Question about Death Aura, post-U9

[gserlenga]

Death Aura and Lesser Death Aura, can these spells no longer be extended post-Update9? If they cannot be, that's a huge hit to pale-master self healing. Has this not been mentioned before on the Lammania threads?

[Ironforge_Clan]

Death Aura and Lesser Death Aura, can these spells no longer be extended post-Update9? If they cannot be, that's a huge hit to pale-master self healing. Has this not been mentioned before on the Lammania threads?

Based upon the testing I did on Lama I didn't notice any changes with respect to extend not applying. I'm pretty sure extend was only removed from damage spells/aoe.

[Malky]

Based upon the testing I did on Lama I didn't notice any changes with respect to extend not applying. I'm pretty sure extend was only removed from damage spells/aoe.

Death Aura is also an AoE damage spell, well... somewhat

[Ironforge_Clan]

Death Aura is also an AoE damage spell, well... somewhat

LOL I knew someone would come back at me with that. Technically it is but its main purpose is healing a PM. I don't consider it a true damage spell since the damage/healing isn't boosted by other metas such as maximize and empower. I mean compared to most damage AOE spells death aura really stinks.

[Musouka]

LOL I knew someone would come back at me with that. Technically it is but its main purpose is healing a PM. I don't consider it a true damage spell since the damage/healing isn't boosted by other metas such as maximize and empower. I mean compared to most damage AOE spells death aura really stinks.

It's main purpose is not to heal a pale master. As any archmage or sorcerer can still use the spell. It just so happens that pale masters get healed by it. I also remember pale masters being around before death aura was available.

[Ironforge_Clan]

It's main purpose is not to heal a pale master. As any archmage or sorcerer can still use the spell. It just so happens that pale masters get healed by it.

That is correct any archmage or sorcerer can still use the spell. How many sorcerers do you know who are willing to give up a spell slot for DA? How many archmages do you know who carry DA? Based upon that I would say that its main function is for a PM to heal him/her-self. The fact that it deals damage to enemies is secondary and as I previously stated the damage it does put out is paultry.

[Musouka]

If it solely had that purpose, then why isn't it just a Pale Master ability? And not available via scroll?

[azrael4h]

If it solely had that purpose, then why isn't it just a Pale Master ability? And not available via scroll?

I've pulled at least a dozen of both Lesser and regular Death Aura scrolls since they hit. I have no Wizard, so they get vendored.

[Entelech]

(1) Unlike "damage" spells, it cannot be Empowered or Maximized. If they were going to strip Extend from it, they'd be going overboard. All the other damage spells that lost Extend capability could (and still can be) Maximized and Empowered.

Thus, regardless of the "intended use" (whatever that means), there is a clear mechanical distinction between Death Aura and those spells slated for nerfage.


(2) Regardless of whether you think it "ought to be nerfed" (whatever your logic, or lack thereof) it HAS NOT BEEN NERFED on the Lamannia server. Go check for yourself if you do not believe me.

(3) It IS available on scrolls. Talk to the undead-only collector in House Jorasco. Two Marks of the Keeper gets you a random Necromancy scroll, and Death Aura is among them.


Obviously, Lamannia may not reflect the actual build that goes live tomorrow morning, but it's the best data we have, at least until the servers come back up tomorrow.

[varusso]

My Death Aura ticks for about 30-40 damage on average vs most mobs, and it moves with me, as opposed to staying in one spot, That means that when everything is dead in one spot, the spell does not become utterly useless in terms of damage for the remainder of its duration (as opposed to stationary AOEs such as firewall). Add in the healing component for PMs, and it is one of the most SP-efficient spells a PM can cast. As a non-PM, it loses significant efficiency due to the loss of healing, but is still valuable as a mobile AOE -- though not nearly as much so without the negative energy amps inherent in the PM line.

Just because most PMs cast it for healing first and damage second does not make it NOT an AOE damage spell. It just so happens it is a multi-purpose AOE. I use it as additional damage all the time, though not the primary source of damage.

[borninoz]

Does anyone know whether heighten still works on the aura? I was hoping they would take the ability to heighten the aura off so that I could save mana when casting it.

[Ironforge_Clan]

Does anyone know whether heighten still works on the aura? I was hoping they would take the ability to heighten the aura off so that I could save mana when casting it.

Based upon the build that is currently on Lama heighten still affects DA.

[Tirisha]

From what I've heard they didn't just remove extend from damage spells they basically removed it from anything that wasn't a buff. I'd be very surprised if DA is expendable.

[Tirisha]

Also PMs will possibly be out dps Sorcs on trash mobs come U9 while still generating far better CC capability. You can't have your cake and eat it too.... or maybe you really can.

In light of this possibility I see the nerf to DA too be rather minor. Especially in comparison to its effect on spells like FW, web and Disco.

[Aashrym]

Death aura is treated as a buff. I'd happily traded the ability to extend it for the ability to maximize and empower it.

It's currently affected by heighten, quicken, and extend on Lamma, and so is the lesser aura.

[sephiroth1084]

It's main purpose is not to heal a pale master. As any archmage or sorcerer can still use the spell. It just so happens that pale masters get healed by it. I also remember pale masters being around before death aura was available.

Let's see...

The spell was released basically along with Pale Master.
It/they are one of 3 spells that can heal Pale Masters.
Pale Masters are the only characters who both gain access to the spell and an enhancement to boost it.
It does too little damage to be used as even a secondary source of damage (more likely a tertiary or further addition).
It isn't affected by maximize or empower. If it did, it would be a spell worth carrying, perhaps, for offensive purposes, but would be insanely broken as a healing spell in its current form. Clearly, it was balanced for the latter and not the former.
If you see a Death Aura up, do you ever EVER not assume that the wizard in your group is a Pale Master? Do you even need to double check to see whether the arcane in your group is a sorcerer or wizard?

The Heal spell can be used to injure undead. That doesn't mean that its primary purpose isn't to restore HP to allies.

[Maegin]

I carry DA on my wf archmage? It's still damage, and grabs aggro so I can pull stuff to my AoE DotS and hjeals any nearby PM's.

What's not to like?

[gserlenga]

Thanks ppl for the responses, I have to agree that certain spells that may have offensive capabilities but cannot be maximized or empowered, and are short-acting such as the death auras should not be subject to the removal of extend on offensive spells that's going live in a few hours. Its a relief to know self healing on my PM will still be viable