They also designed a one handed mace that looks very much akin to the wands with bells that you see in feng shui, that you see Kyohuko use throughout the quests.

I wish I could find the interview where Yoshi said they had been working on a mystic/Onym-something (sorry I cannot remember for the life of me) caster, which would be a great distinction from the ties to conjurors. If they went the more mystic/shikigami approach with some elements thrown in I think that would make people a lot happier.