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<blockquote data-quote="Spenser" data-source="post: 4305043" data-attributes="member: 5311">As other people have pointed out -- yes, all classes have some form of AoE / zone control. But if you compare the wizard's AoE / zone control type powers to others of the same level, the wizard's are almost always better. You can find counter-examples where this is not the case, but in general, I think the wizard has the advantage power-wise.But also -- the implements are actually important! Admittedly, staff and wand are not particularly exciting, but the orb's ability to lower saves is unbelievably good for a high Wis controller mage, and only gets better as you increase your Wisdom and get Spell Focus. When you're hitting them with -7, -8, -9 on saves, that Sleep or Web *will* stick on that nasty elite. It is a game-changing ability, usable every encounter, and only the controller wizard can pull it off. I think orb wizards are fine, I'm more concerned about the wand mages being underpowered. Besides being an orb mage, the other mage schtick is the &quot;blaster mage&quot;, i.e. &quot;Ok I can't do the best single-target damage, but I can go all-out for the most efficient damage in AoE.&quot; But here I think they only have small advantages over clerics (and even other classes). This is in contrast to the very obvious advantage/niche that orb wizards have.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Spenser, post: 4305043, member: 5311"] As other people have pointed out -- yes, all classes have some form of AoE / zone control. But if you compare the wizard's AoE / zone control type powers to others of the same level, the wizard's are almost always better. You can find counter-examples where this is not the case, but in general, I think the wizard has the advantage power-wise. But also -- the implements are actually important! Admittedly, staff and wand are not particularly exciting, but the orb's ability to lower saves is unbelievably good for a high Wis controller mage, and only gets better as you increase your Wisdom and get Spell Focus. When you're hitting them with -7, -8, -9 on saves, that Sleep or Web *will* stick on that nasty elite. It is a game-changing ability, usable every encounter, and only the controller wizard can pull it off. I think orb wizards are fine, I'm more concerned about the wand mages being underpowered. Besides being an orb mage, the other mage schtick is the "blaster mage", i.e. "Ok I can't do the best single-target damage, but I can go all-out for the most efficient damage in AoE." But here I think they only have small advantages over clerics (and even other classes). This is in contrast to the very obvious advantage/niche that orb wizards have. [/QUOTE]

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