Ideal stats for Hally Mage

[Rykker]

Hence, there really is not a huge drawback to having 10 less intelligence, since most damage in a fight b/w skilled tank mages is through well-timed hally swings, and you can manage your mana just fine with 90 vs 100 mana to start out if you are good with the hally timer.

Actually, it's the less skilled tank mages that rely on hally hits IMO. It takes less skill when you rely on 50% chance-to-hit to win a fight. That's why dexers are called dex monkeys or newbs, because it's luck. Same with mages who choose to 1v1 each other with mainly their weapon and harm. Just because someone preps e bolt, and tries to get a big hally hit doesn't make them skilled. That's so predictable and it won't work against me at least.

And 10 int is a huge difference, it lets you cast 1 more e bolt for instance than a 90 int mage. You also have better mana regen with 100 int. I use cunning on top of my 100 int, and let me tell you it works great.

I was under the impression that mana regen was the same at 90 INT as opposed to 100.

[Pirul]

Mana regen might be slightly more at 100 vs. 90, however the big issue is the mana pool. 100 mana "forgives" going on a kamikaze combo fest a little bit better than 90, simply by the added mana pool and slightly faster mana recovery time.

[Rykker]

Mana regen might be slightly more at 100 vs. 90, however the big issue is the mana pool. 100 mana "forgives" going on a kamikaze combo fest a little bit better than 90, simply by the added mana pool and slightly faster mana recovery time.

Seems to be 6 of one half dozen of the other. Half the people say 100 INT, half 90. For me it makes no difference, the outcomes have been the same. I will stick with 90 for now.

[Pirul]

Most important thing is that you feel comfortable with it.

[Rykker]

Most important thing is that you feel comfortable with it.

I just don't see a difference really. Once I get more experience PvPing I may be able to judge the differences more accurately.

[Faust]

Are you able to hit on the run still after it accidentally slipped in there during a patch or did it get fixed?

[LKP]

I used to know the formula for mana regen rate, but I can't recall it at the moment. And I don't recall when it was changed... I may have to do some digging later. What I do remember is that according to the formula I used to know, 1 point of int was a bigger factor in your mana regen rate than 1 point of meditation... in other words you'd gain mana faster with 100 int and 10 med than with 100 med and only 10 int! So if that formula is applicable here, you'd see a difference in the mana regen rate with 10 points of int.

But like I said, I believe that formula may have been changed at one time, and I don't know what the formula is here. I would have to test it. Someone earlier in this thread (Bazooka?) said there's no difference, and he would probably know better than I do.

As for skill, I think it boils down to making the right choices. The more effective options you have, the harder it becomes to choose the best one. Dexers take less skill by that definiton because they have fewer options in combat. Tank mages have every option a dexer does, every option a pure mage does, and some more that are unique to hybrids (mostly involving ways to combine the other two). Using your weapon as often as possible is just making good use of one of your options. It may not always be the best choice, but a lot of the time it is. Ignoring it as an option is the less-skilled choice.

[Mikel123]

Mana regen might be slightly more at 100 vs. 90, however the big issue is the mana pool. 100 mana "forgives" going on a kamikaze combo fest a little bit better than 90, simply by the added mana pool and slightly faster mana recovery time.

Bingo. When I ran around with my Mace Tank (and yes, it is as bad as it sounds), I used to always bless myself and wait for the 110 mana to fill up. I found it made a huge difference, because I'd often blow my load a little too quickly and extensively. Also, newer mages always tend to suffer from this bad habit.

Anyways point is, I'd say go with 100 INT. Then if you get good enough that you don't find yourself running out of mana, and you happen say to yourself, "you know, if I could hally cycle .25 seconds faster, I'd be doing much better", it might be time to switch to 90 INT.

[the bazookas]

I'm afraid I must enter a dissenting opinion regarding mana regen rates.

I have tested the cutoff between 1 and 1.25 seconds per mana point regeneration extensively, and it is exactly med + int = 180. med + int = 210 is still 1 second per mana point regeneration. You could have 80 int 100 med and have as fast a regeneration as 100 int and 100 med (but if you get feebleminded, you go to 1 mana every 1.25 seconds, which is a severe disadvantage.

As for the mana pool thing, there is something to be said for that, but I find it not worth the extra hits you can and do get with the extra dex (if you are good at hally cycling). imho, After your first ebolt or gheal, most fights are pretty equal on the mana pool (especially if you know how to conserve and still deal out damage)

[archaicsubrosa77]

Most important thing is that you feel comfortable with it.

This is the truest statement you'll ever get.
And only experience can answer it.

But keep this in mind too...if you are worth any salt you will have more then a Hally in your arsenal especially now Kats are fad again. Upper dex I'd think is the way to go. A speed of 58 is just nuts, and if you are core you'd go 90 str 45 dex 90 intel and carry more goodies in your pack then just regs and hally.

I know that frightens some people who have died alot...

But here is the kicker, alot of people will tell you not to do some of the things they are doing because they want to edge up on new spawn. Catch it?

Trust me spread stat is how they fight on Hybrid...and even though Hybrid is commercial and gimmicky you learn new ways to fight so you can get back to core here (where its best I think). Its kind of like an overreaching test center without being ganked when you pop in the box areas . You try things out and then leave XD But the whole shard is perverse in its conception, the feel of UO is totally annihilated. They force you to test new playstyles however and when the cookie cutter stigma is gone...well you have a spiritual evolvement in gameplay without having everyone physically wearing neon here. I am just saying that with experience under 100 strength is not insta-death even against traditional hallymages and dexxers.

