Mage (Warcraft II)

Once students of the Conjurers of Azeroth, this new order of Mages have been forced to discover untapped magical forces to command in their war against the ruthless Orcs. Although masters of their arts, the Conjurers who fell during the First War were unprepared for the rigors of warfare. Determined to avoid a similar fate, the Mages have undertaken a regimen equally demanding on body and soul, thus dedicating themselves to the command of more aggressive and destructive magiks. Whether in their sanctum at the Violet Citadel in Dalaran or on the many battlefields of Lordaeron, the Mages are resolute in their efforts to defend the people.Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, Alliance Ground Units, Mage
==Information==
* Mages are arguably the most powerful unit in the game. They are generally superior to their Horde counterparts, Death Knights, and are the greatest advantage the Alliance has over the Horde.
* They are expensive, slow and vulnerable, but they do have a short-ranged attack (Lightning) that ignores armor. 
* Their default reaction to being attacked is to flee. They will, however, automatically attack any Zeppelins within range if idle.
* Their real value comes from their spells:
** Fireball is a long-range attack that can hit several units in its path, dealing varying damage (usually around 34) to each. It is rarely used, as Blizzard is considered more efficient.
** Flame Shield can be cast on any non-flying unit. It will create a spinning barrier of fire that will continuously damage any unit adjacent to the target, friend or foe (including flying units). It can be used to protect lone units, or to allow Footmen and Knights to drive off Dragons. Alternatively, it can be effectively cast on a clump of enemy units, as separating the units from the shielded one can be cumbersome (they will not move away automatically). Similarly, it can be used on an enemy Peon as it moves to or from a Gold Mine; the flames will soon kill off any nearby Peon miners. It can be combined with Invisibility.
** Slow is a cheap spell that reduces a unit's attack and movement speeds by half. It is mostly useful when you need to defend your base while conserving Mana, or when the enemy outnumbers you.
** Invisibility makes one unit completely invisible to all players except you and any teammates. It lasts until the unit attacks or casts a spell, or until the spell expires. Needless to say, it is extremely useful for surprise attacks. Invisible Transports are particularly effective, and an invisible Flying Machine allows you to scout enemy towns with impunity. Note that computer-controlled players can always see your units, so this spell is useless against them. Also note that casting Invisibility on a Demo Squad or Sappers will instantly destroy them.
** Polymorph will instantly and irreversibly transform the target into a harmless Critter, effectively destroying it. Ships and machines are immune, but all other units will be affected without fail; the spell's description is wrong - the effect cannot be resisted. Needless to say, this is an extremely effective spell, especially against powerful and expensive units like Dragons or Death Knights, though it does cost a lot of Mana.
** Blizzard is a very powerful offensive spell that can quickly wipe out whole groups of enemies. Note that the Mage who casts a Blizzard is immune to it, but other friendly units are not. Also note that most enemy units will react to being hit by a Blizzard by rushing at your Mage, which can be exploited to lure them into traps. An invisible Mage can sneak into an enemy town and wipe out whole clumps of units (including Peons who are harvesting resources) using this spell.
==Spells==
;Lightning
:Basic attack (does not use Mana)
The Mages of Lordaeron have the ability to discharge lightning from their hands when entering into a melee. These swift bolts of energy strike their victims regardless of any armor they may wear. Being the simplest of nature's forces to command, Lightning requires but a fraction of the caster's mana to employ.Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, Mage Spells
;Fireball
:Powerful line attack (costs: 100 Mana, range: 10)
Magiks involving the cardinal elements of the universe are favorites of the Mages. The Fireball is launched from the palms of the Mage and streaks like a comet blazing across the battlefield - slamming its fiery bulk into whatever stands in its path.
;Flame Shield
:AoE damage around target unit (costs: 80 Mana, range: 6)
Serving as both a weapon and a barrier, the Flame Shield is a binding of the chaotic force of fire to the aura of the chosen target. A twisting helix of fire that whirls about, the Flame Shield accompanies the one so enchanted wherever he may roam. Flame Shield will deliver damage to any grounded barrier that it comes into contact with.
;Slow
:Lowers target's movement speed and attack rate (costs: 50 Mana, range: 10)
The Mages of Lordaeron have been able to create a spell that hinders both movement and reflex. By warping the very patterns of time that surround his target, Slow enables the caster to bring an enemy's offensive to a crawl. Time cannot be held in check by even the mightiest of Mages, however, so the effects of this temporal shift cease as the power of the spell wanes.
;Invisibility
:Makes target temporarily invisible until it either attacks or casts a spell (costs: 200 Mana, range: 6)
Gleaned from sacred tomes rescued from the debris of Northshire Abbey, this spell grants the ability to cloud the perceptions of others so that they cannot perceive the physical existence of the caster's target. The individual that is rendered Invisible may not perform any tasks such as attacking, harvesting or spellcasting. Should the individual interact with his environment in any fashion more aggressive than simple movement, the Invisibility will be dispelled and their personage shall be revealed.
;Polymorph
:Permanently turns target into a defenseless critter (costs: 200 Mana, range: 10)
Perhaps the most fearsome of the Mage spells, Polymorph alters the physical form of its target. This metamorphosis changes man to beast, forever warping both mind and body. This sorcery wholly transforms the victim into a creature of the wilds, thus losing their reasoning - making commands for direction or battle impossible. Although there is no counter for this spell, possessing a greater stamina does decrease the possibility of this enchantment taking effect.
;Blizzard
:Ranged AoE damage (costs: 25 Mana, range: 12)
Summoning torrential storms from the frozen Mountains of Northeron, this potent spell calls down a fierce tempest of ice to assault the enemies of the Mage with a flurry of cold blades. Blizzard can be cast over large portions of the battlefield, making it an extremely powerful spell when facing legions of Orcish troops.
==Quotes==
*See Warcraft II Mage quotes
==References==
Category:Human characters
Category:Mage characters