Make Wizarding Great Again

[Stonewallx39]

First off I’ll say this is a “not classic” idea so please feel free to roast and flame for my wrong think. I’d also say this is maybe more along the lines of Blue server “custom” content ideation. This gap is really only aimed at leveling in a group setting which is how Everquest was intended to be played, with soloing being a distant second in the mind of the original developers (my opinion based on what I’ve read from the game developers).

Alright caveats aside,

I really love the Wizard class in Everquest but in the classic era they are very gimped in an efficient group setting. At least as far as performing their primary purpose, dealing dmg. Wizards can be great in a group and add a variety of utility (I’ve grouped with great ones) however generally speaking they will not be able to keep up in a high paced experience group where mobs are constantly in camp being killed.

If we look at level 33 as an example a wizard will only regain 130 mana per minute from meditate allowing them approximately one cast of there level 29 inferno shock for up to 250dmg on 135 mana. A rogue on blue of this same level can easily sustain 15dps, if we’re assuming a total of 40 seconds of combat per minute the rogue could do 600 dmg over the same timeframe.

I know many groups will welcome wizards and won’t discriminate (though though many are less open minded) but I personally hate the idea of holding my team back in what is an already difficult and time consuming game.

To help address this my recommendation for custom content would be to add a group only meditate bonus for wizards that would increase the mediate only regen rate by a 5-20% increase per group member. The bonus would not include any other regen such as worn, spell, or song but this would be included on top of the mediate regen. This change would allow the wizard to sustain spell casting more often without changing the dynamic of how much “gas is in the tank” per se. I also don’t believe this approach would significantly change the dynamics of raiding besides possibly giving wizards an extra nuke or two over a long sustained fight.

Just an idea in the arena of thoughts feel free to tell me why this would break the game or is a terrible “not classic” thought. I’m sure there are re-education camps for this type of thing that will help me to stop my wrong thoughts.

*disclaimer - I don’t play Wizard I just appreciate the class and would like for them to be more capable sustained DPS in group settings.

[Nibblewitz]

Imagine how balanced the clothies would be if wizards were given the clarity line instead of enchanters.

[Exard3k]

Wizards are doing fine on green. Without uber twink weapons from kunark/velious, wizards pack quite a punch. I never felt underwhelming in a group. And sustained dps is fine, but (stored) bursts are often as important.

The problem on blue is not the wizard, it's twinking on low levels with end-gear kunark/velious equip being so cheap everyone can afford it. This is killing most classes that rely on (static value) spells.

And no, I don't want clarity for wizards.

[Kirdan]

All I really want is innate spell crits for wizards. They were added in luclin and while AAs allowed any class to get them, wizards had them innate just like warriors have innate melee crits. Let me throw out 4k banes every now and then.

[Muggens]

The problem on blue is not the wizard, it's twinking on low levels with end-gear kunark/velious equip being so cheap everyone can afford it. This is killing most classes that rely on (static value) spells.

And no, I don't want clarity for wizards.

Your first paragraph is just plain wrong.

Agree on no C for the wiz, I dont want to be pestered with tells begging me for crack plz ;P

OP, your idea is a fine one. I do hope they tune the wiz a tad for blue99. Self only mana regen increase(perhaps an improved Harvest?) and crits would be nice. Some minor utility spells like a self only runspeed boost would be cool too. As long as its within the realm of a classic "wizard" modus

[brunow1337]

sounds like stuff i was thinking first time i played eq and i rolled wizard (late 2018) felt like wizards need more mana reg while meding, lower cost on spells or make harvest gain more mana and or reduce CD. They just need some small improvements with their mana some how. But hey i dont realy know tbh im a complete noob when it comes to EQ only played with wizard to lvl 55 on blue as i said late 2018 but alot of comments and posts on the web about wizard beeing bad in eq sadly i realy enjoyed them and i dont know what to play on green atm :)

[Muggens]

Another thing I wish my wizard had was quick casting nukes, or just plain shorter cast duration for alot of the staple nukes. Sunstrike is 7 seconds away...just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting

[Jimjam]

It wouldn't be so bad if Markar's actually lasted 8 seconds on mobs... even the full 5 of Tishan would be nice.

