I need help getting excited about archmage!

[craptacular]

basically im trying to decide which class will be my first and im making a list of good and bad points about the archmage, which is a choice im seriously considering right now

Good points
-apparently he does more damage than most other healers/supporters
-he has a nuke-heal-nuke-heal gameplay, like the shaman, which i like a lot
-my friends going high elves so i can lvl with him on first character (without travelling)
-i love healing and supporting, especially in a stylish way
-i love the idea of high elves being the masters of magic and 'High Magic'
-who doesnt like the word archmage?

Bad
-IT'S A HIGH ELF! it's not that i hate them. they are definitely awesome in ways other races arn't, but the other races just appeal to me so much more.
-I'm trying to decide which playstyle i like more, the nuke/heal of the archmage/shaman, or the tactical choices of the runepriest (and probably zealot)
-Since they are very similar, im also stuck between shaman and archmage. and i like goblins more so.. :\ but then id be different faction to friend..

basically im finding it hardest to decide between the following things...
-archmage
-choppa
-squig herder (CURRENTLY the biggest destruction contender)
-marauder
-bright wizard
-sorcerer
-runepriest (my biggest contender RIGHT NOW)
-maybe black orc or chosen
i'll make them all eventually but im trying to decide what i should do first..

the beta will help me decide, but for now, what are your thoughts?

[Chasington]

Runepriest. The archmage is unfortunately, an elf.

[ChosenOne]

The archmage is definately superior to the shaman. The shaman just throws around green goo for his magical attacks.

The Archmage can wield all the winds of magic thus you would have a wider variety of magical attacks.

Their mechanic is pretty sweet as well. You can send out all the damage you like and not feel the need to heal right away as the more high magic you store up the more powerful your heals become as well as costing less AP. If your high magic is high enough maybe even free cast. ;)

[Slice]

Good points
-apparently he does more damage than most other healers/supporters
I doubt it. A damage-specced Archmage should do exactly as much (+/- 1%) damage as a damage-specced Shaman.

Tell you what I would do in your stead. Roll one of each, play each of them to level 10, pick as many as you want, and make those your main/alts.

I know I'm going to roll a Disciple, a Sorceress, a Black Orc, a Zealot, a Choppa, a Witch Elf, and a Black Guard.

I will then probably play each one based on what I'm going to do. If I'm feeling mischevious and like RvRing, I'll jump on my Black Orc, get a guildie/friend healer and one RDPS, and cause havoc in Scenarios/RvR areas.
If I'm feeling bloodthirsty, but still want to be useful, I'll jump on my Disciple and help with a Keep Siege.
If my guild's lacking a healer for a full scenario premade group, and I'm doing something that can be postponed, or I feel like doing a PQ (plenty of densely packed mobs for more Ritual pain!) I'll jump on my Zealot.
If I feel like blowing myself up and taking 14 players with me to the Aethyr, I'll hop on my Sorceress, respec AoE/DD, enter the queue for the most densely packed scenario, and spam AoEs (perhaps with the aid of a healer friend, for double the fun!).
If I wanna harass casters, I'll just go on my Choppa/Witch Elf and lay waste to everything in my path.

It's all about moods. You could even write every [FACTION] career's name down, put each piece of paper in a hat, draw [MAX NUMBER OF CHARACTERS/SIDE/REALM], assign a color to each, and buy a mood ring. When blue pops up, go on your BW. Red? Archmage time!

[craptacular]

I doubt it. A damage-specced Archmage should do exactly as much (+/- 1%) damage as a damage-specced Shaman.

Tell you what I would do in your stead. Roll one of each, play each of them to level 10, pick as many as you want, and make those your main/alts.

I know I'm going to roll a Disciple, a Sorceress, a Black Orc, a Zealot, a Choppa, a Witch Elf, and a Black Guard.

