Mages in SMITE are potentially the most versatile class in the whole game. Mages aren't bound by many restrictions in terms of categorization, so they tend to find themselves useful in a variety of situations. They primarily find play in the middle lane, but a select few can be flexed into any of the other roles in the game. In fact, some mages specialize in these unexpected roles, allowing for surprises in the draft.

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As the most represented role in the game (sorry Guardian enthusiasts, at least you have Chthulu), there's a Mage God for every player. Complexity is hardly a relevant factor in determining power, as some of the most effective Mages are the most simple ones. For those curious as to which mages are considered the most effective going into the latest season, here are some suggestions to try out.

10 Chang'e

Chang'e, the Faerie of the Moon, is a very free-flowing character. Although she lacks the blinks or dashes of other Gods, her mobility is impressive. Chang'e doesn't have hard cast times on her abilities, making her very snappy to play. Add onto that total immunity, a strong teamfighting ultimate, and a nice laning passive, and the result is a simple, but effective God.

Chang'e does have a couple of weaknesses. Her damage is limited compared to other more traditional mages. The range on the damage she does have is also quite limited. She's most effective in mid-range situations. While these limitations make her weaker in the midlane, in the solo lane she can put out some serious hurt onto melee opponents. Do not underestimate the power of moonlight.

9 Discordia

Discordia, the Goddess of Strife, is chaos incarnate. While she doesn't create as much madness as her lore would indicate, she's rather unpredictable. Discordia plays two different roles: one part siege mage, one part burst mage. Her Unruly Magic is on a short cooldown, clearing waves with ease and inflicting chip damage that adds up over time. This, plus cooldown reduction in her smoke cloud, makes her a menace in drawn-out fights.

Discordia also has two wildly effective CC abilities. Strife is great for locking opponents in place, and her ultimate inflicts two forms of CC that prevent an enemy from playing the game entirely. The ultimate is inconsistent to land, but the huge AoE it deals in conjunction with Unruly Magic can win a teamfight single-handedly. Plus, her passive creates a fun little competition for her allies.

8 Hera

Hera, the Queen of the Gods, has palpable #Girlboss energy. Her basic abilities leave a lot to be desired on their own, and it makes her early laning somewhat dubious. She has some useful tools with a shield and great CC, but lacks damage. However, with her ultimate, Hera becomes a fully-fledged ruler of the map.

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Argus, The Defender, enables a lot of what makes Hera so powerful. Summoning Argus on its own is a serious power-move, but it matters the most in extended battles. Argus is a full-on tank for Hera, blocking shots and crippling enemies that get too close. In conjunction with her healing passive and shield, Argus is hard to kill. Argus and Hera both have the potential to dominate teamfights and take total control.

7 He Bo

He Bo, the God of the Yellow River, is the definition of a burst mage. His bread-and-butter combo can erase any squishy God from the map at any point in time. This, of course, requires actually landing the combo, which is easier said than done. Less experienced players will likely take a few games to get used to putting it all together. But once it comes together, it flows so nicely.

He Bo, aside from his wild burst through his Water Cannon and Crushing Wave, is great at maneuvering around the map. The Altas of the Yellow River gives him control of the terrain in a fight, along with giving him an easy path to gank side lanes. With his strong AoE, He Bo can also be played as a jungler for teams in need of more magic damage.

6 The Morrigan

The Morrigan, Phantom Queen, cannot be comprehended for a number of players. Newer players will likely struggle to play both as and against The Morrigan, even if it can be argued she's not nearly as complex as her "Very Hard" rating claims. This may seem strange, especially considering her kit is fairly straight-forward as far as mages are concerned.

The Morrigan's complexity comes in her trickery and her ultimate. She has stealth, which can be combined to layer on a free stun through her Deadly Aspects ability. Her ultimate is her most iconic and effective tool. Changeling allows The Morrigan to literally become any other God in the game. She copies their abilities, items, and can even use enemy ultimates. It has a limited duration, though, so a skilled player will need to make the most of it.

5 Hel

Hel is one of multiple stance-dancing characters in Smite, making her a versatile mage option. The Goddess of the Underworld swaps between two different forms: Dark Form and Light Form. Dark Form increases her magic power and gives her a collection of offensive techniques. Light Form increases her healing, giving multiple heals for herself and allies.

Although she lacks a game-changing ultimate, her ability to constantly be chucking spells in both forms allows her to adapt to any situation. Her supportive capabilities are especially effective, as target CC immunity on a short cooldown is a great asset. She also has a fairly low skill floor and a high skill ceiling, making her good at any level of play.

4 Scylla

Scylla is a fairly traditional burst mage with a lot more tools than one would initially expect. This Horror of the Deep can inflict some serious damage with her snare-into-Crush combo, and her ultimate is an effective execute. On top of this, the secondary effects on her abilities give her a lot of hidden power.

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Crush is a controlled detonation ability, giving her a fair bit of zone control as it sits and simmers. Her Sentinel gives her an escape, but also allows her to scout unwarded areas before making the jump. These extra tools are just the icing on top of a kit that can very easily wipe an entire team. It's as she says; Scylla is a monster.

3 Aphrodite

Aphrodite, the Goddess of Beauty, needs no introduction. Her design is gratuitous and Hi-Rez isn't afraid to farm that for all it's worth. However, despite her visual design lacking in creativity (skins aside), her skillset is a very unique take on a supportive mage.

Aphrodite's kit is based around her Kiss, a tether that latched onto an ally. In conjunction with her other abilities, both Aphro and the tethered ally get a number of bonuses. She can amplify their damage by kissing an enemy, turn them into a bomb with her Back Off ability, and even give them temporary invulnerability. Plus, her Love Birds provide solid healing and surprisingly good waveclear, giving her effectiveness outside of a duo role.

2 Ra

Ra, the Sun God, is simplicity at its finest. New players will be able to latch onto his abilities and figure them out within one or two games. Skilled players, on the other hand, can incinerate enemies with their magnificence. He packs both great damage and great sustain, making him a safe and near immovable lane opponent.

Ra's abilities have great range, allowing him to safely clear minion waves and poke at his opponents. His Solar Blessing can be used both offensively and defensively, healing his allies and damaging his enemies. His ultimate is a massive, long-range snipe, capable of cleaning up his allies' messes. No amount of sunblock can stop this bird.

1 Persephone

Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, is great at applying all forms of pressure. Her abilities deal damage in a wide range, giving her direct pressure in fights and sieges. On top of that, her seeds give her a fair bit of zone control, as enemies will need to watch their step as to not get blown to pieces. In either scenario, Persephone thrives.

Persephone is not an easy God to pick up for instant success. It takes a few games to understand the intricacies of her plants, finding the best ways to combo her abilities and maximize their effectiveness. However, experienced players will love just how much power Persephone gives them. The cherry on top is her ultimate, which may be one of the best teamfighting ultimates in the whole game.

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