The Most Annoying Abilities in WoW- March Madness Style: Part 3!

Hello there! Today Paladin-Bias returns to a (somewhat) normal schedule after the craziness of PAX weekend. Today I present the third installment in the ongoing tournament for the title of the most annoying ability in the World of Warcraft.

The last post featured Mind Control narrowly edging out Psychic Scream to be named the most annoying ability for the Priest class, earning it a spot in the final bracket. Today we're going to stick with another cloth wearing class, and take a look at the most annoying Mage abilities.

MAGE!

Mages are the prototypical caster in the Warcraft universe. With their ability to wield the powers of arcane, fire, and frost mages are well adapted for unleashing a barrage of DPS. In addition to their offensive ability, Mages are equipped with multiple buffs, invisibility, invulnerability via Ice Block, Polymorph, and the capacity to freeze an opponent in place while simultaneously teleporting away. Their numerous crowd control techniques, combined with their damage output make them a frustrating foe on the field of battle.

For the Mage bracket there were A LOT of annoying abilities to choose from, so I decided to feature four abilities that are unique to the Mage class. Ice Block, Polymorph, Spell Steal, and Mirror Image will be facing off for the title of the most annoying Mage ability and ultimately the chance to be named the most annoying ability in WoW.

The first round of the Mage bracket features Ice Block against Mirror Image. Mirror Image allows a Mage to make clones of itself in the attempt to confuse an enemy, while providing extra damage. The idea is great on paper, but it rarely, if ever, confuses any opponent and the DPS output of the images is weak. On the flip side, we have the Ice Block ability which provides a Mage with complete invulnerability while they surround themselves in a giant ice cube. The frustration of watching a Mage "chill" inside of their fortress of solitude while reinforcements arrive is an extremely annoying sight, and enough to move Ice Block into the second round of the Mage bracket.

Next we have Spell Steal facing off against Polymorph. Spell Steal grants the Mage the power to literally steal a buff from an opponent. This can be extremely frustrating when using a powerful ability like Avenging Wrath. And Polymorph is the familiar CC ability of the Mage class, granting them the ability to turn opponents into one of several animals while they line up a powerful attack. Granted, Polymorph can be very frustrating when you're getting chain-sheeped, however, the ability breaks with any damage and can be dispelled. So for this first round the win has to go to Spell Steal, for its uniquely annoying ability to flip the tables on any fight.

The final round pits Spell Steal up against Ice Block. The offensive capability of Spell Steal can be a game changing attack on the field of battle if used with the right timing. On the other hand, Ice Block can utterly frustrate an opponent, and it is often used in conjunction with Evocation after attacking enemies direct their attention elsewhere. So, despite its practical offensive ability, the timing required to pull it off effectively (combined with competing with the sheer frustration of Ice Block) means the title of most annoying Mage ability will not be going to Spell Steal. The winner by TKO- Ice Block.

So after the third preliminary round, this is how the final bracket is shaping up:

As the third class to enter the competition, Mages slide into the second position on the top half of the bracket.

Check back soon for more results in the tournament of the most annoying Warcraft abilities!

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Paladin-Bias