Best Mage DPS (PVE)?

[Watain]

I scrolled through several pages of forums and couldn't find a solid build. Currently i am Necro/Lock/Dom, i am just wondering if there is a widely accepted Mage build for pve that people are finding more successful than others. I have tried a few different things and my dps is ok, but i guess i am looking to find out if there are people that have found a reasonably successful dps build for expert dungeons and raiding in the future. Thanks for nay info and i apologize if this has been asked like 10,000 times.

[Meegs]

Hate to tell you this but this game has approximately 270 possible class combinations. Alot of those are mage. There is no "Best" imo....but according to alot of "experts" here on the forums, no mage class does good dps ( I tend to disagree, but I am not an "expert"). Also, are you asking PvP or PvE? Solo or dungeon? My mage is wonderful fun in PvE, but in PvP I prefer my warrior , at this stage of the game.

The game has been out just a few weeks, not alot of end game theory crafting /parsing has gone on yet...and who knows what changes will be made . Right now, I truly believe that one would be best suited playing a class / role you enjoy. Trying to make something that is the "best" will most likely drive you nuts

[Dixa]

best ranged caster dps is an inquisitor

[Blackard]

I'm finding that you really have to play around with mage souls to find a combination that works. At around level 25. I've built a sort of survival dps build. Its working pretty good for leveling and farming. I can take mobs 2 and sometimes 3 levels above me and can handle packs at my level. That's what I look for in a leveling build.

The combination is Chloro with all but the 12 points I've put in the other two souls. Warlock with six (just enough to get sacrifice life), and 6 points in Elementalist (for the pet and revitalize.). With the insta cast spells and dots, I'm working a 9 button rotation leading with radiant spores and repeating just as radiant spores hits it's last tic.


Lots of healing available for your pet, no down time, solid survival, good dps and utility. For now anyway.

[Watain]

Hate to tell you this but this game has approximately 270 possible class combinations. Alot of those are mage. There is no "Best" imo....but according to alot of "experts" here on the forums, no mage class does good dps ( I tend to disagree, but I am not an "expert"). Also, are you asking PvP or PvE? Solo or dungeon? My mage is wonderful fun in PvE, but in PvP I prefer my warrior , at this stage of the game.

The game has been out just a few weeks, not alot of end game theory crafting /parsing has gone on yet...and who knows what changes will be made . Right now, I truly believe that one would be best suited playing a class / role you enjoy. Trying to make something that is the "best" will most likely drive
you nuts

Also, are you asking PvP or PvE? Solo or dungeon?

I understand your answer, i did specify this was a pve dungeon/raid question, was more just looking for someone that has found a spec that did acceptable damage in expert dungeons.

[NecroNewb]

try searching for some of my posts.. For leveling id def go Necro/lock as i can handle 5-6 mobs around my level from throwing dots on everything for focus and healing myself as they die

For PVE look in this thread for my Archon/Pyro/Lock build its actually pretty damn good dps + mana survivability.

[Tarien]

best ranged caster dps is an inquisitor

I disagree, I am spanking literally everyone I have ran Expert dungeons with, doesn't matter what spec or class they are, I kick ***.

This is my dungeon build:

http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0z...bpcob.xx0V0VVx

The only spells I use are Forked Lightning and Lightning Field for AoE, and single target is Raging Storm, Ice Shear, Lightning Strike, Thunderbolt (in that order, reapply Ice Shear 1-2s before it expires and use LS on cooldown). Sacrifice Life: Mana for in combat regen and Revitalise outside of it. Keep your Warlock armor up for the 10% damage boost.

I have 37% crit with this build (52% on Lightning Strike) and once my three stacks of electrified are up I hit for 600 minimum on any given spell, crits are upwards of 1k on TB and 2k on LS. Static Flux as soon as my charge bar is full (uptime is almost 50%).

It's a seriously kick *** build, I love it

[Tarien]

Also this is my soloing build:

http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0z...G0xbzcsbM.xdbh

I generally send in the pet or ride in, gather up a half dozen mobs, hit them with Arctic Blast (for slow and hypothermia), cast Radiant Spores to get the self heal debuff on the whole group, then spam 3xForked Lightning 1xLightning Field until everything is dead.

Here is a video of me vs six opponents, nearly die a couple times as I was being sloppy but you can see the potential:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWjf6__BGIc

[Dixa]

Also this is my soloing build:

http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0z...G0xbzcsbM.xdbh

I generally send in the pet or ride in, gather up a half dozen mobs, hit them with Arctic Blast (for slow and hypothermia), cast Radiant Spores to get the self heal debuff on the whole group, then spam 3xForked Lightning 1xLightning Field until everything is dead.

