Getting water from a mage
by Mike Schramm 
Jul 17th 2007 at 2:34PM
Wondering why that Mage you asked for water yelled at you and then ignored you? Or why the Mage you were begging for a portal to Stormwind sent you all the way out to Darnassus? Briltur has the guide for you: How to ask a Mage for water.Basically, it all boils down to "Don't be a jerk," which, frankly, is something you're either already doing, or you probably won't ever do anyway. I usually don't bug Mages for water-- it's cheap to buy, and it's not really worth the hassle. Most Mages have already had bad experiences with random people begging them for stuff, and even if you ask nicely, it isn't usually service with a smile.
The exception, of course, is instances-- if I'm in an instance with a Mage, I don't expect to be drinking my own water. Yes, I'm nice about asking for it, and yes, I'll wait if you're busy doing something else, but just as my class role as a resto Shaman is to heal when you all get hurt, your class role as a Mage is to give me water. Portals I'm not as concerned about (I've got two hearthstones, after all), but on the other hand, most Mages I'm with are happy to throw up a portal anyway, and usually do so without asking.
My guess is probably that anyone who really needs to read this guide isn't reading this site anyway, but at least you've seen it-- if you're a Mage, or see one getting pestered, now you'll know where to send the jerks.
Filed under: Mage, Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Instances, Guides
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jellodyne Jul 17th 2007 2:48PM
/me licks his parched lips. A weak cough rattles from his dry, dusty throat. Perhaps if you gave him some water he would stop staring at yours.
I love me some mage squeezins.
Smokeu Jul 17th 2007 2:55PM
Whenever I get ready to run a instance, I make at least 200x water and 120x food.... Once everyone gets in I start handing out to everyone, giving the healer in the group at least 3 stacks of water. I usually dont have to stop once we start running the instance to make food and water for people, and when the run is over I automatically throw up a portal.
Now as far as people asking me for water/food when I am in a city, or out questing it usually just depends on how they ask. If they ask nicely I will usually do it, but if they say "hey give me some water/food" then I just dont respond.
I will usually sell someone a port if they ask, I very rarely just give someone a port w/out expecting a least some coin coming my way.... Now is someone would ask for a port and supply me w/ a rune of Teleportation I would have no problem not charging them anything...but that has yet to happen
makabak Jul 17th 2007 3:56PM
As a mage, I can tell you I've /ignored more "requests" than I've responded to. Seriously, be nice, and expect to pay 5g for a full trade window.
How popular is water from mages? It's the 4th most created item in the game ( http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/toplist/index.html?en,spellcreate ). So have a little respect when you're going farming or raiding!
Chilblain Jul 17th 2007 3:11PM
Well, I know it's a dead horse but since the author was clear about his expectations of a Mage, I'll let you hear mine.
First, I know you need water. I'll get to you. Don't open trade and consider that "asking".
See that little blue bar under my name? That's my Mana, and if I don't have any, I can't make water. So wait for me to get some back, okay? Sending me tells doesn't make me drink faster.
If 4 of you want to stand around Ironforge and wait for a summon, that's fine. If I'm on my mount, I'm not making water. Maybe in the interest in starting as soon as we enter the dungeon, someone else can go to the stone and summon. Or you can wait for me to get there, summon you, and then start making water and casting Arcane Brilliance... it's up to you.
Oh, once you get your water... wait a sec before you engage the first mob so I can get my Mana back. Yeah, I'm talking to the members of the Zenith guild on Skullcrusher-A. Nice pull, guys... I'll just wait for rez.
"just as my class role as a resto Shaman is to heal when you all get hurt, your class role as a Mage is to give me water"
Nope. My class role is DPS, and I just happen to have a spell that can make food/water. Should I expect Hunters/Paladins to escort me around with their speed increase aura on because I'm to lazy to buy my own food/water... errr... walk at my normal travel speed?
Scruffy Jul 17th 2007 3:13PM
It's all a matter of etiquette. Just like with bumming a G or a transmute from a friend, it's just something you don't ask a stranger for. If you do, BE REALLY NICE ABOUT IT and tip. If you don't have money for a tip, you probably wasted it at the AH and couldn't afford food anyway and got a bigger problem than want of water/food.
Unless you're in a group with them or they've announced "FREE WATER/FOOD AT SW BANK", you should be prepared to only rely on yourself before heading out.
Even when asking a friend, I go to them. They're doing me a favor so I may as well make it as painless and unintrusive to their play as possible. That means they stay where they are, doing their thing, while I fly or hoof it across a zone or two.
Ken Lydell Jul 17th 2007 3:13PM
All beggars are immediately put on my ignore list. They invariably approach me when I am busy doing something far more important to me than servicing the wants and needs of strangers.
Karl Jul 17th 2007 3:15PM
Stay quiet and give me my water, or I'll just life tap and take it from your healthbar...
