Shadow needs a rework, not tuning

[Aneurysm-nerzhul]

@Quizical-tichondrius

I think they are referring to season 1 of Dragonflight where shadow had mind sear as a channeled aoe spender, which would get a proc for a 0 insanity cost (ie free) cast that did still need to be fully channeled. Because of this you would often have to cancel channels to avoid incoming damage and lose the full potential of your insanity spender.

I find it questionable if the intent was to refer to DF version of Mind Sear as if that was the case then pointing out that example would have been much easier and less confusing as you have just illustrated above.

But since you brought up DF Mind Sear, here are my thoughts to that…

Because of the awkwardness of canceling a channeled spell that also costs resources, I can see why they removed it.

However, I think that option of gameplay should exist, but it should just not be the baseline version.

Just like how Throw Glaive for Demon Hunter doesn’t cost fury but with a talent option it does cost fury but deals more damage to compensate, I think Mind Sear should come back as its base not costing Insanity version. But then later talents can offer a choice to make it cost insanity but it’s damage is increased while its duration is decreased.

I think Mind Sear being a choice with Psychic Link would be the best location for you to pick between spread or Focused AOE.

Then have Mind Flay, Mind Sear and Void Torrent talents exist in a cluster of talents located near Idol of C’Thun talent so that all the channel spells can have varying degree of talents that effect a single particular or multiple channeled spells.

Can also affect the C’Thun tentacles that cast channeling spells as well.

Some ideas as to these talent offerings can be found in a previous post of mine from a bit ago…

Shadow Crash sucks

Mind Sear was and has been a great spell for AOE. However, several issues have come alongside Mind Sear over the years. Base Spell As a channeled spell, it reduces mobility. Base damage needs to be relevant enough for AOE but not more powerful than Mind Flay else you just default to Mind Sear and once again have another odd redundancy conflict between 2 similar spells. Legion influence Legion ushered in the beginning downfall of Mind Sear imo. Legion brought a more fast pace gogogo mental…

But in short here are some ideas…

• Void Ray (New / Choice with Void Torrent)
  Mind Flay deals 10% increased damage for each of your damage over time spells on the target.
• Malediction (Redesign)
  Your damaging Channeled spells deals their damage 33.3333% faster.

Then perhaps in Voidweaver tree specifically…

• Mind Sears damage is increased by 100% and costs 25 insanity each time its deals damage.
• Mind Sear’s channel duration is reduced by 50% and its damage interval is reduced by 100%
• Your damaging channeled spells can now always be cast while moving.

Other ideas…

Mind Sear base change:

• Mind Sear deals 100% more damage when it hits 3 or more targets.

Void Torrent base change:

• Applies and refreshes Shadow Word: Pain, Vampiric Touch and Devouring Plague to the enemy target.
  Or
• Your periodic damage deal their damage 100% faster while channeling Void Torrent.
  Or
• Devouring Plague is refreshed and spreads to a new target each time Void Torrent deals its damage.