Spell Loadouts

[BenMiff]

Ooh, character types. Good point.

I pretty much use contemporary characters constantly - I'll generally go for high attack first (must be at least 135%), and decent health (no red). I like the extra versatility in health / mana / attack, since some missions (like freefall) are a lot easier if you cram everything into health, but it's not something I'd want all the time. (Most of the time, I have enough in mana to be able to cast Greater Teleport, enough in health so that it's at least 400, and the rest in attack.) The no-fanciness I make up for with enchants - until recently, I didn't think much of the r. arm slots since I hadn't got to grips with the <x> power enchants thinking that I'd want to be able to change elements freely when I actually wasn't, so my quality of enchants in feet and legs (since a lot was obtained before the split) are higher than would be expected - generally a combination of triple jump (or a big niche air if the triple jump is disabled) and a featherweight with a pile of movement and jump riders are my mobility enablers, and since I go for telescopes as soon as possible most of the time my torso is a hefty damage reduction with a stealth rider for knowing where enemies are.

[Coppermantis]

I also use Pre-Industrial characters for Dungeon Scouting ability, but I have a Skelebot in reserve in case I need a Tanky character.

[Misery]

Oh yeah, I find the Skelebots great for setting up Wind Shelters, since they are so hardy.   And the pink one offers a smaller target.

Their only issue is that they cant doublejump without either Ride the Lightning or Lightning Rocket.

[Ensvey]

I'm surprised so many people pick spells of all different element types.  I stack almost all earth spell power and earth spells.  It's at the point where my spells frequently one shot enemies that are even 75% resistant to earth.

On continent 3, leafy whip is my melee, launch meteor is my main spell for things farther away.  Meteor shower instagibs just about anything if I can get under it.  Creeping death is the one non-nature spell I have, for the things I just can't touch with nature.  I want to try insect orb but I haven't gotten my hands on it yet -_-

[Misery]

I'm surprised so many people pick spells of all different element types.  I stack almost all earth spell power and earth spells.  It's at the point where my spells frequently one shot enemies that are even 75% resistant to earth.

On continent 3, leafy whip is my melee, launch meteor is my main spell for things farther away.  Meteor shower instagibs just about anything if I can get under it.  Creeping death is the one non-nature spell I have, for the things I just can't touch with nature.  I want to try insect orb but I haven't gotten my hands on it yet -_-

What difficulty are you on?   That sounds like either a rather large balance issue, or just the difficulty being low.   Though the two rock-spray spells almost seem a little OP with the way they fire (as such, I aint been using them myself), so they might not count, it's hard to say.

I'm on Chosen One, and.....   yeah.   I kinda HAVE to use many elements, unless I want to be really, really dead.


.....also, I figure it's just boring to use the same few spells all the time, I'd get tired of it fast.

Oh, and Insect Orb is pretty awesome.

[Ensvey]

I'm playing on the default (Adept) so I'm sure the enemies are easier.  and yeah, it's a little boring to use just a small subset of the spells, but at the same time I feel like I would be gimping myself if I didn't.  Earth spells seem to have the highest DPS in general, and I have +105% earth damage, so it's pretty nukey.  One launch meteor does 1700 damage for me to all enemies in a line at level 17, for "just" 180 mana, and leafy whip does 530 with a .4 second cooldown.  Enemies that have 50% resist still take more damage from my earth spells than from other elements. 

Tempting to get a set of more element-neutral enchants so I can mix it up a little, but it just so happens that I enjoy the earth spells best anyway. 

[Misery]

I'm playing on the default (Adept) so I'm sure the enemies are easier.  and yeah, it's a little boring to use just a small subset of the spells, but at the same time I feel like I would be gimping myself if I didn't.  Earth spells seem to have the highest DPS in general, and I have +105% earth damage, so it's pretty nukey.  One launch meteor does 1700 damage for me to all enemies in a line at level 17, for "just" 180 mana, and leafy whip does 530 with a .4 second cooldown.  Enemies that have 50% resist still take more damage from my earth spells than from other elements. 

Tempting to get a set of more element-neutral enchants so I can mix it up a little, but it just so happens that I enjoy the earth spells best anyway.

I do think it is worth experimenting a bit, with all of the different spells.  I've been finding that some spells I initially deemed as useless, really, really are not.  I'd thought Cleft Smoglet was worthless at first;  a spell that I cant aim?  Turns out though, it's useful as heck.... I use it OFTEN now, and it's great against certain types of targets regardless of what weakness they have.

Or Ball Lightning.... there's a reason why everyone uses that spell, haha. 

And I consider Insect Orb one of the best spells in the game, period.   Ice Cross is pretty close.

But yeah, it's not all that necessary to bother with complicated loadouts on the lower difficulties (frankly, on Adept, you could probably get away with JUST Ball Lightning most of the time).   On the higher ones, it's a necessity to diversify.

......also I just think it's more fun.   Ball Lightning is great and all, but I get tired of it after awhile if I use it too much.  I end up using most of the projectiles fairly equally. 


If I had to pick a favorite element type..... probably Water, actually.  Ice Cross and Ice Burst are both very strong if used right.... Tidal Burst or whatever it's called is unique in being a slower-moving piercing shot;  it has a variety of uses, as just firing fast shots all the time isnt always the best solution.  And that ice rock is similar to Earth's rock throw, or whatever it's called.   And Geyser is amazing.


I think though, that some elements need a little bit of a boost in some areas.   Earth has too many "big" spells, for instance.... Water and Air dont seem to have any.   Air specifically is the only element without a background-striking attack (except for, I think, Storm Fist, but.... that really doesnt count, it's not meant for actual attacking).   Fire has spells that can be a little too tough to use properly.  And Entropy can just be kinda funky to use (but still very powerful).  There does indeed seem to be a little bit of a lack of balance between elements as a whole.