SureAI

I'm going after after the bounty on Gigantua who is four star difficulty to kill. I think I'm about level 35...is that sufficient to handle a nest of wild mages? Is there a strategy for this side quest...I am finding it a little difficult.

And on the same topic...what does it take to kill or defend against these mages that throw ice spikes? They even kill my level 34 summoning. I don't seem to have a defense. Is there one?

The best tactic I've come up with on encountering a group of wild mages (or the like) on the highest difficulty (Iron Path) is this: find a place (rock, etc.) to hide behind that is in target range. This is assuming that you are good with a range weapon (archer, fireballs, etc.).

A mage that can throw a good ice spike will not miss you if you don't dodge and oftentimes, an instant or two kill (I tend to wear light armor at best). So, climb up, scramble or do whatever to find a barrier like a rock that you can duck behind. Pop out to shoot an arrow or ball then duck back behind when the mage(s) shoot. Repeat for a long time. But it also helps to summon something to draw the mage(s) attention - even just to get an extra shot in before ducking back. That could speed things up a little bit.

I'll give you two good examples. The first are those towers in Western Cliff when you climb up from Riverville. I did that when I was at around level 12 and these were the first higher-end mages I encountered. No chance if I get hit once. I avoided the first tower to battle the mage at the second tower first (the one with a golem and fire wolf). Just above the road are rock outcroppings and there was this one spot that I could hide behind yet still fire at those three or so targets. Incidentally, for the first tower (the one with two mages inside), I went to the cliff's edge just barely within range of the door but yet far enough away that I could dodge the ice spikes.

The other place was near the Lighthouse of Firerock. Very, very tough place for there are like 5-6 higher-end mages. I found a rock near the beach that I can keep summoning something and then target a mage. Yes, it probably took an hour or so but this is the kind of tactics I like to do and have patience for when I play as a Sneak Archer.

Thank you for taking the time.

I played Skyrim some years ago and participated in three (?) forums.--all very active all full of generous people wiling ...even eager...to help and advise.

The people here are great but I wish this forum were more active. I must have three or four questions out there since I became a member that have never been answered.

I think much of the forum activity is over on the German side.

Enderal will turn 2 years old in a few months. That's why the activity in the forum naturally subsides.
Most of the answers can be found in the forum or in the wiki.
I think that will change again after release of FS

Thanks for the answers and your time...

I don't mean to be contrary but I think Skyrim was two years old when I first started playing it . And then I quit for a year or two and came back to it later. All that time the forums were buzzing...probably still are , if the state of Nexus mods is any indication.

I really like Enderal but sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get an answer. And come on, realistically, the wiki and other documentation leaves a lot to be desired compared to Skyrim. So many blank entries.

Just saying....

lots of people seem to play Enderal only once. hopefully a second time as soon as FS is released.
Skyrim is "easier" to play and to mod, Enderal is much darker.
and that's just about the people knowing about Enderal.
I obviously can't speak for other users (and I don't know what other questions weren't answered),
but in this case I would just have answered "go and check for yourself ".
and that's not that helpful

the wiki is written by the community, so feel free to fill in the blanks

I never did understand wikis in general--tried to "edit"/contribute to Wikipedia once or twice and gave it up as a bad idea.
But when you come down to it, saying "feel free to fill in the blanks" is not significantly different from saying "go and check for yourself". And both are perfect examples of indifference.

And perhaps...at least in my opinion...the reason this forum is so dead. And as you, yourself say "not that helpful."

:/
I'm generally really not indifferent to other users problems, and neither is the rest of the community, if it's that what you're saying.
I just didn't know how to answer that question in any other way, so I didn't. (I mostly do technical support)
and while there is not more activity on the german side,
four of the most active users are german, two of them not that fluent in english.

as for the wiki.. and that's absolutely ok.
I'm not a writer either.
but don't "complain" (in lack of a better term) then and call it indifference :/

I appreciate the conversation but the word indifference applies to the responses and not the person. I can understand that you "didn't know how to answer that question in any other way" but it still comes off (appears) as indifference. Or "snark" Or an unwillingness to engage. Take your pick.

I created and run a forum myself. It's not very active either but then our base...our audience...might be a couple of hundred people worldwide. One thing I have learned--questions will get asked over and over and over again. The same questions...as new members come on. And if the moderators get tired of answering the same questions over and over and over again, the new members quit and never come back. And then the old members who are not moderators stop answering questions too--they take their cues from the mods, and the general tone of the forum. And then they start to feeling like they are an exclusive club . And that comes across...if only because no one is reaching out.

I apologize...I didn't intend to draw this out and make it an extended criticism of the forum. And I'm grateful for your patience. It's just that I've long since realized that there really isn't a good source of information about Enderal...not one a person can rely on and trust for help. I come here and ask questions almost more out of desperation than hope.

Anyway, FWIW... just my opinion.

Thanks again.