Build advice - Mercenary vs Templar - StrongStabs vs SpellStabs

[Sierra Katrian]

Mercs are great at killing undead....But they need magic in order to do it. They can swing really hard, but without magic on their weapons, they do no damage.

I honestly would recommend a Templar for your first character. They are great and versatile, that said, you are right, they do take a while to get going, but once you get a few levels under your belt you will be very happy. The Templars class abilities are insanely helpful, in that they can read scrolls and use that spell. Very handy if you need a quick spell but you are all tapped out. Templars are also really great at using battle magic, boosting their damage breifly, and breaking weapons.

Mercenaries are great fun to, but they only do one thing really well. Fight. Their class abilities are good, really fun even, but they are focused around hitting things. They can stun people, slow people down, dismember them, and sharpen weapons.

If you went Templar, I would recommend choosing Elemental magic, if you wanted to kill some undead. If you plan on running away more, or selling your spells, go for protections.