Ice Tank, Icicles power - How to best use/slot?

[TwoEyeBlack]

I am doing a new Ice/Stone tank.  I took Icicles as one of the powers and am not sure the most effective way to slot it.  As I see it, there are three options:

1. Proc Monster (fill it will procs like -res from the PvP set, the Perfect Zinger damage proc, Overwhelming force chance to knockdown, etc etc etc).

2. Go for set bonuses (like Obliteration)

3. Slot minimally because the slots are better used elsewhere

 

What is the general thought on this?  I have it slotted for procs, but I look at the damage numbers and do not see much happening.  

 

Any feedback is welcomed.  Thanks!

[SeraphimKensai]

I would slot for set bonuses because it will have a minimal chance to proc compared to other powers since it's a toggle.

[Thrax]

On my ice/spines tank, I've got the two tank sets in each of the toggles.  They only proc once per 10 seconds but generally you're surrounded and they have a pretty high chance of going off.  Plus this has good end reduction in it too.

[hakurr]

i don't run stone but i do run an Ice/Ice tanker i run with the ATO for added res in Icicles and i do often have a double stack of the proc.

[PLVRIZR]

5 hours ago, hakurr said:

i don't run stone but i do run an Ice/Ice tanker i run with the ATO for added res in Icicles and i do often have a double stack of the proc.

 

I do run stone melee and also have the MoT ATO full set in Icicles.  Near perma single stack and, as @hakurr reports, often double stack.  Absolute aggro-magnet, pulling aggro away from other tanks, so make sure you're super tanky, as EVERYTHING will be focused on killing you😆

[Sovera]

Damage auras are terrible for procs thanks to the lenghty (10 seconds) check and due to being AoE the % of going off is small (30% or lower). Damage auras are great place to dump uninteresting sets that precisely have no damage procs.

[ZemX]

22 hours ago, Sovera said:

Damage auras are great place to dump uninteresting sets that precisely have no damage procs.

 

Why skip the damage proc if the set has it?

 

A 3.5ppm damage proc does 71.75 damage at level 50.   30% of that is 21.525.  Per 10 seconds that is 2.153 dps per target.  Icicles does 10.5659 per 2 seconds, or 5.283 dps per target.

 

In other words, every damage proc in Icicles adds 40% to the base damage (and ignores ED). If you were only interested in getting the most damage out of Icicles as possible and felt you could rely on global accuracy/toHit and endurance recovery, you should slot 2x 50+5 common damage IO... and four damage procs.

 

But I like set bonuses, so I think a set that hits ED limits in damage enhancement while providing decent acc/endrdx AND a damage proc is likely the best choice.  Assuming your build actually has six slots to spare in the damage aura.  I often can't make that work.

[Gerswin]

I have gotten more utility from both the overwhelming force knockdown proc  and the fury of the gladiator -res proc than any damage proc in damage auras.  Usually I have even better places to put the slots though.

[Sovera]

1 hour ago, ZemX said:

Why skip the damage proc if the set has it?

 

S'not what I said. What I did say was that damage auras are great mules for sets that are not otherwise interesting to place in an attack. For example the Gauntled Fist that Tankers have. Great set, chockful of useful bonuses, but in an attack it robs the set of a damage proc. So to the damage aura it goes.

[MrAxe]

I get it to about 90% damage, decent accuracy and use it for the set bonuses I need. I have 4 Superior Avalanche slotted. I've used the knockdown proc simply because the Battle Axe is knockdown heavy. I'm fine with it not firing as often as others.