Magicians are very abundant in the MS community. You can see any class of the Magician walking around all the time. Unlike bowmen and assassins, their attacks are both melee and ranged. A constant damage dealer they often have some survivability through magic guard. They are liked in Party Quests for the damage they are able to do and the skills they can contribute.
Pros:

Very good damage comeback in 4th job in the form of mob skills
Incredible amounts of HP and MP recovery
Take damage through Magic Guard, in MP
Higher magic defense
Can telecast (teleport + attack skill)
Heal, used by Clerics, Priests, and Bishops, defeats the purpose for HP potions
Owns all the other classes at 4th job. (15 monsters at amazing levels of damage but use more mp).
Most mages have mob moves


Cons:

The only 2nd job advancement attack as cleric is holy arrow, which is equal almost to magic claw.
Low weapon defense
Same problem with bowmen with jumpshooting
Low HP
Overpowered by some classes
Though Magic Guard helps it so they don't die, it also costs a lot of mp, and mp is more expensive than hp to buy potions for. NOTE: monsters/bosses that dispel also dispel Magic Guard, so it requires fast reflexes to recast and avoid dying)


NOTE: Although other classes overpower Priests in 3rd class, they have a whole slew of party skills that attract the attention of all parties.
The following describes magicians.
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