If you've come here I assume you are inclined to pick the Mage vocation, huh?
Well, let me dissuade you from it:

Mage vocation is a support class, focused on healing various ailments and staying out of trouble, staying out of combat and covering the rear that is.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1233359666
Its mediocre stat growth clearly reflects that: Mages have poor Defense, Strength, Health and Stamina. It's neither a brawler, nor a ranger, nor a glass cannon, it's nobody.

Apart from few support skills of questionable utility Mage has NOTHING that other magickal vocations can't have. And it's not even the supreme healer!

And since this vocation is all about support it is obvious one will have to burden himself with a pack of retarded AIs for this to work.

On top of that, the vocation's skillset provides only basic offensive options.

It is far from ambitious works that the Arisen was destined to and was clearly designed with a Pawn in mind
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1307641358
or as a stop on a way to more interesting vocations like Sorcerer or Mystic Knight.

Yeah, there's no match for Sorcerer when it comes to destruction - and it has awesome Heavy Attack
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1442512808
and no one can match Mystic Knight when it comes to utility and versatility
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1330651444
(there's also this Magick Archer but I prefer not to talk about it).

So, why don't you just pack your stuff and head there, OK? Go change your vocation.










Still here? I see you are "so into" playing as a Mage. Let me give you few advices then.

Type: Starting Vocation.
Calling: Healing wounds and debilitations, enchanting party's armaments, throwing a fireball or two from time to time.
Pros: Magick user, ranged attacker, has its own heals, a good choice of debilitating staves.
Cons: Everything else.
Favorite enemies: harmless wildlife, most Goblins, Saurians, Wolves and Harpies, all kinds of ghosts and Undead, Ogres, Cyclopes.
Least favorite enemies: Golems, Chimeras, Bandits (especially rangers), Goblin Shamans, Cockatrices, all dragonkin, Bitterblack necrophages.

Basically, enemies Mage can snipe with fiery or holy projectiles are piece a cake, and since Mage's Auto-Lock-On is very aggressive you can operate in complete dark (Undead's habitat) no problem.

On the other hand, as an exclusive Magick user Mage has problems with enemies resistant to Magick or the ones that are using it, thus Goblin Shamans and Chimeras are a problem, while Golem is basically his doom and Mage has to rely on other vocations with those.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1373343835
Not even mentioning enemies which can inflict Silence or Skill stifling. Beware the dragonkin and Cockatrices.

Or monsters who have only weak spots vulnerable: if they aren't susceptible to fire your Auto-Lock-On will cause that they will become a huge problem cause you will be hitting s#it. Generally, overcoming Lock-On's "helpfulness" is the first step to becoming at least effective as a Mage.

In your "entrancing" journey through Gransys you'll meet various challenges. The right skillset will allow you to overcome any difficulties. Just don't expect miracles, you're a Mage ;)

Levitate. Your Core skill learned at Rank 2. "Core" means that it doesn't use Stamina and can't be disabled by Silence or Skill Stifling. It allows you to hover a certain distance like over the gaps n' stuff. In combination with a Jump it allows you to lift a bit and reach higher places. This skill is essential to your positioning in battle, which in turn is essential to succeeding/surviving the battle as you'll engage most, if not all the enemies from a far. Mind that levitating blocks Stamina regeneration so, use it with caution.

High Halidom. Halidom is basically a crap. It cures debilitations that are either avoidable, insignifficant or impossible (Like Silence, cure yourself from Silence with this spell, or Sleep...). High Halidom on the other hand ...is a bit less of a crap. The point is that with it you can cure yourself, and your party, from most of very annoying debilitations in no time. You will still need something against Skill stifling and Petrification (if you already aren't impervious to Silence you better be), but this way you don't have to carry a ton of curatives. The casting time is very good and spell's sigil can also damage Undead and inflict your weapon's debilitation.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1447193528

UPDATE
Spellscreen/High Spellscreen
Pretty useful little bit for when Anodyne will lose its charm -which means as soon as you'll get this ;) This one will allow you to keep casting your lengthy/risky spells while in the middle of combat without being interrupted - just buff yourself before combat and you're set, but don't get too cocky about this 100% stagger/knockdown resistance as there are attacks that can break through even this.
As a little bonus you, and whoever gets in contact with Spellscreen aura will get a nice Defenses boost: stackable four times though I wouldn't waste my time on that.

