Zarhym: Wrath changes are still coming
by Mike Schramm 
Jul 10th 2008 at 2:00PM
Just in case, like Jaguarpaw, you thought that the little we heard about Mages in Wrath of the Lich King at WWI was all they were going to get, worry not: changes, believe it or not, are still coming. Zarhym says it, but did he really have to? We haven't heard the end of all the changes in Wrath -- not from the alpha, not from the upcoming beta, and odds are that we won't even have found everything in the expansion when it actually releases. That was certainly the case with Burning Crusade, and it will undoubtedly be the case with Wrath.Unfortunately, that doesn't actually mean that all of your concerns will be answered -- Blizzard has promised, specifically for Mages, to make these same changes before, and the changes haven't been made to players' satisfaction. And players, as I know because I happen to be one myself, are picky people -- even if Blizzard fixes everything, we'll still find something to complain about. But don't write off Wrath just because you were disappointed by what you heard at WWI -- we've only seen the earliest of previews so far.
And just in case you missed it yesterday, Wowhead decided to go ahead and release all of the talents for all of the classes they could see in the alpha, including all of the new talents for Mages. This is far from the last we'll hear about Wrath, but that info, official or otherwise, should tide you over until the next round of releases.
Filed under: Mage, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Classes, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Demosthenes Jul 10th 2008 2:07PM
I find all the new fire talents pretty weak as they are right now.
Skrilla Jul 10th 2008 3:37PM
LOL peagle so true.
dAnixx Jul 10th 2008 4:37PM
N. O.
Garlictators Jul 10th 2008 5:21PM
haha yes
Braundo Jul 10th 2008 2:08PM
Still waiting on Paladin changes.
Ichigo Jul 10th 2008 2:18PM
Which will most likely be the last ones to be released.
So no need to hold your breath ;-)
Badger Jul 10th 2008 2:31PM
"Zarhym says it, but did he really have to?"
Nope, but it was awfully nice of him to do so.
Celton Jul 10th 2008 2:44PM
Is there a link to where he said it?
Grajen Jul 10th 2008 3:00PM
Click on Source.
Haderic Jul 10th 2008 2:48PM
yeah the mage talents are kinda lacking that special melt faces feel that blizzard has promised, but Arcane Blast was received this way earlier, so you never know
Darkshift Jul 10th 2008 3:22PM
"Blizzard has promised, specifically for Mages, to make these same changes before, and the changes haven't been made to players' satisfaction."
I'm tired of people saying... "Blizzard promised x" "Blizzard promised y". The fact is, they don't promise anything. They disclose things they intend or hope to change, but they never say "this will be changed". They do say "we hope to change this in the future, perhaps in x or y way".
Nothing is "promised" or final until they do it. They may give you a head's up on what they're up to, but things change. Some stuff makes it into the game, some things don't.
I have no problem with people being frustrated with a lack of change, but I do have a problem with people whining and claiming Blizz made promises when no promises were made. Blizzard doesn't make that kind of promise, they know better.
< / rant >
Arya Jul 11th 2008 6:08AM
Actually, Blizzard has made promises in the past. The fact that you aren't aware of them, only proves one thing...and it isn't that Blizzard hasn't made any promises.
Drkstrider Jul 10th 2008 3:41PM
I have a lvl 70 spriest and I am wondering when they are going to upgrade his armor. I think the priest should run along the lines of a shammy. They both call on their spells from a devine source until like the mages, which needs to have his or her hands free for casting and envoking a spell. I want D&D rules or make an out right cleric class. :)
jbodar Jul 10th 2008 9:28PM
???
Roll pally? This isn't D&D, in case you hadn't noticed. That's a different game.
www.ddo.com
Why should WoW conform lock-step to the conventions of other games in the name of "tradition"?
Drkstrider Jul 10th 2008 11:33PM
jbodar, all these games are based on D&D rules, if you haven't notice. Everyone was talking about changes, so I just voiced my opinion. Blizzard doesn't have to do anything at all, but I can express my concerns and reasons as to why I think the priest toons, should be updated.
jbodar Jul 11th 2008 11:32PM
WoW has certainly been influenced heavily by D&D's high-fantasy archetypes, but it has a different "flavor" to it -- the Shaman class, for example. My problem with your comment was that you literally expect "D&D rules" as if Blizzard's wrong for doing things differently.
Besides, didn't 4th Ed D&D turn into pen-and-paper MMO anyway, with tanks and everything? That's just what I heard. I haven't done D&D in years, since I moved 5000 miles away from my group, and even then we play a custom-made 2nd Ed in our home-made world.
Drkstrider Jul 12th 2008 12:18AM
jbodar: I think you are missing the point of a comment or an opinion. Blizzard has a good thing going, but me wishing that they would give the priest a little more protection is not me demanding Blizzard do anything. It is just wishful thinking. I have seen alot of wishful thinking on this site, so there is not need to tell me what D&D rules are...WOW, NWN, etc. are based on D&D. You are right...they all modify and mix some rules, but they are based on D&D. Again, I wish Blizzard would treat the priest like they do the Shammys. Nuff said.
jbodar Jul 12th 2008 7:24AM
No, I respect your opinion -- I just read a bit too much into your phrasing, I guess -- but your argument is still mainly "well it's like that in D&D".
Plus, let's face it, there need to be squishies otherwise armor is no longer a bonus. Although I have always wondered why Inner Fire only lasts for 20 hits.
FTRynae Jul 10th 2008 4:46PM
I haven't seen anyone post about it yet, but there is a nice change in the arcane tree for mages. Magic Absorption, a tier 2 arcane talent which some players enjoy and many other pass up without a second thought, has been buffed significantly. Previously, with 5/5 talent points it provided 10 resist to every magic tree and 5% of the mage's total mana refunded when a spell is resisted. On the new talent calculator for Wrath, at 5/5 it provides 1 resist all per level. At level 80 this means that mages could spec for 80 resist all with only 10 points spent in the arcane tree.
This skill, combined with the 5% mana refund seems like it will be a must-have for PvP and PvE mages. I'm definitely looking forward to trying this out when Blizz patches the game to give us these new talents.
Donald Jul 10th 2008 5:04PM
Ive seen some of the Mages changes,they are horrible in every way.
Frost is just generally buffed ,the amazing PVP spec is ..amazinglier.
Fire is still a PVP suicide and a PVE must have.
Arcane is still meh.
The new spec that makes elementalist better makes them better but the spec itself is still the same,lack of synergy.
Blizz should just balance these poor class a bit more,make Frost less of a PVP god and more damage viable,Fire a better PVP option(its offense so idk,give it defense or some CC like a stun[Ironic that frost got a stun] or more burst) and Arcane just needs a rework.