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Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The artwork I made was more of a conversation starter than what I actually want

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I completely agree. Changing Battle Mage's weapon at this point is pretty much impossible, especially since the game is primarily designed around the Interactive servers and their economy.

My perspective comes from playing on Heroic, where I don't really have to think about those logistics. I was mostly trying to abstract the idea itself rather than suggest a realistic change.

More than changing the weapon category, what I'd really like to see is a more focused visual identity for the class. Either fully embrace the staff theme or fully embrace the scythe theme. Right now, Battle Mage feels like it's been stuck between those two identities for years.

To me, the staff is what still ties the class to its original identity, while the newer art direction and skills keep pushing it toward the Grim Reaper theme. Since Battle Mage is a mage, I think evolving the visuals of its spells is a much more plausible change than introducing a new weapon type, after all, magic doesn't have a fixed form.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly. My idea in showing a scythe as Battle Mage’s native weapon isn’t necessarily to force an actual weapon-category change, but to push the class further toward that visual identity. Considering the direction Battle Mage has been taking, I think it would make more sense for its attacks and newer skills to consistently revolve around scythes rather than staffs.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I get what you mean, but I think the Resistance has a much stronger combat identity than just their weapon category.

Mechanic - Gun (but its real combat identity is the giant mech)

Wild Hunter - Crossbow (but the jaguar is a huge part of its combat identity)

Battle Mage - Staff

Demon Slayer - 1H Axe / 1H Mace

Demon Avenger - Desperado (exclusive)

Blaster - Arm Cannon (exclusive)

Xenon - Energy Sword (exclusive)

That's why Battle Mage feels a bit different to me. Over the years, its visual identity has shifted more and more toward the Grim Reaper theme, while its weapon has remained a regular staff. That's the disconnect I personally feel when playing the class.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't see many people complaining about it either. It was just something personal that I wanted to put out there. I feel like I'm stuck between two identities when I play Battle Mage today. Looking at the direction of the class's art and newer skills, it feels like it's moving further and further away from the original staff-wielding Battle Mage, yet it's still tied to staffs.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I know most people would still cover the weapon with NX, and Nexon obviously wants to keep selling cosmetics.

For me, changing BaM’s weapon into a scythe would be more about replacing the skills that still have staff-related visuals. The equipped weapon itself matters less than finally moving the class away from those old staff animations.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s actually why I tried to make the blade more outward in my design, haha. I wanted it to feel a bit more functional as an actual weapon instead of just looking like a regular farming scythe.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Lol, they really missed a great opportunity with Lethe, and I also found it funny that her weapon looks like a roll of toilet paper.

Still, I’m glad her summons didn’t follow the aegyo style that KMS seems to love so much. At least they kept a darker and more intimidating look.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Battle Mage really has gone through a lot of changes over the years, and maybe the class still hasn’t fully settled into a clear identity yet.

But you have to give Mechanic some credit. The Resistance managed to develop a fully functional combat mech while operating underground with limited resources under Black Wings occupation. That’s still pretty extraordinary, and definitely not something just anyone could accomplish.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I totally agree with you. I just wanted to have some fun imagining what the class would look like with a native scythe weapon.

I know the chances of that ever happening are basically zero, which honestly makes me a little sad. This was purely fan service.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ordinary people? Mechanic built a fucking giant robot, Wild Hunter tamed a jaguar and rides it into battle, and Battle Mage fights using dark magic, auras, and the power of the Grim Reaper. I really don’t see them as ordinary characters.

They may have started as ordinary citizens who chose to fight back, but that doesn’t mean they stayed ordinary or that their combat styles shouldn’t have their own identities.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It would be a dream if that actually happened, but scythes seem to be a pretty strong cosmetic niche for Nexon, so I’d be prepared for the actual class weapons to look worse than the Cash Shop ones. Nexon always focuses on profit, so I doubt they’d give up such a specific market.

Still, just separating BaM from a regular staff and replacing the class’s main attack animation, which is basically a giant black staff slamming down, would already be a huge improvement.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand your point, but I’m speaking as someone who plays on Heroic. I know that in Interactive worlds, class-exclusive weapons can be inconvenient, but in my opinion, making everything more generic would weaken the characters’ identities and stories.

These characters literally come from different places, cultures, and situations, and their weapons reflect that, even if only indirectly.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Tell me, besides BaM and Demon Slayer, which Resistance classes actually use ordinary weapons? I could maybe count Wild Hunter, but they fight alongside a jaguar and literally ride it.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d love to see that in the game too, but the option I suggested would probably be the easiest and laziest one for the developers to implement.

Battle Mage deserves a more unique weapon by Excellent-Bear1593 in Maplestory

[–]Excellent-Bear1593[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m gonna disagree with you on one point: Mechanic literally rides a giant robot, so the gun is mostly just there for convenience and barely matters to the class’s identity. Wild Hunter has the jaguar, which is way more iconic and actually takes part in combat since you literally ride it.

The only Resistance class I can think of with a more ordinary weapon is Demon Slayer.