Here is a video of me vs six opponents, nearly die a couple times as I was being sloppy but you can see the potential:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWjf6__BGIc

actually roll up a cleric inquisitor main and level it. you will see what i mean.

this is what im doing now. my cleric is almost 40. when both are 50 i will write up an extensive report and if changes arent made to mages then i will be extremely surprised and disappointed.

[Breyer]

actually roll up a cleric inquisitor main and level it. you will see what i mean.

this is what im doing now. my cleric is almost 40. when both are 50 i will write up an extensive report and if changes arent made to mages then i will be extremely surprised and disappointed.

my DPS build is pretty similar to his and I smoke inquisitors in the parse

in fact the only class I've seen keep up is warrior MDPS spec which I think is making its way around the warrior forums

I'm curious if pyros can do any better but a lot of the expert dungeon fights you need to be mobile...

[bluedot]

I disagree, I am spanking literally everyone I have ran Expert dungeons with, doesn't matter what spec or class they are, I kick ***.

This is my dungeon build:

http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0z...bpcob.xx0V0VVx

The only spells I use are Forked Lightning and Lightning Field for AoE, and single target is Raging Storm, Ice Shear, Lightning Strike, Thunderbolt (in that order, reapply Ice Shear 1-2s before it expires and use LS on cooldown). Sacrifice Life: Mana for in combat regen and Revitalise outside of it. Keep your Warlock armor up for the 10% damage boost.

I have 37% crit with this build (52% on Lightning Strike) and once my three stacks of electrified are up I hit for 600 minimum on any given spell, crits are upwards of 1k on TB and 2k on LS. Static Flux as soon as my charge bar is full (uptime is almost 50%).

It's a seriously kick *** build, I love it

I tried your build and it is great for fights that are no good for pets.. But I pulled around 100 - 150 more DPS on a Dungeon Practic Dummy with only self buff with:
http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=1z...Vzk0c.eeRhoVVx

Life Leech > Necrosis > Dark Touch > Defile > Spam Void Bolt until you need to refresh the dots. No need to refresh Life Leech as Void Bolt refreshes it for you.
The only down side is your pet accounts for a significant amount of damage so if the fight causes your pet to die a lot you lose some dps.

[Tyler1986]

Necro > Pyro right now, standing still. Don't even have to take mobility into the equation. If you do, it's ugly, pyro has no chance.

I played pyro in all 7 betas and spent a fair amount of time at the training dummies post 50 in launch. I don't know how much more room there was to push pyro (not much I'd guess). Loaded up a necro spec, first time ever, blew my best pyro parse away by a solid 100-200 dps. Literally first time ever using the soul.

I'm still learning necro, since I just started using it yesterday, and now it seems chloro's are in high demand so I'm spending time with that too. My next frontier is stormcaller, but it could take a week or 2 before I get around to having time to learn storm properly too. Ele main.... not sure.

[Nightbringer]

I disagree, I am spanking literally everyone I have ran Expert dungeons with, doesn't matter what spec or class they are, I kick ***.

This is my dungeon build:

http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0z...bpcob.xx0V0VVx

The only spells I use are Forked Lightning and Lightning Field for AoE, and single target is Raging Storm, Ice Shear, Lightning Strike, Thunderbolt (in that order, reapply Ice Shear 1-2s before it expires and use LS on cooldown). Sacrifice Life: Mana for in combat regen and Revitalise outside of it. Keep your Warlock armor up for the 10% damage boost.

I have 37% crit with this build (52% on Lightning Strike) and once my three stacks of electrified are up I hit for 600 minimum on any given spell, crits are upwards of 1k on TB and 2k on LS. Static Flux as soon as my charge bar is full (uptime is almost 50%).

It's a seriously kick *** build, I love it

Why do you have a point in Wind Chill if it's not in your rotation? You can pick up another 5.6% damage on your ice shear by shifting that point over to stretch of cold.

[Frazzle]

running with nec/lock atm.

there appears to be a lot of movement fights in these dungeons, therefore being able to recast dots on the bosses, whilst on the move, is a plus.

parsing 475 on the last boss in realm of fae, tho ofc dmg is dependant on group setup also. what my grp didnt know is i was running with 16 soul points not accounted for as i was in a hurry, so i know i can do much better

[persianmage]

I tried your build and it is great for fights that are no good for pets.. But I pulled around 100 - 150 more DPS on a Dungeon Practic Dummy with only self buff with:
http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=1z...Vzk0c.eeRhoVVx

Life Leech > Necrosis > Dark Touch > Defile > Spam Void Bolt until you need to refresh the dots. No need to refresh Life Leech as Void Bolt refreshes it for you.
The only down side is your pet accounts for a significant amount of damage so if the fight causes your pet to die a lot you lose some dps.

thanks, and i tried using loomis demise as well increases the pets dps quite alot.