Mage's souls taste like chicken for some reason.
ben1778 Jul 17th 2007 3:16PM
I've been on the other end of the spectrum, where i've asked politely (with no trade windows involved) and then the mage asks for a "tip" which amounts to nearly double the cost of that level water from a vendor. Wha? I don't think so.
I generally buy my own water in the Hall of Legends at Org. Stars Tear's are top level water (7200mana) and a full 20 stack will cost you 1g + 8 honor points. [sells for 25s +2 honor per 5].
piscotty Jul 17th 2007 3:19PM
"just as my class role as a resto Shaman is to heal when you all get hurt, your class role as a Mage is to give me water"
A bit insensitive and bad logic. As Chilblain said, our class role is to DPS as well as CC. If you told me this in game, I wouldn't make you any water/food.
Joeejojo Jul 17th 2007 3:41PM
I have to agree with #4, we are invited to groups for our CC and DPS. So Mr. Author if thats all we are to you then I want my heals and then I'd like you to follow me around with your mana spring totems till your water runs out. Im not just a vending machine. The one thing I have noticed when I switch over to my priest is that either I hand out too much water or everyone else hands out way less (which makes the run longer since I need to ask for water a few times). I always make the healers 3 stacks of water and 1 food, the casters get 2 stacks of water and 1 food, and the tanks get 2 stacks of food.
Omegi Jul 17th 2007 3:40PM
Simple fix. Ask in /trade for food/water/port and offer a price. If a mage is willing to meet your price then they will send you a tell. If not then you aren't going to get a better response by pestering them.
It all comes down to how bad you want the service.
TotalBiscuit Jul 17th 2007 3:53PM
"but just as my class role as a resto Shaman is to heal when you all get hurt, your class role as a Mage is to give me water." - Well that comment ensures that you'd never receive water from me ever again that's for sure.
Mages are a primary damage dealer, AOEr and CCer (unlike Shaman *cough). The creation of water is completely optional, it's a nice bonus for my class. You want it? Well you could start by being nice. You could try offering some cash for it, since you're effectively getting something which would have otherwise cost you money. It's all about perceived value. If your perceived value of water is zero from a monetary perspective then so is the amount of time I'm going to waste dealing with.
Personally I don't give water to anyone who doesn't address me in proper english and use 'please' in it's complete form. Tard-speak or internet-slang is not acceptable in this situation. Offer money and you're well in there too, doesn't even have to be much.
And yeah, it really is about how many requests we get per day, that's why we're all bitter. If you're in a major city you will be bombarded with requests for water, food and portals and all of the above.
TB.
Bootsanator Jul 17th 2007 3:55PM
Usually when I log in on my priest, I'm in orgrimmar, since I probably hearthed then checked the AH before I logged. I really would rather spend money on things other than water, even though it's cheapish, my main's not 70 yet, and I'm saving for several mounts (epic, someday flying, and some distant day flying epic).
If I'm going to be on for a while, there's nothing I'd like better than a couple stacks of sparkling tasty mage water to keep me going.
So, I'll do a /who mage 70 orgrimmar, and/or look around near the AH/Bank. If I see a mage that's not busy, I just ask nicely, "Hi, I hate to be a pain, but could you please summon me some lvl xx water?"
probably 8 or 9 times out of 10, since I've picked someone with a full mana bar not doing anything, they're happy to oblige with at least a stack, which is awesome. If they don't respond, usually it's because they're AFK (even though not shown as afk yet), or they just really really really hate beggars and proceed to ignore me.
That's fine if you ignore me, I'm sure you've had bad experiences with pains in the butt before.
But just like i try to throw out PW:F/DS whenever I have enough mana to do so, I really appreciate it when you take the time out to help me out. :)
Amynnah Jul 17th 2007 4:05PM
After a raid, I'll be either in Ironforge or Shattrah. If I have leftover water, I perform the following action:
/1 PST for free Level xx Mage water! I'm logging, but a hardworking Mage created this for me! Don't let it go to waste!
.....I usually get tells from grateful Mages after that...
Kaylek Jul 17th 2007 4:10PM
Those of turning the author's words into meaning that mages are only good for conjuring are the root of the whole problem. Obviously you have many roles in the group, and he never suggested otherwise, but conjured items are one of those benefits, one you should readily provide to any group.
While many mages will provide it, the majority won't offer it until you ask, and then a lot of them make you feel like you just asked a warlock for entire bag of soulstones.
It's been a long time since I even attempted asking a mage (as politely as possible) if they could share a stack or two of anything. Only in a group do I expect it, and I'm always surprised if I'm ever offered it before asking. Mages in raids are exempt since I have a guild relationship with them and they expect to be the vending machine prior to the first pull (and then I just open trade as everyone's come to accept).
I really, honestly, think that the biggest issue is with the mages more than the strangers. Every class has strangers that pester them in whatever way, Mages are no exception, and certainly not a class that ranks any higher than anyone else on the "sometimes I have to talk to people that annoy me" scale.
