Poll: Mage, Thief or Warrior?

[F-I-D-O]

Mage probably wins the fight.
But Rogues have the most fun.

I've liked stealthier classes since they usually add other elements on top of combat. Sword and board gets boring, while the positioning required to perform backstabs or dodge attacks always made me prefer rogues. Having decent ranged options also helped, because I am a fan of the idea that if someone can't reach me, they can't kill me. Lockpicking, pick pocketing, and trap disarming all also bonuses for the quietest path through life.

I also think of it this way: Lichdom Battlemage bored me because it just became "hold down fire and win." By the end of Dark Mesiah, I was ready to move on, but I did enjoy the combat. I don't grow complacent in Dishonored, Thief, or Mark of the Ninja. Stealth gameplay offers more moment-to-moment tests and checks than the others, and I'll always appreciate it more because of that.

Also, ridiculous crit damage with bows is always a plus.

 

[Frankster]

Sword and board warriors for me all the way.

I like supporting, tanking and keeping squishies alive through either taking hits myself (if game gives me no other option) or through cc abilities and clever positioning. Bonus if the warrior class comes with some heals or supporting abilities too.

 

[Zen Bard]

I usually played as some type of hybridized warrior/mage class. That added a little finesse and variety to just running up and hitting things.

But recently, just for gigglypuffs, I played through Skyrim as a stealthy archer type character and had a freaking blast! Didn't have to worry about mana or shields or insanely heavy armor.

And as my kung fu sifu says "First rule of fighting? Don't get hit!"

(Second rule is "don't talk about fight club")

 

[KenAri]

I tend towards Warrior classes. I love sneaking, but I've literally never found a game that handles it well enough. You will, at some point, have to fight. You don't have to sneak, and you don't have to cast spells, but you will have to fight. And I like to be prepared for those outcomes.

Part of the problem is that game devs avoid putting situations in games where players can fail. In most RPGs, you can solve everything with violence. The finest example I can think of is in Neverwinter Nights... 1, I think. You're on trial for something, and you either demand trial by combat, or you conduct research, bribe judges, argue legal semantics and present evidence. And if you handle your court case perfectly, and all five judges vote for your innocence... The prosecutor demands trial by combat and you end up fighting anyway.

Games with game-over screens are equally as sad. I'd like a game about sneaking and being clever and stuff, and if you botch things, the state of the game world becomes noticeably worse for you. Think what Heavy Rain wanted to be in terms of depth of actions, but in an RPG setting. Damn that would be fun. I'd Rogue that shit all day.

 

[WolfThomas]

Battlemage!

This so much. Wherever possible a mage that fights. Be it a Battlemage, Paladin, Templar, Spellsword, Arcane Warrior, Knight Enchanter.

I hate the idea of a squishy mage. If I'm playing a fantasy my character is going to be the equivalent of those insufferable ubermenschs who are excellent athletes and who also have phD's in difficult science. A guy who practices sword play in the morning and studies grimoires in the evening.

 

[DementedSheep]

I tend towards Warrior classes. I love sneaking, but I've literally never found a game that handles it well enough. You will, at some point, have to fight. You don't have to sneak, and you don't have to cast spells, but you will have to fight. And I like to be prepared for those outcomes.

Part of the problem is that game devs avoid putting situations in games where players can fail. In most RPGs, you can solve everything with violence. The finest example I can think of is in Neverwinter Nights... 1, I think. You're on trial for something, and you either demand trial by combat, or you conduct research, bribe judges, argue legal semantics and present evidence. And if you handle your court case perfectly, and all five judges vote for your innocence... The prosecutor demands trial by combat and you end up fighting anyway.

That was 2, unless they also did it in 1. I don't see the point even having a court trail for any death sentence crime if you can just demand trail by combat when you lose anyway.

I remember that fight because it is the one that made me realise my bard is actually terrifying.

 

[Coruptin]

How do marshals even hope to compete against magic? They learn to what? Hit things a little harder? While spellcasters are learning to bend space and time to their whim.

Superior Spellcasters: Patrician Tier
Dirty Marshals: Plebeian Tier

 

[Proto Taco]

Battlemage!

This so much. Wherever possible a mage that fights. Be it a Battlemage, Paladin, Templar, Spellsword, Arcane Warrior, Knight Enchanter.

I hate the idea of a squishy mage. If I'm playing a fantasy my character is going to be the equivalent of those insufferable ubermenschs who are excellent athletes and who also have phD's in difficult science. A guy who practices sword play in the morning and studies grimoires in the evening.

Sooo you wanna be an astronaut?

I always make sure to take the 'Shoot First' perk in the cantina at lvl 1 when I play an astronaut.

 

[1981]

I used to always go for warrior/soldier because I prefer a direct approach.

Then I played as a biotic in Mass Effect to get the achievements. I set enemies on fire with my mind and laughed heartily as they died screaming. Qara's AOE fire spell in Neverwinter Nights 2 got me sold.

Spoiler: What was it you said about nerds?!

Though if I have to pick one, it's still warrior.

 

[Lieju]

Mage. Because I'm a huge nerd and even when I roleplay I'm still a huge nerd. Although I generally like sneaking too so if you can mix those qualities, a sneaky nerd is what I am. Also depending on the game stealth might not be fun...
Also if I'm into any given fantasy story I tend to be into it because of the worldbuilding so roleplaying a character who is interested in how the world works and will wander into ancient tombs just to find some old artefacts or lore fits me.

If I decide to RP by making a character that's focused on RP and making decisions that are not like me I often go for warrior though.

