So I just beat the game using a Strength build for 80% of the game, but I switched to a Str/Faith build which I've been loving. I destroyed the last few bosses using Faith and it was great, got to SL 150 and farmed the mats to upgrade my armour/weapons. LOVED casting Miracles and hitting 1.9k Sunlight Spears.

Now I think I kind of want to try a real Mage playthrough, but I'm not sure if I should just start a whole new save or respec in NG+ (started as a Knight, so a few stats will be unnecessary like Strength).

So, should I start over or carry on and try to make the best of it with unlocked weapons/gear for a Mage that I've picked up.

Just finished a NG+ run with a mage dual focusing on INT and FTH, and I had a really good time with it. If you really enjoyed doing massive damage with single spells (like the Sunlight Spears), you may really like a similar build to mine. There are some insanely powerful sorceries (a good number of bosses in NG+ can be taken down with 3-4 Soul Geysers), and I had a shit ton of fun stomping into boss rooms completely stocked with my best sorceries, lightning spears, pyromancies, and hexes all ready to go.

I think your decision to respec should really come down to what types of weapons you want to use. The reallocation of stat points is completely without consequence...however the precious ores you may have spent are not so easy to get back. If you dumped a bunch of valuable stones into weapons and armor you will no longer be using with a new build, it might be best to start anew. Also, NG+ is no joke, so it might be frustrating if you are working with a number of new spells you aren't familiar with.

The soul vessel is made to respec, without the hassle of a new save file. I think you shouldd just continue. I respecced to a 99 INT mage, found the playstyle too different (and too hard) coming from a dex/str-build. It's funny cause I played a pure mage build twice in dks1 and demon's souls.

I beat the game first as a strength build as well and quickly realised how nerfed the armor is in this game and how useless tanking is in NG+. So I respecced to give my str build a bunch of faith and the lightning spears have made NG+ way more manageable. I'm using the Pursuers Greatsword for close range as it does significant damage and staggers enemies and just lightning spearing the hell out of the bosses. Magic in this game seems to be where it's at.

However I did start a new character to play through it as a duel wielder as I didn't want to have my ass kicked in NG+ trying to figure out how it works and although I beat the game without ever needing a shield, the damage trade off didn't seem as practical as a magic build because you have to get in close.

I think I may wait for the pc version before starting an all out magic build.

Hey yo, thought in the end it might have been more fun to have two characters and be able to swap between my pure melee character and my pure caster, so I started a Mage character and I'm loving it. I wish I started from this in the beginning.

Fighting to urge to replay Dark Souls I, and to actually start Demon's Souls

Have any of you wizards out there bothered using that sword which cast spells using it's heavy attack? I'm a STR build but that always seemed pretty cool - unless the damage and scaling completely ruins it.

@humanity: It's cool in concept, but the scaling on it is so ass, you lose so much damage using it instead of Sunset Staff or Staff of Wisdom.

@doctordonkey: Do you think it would be possible to Infuse it with better magic scaling? Eh, probably better to just shoot off super powerful spells and have a sword backup than use a single weapon that does both but poorly

I'm enjoying playing through a mage with a new save a good deal more. Now that I know the world pretty well and know where good armor/rings/spells are located, it's fun to plan out the strategy of where to go, what bosses to tackle, and how to build out my character. I don't think I'd get the same enjoyment from just respecing and using my already acquired spells and levels.

It's definitely slower going at first though. Your initial spells aren't super powerful, and it's a lot of rolling and plunking away with soul arrows. I've been running with a dagger in one hand and a staff in the other so far.

Make sure to upgrade and infuse whatever you are using to cast spells, it makes SUCH a difference. @humanity Infusing the Blue Flame with magic doesn't change the scaling sadly. Oddly the best scaling for INT that it gets comes from Bleed/Poison (I think that's a bug with a few of the special weapons, but hey whatever works.) The best use of the Blue Flame is to throw people off with casting while you are in the middle of a combo or not having to switch. Sadly it ONLY cast int spells, Hexes can't be cast at all (And I love me some Dark Orb.) so that kinda sucks. Moonlight Greatsword is where it's at for INT Build swords.

@humanity: Just hold your weapon in one hand and your staff/catalyst in the other. You are always committed to using one at a time so having the ability to cast spells and melee with the same weapon is meaningless.

@minusx: Moonlight Greatsword is fantastic, for sure. If you are a dude with 30/30 int/faith though, enchant a Crypt Blacksword with Resonant Weapon and you will see some serious shit.

@doctordonkey: It mainly sounded cool for PVP - like the dood would be blocking and you'd slash-slash then POW. Also I wonder how dual wielding two of those swords would work in relation to the heavy attack. I'm certain you wouldn't cast two of the same spell, but I wonder if it would be more powerful? Maybe it's lame and you only do a standard physical.

I opted to experiment with different builds instead of jumpint into NG+.

It resulted in a bunch of failed characters that i wasn't really into, and then a character that ended up alot like my first character except better designed, instead of being some awkward mash if str/dex and faith i did str/dex at a 2 to 1.5 ratio. (endd at 40 strength 30 dex) using the broadsword and halberd as my weapons (both are well suited to that stat set up). Instead of miracles i did pyromancy, which honestly i like better. I dont think its better, i just enjoy it it more.

My failed characters consisted of a dex build (i dont really like any of the dex weapons). A sorcerer, (i hate spamming spells, it feels so lame). Then a Dex / sorcerer. I don't know why i tried so hard to hit those two types, but honestly, dex weapons are for chumps and sorcery is boring as shit to use.

I just jumped into NG+ with my pyroknight guy and im actually really enjoying it even though im still really early on. Getting jumped by crazy hawk guys right as you spawn is kinda nuts.

I would definitely say NG+. I tried a mage after my first character also, got bored, and hopped into NG+. I kind of now feel like NG+ is the best part of Dark Souls 2.