- Fight fire with fire! Just because a monster's body is completely made of flames doesn't mean that your fireball spell won't work. Give it a shot! The results might surprise you.

- Dress for success! Studies show that mages who pay attention to their wardrobe are FAR more effective than those who wear older, lower-quality clothing. Have you updated your robe lately?

- Know your role! At first glance, your staff may look like an effective melee weapon, but it's not. Let the guys with the big shiny armor stand in front. That being said...

- Friendly fire! Don't doubt yourself - go ahead and cast that spell! It's OK if you miss: your arcane missiles probably won't hit your friends.

- Get a job! A great way to build your skill is to ask people if they need any help with anything. You'd be surprised how many people are looking for a good mage to hire! Contrary to what you might think, even the simplest act of delivering a package can make you a better caster.

- The daily grind! You may have heard about some mages choosing to mindlessly and repetitively kill monsters - often several at a time - in order to practice their spellcasting. While this is a legitimate and often effective method to become more powerful, over extended periods of time, it will rot your brain.