 

[Xeros]

I'mma gonna git'em. *Sneak sneak sneak*

"[small]There's a guard...[/small]
[sub][sub]I'll snap his neck."[/sub][/sub]

 

[Level 7 Dragon]

I usually played as some type of hybridized warrior/mage class. That added a little finesse and variety to just running up and hitting things.

But recently, just for gigglypuffs, I played through Skyrim as a stealthy archer type character and had a freaking blast! Didn't have to worry about mana or shields or insanely heavy armor.

And as my kung fu sifu says "First rule of fighting? Don't get hit!"

(Second rule is "don't talk about fight club")

Tried the rogue build myself. Didn't quite like it. Maybe I got used to old Thief games and pacifist runs of stealth games, but the mechanics were awful. The NPC's acted like they had some kind of memory condition, forgetting about any disturbance after losing an eye to an errant arrow that came from a corner shadow.

In a competative game, I usually pick figher, since it's usually the most straight forward. If the mechanics allow it, I go mage, if they have a wide variety of spells and gives you the abulity to experiment. Stealth is fun, though usually difficult to implement.

It's not always the AI mechanics, one of my favourite sneaking games is TF2. Considering how unpredictable the players are, you are forced to learn the tight maps and the effective use of your gangets, which results in a fair bit of psychological play. It's difficult, yet enjoyable.

Also, backstabbing a rocket jumping soldier in mid air is one of the best feeling in gaming.

 

[FillerDmon]

How bout I do all 3?

Oh wait. I can just be a Mage and have Spells that lock-pick / trap-find / stealth, or buff myself up Final Fantasy Style so I can fight in melee.

Or screw that noise, I'll just hypnotize the weak minded ones into doing it for me.

Or just go perform magic tricks for the princess, marry rich, and screw the rest of the noise.

 

[StormShaun]

Out of these three, Warrior.
Out of all classes, something that can handle two melee weapons.

Yet, weirdly enough, if you're talking about Oblivion or Skyrim, well, I try to go for warrior, but I somehow end up as a hybrid of just EVERYTHING. In those kinds of games, it really depends on my mood. Sometimes I just feel like smashing something, sometimes I feel like lighting someone on fire, and something I feel like leaving a knife/grenade in them.

For everything else that's less fluid like Neverwinter Nights 2, Diablo 2, or even D&D, I like a nice class that can handle fast damage. So a dual-wielding something. Why a sword and shield when you can have two swords?!

EDIT: Although I like my bow and pet in Guild Wars 2. >_>

 

[verdant monkai]

NO TO WARRIOR. THEY'RE BORING.

This seems to be the only criticism people can level at warriors.

They trump wizards because: Wizards need to use mp to do big damage, warriors just flat out do big damage. Wizards use spells which look cool briefly when you cast the spell, warriors always have their cool weapons on display.

The only thing rogues have over them is that they can unlock chests and doors, whereas warriors are able to kill dragons and sell their bits for profit. Sure rogues can shoot stuff, but warriors will survive long enough to get close enough to kill their enemies.

Warriors are easily the best class. The others are just support for warriors.

 

[RedRockRun]

A mage can do either of the other two. I'll summon a weapon to smash, summon a creature to smash for me, turn myself invisible to sneak, or manipulate the minds of those around me so that I don't have to.

 

[Flathole]

Well, since the pics in OP are from the Elder Scrolls games (pre-Skyrim), mage is the obvious choice since you can emulate warrior/thief skills via restoration/alteration.

Fortify lockpick 100 for 1 sec LOL gg security. Also, "fortify speed+acrobatics 100 points for 5 sec" to jump 4 stories to wherever the loot is. then invisibility/100%chameleon your way out. then "fortify mercantile 100 pts for 1 sec" and trade one of your wooden spoons for a Draenic Greatsword of Godly Asskicking.

Anyone get in your way? "weakness to magicka 100 pts for 1 sec + drain life 100 pts for 1 sec" to instakill anything under 200hp (not including innate resists/weaknesses."

I mean, spellmaking was pretty broken in Morrowind and Oblivion, but they didn't need to remove it altogether. Yeah it would take some work removing all the cheese combos. but come on. I miss blowing half my magicka on a devastating 15 second damage over time spell that used every damage source

 

[Zen Bard]

I usually played as some type of hybridized warrior/mage class. That added a little finesse and variety to just running up and hitting things.

But recently, just for gigglypuffs, I played through Skyrim as a stealthy archer type character and had a freaking blast! Didn't have to worry about mana or shields or insanely heavy armor.

And as my kung fu sifu says "First rule of fighting? Don't get hit!"

(Second rule is "don't talk about fight club")

Tried the rogue build myself. Didn't quite like it. Maybe I got used to old Thief games and pacifist runs of stealth games, but the mechanics were awful. The NPC's acted like they had some kind of memory condition, forgetting about any disturbance after losing an eye to an errant arrow that came from a corner shadow.

Oh I totally agree! The stealth mechanics in Skyrim are just terrible...which is probably why I enjoyed it so much! The sheer ridiculousness of it was just so entertaining.

I'd hide in the shadows, snipe a bandit and watch all his comrades frantically run around trying to find me. When they couldn't, one of them would say "Must've been the wind". Then they'd all go back to doing whatever it was they were doing, blissfully ignoring the dead body lying right in front of them with the arrow sticking out of its head.

 

[LetalisK]

Sneaky. If I have my choice, I'm usually a sniper with a close combat weapon as backup (ie sniper rifle/shotgun or bow/sword and board). I never go as a primarily melee sneaker. Daggers can sod off.

 

[freaper]

My safe option is always thief, but I do try different approaches once I'm comfortable with a game's mechanics.