WWI '08 Panel: Mage
by Michael Gray 
Jun 28th 2008 at 2:00PM
Well. At first, it didn't seem to me like Tom Chilton had as much news for Mages at the first WWI dev panel as he did for other classes, but one of the Q&A dialogues did reveal a nice vision for our future.The most common news being reported, of course, is the new "bolt" spell -- the Frostfire bolt. This is a direct damage nuke that's a mix of "fire" and "ice" damage types, and will help circumvent the resistances of certain bosses who have an affinity for an element. Eh. I mean, that's great and all, but it doesn't really speak to any retooling or massive re-vamp at the ways Mages need help.
However, during the Q&A, one of the audience members was a lot more pointed. Now that everyone seems to have their own spammable crowd control, he askes, what's being done to bring Mages back to a more unique role?
The answer was awesome. Simply put, if everyone's doing crowd control, then Mages are going to be buffed in their hallmark: raw, unadulterated damage. Especially since Seed of Corruption shines against our AE damage ability, Chilton says we should expect to see our overall damage output increased.
Does this mean Mages will become the epitome of WoW DPS? Mm, I'm not holding my breath - but at least in terms of putting us back in a vital, noticeable role, the future looks hopeful. Stay tuned as we continue to cover the WWI event, and try and bring the best (and worst) news available.
Filed under: Mage, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Worldwide Invitational
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
CursedSeishi Jun 28th 2008 2:03PM
Hey! A mage is very viable in raids...!
long as they bring a table full of treats
bumble Jun 28th 2008 2:06PM
So warlocks get a sheep-like CC usable against the majority of mobs in instances? awesome!
Roxton Jun 28th 2008 2:16PM
Warlocks don't NEED a sheep. Not when they have two seperate fear mechanics, a pet cc, silence and the ability to drain-tank.
bumble Jun 28th 2008 2:17PM
all of which are borderline useless and increasing the wipe potential in instances
Roxton Jun 28th 2008 2:27PM
The ability to drain-tank increases wipe chance?
bumble Jun 28th 2008 2:35PM
no, just as it isn't a cc. draintanking and binding a mob only works in an instance when vastly overgeared. now stop nitpicking. fear can pull ads, when doing the curse pingpong you increase the chance of a resist and can't DPS during the whole time. Seduce is channeled and a mob will usually be upon the demon before it is recast. As I said, borderline useless.
Roxton Jun 28th 2008 5:41PM
In PvE yes. In PvP chain fearing is rather nice. If you want every class to be so homogenised as to have a seperate PvP and PvE CC, then maybe we could have a pet, infinite mana, heals, and self-rez. Like you.
bumble Jun 28th 2008 5:43PM
I did not write about nor do I care about PvP
Roxton Jun 28th 2008 5:58PM
Right, I'm going to stop now because I've just realised that I'm competing with a warlock for the "most undervalued class in PvE" award, and that mages won it about five months ago. Trophy time!
bumble Jun 28th 2008 6:02PM
glad you finally realize that the average instance group includes a mage as a mandatory member for damage and cc. to the point where many magisters hero groups will even prefer two mages.
kabshiel Jun 28th 2008 6:04PM
I've simultaneously CCed three mobs in an instance by myself, as a warlock. True I wasn't DPSing, but three is still a lot. I can easily CC one or two and DPS perfectly well, however. So...learn2play?
bumble Jun 28th 2008 6:25PM
given that fear can only be cast on a single target at a time, seduce requires a pet not commonly used in instances and banish requires a mob type still rather rare in instances compared to sheepable enemies I would like to see you do that regularly.
beyond that as you said yourself, you dealt no damage. what good are you in an instance if you can only DPS or do damage? :D
bumble Jun 28th 2008 6:27PM
should have read "can only DPS or CC"
AJ Jul 16th 2008 7:53AM
you're getting a blink too, anyone see a pattern?...where's mages fear...
Roxton Jun 28th 2008 2:07PM
I was whining about this earlier. We've been given nothing of any real use at all, and everyone else is being buffed to the pointof insanity. Hopefully we'll just so much raw unbridled power that it won't really matter - who cares about demon form when you can turn the bugger into a crisp piece of demon bacon with a wiggle of our magical fingers.
matt Jun 29th 2008 5:50AM
This fact mages aren't getting more than a hand full of buffed up damage spells and a few new 51 pt talents that will most likely worthless(see slow). Its little wonder they had nothing to say about mages because as we are now without major changes to the class there really not much more than can be done. We aren't ever going to heal or tank, we have a single buff while nice is starting to have scaling issues. All we have is our CC, our water, and our DPS. And while those things are great it seems like we have changed little in the in the 3 years i've been playing a mage. Maybe that a testament to a well balanced class I do enjoy it. But when all the neighbor kids are getting shinny new bikes and your still riding your older brothers hand me down. Regardless of how well it still rides you want a shinny new bike too. That where I think mages are at.
We wants something really cool to say wow that why I want a mage in my party or raid. If deathknights are "epic but equal" I want to feel "equal but epic"
shinken Jun 28th 2008 2:08PM
Kings of AOE huh? less health, mana issues. They need to take the mana stone off the healthstone cd and make it tradable that also gives a small buff.
Mages have to downgrade gear to attain the same survivablity that other classes have.
Shamans got some good attention. Now the mages need it.
Nupes Jun 28th 2008 2:12PM
everyone has spammable crowd control? played a hunter... ever?
K20 Jun 28th 2008 2:22PM
I doubt we'll be doing more damage in any other area than our AoE spells. Kings of AoE? Then help us survive regicide.
Roxton Jun 28th 2008 2:32PM
@K20. So very true. Cavaliers ho!