Telara is a dangerous, enchanting place. If you picked the Mage path in Rift, you’ll cast big spells, make choices about souls, and customize your playstyle. I’ve played Mages since 2012 and I’ll give you practical, level 1–20 advice that actually helps — not fluff.
How the Mage Works (short)
Your Mage uses souls to shape abilities and roles. Mana is the resource you spend and manage; Intelligence and Spell Power raise your damage. I’ve noticed new players focus on shiny gear instead of the basics — don’t do that at level 1–20 (this doesn’t always work for every niche).
Key stats to watch (as of 2025)
| Stat | Why it matters | Pick first |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | Increases spell damage and crit chance | Yes |
| Spell Power | Direct spell damage boost | Yes |
| Critical Hit | More frequent big hits | After power |
| Wisdom | Bigger mana pool and regen | When fights are long |
Starter builds that work
Pick souls that match how you like to play. Why? Because you’ll learn faster and die less, which means more fun and faster XP. My go-to beginner choice: Pyromancer + Elementalist. It’s straightforward and lethal. If you want survivability, try Chloromancer + Warlock — it heals and keeps you alive.
- Pyromancer/Elementalist — strong single-target and AoE.
- Chloromancer/Warlock — sustain and safety for rough quests.
- Necromancer/Warlock — pet play if you like a minion babysit.
- Stormcaller/Elementalist — fast clearing for farming.
There are exceptions (depends on your niche). You can also grab a zero-point tool from a third soul for utility — Pillaging Stone or emergency crowd control are useful picks (examples, check in-game tooltips to confirm numbers).
Leveling route (1–20)
Start in the default starter zone for your faction, finish yellow quests, and join zone events when they pop. Why? Zone events give concentrated XP and loot; Mages melt groups with AoE. Want speed? Focus story quests and event participation.
| Range | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1–6 | Starter quests, learn your abilities |
| 7–10 | Move to main zones for more quests |
| 11–15 | Rift/Zone events and story quests |
| 16–20 | Shift to higher-level zones and dungeons |
Questions? Drop into an event — seriously, do it. Experience spikes are real! (I say this because we found it beats mindless grinding.)
Gear tips
Early on, prioritize Intelligence and Spell Power. Upgrade your weapon before swapping every other slot — it changes your damage more than a tiny trinket. Don’t overpay on gear before level 20; you’ll replace it fast. Join a guild if you can; crafters and guild perks save time and money.
“Weapon upgrades first. That single change often speeds up every fight.” — from my own runs
Basic combat and rotation
Keep your routine simple. Why? Because clean, repeatable actions beat complex but bungled sequences. For single targets, keep your DoT running, use your main cast, and refresh before it drops. For groups, use your best AoE, then tab-target to spread DoTs.
// Simple pseudo-rotation (levels 1–20)
if (target.far) cast(FlameBolt)
apply(Ignite)
repeat cast(Fireball) 3
use(CinderBurst) when available
refresh(Ignite)
Practice on dummies. Muscle memory matters. Honestly, a sloppy rotation done well outperforms a perfect one done half the time.
Where to get good stuff
- Quest rewards — pick cloth with INT.
- Planar vendors — use Planarite sparingly.
- Dungeon drops (level 15+) — blue gear is worth it.
- Crafted items — useful if you’ve got a friend who crafts.
Note: Don’t spend too much platinum on temporary upgrades (there are exceptions). Save for meaningful enchants or a weapon upgrade.
Practical tips and a couple of hard truths
By the way, PvP warfronts are often overrated for leveling; they’re fun but slower (controversial, I know). Also, some addons promise perfect rotations — between us, most won’t work the way you expect without practice. You’ll need to test them.
- Keep DoTs active — that’s where consistent damage comes from.
- Use instant casts while moving — movement shouldn’t kill your DPS.
- Pre-cast before pulls — burst wins many fights.
Oddly enough, switching souls mid-quest can speed you up sometimes. Counterintuitive? Yes. Useful? Also yes.
Final push to level 20
As you near level 20 you’ll unlock more souls and choices. Keep experimenting. Why experiment? Because Rift’s soul system rewards creativity and adaptation. Try one new soul at a time so you understand what changed.
Two small caveats: numbers in tooltips can change with patches (check patch notes dated 2025-06-15 and later), and some mechanics depend on server balance. If something feels off, it might be patched or nerfed; that happens.
Good luck. If you want quick help with a specific build or rotation, say which souls you picked and I’ll give tips. — I’ll see you in Telara! 🧙‍♀️✨
