Why the nerf?
Can only go to 4 casts before you die. (60% modifier)
Use to be at least up to 90%.
Ontop of less casts, less ignite, less overall
Just seems like a big double dip nerf
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As a Game Designer, the only reason I can consider why they would change the frequency of casts, and that is they want you to not spam Balefire Bolt and make it more “meaningful”, which it does the exact opposite.
The ability in it’s initial form was not a very good kiss/curse ability with the spirit stacking debuff, even with 9 casts. To my knowledge, that is one of the only damage abilities in game that has a debuff.
If they wanted to limit the frequency of casts from 9-4, they should have gave it the same mechanic as Combustion; where you have a certain amount of casts to get a high critical chance.
Perhaps they should have changed the functionality of Balefire Bolt to mirror combustion.
Since Blizzard loves RNG so much, my suggestion would be that you have 4 casts before it goes on a 30 second cooldown with a high critical chance. If you critical with Balefire Bolt, you get the spirit debuff and it stacks. That way, you’re not punished for just casting it.
I haven’t done all the math on it. But I’d argue its potentially a buff depending on fight length. At least it minimizes errors.
Balefire you want to get get that 30 second CD going as soon as possible. Depending on the fight with 9 casts the potential for something to happen that causes you to delay that 30 CD goes up alot vs the new 4 casts. And you can’t skip any casts ever. The lasts casts are the most damaging ones.
With certain fight lengths you will definitely get more value off this new balefire set up vs the old one.
Another way to look at it, is its very much a buff for someone who doesn’t have the raid letting them skip mechanics to parse. As its much easier to use to have the balefire CD going down while its at max stacks instead of wasting that time while you are still generating stacks.
its max stacks now is half the damage of what it’s max use to be. Less casts = less ignite procs, less overall damage on a 2.5 cast spell vs 3sec cast one.
Just seems odd to nerf it without relocating the damage somewhere else in the class.
P.S. For the love of god buff Arcane damage. It cant compete with passive ignite + living bomb ticks between hard casts.
Hm, thought it stacked to 80%. but yes you might be correct
But that would also mean
is also wrong. which would be 80% instead. Since you do not use the last stack.
Yes, idk why I put 90. The last cast capped at 80% bonus.
However the new version with a stacking 20%, you only get the cast off with the 60% bonus (3rd cast), with the 4th having a possible 80% bonus, however if you do you die now.
We were already mid-tier, may as well roll with frost mage build at this point ugh.