I'm playing it for the first time as a mage, and concentrating on the bow. I wanted to work my way up to the strength to wear the heaviest armor, as I have seen recommended. So every level I put my points in strength and agility.

I have not used any gems yet. FYI, the gems referred to work like stat enhancers or give you mana or health or resists.

The mage is very mana heavy, and so a bow is a good idea until you start to build up a supply of mana. You can get that by putting your points into mana early, or just use a bow until you get armor and rings/necklace that add INT or mana. Either way. After a while your equipment and mana both build up enough that your spells become pretty cheap, but they start out expensive. It's like Diablo in that way, where you can and maybe should get by on melee fighting or bows until your spells get cheaper to cast.

I think you will like it fine as a mage. I do. And others like the other classes too. There is a ton of flexibility to customize your play experience.

Really?

I can't stand how they screwed the last part of the game.

It looks like they were doing this game for a couple of years and they couldn't fit into deadline, so they did last part in 24 hours.

One of the most disappointing endings ever.

But until the last part, this game is really good, not great like Infinity Engine RPGs, but still.
Also Beyond Divinity is very nice, imo better than Divine Divinity.

You'll have to forgive me, this is going back a good few years, and I can't remember the ending. I just remember enjoying every second of it, and getting back into it thanks to GOG :)

I could forgive them over the ending just because of the great easter egg that is their "company HQ" thing. Obviously I won't tell more ;)

Divine Divinity is just plain fun to play . . . Beyond Divinity . . not so much.