Well, it's me again - I leveled up an anti-paladin (as I mentioned in my last thread) but simply couldn't get over my need to scratch the 'magical mobs assisting me' itch. I made a conjurer and I'm loving it.

Thing is, I'm at level 17 now, and summoned up a familiar, and now...well, I'm at a loss. "Now what" is probably the most succinct way to express my feelings.

I mean, the familiar (an ifrit) isn't really that great in combat, and I still snap like a twig if anything close to my might so much as looks at me wrong.

Am I simply slated to continue grouping up with people until I can summon up bigger, badder things like demons and the like?

Banks exist in every city.
Invis is what you are every waking moment unless there is a specific reason to be visible.
Avoid fighting warriors, but you can pick on anyone else at 17. Warriors are also manageable, but probabnly not for yuou unless they are hurt.
Make an alias fam murder $target and start with it, immediately followed by your alias for c magic $target. If your familiar cannot tank any, reverse the two commands.
Learn about the world staying in your guild by using familiar.
Don't fret about con, this is your learning char. Treat it as temp, let it condie. Your second will be much stronger.
Stay at 17 trying to pk, then stay at 27. Might not want to bother going to 35 if low on con at 27 with this char. Much more important to learn to pk with demon/angel than with devil/archon, which is comparatively easy mode.

It depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

Do you want to get XP/levels? A group is always going to be, by far, the easiest way to do that, no matter what level you are. I say this as someone who took an evil conjurer to hero about 70% solo, which I do not recommend to anyone and doubly do not recommend to a newer player.

Do you want to explore the world and learn your way around better? Your familiar is an excellent tool for this. In most cases, it will get into less trouble in dangerous places than you will, and if it gets into trouble, you can usually release it.

Do you want to PK? You can do this pretty well at 17 if you're of a mind to. You have parry and shield block, which make you a passable tank for your level. You have one of the tankier familiars. Magic missile is up to 3 missiles per cast, so right now it's about as good as it will ever be. Be careful with people who can bash and/or trip you, but you could kill a surprising amount of your range with a familiar and magic missile. You're still missing your class's "best" abilities, but so are all of your opponents.

Well, I thought that the main point of the game was to dominate the PK scene, though I suppose that it couldn't hurt to get more exploration under my belt.

I'm also trying to scare up enough money to pay off the Empire recruiter, but I keep dying and losing it all, which is putting a bit of a damper on it. Live and learn (or die and learn in this case!)

Is very risky indeed. Typically mages at low levels have magical items like damage casting wands to increase damage output. You can certainly PK other characters with magical devices, items and good timing but often it will be a case of "spray and pray*".

Some classes (typically melee based) start with a good amount of power at lower levels, but weaken as they progress toward hero. Mages are the reverse. Real PK power for mages doesn't really start to show until around level 35 and they often peak at hero for most classes, though semi-skilled conjurers have decent options before then.

Two milestones for you will be your elementals (any align) and your higher tier servitors such as archons/angels (typically for goodies) and demons/devils for evils**. Evil and Neutral can use both good and evil servitors have a harder time controlling servitors which are not of their alignment. There are a number of other PK powers which are useful toward hero.

For now you are still very fragile. There's no reason not to dabble in PK but be careful with that familiar as there are serious downsides to letting it die, and expect to eat lots of PK-deaths before you get the formula right if you do.

*This term was something I heard in an earlier discussion today and really sums up lowbie mage combat well.
**Associated helpfiles: help 354-358, help 421, help 371, help 337. Also, the "spell" command in CF will show the level you can obtain these spells.

On the note of PK deaths - I've died several times as it is and had to sink trains into CON that could've been better used elsewhere (to keep my already frail little conjurer from being slain by a stiff breeze, you understand).

Is there a way to practice PK without any consequences? A 'friendly spar' or something similar?

>Is there a way to practice PK without any consequences? A
>'friendly spar' or something similar?

There's an arena near Galadon where you and another character can consentually non-fatally fight.

That being said, keep in mind that what to do once you're fighting, while a very important part of PK knowledge/skill, is only a part. For example, basic area knowledge is crucial in getting to your prey when you're on the attack and avoiding predators when you're not.