Remove mana drain from Shadow Combat

[Effigy]

Shadow Combat in Cunning/Shadow Magic seems worse than similar skills for other classes, for no good reason. Does anyone actually use this past the early game? Losing 2 mana per hit is very costly, and the skill doesn't do anything except add some on-hit damage. Compare to Sun Paladin's Weapon of Light, which adds comparable on-hit damage, boosts damage shields, and has no resource drain. Arcane Blade's Enhancement skills also add on-hit damage and actually restore resources each hit. Shadow Combat is just laughably bad by comparison.

Really, even if the mana drain were removed, I doubt many people would use the skill. It's arguably not worth the talent points and sustain cost for what it gives. It would be a step in the right direction though. I think it would be reasonable to also add some kind of secondary effect like the other skills I mentioned. Maybe a portion of the on-hit damage it gives could be leeched as life?

[dadito]

Give it a chance to make a shadow copy of you on hit

[Cathbald]

I'm currently using it with the armour of shadow prodigy!
But yeah it's bad and really not nearly close to other similar talents.
Make it do something else, numbing darkness, blind? Give a little bit more survivability to shadowblade while keeping the thematic.

[Razakai]

I'll probably make Shadow Combat significantly fancier next patch. Not sure what yet though so feel free to post ideas.

[anonymous000]

Give it a chance to make a shadow copy of you on hit

You said what's in my mind. I was just going to post the same message.

[Winddbourne]

A shadow copy showing up after every single hit seems a bit over powered compared to the other skills listed. It would have to be given a VERY low spawn chance; especially considering how early you get the skill. The necromancer doesn't get a shadow copy spell until level eighteen and even with that it costs them a category point to gain access to the tree.

Instead perhaps while the sustain is active you have an increased chance (based on cunning/level) of scoring a critical hit; and darkness resistance penetration of 10-50% based on level alone. If we wanted to KEEP the 2 point mana cost we also might translate 20-100% of your base weapon damage (from stats) into darkness damage (based on magic/level).

[Chronosplit]

Numbing Darkness or Blind sound pretty OK to me. Something like a copy or banes would probably be OP.

What about giving Shadowblade talents that work with it to make things better? This sounds dumb, but giving Shadowblade something akin to a much lesser Dark Reign would make it worth the investment.

[twas Brillig]

Something like Shadow Shot from the new archer could be interesting (if overtuned). A chance to make enemies lose track of you, possibly letting you re-enter stealth. That might be be better-suited for more of a stealthy magic tree, but Shadow Magic doesn't really have a strong theme outside of the names.

You could have a chance to proc pinning darkness ala Dark Tendrils, which as far as I know shadowblade can't do despite its association with Subject Z.

Heck, you could just have a chance not to break stealth.