New Mage Spec Idea

[Sal the Shieldhog]

So in another thread, intellect plate and it's uselessness came up somehow. I came up with a starting idea for a few specs that could make the gear more useful. Among these classes were the Death Knight (Necromancer, DPS), the Warlock (Demon Knight, Tank), and Mage (Arcane Warrior, DPS). This thread is about the Arcane Warrior specialization. It's totally not taken from Dragon Age, but honestly, nothing in this world is original. So without further ado, I present the...

Arcane Warrior
Or A Battle Mage or Something

Now, the whole premise behind the class is this that the Mage bends their magic inwards instead of out, bolstering their physical strength. This allows them to equip Plate armor and wield 2 handed weapons (Swords, Maces, and Axes; a benefit for Paladins, Shamans, and Druids as well. Rejoice!). Intellect is converted to attack power, as well as increasing their spell power (albeit at a lessened rate compared to their brethren specializations). They also have a few sustained "buffs" or Auras, similar to a Warrior's stances or a Death Knight's Presences. The Auras are also a sort of group buff, giving different benefits to the group or raid depending on which the mage is using (in case certain classes aren't in the group to provide such a buff). These are:

Arcane Aura: Coats the Mage's weapon in Arcane energy, causing physical attacks to deal extra Arcane damage and increases the rate of the Mage's attacks by [X]% for 5 seconds. Grants increased spell haste/spell power to party/raid member.

Flame Aura: Coats the Mage's weapon in flame, causing physical attacks to deal extra Fire damage and burn for another [X amount] damage over 5 seconds. Invigorates party/raid members, granting increased attack speed.

Frost Aura: Coats the Mage's weapon in frost, causing physical attacks to deal extra Frost damage and the target to be slowed, causing Frost attacks to deal extra damage. Applies the Weakened Blows debuff.

The Arcane Warrior is an experienced spell-sword, able to effortlessly blend Magical and Physical attacks.

Arcane Smash: A physical attack dealing Arcane damage.

Hand of Winter: An instant cast spell dealing Frost damage.

Explosion: A 2 second cast dealing Fire damage to the main target, and Fire damage to enemies within [X] yards of the target.

Winter's Grasp: A 1 second cast spell dealing some Frost damage and Freezing the target.

Fire and Ice: A physical attack dealing Fire damage, then Frost damage over time.

[More to come, WIP]

So, what do you guys think? It's a cool concept, and I think should 4th specializations ever be put into the game for other classes, I think this would be a cool way to get intellect plate some more use and add back those cool weapons we rarely get anymore. Either way, I'm going to continue working on this.

[Beergod]

Mages are and forever will be clothies, and a Mage with a 2 hand weapon besides a staff is weird. Really weird. The concept just sounds weird. Mages should just stay how they are. Being a player who's main is a Mage I would definitely not play that spec, I like my casting, far away, with no physical contact, because I am a caster, and not a melee class. The only good ideas in that concept are the Explosion and Winter's Grasp spells tbh. No plate, no 2 hand weapons, no physical contact. Noooo. Good imagination though.

[Jokubas]

It's been a long time since I've seen a cool mage knight. It's a shame that the archetype seems to be disappearing.

[Zatetic]

tbh ive always wanted a battlemage spec. i like being a primarily magic user but im also very rambo in my playstyle. I dont want a fourth spec, but if this replaced one of the current specs, I could see it being good. They all need a lot of work anyway. Giving them high numbers doesnt make them good to play.

I love the idea of running in with a big magic imbued mace and smashing a boss while retaining my arcane/fire/frost caster feel. Maybe if it had some DoTs to go with the melee swings?

[Monstercloud]

There's no way a single spec would be able to equip a whole different armor class, and different weapons, and suddenly be a master of all magic. Your auras also don't make sense, when they are clearly meant for different things, one for spellcasting, melee DPS, and tanking. Blizzard doesn't design one spec for multiple roles, that died when they separated DPS/Tank spec from feral druids.

