Spells Adhering to the Mage's School

[Tobyone]

Why? Just because you specialize in one kind of magic, that doesn't mean you are locked out of all other kinds. This would be cool (kind of) except for the fact that it would make mages ridiculously complicated. You're basically just copying existing spells with slightly different effects.

One last thing, how often do you think mages want to pull somebody close to them?

[Speaknoevil]

The idea is if they're trying to range you or LoS you, you can pull them in 5yds.

It's not close, just closer.

A situational tool.

[Whisperawr]

The idea is if they're trying to range you or LoS you, you can pull them in 5yds.

It's not close, just closer.

A situational tool.

Last comment 1st page PL0X

[Speaknoevil]

What benefit does this give Mages? Just +[insert spell type here]damage from your talent trees?

From what I understand, fake casting would no longer be necessary as well. Just cast the non-interruptable spell through their counterspell/spell lock/silencing shot/kick/etc. ?

The spell that didn't share a lockout would be very weak. (no other options type thing)
You really won't want to be in a situation where you would have to cast this spell basically.

I am all for fake casting, also baiting a cast with this other spell would be a nice use for it.

And the spells differ slightly, to give each type of mage a unique appeal in PvP and PvE environments.

It's not just swap out tree and damage type.

[Skarrd]

A fun and interesting idea in terms of flavor, but something of this magnitude would take a ridiculous amount of effort to implement appropriately. As such, it wouldn't be worth the developement time just so mages can "feel more frosty" and the like. interrupts would probably be the weirdest part for the reasons already stated. It's tough to balance something like that.

[Statix]

Before I read your message further, Arcane Lash? Pull the target towards the caster? Weren't Mages supposed to try and stay away from their targets? (PVP oriented)

Edit after reading entire post.

Some really nice ideas in there, but I'd hate to lose Frost Nova and it being changed into something fiery, just to name one spell I'd hate to lose being Fire. Mages are the masters of Magic, and being able to cast spells from other schools is only logical. They specialize in one school, yet they are still able to use abilities from other schools. Having those abilities from other schools is what makes the Mage a Mage. If all abilities would turn into another version of the original spell based on what tree you're specced in, you wouldn't be playing a Mage anymore, but for example, Arcane Mage. You wouldn't be able to use Fire or Frost spells anymore, completely denying the Mage the title of masters of Magic.

What you're suggesting is turning the Mage into three different classes, with each tree different talent trees within the same school of Magic, e.g. a Fire Mage having the tree talent trees: Burn (burning enemies with special effects, more PVP oriented tree), Ignite (little direct damage, but high DoT damage) and Nuke (no DoTs, just direct damage).

You could see it as a Warlock, since Warlocks used to be Mages, but were consumed by the need for more darker powers and thus became Warlocks.

It would be way too much work for Blizzard, and one could wonder why, if they were to do this, they won't do it for other classes aswell. Also, Blizzard just removed a lot of spells that they thought made the Mage complicated (think of Amplify Magic, Dampen Magic, Fire Ward and Frost Ward); adding this would completely reverse the changes they just made to the Mage and truly make it a complicated class.

[Speaknoevil]

[Arcane Lash]
Blasts the enemy for arcane damage, and pulls the target towards the caster 5 yards. (45yd range, 8s cooldown)

Would be your longest range spell though, and would pull them to your max spell range. I wouldn't call that close.

And I have no doubt Blizzard would never implement something like this.

It's just my personal taste of what I enjoy.

In terms of masters of magic I completely agree.

That's why in my opinion a skilled mage could be able to accomplish the same thing with a different element.

For some compulsive reason a mage wants to use only flame, I think it could accomplish frost nova's effect with fire. Melting rock around their ankles or using waves of heat to bind them with ash.. you get the picture.