Grapnel
Great stopper. A dark tentacle that will pin in place, even the toughest and most resistant enemies. Not so effective on giant enemies, but still will slow them down a little, giving your party the time to...do whatever it intendeds to do. Eg you can force the knocked down enemy to stay longer lying on the ground.

Ingle/High Ingle. It's your bread and water, the first skill you got and the most useful at the game's start. It has short casting time, decent knockdown capability and can set foes on fire. But the most important is: it is a sniper skill. Yeah, you can snipe enemies from really, really far away, out of their aggro range, and aim at specific points of Larger enemies with pinpoint accuracy
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1446852835
...and also you can knock off stuff from trees (use manual aiming mode to perform such miracles. It's Left Shift by default). You can't say the same about

Frigor/High Frigor. A giant spire of ice shooting up from the ground. Far from heavy duty this skill is still very useful. First, its knockdown power is massive - smaller enemies, and even larger ones like Saurians, will be knocked into the air constantly.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1445605073
Second, you can create ice platform, an Iceblock, with this skill. This will give cover from enemy fire (or Drake's fiery breath) and provide climbing surface allowing reaching higher places. Since it's an Ice based spell it can freeze enemies too.

Levin/High Levin. A very useful skill, even further into the game. Not for it's damaging power as most of enemies aren't weak to Lightning, but for debilitating enemies, both magickally (as a Lightning based spell it can inflict thundeshock) and physically (mutliple hitting skills apply all kinds of weapon specific debilitations in no time). The most fundamental traits of this skill however, are that it can be fired at multiple targets at once
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1443914049
and can hit enemies that are out of Mage's sight line.

Comestion/High Comestion. High risk, high reward skill. It has a slow trigger, no Lock-On and immobilizes you for a really long time, even AFTER casting. What are the benefits? Massive damage output, notable knockdown (actually knock up ;) power, large area of effect (both vertical and horizontal) and high chance of setting target/s on fire.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1445606887
And it's the iconic Fire Wall from Diablo so you have to try that ;)

Holy Boon/Affinity. This skill allows both enchanting your and your allies' weapons with Holy Archmagick, which is the most potent Archmagick of all in the game. Holy works magnifficent against all kinds of "Dark" monsters like Phantoms or Skeletons, and, as a side effect, it has a chance (enemy dependant) to heal the caster for a portion of damage dealt.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1445606281
Enchanting mechanics (applies to all enchantments):

• you shoot a slow moving, homing shiny ball of light, color of the given Archmagick, at a chosen target to enchant its arms
  
• use manual aiming mode to target yourself
  
• the shiny ball of light dissipates upon impacting environment so, avoid casting while facing obstacles

Thunder Boon/Affinity. The same as Holy Boon, just imbuing stuff with Lightning. Just like Levin, this Archmagick surely has multiple interesting applications ...but I'll just skip those and cut to the chase

Focused Bolt. Core skill learned at Rank 6. And you better write this down boy, cause boy oh boy, there's so much fun with this skill. Focused Bolt is a charged skill so, you have to charge it prior use. Which is not much of a problem as you can do almost anything while doing so...if you'll learn how to cancel the initial animation (Hint: with Jump). Anyway, as long as you are holding your Light Attack the skill remains ready to fire even if you are jumping, climbing or sprinting so, it allows full mobility in battle - unlike the rest of Mage's skills.

It's basically trippled version of regular shot so, if Magick Bolt is the equivalent of a machine gun, Focused Bolt is your shotgun. Focused Bolts behave differently when enchantment is applied.

For instance, with Lightning enchantment its a game of pool. Like pools? Time for a pool party. And by pool I mean billiard pool ofc, cause Lightning infused Focused Bolts (LFB) ricochet off environment. This way you can attack targets that are out of your sight, around corner and also far, far out of your lock-on range cause bouncing projectiles travel to the horizon. But above all else LFBs pierce enemies and can strike multiple targets as each LFB projectile has its own tracking (poor but still). Since element used is Lightning, Lightning Focused Bolts have increased knockdown capability.

