Mage

Mage

Overview

Type: Shield

Hit Points ✯✰✰✰✰

Attack Power ✯✯✯✰✰

Mobility ✯✯✯✰✰

Utility ✯✯✯✯✰

Learning Curve ✯✯✯✰✰

Mage is a spiraling-laser launching shield mobile. Mage is relatively balanced and straight-forward in design, featuring solid attack and utility but very low HP. Its standard attacks feature either two or four lasers launched in a spiraling helix pattern that, particularly in regards to S2, require a specific timing to land in a desired fashion. Mage's multi-hitting attacks pair very well with items and clouds, and each of Mage's standard attacks have above-average bunging capabilities. Altogether, the precise timing element of Mage's shots means that Mage is more difficult to fully master than many other mobiles.

Shot 1

With S1, Mage launches two tightly spiraling lasers in an arc. If each of the lasers connect with the target, it will do solid damage of about 220-240. If connected with or near the ground, the lasers will destroy a moderate amount of land each. Though the tight orbit of the lasers makes it easy to land both without much extra judgement, they can be split apart if landed very close to the far side of the target's body.

Shot 2

Much like S1, S2 features spiraling lasers launched in an arc. In S2 however, four lasers are launched with the inner lasers producing a tighter spiral like S1, and the outer two producing a wider and lower frequency spiral. On every third spiral of the inner lasers and every second spiral of the outer lasers, all four laser will be aligned. For maximum damage, S2 should be timed such that all four lasers hit the target together. For maximum land destruction, which S2 is highly capable of, the ground should be struck at the point the lasers are widest apart. S2's timing is the principal reason Mage is a relatively challenging mobile to learn.

Special Shot

Mage's SS fires a guide which will deploy, at a point that is slightly past the peak of the trajectory, five lasers that will each continue in a slightly converging and straight line until contacting a totem, mobile, or land. The damage range for SS varies with how many lasers strike the target, but will average about 400-450 damage. If the guide comes into contact with any totem, mobile, or land before it deploys, it will result in a failed shot.

Note: As of 02/18/19, the in-game description of this shot erroneously states that four lasers are fired. Addendum: this has since been corrected.

Tips and Techniques

1. Mage's S2, under normal circumstances, has three different sweet-spots to converge all four lasers. The first is at an extremely low angle and distance (around 20-25 degrees, short distance). The second is at a low-medium height and distance. To find this spot, drag your aiming cursor so that it is fully extended and directly vertical. The center-point of the top circle of the cursor will be located at the height of the shot you must take to find this middle sweet-spot. The final sweet-spot is the easiest to consistently find; simply fire at full power and maximum height and so long as there is no extreme elevation difference or vertical wind factor, the lasers will arrive at the target converged. As with most alignment style shots, the extra or reduced air-time of the shot must be adjusted for when shooting through a tornado, shooting in strongly vertical wind, shooting at a target at a significantly higher or lower elevation, etc.

2. Mage's SS can do maximum damage, upward of 600 or more, by firing it such that the lasers deploy very close, and at an angle, to the target.

3. With a strategic angle, the SS lasers can also be split such that some of them strike one target and the others continue past to strike another.

4. Mage's SS can come into issues when firing in such a way that the lasers are deployed while in a tornado. They may be angled upward into the sky or even launch backward toward Mage if they deploy as the guide is spinning back through the tornado.

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Additional Credits:

indyrace85

DeepFriedTomacco

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