I think there's a "we are not a support class" mindset, and that's the real problem. Often worse than hybrids that spec DPS, they're a true DPS class many of which feel they're above providing conjured items or decursing (which, remember, priests and paladins can NOT do). I've yet to have a 5man where the mage decursed on his/her own without being asked every time. These are important curses, like reduced healing or increased damage taken... things you don't have time to type out a request for when you're in the middle of keeping a group healed. I'm tired of having to ask, while my heals and buffs are considered a standard.
Charging for conjures is absurd, also. There is no legimite reason why you should deserve a pile of cash for a free item. Healers don't charge for heals, tanks don't charge for aggro. If someone asks nicely and is willing to accomodate you as much as possible (come to you, provide an innervate/wisdom/any other possible buff), you have to be pretty damn stingy to horde your near limitless supply of free food/water.
Most rogues, at least enough to make them readily available, will pick locks for you without a charge. I've seen more cooperative warlocks willing to help with a summon than I have mages willing to share a stack or two of anything for someone else grinding in an area.
This isn't targeting every mage, I'm just observing the norm.
MarioBro Jul 17th 2007 4:14PM
In a group, each caster gets water without asking. Anyone who asks gets food. If you're not in a group with me, whether or not you get water depends on how nice you are, how good of a mood I'm in, and how much you offter to pay. Contrary to the belief of many non mages, water is NOT free. It takes time to conjure the water, and then more time to drink to replenish the mana cost. If I'm busy, I'm not spending the time to make you water. Even if I'm just standing arround, I charge 1G/stack. If you don't like it, you can find a vendor and pay twice as much.
Some people do not get any water, or even deserve a responce: Anyone who opens trade without asking first; Anyone who demands free water; Anyone who whipspers me with something stupid like "20 stks plz kthkxbai."
Mino Jul 17th 2007 4:30PM
Sorry mages but when you are in a group running an instance it IS part of your job to give the mana users water. Just like we expect warlocks to give health stones out and soulstone your rezzer. Just like some enhancement shaman is expected to pick up heals if things get dicey.
It's part of what you bring to a party, but no one expects you to group with rude people. That applies whether they are being rude about water, healing, pulls, loot anything.
Chris M Jul 17th 2007 4:31PM
Coming from yet another newly rolled priest; I've found that lately when I run with a mage, more often than not I have to ask for water. Far more often than not.
That's assuming I want it. I'm professioned Herb/Skinning with high level Cooking/Fishing on the side; I can afford my own water, and I'm not enough of an ass to stingy up and not pay however much it costs me to get 30x water from a general goods vendor before I run.
Now; this is a double edged sword; with cooking as a profession; (just hit level 30) I've found myself fishing for Greater Sagefish and making Greater Sagefish Delight (mana+health regen, MP5 well fed buff) for eating while soloing to compliment spirit tap.
Long story short- I've found warriors and paladins more anxious to give me food/water in a group than mages. I'm a damn good healer (modesty aside- I've rolled 4 priests now, I should be pretty good) and after the 5th pull into the instance; you should be aware of the fact that I'm not going to let people die that keep me alive. The warrior that keeps aggro off me is my priority, the rogue that sacrifices himself to get that mob off of me when I pull aggro from heals is my friend too- but the mage that won't offer me water; bitches when I ask for it (nicely, I might add) and is more concerned with making sure he's always putting out damage; AoE'ing mobs before the tank has a chance to hold aggro, and generally making my job harder is -not- my priority.
As a matter of a fact- the warlock's phase shifted imp gets higher healing priority than you. And I can't even target -him-.
Chris
jcgooch Jul 17th 2007 4:32PM
Outside of a group, I'd have to agree with TotalBiscuit: it's a matter of perceived value. If you place a value of 0 on the item, and the mage providing it senses this through your behavior, then either expect no water, or expect to pay. It's more the principle of the matter than it is with an actual expenditure. Sure, any given mage is not going to otherwise have earned 1 gold in the time it takes to make water, but (s)he'll expect respect in the form of consideration of some kind.
When it comes to 5-mans and raids, however, I say the situation is a bit different. My opinion is that every participant in an instance run really should be bringing their A-game, in all respects. The group sinks or swims together, and people need to have a team attitude, not an individual attitude. I'm constantly amazed how many times I have to ask (nicely, of course) for buffs from those that can provide it (druid, priest, paladin, etc.). Those that can buff, should buff (unless their are conflicts or strategies, but these are usually discussed prior to starting).
Sergio Jul 17th 2007 4:36PM
I think I get asked for portals to Shatt more than for food/water. Usually members of top guilds or people with mage main/alts will send a tell asking to buy a portal and give me 2-5g. Most people however just ask for a portal without any compensation. I try to be nice and offer them a choice, 1g or a rune - not the price of a rune. Most people will pay the 1g instead of going 30 yards to the vendor to buy the rune, often scoffing at paying me at first, then coming back a couple of minutes later, "Oh, all right, I'll pay you the 1g."