Quote Originally Posted by Alhanelem View Post
Not all "mages" play the same way as you. I found these skills extremely valuable for soloing. Whether you're in active mode or passive mode, that monster you cast a nuke on is going to attack you. You'd be stupid not to be in active mode and blocking with your shield if you have one. It significantly improves survivability in solo situations, and that's what it's there for.
Yes, and I acknowlegded the fact that they could be useful solo, but good soloing requires cross-class abilities.

Quote Originally Posted by Alhanelem View Post
ordinarily I don't have a problem with cross classing skills. But in this case, where we used to have something and it got taken away and now we have to go get it again, I'm extremely bitter. That's really not right.
I can see how this might make someone upset, but it's for the better of the game. I'd rather not hold back the potential of this game because some people will lose some abilities. And who knows? Maybe the new mage abilities will be so awesome that you won't need the shield abilities anymore.