As our classes' traditional roles become blurred with those of a certain other mana based DPS class, the question must be asked of why a raid leader should choose a mage over said other mana based DPS? I cannot see any reson to do so:
1. DPS: traditionally the mages' forte, raw DPS is the speciality of our class and indeed the only thing a mage is competent in. Therefore, if a mage can be beaten in terms of DPS, as a pure DPS class it is pointless. Certain builds of mage can, with low mana efficiency, maintain DPS to rival, for example, a warlock. However, if this approach is taken, the mage will become useless in long fights (as the vast majority of boss fights are) since we are talking of PvE (PvP mage vs. lock creates an even more unbalanced scenario, into which I will not go). The mages DPS is lower than that of a warlock for a number of reasons:
-Coefficient nerf: for some unknown reason, Blizzard decided to change the +spell damage coefficient on Fireball in accordance to talents used to shorten the cast time, unlike all other talent-shortened direct damage spells . This significantly reduces the potential DPS of a well geared mage, and no other class suffers this problem.
-As mentioned above, DPS is important only when it is measured as intended, dividing the total ammount of damage caused by the length of the fight (otherwise the highest DPS class is a 3 minute mage, with a DPS often over 8000). Therefore, mana efficiency and mana regeneration are vitally important in order to deal serious damage for as long as possible. The mage, when causing damage, will never be out of the 5 second rule. Talents and an armour spell are available to allow some spirit based regen during casting, but both of these result in a decrease in DPS (also note that mage gear is poor in spirit, and any attempt to invest in spirit will result in further DPS decrease). Therefore we can rule this out as anything more thab a negligible means of mana regen. Also available are mana pots (available to all classes and hence will not be discussed) and mana gems. Mana gems are, in effect, a one use mana potion restoring ~1364 mana. This is useful but not extraordinary. The last means of mana regen is the spell evocation. For an averagely geared mage, this will restore 60-70% mana when used. obviously it is a very useful spell that near doubles the length of time the mage can count on having mana. However, it is severely affected by taking damage and cannot obvioulsy be used while moving as it is a channeled spell.
Therefore, the mage's total mana regen during a fight consists of the mana pots, mana gems and evocation. This ammounts to roughly 120mp5. Fireball takes ~ 730 mp5 if spammed efficiently but we can assue ~400mp5 if not spammed constantly. Therefore, at 400mp5used and with starting mana of 11,000 a mage's mana will last for just over 3 minutes. Therefore, a mage has 3 minutes of DPS comparable to that of a warlock.
Compare this to a warlock, who very rarely runs out of mana due to massive hp and an ability regenerate hp quickly and turn this into mana. They can maintain DPS equivalent to a mage almost indefinately.
2. Survivability. Little needs to be said on this subject. The mage has very low HP and armour. Unless it is a frost mage, (in which case it has some handy tricks at the expense of DPS), It is the most vulnerable class in the game, bar none. On the other hand, its not unheard of for a well geared warlock to reach 300 in all resists whith HP well over 10k.
Someone please tell me if im wrong, but i dont see the point of mages anymore?