[ARCANE] Legion Beta Megathread

[Orrin]

Arcane in WoW means none of those things, it has always been a word to describe a flashy purple energy that runs through the cosmos. Arcane Mages in WoW have never been described as discreet, just Mages that specialize in utilizing raw Arcane energy.

Heck, just Google image search Arcane Mage and Arcane Energy to see just how flashy it is supposed to be.

People love their head canon. Obscure Foggy Arcane and Failed Shaman Apprentice aka Elementalist Mage Who Knows Only One School Spells

[Deleted]

Google image search Arcane Mage and Arcane Energy to see just how flashy it is supposed to be.

That's biased research because you are only looking at images. Of course you will find fancy images. That's what the visual information is usually.

[Imnick]

That's biased research because you are only looking at images. Of course you will find fancy images. That's what the visual information is usually.

We are debating the visual information of arcane, which will be represented visually. Pictures are the second best thing to look at, second only to video.
All of the official Blizzard art of Arcane spells looks the way this new art also looks.

[Deleted]

We are debating the visual information of arcane, which will be represented visually. Pictures are the second best thing to look at, second only to video.
All of the official Blizzard art of Arcane spells looks the way this new art also looks.

head canon

To be fair if you actually do look at image search you don't find too many images of very fancy graphics. But most importantly, an artist's depiction of something might be exactly "head canon". When they depict a fantasy concept they often depict what someone would imagine it to be in their own personal imagination, not what it actually is.

[Imnick]

To be fair if you actually do look at image search you don't find too many images of very fancy graphics. But most importantly, an artist's depiction of something might be exactly "head canon". When they depict a fantasy concept they often depict what someone would imagine it to be in their own personal imagination, not what it actually is.

This is official Blizzard art:


It looks exactly like those new spells.
This is unarguably the 100% canon way that Arcane magic is depicted. Flashy glowing runes.

[Sarm]

It shouldn't be any spec's fantasy to use shitty or unnoticeable graphics because that somehow makes it secretive. You shouldn't rely on damage numbers in order to get visual excitement out of arcane.

[Zenny]

That's biased research because you are only looking at images. Of course you will find fancy images. That's what the visual information is usually.

Well of course, we are looking at how flashy is. Come on Mages in WoW have never been discreet, just look at Dalaran. Ostentatious city that freaking floats in the sky. Look at the Nexus, massive ribbons of power.

"The Arcane" in WoW is not referring to the secret, mysterious occult (as in arcane knowledge). It's referring to a real fundamental form of (purple!) energy, just like how gravity or the strong nuclear force exists in the real world. When summoned in great amounts this power is very, very visible.

[Ipsissimus]

I hate repeating myself.

Arcane in Warcraft is not Arcane in the dictionary.
Be it the blue dragonflight members' spells themselves (refer to the Malygos encounter in the Eye of Eternity), the various evidence of Arcane activity on Azeroth (Dalaran Crater, lay-lines in Northrend, Crystalsong Forest) or the actual Arcane spells from the original iteration of the game: Arcane does indeed look fancy.
In fact, aside from the in-game Arcane Blast, I cannot think of another demonstration of the Arcane in WoW which is not fancy.

There is no point to argue semantics when the game already has a relatively consistent look of the 'school'.

[whisperingsage]

There's definitely a lot of effects from the Blue or even the Bronze dragonflight they could use or draw inspiration from.

[Northem]

At the exclusive Warcraft trailer that was shown at PAX we can see Khadgar using again that spell I previously commented...

Is that anyone would want to have that spell in exchange for something we already have?

[whisperingsage]

Your wish came true, it's Arcane Barrage.

[Northem]

Your wish came true, it's Arcane Barrage.

