Frostwork isnt what I expected

[TheZag]

Ive taken cold domination on characters before but i had always skipped frostwork.  Im on a new character with cold domination now and decided i could use a single target heal/hp boost power so i picked it.  Except its not a heal,  but sometimes it can behave like one.  The power is working as described,  i just didnt read and expected it to behave differently.

 

Here is its full details on a defender https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=defender_buff.cold_domination.frostwork&at=defender

 

Basically the power increases your targets max hit points by about 500.  The power doesnt heal those increased hit points but instead keeps the target at the same % of hp.  So someone at 100% hp will stay there when buffed and get those hit points filled.  So someone with a 1000 max hp at 100% will end up still at 100% when buffed  1000+500 = 1500 (500 HPs filled).  But someone at 50% hp will still be at 50% hp after being buffed so that same 500 will only refill 250 of the HP while leaving the other 250 empty to preserve the current hp percentage.

 

I read the power wrong and it doesnt perform exactly as i expected and its 'healing' performance drops as the targets hp% falls.  I play like its supposed to be reactive but it 'fills' more hp when used while your target has 100%.  Cold domination doesnt need a buff so i wouldnt want the power changed to heal those increased hp unless it were a bug.  How do u guys use the power? Do you consider it skippable?  Ive skipped it in the past and the variable performance makes the power feel kinda bad to me.

 

[nihilii]

It's definitely a buff more than a heal.

I think it's an excellent power for several reasons:

 

1) what kills you at the higher end is large amounts of damage all at once. Increasing your maxHP increases the time you have to react to whatever threat, so in that sense Frostwork does the best job to save you.
2) raising maxHP also raises regeneration
3) Frostwork is almost unique in providing ally +maxHP

 

I don't even consider the pseudoheal part in my decision making. The ideal time to apply Frostwork is between encounters. If I put on someone who's low HP, I expect they'll refill their HP in some other way.

Only reason I don't always get Frostwork: Cold has 9 great powers... Out of those 9 Frostwork is the most skippable, but it wouldn't be a skippable power if it weren't for the set being overall stellar.

[Psyonico]

It's really designed to be proactive, not reactive.  I don't really know how I feel about the power though.

[Major_Decoy]

It's really nice to have, depending on what you're teaming with.

 

It's great for tanks, brutes, and scrappers, provided they aren't already at the hit point cap. So Earth Tanks, Invulnerability Tanks, and Ice Tanks will see the least benefit usually. Willpower can hit the hit point cap with set bonuses. Shield Defense might be able to, but you're more likely to slot for defense bonuses. Radiation Armour, Bio Armour, and Electric Armour are all regeneration heavy sets without a reliable path to hit the hit point cap. They will be very happy for the increase.

 

I'm not sure about Stalkers, because I remember it being really easy to hit the hit point cap on stalkers.

[Glacier Peak]

8 hours ago, TheZag said:

Ive taken cold domination on characters before but i had always skipped frostwork.  Im on a new character with cold domination now and decided i could use a single target heal/hp boost power so i picked it.  Except its not a heal,  but sometimes it can behave like one.  The power is working as described,  i just didnt read and expected it to behave differently.

 

Here is its full details on a defender https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=defender_buff.cold_domination.frostwork&at=defender

 

Basically the power increases your targets max hit points by about 500.  The power doesnt heal those increased hit points but instead keeps the target at the same % of hp.  So someone at 100% hp will stay there when buffed and get those hit points filled.  So someone with a 1000 max hp at 100% will end up still at 100% when buffed  1000+500 = 1500 (500 HPs filled).  But someone at 50% hp will still be at 50% hp after being buffed so that same 500 will only refill 250 of the HP while leaving the other 250 empty to preserve the current hp percentage.

 

I read the power wrong and it doesnt perform exactly as i expected and its 'healing' performance drops as the targets hp% falls.  I play like its supposed to be reactive but it 'fills' more hp when used while your target has 100%.  Cold domination doesnt need a buff so i wouldnt want the power changed to heal those increased hp unless it were a bug.  How do u guys use the power? Do you consider it skippable?  Ive skipped it in the past and the variable performance makes the power feel kinda bad to me.

It's a good slot set mule and helps buff the Tank to max hp. I use it and the shields for teaming.

[Sir Myshkin]

The obvious outlook for the power is to cycle it on a few targets (usually possible to get it on two or three for most builds without much trouble), ideally Melee since it stretches their benefit further, and keep it on them. I did not personally play with it this way (for the most part). A prime alpha lead is a decent place to direct it for sure, but while that heal component might seem paltry at low levels, I have seen it be just enough of a spark to pick a player back up and give them the boost they need to run. Keep in mind that heals in general work off the percent game, so if there is anyone tossing green around on the team your Frostwork just boosted the grand benefit of their work too.

 

More recently I decided to roll a Mercs/Cold with the Page 5 changes since I'd not been playing my Cold character at all since it was created years ago (weird to say that), and I direct the Frostwork towards my Mercs. The pets get a pretty substantial boost, it benefits Bodyguard, thus benefiting me. Each nets several hundred HP, spread across the T3 and T2's means I've got a lot more leverage than an average Mastermind. The Mercs can also get pumped significantly for Res stats with the changes to Serum (can cap them out for a short period), and Cold lets me soft cap them.

 

Application of the power matters, pick the right target for the right reason at the right time and it can change a scenario dramatically.

[Uun]

I find it's pretty situational. It's useful for HM content, but not really needed otherwise if people have well constructed builds. In my current build I take it at lvl 49 and leave it with just the base slot. I think I have it slotted with a 50+5 heal/rech.

[twozerofoxtrot]

Litteral lifesaver for those leveling teams you're running where there is that one person who keeps dying.

 

Basically keep it on a rotating bindload file along with the two def buffs. Cycle through the three when it makes sense (powerboosted vs not, etc).

 

 

[Indystruck]

Frostwork is extremely good.

[Uun]

11 hours ago, twozerofoxtrot said:

Litteral lifesaver for those leveling teams you're running where there is that one person who keeps dying.

 

Basically keep it on a rotating bindload file along with the two def buffs. Cycle through the three when it makes sense (powerboosted vs not, etc).

Power Boost does not work on the Cold shields.

[twozerofoxtrot]

Oh well strike that then, and I suppose the +Res on Frostwork bolos Powerboost for that as well.

 

So spam buff away!

 

 

[Doomguide2005]

On 11/9/2022 at 6:49 PM, twozerofoxtrot said:

Oh well strike that then, and I suppose the +Res on Frostwork bolos Powerboost for that as well.

 

So spam buff away!

 

 

     Hmmm, I can't be certain as I can't test it but PB and PBU should work on Frostwork.  It's resistance can not be enhanced.  The shields can take Resist Damage enhancements and that is what prevents them from being boosted.  It's the same, for example, as Deflection Shield from Force Fields which is why you can PB etc. them.

[Intrinsic]

I decided to skip Frostwork one I realized how it works.  IMO it's not worth the effort, as I dislike single-target short-term buffs.

 

If it was a group buff then I'd consider taking it.  If it included a heal ala Dull Pain then I'd definitely take it.  I'm not really advocating for changes though; Cold is already a pretty strong set.