[skorge]

From https://groups.google.com/forum/#!se...o/sqXbyyrSCBoJ

Several members of the EQ team, with some initial help from a player's
email, put the following document together listing both enhancements and
'nerfs' we've made to the game since launch. And while we probably forgot
some things, both negative and positive (please let us know and I'll update
the document), I think it puts in perspective the ratio of positive vs.
negative changes to the game we've made. I also feel it heartily
invalidates the assertion that we are out to make the game harder or to have
players advance slower overall, or that 'all we do is nerf'.
The following is broken down by class, and then addresses those changes made
that affect the whole game. Changes we feel are positive from just about any
perspective are denoted with a '+', and those some players might consider a
'nerf', but that we felt were important for the long term health of the
game, are denoted with a '-'.

(again, I'm sure we've forgotten some things, both '+' and '-'; please feel
free to comment and add items).


Magicians
+ New summon item spells
- High Level (39+) Pets weakened
+ Better mid+ level pets (they cast spells now)
+ Added more Class Specific Quests
+ Added more Class Specific Items
+ Enhanced High Level (35+) Meditation
+ Magician Pet Buff Spells Strengthened
+ Enhanced Pet Pathing
+ Added Special Items to let Magicians Summon Stronger Pets
+ Corrected Bug that let monsters attack you from far distances
through your pet
+ Made Magician Research Easier - especially for their pets
+ Added Spell Effects to most Magician Summoned Items
+ Enhanced AoE Spells to let Magicians effect more creatures
+ Reduced Mana Cost of Damage Shields
+ Reduced Casting Time of Ward Series
+ Made the Malise Series Stack Better
+ Made the Burnout Series Better

-Brad

Listen, the above list from Brad himself tells you that mid level pets did NOT cast spells. Unless you want to argue against the guy who created Everquest, then stop posting non-sense comments such as "False News." According to the above, this list shows actual enhancements made to the class stated by Brad himself in 1999.

Thus, Green P99 should start out classic with mage pets not being able to cast spells up until a certain patch. Now continue to read below from http://web.archive.org/web/199910050..._mag_dis.shtml:

What is a Magician you Ask?
By Geoffrey Zatkin, Lead Magic Designer for Verant

I've been getting some e-mail/feedback recently from a group of dissatisfied magicians as to how underpowered their class is. I'd like to take a few moments to address this. Please realize that because of our intense work schedule at Verant, this is a purely FYI kind of thing.

RESEARCH

All research materials for Magicians are in the game. The frequency of the appearance of all research components has been increased by 300%. Instructions on research can be found in your guild hall, in several of the tomes sold by your guild merchant.

Now, why would the lead magic designer for Verant at the time say the phrase "all research materials for magicians are in the game" unless they weren't in the game to start with? This is a statement that is made because before hand all research materials were not in the game. I can't find 100% definite proof of this yet, but he is basically stating this.

I am telling you 100% the truth that magician pets were NOT in the game post level 20 at launch, as the ability to research them was broken, and the vendor who sold the one buyable pet did not have those pet spells yet.

I truly hope Green P99 holds true to this, as it was part of being a true magician back then, dealing with all the crap that was stuck against you...if you toughed it out, you eventually became strong, but from launch day for a couple of months, mages plain out SUCKED!