With Holy enchantment in turn Focused Bolt will produce a swarm of shiny, tiny balls of light... that'll turn into a sheaf of shiny rays of death after few meters! Two rules of engagement here:

1. While balls of light can, and will, lock on enemies in range, rays of light will travel in a straight line
   
2. Balls of light deal laughable damage and knockdown while rays of death, you guessed it, deal tremedous damage and stagger/knock down most of what they can damage *

There are many applications for Holy Focused Bolt (HFB), or Holy F*cking Bolt as I call it:

• obviously you can lock on single enemy and fire away with a deadly outcome.
  
• but it's better to line up few enemies cause if rays will slay those at front ...they'll go further, damaging those ...behind them IOW they ram through stuff like a train OK **? And by go through I mean all kinds of stuff including walls. Yes, you've heard me right, HFB rays go through obstacles, some obstacles, well most of them, and only if you are able to lock-on, but still. So, attacking enemies through obstacles, checked.
  
• since shiny balls of light need some time (and space, they dissipate upon impacting environment) to lock on target and turn into shiny rays of death obviously you can, and should, cast those from cover. But casting those "to the side" also allows you to hit various points on a side of larger enemies' AKA bosses' bodies. This is also the best way to bypass the minimal range limit - you know, for shiny balls to spawn death rays - a bit. If the enemy is too close just fire HFB away and it'll lock on the closest target it can find.
  
• you can also use the skill out of lock-on range (but not too far out). Just center the screen on the enemy and fire.

As with all skills you will have a helluva hard time overcoming Mage's aggressive Auto-Lock-On (just do your best to force the desired direction with movement controlls) but if you'll succeed you can do some damage
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1441887039
Better this than nothing, right? Oh, and shooting HFB while running away from danger has a good chance of hitting the chase too (if there're no other targets around ofc).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* With Magick damage, knockdown and stagger won't apply at all if you will deal 0 damage to the target. There is also a Stats factor here - the more knockdown power you have the bigger enemies you can bring down to their knees.

** Word of caution: the bolts DO NOT literally pierce enemies, they'll dissipate on enemy they can't knockdown or slay in one go. Oh, and lining up larger enemies' weak points works too, in this case HFB DO pierce those, slightly.
UPDATE My recent testing shows that HF Bolts actually DO pierce enemies and even if hit, say, gorechimera, can, and usually will kill something standing behind it...but mind that "usually" as it seems to be conditional. Idk, maybe based on the thickness of the first target? Or total number of pierced bodyparts.

Augments are your Passive skills, perks if you like. There aren't many useful in Mage's pool, that shouldn't surprize you. That's why I strongly advise you to reconsider changing vocation at least to get some from Ranger and Sorcerer (and maybe you'll change your mind and change it permanently ;)

Intervention - an actual Mage Augment that doesn't suck (Rank 2). It prevents you from catching fire (Burn debilitation) from various Fire sources, notably enemy spells. With it you'll sooner die from projectiles than burn to death. Very useful in Magick heavy areas like Catacombs or Bitterblack.
BTW It has been proven that Intervention protects also from vast number of other debilitations. Just mind that it depends on the attack that hits you.

Perpetuation - another nice Augment by Mage (Rank 7). It increases the time your enchantments last. This means less enchanting and more HFBs ;)

Inflection - technically good Augment, also by Mage (Rank 9). Technically cause to benefit from it you have to get hurt while casting. If you DO get hurt mid casting often, ti you aren't playing a Mage right, consider this an option. If you are truly a Mage pick

Stability - Ranger Rank 8 Augment. It prevents all kinds of blowing effects like large enemy falling down shockwave or Drake's wing buffets from staggering you. Sure, well timed jump can compensate the lack of this but, y see, Mages can't jump while mid casting...

Emphasis - Sorcerer Rank 2 Augment. Oh, you will definitely want that. It increases your spells' knockdown potential.

Acuity - Sorcerer Rank 9 Augment. Increases Magick by 20%. As oppose to piss poor 10% from Mage's Attunement Augment.

