Mage Artifacts and Atiesh

[Selastan]

With the exception of Flamestrike, the mage artifacts are said to be the staves of former Guardians of Tirisfall. But wasn't Atiesh the staff of every Guardian, passed down through the generations? Has this now been retconned, or is it that these staves were the personal weapons of the Guardians before they assumed their post?

[Wildstaff]

it most likely has been retconned

[Spriestlawl]

So, Atiesh, according to Archmage Tarsis, was passed down through the generations by the guardians. However, his account is the only one I believe that said it was passed from ALL of the guardians. I believe he says something to the affect of "The staff handed down through the ages of each of the guardians" or so. Now, what does this mean? Well, it could mean that yah, Atiesh was the stave they used once they became guardians. Butttttttt, Guardians are VERY powerful archmages. They likely held in their possession staves that facilitated this power. As such, their staves probably held a ton of arcane energy and potential within them. So yah.. I wouldn't say it's a recon as much as a logical step that powerful mages had powerful artifact like staves prior to their possession of the Greatstaff.

[Imnick]

How many staves have you used throughout your mage's career?
You think you're the only one who has both a work staff and a formal staff?

[Selastan]

How many staves have you used throughout your mage's career?
You think you're the only one who has both a work staff and a formal staff?

Kind of sucks when most classes are getting the most powerful weapons their classes have ever seen, mages get the staves that the other guardians tossed in favor of Atiesh. Warriors get screwed, too by not getting Brox's Axe and Gorshalach, but Atiesh doesn't even have the excuse of being off-planet.

[Imnick]

The real reason is that Atiesh is simply pretty boring.
It's a wooden staff with a bird on it.

I know that sometimes understatement is good, but it doesn't give them much to work with. They had to make something flashier instead.

[Zulandia]

And more importantly already in the game Imnick (even if there aren't many left anymore).

[Orrin]

Well, they could give us Atiesh and make great looking variations. I actually would like that because that way staff is designed would be more contained. Current ones are over the top even for WoW over the top style

[Gaidax]

Well, they could give us Atiesh and make great looking variations. I actually would like that because that way staff is designed would be more contained. Current ones are over the top even for WoW over the top style

Flashy designs for staves are absolutely fine, if anything we barely have any staves that truly radiate power. Most of the things we got until recently were just sticks with tiny crystals if you are lucky. Only after Cataclysm went out we started getting staves that actually look powerful and not just some sticks.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, they could give us Atiesh and make great looking variations. I actually would like that because that way staff is designed would be more contained. Current ones are over the top even for WoW over the top style

Flashy designs for staves are absolutely fine, if anything we barely have any staves that truly radiate power. Most of the things we got until recently were just sticks with tiny crystals if you are lucky. Only after Cataclysm went out we started getting staves that actually look powerful and not just some sticks.

[Michaelmc454]

The way I understand it, is the other staves were the staff the Guardian had BEFORE they became guardian. Reason for this is from what Atiesh is made from, which makes it extremely powerful. Also Khadgar is boring it atm.

[Wishblade]

I imagine it might be a retcon, that other Guardians had their own staves, but who knows, maybe different staves served different purposes. But still, I don't mind Khadgar keeping Atiesh and Mages get some of the older stuff that aren't in use anymore.

Warriors get screwed, too by not getting Brox's Axe and Gorshalach, but Atiesh doesn't even have the excuse of being off-planet.

Never understood why people would want a wooden axe blessed by druidism'ish stuff... Sure, it's Broxigar's axe that wounded Sargeras, but still... A wooden axe...? Whatever floats your boat.
Also, Gorshalach... As if we'd just go claim Gorribal from Sargeras and Taeshalach from Aggramar and reforge them back to its original form...

But anyway, sorry for getting off-topic, back to Mages.

[Zenny]

Kind of sucks when most classes are getting the most powerful weapons their classes have ever seen, mages get the staves that the other guardians tossed in favor of Atiesh. Warriors get screwed, too by not getting Brox's Axe and Gorshalach, but Atiesh doesn't even have the excuse of being off-planet.

Woah, where is it ever stated that Atiesh is the most powerful Mage staff ever?

[Selastan]

Woah, where is it ever stated that Atiesh is the most powerful Mage staff ever?

Considering the two artifacts we are getting are staves that were apparently discarded when their wielders were offered Atiesh...

[Polarthief]

The real reason is that Atiesh is simply pretty boring.
It's a wooden staff with a bird on it.

I know that sometimes understatement is good, but it doesn't give them much to work with. They had to make something flashier instead.

And more importantly already in the game Imnick (even if there aren't many left anymore).

Well the proof being Ashbringer. It's flashy and in the game as well. Plenty to work with. Ateish is very bland and basic, despite being a legendary. You know people would complain about it; how do you really advance from it, too?

I guess I just don't really mind because Ebonchill looks beautiful

[Selastan]

Well the proof being Ashbringer. It's flashy and in the game as well. Plenty to work with. Ateish is very bland and basic, despite being a legendary. You know people would complain about it; how do you really advance from it, too?

I guess I just don't really mind because Ebonchill looks beautiful

Some artifact upgrades don't look anything like the base, as long as it looked arcane and "birdy" they could do anything.

[Polarthief]

Some artifact upgrades don't look anything like the base, as long as it looked arcane and "birdy" they could do anything.

Then the only other thing I can think of is "what spec do you give it to?". I mean, wasn't Ateish used by Mages of all schools? Like you guys said, both Aluneth and Ateish were "discarded when offered this staff", so you cannot really give it to one spec; you'd have to give it to all Mages. Three different versions of it in fact, and man wouldn't that be so much worse than what we have now?

People saying "well I guess we just get fucked over", did you guys not even consider that? I mean, look at Ashbringer. Which kind of Paladin is the only one to use 2h weapons? Both Prot and Holy use 1h, and Ret uses 2h. Easy distinction, right? All 3 Mage specs use all their 4 types of weapons (Wand, Staff, 1h Sword, Dagger), so we don't have easy weapon identification between the specs, and on top of that, Ateish isn't really favored towards one spec or another. Sure, you could argue it to default to Arcane, but don't we have enough things already defaulting to Arcane?

A bit off-topic, but this could also be a possible reason why Benediction/Anathema wasn't used for Priest. That or they couldn't find a way to combine the two staves for Discipline

[Shangalar]

Well. The position of Guardian isn't until death. So these mages were powerful before their gig and after they retired (some died in the line of duty of course). And when they retire it's not like "ok, here's the staff back, I'm gonna use this Dagger +1 until I die". Atiesh is taken anyway so it's reasonable that we get these other staves. I love the designs anyway and besides, if I wanted Atiesh I'd use the one my best friend crafted for me in real life.

[Polarthief]

I love the designs anyway and besides, if I wanted Atiesh I'd use the one my best friend crafted for me in real life.

10/10, though I do wish Ateish would be put back into the game (along with Naxx 40), just for the sake of having an extra portal around the world, especially if Karazhan ever becomes relevant again (spoiler: it will).

[Archibalde]

Never understood why people would want a wooden axe blessed by druidism'ish stuff... Sure, it's Broxigar's axe that wounded Sargeras, but still... A wooden axe...?

You kind of answered your own question. It's an axe that killed countless Legion demons and even wounded Sargeras. The material is irrelevant, especially considering how the artifact system completely changes the appearance of the weapons. You can have an Ashbringer made of pure flames. In that version, where's the holy crystal from which it was originally forged?

[Sithalos]

Khadgar has Atiesh.

/Thread