Originally Posted by
Jonnycbad
Problems:
1) Having cast times while in melee range is analogous to being a melee with animation lock on every GCD. This would be a huge issue for surviving mechanics while keeping up DPS. Unless a RDM's spells had no cast time, at which point they're basically just a melee but with "magic-looking animations" with a 3y range like melee GCD.
2) Mages have lower physical defense and HP than melee because they don't have to move as often and fewer mechanics target them. If a close-range mage were to be made, there would need to be some adjustments made to their equipment or perhaps a new class of gear for them that had high INT but also decent VIT like striking/maiming. That would mean another denominator when gear drops, as we already have 1/6 or 2/6 drop rate with Fending, Healing, Casting, Striking, Scouting, and Maiming, and adding another class of gear for magic-melee would be a 1/7 or 2/7 drop rate on equipment from raids.