Mastering the Arcane: Top Mage Build for Early Game in Last Epoch

The Mage class in Last Epoch is known for using elemental magic to take down groups of enemies. With many playstyles available, new players might find it overwhelming to choose the right one.

Here is a Lightning-focused build that starts off weak but becomes stronger as players level up. While it may not be as powerful as other leveling builds in Last Epoch initially, it quickly becomes a force to be reckoned with as all its key components come together to create a character with high damage and mobility.

Last Epoch Mage Leveling Build Skills

Leveling a lightning mage in Last Epoch - Last Epoch Mage Leveling Build Skills

Lightning Blast

Before we talk about the abilities of this build, it's important to note that it may feel slow in the beginning, especially until you reach level 25. Lightning Blast is a key damage dealer in this build, but it only becomes powerful once you invest at least seven points in its specialization tree. This means that players will need to rely on Disintegrate until they reach level 15, when they can start using Static and mastery classes. After this point, the build will really start to shine and clear maps quickly with its lightning attacks.

Arcing Power: Lightning Blast can chain an extra time for each Lightning Blast you have cast recently, with a limit on how many additional chains it can create.

Storm Razor: Lightning Blast receives a boost in both its base critical hit chance and base damage.

Overcharge: Lightning Blast has a chance to cast twice.

Hypercharge: Lightning Blast has a chance to cast four times instead of two when Overcharge procs.

Early on, Lightning Blast may not be as powerful as Fireball or Mana Strike, but it has the unique ability to double and quadruple cast while hitting multiple targets. This makes it a great AoE spell that doesn't require any mana to use. It's also useful for stutter stepping, where you move, pause to attack, and then reposition yourself. Make sure to unlock Overcharge and Hypercharge early on.

As Lightning Blast requires specialization points, it is commonly used in the early stages of the game. By the time players reach the Emperor's Remains boss in Ruined Era, they will have gained enough experience to level up this skill effectively.

Teleport

Comet Rush: Increases cooldown recovery speed and refreshes Haste if teleport is used while the buff is active.

After teleporting within the past 4 seconds, Resonant Plasma grants you bonus Fire and Lightning Resistance, along with Stun Avoidance.

Elemental Affinity boosts your Elemental Damage when you use Teleport within the past 4 seconds.

Teleport is a really handy skill for moving around easily. You can use it to avoid getting hit and move quickly through different areas of the game, all while getting some extra offensive and defensive boosts. If you reduce the cooldown enough, you can even keep the bonuses from Resonant Plasma and Elemental Affinity going for a long time.

If you're having trouble staying alive, it's a good idea to invest in the upper-right branch to unlock Mirror Images. But if you're not struggling with survival, you can go down the bottom-right path to have Teleport trigger Elemental Nova when you use it.

Static

High Voltage: Increases movement charge rate.

Stormchaser: Doubles movement charge rate, but charges decay after not moving for at least 1 second.

Empower: Discharge deals more Lightning damage; bonus is doubled if you have at least 80 charges.

This build is designed to take down powerful enemies quickly. With full stacks, it can eliminate most foes in one hit, which is perfect for clearing maps. However, there is a short cooldown on Static, and you need to keep moving to maintain stacks, so it may not always be ready when you need it.

To make the most of this build, focus on keeping Static fully charged. Keep moving, use Lightning Blast in between movements, and teleport away when facing strong attacks. Once Static has at least 80 charges, unleash it to wipe out up to five enemies nearby.

Flame Ward

Dilation: Extends Flame Ward's duration and increases mana efficiency.

Lightning Ward: Converts Flame Ward and all its Fire bonuses to Lightning.

Infusion: Increases Fire damage when Flame Ward is active.

Flame Ward is the Mage's key skill for staying alive. It helps you build up a lot of Ward and receive useful buffs. You can't focus on this skill until you reach your fourth specialization slot, but that's okay because survivability isn't as crucial during the campaign. Prioritize increasing your damage output initially, and only invest in Flame Ward when you start to require it.

Passive Skills

The first 20 passive points of a mage build in last epoch - Passive Skills

Elementalist (8/8): Increases Fire, Lightning and Cold damage.

Arcane Current (5/6): Every 5 seconds, casting your Lightning skills also fires Arcane Lightning.

Preparation (4/10): Your next elemental spell deals more damage and can slow enemies every 3 seconds.

Mage Flurry (3/5): Get faster attack and cast speed, along with quicker cooldown recovery for Teleport and Snap Freeze.

Arcane Current is a useful skill to have in the beginning for improved area of effect (AOE) damage. It will always land a critical hit if you have five points invested in it. Later on, you can switch to Arcanist if you prefer having more Intelligence and resistance to Fire and Lightning damage.

Preparation pairs nicely with Static, especially when you cast the skill with maximum stacks. Even at a low level, you can easily deal over 5,000 damage with this combination. When used effectively, it can be very effective against bosses.

Gear and Stat Priorities

Stats for a mage leveling build in last epoch - Gear and Stat Priorities

To boost the power of your Lightning Blast, focus on adding Lightning Damage and Spell Damage to your weapons. While staves are a solid choice in the beginning, consider switching to a Birch Wand or another one-handed weapon with high Spell Damage along with an off-hand catalyst like a skull or tome for even more damage.

When deciding on a Mastery Class, it's important to consider your playstyle and preferences. There are many options to choose from, each offering unique benefits and playstyle options. It's recommended to experiment with different classes to find the one that best suits your preferred playstyle and character build.

Runemaster's Invocation skill in Last Epoch - Which Mastery Class Should You Choose?

This Mage leveling build works best with the Sorcerer or Runemaster subclasses. The Sorcerer focuses on damage, while the Runemaster has various ways to deal and absorb damage. It's not recommended to choose the Spellblade subclass with this build because it doesn't have as many synergies with Lightning damage and relies on melee attacks, which this build doesn't have.

Editor's P/S:

As a seasoned gamer and avid reader of gaming content, I found this article on the Mage class in Last Epoch to be a well-written and informative guide. The author provides a clear and concise explanation of the class's abilities and playstyles, making it easy for new players to understand. The inclusion of detailed descriptions of each skill and passive, along with tips for gear and stat prioritization, is particularly valuable.

Overall, I believe this article is an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn more about the Mage class and how to build a successful character for leveling. It provides a solid foundation for understanding the class's mechanics and offers valuable insights for optimizing performance. I would highly recommend it to any Last Epoch player seeking to improve their skills with the Mage class.