Is the (Shadow)Priest the better Mage in WOW?

[KiloVictor]

So Mages are left with pretty much nothing for reducing aggro.  As stated before, I don't think doing anything offensive, besides maybe FN, when you get aggro is a good idea.  It's another reason the first rank of Frost Nova is the best - you're getting less aggro on the mobs.  Thus Mages, more than other DPS classes, have to be highly concerned with their aggro.  You may learn to skirt the curve really well, and be doing just as much damage as you can without getting aggro, but you'll get burned.  You'll do something stupid, or get an (un)lucky crit, and you've got aggo.  Take a few hits from a particularly damaging mob, and you learn to hold back on the damage even more.

Agreed that they can't shed aggro. However, if they can keep the angry mob at range and continue dumping damage into the mob until it croaks, it's not a problem. Admittedly, it's very tough to do, and that's why it's all the more impressive when you see it done well.

This makes it pointless to compare raw spell damage of Mages to other DPS classes.  They have escape mechanisms to hit when they go too far, Mages don't.  So a well played Mage loses more DPS going from solo to group play than most other classes.  I say well played because the poorly played Mage will do plenty of damage, but will end up dead himself.
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Yep, playing a mage takes judgement as to when you can open up and go flat-out on the damge. Too soon, and you're going to have an injured angry mob pounding on your sad little OOM hide.

But I don't think a mage has to despair of getting a high DPS output in a group; I think a group that's ready for AoE kiting tactics actually allows the mage to be many times more effective than he or she could be solo. The multiplication effect of hitting many targets with each cast is a huge lever for increasing DPS, it's just risky... as it ought to be.

I'd agree that an average mage has to tone down the DPS in a group, but I think a really good mage has a chance to kick it up a notch, knowing that there are healers and other attackers to support and compliment the mage's unique attack capabilities.

Kv