Mage

*"You are not afraid, you say? You mistake your ignorance for bravery. I have conjured the fires of the Sun between my fingers, crafted felbeasts, and commanded the undead...*

*teaching you fear is nothing by comparison." ~Amycus the Physiomancer*

Mages can cast several spells.

how to summon though?

## Description

Mages are powerful human spellcasters. They were the first spellcasters added to LittleWarGame, and have had a variety of spells over time. As of patch 3.9, they are focused on offensive, area-of-effect abilities.

## Abilities

**Slow Field**

Cost: 60 Mana, Cooldown: 0 Sec, Range: 7

Mages start with the ability to summon Slow Fields, which reduce the movement speed of all enemy units in a target area by 50%. The Slow Field affects units within 4 range of itself and lasts 25 seconds.

Slow Field is a powerful tool that can prevent enemy armies from retreating or slow their advance to give ranged units more time to fire. They also make it much harder for an enemy to dodge catapult fire or Fireballs. The duration is such that a Mage with 100 mana will just be able to cast 2 Slow Fields back-to-back.

**Fireball**

Cost: 50 Mana, Cooldown: 3 Sec, Rang: 13

Mages can learn the ability to conjure Fireballs, which deal damage to both friendly and enemy units and buildings in a line. The Fireball affects units within 1 range of its path and travels at speed 5. It will always travel 13 range, even when cast at a closer point.

Fireballs deal varying amounts of damage based on three factors:

1. How large the target is. In general, Fireballs deal up to 20 damage + 10 for each unit of size; so a size 1 unit like a Soldier would take up to 30 damage, a size 2 unit or building like a Werewolf would take up to 40 damage, and a size 3 building like a House would take up to 50 damage.

2. How close a target is to the center of the Fireball's path. Targets near the edge of the path take much less damage.

3. How close a target is to the beginning or end of the Fireball's range. Targets at the very beginning or end of the Fireball's path take less damage.

Fireball is capable of dealing enormous amounts of damage - as much as several hundred if fired into a dense cluster of units. However, because it deals damage to friendly units as well, Mages must be positioned carefully to maximize its effectiveness, which often leaves the Mages vulnerable to attack.

## Upgrades

**Research Fireball**

Lets your Mages cast Fireball.

**Attack Upgrade**

Increases the attack damage of your Human units.

(Grants Mages +1 damage per upgrade, up to +5)

**Defense Upgrade**

Increases the armor of your Human units.

(Grants Mages +1 armor per upgrade, up to +5)

**Speed Upgrade**

Increases the movement speed of your Human units.

(Grants Mages +0.20 speed per upgrade, up to +1.00)

**Range Upgrade**

Increases the range of your ranged Human units. Has no influence on melee units.

(Grants Mages +1 range per upgrade, up to +5)

## Usage

Mages are typically used in small or mid-size groups to deal additional damage to enemy armies, but are also sometimes massed.

Their Slow Field ability can make a critical difference if used well against Wolves or even Dragons, which would ordinarily use their speed to avoid critical damage; while their Fireball ability can be devastating against most low-tier units. In addition, because it is not affected by Armor, Fireball can be one of the few ways to deal significant ranged damage against Werewolves. Furthermore, the combination of Slow Field and Fireball can be very difficult to stop.

However, Mages struggle in open areas where their AOE abilities are less effective and they are likely to be surrounded and focused down quickly. They have low speed and one of the lowest health-to-cost ratios in the game, tied only with Priests, making them very fragile in combat.

## Development

1.10: Mages guild from 60s build time to 75s

1.30: cost from 100 to 120

Mage's guild from 450g to 350g
Take 2 supply
1.32: Guild cost from 300g to 350g

1.70: Added heal spell

Trained in barracks
All spells are from mages guild
Guild cost down to 200g from 300g
Guild build time from 75s to 60s
1.74: Hp from 60 to 80

1.80: Vision increased by 1

1.84: Spell cost increases each spell you buy