Articulacy - Sorcerer Rank 9 Augment. I quote "Reduces all spell casting times by 10%." It may seem not much but add a Wyrmking's Ring and you'll see the difference.

Athleticism - So called Secret Augment, obtained from purifying Bitterblack Novelties Lv. 1. This one is for convenience only as it's the end game Augment. It basically cuts your sprinting Stamina expenses in half. And since as a Mage you will sprint a lot...

Conservation - Sorcerer Rank 7 Augment. Also just for convenience. It reduces Stamina consumed when casting spells.

If you'll compare the number of Augments slots and the number of propositions you'll notice that there isn't enough ...slots. So, choose wisely.

The Mage may be all about Skills but his equipment plays important role too. And in some cases it may be a "be or cease to be" matter. Mage vocation has this disadvantage that not only suffers from bad leveling but also uses kinda crapy weapons and has a very limited choice of garments so, it's not like you have a big choice. I'll focus on crucial issues only then:

1. Rusted Staff. The core weapon you'll be using against most bosses and all Goblins. Torpor is the debilitation that this staff inflicts since 3* upgrade level. It'll slow down 9/10 enemies you'll meet making even hardest boss fight a child's play. Moreover, since 2* upgrade level the staff inflicts Poison. Poisoning completely incapacitates ALL kinds of goblins, the most common enemy type in the game. Once poisoned they'll simply moan and limp around.

Fine detail: with debilitating staves, not just this one, you will be inflicting debilitations with EVERY spell or skill you use!

Now, how to obtain this wonder?

• Luckily it is your starting gear :)
  
• But if you've lost it somehow, they are common drop from graves AKA Weapon/Armor piles. One can drop from Weapon/Armor pile by the bridge just North of Gran Soren where the entrance to Catacombs and Tool Shed are (save prior trying that and load if it's not there).
  
• And what a coincidence: inside the Shed there's a chest that can contain some nice, regular, staff too.
  
• But there's more. The area of the Catacombs accessed from here contains two mining spots which can be exploited to get Sorrowstone, an upgrade resource for your Rusted Staff. So, either mine here once every few days or use the exploit (mine once per spot, leave and come back, or save/load, rinse, repeat) to get four Sorrowstones you need.
  Alternatively, you can use Throwblasts, or, if already have Frigor or Comestion, you can blow up those ore deposits repeatedly (again save/load or re-etnter to reset them).
  
• If you're low on cash - and this ehancement costs a lot - simply sell Ruminator's Moncle that the game placed in your storage.

2. A heavy duty staff. As you'll see at the Statistics page Rusted Staff is not an All-In-One wonder and it is not suitable for damaging stronger foes for instance. IOW it's weak and you'll need some "more common" staff as your primary damage source. I'd advise Divine Axis, which can be obtained early in the game (Bloodwater Beach) and which has easy to obtain 3* enhancement resource. And it's the best staff you can find throughout the most of the game.

3. Stamina curatives. The biggest downside of being a caster vocation is that you'll be expending Stamina rapidly, for both casting and sprinting. You can rid yourself of [most] curatives, you are a healer after all and healing items basically grow around, but Stamina curatives are a must. It's not that you'll be in need of Stamina shots 24/7 so, don't overload yourself with those. Preferably carry few Large Mushrooms, and maybe a single Liquid Vim for a really, really special occasion.
BTW I DO recommend maintaining "Very Low" Encumbrance level anyway.

4. A cool robe. You may be a scrawny weak-ass wizard but that doesn't mean you can't look stylish. Next to Gran Soren Cathedral there is a wall that allows climbing to the battlements. Explore the battlements, on both sides, and you'll discover one chest on both its ends. Both contain some nice robe (or Leather Chestplate, save before opening and load if they do) that'll do.
For start, be sure to buy a better one as soon as it's available.

5. Some Silence and Skill Stifling resistance, a trinket, bracelet or at least curatives. If nothing else, Gossip's Mask from the chest in The Ruins of Aernst Castle or first chest in Witchwood will do.

