It's a matter of preferences. I never cast offensive spells. I prefer facing critters with my weapons. My mages cast only "supporting spells", like Light, Invisibility, Fly, Water Walk or Town Portal.As to the spells. The Path of Dark is a path of offensive magic. Correct, Shrapmetal is deadly and not only Shrapmetal. Correct, having more than one caster of Dark Magic (at GM level) is an advantage on the Path of Dark. But Path of Dark can be passed using weapons and supporting spells (Pain Reflection, Shrinking Ray, Control Undead), too.
Therefore, when I plan the Path of Dark and I want to fight using magic then I select a Cleric, a Sorceror and 2 fighters or another Soreceror and a fighter. More likely, I will play the same party as on the Path of Light. On the Path of Light, I select a Cleric and 3 fighters.
