Arcane Mage - Low Tier Starter

Starting template for an Arcane aspect mage working up from tier 1, built around solving mana before anything else. Magic Resist is here for Spell Siphon, not the resist: +10% mana refund chance and +10% swing speed, and swing speed feeds the Arcane codex Leech stance (10 mana per hit). Self-cast a damaging spell to trigger it and it lasts 60 minutes. Meditation is temporary - drop it once Leech and Mana Thief carry you, and consider Cooking in its place for the delectable food buff. Magery stays at exactly 100; at 90 you only deal 90% of a spell's damage. Arcane and Wrestling are matched at 80, the casting threshold with a staff. No Necromancy and no Inscription on purpose - both are strong later, but at low aspect tier the points are worth more on sustain. Camping was considered for +25% spell damage and lost to Magic Resist for the same reason. Chain links: 10x Spell Aspect Special Chance first, which is a mana pick before it is a damage pick.

Arcane Staff. Arcane aspect on the SPELLBOOK - that is what grants Mana Thief and is effectively mandatory. Armor aspect is free to differ; Lightning armor at high tier gives arc + shock chance. Codexes: Arcane (Leech stance, then the Drain finisher at rank 5) and Wizard's Grimoire (max Create Food first for magic mushrooms, then Curse, Flamestrike, Lightning). Note followers and bardic skills wipe Arcane Buildup for 60 seconds, so no summons on this build.