Why do Wizards get so much hate?

[Gregor]

Isn't everyone greatly devaluing the ability to 3 shot mobs in groups? This combined with roots, stuns, AE seem more then reason enough to bring a Wizard.

Almost every group has a chanter for clarity as well so I don't see what the big issue is?

[loramin]

It's very simple: in raids you want as much damage as possible at once, and in groups you want as much sustained damage as possible. It doesn't matter if you can 3 shot a mob in groups because (even with Clarity) you're going to need to med for awhile afterwards. Meanwhile the rogue couldn't 3-shot the mob, but he does roughly a third (to make my math simple) of each mob's life, and keeps doing it mob after mob.

So if you consider the twot over the course of five mobs (assuming it takes you about that long to regen your mana):

Wizard: 100%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 0% = 100%
Rogue: 33%, 33%, 33%, 33%, 33% = 165%

Now the exact numbers may vary: maybe you only need four mobs to replenish your mana, or maybe the rogue actually does 37%. But even if you crunch with real numbers you'll find the same thing: certain classes (eg. rogues) offer more damage over time than certain other classes (eg. wizards).

P.S. Just to be clear, I'm not saying Wizards don't have value in groups; I'm only saying that if you focus on sustained damage over time they can't compete with many other classes, just as other classes can't compete with them when it comes to focused "burn" damage.

[Gregor]

I never meant to imply a Wizards damage competes with a rogue but really no class does. What I mean is the ability to burn in groups can be very useful. For instance, burning down casters or killing your current mob because charm broke/mez resisted can be very useful.

Also at least half the groups I've joined cannot just chain pull endlessly, though maybe most groups do? Doesn't seem that way though. If the mobs get some lucky rolls on a tank the rogue isn't going to save him but a stun or ice comet might.

I guess if every pug group was amazing and chain pulling non stop in a zone with no competition, sure sustained is king. But these kind of groups seem few and far between to me, in which case the Wizard would excel having a chance to med. Camping spawns seems even more in favor wizard since mana is no object and he can evac trains. Am I missing something?

[Heavydrop]

Originally Posted by Gregor [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

For instance, burning down casters or killing your current mob because charm broke/mez resisted can be very useful.

A good point as well as the sustained damage aspect.
What I've seen over my years of playing (not usually as a wizard) is that
some of those who play wizards are not so skilled at mitigating or moderating how much
damage they do to a mob and therefore the aggro they gain. They go for big damage and it gets resisted or does partial damage and then *splat* dead wizard

The stuns and roots are great but create a lot of aggro and with tanks having
the issue of gaining and holding aggro as they do at times people don't want
to make things harder by having someone in the group that gains aggro and wears
a bathrobe.

[Danth]

I think the folks who play Wizards are a big part of the problem with that class. Most of the Wizards I grouped with while leveling would blow their mana bar on one or two monsters then go AFK for upwards of 10 minutes (often with unsolicited mention of how high/stoned they were). Rinse and repeat. Talking to other players suggests that many other folks often have the same experience when they'd invite Wizards to their own groups. Good Wizard players are out there--I can think of at least one myself--but they face an uphill battle for acceptance due to all the dead weight giving the class a bad reputation.

Danth

[Fame]

Play your wizard on red and kill anyone who will not clarity you or group with you, thank me later.

[Jimjam]

I created my wizard for when I wanna play eq but also need to be able to pop AFK at a moments notice. #partoftheproblem

Sometimes I'll do things like time stuns/nukes to interrupt heals or stop a mob beating on the enchanter (who is more important to the group than me) or root the mob on the tank to let him take aggro more easily... but generally I just poop out all my mana and go AFK cos if I wanted to play a more engaging class I would :P.

[Yumyums Inmahtumtums]

Originally Posted by Fame [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Play your wizard on red and kill anyone who will not clarity you or group with you, thank me later.

Would clarity this friendly wizard anyday.

[Whirled]

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
Lv55 wiz lfg

[maskedmelon]

Originally Posted by Fame [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Play your wizard on red and kill anyone who will not clarity you or group with you, thank me later.

I like it, a mutually beneficial arrangement straight out of Chicago!