What is the most powerful non-beam spell in Magicka?
Solution 1:
So, I don't have exact numbers, but I tend to use SDFQ (steam ball), which will get a large number of enemies in a small area wet (and it does pretty good damage). Then I use SDR (frost ball), which will freeze and do a massive amount of damage to any enemies that are wet.
To do the most amount of damage, make sure to use the right-click version of the frost ball. If you really need to get away, or stop a bunch of enemies attacking, you can use the shift-right-click version of these spells. It won't do as much damage, but it will stop most of the enemies around you, giving you a chance to get away.
If the enemies have a small enough amount of health (the normal imps), SDR on its own is usually enough to take them out in two shots.
You can use the beam version of these spells as well, if you are only fighting a single enemy (just remove the D from each spell). Even enemies with a large amount of HP will go down super fast.
TLDR; SDFQ - get baddies wet, SDR - freeze 'em good.
Solution 2:
For lots of small enemies, I tend to use Steam + lightning + arcane 3x (QFSAAA) as an area nova. This variant of the standard "super wet lightning arcane" spell gives you a significantly larger nova while retaining the damage to splatter goblins and smaller beastmen (~2200-2000 damage). Since the third arcane is a single button, you can mash it rapidly and you dont suffer from as much slowdown.
When faced with larger hordes, I sometimes use cold tesla spires: Ice + Cold + shield + lightning + lightning (QRREAA). Be VERY careful with this one! It summons short-lived ice spikes with a sparking lightning ball on top that zaps nearby enemies for very respectable damage AND chills them - slowing them down to give you more breathing room. You can swap the cold with another lightning for additional damage if you wish: 1400~1200 with cold + 2x lit, 1800~1600 with 3x lit. It's even better if enchanted into your sword - this casts the spikes in a line that you can throw into the middle of an enemy horde, or use to engage large targets (even bosses!) from a distance. Try it against Fafnir - it will pop THROUGH his tail and hit him even while he guards!
Conflagration is definitely a favorite of mine as well - wide area, decent damage (600), fast to cast. Use it against the little daemons, goblins and enemy undead!
When panicking in close quarters, I sometimes use raw ice shotgun spam: ice/arcane or ice/lit as fast as I can hit the keys, no charging at all. I literally keep fingers spamming QRS or QRA with no rhythm and right clicking. This is very unfocused, but the sheer spell spam will deal with close targets.
Finally, the MOST powerful single target damage Ive done in the game is the spiky earth ball (Earth + 4x ice) on a FROZEN target. Get them wet, freeze them once - then cast cold + shield and put the cold wall on top to KEEP them frozen while you charge the ball. This is very useful against the yeti in Chapter 11 - total damage varies, but I've gotten over 20k with it.
Happy blasting!
Solution 3:
If you want ridiculous explosive damage to several foes, look no further than QRESAA. This produces a wall of ice spikes that will explode in less than a second dealing massive arcane and lightning damage, with any minor foe caught close enough being instakilled (goblins, orcs, dwarves).
Use when shielded, because it will probably do some damage to you too (there normally isn't quite enough time to get fully out of range).
Enchant on your sword for slightly greater range, but do NOT, I repeat do NOT, use with shift unless you know what you're doing: you will die very fast, even with full rock shield.
I have only found 3 ways to survive it:
- Use arcane-lightning shield on yourself.
- Cyber robes with rock shield. (they absorb the lightning, but still need the shield from arcane)
- Rogue robe's smoke bombs: as soon as you cast the spell, middle click to teleport out of there (fast).
The shift-rightclick version does ridiculous damage if the enemy is caught inside, a near instakill on an armoured troll.