I've lurked here for awhile in the past, and recently I've thought a lot about some of the design/theme issues brought up in the OP. I will start by saying that I think Blizzard is doing a fine job with the Arcane spec and that it doesn't absolutely
need revision. However, while I'm waiting for 4.0.1 to download, I thought I might post some of my current ideas/musings:
The Arcane Mage: Revised
*Removed*- Slow - 12% of base mana - 35 yd range - Instant
Reduces target's movement speed by 60%, increases the time between ranged attacks by 60%, and increases casting time by 30%. Lasts 15 sec. Slow can only affect one target at a time.
*Revised*- Mastery: Mana Adept
Increases haste by up to X%, based on the amount of mana the Mage has unspent. Each point of Mastery increases haste by up to an additional 1.5%.
- Arcane Power - Instant - 1.5 min cooldown
(Replaces Slow in the fifth tier of the Arcane tree.)
When activated, increases haste by up to the maximum amount granted by your mastery and increases all spell damage by up to X% based on the amount of mana the Mage has spent, but all spells cost 25% more mana to cast. This effect lasts 16 sec.
- Nether Vortex - Tier 5 - Rank 2 - Requires 1 point in Arcane Power
Gives your Arcane Barrage spell a [50/100]% chance to apply the Slow spell effect to any target it damages. Only one target can be affected by Slow.
- Improved Arcane Explosion - Tier 4 - Rank 2
Reduces the global cooldown of your Arcane Explosion spell by [0.25/0.5] sec, increases its spell damage by [X/Y]%, and reduces the threat generated by [40/80]%, but increases its mana cost by [50 - 100/100 - 200]%.
*New*- Arcane Beam - [74 - 98]% of base mana - 50 yd range - Channeled (6 sec) - 25 sec cooldown
A beam of pure arcane energy erupts from the Mage, doing X Arcane damage. The beam fires down a narrow strip directly in front of the Mage, piercing and damaging all targets within its range. The casting Mage can pivot while channeling to redirect the beam. Targets will not take damage until after sustaining 1 sec of uninterrupted beam hits.
- Arcane Infusion - Tier 7 - Rank 1 - Requires 1 point in Arcane Power - Instant - 8 sec cooldown - Off GCD
(Replaces Arcane Power as the Arcane tree's 31-point talent.)
Infuses the Mage's body with pure Arcane energy. The Mage will gain a buff called Arcane Infusion, which will regenerate X mana per Y sec and last 12 sec. However, if the Mage reaches [95 - 100]% mana, then the Arcane Infusion buff will begin to drain health at a similar rate from the Mage instead of regenerating mana. The Arcane Infusion buff can stack up to 3 times, with X increasing accordingly. When the Arcane Infusion buff reaches the end of its 12 sec duration, only one stack will be removed.
--Note--
Bracketed numbers represent a sort of mental range of values. I have no idea what would eventually prove to be mathematically balanced, I just pick numbers that seem right or communicate the feeling or intention behind the design.
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A lot of this will probably require explanation/elaboration (and probably a bit of eventual revision). I'll try my best to communicate some of the core ideas here:
Arcane Infusion
At the core of this design is the new 31-point spell,
Arcane Infusion. The idea was to add something dynamic and core to the spec, and not just a mere DPS cooldown. It keeps with the core theme of mana manipulation and optimization, but it brings up this idea of: Can I have
too much mana?
Arcane Infusion is about mana regen. You can think of it as a means of shifting gears and, in fact, the spell operates on a pseudo three-gear system. All players will want to have at least one stack (Gear One) as it's passive, easy to maintain, and provides a constant stream of mana on the level of
Mage Armor, but it's not largely noticeable and would be balanced with the assumption that all Arcane Mages are at least at one stack of
Arcane Infusion to be playable. It's also manageable to deal with the health loss should you max out on mana.
At two stacks, you'll start to notice the mana increase. It's not enough that you can't burn through the gains with AB spam, but you'll see your average mana level begin to steadily rise with a standard rotation. This is another means for Arcane Mages to manually adjust their mana outside
Evocation and
Mana Gem.
However, at three stacks, mana gains will become nearly uncontrollable. AB spam will help stymie the gains, but your average mana will continue to rise. In fact, reckless use of this "Third Gear" will almost assuredly cause a Mage to combust in a shower of Arcane sparks. It's a high risk-reward mechanic that has some interplay with the other Mage mechanics...
Arcane Power
Arcane Power serves a new thematic function. By emphasizing
spent mana (and providing a negative attribute that allows a Mage to spend more mana quickly),
Arcane Power encourages Arcane Mages to shift between high and low mana during different macro-level DPS cycles. Generally, Arcane Mages will want to maintain high mana levels, but when AP nears the end of its cooldown, players will want to get their mana down quickly. Whether it's through a quick burn phase, the newly revised
Arcane Explosion, or the AP effect itself, players will want to minimize their mana. However, since a rotation at this low mana level might not be sustainable, players will probably want to shift to Gear Three of their
Arcane Infusion, which should now be manageable with the increased mana costs. (However, watch out for when AP ends and your mana begins to shoot back up...)
Arcane Explosion
Arcane Explosion will now not only perform better on the meters, but it serves an ulterior role in gameplay. Being a huge mana eater can be a
good thing, as players who screwed up their
Arcane Infusion timing by a few seconds and need to burn off some mana before dying will have a new tool --
Arcane Explosion will feel like one is erupting with Arcane energies, shedding that excess mana before it kills you. It's the only reliable means of saving yourself from
Arcane Infusion abuse as spamming it will average out with your mana gains. It could also serve as a means of getting your mana down for an AP cycle.
AoE Strategy
A big concern was Arcane's lack of interesting or useful AoE, and both
Arcane Explosion and
Arcane Beam address this. First, AoE will differentiate itself from single target because, by necessity, Arcane Mages will need a full three stacks of
Arcane Infusion to maintain AoE. Arcane Mages will need to "gear shift" in and out of AoE and single target modes. Second, the two AoE spells have awkward usage (straight line effect and an AoE at the origin of the Mage), but that's what makes it feel unique and interesting. Coupling these position-dependent AoE spells with signature Arcane space-manipulation mechanics (
Blink and, to a degree, glyphed
Invisibility) can allow for an Arcane Mage to make its mark in a way other classes can't. (I can only imagine the hilarity that would ensue from a misdirected
Arcane Beam sweep pulling extra mobs, though...) I'd imagine Arcane could be designed to have some of the highest potential AoE output at the cost of being the most situational and awkward to set up and optimize.
(And you absolutely
must shout in Vent "FIRIN' MAH LAZERS!" every time you cast
Arcane Beam!)
Mana Adept
It's already been mentioned, but haste is so much more interesting and synergetic with the spec and its abilities, especially in conjunction with
Arcane Infusion and the new AP and non-AP cycles.
Arcane Barrage
Finally, while trying to give it some sort of place in the rotation, I eliminated
Slow (it's beginning to feel inelegant and cluttered on the action bar...) and incorporated it into
Arcane Barrage. That functionality, coupled with the fact that it'll still have many uses as the only Arcane ranged instant cast spell, will hopefully give
Arcane Barrage a more than justified place on the action bar.
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...And that's it! I apologize for the length, I wanted to make sure I got all the main ideas out there. Let me know what ya'll think!
10/13/10, 4:42 PM
