>As someone who has deleted 4 mages 20-30+ in frustration,
>I don't think I'm wrong when I say that the practice code
>is screwing me over.

Honestly? How so? Personaly, I have a mage and honestly, I (IC speaking) am about dumber than a box of rocks... hey, rocks are cool...



>As a mage, I am not taking blows regularily.

Oh thank god.

>I do my best to
>take blows WHENEVER I can.

And you made it to 30+?

>At level 30, my latest creation
>had 76% shield block 75% parry.

Really?... Mages, as far as I can see, are power hitters... They don't win battles, they make them shorter. If that makes sense.

> In the 20s, everytime I
>grouped
>I was taking the blows every chance possible.

Not many mages, probably short of certain shape-shifter forms, make good tanks, again, not what I think they were intended for.

In the 30s,
>mobs
>were to strong for that.

For mages, yes, gernerally they are. Bards on the other hand, I've found, are quiet good, not perfect, but good, at tanking... At least for a while, and I won't promise anything.

>
>In my various creations.. the only successfull way to do it
>was
>to stop at 16 and SPAM for days.

As I said, my non-to-bright mage, who I think is doing excellent, is having no spam based problems. I don't spam, I refuse to, then again we each have our faults. *wink* Anyway, he is having no problem what so ever mastering each new (important that is) spell he achieves.

(16 so I had hand to hand
>to
>help with parry).


>

>**This "forget about it and enjoy the game" mentallity is just
>plain
>wrong for non-tankers.

I beg to differ. Role Playing... *taps his head* anywhere..

> Support classes are getting shafted.
>The
>learning curve at higher levels is not good enough.

See above... Every class is different and unique. Every class isn't for every person. There are the ones we like, and the ones we don't. From what I hear, things are balanced certain ways for a reason. Just look around, find what You like, and go with It.


> After
>level 20,
>there didn't seem to be any mobs which I use to effectively
>practice
>defenses (I've tried).


After level 30, the situation is
>amplified.
>
>After analyzing the situation, I blame the practice code for
>the
>frustration I've faced.

...

I do not like the choices: spend
>multiple
>hours for a couple days maximizing defenses, or suck for the
>rest
>of your life.
>

No, no, no... Ok, there is only one way is "suck for the rest of your life", in Carrionfields. And, to me, that is living a life that amounts to nothing. So you can't tank... then don't try. YOU, supposing there's a reason your not letting others tank, can command. If they don't know, tell them. Teach them the knowledge you know... and tanking, or not, you'll make a difference.

"Do not merely practice Art, but penetrate to the very heart of it. For only Art and Science elevate man to the Godhead." Ludwig Van Beethoven