Why did they change the wizard class so much from EQ1?

[Impiouseq2]

<p>I had a Dark Elf Wiz in EQ1 that I absolutely loved.  Even after all the revamps, EQ1 wizard is still great(just finished a 1 month sub).  Root/Nuke and quad kiting was awesome.  So I just reactivated EQ2 and decided to start fresh on AB with a wiz, and quickly remembered why I deleted my level 60 wizard several years back.  We have 3 single target nukes.....THREE until high level, one of which has a very short range, along with a root that is short range.  Meanwhile, we also have 3 DoT's, our DD AoE nukes and DoT AoE nuke(s)?.  With the way root breaking works in this game, I don't see what the purpose of giving wizards DoT's at all.  If I am soloing, I am not going to be casting anything but some hard hitting single target nukes, because when root breaks, it can mean certain death.  In groups, the only reason they were worth casting was the debuffs they added.  I know they will never change it, but I wish they would change some of those DoTs into DD and give our root spells a longer range.</p>

[thajo]

<p>The reason they gave wizards DoT's is because our function is DPS, and on top of the we maintain the capability to solo well.  Which is different than the approach of thinking we were given a DoT as nothing more than a dangerous button to screw us over while soloing.  With our full arsenal/AA we do some of the games best DPS there is.  There are indeed a few buttons we should prolly avoid while soloing ><.  I didn't play eq1 so i can't really tell ya why/what the differences are or what your missing from eq1 in this experience...but if you like to blow stuff up and be the big dps of the group this class can't go to wrong imo.  Before I give you a glimpse of a wizards end-game arsenal these days, ill address your DoT thing.  The debuff DoT is obvioulsy always worth it...but yes that is generally correct, in lots of heroic instances your DoT's wont do you too much.  But if you were to check out some top end game wizards raid DPS parses, we have some DoT spells that land in our top 5 damage dealing spells overall.  So our DoT's are not all to be laughed at and ignored...they just don't always shine in solo play and are more situational in heroic play.</p><p>Hit level 90, your hotbar will look like this:</p><p>8 DD spells</p><p>5 direct DoTs (hailstorm and tempest are the powerful ones)</p><p>3 DD AoE spells (firestorm/blast of Dev hit 8 targets, fusion hitting 3)</p><p>2 encounter DoTs</p><p>1 melee triggered damage reactive temp buffed on tanks.</p><p>Throw in a couple random junk like AA granted CA, master strike and our dumbfires...your wizard will have over 20 DPS buttons on the hotbar when you hit 90 and if you obtain all your AAs.</p><p>I was a super newb player when I leveled my wizzy and was pretty clueless about the entire game...and I managed to solo myself up to 70 very easily (was lvl cap at the time).  </p><p>2c</p>

[S_M_I_T_E]

<p><cite>Impiouseq2 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>...  If I am soloing, I am not going to be casting anything but some hard hitting single target nukes, because when root breaks, it can mean certain death. ...</p></blockquote><p>Root/nuke is only one method for soloing. </p><p>Another is Slow/Stun/Knockback soloing which uses roots to hold mobs # 2-5 while you burn the slowed one crawling toward you. </p><p>Another is AA spec for survivability and tank it with 20% less DPS and 80% more zelda hearts in your meter.</p>

[SacDaddy420]

<p>the funnest way to solo is get a bunch of mobs on you, hit numbing cold, jump back range Fission so they walk right into it, jump back again do the same thing with Blast, then Firestorm and finish off the ones that made it alive thru that as they crawl toward you with Ice comet/rays/ball/etc...</p>

[Hikinami]

<p><cite>Sacdaddy@Butcherblock wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>the funnest way to solo is get a bunch of mobs on you, hit numbing cold, jump back range Fission so they walk right into it, jump back again do the same thing with Blast, then Firestorm and finish off the ones that made it alive thru that as they crawl toward you with Ice comet/rays/ball/etc...</p></blockquote><p>+1</p>

[ailees]

<p>WHY did they change ? nobody knows of course.</p><p>I played EQ1, then EQ2.</p><p>Yes the wiz in 2 is totally different from the 1, and IMO the 1 was funnier.Wizard in EQ2 is Top1 DPS if you have the right buffs AND if you are good. If you don't have the buffs (with a troubadour and an illu, you'll rock) your DPS will go down dramatically and any assassin or ranger will laugh at you.</p><p>That's life.</p><p>Vanguard sorcerer is closer to the EQ1, and is fun, too bad game is screwed.</p>