Mages in Rune Slayer belong to the Magician branch, a versatile group that forms the backbone of magical prowess in the game. As you progress, you’ll have the opportunity to evolve your base Magician into one of two advanced subclasses—Sorcerer or Warlock—each specializing in unique magical abilities and playstyles. In this guide, we’ll break down the base Magician class and dive into the strengths, weaknesses, and key abilities of both the Sorcerer and Warlock subclasses to help you choose the path that best suits your playstyle.
The Base Class: Magician
The Magician is the starting class for magic users in Rune Slayer. It focuses on mana-based abilities, self-buffing, and utility spells that set a solid foundation for more specialized roles.
Playstyle
- Foundation: Provides a balanced introduction to magic with a mix of offensive and defensive spells.
- Utility: Offers self-buffs and minor utility spells to aid in combat and resource management.
Key Abilities
-
Mana Arrow (Level 1):
Fires an auto-aiming magical arrow at the nearest target. It deals roughly twice the Oak Staff’s critical damage (approximately 14 base damage). -
Lesser Strength (Level 3?):
Grants a minor Strength buff that lasts for 5 minutes. -
Lesser Intellect (Level 3?):
Grants a minor Intellect buff for 5 minutes. -
Lesser Dexterity (Level 3?):
Provides a minor Dexterity buff for 5 minutes; this buff costs more mana compared to the others. -
Magic Shield (Level 5?):
Creates a protective barrier that reduces damage from the next 5 hits (damage reduction decreases with each hit). -
Conjure Food (Level 7):
Uses mana to create food that restores 200 health (10 per tick) when eaten out of combat. -
Conjure Water (Level 7):
Uses mana to conjure water that restores roughly 150 mana (8 per tick) when consumed out of combat. -
Arcane Armor (Level 8):
A passive ability that increases your armor based on your Intellect stat. -
Mana Bomb (Level 10):
Throws a ball of mana in an arc, dealing slightly more damage than Mana Arrow.
After reaching a certain level, Magicians can specialize into either the Sorcerer or the Warlock subclass.
Advanced Subclasses
Sorcerer (Arcane Specialist)
Playstyle
- High Burst Damage: The Sorcerer focuses on generating and managing Arcane Charges to empower spells for explosive damage.
- Self-Sustain: With abilities like Arcane Mend, the Sorcerer can heal themselves by using accumulated charges.
Key Abilities & Mechanics
-
Arcane Charges:
Casting spells has a chance to generate an Arcane Charge. These charges are the core resource for the Sorcerer’s abilities. -
Arcane Explosion:
Consumes an Arcane Charge to unleash a powerful explosion that deals significant damage. -
Arcane Mend:
Uses 2 Arcane Charges to heal the Sorcerer, providing much-needed sustain in prolonged fights. -
Arcane Finale:
When the Sorcerer reaches max Arcane Charges, they can unleash them in a devastating spell that maximizes their burst damage potential.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths:
- High burst damage
- Self-sustain through healing abilities
- Weaknesses:
- Mana-intensive
- Requires careful management of Arcane Charges
Warlock (Dark Summoner)
Playstyle
- Summoning and Soul Mechanics: The Warlock excels at summoning demons to fight alongside them and harnessing soul-based resources.
- Sustain & Control: Warlocks use their summoned minions and soul mechanics for both damage output and survivability.
Key Abilities & Mechanics
-
Sacrifice:
Dismisses the current demon, reclaiming its essence as souls. This ability helps replenish the Warlock’s resource pool. -
Summon Fiend / Summon Imp:
Warlocks can summon different types of demons (fiends and imps) that require souls to maintain their power. -
Soul Steal:
Extracts the soul from a defeated enemy, converting it into souls—a resource used to power other Warlock abilities. -
Soul Link:
A defensive mechanism where summoned demons absorb a portion of the damage taken by the Warlock, providing additional sustain.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths:
- Reliable sustained damage through minions
- Unique resource management via souls
- Weaknesses:
- Dependent on summons and their upkeep
- Requires careful soul management to maximize effectiveness
The Magician branch in Rune Slayer offers a dynamic and evolving playstyle that caters to a variety of preferences. Whether you start as a basic Magician or choose to specialize as a Sorcerer or Warlock, each path offers unique abilities and strategic depth. Consider your preferred playstyle—whether it’s high burst damage with Arcane Charges or strategic summoning with soul management—to decide which subclass best fits your approach. Embrace the magic, and may your journey through Rune Slayer be both powerful and rewarding!