In the continuing series of per-class newbie resources, here are a few things an aspiring mage might want to take a look at. A damage-dealing class designed to stay out of combat and incinerate or freeze enemies from a distance, mages are often in demand for their AoE (area of effect) and crowd control abilities as much as their hard-hitting spells. It's a fun class to play--there's nothing quite like the smell of roasted enemy to get you going.

Much of early mage levelling is self-explanatory, but here's some sites for starters:

• Allakhazam has a nice class overview to help you choose your race, and an even nicer spell list so you can plan ahead.
• Stratics' overview is useful as well, with a discussion of hit-and-run tactics and a spell overview.
• The "Things that go Boom!" primer gives a decent introduction to the class, including a glossary and levelling areas.
• Another class guide is at Ten Ton Hammer, covering mage-specific quests and in-depth tactics.
  
• On the official forums, there's a great FAQ and also a list of AoE spots if that tickles your fancy.

Probably the most-asked newbie question (especially for players switching from other classes) is "When do I get Polymorph"--as outlined in the spell lists linked above, the first rank is available at level 8, and a lot of fun it is too. The key to mages seems to be mana and aggro management--the last thing a budding mage wants is to be cut down in their prime because they're low on mana when there are hungry mobs circling around ready to tear through that flimsy cloth armour. With a little experience it becomes quite easy to juggle, though: good luck.

[Previous classes: Priest, Druid, Hunter] 

Filed under: Mage, How-tos