This is a bit long but please bear with me.
Once I got over the initial hype for the patch changes and S-20 theme, I was able to re-read the patch notes more calmly. From that 2nd read my gut was leading me to the point that the devs should rethink the changes. Now that the PTR is live my gut reaction is stronger and leaning further in that direction. Here’s why…
[Wiz Channeling]
A while back many wizards were asking (in the forums) for buffs to channeling, to have channeling viable for end game, and/or possibly a channeling set. Some also wanted a Frost centric set added for Wiz. What we got were 3 awesome items (Death Wish, Sigil, MoC) usable with existing sets as well as LON/LOD. The changes over several patches enabled Bazooka, which the devs were OK with. Now the devs have reversed their position (legit VS. not legit) on Bazooka. The devs gutted existing wiz channeling builds, all non-wiz channeling take a hit as well with Moc change, but we get new shiny distractions (S-20 theme).
[The Typhon set]
The Typhon set is way too narrow and constricting. It buffs only hydra but doesn’t properly support mammoth hydra. Magistrate’s frost nova will most likely get in the way in group play because of CC immunity (I haven’t tested this yet) and it only uses the un-runed frost nova (can’t use Frozen Mist). Beyond S-20 the build options will be quite limited. I tried theorycrafting a way to mix Typhon, FireBirds, and Crimson because the Typhon set is so cramped. However, there isn’t enough flexibility between the sets. Typhons would probably need a belt, amulet and possibly an off-hand source.
- Short-term: we will have a bit of fun with hydra.
- Long-term: wiz channeling is back to sucking IMO.
- the changes are like removing 20 lbs., adding back 11 lbs., and then pushing a laundry list of distractions in front our collective faces so we don’t notice the gap.
[My Proposal]
What if the devs buffed Hydra, fixed and buffed Mirror Images, fixed and buffed Manald Heal, buffed channeling to make it viable for end game, disabled Bazooka, and updated DMO and FireBird.
[Hydra Buffs]
- Merged the damage on Sparker and Magistrate, put the merged damage on Sparker
- Change Sparker to allow a [1-3] roll for extra hydras (total of 4 active hydras)
- Change the hydra skill duration to 20 or 30 secs (devs can determine what would be appropriate)
*Change Storm Crow to mod hydra to produce 1 head of each element (4 headed multi-element hydra) - Change Arcstone ring to add X amount of Arcane Power, mods Hydra such that it consumes all Arcane Power per cast, increases Hydra damage by Y for each point of Arcane Power consumed (devs would need to determine appropriate values for X and Y)
(borrows and condenses ideas from StarPact and Reilena’s Shadow Hook) - Change Magistrate to use my Frost Mammoth Hydra idea (palate swap with high damage, stacking lake of frozen mist), remove the frost nova auto cast, remove the cone of cold attack + animation, use the fire mammoth hydra cast animation, use the frozen mist spread animation, and use the frost nova snap sound effect
(Frost Mammoth Hydra doesn’t remove/replace Fire Mammoth Hydra) - Make Arcane Hydra take advantage of Unstable Scepter’s double explosion proc.
[Channeling Buffs]
- Sigil changed to auto cast the arcane spenders on the bar, buffs only the auto cast spell’s damage and the channeling spell’s damage, electrocute added channeling spell list
- Death Wish changed to buff only the channeling spell’s damage, electrocute added to the channeling spell list
- The damage ranges on Sigil and DW might need to be increased
- The 1 sec delay on MoC, DW, Sigil activation are removed
- Add to Hergbrash’s Binding: channeling ramp up damage at maximum is preserved for 2 seconds after channeling stops
(addresses the mobility deficiency with channeling) - Find a way to make Sigil procs trigger area damage without making it over powered or a replacement to Bazooka (if it can’t be done then leave AD out)
[Mirror Image Buffs]
- Revise Archmage Vicalyke to make mirror images last until killed, dismissed or dispelled, raises the damage of images to [40-70]% (increased by pet gem), and makes the image’s life 85% (% might need to be tweaked) of the wizard’s total HP
(entering archon and teleport-fracture rune already dispels the images)
(this change needs to have pet stack icon at the top of the UI like one for WD zombie dogs) - Revert the mirror image hydra cast limit nerf from very early RoS
- Make Mirror Images take advantage of the revise Sparker above and any other gear if equipped/cubed where this would appropriate (ex: MI makes use of Unstable Scepter)
- Make Mirror Images trigger area damage
- Fix Mirror Image A.I. so they don’t run around randomly like retards
[DMO, FireBird, and Typhon Sets]
- Pull the Typhon set from this PTR and patch, make above list of changes viable (tweak the numbers/ranges)
- Let the wiz community submit ideas for a revised Typhon set (ex: Typhon needs an amulet)
- Let wiz community submit ideas for revised DMO and Firebird sets
The above list of changes require careful dev consideration and testing as well as input, feedback and testing from the player community. The changes should make wiz channeling solo and group viable, refreshed, and usable with sets and LON/LOD. The changes would alter existing channeling builds (ex: TR-6/LOD/LON meteor shower & disintegrate) but should not remove them completely or render them useless. It should limit/disable bazooka since no chance at archon + DW + Sigil + MoC + LON/LOD + and all the other multipliers combined. Starpact would be usable but not as powerful, and all the gimmicky timing stuff is nullified. If I’m wrong about disabling bazooka then use a minimally invasive approach to disabling it. For example, add a change to DW/Sigil to disallow archon’s damage multiplier to apply to auto cast spells.
Wizards effectively get some class fantasy back with varied and powerful hydras and retain strong channeling options.