Battlemage or Chaoswarrior?

[Runtus]

For any of you have played either Chaoswarrior or Battlemage, can you please highlight some pros/cons of each class? Also, which situations would either class be more preferable to have?I already have Healer, Reaver, Berserker, and Mage at 100, with Shaman and Conjurer not too far behind. Iwas just wondering which of the 2 wouldcontribute more to my build. Thanks in advance.

[HratLi]

I'm not an adventurer by any stretch of the imagination, but my first thoughts:

1. Chaos warrior would give you some more two hand crush that might lend some flexibility to your weapon choices when going back for the other classes if they ever raise the cap. It will also give you Unbridled strength, which is an AMAZING buff (as long as you don't use it with unarmed strikes). But from that line of thought you might just stop at 40 CHSW like I did.

2. BattleMage lets you leverage your beserker 2hs, AND wear plate while still flinging spells everywhere. It also gives you Magus style (+damage and chance to stun), AND another radial attack. Since you already have the 2hs from Reaver/Zerk and the spell power from Mage/Conj, you've overcome the key drawback of JUST singleclassed Battlemage, the 8skill/level.

I'd say go Chaos warrior to 40, then take battle mage for your 'walk around town' form.

Both CHSW and BM are arcane users, but I don't know if CHSW can use 2handed slash weapons, they tend towards 2hc, both wear heavy armour, so I think the advantage goes to BM since you already have the crazy 2hs skill.

-HratLi

[Runtus]

Awesome, thanks! Will take CHSW to 40 as suggested then on to BM.

Runtus

[Guinness]

I'd have to disagree with HratLi from what I remember when it was discussed ingame. I seem to recall that battlemage does not use 2hs weapons and it cannot use the good 2hc weapons (mauls). Battlemage has some neat abilities and does get plate - but a chaos warrior gets that as well and gets a better selection of weapons.

If you want to do battlemage, I'd do it to 80 for energy sabre. Otherwise, I'd suggest you stick with chaos warrior for the same spells + armor and better weapons. Chaos warrior gets an energy sabre like abilty, but it's on a 10 min timer and automatically hits.

I'll have to check ingame and see if battlemage can use 2hs swords, I remember being told they don't, but that may not be correct.

[HratLi]

I stand corrected!

BattleMage does NOT get 2hs as a class skill, but you would have to check the weapons themselves to see if they can actually use it or not as Guinness said.

Chaos Warrior Gets only 2hc as weapon skills, but that's it as far as weapon skills go, but it's a doozie, especially with the way damage boosts are Delay adjusted. Once again, check the actual weapons ingame to make sure of what you can and can't use.

I'll sush now and let REAL Adventurers (TM) comment. I'm just here for the Cheezy Minnow Pies.

-HratLi

[Runtus]

Good lord Guinness, you even took monk to 100 [Y]. I was already planning on getting BM to 80 and CHSW to 40 at a minimum for the abilities gained. But I did want to take one of them to 100 to have as an arcane/tank type. My RVR will be my priest/tank. Just looking to add to my available abilities. Twelvebagger even mentioned Guardian for the quake attack, and they get max 2HC. That would be perfect since mauls look awesome.

I'm gonna be a busy little dwarf...

[Jayne]

Well sense Jayne is doing basically the same thing. The first question is what school do you plan to have as your main?

In my case its berserker. I do NOT level all schools to 100 becasue my goal is to make my character better by multiclassing the schools to gain an ability I can utilize. And if I just went down the list and did every school to 100 it would take forever, and it comes to a point when there is no other way to level but PL.

Now as far as me and being berserker, yes I did chaos warrior to 40 for unbridled strength, it was quick.

And I did battle mage to 80 for energy saber

Jayne

[Runtus]

Reaver will be my main, though I could do Berserker also. The classes I plan to take to 100are for max stat and skill gains. My weaver is at 80 now, so may as well take that to 100 instead of monk for the dex. Mind numbing, but not as painful as monk. The remaining classes will be for abilities mastered only, so will not be to 100.

Like I mentioned previously, Iplan to have a arcane/tank type for times when I feel like a change of pace from the hack and slash of Reaver, and be able to hurl the AoE bombs and such.

Runtus

[Guinness]

I had forgotten about this thread...

I checked ingame that day and battlemages cannot use neither 2hs weapons nor mauls, so their melee damage isn't that great. The schools is pretty much a one-trick pony (esabre). As a main school, Chaos Warrior will probably serve you better.

If you look closer you'll notice I only did Monk till 10 (for foresight).[:)] With the exception of 1, all the schools I took to 100 were to maximize my stats or skills and hence necessary to fit with what I was looking for. That lone exception being druid (I already had max nature) - however druid makes for a good main school while crafting and is really easy to raise up, so I decided to go all the way. In the end it all depends on what you are looking for. I really value versatility (completely switching classes if need be), so I didn't mind doing a few extra schools to give myself more options in different situations.

[Jayne]

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Although I agree Guin, don't let Stiz hear you say that. LOL

Jayne

[Seenu]

I chose ChaosWarrior after Mage.

I have looted some AMAZING 2 hand crush weapons in the blighted zones and I cant wait to use them.

Also keep in mind that mage gets 10 armor but restricted to cloth, while CHSW gets 9 armor but almost unlimited choices, hence the advantage here is obvious :-).

I sat down and wrote down the choices and skills and numbers between battle mage and CHSW. IMHO the 2HC weapon ability of the CHSW with the strength is what puts it over the top for me.

When we group hunt the high end Withered Aegis we use a dragon as tank anyway, so damage becomes a slightly bigger priority for me, yet CHSW can tank most normal mobs fine from all info I am able to gather.

Also I have noticed, that there mere name of ChaosWarrior commands a certain respect and fear. People know that you are all about putting the hurt on. The random effects are an elemnet that seems very exciting.

No matter what I suggest that everyone take Monk to level 14. At 14 you get The Dodge skill mastered, you also get Evasion Boost I, Dexterity Boost I, Evasive Style, and Forsight which gives you a good chance to dodge a special attack..... all mastered. I did this when I was Mage 45 to make myself just slightly tougher, it was worth it.

What ever you take, enjoy it.