Are magicians the same as they were in 99/2001 ?

[Tarask]

Hello,

I'm coming back after 2 decades, for my first character i decided to make a magician since it was the class i enjoyed the most back then, and loved the research/components that made me discover lots of zones.
I'm the kind of player that enjoys the "chill, solo easy gaming" (which is a good thing since i met no other players actually beginning so far, the 4 first days i was alone in toxx and barely seen 1 or 2 twinks passing by). Chain summoning pets and such are not my jam. i love the "sit and watch the fight happens", taking my time, lost in my thoughts, almost "meditating gaming" if you see what i mean.

I have now reached lvl 16 (got a few "boosts" thanks to higher level passing by and buffing fluffy), and thanks to EC and some luck with random shops, i got the torch of alna, so i can get a focused fire pet.
Most of my memories are blurry since that much time passed, but, i'm pretty sure back then :
1 - i was able to get a yellow pet when i just had the new spell (i summoned my pet, focused, 17 times before running out of malachite and giving up, i got a few white, no yellow - maybe just a big streak of bad luck ? -).
2 - when i had my new pets i was totally OP for 2 levels, then struggling for 2 levels, this pace was part of the magician to me, but actually, at level 16, i tried a few different zones (lavastorm, oasis, runnyeye and some i probably forget) and with my new pet focused, i get rekt, simply, to kill a mob that is even (/cons white) i need to empty my mana bar in nukes and heals, my pet cannot solo a dark blue.

So... i'm wondering have there been changes compared to EQ in 2001, or are my memories wrong ?
Right now i'm a bit discouraged and will probably go for a druid, (at the same level a druid hits stronger than my mage, has snare and can play safer overall, while destroying /cons white) or any other class you'll recommend for my gamestyle. (i made a friend that is enchanter, he can solo mobs 4 level higher than him without major problems, i don't get why and how magicians fell that behind, or maybe i'm just bad, but i thought that "/pet attack, DS, sit and enjoy fluffy fight for a while, one nuke in the end if the enemy is strong" would be the gameplay i'd have)

I've read a bit the post about mages, i'm not here to complain, i'm just trying to understand and adjust my expectations/choices if needed.
thanks in advance.
Tarask