Air Elementalists

[fnwc]

I've been playing around with dragonspawn and demonspawn elementalists recently, and I found that air elementalists, at least for the first couple of levels, are a lot more fragile than others. I think this is due that shock can be pretty inaccurate and weak, compounded by the fact that they don't start with a weapon.

This is in comparison to earth (sandblast hits harder with stones, and was buffed recently), ice (freeze never misses and bypasses armor) and fire (flame tongue seems to hit harder).

Or am I the only one?

[pratamawirya]

Multi-zapping Shock is good. Have you used it?

[Dustbin]

You've got multizap and swiftness. I doubt you'd need much more early-game.

[dolphin]

See this topic and the links provided therein. Multizap is the strategy you are expected to use as a air elementalist.

[ieattime20]

My issue with air elementalists is that, unlike the others (arrows, icicles, etc), there is no higher-level midgame emergency attack spell. You're resigned to using Shock as your offensive weapon unless you hybrid early (dangerous for any magic-apt class) or get lucky and find some other spellbook. AFAIK, none of the other elementalists are that constrained.

[galehar]

They are different, which is good. Less blasty. You have to hybridise with melee or another school. And there's tornado. Your background isn't supposed to carry you to Zot.

[pratamawirya]

Your background isn't supposed to carry you to Zot.

The not-so-obvious wisdom not all players realize.

[danr]

I think AE are well oriented toward becoming melee hybrids. Soften things with shock, and then finish with melee.

[mrbobbyg]

They're no more oriented towards becoming melee hybrids than wizards are. Mephitic Cloud combines well with melee, specifically stabbing, but the other spells don't.

I dunno minmay, I think swiftness combo's pretty darn well with melee. Kiting time!

[MyOtheHedgeFox]

Let's see...

My Draconian Air Elementalists appeared to be comparatively weak to all the other opponents.
- In order to hit with a Shock, they need to go to the closest corner available: they cannot just jump in and nuke everyone.
+ Shock is the only level one spell that can hit multiple opponents. Sometimes, sometimes, very some times, you might want to risk it and use its piercing features.
+ Shock can hit an opponent twice, basically giving you a nice chance to remove everyone.
- It can hit you too, in most occasions.

My DrAE had only three mana units, which was quite a negative feature of theirs.
I tried using supplementary weapons, such as darts/slings, but they didn't do much on their own.
The sure-fire feature of Magic Dart is definitely an advantage, I must say...

At level three, they get Static Discharge. It is a "throw dice" weapon: it can miscast, especially on early levels, and since it costs three mana units...
On the other hand, it can deal with two-three opponents at once. A watered down, but still powerful Chain Lightning for close combat -- a "last reserve" weapon against sudden packs of orcs, in example. Can be useful -- just don't use it against single or powerful opponents, since it eats too much mana and requires being next to them.

Three protective spells!

Swiftness is a must, but remember to stay out of the water -- it negates the buff. And don't you even cast this spell while standing in shallow water -- it will do nothing.

Repel Missiles -- a second-importance spell, useful against ranged fighters and, if you have a lot of mana, your own staple spells. Learn it after Swiftness (and Discharge).

Levitation -- Draconians get innate Controlled Flight, so this spell is especially precious for them. Protects from additional damage from water electrocution.


In the beginning, don't hesitate to pick up rocks and darts and use them in the situation when you are comparatively far from an opponent. Your basic spell is too weak to do full damage in a single hit, so help yourself.
Run. You have a spell for it. Everyone is stronger than you -- you're playing paintball against a big team. Ever wanted to be a badass ninja who alone tries to defeat an army? Well, here you go.
Meeting an iguana or an ogre in close combat is definite death: run and multizap.
Use Discharge against packs of orcs if you have more than enough health.

[smock]

In my experience, shock is weak at low power but great at high power. So consider training conjurations and air until shock's power is maxed, then focusing on spellcasting, stealth or whatnot.