Does it really matter how a spell looks when you cast it? As long as it hurts a lot, couldn’t it have any kind of colour and shape? That would make sense. But I’ve got a confession to make: sometimes I’m not sensible at all. Sometimes I want to look cool and feel like the über-powered super mage I was meant to be, even if it’s just an illusion.
Learning frostfire
As a mage you have a few spells to choose between, but until now neither of them has met my expectations when it comes to looks. I guess I’ve seen too many fireballs and arcane blasts take off in my days to really notice them anymore.
I haven’t thrown quite that many frostbolts, but they seem a bit… plain. Arcane missiles are more spectacular, but a little too tiny, reminding of harmless fireworks handled by children.
But now my prayers have been heard! Dinging 75 last week I trained the new glorious frostfirebolt spell that the whole mage community has been talking about lately.
There was no doubt about the fact that this was an interesting spell damagewise. I won’t go on about that, it’s been covered in other blogs – check out Frost is the new black, Critical QQ and Player versus developer for some further theorycrafting and inspiration. What I appreciated most though was the graphics. Finally we’ve been given a spell that won’t pass unnoticed!
From slush to comet
To be honest I had been a bit sceptic towards the whole concept of frostfire. If you think about it, fire+ice should end up as some sort of harmless, melting, soft slush. Cold, wet and annoying, but not very hard hitting. But I was dead wrong. I had forgotten about the comets travelling all across the universe, cold ice blocks which turns into burning deadly projectiles when they hit the atmosphere. That’s where Blizzard has got their inspiration. Fire and ice – yes it makes sense in this version. They’ve also given it a sort of glimmering, metallic finish, which makes it look even better.
What does frustrate me a bit is the speed of it – the waiting time for it to go off makes me feel as if I had been hit by some slowing frost spell. On the other hand I’ve got hot streak and frostbite nowadays, giving me instant pyros and freezing the mobs to ice every now and than. That makes up for it. No more boring fireball spamming!
Time for a change
How many fireballs have left the little paws of Larísa during the years? I have no idea. Thousands? Millions? It was definitely about time she had a change. Even though it’s just the colour of the ball hurling through the air, the feeling of it is totally different.
Where will I stand in six months from now? Will I still be enthusiastic or will the sensation of a novelty have wear off by then? It remains to see. But for now I’m all in for it!
It remains to see where I’ll stand in six months from now. Will I still be enthusiastic or have I seen it too many times by then to notice anymore? It remains to see. But currently I enjoy every single beautiful comet spell that takes off.
Learning frostfire
As a mage you have a few spells to choose between, but until now neither of them has met my expectations when it comes to looks. I guess I’ve seen too many fireballs and arcane blasts take off in my days to really notice them anymore.
I haven’t thrown quite that many frostbolts, but they seem a bit… plain. Arcane missiles are more spectacular, but a little too tiny, reminding of harmless fireworks handled by children.
But now my prayers have been heard! Dinging 75 last week I trained the new glorious frostfirebolt spell that the whole mage community has been talking about lately.
There was no doubt about the fact that this was an interesting spell damagewise. I won’t go on about that, it’s been covered in other blogs – check out Frost is the new black, Critical QQ and Player versus developer for some further theorycrafting and inspiration. What I appreciated most though was the graphics. Finally we’ve been given a spell that won’t pass unnoticed!
From slush to comet
To be honest I had been a bit sceptic towards the whole concept of frostfire. If you think about it, fire+ice should end up as some sort of harmless, melting, soft slush. Cold, wet and annoying, but not very hard hitting. But I was dead wrong. I had forgotten about the comets travelling all across the universe, cold ice blocks which turns into burning deadly projectiles when they hit the atmosphere. That’s where Blizzard has got their inspiration. Fire and ice – yes it makes sense in this version. They’ve also given it a sort of glimmering, metallic finish, which makes it look even better.
What does frustrate me a bit is the speed of it – the waiting time for it to go off makes me feel as if I had been hit by some slowing frost spell. On the other hand I’ve got hot streak and frostbite nowadays, giving me instant pyros and freezing the mobs to ice every now and than. That makes up for it. No more boring fireball spamming!
