Mage Armor could let you target one more creature with each up tick. It's useful for Rogues too.
However, the visual effect is very obtrusive for something that's always on. Add Arcane Ward on top and your Wizard is a glowing, sparkling, pulsating bubble 24/7 starting from level 1.
I'd like much more subtle effects for these 24/7 protections that are only visible in combat.
Agreed. I hate flashy spell effects which persist on a character forever.
I second this. Besides, sometimes it's bugged and your character appears as a naked ghost.
I've got to dissent here. I like having a visual indicator (aside from the microscopic icon at the bottom of the screen) that a character has their defenses up. It's handy for knowing that your mage still has an AC higher than null after a dispel, or if you just happened to forget to cast Mage Armor (or other defenses) after leaving camp.
Do you really need it
that much?
The active spell icons could be much more prominent for sure. Everything in the UI is microscopic currently and it's annoying.
But let's say they disable the effects while exploring and turn them back on when combat starts. You can still cast Mage Armor in combat if you notice it's not there. You lose one attack because you forgot, seems fine to me.
Thing is.. this is levels 1-4 and already the Wizard looks like a pulsating christmas tree from just one or two buffs. If all the effects have such prominent visuals, you will soon end up with a horrible mess where it's actually impossible to tell which spells exactly are active. Information gets lost in the noise.