And God bless UOSA. This is UO right here, and you wont find it anywhere else.

I will tell you right now, getting you to pause by draining a weak stat like dex via stam loss is the best way to lay in on you....whether it be by DP, Macing, or heavy damage. You might think I am lying but that's when they hit you. Anything that keeps you from drawing weapon or casting offensively, putting you in a downhill battle ensures them victory. (I.E. forcing you to click food items or pots) Its better to have higher stamina to ensure you get your insta or get a faster swing on your DP Kat. Trust me if you are fighting a traditional tank, the dude is totally sticking to his clickies for most of the fight...might as well push that inconvenience to a new level of nuisance.

[Teh LawL Firm]

I haven't finished my Tank mage yet here but i heard from a few people alot of the times that the person who has the most most toward the end of a fight will win the fight in some cases, but thats just what I heard so it seems 100 int would make sense. Plus you can always wear dex jewelery /Dex pot/ or cast agility if u want that extra 10 dex.

[archaicsubrosa77]

I haven't finished my Tank mage yet here but i heard from a few people alot of the times that the person who has the most most toward the end of a fight will win the fight in some cases, but thats just what I heard so it seems 100 int would make sense. Plus you can always wear dex jewelery /Dex pot/ or cast agility if u want that extra 10 dex.

Do you have any idea how fast a katana swings at 65 dex? (45 dex plus greater agility)
Dirty fighting with DP weapons to keep constant interrupt or make them stop to poot in order to have alot of time to setup combos is where its at man.

You can go blah blah blah...int int int, 90 strength sucks...blah blah blah. But when you realize their stam dropped hard not just their hp and they wasted trying to save both to cure...you have an advantage

Now before you wouldn't think much of carrying a few DP katanas on a Tank Mage because the speed was slower and most people have been telling you to go low enough dex so that they can make you constantly stop to refresh or whither your hally hand leaving you at a disadvantage.

If you want your weenie that teenie to be reduced to 15 stam in a single clumsy dude...you are asking to be Pked... Just saying. Oops yeah 25 with pots when you think you are all hard Once that DP sets in you are going to be nestled into alot of hurt from stam loss, and its going to waste your hally timer trying to resettle your hp and stam levels. Thats why you go higher dex and keep a kat in your pack. It buys you time and keeps you core. And when you do stop to pot you still have an edge in your kat that other traditional hallymages dont have.

If you are going to disarm to drink a pot you might as well arm a katana...just saying. 25 dex is good for PVM though, I mean if you are a bard that will never touch a weapon

[Teh LawL Firm]

I haven't finished my Tank mage yet here but i heard from a few people alot of the times that the person who has the most most toward the end of a fight will win the fight in some cases, but thats just what I heard so it seems 100 int would make sense. Plus you can always wear dex jewelery /Dex pot/ or cast agility if u want that extra 10 dex.

Do you have any idea how fast a katana swings at 65 dex? (45 dex plus greater agility)
Dirty fighting with DP weapons to keep constant interrupt or make them stop to poot in order to have alot of time to setup combos is where its at man.

HuH?

You can go blah blah blah...int int int, 90 strength sucks...blah blah blah. But when you realize their stam dropped hard not just their hp and they wasted trying to save both to cure...you have an advantage


WTF?

Now before you wouldn't think much of carrying a few DP katanas on a Tank Mage because the speed was slower and most people have been telling you to go low enough dex so that they can make you constantly stop to refresh or whither your hally hand leaving you at a disadvantage.

OK?

If you want your weenie that teenie to be reduced to 15 stam in a single clumsy dude...you are asking to be Pked... Just saying. Oops yeah 25 with pots when you think you are all hard Once that DP sets in you are going to be nestled into alot of hurt from stam loss, and its going to waste your hally timer trying to resettle your hp and stam levels. Thats why you go higher dex and keep a kat in your pack. It buys you time and keeps you core. And when you do stop to pot you still have an edge in your kat that other traditional hallymages dont have.

ZzzZzzzZzzzzz.....

If you are going to disarm to drink a pot you might as well arm a katana...just saying. 25 dex is good for PVM though, I mean if you are a bard that will never touch a weapon

Did you even read my reply? Learn to read before you reply... i didn't even make it half way into that wall of text and your quoting stuff i didn't even say...

[archaicsubrosa77]

Did you even read my reply? Learn to read before you reply... i didn't even make it half way into that wall of text and your quoting stuff i didn't even say...

Nevermind you are nuts...I quoted you once so you know to whom I was replying.

SO....

stick with 25 dex

See you around.

I am sure there will be threads upon threads of killshots Since you had indeed ventured in from the other shard...if you were decent at PVP at all you know the point I was trying to make. The cream of the crop is here though...just a forewarning. I know you are just trying to establish pecking order after humiliating yourself with killshots of thieves on foot.

Thing is droogie... you came across me several times... just never once here.

[Teh LawL Firm]

Did you even read my reply? Learn to read before you reply... i didn't even make it half way into that wall of text and your quoting stuff i didn't even say...

Nevermind you are nuts...I quoted you once so you know to whom I was replying.

SO....

stick with 25 dex

See you around.

I am sure there will be threads upon threads of killshots Since you had indeed ventured in from the other shard...if you were decent at PVP at all you know the point I was trying to make. The cream of the crop is here though...just a forewarning. I know you are just trying to establish pecking order after humiliating yourself with killshots of thieves on foot.

Thing is droogie... you came across me several times... just never once here.

WHo the hell are you talking too? lol.. none of what you just said makes sense, sounds like your replying to the wrong person... Read what "I WROTE" then come back to me...