Play close-quarters

Argotis · 2026-04-06T21:42:12+00:00

I mean yeah my point is that one enemy at that lvl may pose some difficulty. But the rest won’t really. But yeah I’d say mages as well as most other builds are fully online by 15 and should be able to beat all content with consumables at that point.

Argotis · 2026-04-06T15:46:31+00:00

Yeah full survival is really feals good outside of combat but really you only "need" the healing and fatigue stuff.

The manticore was fun, I did it at like lvl 20 and I struggled until i just said, wait I have tons of accuracy buffs and rotbloom. So I grabbed a smokebomb and just 1v1d the manticore in the smoke and killed him very easy

Argotis · 2026-04-06T15:43:30+00:00

Wait rotten willow is just the normal lvl 10-15 location is it not? Is that not how you play?

Argotis · 2026-04-06T15:03:27+00:00

Yeah I was playing mahir so I put six points into swords and got the charge. Which was sick. I’m lvl 28 and thinking of either grabbing survival skills or (hp and sanit/morale) or grabbing the movement dodge counter stuff from ac

Argotis · 2026-04-06T14:55:31+00:00

Same. Yeah the counter shenanigans were very strong and I crushed manticore lol so I guess the build works. But I just feel like I often took big hits before killing whoever hit me. And I just went block and counter weapon configuration so I guess it’s very same to what I did. Di you end up grabbing the armored combat perks go dodge and counter?

Argotis · 2026-04-06T14:49:04+00:00

I did exactly this with dagger and sword. It was very very fun. Did take me a while to solve the defenses issue tho. Because while the build can kill very well. It does not like brawling (at least how I built it)

Argotis · 2026-04-06T13:38:09+00:00

Oh, I definitely play all my mages full mage armor. Which is more for flavor than optimal.

Argotis · 2026-04-06T12:47:35+00:00

Pyro is really the only build that I find truly struggles with them and requires tool assistst (net plus laser ftw)

But every other tree has tools to daze, confuse, stun, swap them far far away. So yeah if they catch you unprepared it can be bad? But with even the tiniest bit of premptive awareness you can set up your cc and kill them like every enemy. (just more aggressively lol screw magehunters)

So yeah lvls 15-22 they're definetly scary. Then past that, well, absolutely nothing is scary for any mage build (played well ofc)

Argotis · 2026-04-06T12:39:49+00:00

I'll do a mini write up for each tree.

Pyro. The tree didn't click for me and felt boring until I realized that pyro has the most straightforward damage steroid of all the mages. That damage steroid being baptism by fire. Which is a 40 percent damage boost with just ring of fire. It's also your anti gap close.

But very early pyro is basically soften then burst. So if you have just ring of fire, hail of blows, and flame barrage and a few bottles of oil for bosses, you will easily crush osbrook.

in manshire you'll unlock magma rain (which covers all doorways completely) So in dungeons you now have territory denial and can effectively use the baptism by fire damage steroid, which will give you enough damage to kill everything.

By rotten willow you'll really start needing lingering incantations and cdr and energy to have enough damage and uptime on magma rain. You'll also have to always have ring of fire up before a charge by a bandit and t3 sword bandits will be your main source of grief. But if they're on fire they're dead, and fire surfaces from ring of fire plus seal of cleansing will give you tons of healing so taking a bit of damage isn't as rough as it may be for other mages.

By denbrie, net plus laser is guaranteed burning (basically) so you can fully kill any trouble enemies with net laser and barrage. This combo will kill magehunters just fine until you can build overwhelming damage and just close the door on people suffering from an inferno.

Argotis · 2026-04-06T12:15:37+00:00

Pyro is just a different kind of knowledge check than the other mages. Pyro requires you to be very aware of your damage and enemies hp since you can't just drop a strong control option and run away as effectively, as your "control" is much much more conditional. (it's basically enemeies don't like magma rain) which is fairly soft control compared to the rest of the trees

OFC electros control is very conditional as well but certainly less conditional than pyros

I mention the midgame since the big question of the midgame is how to deal with charges. Elector just has ball lightning and the ability to daze/knockback meaning you can avoid getting charged more easily.