I will then probably play each one based on what I'm going to do. If I'm feeling mischevious and like RvRing, I'll jump on my Black Orc, get a guildie/friend healer and one RDPS, and cause havoc in Scenarios/RvR areas.
If I'm feeling bloodthirsty, but still want to be useful, I'll jump on my Disciple and help with a Keep Siege.
If my guild's lacking a healer for a full scenario premade group, and I'm doing something that can be postponed, or I feel like doing a PQ (plenty of densely packed mobs for more Ritual pain!) I'll jump on my Zealot.
If I feel like blowing myself up and taking 14 players with me to the Aethyr, I'll hop on my Sorceress, respec AoE/DD, enter the queue for the most densely packed scenario, and spam AoEs (perhaps with the aid of a healer friend, for double the fun!).
If I wanna harass casters, I'll just go on my Choppa/Witch Elf and lay waste to everything in my path.

It's all about moods. You could even write every [FACTION] career's name down, put each piece of paper in a hat, draw [MAX NUMBER OF CHARACTERS/SIDE/REALM], assign a color to each, and buy a mood ring. When blue pops up, go on your BW. Red? Archmage time!

heh ye experimentation ftw. ill definitely make all of them eventually.

also if shaman does as much damage as arch mage, i would choose him first without a doubt, IF my friend wasnt so bent on orderly high elfs!!

[Screwhealz]

I'm in the same situation at the moment too. Luckily though with the delay we have a lot of time to decide (total sarcasm). And this is why I'm leaning towards Archmage. I want to play a support class, meaing I can do whatever it is that my group needs at the current time, most of the time that will be healing, but I also want to be able to help with damage and be able to do things to the enemy to make their life harder as well.

Though Mythic has said that there will be no class that is simply a "healbot" or something of that nature where they will simply be standing back and healing constantly. But I feel that the Runepriest does little more than buff besides that. I also am not to thrilled that the Archmage is an elf (if they were humans I would be all over this class like white on rice) but in the end I feel it is the class that is far more important than the race and it would be stupid to not play a class that looks fun just because of its race. These are the two main reasons that I'm leaving towards Archamge:

1) I want to be a Utility guy. I want to be that class that can join a group, and through a quick swap of the tactics set do nearly what ever the group needs; mainly dps/heal only when needed, split dmg/healing 50/50, or main heal only throwing out extra damage when I know I can spare it. I want to be that class that everyone is happy to have in their group because they know I will be doing something that is helpful at nearly all times.

2) I want to be able to fend for myself if needed. While WAR is based around RvR and large scale battles there will definitely be times that I am running around on my own questing or looking for fights or when I find myself in a 1v1 inside a scenario. In these situations I want to be able to come out on top, and from the difference in damage I feel there will be between the Archmage and Runepriest, I think that the Archmage will have a good mix or healing and damage to give them the suvivability and damage balance to stand toe-to-toe with most classes in WAR

But in the end I'm just gonna play both when I get on beta for a while and come to my conculsion then, I already think that I will pick Archmage over the Runepriest but u never know. When I first started WoW i thought hunter would be the class for me, but it want until I tried every class (rogue being the last), that I found out that I liked rogue the best.

[Dastion]

Here is why I am likely going to play an Archmage.

For one, I like the idea of being the best caster around. No you're not balance wise any better than, say a Shaman, but you have wide variety of abilities. Archmages are also supposed to have a wide variety of interesting spell graphics. They aren't limited to green stuff like shamans or fire like Bright Wizards.

I'm also very curious as to how Drain Magic has been implemented. We haven't heard anything about that mechanic in a long time, all we've heard about recently is their stored magic from destructive spells which is sorta depressing since it sounds like a fancy way of saying the same mechanic as the Shaman, whereas before we'd heard so much about Archmages tapping magic out of enemies and using it for support spells.

If Archmage doesn't turn out well, then I might end up playing the Disciple.

[Ceyl]

It has also been stated that the Archmage has a lot wider range of abilities than the shaman.

