Battlemages.
I know that they are an Original class in FL, (from reading the ready old forums), as Invockers (staff) is.
I know the inspiration for the Mana charge + staff dependency of invockers is Gandalf.
But what was the inspiration for the Battlemage class ?
This is a short clip of the Original Zu Warriors movie. Its quite old, but i still have a tape with it. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT8ikWUcxQU
You can see a mage dancing a sword, and the Reflecting shield.
There is a more recent Remake/Sequel that is pure eye candy and a lot better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJkLO3vyk1o&feature=related
You can see here at the second half a Battlemage dancing a strange moon scythe and a Avian with metallic wings.
This always made me question where the inspiration to battlemages came from.
So i had the idea of we having more BMG specific DANCING weapons that are more into their theme.
For example it would be nice to have a "large metalic crecent moon" heavy exotic.
Or a heavy "huge gargantuan sword".
Something to break the monotomy of dancing those Axes and Polearms.
By the way there is also an interesting super heavy "Anvil" exotic that i personaly never danced, but that is quite RPish.
Just wondering... Mya, where are you from?
I've never heard of this Legend of Zu. You've gotta be from Asia?
She is Portuguese. That's Europe 
Does she speak Japanese? (I'm assuming thats the language.)
That first video had no subtitles.
EDIT: Sorry i'm off topic. What exactly are you suggesting Mya? Instead of the scythes you can choose to have swords or crescent moons? Or are you suggesting we put different weapons out there for them to dance?
Wouldn't doing this make them more like their possible inspiration and further away from our FL theme?
Fixed.
I was referring to dancing weapon, not "Blades".
Regardign the inspiration, i was always under the impression that some Chinese guy played FL and used the idea in the movie...
For example the Reflecting shield that reflects the Moon, compared with our reflecting shield.
First video is obscure chinese movie that i once saw at 2 am in my countrie public channel. It's just a reference for post, is not that good of a movie unless you are into that genere.
Second on is very nice, and you should see it,if you like. Good movie that you can see it the same way i saw most Naruto episodes.
Also if you have the ability to rent or .... Download movies. Dont watch this one on Yourtube, or you will kick yourself for missing the very nice pictures.
You don't have to dance a polearm/axe that is just the choice because they are the most offensive + heavy + bladed weapons.
You could find a heavy sword and dance it but it won't be as good as an axe/polearm.
The only requirement for a dancing blade is that it be a sizable bladed weapon. IE: No staffs, daggers, maces, flails, etc.
You can dance daggers and staves. I find my Dragon slayer a fine recurse weapon vs mobs.
From what i notice Heavy weapons are the best ones.
I personally don't think weapon type has that much of a influence, but i could be wrong. The problem is that heavy weapons are always those Axes/Polearms every BMG uses. It is quite hard to find another weapon in the 35-40 weight range.
This probably comes from Zerk weapons cleave alignment.
Also if you have the ability to rent or .... Download movies. Dont watch this one on Yourtube, or you will kick yourself for missing the very nice pictures.
There's at least 15-20 different weapon (spears, axes, polearms, exotics, can all these be danced?), with a weight of ~25 and higher. Also, there's not too many battlemages around.
EDIT:
I never thought Gandalf inspired invokers. Honestly, I've read the books and don't remember him charging his staff with magic energies even once. When I first started playing, most classes felt original yet were still within the boundaries of what I expected a fantasy game to be. I think most classes have had many influences when they were designed and coded.
Viri:
"Invokers:
Mages of Elements, also known as Firework specialists.
I have an image of more of Tolkien like mage, one summoning lighting, tossing around streaks of fire etc.. All while his staff glows and hums with power."
http://www.network54.com/Forum/56796/thread/955835943/last-955835943/Wow%21+Wait+a+minute..+hangon+on-%29
Viri:
"Invokers:
Mages of Elements, also known as Firework specialists.
I have an image of more of Tolkien like mage, one summoning lighting, tossing around streaks of fire etc.. All while his staff glows and hums with power."
http://www.network54.com/Forum/56796/thread/955835943/last-955835943/Wow%21+Wait+a+minute..+hangon+on-%29
Still no reference to Gandalf, just the flashy "over dramatic" style of spell casting that is throughout tolkien's novels.
Jeez mya, nice old forum post there.
Yeah holy crap... That stuff is OLD.
should give bmages polymorph
causes +400% regen but all you see is.
someone utters the word "oislmptha"
The world takes on a new look as you feel yourself become very sheepish!
You Rest.
<800/850hp 300/345m 376/376mv> stand
All you want to do is eat grass!
<800/850hp 300/345m 376/376mv>look
All you want to do is eat grass!
<850/850hp 300/345m 376/376mv> frown
All you want to do is eat grass!
<800/850hp 300/345m 376/376mv> say what in the world?
You say 'bah baah bh bah baaah?'
someone laughs.
of course poly typically breaks (historically even) on any damage, but they still get back the initiative. heh.
battlemages need some sort of 'combat casting' skill. makes sense, and with all the spells needed to maintain, being able to cast them while fighting would help out. swap it out with 'sequencer'. what a useless skill.
My one short-lived bmg found sequencer quite useful when I got dispelled or especially if haymakered.
And if the bmg's sitting in the fight putting things like blur and terra shield up, they're being stupid. Two reasons: first, they're in combat without all their spells up, and second, they're in combat casting non-combat spells. It's basically the same reason a cleric shouldn't be healing in combat... you're just wasting time getting attacked without using your big guns back. Flee, cure up, then start raying/pathing again when the fight resumes. Same for the bmg... flee, put stuff back up, then use your time more wisely casting things like sear, or sharpmetal, or localize.
no, sequencer just sucks. maybe thats why your bmg was short lived?
casting any spell you want in combat would be more useful. fleeing is not always an option, or the best thing to do.
I also find Sequencer usefull.
If you dont walk with your defences on 100% of the time.
I just store them, then cast them right before being attacked at 0 mana cost.
Sequencer is a life saver.
Sequencer can store all defensive spells + word.
Oh, whats that? You lost all mana and lost all moves? Sequence use, best chance to survive. Word + Force + Stone etc.
Why would you use sequencer as a bmg?
Silence one, energy drain or just mana drain as another. Blind with mana drain too. Don't discount sequencer. Sequencer is a money skill that every BMG should use and not desire to be removed.
Note to all: Sequencer resets after you die, so reset it after that.
PS. Morchial Uiheam back for a day. Hi all. Miss ya all.
It's so cool, that even when you fail your storing you don't waste mana.
But Battlemages also have bad things. Like the 2 minutes i take to fully spell up.
After which i need to sleep because i am at 500 mana.
Or the extreme mana cost of its spells.
At least Sharp metal saves you with it's extremely low cost.
Invockers are a lot better on this department as they get you from zero to PK ready in 1 spell.