I typically play games as a magic-user, should I wait to buy it?

If you're strapped for cash and have other games you're considering, maybe don't buy now, maybe wait a few months.  I hate to say something like this, because it's such a personal judgement call and I'm a huge Stardock fan and personally willing to deal with the growing pains even though I might get violently pissed off about them occasionally.  Elemental is enjoyable now (this varies betwen players.  I personally enjoy it but think it could be so much more.)

Maybe wait for Civ 5 on the 21st and buy what will be one of the best strategy/builder games ever created (IMO, it's shaping up to be something special and early reviews for it are in the 90's range, with boatloads of previews and user reports that are gushing about it).

Elemental is stragetic/tactical game with city/empire building elements.  Even when magic is working correctly (or as many of us thing it should, I guess you could say) it will still not be a "magic user game" - it's not a pure RPG with your sov/hero running around doing everything by himself.  He'll still be leading an army of mostly normal troops that you might bump along with magical assistance.  You can also cast "world spells" to enhance your cities or fudge enemy cities, etc.

Elemental is like civ or galciv in that you're building up an empire from nothing, but rather than being a detatched leader/observer, you also have a sovereign - a leader unit who can be directly involved in whatever activities you want her/him to be (from leading armies and participating in battles to enhancing city-based activity).

There are a lot of fun and interesting things about Elemental now, along with a lot of balance issues, seemingly incomplete or simplistic features, and whatnot.  It's something that one can easily feel needs a lot more work, even thought it's enjoyable in its present state.

Elemental is a good game, but you can't really play as a caster now.  I would hold off if that is what you are looking for, however, i would buy it for sure eventually.

If you're looking for a really deep magic system, or one dialed up to the 9's, you should probably wait.

That said, the game gives you plenty of ability to play a caster. You can specialize your stats for it, and there's probably 50 or more spells in the game. Using magic lacks some pizazz and cool factor, but it's effective in game. Actually, way way too effective.

So there's plenty to do and be as a caster. But it's not perfect, or finished, so YMMV.

I'd wait for the changes from this post:

https://forums.elementalgame.com/393192

I am at turn 500 and playing a pure caster sovereign. I think the damage is decent from the spells. Sovereign is about lvl 7 and the armies I'm facing are 1700 points to 2400 points.

Buy the game. The casters still work very well, it's mostly a matter of the shards not working in tactical combat which is a known bug.

A Stardock guy has already posted they're looking at fixes.  

wait, magic is not worthwhile at the moment, spells are boring and too similar.

Basically, if you are in the Magic-as-mobile-artillery-and-swiss-army-knife camp, you may be underwhelmed. If you're in the Magic-as-support-and-special-operations camp, you may like the reduced emphasize on overt magic nuking.

Thanks folks, I will mull it over, I need to get my fix soon!  I do like the coolness factor magic usually has in a game, like learning knew spells and things like that.  Thanks again, this will help me make my final decistion,  I really like to supporting cool developers when I can.

Don

Magic is mostly an adjunct, minor support skill in this game.

No in combat nukers (unless you rely completely on auto resolved combat and use your progeny since YOUR sovereign will never be more than meh in the damage department).

And honestly, it's a crime in a game where you're supposed to be on the very few people who can even use magic.  Worse, it's in the TITLE.

Or the other large percentage who like it.

I think I will take the advice from those of you who said wait.  I will buy a different game for this budget time period, and in two months re-check this site.  Thanks, and see you then.

Kind Regards,

Don