Health Cost Abilities and Frenzy Mechanics Questions

YandereGirlfriend · July 2020

So as I've been putting together a hybrid (Dunmer vampire Sorc) build some questions about abilities that cost Health to use have popped into my mind:

1. Is using a Health cost ability considered "taking damage" by the game? This has implications for the Heavy Armor passive and any other sets or abilities that use it as a proc condition.

2. Relatedly, Health cost abilities bypass Armor Rating and %Damage Resisted modifications and simply deduct the tooltip value from your Health pool?

3. Is Frenzy treated as a "snapshot" ability for cost purposes or does its cost scale depending upon which bar you are on? Clear implications for a NMA front-bar where the ability is back-barred.

4. Relatedly, if you reduce the cost of Frenzy before activation (say with either the Sorc Persistence passive or the Queen's Elegance set) is that discount "locked in" for scaling purposes (e.g. if its starting tick is lower and locked in then all subsequent ticks will be less costly, allowing you to maintain the toggle for longer).

5. Can the end-of-toggle Heal from Frenzy Critically Heal?

6. Is the Frenzy toggle on or off the GCD?

Feel free to add any additional knowledge or thoughts about the topic!

Vevvev · July 2020

I can answer many of the things regarding Blood Frenzy and it's morphs. While I personally hate the ability it does have interesting perks. Blood Frenzy for starters operates off the global cool down allowing you to turn it on when ever you like. Upon activating it though it gains a one second timer that prevents you from turning it off.

Blood Frenzy also functions like Mend Wounds in that it remains active even if you swap bars, but it can be dangerous since you cannot take advantage of this next feature. Blood Frenzy can be turned off even when under heavy CC.

Sated Fury's health refund is classified as a heal so it can proc sets and is subject to healing passives and stats.

Edit: Also the health costs of abilities bypass damage mitigation of all forms.

And the weapon/spell damage from it can be buffed from things like major sorcery.

YandereGirlfriend · July 2020

Thank you so much @Vevvev ! That answered basically all of my questions!

Do you perchance know if Frenzy is snapshot or dynamic in its cost? That's the last tidbit of information that I've found to be elusive.

Vevvev · July 2020

I actually didn't know until just now that it is dynamic in cost.

Way I set up the test is I stuck it on my front bar where I had stuck my NMA inferno staff. After letting it drain my health it always stopped at 9.6% health consistently. Then when I activated it and quickly swapped to the back bar it stopped at 13% health consistently. I didn't count the time but I made sure I had no other abilities on either bar that could mess with the results. ((Most notably Draconic Power that increases health regeneration))