ArenaNet:Skill feedback/Elementalist/Steam

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Steam (last update: October 12th, 2007)

Generic 22:43, 31 March 2008 (UTC) Steam Skill Incorrect 22:42, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Discussion

Issue

While playing with a few builds I discovered that if a foe is hexed with Teinais/Ice Prison the hex is removed sometimes when Steam is cast on it. after further investigation it seems that Steams skill description is Incorrect. Steam actually deals XX Fire damage and inflicts blindness for XX seconds if target foe is burning, otherwise it deals XX cold damage. In game it states the damage as being cold on both counts, when it actually has a conditional fire damage instead.

Suggestion

Change it to cold on both counts so my build is more sexy.

Neck Issue -- 21:51, 12 September 2008 (UTC)

Discussion

Issue

Steam, used with Glyph of Immolation is too powerful. For two main reasons:

-Its relative power compared to air blind skills like Blinding Flash or Blinding Surge (blind longer, costs less). Or compared 10 energy cost damage skills like Enervating Charge (more damages even with AP, more conditions).

-Its synergy with others water skills, which give the ability to completely lock both attack lending and moving capability of a target from distance using only one attribute. Other builds can only lock one of those, for example a crippling shot ranger can only reduce moving ability and a blinding surge elementalist can only blind.

Suggestion

-Increase cost to 15, reduce blind duration to the same as blinding flash.

-Use Exhaustion, make steam cause blind all the time but cause exhaustion too. This would lead to a skill similar to Gale which is a good spike counter and life saver but cannot be used constantly.

-Change the condition to one controlled by the enemy, such as "if attacking" or "if enchanted".

-Make it a projectile. Would probably be hard to avoid it on flat ground since a water elementalist can slow down, but allow to use walls as counters.

-Change the linked attribute to earth or air magic.

Reasoning

Since the glyph synergies well with other spells without problems, only steam should be modified.

Desocupado's Issue -- (11:55, 30 November 2008 (GMT-3))

Issue

Huge blind duration

Blindness is associated with air magic, not water magic.

Suggestion

Decrease blindness duration to it's half.

Or increase it's cost to 15.

Way overpowered

Issue

Not enough attribute investment required, cheap, spammable blind, overpowered with Slippery Ground and Glyph of Immolation.

Suggestion

Increase cast time to 2 seconds, increase energy to 10, decrease blind duration to 1...7...9