Human Mage Build Guide

An Overview of Stats


In PW there is a total of 4 stats: strength, agility, constitution and intelligence.

Strength
increases attack power for melee weapon
increases physical defense

Agility
increases attack power for range weapon
increases dodge
increases accuracy
increases critical rating (every 20 agi gives you 1% more critical rating)

Constitution
increases physical defense by a little
increases magical defense by a little
increases hp
increases hp regeneration rate (hp regeneration is reduced by 75% when in combat mode)

Intelligence
increases magical attack power
increases magical defense
increases maximum mp
increases mp regeneration rate (mp regeneration is reduced by 75% when in combat mode)

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The Build


Pure INT Build (Nuker Build)

Every 2 levels, 9 intelligence, 1 strength.

Pros - Highest damage Dealer in all skills except Sacrificial Fire Storm. Highest magical defense.
Cons - Glass Nuke, meaning very fragile with low hp. Need hp plus equipment and add hp stones.

Hybrid Build

Every 2 levels, 8 intelligence, 1 strength, 1 constitution
or 6 intelligence, 1 strength, 3 constitution

Pros - Hp higher than nuker. Still need some hp stones added to equipment.
Cons - A bit lower damage when compare to nuker. A bit lower magical defense compare to nuker.

Light Armor Build

Every 2 levels, 6 intelligence, 2 strength, 2 agility.

Pros - Has the highest critical rate in all builds. Has higher physical defense compared to a robe wearing mage.
Cons - Lower hp than hybrid but as same as nuker. Lower magical defense than hybrid. Deals damage comparable to cons hybrid

Heavy Armor Build

Every 2 level, 6 intelligence, 3 strength, 1 agility.

Pros - Highest physical defenses. (Even higher than werebeast and warrior due to 150% bonus physical defenses by earth barrier). Can tank against low level bosses at higher level.
Cons - Low hp, as same case as a nuker. Deals damage comparable to cons hybrid. Lowest magical defense.

Cons Build (Not Recommended for Newbies)

Every 2 level, 3-6 intelligence, 3-7 constitution, 0-1 strength.
(Trade off between more HP or able to use latest weapon)

Pros - The highest HP in all mage builds. Can tank bosses at your level due to high hp. Deals the most damage in Sacrificial Fire Storm.
Cons - Has to trade between damage or HP.

Summary

Damage ---- Nuker > Hybrid = Light = Heavy > Cons

Physical def ---- Heavy > Light > Cons = Nuker = Hybrid

Magical def ---- Nuker > Hybrid > Cons > Light > Heavy

HP ---- Cons > Hybrid > Nuker = Light = Heavy

PK vs Melee ---- Heavy > Light > Cons = Nuker = Hybrid

PK vs Magic ---- Nuker > Hybrid > Cons > Light > Heavy

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Weapons


Mages basically have 4 types of weapons per 10 levels. They are categorized into wand, magic sword, staff, and wheel. A quick description below:

Wand
A consistent attack with a low gap between minimum and maximum damage.
Highest minimum attacks and lowest maximum attacks

Magic Sword
A popular choice because it looks like a real sword.
2nd highest minimum attacks and 3rd highest maximum attacks.

Wheel
Another popular choice for those do not like staff weapon.
3rd Highest minimum attacks and 2nd highest maximum attacks.

Staff
The most damaging weapon but also the most unpredictable weapon because it has the lowest minimum attacks.
Lowest minimum attacks and highest maximum attacks.

Choices for which weapon to use depends on player preference but majority stick to a magic sword or wheel to have more consistent attacks.

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Skills


The 3 Elements

In beginning, from level 1 to level 19, you can actually max out all the 3 elements skill. But after level 19, you will find that you won't have enough skill points to max all 3 element skills. This is because you have more skills to upgrade on every x4 and x9 level as you progress. You will have so many skills to learn but so little skill points to spend on it.That is why, most guides will recommend that you focus on two elements so that you can upgrade the skills to the maximum level as possible. The higher the skill level the more damaging the skills is. So, a level 2 skill is more damaging than a level 1 skill.Later on around level 90+, you can max out those skills you ignored earlier.

A general description about each element below;

Fire element - Generally offensive tree.
Moderate damage and moderate casting time.

Water element - Generally support type tree.
Low damage and fast casting time.
Have healing, slowing, mana regen, increase mana capacity and zero casting time skill.
The ultimate skill on this tree is the most damaging one.

Earth element - Generally stunning type tree.
High damage and long casting time.
Have stunning, crippling, teleportation, confusion (causing people to miss their attacks) skill.

For those who always in party and have tanker, a fire + earth elements would be useful. With a tanker to support, you would need to concentrate only on offense.

For those who always solo and use kiting a lot, a fire and water combo will be nice as fire has moderate casting times and water has slowing skills, which complement each other.

Element Strengths and Weaknesses

Fire > Metal > Wood > Earth > Water > Fire
Fire is strong against Metal, Metal is strong against Wood ...etc

Fire < Water < Earth < Wood < Metal < Fire
Fire is weak against Water, Water is weak against Earth ...etc

Level 1 Skills

The skills that you can leave at level 1 (no matter what elements you major in) are below:

Flaming Torch
Roasting Fire Array (Max if into Cons build and AoE leveling)
Sacrificial Fire Storm (Max if into Cons Build)
Cold Dew
Frost Enchanted Weapon
Hail Storm
MoistCuring (Leave it at level 1 until you reach level 59, then upgrade to level 5 so you can get Wisdom Sutra)
Sand Vortex
Distant Shrink (if not into PK and Forest Ruins)

Maxing Skills

The 3 initial elements skills should be maxed out first as these skills will be used to fill in the gaps for your combo attacks while waiting for higher level skills to cool down.

-Blazing Hierogram
-Spring Rush
-Rock Fall

Also max out Ice Shield as soon as possible for mana regen and tanking against ice mobs. Earth Shield should have 2nd priority compared to Ice Shield. Fire Shield should have the last priority among the 3 shields.

All 3 shields should be max out as soon as possible.

Area of Effect Skills

Hail Storm (You are not going to use it. The cool down is too long to be effective on solo.)
Roasting Fire Array
Phoenix Fire Wing
Sacrificial Fire Storm
Blasting Point (Heaven Faction only)
Pyro Edge Tempest
Cryonite Dragon
Mountain Press

Chanting and Casting Times

Chanting time is the time taken for the blue bar to fill up.

Casting time is the time taken for the effect of the spell to take place.

For example for Rock Fall the chanting time is 2 seconds, which is the time taken for the blue bar to fill up. The casting time it is 1.4 seconds, which is the time taken for the animation of the rock falling at the enemy.