[Kaeldor]

I doubt it. A damage-specced Archmage should do exactly as much (+/- 1%) damage as a damage-specced Shaman.



Why must that be the case? A Shaman could be the better debuffer, and an AM the better DPSer for example, or the AM has better healing spells, therefore the Shaman could have better damage. Just becuase they use the same mechanic doesn't mean they have be equally good in every part they do.

Basically there is not much we can add that you don't have in your list already. The only one thing is what Dastion noted above, their drain "magic" ability. When the AM was first introduced it sounded like he could drain AP from opponents and use that to power this own spells, which sounded really awesome, and would be also in touch with the lore, as the main ability of the HE mage is to shut down the magic phase if they want to.

Maybe they are still seeing how they can put that one into a good mechanic for the AM, and therefore we haven't heard so much lately abotu the AM (in the same way as they do with stealth and the Witch Elf/Witch Hunter).

[ChosenOne]

I think an active drain magic ability for them was taken out. I remember the old descriptions having them then at some point it switched to a "draining" of magic from each spell without it causing the spell to be weakened. Thus being due to the Archmage's absolute knowledge of magic and how to work it better then any other magic user. No other magic users know how to syphon magic from a spell without weakening it. Its this "drained" pool of High Magic that the Archmage can then call upon to empower his spells even further or to even fuel his spells so much that he neednt expend any of his waning energy.

[Kaeldor]

I think an active drain magic ability for them was taken out. I remember the old descriptions having them then at some point it switched to a "draining" of magic from each spell without it causing the spell to be weakened. Thus being due to the Archmage's absolute knowledge of magic and how to work it better then any other magic user. No other magic users know how to syphon magic from a spell without weakening it. Its this "drained" pool of High Magic that the Archmage can then call upon to empower his spells even further or to even fuel his spells so much that he neednt expend any of his waning energy.

Yeah something like that was the mechanic when the first introduced the AM. I also don't think that survived at the core mechnic for this class, as it will be the same as the Shaman. But hopefully they get at least some drain flavored spells. The drain mechanic is really very iconic of the HE mages in the TT, it's what makes them special besides that they can use all the winds of magic, so I hope this survives at least a bit. We'll see. Generally I found the AP draining thing more interesting than the Waagh mechanic.

[Morelius]

To help raise the appeal of the high elves, for rp purposes you can imagine your character to have a vast variety of "feels" to it By this I mean there are many differing realms in Ulthuan, all with different themes that you could use. Go a true eccentric archmage from Saphery, or a seething, shadowy archmage from Shadowlands, a fey wood-elf-like archmage from Avelorn, or a grim, no nonsense one from Chrace. Try an arrogant archmage from Caledor, or a well-travelled, easy going one from Lothern. Yeah, they may be stereotypes, but all these help beat the one "pansy" stereotype of high elves. And then of course there are all the differing colors and looks to match. High elves often seem 1 dimensional at a glance, but scratch the surface and look at their realms and their differing themes, and suddenly high elves become the most multi-dimensional characters available.

Of course, if rp and your character's feel makes no difference to you, then the above is kinda useless hehe ;)


Also, you get to see and fight against a lot of bikini clad women (witch elves)

[craptacular]

i dont know anything about HEs, but they might end up saving the drain magic techniques for a lizardmen expansion

[Velryn]

Yeah something like that was the mechanic when the first introduced the AM. I also don't think that survived at the core mechnic for this class, as it will be the same as the Shaman. But hopefully they get at least some drain flavored spells. The drain mechanic is really very iconic of the HE mages in the TT, it's what makes them special besides that they can use all the winds of magic, so I hope this survives at least a bit. We'll see. Generally I found the AP draining thing more interesting than the Waagh mechanic.

I know this is very off topic... but um Kaeldor you seem to have accidentally changed your avatar to that of an archmage, and your class tag as well. It was accidental right... RIGHT!!!!????

[Loekii]

I actually think this will be an Over populated class, not that it helps your question.