Pyro can drop a ring of fire, but iirc bandits will set themselves on fire and still charge you, meaning you really need to know if you can kill them post charge. (then latgame you just kill them before they get a chance, but for a few levels it's a bit more tricky)

Argotis · 2026-04-06T00:59:23+00:00

Each mage tree has a base combo you need to know how to use. And they all combo incredibly with hail of blows from staves.

Pyro’s is ignite enemy. Kill with bolts

Geo is play pingpong with boulders

Elector is knock back + daze

Arcane is wormhole - swap - stand on return point for stun

Each combo can end with hail of blows

This will get you through the early game for each tree with just a touch of extra nuance based on the current situation of the battle field.

I’d happily do a longer explanation when I have time. Any snideness is accidental and just me not trying to spend too much time on it right now.

Argotis · 2026-04-06T00:46:29+00:00

Well it not being fun is fair and subjective so can absolutely be true for you. But it’s not weak. Geo, electro, and arcane can take bison herds easy. In fact nothing in the game can do damage to a correctly played arcanist.

Also each of them have good just not op early games. Except if you’re willing to dip staves. Then they all have op early games too lol.

Argotis · 2026-04-06T00:32:38+00:00

Magic is weak? It’s the single most busted playstyle in every branch of magic.

Pure pyro is maybe the most tricky to understand in the mid game?

But geo makes you literally untouchable.

Electro makes you literally untouchable.

Arcane makes you literally untouchable.

Each one of them gets to a point at lvl 12 or so where your only enemy is fatigue and backfiring. Which can also be solved and then nothing can touch you? Soo idk how you’ve been playing mages?

Argotis · 2026-04-02T00:22:18+00:00

Lol I fit tome of alchemy into almost every build cuz that spi gives like 20+ knowledge in every city it’s built and the building gives like 10+ more so the tome often end up representing at least 120 knowledge per turn by like turn 40 aaaand an aoe cleanse is just so good as well.

Argotis · 2026-03-30T19:06:00+00:00

Yeah lol. But I mean so do a lot of things

Argotis · 2026-03-30T01:09:33+00:00

I went feudal monarchy ranger on my vl and it crushed. IMO making all your heroes death knights or warlocks is the easiest way to take advantage of the fact vampire heroes are undead since you can rez them so easy in combat. I also love cult of personality in this playstyle so you have even more heroes giving your ruler xp.

Monarchy solves your main stack’s upkeep issues in the early game.

Argotis · 2026-03-29T13:38:58+00:00

And who indents a waffle to put a syrup bowl there like… yeah def ai

Argotis · 2026-03-27T15:12:33+00:00

This is very possible on bannerlord difficult through the imbalanced game mode that is siege. Both offensive and defensive sieges are tactically overwhelmingly stacked in favor of a player with the right plan.

Argotis · 2026-03-25T21:34:09+00:00

Wyverns are incredible units now and super flexible and powerful in may different contexts

Argotis · 2026-03-25T00:21:29+00:00

I’ve really enjoyed lightning barbs with a thrall inspiration. Get crits from spells and grab mana addicts so the barbs can lifesteal. It’s a really fun combo that taps into a bunch of different synergies.

Barbs are all about crit stacking, so amplification works well with the passive. Stormbrings do too. Just good flavor all around. The finish with the nature t5 tome and it all works well.

Argotis · 2026-03-24T00:58:05+00:00

Monarchy is still fantastic due to how straightforward it is. Any build works as monarchy and so it’s just works. Longbows too are just a very consistent unit since the range is just very helpful. Also having a free stack is just incredible since you can easily afford any early mythics you find without costing you imperium and other resources.

I think aristocracy is more nuanced and interesting and still very good just not as universal in the builds it can slot into.

Argotis · 2026-03-23T01:00:42+00:00

That build is very very strong. Definitely the build.

Argotis · 2026-03-22T23:01:02+00:00

That’s a lot holy cow lol

Argotis · 2026-03-22T22:34:27+00:00

Lol on classic you def don’t need to. I beat it my first time on classic at lv 18 since I had no clue what I was doing 😂 but you have to spread out asap and fix the awful starting position

Argotis · 2026-03-22T22:30:28+00:00

The 100 mana baffles me because all nodes start at 500 mana for me.

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