Anyone disappointed with the new Red Mage asthetics?

They're ranged dps...

When they cast spells they stick the crystal focus onto the end of their sword and turn it into a staff. Then they turn it back into a sword for their high speed jump in/out of melee for attacks.

Here's a demo video

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Averax

They're ranged dps...

When they cast spells they stick the crystal focus onto the end of their sword and turn it into a staff. Then they turn it back into a sword for their high speed jump in/out of melee for attacks.

Here's a demo video

---

Looks more like 'melee/ranged' hybrid to me...Btw, if they have to 'dash in' to do some melee combos, they are melee, ranged hybrid XD.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neiker

Looks more like 'melee/ranged' hybrid to me...Btw, if they have to 'dash in' to do some melee combos, they are melee, ranged hybrid XD.

---

While they are considered a melee/ranged hybrid, all of their attacks are technically ranged, because they dash in and jump back out to where they were sitting. I wonder if they'll be subject to animation lock, or if they'll be free to move around while meleeing, and if aoe telegraphs will consider their physical location to be where they appear to be or where they were standing when they initiated the attack.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AnnaMolly

Personally, I'm waiting to be disappointed with whatever job they announce next. I want to save my disappointment up but at the same time I hope they announce the next job soon so I have adequate time for disappointment before I try it out and possibly set up glamours for it.

---

You sound like a very unhappy person.

Its aesthetics are fine. It still has the rapier everyone associates with Redmages; you need to think of the crystal medium as an extra accessory to make the weapon unique. It also is probably necessary so that the devs can visually justify Redmages being a ranged DPS rather than seeing "its weapon is a rapier!? Why aren't they melee?" threads every other day here (I'm sure they'll still pop up sometime eventually).

Its the gimmick I'm more concerned about. If their HW jobs are anything to go by, what they envision for their new jobs and tell us about them pre-release, and what they ultimately end up playing like on release/ a few patches in haven't exactly matched-up since balance has played a bigger role than uniqueness.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Averax

While they are considered a melee/ranged hybrid, all of their attacks are technically ranged, because they dash in and jump back out to where they were sitting. I wonder if they'll be subject to animation lock, or if they'll be free to move around while meleeing, and if aoe telegraphs will consider their physical location to be where they appear to be or where they were standing when they initiated the attack.

---

Oh, i didnt notice that XD...What you said makes sense to me now, and also makes the class 50% cooler.

Personally, I think it looks great as is and look forward to it. :3

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by moleverine

I think it looks great and is a good way of solving the argument between those who say a RDM should wield rapiers/sabers and those who say it should wield staves. Now it does both. Plus, the hat is amazing. Seems like a very stylish job.

---

As I've said before, they could have gone with a different stance instead of the Agrippa-style fencing stance they went with. If they had gone with something like Capo Ferro, you wouldn't need to have a floating gem, but the gem would instead be held in the offhand (which is kept near the chest). Capo Ferro is actually meant to allow use of the offhand, whereas that Agrippa stance generally isn't.

Something that bugs me is that the gem is "sheathed" on the right hip instead of next to the blade. It not only looks awkward but seems rather impractical. You could have had the sword sheathed on the left hip and the gem right next to it, so you draw with your right hand as you grab the gem with your left.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ZhaneX

I quite like the Magicked Crystal, and the way it's held. Rather reminds me of how an Astrologian holds their Star Globe, giving kind of a sense of continuity to the magic of the setting. A sort of subtle world building that I enjoy.

---

Opinions and all, but AST's weapon animations look lame (I don't like floating weaponry), but I do know why they went that way. The spheres are based on astrolabes, which are generally held in place by a stick of sorts. It'd look too much like a club or a staff if they had gone with that, hence the floating weaponry.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Daenerys_Sedai

unless I'm missing something (since I don't know if mage has varied meanings in other worlds) but.. the job is red mage, so assumption was that it would, of course, be a caster-focused role.

---

At that point I'd have to ask, why bother to even have a sword in the first place?

If the sword and magic mix with each other the way you'd expect of a fighter mage, I won't complain. If the gameplay is bullshitty rush in to melee then rush out to cast, then it's an objectibly terrible design (because you're not using mobility to avoid attacks or close distances, but because the gameplay requires you to rotationally use them).

I quite like the Magicked Crystal, and the way it's held. Rather reminds me of how an Astrologian holds their Star Globe, giving kind of a sense of continuity to the magic of the setting. A sort of subtle world building that I enjoy.

I love the weapon/aesthetic. It should lead to some very interesting designs. The primal weapons should look amazing.