Ideally, dabble with the support classes and see which one you really enjoy. If it happens to be the arch mage, then play it. While over populated, there could be a derth of good Arch mage players.

[Kaeldor]

I know this is very off topic... but um Kaeldor you seem to have accidentally changed your avatar to that of an archmage, and your class tag as well. It was accidental right... RIGHT!!!!????

Yeah I bumped into a wall yesterday and bamm thought it's a good idea to play a AM. :D

No, actually the AM is what I wanted to play from the start. The HE mages what originally braught me to playing the TT when I was in high school, I really like their background story, style, Saphery and all. Also I have exclusevly played RDPS since I begann playing MMOs, so I could use a kind of fresh air, and having a healer who can dish out damage when needed sounds really nice. I also like to be the guy in the dress (*cough* strictly in game that is), the one everyone thinks they can kill easely.

I was totally set on playing the AM when they introduced them the first time. Their mechanic seemed cool, and they were pretty much what I wanted to play. Then the devs changed them to be a shaman clone, and the really awesome looking SW was revealed. I still love the SW, I think the mechanic is awesome, like one commentator wrote "looks like the first time a MMO got a ranger class right" or something along those lines. So if the AM doesn't work out to be fun, I know I have a class I can play anyway. But I'll give the AM the first shot, after all someone has to heal you guys;).

And yeah sorry for the off-topic talks. Thatis still short version...

[ChosenOne]

I know I have a class I can play anyway. But I'll give the AM the first shot, after all someone has to heal you guys;).


Pff, that is if we LET you run with us. ;)

A properly built all shadow warrior battlegroup may not need much healing at all. Perhaps an occassional AM or two can come with.

[Creazil]

The archmage is definately superior to the shaman. The shaman just throws around green goo for his magical attacks.

The Archmage can wield all the winds of magic thus you would have a wider variety of magical attacks.

Their mechanic is pretty sweet as well. You can send out all the damage you like and not feel the need to heal right away as the more high magic you store up the more powerful your heals become as well as costing less AP. If your high magic is high enough maybe even free cast. ;)

wai- what?

no no no... see the shaman is a goblin, this alone puts him on the shelf above the archmage....
being kneehigh and nuking everyone with goo and healing... really... doesn't come much better
Would likely be my planned main if I didn't want to play in melee range
(though all the destruction support careers look pretty awesome)

[Kaeldor]

Pff, that is if we LET you run with us. ;)

A properly built all shadow warrior battlegroup may not need much healing at all. Perhaps an occassional AM or two can come with.

Yeah that all SW group thing sounds really nice, and should work too and will be a lot of fun. :)

[Mortissia]

I want to play an Archmage. I really do. I still don't know totally what an Archmage really is (what the total array of powers are and wherever balance ends up taking them). But seceretly, deep down inside, I have this thought that it might be really cool to be a BW. It just makes me giggle to think of setting fire to a bunch of Orcs and watching them burn. What could be cooler than that? Hopefully the Archmage will, indeed, be cooler than that.

[Kaeldor]

I want to play an Archmage. I really do. I still don't know totally what an Archmage really is (what the total array of powers are and wherever balance ends up taking them). But seceretly, deep down inside, I have this thought that it might be really cool to be a BW. It just makes me giggle to think of setting fire to a bunch of Orcs and watching them burn. What could be cooler than that? Hopefully the Archmage will, indeed, be cooler than that.

Well, if everything works out as planned, the Archmage should be able to set fire to a bunch of Orcs and while he's is watching them burn, heals the SM/WL who is beating the crap out of some other Orcs. Sounds even cooler.

(Disclaimer: I know that AMs won't have the DPS of a BW, nor many fire spells, but I hope that the Devs give them at least "Flames of the Phoenix")

[ChosenOne]

I want to play an Archmage. I really do. I still don't know totally what an Archmage really is (what the total array of powers are and wherever balance ends up taking them). But seceretly, deep down inside, I have this thought that it might be really cool to be a BW. It just makes me giggle to think of setting fire to a bunch of Orcs and watching them burn. What could be cooler than that? Hopefully the Archmage will, indeed, be cooler than that.


