The problem with the Polymorph to sheep that apparently was not sufficently considered is that the AI is changed to the one that the sheep use. This critter AI will normally just have them wander around a little (apperently what the devs were thing of). But the problem is that with the critter AI, if the critter comes within melee range of an active fight then they jump to the fear response to 'get out of the way' and then they go running off.
If you as a single player polymorph one target at the start of the battle then you can spell away at a mob next to the sheep without a problem. This also has the effect of attracting nearby mobs if used in a 'social' type group did just as sleep used to do. This allows one to use the polymorph to take one mob out and seperate a cluster into a smaller number to deal with. By keeping the melee action away from a ploymorphed target, they do not wander much. Different style of play that will require a different coordination of team members. No more turning a mob that is already in melee combat off without dire consequences as used to be the most frequent use I saw demanded of sleep. It takes planning on what to do, not just quick reaction to a situation that is going bad.
I am of the opinion thought that this change is not very good for the mage overall. Perhaps if they set it up so that the polymorphed target had a different AI that was less susceptable to being frightened off it would not be so bad. My first thought of the change when downloading was that "Oh, the sheep will just mill about in the area and maybe have a chance of waking up a mob alerady very close to it." Not what this change is actually ending up doing to the the polymorphed target.
There are options to help them. It may be necessary to use the talents in particular combinations to make the character the most 'party friendly' but it should be possible. Some of the talents gave effects such as reduced stuttering (mage will not be held up from casting as bad as currently). Effects to add stun chances and DoT effects to some the fire spells that will help hold mobs in place and spread the damage out more to cut back on the single massive aggro that used to happen with many of the fire spells. Cold spells getting more chilling and freezing effects that will give more opportunity to to root the mobs. Arcane talents that shorten their cool downs (or casting times) and make their spell less subject to being interupted and also generating less aggro when used. Off hand it looks like the mage that specializes in the arcane tree may be the most party friendly without needing to be a skilled player or in a skilled group with the lower rate of aggro on spells and less interuption to those spells. But time will tell when all the different parts get to be seen in action.
If you as a single player polymorph one target at the start of the battle then you can spell away at a mob next to the sheep without a problem. This also has the effect of attracting nearby mobs if used in a 'social' type group did just as sleep used to do. This allows one to use the polymorph to take one mob out and seperate a cluster into a smaller number to deal with. By keeping the melee action away from a ploymorphed target, they do not wander much. Different style of play that will require a different coordination of team members. No more turning a mob that is already in melee combat off without dire consequences as used to be the most frequent use I saw demanded of sleep. It takes planning on what to do, not just quick reaction to a situation that is going bad.
I am of the opinion thought that this change is not very good for the mage overall. Perhaps if they set it up so that the polymorphed target had a different AI that was less susceptable to being frightened off it would not be so bad. My first thought of the change when downloading was that "Oh, the sheep will just mill about in the area and maybe have a chance of waking up a mob alerady very close to it." Not what this change is actually ending up doing to the the polymorphed target.
Quote:At least mages get talents. I have not yet seen the talents for mages, so I can't comment on if there's anything there that would help mages out.
There are options to help them. It may be necessary to use the talents in particular combinations to make the character the most 'party friendly' but it should be possible. Some of the talents gave effects such as reduced stuttering (mage will not be held up from casting as bad as currently). Effects to add stun chances and DoT effects to some the fire spells that will help hold mobs in place and spread the damage out more to cut back on the single massive aggro that used to happen with many of the fire spells. Cold spells getting more chilling and freezing effects that will give more opportunity to to root the mobs. Arcane talents that shorten their cool downs (or casting times) and make their spell less subject to being interupted and also generating less aggro when used. Off hand it looks like the mage that specializes in the arcane tree may be the most party friendly without needing to be a skilled player or in a skilled group with the lower rate of aggro on spells and less interuption to those spells. But time will tell when all the different parts get to be seen in action.