6. A party. If that doesn't arise from everything I have written above, you are a party vocation, you need a team covering your ass and distracting enemies. Especially at the beginning of the game the life of a lone Mage will be hard, and short. A single Fighter Pawn, with strong Scather inclination, will do, for start, but the further into the game the more the better.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1225599815

In a game about hacking, slaying and getting damaged you hack and slay, and get damaged. In Dragon's Dogma, that is all about not getting damaged, you think and plan and then act. Especially as a puny Mage.

1. Obviously you'll send Pawns first, EVERYWHERE. And then command/support them, if you can. From a safe spot, necessarily. Close combat is and option but it's the last resort option as you're a piss poor melee combatant.
   
   
2. Use Ingle on single enemies and Levin on groups. Yes, with High Ingle you can lock-on secondary targets and High Leving focused on a single target hits really hard but I'm talking about fast deployment options, those that doesn't require preparations/long casting times. And
   
   
3. An element of surprise is your best pal in this game so, be sneaky. Yeah, I know how it sounds but it works. Approaching targets slowly, using manual aiming mode to cast around corners, sniping from a far, this all puts your Mage out of the harms way, so it's a must.
   
   
4. Snipe ie shoot from a distance, everything you can, ie enemies that are susceptible to fire and can't fight back. Sulfur Saurians, Goblins, the Undead Mages this kind of stuff. The rule is: if you can take it down from a distance, DO IT! And even if the enemy is strong against fire, like your doom, Bandit Striders and Rangers, it still can be knocked down with Ingle so ...why not "give it a shot" ;) And it's not like you have any other options against bandits anyway.
   
   
5. If the close combat is inevitable make sure you are focusing on evading danger rather than dealing damage. That means quick deployable spells and constant repositioning. Believe me or not, enemies in Dragon's Dogma aren't complete morons and will recognise who is the big boss here. They can and will focus on a caster if you'll extend too much (and even if you don't). So, elevated positions, behind trees and rock formations, stay there and change cover once enemy spots you.
   
   
6. Explore enemies' weaknesses. Since you're a Mage you have only magickal damage. Yes, you can swing your staff, which may prove to be useful in fringe situations, but you are a Magick main. And since various enemies have various weaknesses you can, and should exploit that. If you can set Wolves on fire, do it, if Levin severs Saurian tails better than Ingle, do it. If Specters are more weak to Holy than Fire, use Holy.
   
   
7. And don't forget that with many enemies it's not just the Archmagick choice that matters but also a body part or sitution.
   
   • Casting Ingle into a lunging Wolf's face is far more effective than torching its tail (and it's harder to miss that way)
     
   • Even though Cyclopes aren't weak to Fire an Ingle to their eye may prove to be more effective than the whole barrage of Levins
     
   • A single, well placed Comestion can do a lot more than aiming at individual Harpies and shooting around like crazy.
     
     Aso, asf.
8. Remember that you can always cancel your incantation, with Jump (or Heavy Attack for Focused Bolt). So, if enemy draws near or you've been locked-on by enemy spell, Jump and get outta there!

While reading this whole manual you may be under "impression" that I dislike Mage vocation ...and you're right ;)

Now, I still see some potential in Mage, wasted potential that is. A potential for a truly unique vocation with unique features, fulfiling major role on the battlefield:

• unlike Sorcerers, Mages can strike with their staff, benefiting from both its enchantments and debilitations. If would Mage had somewhat developed staff melee combat system, instead of just Magick Billow, this would work great, like it worked in Dark Messiah.
  
• if would Mage and not Mystic Knight had the ability to enchant all party weapons with one spell, the vocation would be worth a shot.
  
• if Mage could not only cure debilitation but also inflict those, I mean from distance, this would somehow balance his lack of offensive power.

If. But it isn't. Everything this class does others do better. Curing, dealing damage, even debilitating and enchanting. Again, it's a starting vocation, a vocation that was meant for Pawns -which will have no problems aiming support skills for instance- and there lies its niche. But you can always prove me wrong, don't simply rely on advices I, or wiki, gave you, explore the game mechanics, combine stuff and tactics, learn and perfect your gameplay style
...and you may consider changing the vocation too.

Class dismiss.