Question: Tanking with Staff on back bar - chilled status effect?

TankHealz2015 · December 2017

So, I started tanking with a staff on back bar.
First I was using a Lightening Staff, but sometimes there are Sorcerers in the group so I carry a Frost Staff as well.

I felt I could still add group benefit by using a Frost Staff for the Chilled status effect.

The Frost Staff tool tip for Wall of Elements (only staff skill that I use )

Slam your staff down to create an elemental barrier in front of you, dealing [x] Magic Damage to enemies in the target area every 1 second.
Also applies an effect based on your staff's attack element:
Wall of Fire deals extra damage to burning enemies.
Wall of Frost reduces enemy Movement Speed and immobilizes chilled enemies.
Wall of Storms sets concussed enemies off balance.

Slow movement speed and immobilize seem like good utility for a tank to bring.

But now, I'm reading that "Chilled" was changed to apply Minor Maim (copy pasted from Alcast website/ which is taken from patch notes)

Elemental Status Effects

Chilled – Applies Minor Maim, reducing targets damage done by 15%.
Concussion – Applies Minor Vulnerability, increasing damage taken by 8% for 4 seconds. Animation: electric sparkles. Chance to proc from any lightning damage. Does not proc off Staff Light and Heavy attacks. However, it can proc from the splash damage of Shock Heavy Attacks.
Burning – Flame damage over time for 4 seconds and ticks every 2 seconds. Chance to proc from any flame damage.
Poisoned – Poison damage over time for 6 seconds. Chance to proc from any poison damage.
Disease – Applies Minor Defile debuff for couple of seconds that reduces healing taken by 15%. Animation: green cloud and health bar has inward arrowheads. Chance to proc from any disease damage (meat bag siege catapults, werewolf infectious claws and foul weapon enchants)

Is the Wall of Elements tool tip correct? or wrong?

What are the status effects when I use Wall of Elements?

I have noticed that sometimes an enemy will become frozen and then crumble apart...

Could somebody explain?

Note: I am not concerned with the heavy attack taunting.. i already have a ranged taunt. I just use a staff for the status effect/group benefit.

Thanks!

Danksta · December 2017

The status effect 'chilled' applies Minor Maim, which can be applied by Wall of Elements but not reliably. I believe Wall of Elements has a 2% chance per tick to apply the status effect. If your target happens to be inflicted with the chilled then they will be snared and immobilized by your Wall of Elements. There's a much more reliable way to apply Minor Maim to a target and that is using the One Hand and Shield skill 'Heroic Slash'.

Regarding the enemies that freeze and crumble apart when they die, I believe that happens when an enemy dies with that status effect. There are separate but similar animations for the other status effects when an enemy dies and I'm not sure what determines which animation will happen if the enemy happens to be inflicted with multiple status effects.

Here's a video that goes over status effects that is very informative in case you want to know more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St5v-bMeGDc

TankHealz2015 · December 2017

Very helpful thank you.

So to be clear: any frost damage can proc "chilled" effect which applies minor maim.

The Wall of Elements skill is always an AoE DoT + snare, but if the enemy has been "chilled" than it will apply immobilize too.

As a tank, my goal is to add more group utility.

Since many PUG dungeons and trials groups already have multiple lightening users, I thought to add a different utility (i.e more crowd control)

Current Tank: DK Tank - uses Talons skill (AoE immobilize + AoE minor maim) and heroic slash skill (gain ultimate + minor maim)

To get the absolute maximum uptime of Immobilize from Wall of Elements:

Would you say: frost staff + charged trait + all destro staff passives + Torug's Pact armor ?

Thanks for your input.

Sleezly · December 2017

What trait and enchant do you have on the ice staff? Seems if you put a Frost enchant on a charged ice staff, you'd reliably proc the chilled status effect.

If nothing else it's worth a shot to test that combo out.