Um, hello. . . Lightning? It burns AND it zaps!

Yeah, Archmage lightning ftw over bright wizard fire.

[Kaeldor]

Um, hello. . . Lightning? It burns AND it zaps!

Yeah, Archmage lightning ftw over bright wizard fire.

No, I demand FIRE, ok and lightning, and all the other nice stuff too, but umm also FIRE :D

[ChosenOne]

No, I demand FIRE, ok and lightning, and all the other nice stuff too, but umm also FIRE :D


You might get some fire, but remember that old idea of silhouette recognition? With casters alot of that comes from recognizing the spells that hit you.

[Kemps]

Will Archmages be able to do DD/AoE.
Or is it really sorceress that is these things? :confused:

[Slice]

Will Archmages be able to do DD/AoE.
Or is it really sorceress that is these things? :confused:
The Archmage is a Order support (DD, DoTs, AoE, healing, buffs, debuffs) class.
The sorceress is a Destruction damage class.

And if you want to play a DD/AoE class but love Order, roll Bright Wizard. You really should read the career descriptions on one of the various fansites :P

[Kaeldor]

You might get some fire, but remember that old idea of silhouette recognition? With casters alot of that comes from recognizing the spells that hit you.

Sure sure, I bet if we get a fire spell, it'll be white, or white-bluish or something like that. I was also half-joking.

[Velryn]

Yeah that all SW group thing sounds really nice, and should work too and will be a lot of fun. :)


Yeah you can just dye your robes a darker hue and say your a Shadow Weaver and we won't mind. But yes I'd like to see the archmage casting good ol' nukes between heals, because I mean, Archmages are just cool like that. I have to say if there's any Order Healer I want to play it's probably an AM or a WP, and I love all the elf classes too, accept maybe the WL (I'm a member of Peta), so I will probably roll a WH in its place. Either way I support your decision to be a proud magi of Saphery, but if you ever have a hankering to be a total badass again, you can put down the staff and pick up the bow :-D

[Kaeldor]

Yeah you can just dye your robes a darker hue and say your a Shadow Weaver and we won't mind. But yes I'd like to see the archmage casting good ol' nukes between heals, because I mean, Archmages are just cool like that. I have to say if there's any Order Healer I want to play it's probably an AM or a WP, and I love all the elf classes too, accept maybe the WL (I'm a member of Peta), so I will probably roll a WH in its place. Either way I support your decision to be a proud magi of Saphery, but if you ever have a hankering to be a total badass again, you can put down the staff and pick up the bow :-D

Hehehe, thanks, yeah the SW will be my first alt anyway, and still the chance to be my main, if I don't like how the AM turns out.

[Velryn]

Hehehe, thanks, yeah the SW will be my first alt anyway, and still the chance to be my main, if I don't like how the AM turns out.

Yeah, actually now that I think about it, An Archmage R/Ping A Shadow Weaver and going around healing Shadow Warriors while nuking... You know, I think that could very well be one of the best PvP groups around... and totally sick for R/P... ok who else wants to roll on the same server and do this?

[Kaeldor]

Yeah, actually now that I think about it, An Archmage R/Ping A Shadow Weaver and going around healing Shadow Warriors while nuking... You know, I think that could very well be one of the best PvP groups around... and totally sick for R/P... ok who else wants to roll on the same server and do this?

It would defenitly fun to play to have lot of us on the same server, I think we have a good HE community here. But in the end it'll probalby be difficult, some will be on EU servers (if I'm not mistaken for example Aelthurian), for others the decision will be made by their guild etc. But it would defenitly be fun :D


And back on topic, a long gameplay vid from a convention like we have for many other classes, would get me really excited.

[Lancelot]

Since you don't like high elves, and like the other races much more, if I were you I would never play one as my main, simple as that.

