For those that aren’t aware, arcane mage has a talent tree known as “spellslinger” and this talent tree is based on arcane orbs and splinters that are generated. In AOE every time an arcane mage barrages they have a 10% chance per arcane charge to generate an orb this means that everytime a mage barrages they have a chance to shoot out an orb that goes…quite far to be honest far enough that if a mage is too close to a pack they will pull another pack. And then there is another talent in an arcane mages repetoir called “Spellfrost teachings” that cause a 2% chance when an enemy gets direct damage from splinters to proc an arcane orb, this is important because many enemies can have 6+ splinters on a target at once. This essentially leads to mages randomly pooping out orbs even when they are just moving for a mechanic.
The problem with all of this is that arcane orbs hit mobs that are not in combat, this essentially means that if your mage does not have a strategy in mind for every single pull, or does not know the exact distance of their orb there is a VERY good chance your group may get a surprise package of 1000000 more enemies added to your pull via one of these arcane orbs. And this is not just a “noob mistake” either, there are clips of arcane mages in +20 keystones getting a random spellfrost teaching proc while they have to move for a mechanic causing them to pull mobs and wipe their group.
Therefore the solution to this issue is quite obvious, make it so that arcane orbs do not damage mobs one is not in combat with. It creates an unfun situation for everyone that experiences something like this, and it can be a random proc even when barrage isn’t being sent out which makes it even worse. If Halo and Starfall don’t aggro mobs out of combat why should arcane orb?
16 Likes
There is a much MUCH better solution… a solution that we had back in Legion for the awkwardness of Arcane Orb infact… and it baffles me to this day as to why they got rid of this…
Make Arcane Orbs stop at a target. If you cast Arcane Orb with a creature targeted, the Orb should fire off in the direction of that creature and stop where they are at… orbs generated by procs should use the damaged enemy that triggered the proc as their target. So random procs from Spellfrost Teachings wont just launch off aimlessly infront of the mage as they dodge out of the way of a mechanic but will instead fire off directly at the creature who’s spinters triggered the proc. Similarly procs from barrage would launch at the target of your barrage and stop when it reaches them.
The functionality of the orb just passing through all targets should only exist when no target is selected for a manual cast… I’d even accept just leaving this function on the manual cast in general… but all random procs SHOULD have a target and stop at that target…
17 Likes
I always avoided that talent when I used to play mage expressly because of it firing off at the worst possible times and pulling mobs I didn’t want. Eventually it just got rolled into one of the reasons I abandoned the mage class. Too many stupid things going on in the talent trees.
3 Likes
All orbs spell should just cast on target. Having them move can lead to all sorts of problems.
3 Likes
I use Arcane Orb to generate arcane charges to start combat with enemies in a group. If they didnt target out of combat mobs I think Arcane Mage would lose the only spell aside from Touch of the Magi to get 4 charges on the spot on AOE situations.
That said, orbs firing and bringing other mobs is surely a big problem in hard content indeed. But I’d seek another change to that instead of not hitting out of combat mobs.
2 Likes
I stopped playing arcane mage when I could not control what it hit sometimes.
4 Likes
To me the simplest solution would be making it like Frozen Orb: slowing down after it crosses a target.
The possibility of Orbs aggroing distant trash and the way you need to add that positioning (on top of the position to actually need for orbs to hit) to the equation of doing mechanics is what makes playing Arcane a little unconfortable for me, despite being the mage spec I like the most.
2 Likes
Sounds like a skill issue. Just make sure you’re not pointing towards extra mobs, problem solved.
1 Like
100% agree. I play Guardian and it gets real old when I gotta scramble for aggro when this happens. Can’t even blame the mage a lot of the time.
1 Like
Sure you can. The mage should have positioned themself better. It’s a skill and awareness issue.
I worded it like I did because it’s not always plausible or possible to aim in a good way depending on pull location. On top of it being a proc sometimes (i think?) and having to move for mechanics sometimes.
1 Like
It definitely is always possible and plausible. Every single time I’ve seen someone pull with arcane orb, or divine storm from ret paladins, etc, it’s been because they weren’t paying attention to their surroundings.
It’s not a skill issue because one of the hero talents fires a lot of random Arcane Orbs. You would have to memorise every single pull and where to position yourself so as not to pull anything extra. Starfall was like this in past expansions and they should make Starfall like this.
3 Likes
The difference is that arcane orb fires in a line vs a 60 yard radius circle. Just don’t point yourself in a direction where there are more mobs past the ones you’re fighting.
So you’re saying it is a skill issue
I keep track of where all the mobs are, why can’t a dps do it?
2 Likes
You can’t control the arcane orbs because of the hero talent. Arcane Mage don’t press Arcane Orb to shoot it out.
3 Likes
Yeah if they do any mechanics and Arcane Mage keep firing Arcane Orbs from the procs that can happen at any time.
1 Like
The difference between them: Ret Paladins can control the Divine Storm and Arcane Mage can’t.
2 Likes
Use your eyes and make sure there’s no mobs in the firing range?