck with Tiefling as a class as changing race might make it funny with the RP aspect.

orb/staff/wand? I just realized that staff rocks, I don't think I ever saw the extra things that the implement expertise gives you.

[Drglenn]

I personally like orb of imposition

Also the feat enlarge spell is pretty much a must

[fendermallot]

yeah, not sure that my DM will let me change now. He was like, "Oh! It's a playtest class. Hmm, that's not printed and they could change this at any time."

and his other question was, do you want to multi-class or just start over as lvl 1?

oh well, Guess I'll stick with essentials only mage.

[Mando Knight]

yeah, not sure that my DM will let me change now. He was like, "Oh! It's a playtest class. Hmm, that's not printed and they could change this at any time."

It says playtest, but that's just because they fiddled with some of the powers. The class itself as presented is one of the oldest in 4e. If I could, I would go over there and hit him on the head with my PHB myself. If you are in or near Rolla, MO, I will make good on that promise.

[MeeposFire]

With the exception with class feature stuff anything that is good for the mage is good for the arcanist. Of all the essentials classes the mage is the least different as it basically trades ritual casting, one cantrip, and implement mastery for mage school benefits and free magic missile. Otherwise they are identical.

[fendermallot]

wish I had the "no attacks of opportunity" thing from staff. But I'll live.

[Kurald Galain]

yeah, not sure that my DM will let me change now. He was like, "Oh! It's a playtest class. Hmm, that's not printed and they could change this at any time."

It's not a playtest class. It is a playtest of changes made to one of the oldest classes in the game, for its 4.4 version.

And yes, this may change before the final article appears (next month, probably), mostly because the WOTC boards have vehemently decreed most of these changes (just like they bashed the 4.4 changes to the PHB1 cleric and warlock).