I guess stunning effectively is just something only mobs are allowed to do.

Why did mobs get a 3 second limit to being stunned, anyway? Is this because of the much maligned whirl til you hurl nerf druids suffered?

[plzrelax]

I know the enchanter pbaoe stuns certainly last more than 3 seconds. Too bad about wizards :(

[Exard3k]

I guess stunning effectively is just something only mobs are allowed to do.


And Clerics. They get multiple stuns over their career. Wizards got interrupt nukes which work just as good when you had some training with them and know the mobs you're fighting. Quick cast time is critical though. stun spells are dirt cheap in terms of mana. Stunlocking mobs shouldnt be cheap.

[Vexenu]

Look at it this way: there has to be a worst class by every metric. And measuring by the metric of XP grouping, Wizards are unquestionably the worst class. It is what it is. But if you judge by other metrics, Wizards are actually quite good. They are the best burst DPS. They are one of the top raiding classes. They are (in Velious) the only class that can Translocate, which is an absolutely amazing spell line. They are one of the best classes for solo XP with quadding. They are the lowest APM and lowest responsibility class in the game (relaxing playstyle). So there are plenty of reasons to play a Wizard. Joining XP groups just isn't one of them.

[Exard3k]

Yesterday I was playing cleric in unrest (basement). There are some nasty casters around (festering hags).

Once the Paladin tank left, I was the only one left with stuns. We had a rogue, chanter, necro, shaman and sk in group. I would have switched the necro or rogue for a wizard in a heartbeat. For big nukes and stuns. They just have to be interrupted and bursted down fast.

The fact that I was on interrupt duty as a cleric really limited my mana regeneration. But taking aoe's from the hags is beyond healing capability.

[Stonewallx39]

Look at it this way: there has to be a worst class by every metric. And measuring by the metric of XP grouping, Wizards are unquestionably the worst class. It is what it is.

Thanks Vexenu, definitely an interesting observation. I was just thinking custom content to help Wizards group better might be more in line with the vision of the original game developers. The ability solo on a Wizard is mostly based on kiting which the developers shared was never intended to be a game mechanic, which is actually a case study in emergent game-play which is a fascinating topic in itself.

I’d also support an additional/cranking up the xp bonus for grouping vs solo (so I’m kind of a radical thinker compared to a lot of purists) to incentivize grouping. It seems silly that for a MMO in many cases soloing is better experience than grouping. <—This from a guy who solos a lot.

[GnomeCaptain]

The statements about xp grouping and Wizards being the 'worst' at it are making an assumption about the xp groups: that they are of the boring, slow, common tank/heal/CC/dps type.

AE groups are by far the best xp groups, and Wizards are at the core of ae groups.

Who wants a boring xp group, anyway?

Form ae groups or interesting duos, trios, etc.

[Rick Sanchez]

Yes in a traditional exp group, wizards arent apart of the min/max but looking past that, they aren't terrible and in certain zones nice to have. Especially zones with nasty casters when you need concentrated bursts/stuns. I welcome a attentive wizard in any group i make, however to many of them burn there mana pool and afk for at least 10mins. That leaves a bad taste in anyone's mouth. BUT one of my favorite things I love about EQ is reputation, and it sticks with you. So for me idgaf if you do your job, I will always invite you.

[Aaron]

Wizards don't need anything except pointy wizard hats.

[annali]

Wizards are a bag of crap on Green and if you disagree you either haven't played one or you're blinkered one.

I really don't know why I play one. Yet here I log in almost every day.

[Pint]

Wizards are a bag of crap on Green and if you disagree you either haven't played one or you're blinkered one.

I really don't know why I play one. Yet here I log in almost every day.

You're strong in kunark if you choose to raid, if not then time to re roll

[Bristlebaner]

Imagine how balanced the clothies would be if wizards were given the clarity line instead of enchanters.

I've often thought this would be the most clutch and single most game balancing change they could make.

Would instantly make Wizards far more viable not only for their own viability (aka more mana for themselves) but also make them a hot commodity in groups...

Simultaneously you would reduce the meme worthy power of enchanters and bring charm back into balance.

Hindsight is 20/20.