>>Does anyone know how to actually raise targeted magic? Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I'm using the skill and I'm not gaining experience for it. I'm preparing my spells, targeting my enemy, waiting for my target to complete, and then cast. I've only got 7 ranks in targeted magic, which I received from teaching, so it shouldn't be too hard to get some more. Yet, I cast over 20 spells back to back and I never go above "learning" and my pulses are only 2 and 3%.

First, you need to be using a TM spell to learn TM from.

Second, you have to be hunting something that will teach TM at your skill level. For a MM or WM, that would include rats (Crossing) or frogs (Haven). For Clerics, you need to find something thhat is considered Undread in order to learn TM. If you hunt something too difficult for your TM skill, you won't hit it, and tehrefore won't learn from it.

Third, you learn more TM from greater (vitality?) damage incurred.

Fourth, at your skill level, you will probably learn more from fully preparing the spell and fully targeting it before you cast, since you won't be able to cast much (or hit well) by snap casting.

Assuming that you are a Warrior Mage, and still 1st circle, so you only have one TM spell:

Power walk everywhere as Power Perception is one of the most important "background" skills for spell casting. It is easy to learn, a good source of TDPs, and, once you hit 100+ ranks, allows you to find mana where it didn't appear to exist before. At 100+ ranks (give or take), you start to be able to draw mana from neighboring rooms, which can really help.

Once you reach second circle, and get to choose a second spell, pick something with non-combat castability, and is either stackable (like ES) or replaceable (like SuF), then go to someplace where you can get a class, and start casting it while being taught something else.

Increasing PM and Harness, using these non-combat spells, is also incredibly useful for training TM, as you can cast bigger spells, and cast them more often with better "support" skills.

You might also want to see if you can get one of the "elder" members of your guild, or another guild, to take you hunting. Extra hunters can increase the generation rate for creatures, and an older character who can use Brawling to grapple a rat for you to use as a target will increase your damage per cast, and therefore your learning rate.

One other warning: Do not ignore learning tertiary skills. If you need to, stay in a hunting ground after you cap out TM in order to help keep your defenses up to snuff for your next TM hunting ground.

And don't give up Shield learning. While it can be irritating and a pain early on, especially if you took one of the open hand required spells, later in your career you will find it is useful, as shield is one of the best defenses against ranged attacks, both missile and magical.

Good luck!

~Kyn (Kynevon)

---

Kynevon's DR Links Page: http://kynevon.info/index.html
Mac OS X FE: http://www.play.net/software/warlock-info.asp
Amagaim's What to Hunt list: http://kynevon.info/What2Hunt.xls