[Velryn]

Since you don't like high elves, and like the other races much more, if I were you I would never play one as my main, simple as that.


Yeah I mean if you hate High Elves so much roll a Shaman, because the two classes mirror each other, so if you want the gameplay of an archmage but you don't want to be a High Elf I suggest Shaman.

[craptacular]

Good points

-i love the idea of high elves being the masters of magic and 'High Magic'


Bad
they are definitely awesome in ways other races arn't, but the other races just appeal to me so much more.


if i totally hated them then sure i wouldn't have one as my main, but the fact that they are cool in a different way to every other race, and there are other good reasons for going archmage, is still making this a valid decision

[Estebar]

Yeah, actually now that I think about it, An Archmage R/Ping A Shadow Weaver and going around healing Shadow Warriors while nuking... You know, I think that could very well be one of the best PvP groups around... and totally sick for R/P... ok who else wants to roll on the same server and do this? You could spec him so that's he's debuff-heavy, representing all the blinding, confusing Shadow enchantments he inflicts upon the enemy. :D

[Velryn]

You could spec him so that's he's debuff-heavy, representing all the blinding, confusing Shadow enchantments he inflicts upon the enemy. :D


Yeah, and you would need to dye the robes a dark hue, like as dark as you can get it.

[lnquisitor]

EDITed for content

[Estebar]

Ignore him. He's so unoriginal, he says everything at least twice (http://www.warhammeralliance.com/forums/showpost.php?p=807112&postcount=20). :roll:

I'd say, as long as they do some AMAZING spell effects for some of the major healing spells, the Archmage will be a lot of fun to play.

For now, check out Shaman reports and videos such as here (http://www.warhammeralliance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11813) and here (http://www.warhammeralliance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29911) to get an idea of the kind of style of gameplay they'll be going for, but don't expect it to be identical to Shaman gameplay, as they will personalise the Archmage to give him a unique feel.

By the way, I haven't seen it yet but that video (the second one) is supposed to be pretty good, and the PBAoE healing spell in it is kinda nifty.

[Kaeldor]

Estebar, I didn't recognize you with that new avatar >>

As long they can pull the nuker/healer thing really off, the AM will be fun to play. From what I have seen so far, they have a lot of nice skills, to be a real nuisance for the other side.

In the end, it all depends if you can really use all the nice stuff or be forced to specc in the healing mastery and go heal/heal/heal because of the battle dynamics (e.g people just die if you don't heal and you side looses).

[murkrow]

I've always really really loved the high elves but I'm having a pretty tough time deciding what class to go with, or whether I will even end up playing one.

That twirly staff animation is really putting me off AM, I'll have to wait til open beta to really say if I can deal with it I guess.

In tabletop I always played my high elves from nagarythe so the idea of a "shadow weaver" archmage is pretty appealing.

I think the biggest problem I have with archmage is that from the first time I hear about how it was going to work I assumed it would play a lot like my priest in WoW, which I really really enjoy, and the more I hear about it the less it seems that will be the case.

I'm assuming that the elements archmage will have over shaman will be based in caster control stuff like AP control or counterspells but I'm basing that entirely on fluff since I haven't seen ANY of it.

If archmage doesn't have a heavy caster control element I'll be pretty darn disappointed.

But I'll probably still play one in Nagarythe theme just because I love Ulthuan and healing.

[gecko155]

I gotta admit, twirly staff animation is pretty lame and though not an entire turn off, it could be better... or replaced (Even better).
I am having a tough time getting excited about the archmage myself. See, generally I play spell casters and often times I am support classes, but somehow the Archmage just is not appealing at all!
So in reality I will not be able to say I like it or dislike it until I play one.
The only HE class I am dislikign right now is the White Lion idea. D:

[wellsy]

The only HE class I am dislikign right now is the White Lion idea. D:

Pardon the off-topic post, but why do you not like the White Lion?