[SKILL] Magic Shield Explained. Duration too short?

[Felora]

Magic Shield

Original Description
Divert incoming damage to your mana pool!
Cost 20 mana. 12 sec duration. +Armor per rank.

Actual Skill Stats
The duration remains 12 sec. regardless of skill level. The damage you take from an enemy hit, reduced by the armor bonus is diverted to your mana pool (reduction of mana).

Level 1: +4 armor
Level 2: +6 armor
Level 3: +8 armor
Level 4: +10 armor
Level 5: +12 armor

Comments
In my opinion, this skill is essential for any enchantress who would often get between the enemies for AOE blasting and taking the aggro. If your mana pool and mana regen is large and fast enough, you will at least survive those heavy hits from stronger enemies in which you would go down in two seconds. However, it definitely doesn't last long enough.

Strange Effect
There is a strange effect that after you AOE blast, you attract aggro and take hits. I always get stuck and not allowed to move until after 2 or 3 seconds. It is not lag and I don't think there are any spell casters who root me to the ground. That wastes another few seconds of the magic shield while I am supposed to run back to avoid full aggro before my AOE spells are recharged.

Suggestion
Since most Enchantress help out the party by healing, buffing, resurrecting. I think it is fair to make her possibly to stay up a bit longer and the other classes would agree.

The Archer crit, evasion buff last 20 seconds (which is good!). There are only 4 skill shortcut buttons on screen, it becomes very annoying to have to activate and check on the recharge of the magic shield in the skill book. I hope the duration can be lengthened to 14 or 16 seconds something to make it more reasonable.

Remember those who use this skill are those who focus on INT to be able to use this mana draining spell so we would not be having a high DEX dodge or high STR HP to make things unbalanced. Also, another penalty is that the 1H wands damage are nerfed to promote 2H staves use so we would less likely wear the off hand bracer for armor bonus now...

Please feel free to share your comments!

[Hurs]

First off, purple font ftw.

Secondly, I kind of agree and disagree with your point. While mana shield does last for a shorter amount of time than say an Archer's evasion skill, Archer's can still get hit. Enchantresses kind of fall into this magical alternate reality that gets slightly distorted by deranged yetis punching it. Also, are you getting randomly stuck in the Lost Expedition? Because some of those yetis are pretty stealthy at AoE freezing ><;

[nerdherd]

When I first got this skill I misread it and thought it absorbed damage and turned it into mana...now THAT would be cool. As-is, I don't use this one very often because I'm usually low on mana to begin with, so once I've cast this it essentially doesn't do any good.

[Flyingcookie]

I don't think that the spell duration is too low - but i do think that the recharge speed for this spell is too slow - it should have at least a recharge rate equivalent to the spell's duration ... Maybe at the expense of a greater mana cost or something (say a good 100 mana per cast -> requires pots) =/

[Violentsaint]

When I first got this skill I misread it and thought it absorbed damage and turned it into mana...now THAT would be cool. As-is, I don't use this one very often because I'm usually low on mana to begin with, so once I've cast this it essentially doesn't do any good.

turning incoming damage into mana would be pretty awesome....

i agree with flyingcookie, making the recharge rate faster in exchange for greater mana to cast.

i disagree however having the recharg rate equivalent to spells duration, if that were the case you could run around with mana sheild on constantly if you had the mana pots to spare. wich would just be plain overpowered.

[Pixxie]

You boys do realize that Mana Shield also increases your overall Armor Rating while its enabled? It doesn't JUST take dmg from your Mana pool..

It essentially doubles your "health" (mana+health) and increases your armor for the duration.

You can always pop a few pots if you see the mana being drained too quick.. but at least you'll be alive to pop those pots.

[nerdherd]

Yes, I know it ups the armor, but not enough to make it worth it in my experience so far. That could change though, I am just afraid of putting more skill points into it because I don't want to have to pay for a respec later on if I don't really use it (like I don't currently).

[ojilles]

Felora, excellent post and write up! I get the same "being stuck for ±2 seconds" experience as you, for what it's worth.

What I wanted to ask is, is there a good write up of all the Skills for either Enchantress or all roles? What I mean is the in-game descriptions are good at explaining what the skill does in generic terms, but don't provide enough info to make decisions. Your post above does do that for Magic Shield (with actual armor increases, etc).

For example Blessing of Vitality says "Increase party health regeneration. Cost 60". How much increase exactly? Any pointers?

[vinshta]

First off, purple font ftw.

Secondly, I kind of agree and disagree with your point. While mana shield does last for a shorter amount of time than say an Archer's evasion skill, Archer's can still get hit. Enchantresses kind of fall into this magical alternate reality that gets slightly distorted by deranged yetis punching it. Also, are you getting randomly stuck in the Lost Expedition? Because some of those yetis are pretty stealthy at AoE freezing ><;

You can be rooted by mages , but every enemy can phase or stun you for 1-3 seconds with any normal hit. The reason why, I believe; is when a decent amount of damage is done at once. The reason why you see this more often in the enchantress is because they obviously are most susceptible to damage because of the lowest armor/health rating. Hope that helped!

[Zapoke]

This post is over a year old... Don't necro post, please...

[crestmage]

First off y extend that long? Does ur mana rlly regen that fast? You'll prob wear out ur mana in the first few sec.
Oh yeah btw this thread is antique. typin in for fun

[Arcanahasabumrash]

I play a mage and a bird. I think this is a good idea, however THEY WOULD BE TOO OVERPOWERED! Archers dodge CAN get hit but probably wont so..

[XghostzX]

Mana shield is not at all too short. In fact it feels perfect for me. I would hate to lose all of my mana from using mana shield then have to wait an extra 5-10 seconds before it runs out. You'll have absolutely no way of using another spell until it runs out.

[ThePvpTwink]

Shield gets up very slowly. Sometimes i die before it appears...

[XghostzX]

Shield gets up very slowly. Sometimes i die before it appears...

This right here is probably the only thing that I would want fixed-- an instant mana shield. But in a way, it makes it tricky for archers to break our shield from this half a second delay.

[Eddison Sukansingh]

Am a dex int mage and i don't see anything wrong with the mana shield.
I use crafted fang wand which grants very fast mana regeneration due to its proc.
If you're smart you will survive in many battles.

The trick in my opinion is a strong bear and bird who are also efficient with skills backing you in battles.
With these character types I've been able to fight in the for front many times and the mana shield is an added bonus.

A smart mage can survive many high level bosses even defeat them at it.
Sent from my GT-I5800 using Tapatalk

[crestmage]

Shield gets up very slowly. Sometimes i die before it appears...

it's a skill all mages gotta master in PVP if the shield were to be set up without delay, it would be unfair to birds which could die within one round of mage combo (no offenses made to birds out there, i hope? )