I'm enjoying the new HA staff playstyle, but find it limiting that Lightning staves are the clear favorite. This is, in part, to how the heavy attacks work like a channeled attack with multiple ticks.
I propose for ZOS to expand HA staff playstyles by modifying the behavior of Heavy Attack with Fire and Ice staves to match that of Lightning. Instead of a fire or ice ball the HA should send a stream of fire or frost, and tick similar to a Lightning staff HA. The sticky targeting that Lightning staff HAs have should also act in fire/ice HAs.
With this change, I would leave tri-focus as it is now. With all three elements ticking similarly, players could then go for max single target (fire), max AOE (Lightning) or max survival (ice).
This also plays well with class elemental passives - DK and fire, Sorc and Lightning, Warden and Cold - giving each class an opportunity to customize to their element. This would also help improve diversity (seeing more than just HA Sorcs everywhere).
Thoughts?