09-15-2005, 01:59 PM
Gnollguy,Sep 14 2005, 08:40 AM Wrote:Can you do something like that for your AoE and not completely screw yourself? Othwise it would seem that you would want to just not take permafrost or winter's chill, at least not beyond one point each, which would give you enough to get Improved Arcane Explosion and allow you to slap some points in improved Cone of Cold. Just a thought, I'm not sure that going that heavy and losing the versatility of improved arcane explosion or 2 more for improved counterspell, really, is worth it just wonder if a fully supported Blizzard is viable is all.
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It's difficult to match the flexibility of IAE. Even with a fully improved Blizzard, that's 11 points versus 5 for IAE.
That said, against melee mobs that can be snared, a fully improved Blizzard is probably better than IAE. Less DPS, but greater efficiency, and properly executed you'll never take a hit. Easier on the healers, as well, who aren't forced to spam-heal you as you charge headlong into masses of things which would just love to beat on you.
However, AoE engagements are rarely that simple. If they don't start at a distance, the effectiveness of Imp Blizz is greatly reduced, since they reach you that much quicker. If there's a single ranged attacker in the AoE, you can count on getting hit and losing a chunk of time off the channelling bar. If even one of the targets resists, you have to shift the entire AoE and get all the mobs grouped again, or the resisting mob will hit you and eat channelling time.
Essentially, Imp Blizz offers the chance not to get hit in exchange for the fact that if you do get hit, it turns out to be worse than IAE in any way. I prefer not to count on not getting hit.