Anyway after MASsive testing I think wand-magic is more underpowered as I thought before. I would like compare it mostly with bow shooting since both are in general the same, dealing distance damage. I comparing a full archer (so best skills and stats) with a full mage (again best skills and stats).
Bow shooting
- +much higher DPS
+much higher range
+can stunt the enemy
+is boost able with magic gems
+If you have the stats for an archer you are usually still a good close combat fighter
+you can make money with monster hunting
-needs / consums ever arrows even to train
-not usable in close combat (but most monster are able to outmanoeuvre)
Wand magic:
- (+)use able in close combat (still cause of the stats of a mage that’s mostly suicide)
+/- Theoretical you need no munition; BUT that would exclude you from most dungeons / dangerous areas /events / battles if you want kill more than a half dozen enemy’s you rely on mana potions. I also heard that some mages trained without any mana potions IMHO that’s a disgusting boring way to train the skill cause most of the time you would wait for your mana to be regenerated.
-high repairing costs for wands
-not boost able with magic gems
-much lower DPS
-much lower range
-with the stats of a mage you are not even a passable close combat fighter
- Magic should not be like bows with graphical effects, there should be clear difference. That’s why I wouldn’t change range, stunt effect, needed stats and the need of arrows/mana.
- Making wands gem-able or give them special effects would be “nice to have” but I think it would need much time to develop.
- I suppose the fastest way for a better balance would be increasing the DPS of wand magic. Increasing the damage dealt by mages but keep their low distance and high vulnerability would turn they more into the glass-canons they should be IMHO.