What are the chances I'll be able to complete my Mage epic??
 

I've collected most of the items except for the harder stuff like staves and pegasus cloak

Some guy I was grouped with said he's been waiting over a year for the earth staff off innoruuk.

Was he exaggerating or is the mage epic really that big of a pain in the ass?

He was not exaggerating

It is kind of a pita to get. You could have to wait that long, that's why it'd be a good idea to get into a decent guild now. :D

Depends on several factors

1) which guild you join
1A) If you join IB?TMO you will get it faster due to how many kills they get
1B) Class R guilds will be seeing less kills overall

2)How many mages are in your guild. This has to do with DKP or "raid credits". The more you raid the more points you can spend or get priority over others of your class.

3)Are the RNG Gods on your side? Inny doesn't always drop the mage or necro epics and can make it a pain in the ass.

Combine all of these factors and there is a almost guarantee of getting it within a year in IB/TMO. Join a class R guild and you might never get it.


or... 4) wait for fear/hate revamps in the future for increased drops.

You don't want your epic. What you have to go through to get one probably has quite a bit to do with every epic mage quitting shortly after receiving one.
One you'll have to be a main mage. Two you'll have to be a main mage.

essentially be a COTH bot and spam mana rods.

If you join Class R: You will be put at back of the list, probably never get it.

If you join Class C: You will probably be the only mage in the guild and be first to get it, once you've been in the guild long enough for them to entrust it to you. Don't expect a inny staff within ~4 months, as its not a guarantee drop and you need to be trusted.

I had gotten a mage epic on live back in the day. Never again will I poop sock as much as I had back then.

That being said that pet is a monster for kunark/velious era content.

In Velious the Poopsock goes from Inny to a groupable mini who doesn't always spawn.