[Sal the Shieldhog]

There's no way a single spec would be able to equip a whole different armor class, and different weapons, and suddenly be a master of all magic. Your auras also don't make sense, when they are clearly meant for different things, one for spellcasting, melee DPS, and tanking. Blizzard doesn't design one spec for multiple roles, that died when they separated DPS/Tank spec from feral druids.

It's like I said; the Mage uses their magic to make themselves stronger, allowing them to focus more on using armor and weapons than magic. In this playstyle, the Mage is primarily a melee DPS, with magical attacks as abilities for the rotation. It's not so much a master of all magic as it is using magic in a different way. They're like battle mages or spellswords in this spec - those who use magic to bolster their fighting abilities.

The auras aren't designed for different roles, they're all designed for DPSing. They all do the same amount of damage, but give a different buff to the group depending on the need. Nothing changes other than the type of damage done (Arcane, Fire, Frost), and the secondary effect (temporary attack speed bonus, DoTs, extra Frost damage).

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tbh ive always wanted a battlemage spec. i like being a primarily magic user but im also very rambo in my playstyle. I dont want a fourth spec, but if this replaced one of the current specs, I could see it being good. They all need a lot of work anyway. Giving them high numbers doesnt make them good to play.

I love the idea of running in with a big magic imbued mace and smashing a boss while retaining my arcane/fire/frost caster feel. Maybe if it had some DoTs to go with the melee swings?

Thanks!

That's partially what I was thinking, as you can see from the Fire Aura. Trying to think of more abilities to add that keep the whole magical swordsman theme going.

[Abysal]

they'd also need the ability to parry (a must for all melee specs).

Melee druids can't parry last I checked.

[Monstercloud]

It's like I said; the Mage uses their magic to make themselves stronger, allowing them to focus more on using armor and weapons than magic. In this playstyle, the Mage is primarily a melee DPS, with magical attacks as abilities for the rotation. It's not so much a master of all magic as it is using magic in a different way. They're like battle mages or spellswords in this spec - those who use magic to bolster their fighting abilities.

If you're using all schools of magic, you're mastering magic, while at the same time, mastering melee combat. It's rather meta.

Speaking of melee combat. Exactly how is expertise supposed to fit in? Is it all supposed to spell hit? What's the weapons for then? Is it supposed to be a conduit? Why not just use the weapons mages already have access to? Mages just aren't made for fighting, period. Their fighting ability is limited to their spells. It seems rather silly to turn on and off their combat prowess/physique with a push of a button.

The auras aren't designed for different roles, they're all designed for DPSing. They all do the same amount of damage, but give a different buff to the group depending on the need. Nothing changes other than the type of damage done (Arcane, Fire, Frost), and the secondary effect (temporary attack speed bonus, DoTs, extra Frost damage).

First, you seem to have quickly forgotten how many effects your own spells have (Damage type, personal buff, party/raid buff).

Second, you can't give one ability 3 different effects, and know they do the same amount of damage for sure. Only one has a singular +dmg. One has increased attack speed, and the other deals a DoT on top of their elemental damage. I'm also curious, if the whole premise is the mage using magic inward, then why is it also affecting other people? What makes the AW Mage able to use the flame aura, but not the fire mage?

Speaking of shared spells (or lack there of), would you still be able to use mage armors on top of these auras? That'd be INCREDIBLY OP.

Other things.

Where would the talent choices be? Long cast times don't do well melee classes, so "Blazing Speed" is pretty much the only choice. Frost Jaw would be incredibly useful in PvP (Because with Frost Aura and Winter's Grasp, along with all our other spells, we were missing some CC options). Invocation would probably be the only option for PvE, and IW for PvP. The immediate glyph I see a problem being is frost nova, giving a further edge in PvP.

