What is your favourite faction and why? (Gothic 2)

I few disclaimers first - I actually played Gothic 2 before Gothic 1, and have finished it multiple times, both the classic and the NotR. Never used any mods.

While I did do a few runs as a Paladin, Mage has to the one closest to my heart and what I gravitate towards. I do think they are the easiest one out of the three, but rather than the difficulty it`s the uniqueness of their playthrough. I love how they did the life in the monastery, and the Test of Fire being quite interesting, and you can`t just brute force your way through the entirety of it.

Fun fact (with *spoilers* ! ): on my very first attempt, when I was still a kid, for some reason I didn`t figure out you need to steal that magic hammer for the golem. Yeah, yeah, it`s quite obvious, but it was what it was. So anyway, I go in guns blazing, and of course I can`t even scratch the bastard. Being the little "genius" I was, I figured out I can`t take him, but the actual magicians surely could. So I kite him ALL THE WAY back to the Monastery. Yeah, the results were not fantastic... xD

On the contrary the Mercenary / Dragon Hunter path I have never finished. By the time I become the Dragon Hunter I usually just don`t continue. Can`t even specify why, since you can defeat the dragons as the Dragon Hunter - it`s just easier as either a Mage or a Paladin. But you can always summon a golem, and then keep on pounding the dragon from behind (wink wink).

Still, the game just starts feeling a bit repetitive for me.