I typically play mages, but I have to disagree.
Yes, I want more gear for everyone, and expect when the game launches, there will be lots of choices, but as to mage gear without recipes...
Although I hate the recipe system, I can easily see why there isn't as many mage gear options on the game. Mages don't need as much gear.
- Mages currently have armor that almost never loses any durability
- Mages typically attack using skills that don't even really require a weapon at all.
- Primative Mage Staves give basically an unlimited non-mana magic ranged attack, already. Yes, improved staves would give a bigger damage hit and also typed damage other than 'magic' but I would still call that advanced gear.
Now look at the other characters:
Every other character HAS to have a weapon to attack, or get up close to unarm strike, for much higher risk.
Archers, your other ranged attackers, still must have a bow to use their archery abilities. Fighters have to have melee weapons to use melee abilities, and often these are separated by types, Slash, Bludgeoning, Piercing, etc... so they often need to carry multiple weapons around. They have other armor varieties, but they are right in the thick of it, too, taking damage.
Shoot, the Mage starts out with Mage Armor, which over-rides the worn armor and protects the mage fairly well for the occasional hit they may sustain.
I don't like recipes, let's get that straight. I'm not for how they are so far, but I do completely understand why they are treating mages this way in comparison to other classes. The naked mage build is still a thing people are looking at for PvPing, afterall.