Yes, that spell seems to be our iconic [Arcane Barrage] (although I prefer the graphical effect seen on the video). Nevertheless, some changes should be done in order that our [Arcane Barrage] behaves as in the video:

• Obviously, [Arcane Barrage] would need the knockback effect, which would become an iconic baseline effect of the own spell. That knockback effect would only happen when at least 1 [Arcane Charge] had been consumed by [Arcane Barrage] (the more [Arcane Charges] consumed, a more stronger knockback will be applied on the target, i.e. the target would be thrown farther from the mage).
  
  
• As [Arcane Explosion] has become our main AoE damage spell, the cleave effect of [Arcane Barrage] shouldn't be baseline. However, thanks to a talent called [Replicate] for example (in place of the current [Torrent]), [Arcane Barrage] knockback effect would be replaced by the cleave effect, so that each enemy situated near the target of [Arcane Barrage] would be affected by a replication of the spell, but yes, the knockback effect wouldn't be applied to anybody.

The question is: Don't you prefer to have a new spell other than [Arcane Barrage] to perform the effect seen in the video?

[Obelisk Kai]

Yes, that spell seems to be our iconic [Arcane Barrage] (although I prefer the graphical effect seen on the video). Nevertheless, some changes should be done in order that our [Arcane Barrage] behaves as in the video:

• Obviously, [Arcane Barrage] would need the knockback effect, which would become an iconic baseline effect of the own spell. That knockback effect would only happen when at least 1 [Arcane Charge] had been consumed by [Arcane Barrage] (the more [Arcane Charges] consumed, a more stronger knockback will be applied on the target, i.e. the target would be thrown farther from the mage).
  
  
• As [Arcane Explosion] has become our main AoE damage spell, the cleave effect of [Arcane Barrage] shouldn't be baseline. However, thanks to a talent called [Replicate] for example (in place of the current [Torrent]), [Arcane Barrage] knockback effect would be replaced by the cleave effect, so that each enemy situated near the target of [Arcane Barrage] would be affected by a replication of the spell, but yes, the knockback effect wouldn't be applied to anybody.

The question is: Don't you prefer to have a new spell other than [Arcane Barrage] to perform the effect seen in the video?

Please stop designing. And I am serious, you suggested removing Arcane Barrage's cleave effect...for a knockback.

The devs are more than capable of screwing up class design (the new living bomb is a wonderful example) without us forumites providing them with suggestions on how to do so.

[Frost1129]

Yes, that spell seems to be our iconic [Arcane Barrage] (although I prefer the graphical effect seen on the video). Nevertheless, some changes should be done in order that our [Arcane Barrage] behaves as in the video:

• Obviously, [Arcane Barrage] would need the knockback effect, which would become an iconic baseline effect of the own spell. That knockback effect would only happen when at least 1 [Arcane Charge] had been consumed by [Arcane Barrage] (the more [Arcane Charges] consumed, a more stronger knockback will be applied on the target, i.e. the target would be thrown farther from the mage).
  
  
• As [Arcane Explosion] has become our main AoE damage spell, the cleave effect of [Arcane Barrage] shouldn't be baseline. However, thanks to a talent called [Replicate] for example (in place of the current [Torrent]), [Arcane Barrage] knockback effect would be replaced by the cleave effect, so that each enemy situated near the target of [Arcane Barrage] would be affected by a replication of the spell, but yes, the knockback effect wouldn't be applied to anybody.

The question is: Don't you prefer to have a new spell other than [Arcane Barrage] to perform the effect seen in the video?

Rofl. Yeah, let's put a strong knockback effect on a spell we're constantly rotating through. That'll make the melee/tanks love us for sure. AND I have to use a talent to remove that "feature."

You'd think with how often you are "designing" new things you would improve with time and experience. Alas, here we are. Knockback arcane barrage.

[Sarm]

Do you even know what an iconic ability would be? Arcane Barrage is barely that. Fireball, Arcane Explosion, Frostbolt, Polymorph, Blink, those are iconic spells. Stuff that's been around for a very long time and defines what a basic mage is in the game. A knockback effect that doesn't even exist yet wouldn't be considered anywhere near that. And as much as I loved WotLK's Blast Wave and wish it were back, knockbacks aren't what the class is known for.