Time for a change
How many fireballs have left the little paws of Larísa during the years? I have no idea. Thousands? Millions? It was definitely about time she had a change. Even though it’s just the colour of the ball hurling through the air, the feeling of it is totally different.
Where will I stand in six months from now? Will I still be enthusiastic or will the sensation of a novelty have wear off by then? It remains to see. But for now I’m all in for it!
It remains to see where I’ll stand in six months from now. Will I still be enthusiastic or have I seen it too many times by then to notice anymore? It remains to see. But currently I enjoy every single beautiful comet spell that takes off.
12 comments:
Damn you! Now I have to level Devv again. I almost forgot about getting that spell. I cannot handle any more distractions. You must stop writing until I can get Predatore's Herbalism and Inscription level-appropriate. Do you hear me?!?
I'm leveling my mage arcane right now, but I'm sure I'm respeccing at 75 to a build that maximizes frostfire bolt. I can't think of any other class that got a completely new base ability like this. Plus I miss frost's defensive spells - I've been feeling awfully squishy in Northrend...
Nothing beats tranquility!
Spectacular gentle snowfall for 8 seconds. During this time it heals 4 times 5000!!! on 5 targets. Yes, that's 100K heal in 8 secs.
Oh. Almost forgot. Generates no threat.
@Devv: I know... so much to do and so little time... making up your mind is pretty hard. There will be a rant about it on this blog soon.
@David: I definitly think you should try it out. I LOVE when frostbite procs and freeze the mob even if you're at casting distance. For a frost mage it's basic, to me its brand new.
@Gevlon: Oh, I agree! I've always loved that one. It's very soothening. But the other day I got mirror and that one beats all (yes, I dinged 80!) An army of pink pigtailed gnomes at my side! Can't really get any better!
Grats on getting 80, ill be lucky to be 74 by the weekend hahaha.
You should be in the clear with that there frostfire stuff. So much haste gear around you can probably munch another second off of the cast-time of that thing.
not something I'd like to drag to a pvp battle though... double school lockout *shivers*
I'm overusing Mind Sear because it's pretty. I have no idea how effective it is, but it looks awesome.
My mage is looking forward to Frostfire a great deal now, thanks. :)
After hitting 75 I too was tempted by the beauty of Frostfire. I throw it out now and then when I'm soloing but honestly I can't give up my pure frost build. Perhaps if I end up raiding full time I'll switch out but right now Frostfire doesn't offer enough to earn a respec.
@Larísa: if you got mirror image, try use Tiny Woodoo mask, when mirrored :-)
I like the looks of Frostfire Bolt, but I will say that being a Fire spect feels a bit like a watered down (fired up?) Frost spec now. Basically I play almost exactly like I used to play deep Frost, spam FFB (instead of FB) and hope for frostbite to proc so I can shatter. The only difference is that I have short-range AOE options instead of the water elemental and ice barrier, and Combustion instead of Icy Veins.
@Esdras: thanks!
@Captain the First: have hardly got any upgrades in Northrend yet but I'll keep an eye open for haste, definitly. Need to speed up a bit.
@GoW: I'm glad I'm not the only one falling for good looking spells...
@Funeral: thinking about it I guess levelling as frost would have been the only wise thing to do... you only have to read the aoe grinding posts by Krizzlybear to get tempted. But still... I'm no frost mage at heart. I just can't identify with it.
@Gevlon: you're revealing my post ideas! I had planned to check it out later this week and take a screenshot. Oh well, I may do it anyway... But I actually did think about it myself.
@Green Armadillo: if you compare it to my old fire spec it really feels different. But it isn't just about the new slush/comet spell, it's also about hot streak and living bomb... Anyway it's fun and I love it.
This reminds me. At first I really liked the new looks of the warlock's "drain" spells, all swirly and such, but now they annoy me because when I cast them I can't see the mob anymore. It's just this big swirly purpleness taking up my screen.
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