The short range spec for Engineers and Magi should be entirely based around survivability and area denial. I tweeted when I had this duh moment that these light armor classes are not suicidal. In fact, with their inherent survivability with enhanced armor, and wounds for the Magus, they’re intended to be able to take a few more brief hits than other light armor classes. What really made my brain flip was the current usage of Electromagnet and Rift. These LA classes, that TRY to be more survivable, are PULLING ENEMIES directly to them? How the FUCK does this make sense in the mind of either class? They have GUNS and MAGIC, not melee implements of death. If anything, the Magnet/Rift should REPULSE enemies similar to the Zealot morale that does a channeled knockback while ignoring immunities.

The only reason this short range spec should exist is to protect your long range classes from being torn asunder when they’re caught by melee. We’ve heard the term Area Denial when it comes to these classes, but how are they performing as them? Poorly. They don’t deny shit. The Demon/Landmine is a cute trick, but stagger is broken by a wet fart so it’s really more useful to skirmish around and hit some healers with one. Aside from that they really don’t have much area denial. The mirror has been on my mind as Mythic is going to give them a new mechanic based on their proximity to the turret/demon that is summoned. They want their pet to be more integral to the playstyle. They want this mirror to get “Dug In” and stand their ground.

They want this mirror to turn into a retarded freenown speedbump that’s too dumb to get out of the way.

You’re not fooling anyone with your “Dug In” rhetoric. The Engi and Magus are still squishy classes regardless of how much reason you give them to stand tall. They’re just going to get kicked to the ground and roflstomped until the respawn button shows up. There’s two ways to go about getting them to their “Dug In” status. Step one, load the short range tree with abilities that make it detrimental to get near these classes. Things that don’t have immunity timers are a good start. Change the Corp resist into a potent thorns ability, or swap it for the armor buff that gets stronger as you spec in it. I’ve alluded to the Lightning Rod getting an AoE snare while it’s pulsing for 9s, and the Static Discharge being a cooldown or buildup increaser. Maybe more static effects, like having Friction Burn persist in the area for 9 seconds, so anyone standing in it’s path takes some heavy damage. For the love of god, stop trying to make Bugmans Best a heal ability, just have it leak Morale already!

Magus have pretty much the same deal in their tree, a bunch of lackluster abilities that don’t afford them necessary protections or threats to deter their enemies. We’re not talking about killing power here, but Area Denial. Something that a mongoloid would have to stand in to get themselves killed. Things that are obvious “DON’T TOUCH THIS” signs. Apply the same changes to the Magus where possible. Instead of Warpfire being a channel it could mimic the Static Discharge and just be a quick burst to anything nearby. Agonizing Torrent is close enough to Lightning Rod to mirror over. The Aegis is a good enough ability as-is, but doesn’t really benefit the group. Let the melee thorns portion of the ability propagate to you group members as well.
Changes like this give the class a defined role, something they’re missing aside from being a low and slow DoT dps class.