Can mages get some spell updates? Please?

[Deleted]

So let me get this straight.

Warlocks get:

- Green fire class quest
- Tons of new spell effect updates that totally outclass mage spell effects. (Seriously, some of their abilities look incredible)
- Various new talents including Demonbolt spell which also has amazing visual effects.
- Lots of attention because they lost metamorphosis and now has amazing spec identity in demonology as well as various new spells.
- Visually the class looks extremely appealing.

Mages get:

- Arcane still has ugly vanilla animations, looks lackluster and it's three level 100 talent abilities consist of: 2 Buffs and an Arcane Orb. Because everybody loves orbs right? No.
- Arcane Barrage looks decent, Arcane Blast doesn't even have an animation and Arcane Missles uses the same animations from Vanilla.
- Fire mage gets interesting new spell effects, no concerns there. Although I can't help but feel that fireball needs to look more intimidating rather than a ball texture I could probably whip up on Unity.
- Frost mage also lacks any visually interesting spell effects, Frostbolt is as uninteresting as usual, Blizzard still hasn't been updated yet Druid AoE abilities get updated. Frozen Orb, need I say more about orbs? And...nobody likes the ice barrier spell effect and Frost Ray looks terrible.

I love the mage class, but when it feels this neglected in terms of visual effects, it's hard not to be in awe of the attention they are giving to Warlocks. I don't even need to mention what melee classes are getting in terms of visual updates here. That much should be obvious.

Suggestion, give us a minor glyph for Arcane Lightning aka Purple Lightning to replace arcane abilities. It's been suggested on the forums and sounds refreshing.

[Hugnomo]

They already said they were going to update spells in addition to having updated melee abillities. However they have said it would come in a later patch

[Deleted]

They already said they were going to update spells in addition to having updated melee abillities. However they have said it would come in a later patch

Can I see the post for confirmation?

[pyrostorm9001]

Can I see the post for confirmation?

This follow was said on the Legion Developer Q&A - Ion Hazzikostas vid.

New Animations and Visual Effects
The team added new animations and visual effects to melee combat for Legion release.
New animations and visuals for casters are coming up next. These changes will come in patches and expansions rather than holding them to release all at once.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLbiU1oIXLo

[Zenny]

Personally I think the new Fire outclasses Warlocks in visual flair. Arcane and Frost can use a bit more love though.

[Amaterasu65]

I'm very satisfied with every Fire spell.

Frost needs new IBarrier/Blizzard/Frostbolt/Lance, practically everything. Orb, Icy Veins are ok.

Arcane needs AB, maybe some Arcane Charges animation -> whenever we get a new charge or so our mage will be imbued with arcane energy purple-ish and the bigger the charge, the bigger the animation. AM definately need some revisit because that work is not proper, for example I feel it would be better if:
smaller missiles, around the current colour, but the missiles won't be travelling in a linear manner, they can entangle each other in 5/6 formations/styles. Would make it more fun to see since Arcane is (imo) the more "stale and same" spec rotation-wise.

Point is they can do so much to make the specs feel more beautiful than they already are. Glacial Spike, Combustion, new fire casting (the fire in your mage's hands) is great. They can do something similar on frost and arcane, the plain blue of frost is annoying, could be more white-ish with light blue tints and some taste of snow, or the arcane could be more purple-ish with energy radiating and escaping from your hands, not that white thing we have now

[Smog]

Meanwhile, in the warlock forums, everyone is complaining because of how good fire looks and are asking for the same thing.

The grass is always greener.

[Ctee]

I can't speak for anyone else, however Phoenix Flames visual is probably the sexiest visual that we will see in Legion. I'm talking about the three fire orbs. I hope that's PF...

[The Archmage]

I think Arcane looks sexy as hell right now. Mark of Aluneth is probably the best looking ability in the game. With a different Arcane Blast and Missiles the class would really feel complete visually imho.

[Imnick]

Any spell with new visuals looks great (well... Flurry could be improved but that one was a rush job), but Arcane Missiles still uses what is literally one of the oldest spell graphics in the game.

