A solid mage as of my experience ( 5th playtrough now, 2 on normal and 3 on hard difficulty, some full 4 men party, some Lone wolves) :
Attributes: max INT, some speed and CON ( for Lone wolf/Glass Cannon you have to invest heavily on CON).
Talents: (7 usually- 2 at the beginning, and at 3, 7, 11, 15, 19 lvl): Far Out Man, Leech, Know-it-All ( take when base INT=15). Picture of Health & Weather the Storm- (non mandatory if you are rich and buy/find many rubies and essences) . For Glass Cannon- Lone Wolf and Zombie.
Later you can exchange talent points for abilities points. (For melee or ranger there are always useful talents.)
Skills: (marked with ! are mostly used)
Pyrokinetic- Flare, Small Fireball !, Summon Fire Elemental (rarely useful). Non mandatory: Infectious Flame and Meteor Shower.
Hydrosophist- Heal, Rain, Ice Shard, Strong Regenerate, Piercing Ice Shard !. Optional: Restoration.
Aerotheurge- Teleportation, Blitz Bolt !, Invisibility (one char with invisibility is enough), Lightning Bolt. Not mandatory: Chain Lightning.
Geomancer- Midnight Oil (somewhat useful), Boulder Bash !, Deadly Spores ( for Zombie talent), Summon Pet (spider).
Witchcraft- Oath Of Desecration !, Bloodletting (for Zombie/Leech), Blind !!!!!, Summon Armoured Undead Decapitator, Soulsap !( strong skill for the Final boss), Death Punch (biggest dmg from a mage but very rare use). Optional: Drain Willpower.
Ability points: 2-3 in every magic school, 5 in Man at Arms (non mandatory if you are rich and buy/find many rubies and essences). If two lone wolves- 5 leadership. Crafting- leave it for the str or dex char. Rest- in willpower and bodybuilding.
From the middle of the game, if not earlier, your physical dmg dealers will out-damage your mages if build properly.
Last edited by xiery; 09/08/14 09:32 PM.