Ice Armor Changes

[Psycout]

Just gonna make some suggestions for Ice Armor, specifically stalker ice armor. Stalkers get Glacial Armor (+E/N defense, DDR, +perception) at level 28 which is way too late compared to other sets that get their main shields much earlier. It's pretty much impossible to run a synapse TF with toggles on because of this. Ice Armor also doesn't get any endurance drain protection and there is no way to combat it except for energy absorption which is acquired at level 35. This makes Pen Yin TFs a nightmare because of the endurance and recovery drain from the Super stunner freakshow bosses.  Carnies also destroy, especially when you're eliminating 6 minions in one blow which drains all of your endurance from their death scream since it's unavoidable. I propose that Glacial Armor should be switched to the level 16 T5 slot and have a small endurance drain resistance of 25% or so added to the power.

 

Chilling Embrace can then remain at the T7 or switched with Permafrost to be the T6. Permafrost could also use an adjustment. Maybe adding some more damage types to its resistance such as energy and negative or smashing and lethal. I have skipped it on my ice armor builds because without it I'm still sitting at 105% cold resistance which is 30% over the cap. The slow resistance from permafrost is also redundant because Ice already gets quite a bit and the winter sets can easily push an Ice Armor build over 125% slow resistance which I'm pretty sure is overkill.

 

Anyways I still love the set but just thought I should make some reasonable suggestions. Let me know what you think.  

[Razor Cure]

Agreed. Having your 2nd major defence at 28 is just stupid. No other set gets screwed that way. Adding a lil end drain res would also fit the theme of the set.

[SeraphimKensai]

Honestly the biggest potential change to Ice Armor, I'd love to see is swap Hibernate out of Tanks/Brutes in favor of Icy Bastion.

[DR_Mechano]

24 minutes ago, SeraphimKensai said:

Honestly the biggest potential change to Ice Armor, I'd love to see is swap Hibernate out of Tanks/Brutes in favor of Icy Bastion.

Hibernate is definitely one of those tier 9 powers that needs a looking at...I mean it effectively drops all aggro you have on you to use it...which means that all of a sudden the mobs you were tanking scatter to the four winds after the rest of the team. It would make sense on a Scrapper who honestly probably wouldn't mind an aggro dropping tool combined with a self heal but on a Tank/Brute Hibernate is really wonky and I second the notion of them getting Icy Bastion instead.

[Microcosm]

Honestly I think the end drain protection is nice, but it doesn't need it. Ice is loaded with goodies, it's ok to have a weakness or two. Totally on board with the rest though, Permafrost should do something beneficial and there's not harm in shifting the order of some of these powers.

[Sura]

Disclaimer: this is all from Tanker perspective.

 

Permafrost IMO has one really valuable trait: slow resist.  I don't know about Stalkers, but I know on Tankers if you take Permafrost (and other powers) and add one Winter's Gift Slow Resist you get to 100% resistance to movement and recharge slows.  Which is really really nice.  I use it to slot the two global +DEF enhancements too.

 

I'd love to see a fork where you could choose Icy Bastion or Hibernate.  

 

One thing I've always thought was weird about Ice Armor is the ridiculous amount of Cold Resistance you get.  Is there a way to trade some of that in for something else?  

[kelika2]

On 2/8/2020 at 5:56 PM, Razor Cure said:

Agreed. Having your 2nd major defence at 28 is just stupid. No other set gets screwed that way. Adding a lil end drain res would also fit the theme of the set.

Other than

Invul brutes/scrappers (28) - thats right, no taunt aura for you for anything below level 23.

regen brutes/scrappers (28)

super reflex scrapper/stalker (level 35 for aoe def omg)

 

[Cutter]

9 hours ago, kelika2 said:

Other than

Invul brutes/scrappers (28) - thats right, no taunt aura for you for anything below level 23.

regen brutes/scrappers (28)

super reflex scrapper/stalker (level 35 for aoe def omg)

 

Also WP brute/scrap waiting til 28 for their SLENFC defense.

And Stone brute waiting til 28 for EN def.

[Microcosm]

20 hours ago, Sura said:

Disclaimer: this is all from Tanker perspective.

 

Permafrost IMO has one really valuable trait: slow resist.  I don't know about Stalkers, but I know on Tankers if you take Permafrost (and other powers) and add one Winter's Gift Slow Resist you get to 100% resistance to movement and recharge slows.  Which is really really nice.  I use it to slot the two global +DEF enhancements too.

 

I'd love to see a fork where you could choose Icy Bastion or Hibernate.  

 

One thing I've always thought was weird about Ice Armor is the ridiculous amount of Cold Resistance you get.  Is there a way to trade some of that in for something else?  

On a stalker you get 100% slow with winter's gift and your other powers without Permafrost. It's pretty close to useless. Agree on the super high ice resist, which Permafrost adds insult to injury on. If they took the cold resist out of permafrost and gave it some other benefit ( up the fire resist substantially, or add that requested end drain protection or something) that would make it better than almost useless.

[Sura]

1 hour ago, Microcosm said:

On a stalker you get 100% slow with winter's gift and your other powers without Permafrost. It's pretty close to useless. Agree on the super high ice resist, which Permafrost adds insult to injury on. If they took the cold resist out of permafrost and gave it some other benefit ( up the fire resist substantially, or add that requested end drain protection or something) that would make it better than almost useless.

I've always thought fire resist too, it seems to make the most sense.  

 

Take away the need for the slow resist from Permafrost and I'm skipping it just like you.  It's the only thing that makes it worthwhile for me.  Take it away and the only thing that suffers is my fire resist; my cold resist still sits, even after taking out Permafrost, at 112% (it's 148% with Permafrost).  That's out of hand, and especially considering it's COLD, which isn't exactly common, complete and utter overkill.

 

Hold on a minute!  Guess what?  Turns out I didn't have EA turned on in MIDS.  Holy smoke.  I don't need that slow resist from Permafrost either.  I probably have to keep it for the little bit of fire resist (dang it) but it's a bummer that's the case.  Thanks so much for posting, I'd have never noticed.