Quote Originally Posted by methodical13 View Post
I'm currently trying out a bunch of group configs for instancing and finding myself getting frustrated with mages. I tried a reaver/pal/war, 2x cloro, mm/bard/ranger and sentinel group at 19-20 in IT and could not bring down the 3 kings (cleric) because of lack of dps and eventually lack of mana.

I then rollout my old 5x bard team at 17 and rampage through IT without any issues.

Am I doing something wrong or are mages and general gimped right now? Even questing I'm having issues with mana where there constantly running out and slowing me down.

I was thinking of dropping mages completely for now and go war, cleric, 3x bard for instancing.

Good idea or suck it up with the mages?

lvl 20-30 sees a massive boost in a mixed parties capability.

I found myself drinking regularly until mid 20s on my Chloros. Living Shell helps a lot at 21. By level 30 and 5 points in Exhiliration in Archon (2.5% mana returned each crit) I hardly ever take a drink and going low on mana is uncommon.
Having said all that, of the party in my OP I'd possibly drop the second Chloro for another Bard. No way I'd go without at least a single Chloro, though.