Mages role as per Blizzard

[Tinie]

Per Tseric:

And here is the real crux of the matter when it comes to some mage's discontent. I pretty much expect someone to cite the original description of the mage class from the manual any time now.

Since Beta, mages have been laboring under the impression that they should unequivocably be the greatest damage dealers in the game, in any situation, all the time.

This is not a perception that has fit into the design scheme of this game for quite a while. To hang on to a version of print as it gets outdated through the gradual growth and design of this game is to live forever with fantasies not being mirrored by reality. That is painful and will continue to be so, until people come to terms with the fact that damage should be competitive and that a mages role overlaps areas and will not be constrained to pure damage.

That you would say that this makes them useless in PvP and PvE only goes to show that you will never achieve anything to those ends, not that it can't be done.

Tseric

Q u o t e:
Lots of empty, meaningful-sounding words there Tseric. You didn't actually say anything of any use. What is a mage's role?

To provide direct damage and AoE from multiple schools (more than anyone else) and to provide support and utility in PvE and to use escape tactics and crowd control in PvP to provide continued ranged attacks.

Tseric

 

[faust]

I'm not surprised, that's pretty much what the mage class has become over time. They are the kings of aoe dps, no doubt about it. Other classes have some form of aoe, but the warlocks (and possibly druids, not sure there) come the closest, and their aoe is all fire, and all chanelled. IMO chanelled spells aren't as pratical as regular spells, so that only helps crown the mage as the king of aoe.

 

[Elwood]

According to TenTonHammer the mage is defined as:

Class that uses magic, spells, card tricks etc. to amaze, stun and stupefy enemies. Talks real tough so long as Main Tank is still bobbing for leeches in the hate bucket, but at the first sign of actual danger runs around screaming "Get it off me!! GET IT OFF ME!!" like a terrified schoolgirl with a bat in her hair. Also does kiddie shows on Saturday afternoons. Motto: “…and now for my disappearing trick”. Blink.