You appear to have a serious lack of perspective with how other classes (or even other mage specs) seem to function in everyday use. There's no way in hell that Arcane Barrage would get a knockback without raising the cooldown on it to maybe 20 or 30 seconds at the barest minimum (and probably cost you another defensive elsewhere, like Displacement), and it would destroy the spec's single target ability along with it. Another spell would have to be added, or Arcane Missiles would need to be retooled again in order to be the charge dump spell.

[Deleted]

Please stop designing.

You'd think with how often you are "designing" new things you would improve with time and experience.

I think he's doing the mistake here to have put that 'dismantling blizzard' role upon himself and he can't stop assuming the role. It might be best to relax that that and become a normal user. No one is a designer that dismantles blizzard, not even professional game designers.

[Northem]

Please stop designing. And I am serious, you suggested removing Arcane Barrage's cleave effect...for a knockback.

The devs are more than capable of screwing up class design (the new living bomb is a wonderful example) without us forumites providing them with suggestions on how to do so.

Rofl. Yeah, let's put a strong knockback effect on a spell we're constantly rotating through. That'll make the melee/tanks love us for sure. AND I have to use a talent to remove that "feature."

You'd think with how often you are "designing" new things you would improve with time and experience. Alas, here we are. Knockback arcane barrage.

You appear to have a serious lack of perspective with how other classes (or even other mage specs) seem to function in everyday use. There's no way in hell that Arcane Barrage would get a knockback without raising the cooldown on it to maybe 20 or 30 seconds at the barest minimum (and probably cost you another defensive elsewhere, like Displacement), and it would destroy the spec's single target ability along with it. Another spell would have to be added, or Arcane Missiles would need to be retooled again in order to be the charge dump spell.

As I foresaw, my suggestion has not been very well accepted... something that was expected, since my "suggestion" was more irony than anything else.

Actually I only wanted to make you understand that the spell we see Khadgar using at the videos can not be [Arcane Barrage] (at least from a gameplay point of view), as its use and applications are completely different to the [Arcane Barrage] we know .

But my real question is: Nobody would be interested in having that spell Khadgar uses? (considering that obviously it can not be [Arcane Barrage])

Honestly, I think most people would be delighted to have that spell.

Do you even know what an iconic ability would be? Arcane Barrage is barely that. Fireball, Arcane Explosion, Frostbolt, Polymorph, Blink, those are iconic spells. Stuff that's been around for a very long time and defines what a basic mage is in the game. A knockback effect that doesn't even exist yet wouldn't be considered anywhere near that. And as much as I loved WotLK's Blast Wave and wish it were back, knockbacks aren't what the class is known for.

I am sure that after that people see the movie everyone who wants to be an Arcane Mage will want to be able to cast that spell.

The film will convert that spell used by Khadgar into something iconic for Arcane Mages.

[Deleted]

Let's not take seriously what Khadgar is doing in graphical examples as a means to design the game for mages because I just saw him on multiple alts insta-killing several high HP dudes at 90 at the start of Tanaan and I was like "Dude, why do you need me? Go Solo WoD".

edit: And I think he uses that Arcane Barrage-y spell too.

edit: He also uses a lot that priest Halo-y spell.

[Rothex]

Wait, all of this whining is because an unknown Arcane spell does something in the movie trailer and it suddenly needs to be replicated ingame? Like god, it's a fricken movie none of the spells honestly have to do anything like they do in-game nor follow any of the mechanics. Can you imagine if he cast that spell and the guy just took the spell to the chest and stood there like nothing happened, just like in-game? Of course the guy needs to be thrust backwards through the air when being hit by magic otherwise it would be a boring af movie.

[Deleted]

Yeah most of those scenes are one-shots or two-shots for story purposes. It's same for in-game cinematics. Knock-backs are likely for dramatic effect.