1.7 Beta 5 Glacial Waste ideas (spoilers)

[Delmuir]

So... the Necromancer has really come together nicely and only one category isn't quite up to par and that's Glacial Waste. As such, here are my notes and ideas:

The basic problem with this category is Hiemal Shield. The Necromancer works best when it takes some damage in order to make use of Across the Veil. The mechanics of this shield are generally fine but they don't quite flow with the class as well as it could and it's hard to justify the points, given how good the alternatives are. The Necro does a lot of damage over time, automatic damage, and area effect and this shield is consistent with that theme. Here is my attempt to stay consistent with the theme but be more effective:

Hiemal Shield - A sustain shield that stops ZERO incoming damage but instead stores a percentage (not sure on the ideal math here) of said damage for release in one of three ways:

1. If you enter negative life then the shield stops incoming damage up to whatever it has stored.

2. Glacial Waste damage consumes the stored damage, up to "x" per turn according to the skill.

3. Using any skill that does cold, darkness, or frostdusk damage (no dire plague or similar) and it just tacks on extra damage from this reserve (up to 25% of the reserve per spell).

Basically, the shield would store up damage and IF you're in positive life then you can use up that stored damage via your spells and/or Glacial Waste. If you're in negative life, you can no longer use the stored damage for spells as all of the reserve is now used by the damage shield.

Get rid of the retaliation bolt entirely.


Desolate Waste - I'd make this a constant effect when the shield is active BUT it sits at radius 0 until it accumulates damage at which point the radius increases. Every 20% of the max amount stored, the radius increases by 1.


Crumbling Earth - No change


Bleak Guard - up to 25% retaliation damage. If you're in negative life, any attack that would kill you is preempted by that retaliation damage and if it kills the enemy, you shrug off the damage that would have killed you (once per turn).