Magicka Wardens and Frost Damage

frozywozy · November 2017

I am making this post to hopefuly get the general game mechanics of elemental damage revisited. I don't believe that I am going to reveal anything new that magicka warden thematic is all around frost damage in general, right? Permafrost, Frozen Gate, Crystalized Shield, Polardwind, etc.

What bugger me a bit is the Warden passives VS the destruction staff passives. Why would I run a frost staff to get an extra 6% extra frost damage on my blockade of element when I can run a lightning staff and get an 8% more aoe damage that buff my blockade of element and permafrost by an extra 2% and my deep fissure by a straight 8%.

It would be great to revisit those passives to make frost a viable source of damage, at least for Warden. I understand that frost is supposed to be more about snaring, rooting but running a frost staff over a lightning staff makes absolutely no change to your chances to snare, root with permafrost or deep fissure or any other warden skill.

Discuss.

EDIT :

Suggestion :

Make screaming cliff racer and deep fissure deal frost damage.
Buff the damage of Deep Fissure and Permafrost by 2% to match the lightning staff passive.
Buff the damage of birds (both morphs) by 5%.
Make birds (both morphs) dodgeable.

casparian · November 2017

I don't know why you say that the "magicka warden thematic is all around frost damage" -- it's just not. Two of their skill trees and all but one of their DPS-oriented skills have nothing to do with frost. In general, frost damage isn't for DPS, it's for tanking. That's why Winter's Embrace only has one morph of one skill that's DPS-oriented.

Now you might think that frost should be a DPS element just like flame and shock. But that ship has sailed: ZOS decided otherwise nearly a year ago when Homestead was released.

GrumpyDuckling · November 2017

You're right about Lightning Staff and it speaks to a larger issue about weapons and classes in general. Any time I want to do a dungeon (which I often run dungeon finder for) I'm just weakening myself if I don't play as a Lightning Staff wielding Sorcerer, which is capable of performing any roll (AOE damage, tanking, or healing).

I certainly can't say the same about any other class/build.

Icy Warden builds would be fun, but I have no incentive to play anything else when Magicka Lightning Staff Sorcerer feels so good and plays so effectively.