Tlp servers are not classic everquest, they are modern everquest with limited expansions. Any evidence for changes has to be presented from the classic era.

magicians arent fun in general

play the master caster class

the necro!

Magicians pre nerf-flogging were actually decently fun and a very chill group class. They aren’t even in the same universe as necros in terms of power. Maybe with the epic I guess, which is of course only for a very select few players

Solo? Still not even close to necro.

They're too 1 dimensional. No CC ruins mages.

does a focused water pet outdps an epic pet assuming neither pet is tanking

If we're talking live pre-nerf, Mage pets could tank as well (if not better) than warriors. You don't need CC when you're the best tanking class in the game ;)

But without that (and despite this place's claim to shoot for classic, worts and all, that particular wort somehow got left off) Mages are just inferior but viable soloers, and a decent but inferior DPS role in groups.

Back in relevant terms on blue, mages are coth bots. You stop leveling at 55 unless you're ultra hardcore going for epic or just want to finish off a 60.

They cannot do much compared to a necro (again, solo).

Hope this helps.