[Deleted]

I can't speak for anyone else, however Phoenix Flames visual is probably the sexiest visual that we will see in Legion. I'm talking about the three fire orbs. I hope that's PF...

It is. Some people find it annoying. But, I figured you forget about them after having them for a few hours.

[eScar95]

Demonbolt looks like ass, Green fire doesn't even affect it. Chaos Bolt is outdated. Green Fire casting animations look worst than regular Orange Fire. But, the grass is always greener on the other side, right?

[Imnick]

Demonbolt looks like ass, Green fire doesn't even affect it. Chaos Bolt is outdated. Green Fire casting animations look worst than regular Orange Fire. But, the grass is always greener on the other side, right?

Well yeah, you're implying fire is the only mage spec to start with :P
Most spellcasters need updated graphics. Blizzard also has already said that they are going to do them.

[Cooper]

I like Arcane's animations. I like that Arcane Blast isn't just a purple shadow/frost/fire bolt. Arcane Missiles is the classic Magic Missile spell, though I do miss that fifth missile.

I would be pretty upset if Arcane's spells got changed to something overproduced and garish. They're already arguably the flashiest spell effects in the game without being obnoxious.

[eScar95]

Well yeah, you're implying fire is the only mage spec to start with :P
Most spellcasters need updated graphics. Blizzard also has already said that they are going to do them.

Arcane got alot of cool spell animations in WoD. Nether Tempest, Supernova, Arcane Orb. Even Frost got some cool animations in WoD like Ice Nova, Frost Bomb, and Comet Storm. And every spec got Prismatic Crystal if I'm not mistaken.

[Imnick]

Arcane got alot of cool spell animations in WoD. Nether Tempest, Supernova, Arcane Orb. Even Frost got some cool animations in WoD like Ice Nova, Frost Bomb, and Comet Storm. And every spec got Prismatic Crystal if I'm not mistaken.

Yes, and Warlocks have had new spell animations over the years too (plus Prismatic Crystal doesn't exist any more).
I don't get why you are making this into an argument. Pretty much every caster needs a visual update.
That includes Warlocks, and Mages. This isn't a situation where you need to pick one.

[Sarm]

I think the visual weak points were more about the class's filler spells instead of recent additions, and not all of the replacement graphics were for the better. There was a new Flamestrike graphic at the start of MoP and a new Cone of Cold during WoD, and both were pulled because they looked worse than what they were replacing.

Arcane Blast and Missiles are probably the worst offenders. AM's look hasn't changed at all (outside of a minor pathing change) and Arcane Blast's impact was recycled from a small effect you see when Arcane Explosion hits a target. It's never had a unique look at all.

[eScar95]

Yes, and Warlocks have had new spell animations over the years too (plus Prismatic Crystal doesn't exist any more).
I don't get why you are making this into an argument. Pretty much every caster needs a visual update.
That includes Warlocks, and Mages. This isn't a situation where you need to pick one.

Well, the OP tried making it seem Warlocks have been getting new animations every patch. Which they haven't and are also in dire need off visual updates.

[Rilas13]

They give new fun animations in every expansion, they can only update so many and they just were lower on the priority list. Melee needed some love badly, and I don't even play melee. That being said they did update Fire, the new Flamestrike is probably my favorite looking spell in the game now. Seriously if you haven't seen it yet it looks incredible.

I am not going to say that they won't update anything else until the next xpac, but I don't think anyone should expect it. I think short of bugs, animations are rarely if ever touched between xpacs. Keep your fingers crossed for 8.0.

If it makes you feel better my priest like your frost mage's Ice Barrier, is sporting the same animation since vanilla for Power Word: Shield. And this is after they removed divine aegis. They have a perfect animation not being used. But still we sport this:


Sad days.

[Imnick]

Well, the OP tried making it seem Warlocks have been getting new animations every patch. Which they haven't and are also in dire need off visual updates.

Oh yeah, well I agree that the OP is being pretty silly then.
We all need the new animations, and nobody's going to convince anyone else that their class isn't the one that deserves it first.
We'll just have to see who blizzard favours :P