Sage vs Demon Mystic

A quick guide to Sage or Demon Mystic with an explanation as to why I chose to go Demon over Sage. Hope it helps! Enjoy :)
 
Demon spark & Mo Zun's taunt:
Faster channelling, thus quick casting and stronger DD. I always loved demon spark for its power, so if you tend to be power hungry, demon on a caster class such as mystic is awesome.

Sage spark and Master Li's technique:

Amazing defence for the duration of the spark, also very decent magic attack gain. The true thing that is great about sage is always it's side skill, Master Li's technique, that allows you to build chi faster (50 Chi per minute).

Good Demon skills: 

- Attack skills - 

○Swirling Mist

Has a 25% chance to reduces target's Wood Resistance by 15% for 6 seconds.  

○Absorb Soul

Has a 80% chance to interrupt target's channeling. 

○Gale Force

Chance to immobilize target increased by 35%.  

○Thicket

Has a 25% chance to increase damage taken by target for 9 seconds. 

○Cragglord

Mana cost reduced by 10%.

Has a 25% chance to reduce Spark cost by 1. 

○Wood Mastery  Demon version increases critical hit rate by 2%.

		○Rapid Growth  Cooldown time reduced by 10%.

***Note that ALL Demon summons (excluding Craggy) allow you to gain 15 extra Chi.

- Healing/Defence skills -

○Falling Petals

Effect time increased by 4 extra minutes.

○Comforting Mist

 Has a 35% chance to remove status ailments.  

○Resurrect

 Recovers 100% HP upon reviving. 

 Good Sage skills: 

- Attack skills - 

●Gale Force

Slows enemies around you by 70% for 3 seconds.   

●Thicket

Does an additional 1500 damage.

●Rapid Growth

Has a 25% chance to clear its cooldown time 

●Cragglord

Mana cost reduced by 10%.
Effect time increased by 3 seconds.

		●Wood Mastery  Sage skill increases Wood damage by 25%.

***Note that ALL Sage summons reduce mana cost by 10%.

  

- Healing/Defence skills -

  

●Break in the Cloud

Has a 25% chance to remove status ailments.   

●Falling Petals

Has a 35% chance to recover your Mana by 280 in 6 seconds.   

●Resurrect

EXP loss is reduced by 95%.

(note that with the Morai skill "Mass Ressurection" gained from the order of Luminance, you will have a squad resurrection skill with the same %)

●Verdant Shell Physical Defense increased by an additional 10%.

Discussion:
Ok, so now that we have what I believe is interesting from both paths, I will contrast them and explain why I preferred going Demon. (if you would like to look at all skills, visit here: http://ecatomb.net/skillpwi.php)

I, by far, love to DD. Just by seeing how many attack skills turn deadly once demon, I easily got greedy. So at first sight, Demon seemed like the right path for my play style.

Besides the DD gain, I was also told by many that Sage was better because of Falling Petals giving you MP back. Quite frankly, when I look at it, I think that a heal that last 5 minutes instead of 1 (demon Falling Petals) is much more useful than a chance to gain MP. Plus - if you have learned the 79 skill "Clear Thoughts" you ALREADY have a MP recovering skill.

Finally, I preferred the 35% of Demon Comforting Mist, compared to 25% of Sage Break in the Clouds to purify. For one, because it will purify the entire squad, and second, because the number is greater. However, Break in the Clouds has faster channelling and can be "spammed" one a single target/tank, which would mean more chances of purifying the person being healed.

The things I would really have liked to have from Sage are Verdant Shell (self buff for more p.def), Break in the Clouds (for faster purifying) and 23 seconds Cragglord instead of 20 seconds.

A lot of people will generally think that they need sage because demon doesn't give enough to build chi. While this might be true for many other classes, a Demon Mystic is nowhere near chi starvation. With 3 summons to gain 15 chi per casting and the ability to spam heal oneself and summons, chi gain is way too easy. Demon Break in the Clouds also has a chance to give you chi, so quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised that a demon mystic gains chi faster than a sage one.

Also note that All Demon and Sage Summon learn the SAME new skills, that means both sage and demon Salvation will have the squad shielding (Warp Shield).

Overall, to go Demon or Sage is up to your play style! Being a little greedy DDer, I picked demon. :)