Viability of Lifecrafter investing heavily in spells

[Lepus timidus]

Although the infiltrator has a bonus to spell-casting, and can make even 5th tier creations by donning the right stat boosting equipment, they fall down on Essence and being unable to make high quantities of creations. All common knowledge, I'm guessing.

 

So wouldn't the best 'build' be something along the lines of a Lifecrafter who invests in spells and intelligence, while using stat boosting equipment for shaping?

 

This way their spell casting will only be slightly poorer than that of an Infiltrator, yet their extra essence (both from the multiplier and the extra +2 intel) would give them a huge advantage in quantity of creations (or possibly quality, if you want to sink your essence into boosting creation stats.) I guess the extra +2 intel. sort of helps with spell casting, by increasing energy levels.

 

I have no maths to support the above reasoning, I'm just hypothesising. Sorry if what I said above is already consensus.

[ex post slarto]

A lifecrafter who invests heavily in spells, and an infiltrator who invests more in Int and creations, are very similar.

 

IIRC, the lifecrafter only starts with 1 more Int than the infiltrator does. The essence multiplier is more significant, but not hugely so, and the infiltrator does have better return on skill points for magic skills.

 

The infiltrator will be a little hardier, which can make her a bit more flexible. The extra bit of essence for the lifecrafter can on the other hand give him a bit more brute offensive power.

[Randomizer]

The lifecrafter is better to spend points in intelligence to have more and powerful creations rather than attack spells. The AI tends to go after things that attack and the lower health makes the lifecrafter a touch more vulnerable, but not by much.

 

It will probably work if you don't mind burning through essence pods since a large amount is permanently tied up in creations. You won't have the major damage that a dedicated infiltrator will have. It does take until late in chapter 2 before you can get items that will allow you to shape effectively and chapter 3 to really have shaping without investing in those skills.

[Taliesin]

My first lifecrafter cast aura of flames non-stop throughout the whole last battle in the Inner Shaping Hall. Oh, and lets not forget his pet eyebeasts! And all those friendly drakons. All in all, those Shapers got pretty scorched.

 

However, this kind of thing doesn't usually work, since it leaves the lifecrafter very vulnerable to attack. I suggest more of a blessing magic focus.