There's just no well-thought out idea.. at all. You still haven't explained why giving a single spec a whole different armor class and entirely different weapons, on top of what the other specs use (for a total of 7 different weapon types) is a sensible/fair option for other classes.

[Narrative]

Make that another Warrior or Paladin spec, but leave each class wearing its normal gear type. Once you get into different armor types for individual specs, it just becomes a pain in the ass.

Neat idea, though.

[Talen]

Arcane Warrior
Or A Battle Mage or Something
Now, the whole premise behind the class is this that the Mage bends their magic inwards instead of out, bolstering their physical strength. This allows them to equip Plate armor and wield 2 handed weapons (Swords, Maces, and Axes; a benefit for Paladins, Shamans, and Druids as well. Rejoice!).

While I like the concept of a BattleMage/Spellsword, etc there is, I think, one major problem with it.

A lot of people, myself included....and you as well going by your description....see such as class as a platewearing, melkeeing, mana using caster capable of using 2H melee weapons effectively.

The big problem is you've just described a Paladin. Well...a DK as well, but Paladins use mana.

So - instead of a new class, why not a Glyph?

Glyph of the BattleMage
Your spells will now deal Arcane damage and glow blue. You may also wield a staff and dagger, alongside any 1 handed weapon as a visual effect only, and cloth items will count as plate for specialisation purposes.

EJL

[Soulfròst]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but Rift did it right. They have Harbingers. Mage with a scythe.

http://www.rifthead.com/stc/zc

[DJKalteraphine]

I would -love- a Battle Mage spec. It'd almost be like having a new class, but without all the pesky issues of three new original specs.

[Sageofthe10paths]

I prefer the "or something" idea... No to all this. Time Mage spec or get outa town!

[sagajin]

you just sugested enhancement shamans.

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Winter's Grasp: A 1 second cast spell dealing some Frost damage and Freezing the target.

frost shock

Explosion: A 2 second cast dealing Fire damage to the main target, and Fire damage to enemies within [X] yards of the target.

fire nova

Fire and Ice: A physical attack dealing Fire damage, then Frost damage over time.

lava lash with a build in fireshock?

Arcane Smash: A physical attack dealing Arcane damage.

stormstrike but with arcane instead of nature?

Frost Aura: Coats the Mage's weapon in frost, causing physical attacks to deal extra Frost damage and the target to be slowed, causing Frost attacks to deal extra damage. Applies the Weakened Blows debuff.

so frostbrand with weakend blows?

Flame Aura: Coats the Mage's weapon in flame, causing physical attacks to deal extra Fire damage and burn for another [X amount] damage over 5 seconds. Invigorates party/raid members, granting increased attack speed.

flametounge combined with the natural aura shamans have. (old windfury totem that became theyr aura)

Arcane Aura: Coats the Mage's weapon in Arcane energy, causing physical attacks to deal extra Arcane damage and increases the rate of the Mage's attacks by [X]% for 5 seconds. Grants increased spell haste/spell power to party/raid member.

windfury. with the old flametounge totem pasive aura

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just noticed even

Intellect is converted to attack power, as well as increasing their spell power


http://www.wowwiki.com/Mental_Quickness

Mental Quickness is a passive shaman ability learned at level 10 for those with the enhancement specialization. It increases spell power to 65% of attack power, reduces the cost of instant beneficial, damaging, totem, and shock spells, and grants a chance for melee attacks to restore a small amount of mana.

you did not think of this yourself. you took just shaman as a template and changed names around.

[TyrianFC]

Agree. OP, roll an Enhancement Shaman.

[Deleted]

A battlemage spec just doesn't fit in the mage class, simply and ultimately because of the armor.

A battlemage class in itself on the other hand is something I want. Perhaps you would enjoy my battlemage class thread =).

[Crophidious]

A Battlemage sounds like a perfect fit, but won't be accepted by Blizz.

[Deleted]

There will be Blood Mages before they'll be a Battle Mage